RICHARD NOBES AND SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN CUMBRIA
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community in Cumbria, a Carlisle man named Richard Nobes has been found guilty of possessing extensive and indecent images of children, including those as young as six years old.The investigation uncovered that Nobes, aged 46, had downloaded thousands of these sickening images over a period of several months.
Despite the heinous nature of his actions, the court spared him a prison sentence, opting instead for a suspended sentence based on his personal circumstances and potential for rehabilitation.
Nobes resides on Sheffield Street in Carlisle, where he admitted to four separate offences related to child exploitation material.
These offences included downloading a total of 1,359 images categorized as Category A—the most severe type of assault imagery; downloading 674 images categorized as Category B; and an additional 4,291 images classified as Category C.
His offending spanned from November 7, 2020, to May 6, 2021.
Further complicating his case, Nobes also acknowledged possessing prohibited images of children on June 17.
He denied a fifth allegation involving possession of extreme pornography, but the prosecution did not contest this denial.
The proceedings revealed that the police discovered these activities after receiving intelligence that led them to Nobes’ residence.
On June 17, authorities executed a search warrant at his home.
When officers arrived, Nobes appeared to understand the reason for their visit, yet he dismissed it by stating, “That was years ago.” However, prosecutor Brendan Burke clarified that the images in question had been created between April 2019 and May 2021.
Although the images were found on his devices, all were inaccessible at the time of arrest because Nobes had deleted them—an act that demonstrated awareness of their illicit nature.
During the investigation, it emerged that Nobes was using social media platforms popular among younger audiences, which potentially facilitated his access to such content.
Despite the severity of the offences, the court noted some mitigating factors.
Judge Andrew Jefferies KC highlighted that Nobes was the primary caregiver for his elderly father, whose health issues were supported by medical evidence.
This familial responsibility played a significant role in the court’s decision to suspend his prison sentence.
The judge described two aspects of Nobes’ offending as particularly serious.
One was the sheer volume of indecent images, including both still photographs and videos depicting children as young as six.
The second was that some of these images were not only possessed but also involved in distribution, which compounded the seriousness of the crimes.
In light of these factors, Judge Jefferies sentenced Nobes to eight months in prison but suspended this sentence for two years.
The decision was based on several considerations, including Nobes’ demonstrated remorse, the potential for his rehabilitation, and his responsibilities towards his father.
The court also emphasized that immediate imprisonment would have disproportionately affected his elderly parent, who has no involvement in the crimes.
As part of his rehabilitation, Nobes will undertake 40 days of activity focusing on addressing his “interest in children,” aimed at preventing further offences.
Furthermore, he will be subject to a sex offender treatment program and placed on the Sex Offender Register for ten years.
Additionally, a sexual harm prevention order will restrict his internet use for the same period to prevent re-offending.
The judge concluded by noting that although he was inclined to prison, these circumstances justified a more lenient approach.
Nobes, who was previously living at an address on Lightfoot Drive in Harraby, Carlisle, and reportedly under various unspecified stresses during the period of offending, has no prior convictions.
His case underscores the serious criminality of child exploitation images while also highlighting the importance of considering individual circumstances in sentencing.
