DAVID DOBSON FROM BIDEFORD AND BARNSTAPLE ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD ABUSE IMAGE SCANDAL

In a case that has shocked the North Devon community, David Dobson, a man with ties to both Bideford and Barnstaple, was apprehended for possessing and viewing extreme child abuse images. The incident unfolded in March 2014 when police authorities, specifically the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Squad, launched a targeted operation that led to Dobson’s arrest.

Officers executed a dawn raid at Dobson’s residence in Bideford, but he was not present at the time, as he was returning from a night shift at a local factory. The police’s swift action was based on evidence gathered from underground internet sites, notably the Tor network, which is often used to conceal illegal online activities. It was through their investigation into a website called Falcovideo, hosted on the Tor platform, that authorities traced Dobson’s online activity. The site allowed users to pay for and order images and videos depicting child abuse, making it a hub for such heinous content.

When Dobson returned home, he was promptly arrested. His wife, unaware of his online activities, was informed of the situation when police arrived at her door at 6 a.m. The investigation revealed that Dobson had been using two Yahoo email accounts to access these dark web sites, with his IP address linked to his residence in Bideford. Over a period of more than seven years, Dobson downloaded a disturbing collection of illegal images and videos. Authorities found 269 still images and 19 videos at the most severe level, depicting adults raping children, along with 46 still images showing sadism and acts of bestiality. The youngest children involved appeared to be around two years old, with the majority aged between ten and eleven.

During police interviews, Dobson claimed that his interest in these sites was driven by curiosity rather than sexual gratification. However, forensic analysis of the images indicated a disturbing pattern of involvement, and the evidence suggested that his online activity was motivated by a desire to provoke an emotional response. The investigation also uncovered that Dobson had accessed these sites through the so-called dark internet, which requires special passwords and is difficult to monitor or detect by standard means.

At Exeter Crown Court, Judge Jeremy Griggs sentenced Dobson to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. The judge emphasized the severity of the offences, describing them as “really pretty unpleasant,” but acknowledged Dobson’s guilty plea at the earliest opportunity and his cooperation with police. As part of his sentence, Dobson was ordered to attend the Internet Sex Offenders’ Treatment Programme and remain under two years of supervision.

Prosecutor Janice Eagles highlighted the gravity of Dobson’s online activities, noting that the images and videos he possessed depicted the most extreme forms of child abuse, including rape and sadism. She explained that Dobson’s use of the dark web and his attempts to conceal his activities underscored the seriousness of his crimes.

Defense attorney Richard Crabb argued that a custodial sentence would hinder Dobson’s chances of participating in the sex offenders’ treatment program. Crabb also provided background on Dobson’s life, revealing that he was once an archaeologist working on international digs before returning to North Devon to care for his ailing father. Following his arrest, Dobson resigned from his job in shame and moved out of his marital home into a modest one-bedroom flat in Barnstaple. The court’s decision to suspend the sentence was aimed at giving Dobson the opportunity to undergo rehabilitation and address his offending behavior.