STEPHEN WEBB FROM WESTBURY SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN SWINDON

In a case that has shocked the local community of Westbury and the wider Wiltshire area, Stephen Webb, aged 43, was sentenced to a year in prison after being found guilty of possessing and distributing a vast collection of child pornography. The sentencing took place at Swindon Crown Court, following Webb's guilty plea to 21 charges related to child exploitation and indecent images.

Webb, who resides on Wellhead Lane in Westbury, was discovered to have accumulated an alarming total of 8,803 indecent photographs of children, along with 354 indecent videos. Many of these images and videos were classified at the most severe level five, which involves explicit content depicting sadism and acts of bestiality. The extent of his depravity was further revealed through investigations that uncovered Webb's disturbing behavior involving children he knew personally. He had taken photographs of these children and then superimposed their faces onto other indecent images, highlighting a disturbing pattern of exploitation.

The investigation was initiated by the Metropolitan Police’s computer crime unit, which uncovered Webb’s extensive collection of illegal material. Once identified, his details were passed on to Wiltshire Police as part of Operation Hussar, a component of the larger and more extensive Operation Ore crackdown on child exploitation networks. Webb’s charges included two counts of distributing indecent images of children, 16 counts of creating or taking indecent images or pseudo-images of children, and three counts of possession of such material.

During the court hearing, Webb’s actions were described as profoundly disturbing, and the court responded with a significant sentence. Webb was handed an extended sentence of 36 months, which means he will serve three years in total. Upon his release, he will be required to participate in a sex offender treatment program and will be subject to lifelong registration on the Sex Offenders Register. Additionally, he has been disqualified from working with children, a measure aimed at preventing any future harm to minors. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat child exploitation and protect vulnerable children from such heinous crimes.