CHRISTOPHER STEVENTON FROM MYTHOLMROYD ESCAPES PRISON DESPITE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES IN CALDERDALE

In a recent case that has shocked the local community of Mytholmroyd and the wider Calderdale area, Christopher Steventon, a 43-year-old man from Longfellow Crescent, was found guilty of possessing a significant collection of child pornography. Despite the severity of his offenses, Steventon was handed a relatively lenient sentence by Bradford Crown Court, raising questions about justice and the protection of vulnerable children.

Steventon was discovered to have stored a total of 2,732 indecent images on his personal laptop. Among these, nearly 200 photographs were classified as level four or five, indicating the most severe categories of abuse images. Some of these disturbing images depicted children being subjected to torture or physical violence, highlighting the heinous nature of his collection.

He admitted to 25 sample offenses related to the possession of these indecent photographs, acknowledging his involvement in the illegal activity. The court sentenced him to six months in prison, but this sentence was suspended for two years, meaning he would not serve time unless he committed further offenses within that period. Additionally, Steventon was ordered to complete a community order, which involves various rehabilitative and supervisory measures.

The case came to light after police in Kent uncovered evidence that linked Steventon to a known child sex offender through email communications. This connection prompted further investigation, ultimately revealing his extensive collection of illicit images. Prosecutor David McGonigal explained that the discovery of the email contact was the catalyst for the investigation, which uncovered the full extent of Steventon’s activities.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Steventon’s wife had chosen to remain with him despite the allegations and his admitted offenses. The court also ordered him to register as a sex offender for a period of seven years, a measure intended to monitor his activities and prevent further harm.

Steventon reportedly began collecting these disturbing images in 2006, during a period when he was suffering from stress and depression, which he attributed to an unspecified family tragedy. It was noted that he used three different computers in his search for such material, although he stored all the images on a single device.

Judge Benson addressed the court, condemning the activity, and stated, “The evil of this sort of activity is that if there were not people like you who are prepared to view this material, then the child being abused would not have to suffer that terrible treatment. Very evil people all over the world exploited children so you could gratify your perverse interest.”

Defense lawyer Kieron Green argued that Steventon was not a danger to children and acknowledged his wrongdoing. Despite the serious nature of the crimes, the court’s decision to suspend the prison sentence has sparked debate about the adequacy of such measures in protecting society from individuals involved in child exploitation.