NICHOLAS STONE FROM BISPHAM, BLACKPOOL JAILED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Bispham and the wider Blackpool area, Nicholas Stone, a 62-year-old resident of Cavendish Road in Bispham, has been sentenced to prison after authorities uncovered a vast collection of illegal images depicting child abuse. The investigation was triggered when police raided Stone’s home following a credible tip-off, which ultimately revealed the extent of his illicit activities.

Stone’s arrest was prompted by an incident involving a young boy in Blackpool. The boy’s mother became suspicious after noticing two indecent images of boys on her son’s mobile phone. Concerned about the content, she reported her findings to the police, which led to further investigation. During questioning, Stone handed over his mobile phone to the officers, an action that ultimately contributed to the discovery of more incriminating evidence.

Subsequently, police executed a search warrant at Stone’s residence. The search uncovered a staggering collection of over 7,000 indecent images of children stored on his laptop. In addition to the laptop, officers seized two mobile phones. One of these phones contained a particularly disturbing image classified as level five, which is considered the most severe category of illegal imagery according to police classification standards.

Prior to this incident, Nicholas Stone had a criminal history related to child exploitation. He had previously pleaded guilty to 25 charges involving the possession and creation of indecent images of children, spanning from October 2008 to January 2010. Despite being on a community rehabilitation order at the time of his latest offences, which included participation in a sex offender treatment programme, he continued to engage in illegal activities.

During the court proceedings at Preston Crown Court, the prosecution, led by Hilary Banks, highlighted that the offences came to light after the discovery of two indecent images on Stone’s mobile device. The court was informed that Stone was already under supervision for a prior offence involving sexual grooming, specifically for meeting a child following sexual grooming attempts. This background underscored the ongoing risk posed by Stone’s actions.

Sarah Booth, representing the defendant, presented a plea for leniency, citing a pre-sentence report from the probation service. The report depicted Stone as someone who struggled to accept the criminality of his actions. Booth emphasized that Stone felt deep personal shame about his attraction to young boys but acknowledged that the treatment programme had been beneficial in his rehabilitation process. She explained that Stone believed he had not committed direct sexual offences against children, which she described as a mental shift he was still working to achieve. The defence argued that ongoing support and treatment were essential for his rehabilitation.

Ultimately, the court sentenced Nicholas Stone to 22 months in prison. He was also handed a ban from working with children, placed on the Sex Offenders Register for a decade, and subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order. This order prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16, aiming to prevent any further harm and protect vulnerable minors from potential exploitation.