NEIL STODDART HOARDING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN GARGRAVE AND SAWLEY

In March 2012, Neil Stoddart, a man with ties to the villages of Gargrave and Sawley, was found to be in possession of a significant collection of indecent photographs of children, leading to serious legal consequences. The case unfolded after police executed a search warrant at his residence in Gargrave, where they uncovered thousands of illicit images stored on his computers.

Stoddart, aged 58 at the time, was a former senior official responsible for school meal services under Bradford Council. His downfall was linked to an addiction to viewing pornographic images of young girls, which reportedly began after he was compelled into early retirement from his professional role. The court heard that his obsession with such material escalated over time, culminating in the possession and creation of numerous indecent images.

According to the prosecution, Patrick Gallagher, Stoddart was charged with 16 counts of producing indecent photographs of children and one count of possessing such images. These offenses spanned from January 1, 2009, to July 15, 2010. The court was informed that the majority of the images were classified at level one, indicating the least severe category on the scale used to rate such material. Nonetheless, a small number of images were identified as being of a more serious nature.

Police actions were initiated as part of a nationwide crackdown on internet child pornography. On July 11, 2010, authorities seized computers from Stoddart’s residence in Gargrave. During questioning, he was candid with officers, admitting that he had been viewing child pornography since 2009 and that his activity had progressively worsened. He openly acknowledged the presence of such material in his home when police arrived, demonstrating a high level of frankness during the investigation.

Further details revealed that the seized computers contained a total of 6,831 indecent images, although only seven of these were accessible at the time of seizure. Stoddart explained that he had attempted to curb his compulsive behavior by disposing of one computer but continued his illegal activities on another device. The images primarily depicted pre-pubescent girls of South East Asian descent, often posing in underwear, which added to the severity of the case.

Stoddart’s legal representative, Sophie Drake, presented a probation report indicating that her client had taken steps to address his addiction. She noted that his wife remained supportive of him. The court was also informed that Stoddart had been forced into early retirement around 2009 or 2010 and had sought help from a specialized charity to combat his compulsions.

Judge Peter Benson, presiding over the case, sentenced Stoddart to a three-year community order with supervision. As part of his sentence, he was required to attend the Internet Sexual Offenders’ Group sessions, pay court costs amounting to £1,200, and sign the sex offenders’ register for a period of five years. Additionally, a Sexual Offences Prevention Order was issued to monitor his use of computers and prevent further offenses.

In his remarks, Judge Benson acknowledged Stoddart’s previously good character and long-standing responsible employment history. However, he emphasized the seriousness of the offenses and the apparent compulsive nature of his behavior, which necessitated ongoing supervision and monitoring.