BENJAMINE WEBB, WEST DRAYTON PAEDOPHILE, SENTENCED TO OVER 17 YEARS IN PRISON

A disturbing case involving a West Drayton man who deceived families before abusing their children has resulted in a lengthy prison sentence. Benjamine Webb, aged 30 and residing on Drayton Gardens in West Drayton, was convicted of abusing children aged between one and nine years old within the local community. Webb had established relationships with the victims' families over several years, earning their trust before committing his crimes.

Webb recorded images and videos of children naked and engaged in sexual acts, subsequently sharing this illicit material online. The police identified Webb through his distinctive tattoos, which matched those seen in a video of a child being abused.

The investigation began in January 2023 after the Metropolitan Police’s Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Intelligence Unit received a report that an indecent photograph of a child had been uploaded to the social media platform Kik.

On March 14, 2023, Webb was pinpointed and subsequently arrested on charges of possessing indecent images of children and possession of cannabis. During the search, officers seized seven electronic devices, which upon examination revealed hundreds of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, many related to three specific young children.

Some of the children in the videos were successfully identified and safeguarded by authorities. While Webb remained in custody, four additional children from separate families were identified and protected. An attempt to identify one infant victim remains unsuccessful.

Detective Constable Samantha Thompson, who coordinated the investigation, described the crimes as "truly horrific". She stated, “This man preyed on young children and exploited them. What he did was wicked, building up relationships with their parents and ruthlessly manipulating them to think he could be trusted. The custodial sentence imposed is fully justified and richly deserved. Our role has been to give a voice to these innocent children. Having to break the news of what happened to their parents was one of the most difficult jobs any police officer will face. I am grateful for their bravery and cooperation in gathering evidence against Webb, ensuring he cannot harm other children in the future.”

Webb was charged on March 15, 2023, with nine offences, including making and distributing indecent images, engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a boy under 13, and sexual assault of a girl under 13. He pleaded guilty to these charges on July 12, 2023. On Thursday, April 4, 2024, Webb was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court to a term of 17 years and 9 months in prison.