YORK SEX OFFENDER STEPHEN COWELL ESCAPES FULL PRISON TIME AFTER EVADING POLICE SURVEILLANCE
In April 2020, Stephen Cowell, a 59-year-old graphic designer from York, was sentenced to two years in prison after he was found to have deliberately evaded police surveillance and controls designed to monitor his online activities.Cowell, who had previously been convicted in 2017 for downloading indecent images of children, was subject to strict conditions including restrictions on his internet use and a requirement to inform authorities of his residence.
Despite these measures, he managed to conceal electronic devices and digital evidence from law enforcement officials, prompting a serious investigation.
York Crown Court, sitting in Bradford, heard that Cowell had hidden an iPad and a laptop from police during a visit to his home on March 4.
Prosecutor Paul Nicholson detailed that Cowell also used an iPhone in private mode and failed to disclose a bank account, which he was legally obliged to do under the terms of his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).
The court was told that Cowell’s actions represented a significant breach of the restrictions placed upon him, raising concerns about his ongoing risk to the public.
Judge Simon Hickey addressed Cowell directly, stating, “You are clearly a high risk individual,” emphasizing the gravity of his violations.
Cowell, who resides on Flaxley Road in Selby, pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching the SHPO and one count of failing to comply with the requirements of the sex offenders’ register.
As a result, he was sentenced to two years in prison, with an additional 10-year extension of the SHPO, and will remain on the sex offenders’ register until April 2030.
During the hearing, Cowell’s legal representative, barrister Sean Smith, argued that the omission regarding the bank account was not malicious but rather an oversight.
Smith also provided a list of other accounts Cowell wished to make police aware of, suggesting a level of transparency and cooperation.
However, police investigations revealed that Cowell had attempted to hide his online activity.
When officers visited his residence, they discovered that over 4GB of internet usage could not be accounted for on the devices they knew about.
Initially denying any wrongdoing, Cowell eventually led police to an upstairs room where an iPad was found, along with a laptop stored in an understairs cupboard.
Earlier, in August 2017, Cowell’s criminal behavior came to light when he was convicted of downloading and sharing indecent images of children as young as five.
At that time, he claimed to be living in a “parallel universe,” attempting to justify his actions.
The police executed a warrant at his home in Acaster Lane, York, after receiving information that images were being shared from his IP address.
Cowell, then a lecturer at York College and now working as a freelance graphic designer, was arrested and his computers seized for investigation.
Investigators uncovered explicit emails from Cowell’s accounts directed to someone he believed to be under 16, along with indecent images of animals.
Some of these images were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of abuse, including the rape of children.
Despite the disturbing nature of the evidence, police did not pursue charges related to the animal images.
During the pre-sentence process, Cowell spent approximately 90 minutes with probation officers, during which he discussed issues he had never previously disclosed.
His solicitor, Ms.
Rudden, described Cowell as “mortified” about his court appearance and emphasized that he was actively seeking help, acknowledging that he was “still on a journey” of rehabilitation.
District Judge Adrian Lower addressed Cowell directly, stating that the existence of such images on the internet was driven by demand, which in turn created a risk to children.
He acknowledged Cowell’s early guilty plea, the relatively low number of images found, and his efforts to seek psychological assistance.
Nonetheless, the judge made it clear that the harm inflicted on children through such images could never be minimized.
Cowell was sentenced to 38 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete 30 days of community rehabilitation.
He was also subjected to notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order, reflecting the serious nature of his offenses and the ongoing risk he poses.
