JOHN BONNETT FROM HARTLEBURY INVOLVED IN CHILD PORN AND DRUG CULTIVATION CASE IN WORCESTER

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Hartlebury and the surrounding Worcester area, John Bonnett, a 33-year-old resident of Walton Road in Hartlebury, was found to be deeply involved in illegal activities related to child exploitation and drug cultivation. The investigation, which culminated in a police raid on October 8 of the previous year, uncovered a series of disturbing items and evidence that painted a troubling picture of Bonnett's private life.

During the raid, law enforcement officers discovered two life-sized rubber sex dolls in Bonnett's home, which was described as a typical residence in Hartlebury. These dolls were not ordinary; one was fitted with a mask resembling the face of well-known TV personality Carol Vorderman, which Bonnett had apparently used to modify the dolls for his own sexual fantasies. The police also found a collection of child-sized mannequins, some of which had holes cut into them, and a locked cupboard containing DVDs featuring explicit content involving schoolgirls. Additionally, faces taken from the internet were used to customize the dolls, further indicating Bonnett's disturbing interests.

The investigation revealed that Bonnett had a long-standing sexual interest in children, spanning over five years. He admitted to modifying the mannequins for sexual purposes and confessed to having a sexual attraction to children aged between three and 14. The authorities uncovered a staggering total of 61,469 indecent images on his computer, along with 96 movies depicting child pornography. These images and videos were part of a collection that Bonnett had downloaded for his personal use, with no evidence suggesting distribution to others.

Further scrutiny revealed that Bonnett had been involved in purchasing pornography from foreign sources, including Belgium and Italy. Six emails related to these activities were recovered during the investigation, indicating a pattern of ongoing interest in illegal material. The police also found that Bonnett was cultivating cannabis plants—specifically, twelve plants—growing in a spare room of his residence, which added another layer of criminal activity to his profile.

Prosecutor Gareth Walters outlined the extent of Bonnett's offenses, emphasizing the severity of his actions. Bonnett pleaded guilty to charges of cultivating cannabis and making indecent photographs of children. The court heard that Bonnett had no prior convictions but had a clear and disturbing pattern of behavior. In sentencing, Judge John Cavell at Worcester Crown Court described Bonnett as being 'plainly obsessed with child porn.' The judge also noted that other disturbing evidence had been uncovered but did not lead to additional charges.

As part of his sentence, Bonnett was sentenced to nine months in prison. The judge also imposed a comprehensive 10-year sexual offences prevention order, which restricts him from using a computer unless it is equipped with detection software monitored by West Mercia Police. Furthermore, Bonnett is prohibited from making contact with anyone under the age of 16 and from working with children. He is required to sign the sex offenders register for a decade, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities.

Detective Sergeant Mr. Walters highlighted that police investigations into Bonnett's online activities revealed communications with individuals involved in running pornographic sites from Belgium and Italy. These emails indicated that Bonnett was actively purchasing illegal material from abroad, further underscoring the extent of his criminal behavior. Despite the severity of his actions, Bonnett maintained that he had not physically harmed any children but admitted to having a sexual interest in them and modifying mannequins for sexual gratification. His defense counsel, Andrew Davidson, stated that Bonnett would not have abused a child directly but acknowledged his disturbing fantasies and the possession of illegal images for personal use, without evidence of distribution.