FORMER MANAGER OF THE WOOLPACK PUB JAILED FOR POSSESSING INDECENT IMAGES
A man from the Bradford area, who formerly managed a pub, has been sentenced to prison after police discovered hundreds of illegal images and videos involving children on his mobile device.James Clabby, aged 42, who used to oversee The Woolpack in Esholt the pub known from the TV soap Emmerdale was given a 14-month jail term after pleading guilty to multiple counts related to child abuse images.
The Crown Court in Bradford was told that investigators found 271 indecent images and videos of minors on Clabby’s phone.
Among these, 93 were classified as the most severe category, with some containing highly explicit scenes involving very young children.
Clabby also admitted to possessing eight banned images of children and one image depicting extreme pornography.
These offences were committed between June 2022 and June 2023.
During the sentencing, Recorder Thomas Moran characterized the material as being on “the most depraved and serious end of the spectrum,” noting that the aggravating circumstances significantly overshadowed any mitigation.
Although Clabby had no prior convictions and had entered early pleas, the court viewed his internet search history as indicative of a sexual interest in children, alongside disturbing online conversations.
Recorder Moran emphasised that immediate custody was necessary.
He explained that a trial would likely have resulted in a 21-month sentence, but the early guilty pleas reduced the length to 14 months.
Clabby will serve half of his sentence in prison before being released on licence, and has been mandated to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
He is also subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same period.
It was reported that the offences led to his dismissal from his job, and he had previously been held on remand before being granted bail.
