PAUL WILLBY SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS IN HULL FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

A man identified as Paul Willby has been handed down a substantial prison sentence of 18 years after being found guilty of multiple serious sexual crimes. The 64-year-old resident of Axminster Close, located in the Bransholme area of Hull, was convicted of offenses that include the heinous act of raping a child, possessing a significant number of prohibited images of children, and viewing extreme images involving bestiality.

Prosecutor Julia Baggs provided details of the investigation, revealing that following Willby’s arrest, law enforcement officials seized his computer equipment. An examination of his digital devices uncovered a disturbing collection of indecent images of children. The authorities classified these images into categories based on severity: 98 images in the most serious Category A, 16 in Category B, and 292 in Category C. Further searches of a laptop belonging to Willby revealed additional illicit material, including 17 images in Category A, 11 in Category B, and 201 in Category C. The police also found two prohibited images and 33 images depicting bestiality, underscoring the severity of the offenses.

Throughout police interviews, Willby remained silent, choosing not to comment on the allegations or his actions. During the court proceedings at Hull Crown Court, his legal representative, Connor Stuart, pointed out that Willby had not committed any offenses while on bail. It was only on May 9 that he was remanded into custody, which marked the beginning of his detention related to these charges. Notably, Willby has no prior criminal convictions, which was acknowledged during the hearing.

In addition to his prison sentence, the court mandated that Willby must register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. He was also subjected to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order, designed to restrict his activities and prevent further offenses. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and judicial authorities in Hull to combat sexual crimes and protect vulnerable individuals from harm.