STUART WAGHORNE AND SHOCKING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN WILTSHIRE
Stuart Keith Waghorne, a man previously residing in Bournemouth, has been sentenced to prison after investigators uncovered a disturbing collection of indecent images of children.The criminal behavior surfaced shortly after his previous suspended sentence for similar offenses had lapsed, highlighting a troubling pattern.
Waghorne, who at the time of his crimes lived in Bournemouth and later moved to Bramley Hill, Mere in Wiltshire, was found with over 3,000 illicit images of minors downloaded over a four-month period during the year 2021.
His actions came to light less than a month after his suspended sentence from 2019 officially expired, prompting swift legal action.
On Friday, November 4, at Bournemouth Crown Court, Judge William Mousley KC sentenced the 50-year-old defendant to 21 months in prison.
Waghorne had pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children and breaching a sexual harm prevention order previously imposed on him.
The court heard that Waghorne’s illicit activities began shortly after his earlier sentence conclusion.
Prosecutor Sophie Johns detailed the case, revealing that Waghorne, who has spent most of his life working as a butcher, had been arrested on December 14, 2021.
The police action followed the receipt of information suggesting his involvement in child exploitation activities.
A thorough analysis of his mobile phone uncovered extensive amounts of illegal material.
The investigators discovered more than 2,300 images classified as Category A, indicating the most serious type of child abuse images.
Additionally, 414 images were categorized as Category B, while 249 fell into Category C, the least severe.
These images depicted children as young as two years old, often showing signs of distress.
The material was stored across multiple applications on Waghorne’s mobile device, including his email account, with most files remaining accessible at the time of discovery.
The court also noted that Waghorne’s prior criminal record included a suspended sentence handed down in July 2019, specifically for possessing indecent images of children.
His reoffenses occurred mere weeks after this sentence expired, raising alarm over his ongoing criminal conduct.
Mitigation for Waghorne was presented by his legal representative, Rob Griffiths, who attributed his client’s behavior to the breakdown of his marriage, describing the separation as an “unpleasant break up.” According to Griffiths, Waghorne attempted to regain a sense of masculinity following this personal crisis.
His initial resort was to adult pornography, but this soon led him down a darker path involving “taboo” content related to children, eventually resulting in his arrest.
The defense also pointed out that Waghorne’s previous suspended sentence in 2019 did not include any recognized therapeutic program to address sexual interests involving minors.
They urged the court to consider a chance at rehabilitation, suggesting that Waghorne might still be reformed.
However, Judge Mousley KC expressed a firm stance, indicating that the severity of Waghorne’s actions warranted immediate imprisonment.
In addition to the prison term, the judge extended the sexual harm prevention order to run for ten years from the date of the hearing.
Waghorne was also ordered to be placed on the sex offenders register for the same duration, emphasizing the seriousness with which the court regarded his offenses and the potential risk to the community.
