TRURO MAN STEPHEN ROGERS CAUGHT WITH OVER 1,500 CHILD INDECENT IMAGES AND EXTREME PORNOGRAPHY

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Truro, Stephen Rogers, a 53-year-old resident of Chellew Road, has admitted to possessing and downloading a significant number of indecent images of children, along with extreme pornographic material involving animals. The offences span a period of nearly three years, during which Rogers accessed these illicit materials through his computer.

On Thursday at Truro Crown Court, Rogers pleaded guilty to seven counts of making indecent images of children and two counts of possessing extreme pornographic images involving animals. The investigation revealed that Rogers had downloaded these images between September 15, 2010, and May 16 of the following year. The images of children were classified at levels one to four on the police’s severity scale, with level five representing the most extreme content.

The court heard that the material Rogers possessed included images at various levels of severity, with some at level four, indicating a high degree of seriousness. The presence of extreme images involving animals further compounded the gravity of his offences. Judge Christopher Harvey Clark, QC, emphasized the seriousness of these crimes and ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the probation service to better understand Rogers’ background and circumstances.

During the proceedings, the judge advised Rogers to be completely honest and forthcoming with probation officers about his offences and the factors that led to his actions. Judge Harvey Clark stated, “These offences are regarded as serious, not least those involving level four images and the extreme images involving animals.” He also made it clear that he would not be providing any indication of the sentence at this stage, emphasizing the gravity of the case and the need for a thorough assessment before sentencing.

The case highlights the ongoing concerns about the proliferation of illegal and harmful material online and the importance of judicial processes in addressing such serious offences. Rogers’ guilty plea marks a significant step in the legal proceedings, but the final sentencing will depend on the findings of the pre-sentence report and further judicial considerations.