ROBERT JACOBS FROM MAESTEG SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN WEST SUSSEX

In a case that has shocked the community, Robert Jacobs, a 50-year-old man from Maesteg, was sentenced to a total of two and a half years in prison after admitting to possessing and distributing a vast collection of child pornography. The criminal proceedings unfolded at Lewes Crown Court, where the severity of his actions was laid bare.

Jacobs was initially arrested in January 2003 following a police investigation that traced a credit card payment to a known child pornography website directly back to him. The authorities acted swiftly, seizing two computers from his former residence in Greenfields, Wick, which contained disturbing images. Despite the initial seizure, Jacobs failed to appear before magistrates in Brighton, prompting further police action.

Subsequently, law enforcement officers visited his sister’s home in Bexhill, where they uncovered a new computer. This device reportedly contained a “new wave of child porn,” indicating ongoing illegal activity. The evidence collected from these devices led to Jacobs’s formal charges and subsequent court proceedings.

At the court hearing, Jacobs pleaded guilty to 16 counts of creating indecent images of children, with offenses spanning from June 1999 to November 2003. Additionally, he admitted to five counts of distributing such images. In a further admission, he requested that 5,402 similar offenses be taken into account, highlighting the extent of his criminal conduct.

The court heard that Jacobs’s actions were both “disgusting and degrading,” as described by Judge Charles Kemp during sentencing. The judge sentenced Jacobs to two years for the creation of the images and two and a half years for their distribution, with the sentences to run concurrently. As part of the court’s order, all images related to the case were ordered to be destroyed, emphasizing the gravity of the crime and the need to prevent further harm.

In addition to his prison sentence, Jacobs was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the community from potential reoffending. This case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat child exploitation and the importance of vigilance in safeguarding vulnerable children from such heinous crimes.