STEVEN HAWKES FROM STAFFORDSHIRE CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AND EXTREME PORNOGRAPHY
Steven Hawkes, a 42-year-old resident of Staffordshire, has been found guilty of possessing disturbing and illegal images involving children and extreme pornography.His criminal history includes a previous conviction for similar offenses, which adds gravity to his latest case.
Hawkes's past conviction dates back to 2019 when he was sentenced to 16 months in prison after engaging in a disturbing scheme at a Currys PC World store.
During that incident, he secretly accessed customers' computers by copying their hard drives while they transferred data from old devices to new ones purchased from the retail chain.
Hawkes then viewed private photographs stored on these devices, which included images of a teenage girl’s school prom and photographs of women’s breasts.
These acts of digital intrusion and voyeurism were uncovered during the investigation.
Further probing revealed that Hawkes had a collection of thousands of indecent images and videos depicting children, as well as extreme pornography involving bestiality.
He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including making indecent images of children, possessing extreme pornographic material, computer misuse, and possession of cannabis.
Despite his guilty pleas, Hawkes did not receive any structured help or treatment to address his underlying issues.
In December 2021, Hawkes relapsed into his problematic behaviors while under the influence of alcohol.
This led to his re-arrest and subsequent court proceedings.
At Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, he was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years.
The judge emphasized that this leniency was intended to give Hawkes an opportunity to seek and undergo treatment for his condition.
Prosecutor Jas Dhaliwal detailed the police investigation, which was initiated after intelligence suggested Hawkes’s IP address was linked to the viewing or distribution of indecent images of children.
Police officers visited his residence on Langley Street, Basford, at 7 a.m.
on December 9, 2021.
During the search, they seized two devices: a tablet and a mobile phone.
Expert analysis of these devices revealed troubling evidence.
The tablet, while not containing indecent images, showed signs of being used to access folders related to child sexual abuse.
The mobile phone, however, contained six accessible Category A images, two Category B videos, 58 prohibited still images, one moving image of a child, and one extreme pornographic image.
Hawkes admitted during police interviews in March that he had been misusing alcohol at the time and claimed he was seeking out such material intentionally, hoping to be caught and sent to custody.
Hawkes, of Langley Street, Basford, pleaded guilty to two counts of making indecent images of children, possession of a prohibited image of a child, and possession of an extreme pornographic image.
His defense attorney, Hamish Noble, acknowledged that this recent offending was less severe than his 2019 crimes but highlighted Hawkes’s precarious mental health and lack of adequate support during his previous incarceration.
Hawkes was released in April 2020 amid the COVID-19 lockdown, after only two face-to-face probation meetings over a year.
Mr.
Noble described Hawkes’s difficult circumstances, including financial struggles, debts, and poor mental health, which contributed to his relapse into alcohol misuse.
He emphasized that Hawkes’s support network, primarily his parents, was crucial in his efforts to recover.
The attorney also noted that Hawkes had taken steps to address his debts and reduce his alcohol consumption, recognizing his issues and the potential for rehabilitation.
As part of his sentence, Hawkes is required to complete an iHorizon course, a rehabilitation program, for 25 days, along with 160 hours of unpaid community service.
Judge Graeme Smith underscored the unusual nature of the case, explaining that typically, individuals caught with indecent images are initially given a suspended sentence with treatment requirements.
However, Hawkes’s first offense resulted in immediate custody, and he was not provided with any treatment options at that time.
The judge stressed that the court’s goal is not only punishment but also rehabilitation.
He warned that Hawkes’s re-offending in the same manner, albeit less severe and after a significant delay, was a serious concern.
Hawkes was also subjected to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and was placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.
Judge Smith concluded by stating that the court’s primary aim is to rehabilitate Hawkes, but if he fails to change or reoffends again, custody will be the inevitable consequence.
