MARK STEPHENSON'S SHOCKING TIGHTS FETISH IN TAMPWORTH: CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND DISTRIBUTION REVEALED

A man from Tamworth, identified as Mark Stephenson, has been found guilty of possessing and distributing a significant number of indecent images involving young children. The disturbing case came to light after police investigations uncovered his illicit activities spanning several years, with the offender actively seeking out and sharing images of young girls in tights and short skirts.

Stephenson, 52 years old, was previously residing in Nuneaton but later moved to Stephenson Close, Glascote, Tamworth. His criminal conduct involved the creation, possession, and distribution of over 11,000 indecent images of minors, which he stored across seven different electronic devices found at his residence. The police investigation revealed that he was not only in possession of these images but was also actively distributing them up until the day before his arrest.

The case was brought before Warwick Crown Court, where Stephenson pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including making indecent images of children, distributing such images, and outraging public decency. His actions have had profound personal consequences, including the breakdown of his marriage, which was directly linked to his offending behavior.

During the court proceedings, prosecutor Grace Ong detailed the extent of Stephenson’s criminal activities. She explained that in April 2018, police officers executed a search warrant at his then Nuneaton home. A substantial number of electronic devices were seized, and subsequent examinations of seven or eight of these devices revealed the disturbing content he had stored and shared.

The police found 113 images classified as Category A and B, depicting young girls being subjected to sexual acts, alongside a staggering 11,567 images in Category C, which showed minors in naked or indecent poses. Further investigation uncovered messages exchanged between Stephenson and other users on a social media platform, indicating that he had been distributing Category C images up until the day before his arrest. He admitted to distributing 41 such images and receiving others from different users, often within private groups that were not accessible to the public.

Miss Ong emphasized that Stephenson’s online activity was focused on seeking out images of young girls in tights, with the groups he managed actively promoting this disturbing interest. His online behavior included running several private groups dedicated to sharing such illicit content.

In court, Recorder Balraj Bhatia QC acknowledged the complexity of Stephenson’s case, noting that he had been living a double life. On one hand, he was a successful and hardworking provider for his family; on the other, he harbored a sexual fetish involving children. The judge described this fetish as a powerful and persistent factor in his life, which had driven his criminal conduct.

As a result of his guilty plea, Stephenson was sentenced to two years in prison, but the sentence was suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, participate in a rehabilitation program, and register as a sex offender for the next ten years. He was also required to pay costs amounting to £425. The case highlights the ongoing concerns about online child exploitation and the importance of rigorous law enforcement efforts to combat such heinous crimes.