JODH BHANGAL FROM DUNMOW CAUGHT WITH CHILD AND ANIMAL ABUSE IMAGES

In January 2019, a disturbing case emerged involving Jodh Bhangal, an 18-year-old resident of Tanton Road in Flitch Green, Dunmow, who was found to possess a large collection of illicit images and videos depicting child abuse and animal cruelty. The case came to light after police executed a search warrant at his home, uncovering more than 500 images and 200 movies stored across two Dropbox accounts. Bhangal claimed that he had been sent these files through an online chat room, unaware of their explicit content, but the evidence painted a far more troubling picture.

On December 12, 2017, police officers arrived at Bhangal’s residence following suspicions that child abuse images were being viewed at the property. At the time, Bhangal was 17 years old. During the search, authorities seized an HP laptop and its charger, and Bhangal consented to police accessing his internet accounts. The investigation revealed that the Dropbox accounts contained a total of 527 images related to child abuse, including 150 images involving penetrative sexual acts against children. Among the material was an extreme pornographic image involving bestiality, as well as a pseudo-movie, described as a cartoon depicting child abuse.

Following the police visit, Bhangal attempted to delete the illicit material from his devices, doing so approximately four hours after the officers left. However, the police described his efforts as neither sophisticated nor effective, and the deletion did not hinder the ongoing investigation. During police interviews, Bhangal maintained that the images had been sent to him by an individual he met in an online chat room, claiming he did not know their explicit nature. He stated that clicking on the links caused the images to download automatically. Law enforcement officials questioned the plausibility of this explanation, citing the lengthy download times involved. Bhangal admitted to viewing four or five videos but insisted he did not derive sexual gratification from the material, claiming it made him feel sick.

Further examination of his devices revealed that the offenses likely spanned back to when he was 16, with evidence indicating searches for child abuse images and bestiality. The police also found that Bhangal had been actively seeking such material online. His defense lawyer, Andrew Clowser, highlighted Bhangal’s young age at the time of the offenses, noting that most of the offending occurred when he was 17, with some activity possibly dating back to August 2016, when he was just 16. Clowser emphasized Bhangal’s immaturity and sexual inexperience, stating that he had no interest in carrying out or inciting any of the acts depicted in the images.

Clowser also explained that Bhangal lives with his parents and, after leaving school—where he was listed as a student at Helena Romanes School in Dunmow—he began working full-time at his father’s Wimpy franchise. The restaurant was struggling financially, and his father could not afford to hire additional staff. Bhangal worked six to seven days a week without wages, receiving only free accommodation.

At the sentencing hearing, Bhangal pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child, one charge of possessing prohibited images of children, and one charge of possessing extreme pornographic images involving an animal. Recorder Jonathan Davis described the number of images found as “unusually high,” raising concerns about a possible sexual interest in children. The court noted that 150 Category A images, including 113 movies, and 180 Category B images, with 136 movies, were discovered—figures that are considered very high in such cases. The images included those involving penetrative sexual activity with children, as well as extreme pornography and cartoon images of child abuse.

During his remarks, Recorder Davis expressed concern that Bhangal might have a sexual deviance, suggesting that his interest in such material indicated a problematic sexual interest in children. The judge also pointed out that the possession of these images, despite no contact offenses, still signifies a troubling pattern of behavior. The court was wary of Bhangal’s claims of panic and attempted deletion, noting that his explanations did not fully align with the evidence. The judge warned that there was a risk he might escalate to actual offending if not properly managed.

As part of his sentence, Bhangal was ordered to serve a community order for 36 months, participate in 60 days of rehabilitation activities, and attend 35 sessions of an accredited sexual behavior program. He was also placed on the sex offender register for five years and issued a five-year sexual harm prevention order. Additionally, he was required to pay a victim surcharge as part of the court’s sanctions.