JOHN HOBSON FROM DEWSBURY SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND INDECENT IMAGES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Dewsbury, a man named John Hobson has been sentenced to nearly eight years in prison following his conviction for serious sexual offenses involving a young girl. The incidents took place in Dewsbury, where the victim, a schoolgirl whose identity remains protected by law, endured a series of traumatic experiences at the hands of Hobson.

According to court proceedings, Hobson engaged the girl in a disturbing pattern of abuse that included psychological manipulation and physical violence. He subjected her to watching horror movies, a tactic often used to desensitize or control young victims, and then demanded that she remove her onesie, a request she refused. When she resisted, Hobson resorted to threats and violence, punching her in the face, chest, and leg, before sexually assaulting her. The assault was not an isolated incident; on another occasion, Hobson offered her a sum of £10 in exchange for allowing him to touch her chest, further demonstrating his predatory behavior.

Following a trial, a jury found Hobson guilty of one count of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 and inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. The judge presiding over the case, Penelope Belcher, described the two incidents as “a clear abuse of trust,” emphasizing the gravity of the betrayal involved in abusing a young girl.

The court heard how the victim has been struggling significantly since the incidents, with reports indicating she has engaged in self-harming behaviors and is currently receiving counseling at her school to cope with the trauma. Her well-being remains a concern for the authorities and her support network.

Prior to the trial, Hobson had admitted to three counts of making indecent images of a child. Investigations revealed that he had searched online for content involving incest and schoolchildren, subsequently downloading and storing such material on six different electronic devices. These images and videos depicted children in sexual situations, which Hobson had viewed and kept for his own gratification.

Judge Belcher expressed her concern over Hobson’s belief that the content he viewed was acted out by adults dressed as children or involving stepbrothers and stepsisters, rather than full siblings. She described this mindset as “particularly concerning and frankly ridiculous,” reminding him that real children are harmed in the production of such material and that there is a demand for it among viewers like him.

Hobson was sentenced to a total of seven years and nine months in prison for all five counts he faced. Additionally, the court imposed a sexual harm prevention order to restrict his contact with minors and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of all devices containing indecent images, aiming to prevent further offenses and protect potential future victims.