JOHN HUMPHREYS, SEX OFFENDER FROM SELBY, JAILED IN YORK

A sex offender from Selby, John Humphreys, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for sharing videos and images depicting "misery, debauchery, and child cruelty." Among the horrifying content he circulated was a video of a toddler, aged between six and 18 months, being sexually abused, York Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Lydia Carroll stated that Humphreys, 45 years old, expressed frustration in online chats about others allegedly shutting down their access to indecent images of children.

Humphreys, of Coupland Road, pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing indecent images of children and three counts of possessing such images.

Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, described Humphreys’ actions as participating in a "filthy trade in misery, debauchery and child cruelty," adding, "You were passing on through the internet the most horrendous images of children."

The judge compared Humphreys to a drug dealer, emphasizing the importance of his imprisonment as a deterrent to others who might push similar content online, accessible to everyone. Humphreys was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and a five-year sexual harm prevention order was imposed. Additionally, he will be listed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

According to Ms. Carroll, police received a tip-off in September 2023 that Humphreys was uploading illegal images online. When officers raided his home, he attempted to hide a mobile phone, but forensic analysis revealed he had been downloading thousands of images from Mega Folder cloud storage and sharing illegal content via Telegram, including links to others.

Investigators discovered that folders on his device bore names commonly associated with child sexual abuse material. Humphreys had uploaded 23 videos and five images classified as the most severe category, along with 25 additional videos and images of lesser severity. His personal collection contained nearly 4,000 images, with 997— including 83 videos— categorized as the worst kind, and over 2,500 in less serious categories, all readily accessible. Authorities also found 62,000 other images not categorized.

Sean Smith, representing Humphreys, stated that since his arrest, he had completed an initial rehabilitation course with Safer Lives, an organization specializing in managing sex offenders, and has been participating in monthly meetings with its representatives.

Humphreys also reported that he had ceased internet use and was now living in a van, which made internet access difficult, citing family reasons. A medical report from November 2023 suggested that Humphreys might have autism, which could have contributed to his offending, though the report did not specify other factors. The judge acknowledged Humphreys’ efforts to rehabilitate himself and described him as "ordinarily a decent man."