JOHN STUBBS FROM LINSLADE SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND ONLINE CHILD ABUSE ENCOURAGEMENT

In a chilling case that has shocked the community of Linslade, John Stubbs, a 38-year-old man residing on Old Road, has been sentenced to an indefinite term in prison after being found guilty of possessing and distributing child abuse images, as well as attempting to facilitate child sex offences through online communications.

Stubbs's arrest followed a police raid on his residence on December 14 of the previous year. Authorities uncovered an extensive and disturbing collection of digital material, including 11 computers and 28 hard drives, which contained over 15,000 images depicting children being abused and 507 video clips illustrating a wide range of depraved acts. The sheer volume and nature of the material marked it as one of the most significant collections ever seized in such investigations.

During the court proceedings at Luton Crown Court, Stubbs pleaded guilty to 26 charges related to making indecent images of children, two charges of possessing such images, and one charge of distributing them. However, he maintained his innocence on four additional counts of facilitating child sex offences, a charge that involves encouraging or instructing others to commit abuse. The jury ultimately convicted him of these charges in March.

Judge Barbara Mensah, presiding over the case, delivered a stern sentence on Friday, emphasizing the severity of Stubbs's actions. She stated, “You were giving instructions over the internet of the vilest kind imaginable. For example, you were trying to encourage others to abuse a baby and giving advice on how to avoid detection.”

She further described the distress caused to jurors who had to listen to the evidence, noting their visible reactions of horror and revulsion. The judge condemned Stubbs as a devious and persistent user of child pornography, highlighting that his material included the most extreme forms of abuse, such as the rape of very young children who were tied up and subjected to torture and suffering. “Those children were real and have gone through torture and suffering to satisfy people like you,” she remarked.

Judge Mensah concluded that Stubbs poses a significant danger to society and is likely to cause further harm if released. She sentenced him to an indeterminate sentence for public protection, specifying that he must serve a minimum of six years, which is equivalent to a 12-year sentence before he can apply for parole. Even after release, he will be on lifelong licence and is indefinitely banned from contact with children.

The police investigation was triggered after Stubbs inadvertently sent an email containing a disturbing attachment to a female relative, who then alerted authorities. The subsequent search of his home revealed an unprecedented collection of digital devices. At the time of his arrest, Stubbs was already on licence from a previous conviction for possessing child pornography.

Analysis of the seized computers uncovered chat logs on various platforms, including Yahoo, MSN, and Hello.com, where Stubbs used the alias ‘never too young’. Police also intercepted conversations with individuals identified as JT, believed to be in either America or Canada, and another named Ian from Bilston in the West Midlands. In these exchanges, Stubbs provided advice on how to introduce children to pornography and suggested using sleeping tablets before engaging in sexual acts with minors, even offering to visit and have sex with the daughters of his contacts.

While police traced ‘Ian’ and confirmed that no actual abuse had taken place, the content of the chats revealed Stubbs’s disturbing mindset and willingness to instruct others in illegal activities. His lawyer, Diane Piggot, issued a statement on his behalf, saying, “He wishes to apologise for the material that the court heard during his trial. He maintains that none of the fantasies he talked about were ever intended to be carried out and there is no suggestion that they were.”