NICHOLAS STANSFIELD FROM NORTH TAMPERTON INVOLVED IN HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE IN WEST DEVON

In December 2021, a deeply disturbing case emerged involving Nicholas Stansfield, a man from North Tamerton, who committed heinous acts of child abuse while staying as a guest in West Devon. The incident has left a family shattered and has drawn widespread condemnation for the severity of the crimes committed.

According to reports, Stansfield, aged 25, was involved in an online paedophile ring where he exchanged explicit messages and images with at least three other men over a period of several months. The culmination of these exchanges was his assault on a five-year-old girl, the daughter of friends who were hosting him at their residence in West Devon. The young girl, who was asleep at the time, remained unaware of the assault until the horrifying truth was revealed during police interviews.

Stansfield entered the girl’s bedroom and took a disturbing photograph that depicted his genitals in contact with her mouth. This image was part of a collection of illicit material he had downloaded and shared, which included a total of 268 videos and photographs, some of the most severe category, depicting the abuse of very young children, including infants. Additionally, he took a picture of the girl and her sister from the family’s Facebook page and sent it to his online associates, further demonstrating his malicious intent.

The police investigation was able to identify the victims through the school uniforms they were wearing in the images. The family, however, was completely unaware of the assault until Stansfield confessed during an interview. The girl’s mother expressed her devastation, stating that the entire family had been torn apart by the revelation, highlighting the profound emotional impact of the crime.

Further examination of Stansfield’s devices revealed he possessed a disturbing collection of images, with some categorized as the most severe form of abuse. The investigation uncovered that he had shared these images and fantasies with three other men, describing in detail his own alleged abuse of a baby girl, whom he referred to as ‘sexy and beautiful’. The total number of images found on his devices was 778, with 24 of these being distributed, including seven depicting serious abuse.

During the police raid in September 2019, authorities discovered that Stansfield had been using the family’s Wi-Fi network to download and share these illicit images. His devices also contained a significant arsenal of weapons, including two air rifles, two hunting knives, a flick knife, and two kitchen knives, which raised additional concerns about his potential for violence.

Stansfield was arrested and later admitted to the charges against him, which included sexual assault, six counts of distributing or making indecent images, and possession of weapons. He pleaded guilty and was subsequently sentenced at Exeter Crown Court by Judge David Evans to two years and six months in prison. The court also ordered that he be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and imposed a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prohibits him from contacting children and restricts his internet usage.

The judge emphasized the devastating impact of Stansfield’s actions, citing the girl’s mother’s statement about the significant distress caused to the family. The case underscores the ongoing threat posed by individuals involved in online child exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts to combat such crimes.