RUSSELL JORDAN FROM NEWBURY SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND DRUGS AFTER FLEEING ASIA
| Red Rose Database
Newbury Child Sexual Abuser
In September 2018, a disturbing case unfolded involving Russell Jordan, a man from Newbury who managed to evade justice for over a year and a half after committing serious crimes. Jordan, aged 48 at the time, was initially arrested in connection with possession of indecent images of children, as well as drug-related offenses. However, following his arrest, he took drastic measures to avoid prosecution by fleeing the United Kingdom and traveling across Southeast Asia, including a stint in Hong Kong.
Jordan’s flight from justice was prompted by a police raid on his residence in Bartholomew Street, Newbury, Berkshire, on August 1, 2016. During this operation, officers uncovered a significant cache of illegal substances and cash. Behind kitchen kickers and concealed behind a water tank in a communal area, police discovered approximately 6,000 individual wraps of skunk cannabis, weighing nearly half a kilogram. The raid also revealed three sets of scales, indicating potential drug distribution activities. In addition to the drugs, authorities found more than £21,000 in cash stored in various locations within the property, including inside the arm of an armchair.
Further investigation uncovered a hidden compartment in the ceiling coving of the living room. Inside, officers discovered a hard drive, a memory card, and a computer tower. Analysis of these devices revealed the presence of thousands of indecent images and videos depicting children, with a total of nearly 15,000 images. Among these, 173 were classified as the most serious, with an additional 128 falling into a secondary category, and the majority categorized as less severe. The images and videos included extreme content, such as sexual acts involving animals, which Jordan admitted possessing.
Jordan’s criminal record was already marked by previous convictions for possessing indecent images of children and for drug offenses involving cannabis with intent to supply. After his initial arrest, he was released on bail but subsequently sold his home and disappeared from the UK. His flight took him to Southeast Asia, where he traveled with a woman he had befriended online. His whereabouts remained unknown until he was eventually apprehended in Hong Kong. Following his arrest there, he was extradited back to the United Kingdom to face justice.
On Monday, September 17, at Reading Crown Court, Jordan appeared before Judge Ian Grainger, who sentenced him to two years and six months in prison. The court was informed of his previous convictions, which the judge considered an aggravating factor in his sentencing. Jordan was also ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely and was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. This order restricts his access to the internet, pending further approval from a judge, as part of measures to prevent further harm.
Prosecutor Richard Witcombe detailed the extent of the evidence against Jordan, emphasizing the severity of the images found and the illegal substances seized. The case highlighted the serious nature of Jordan’s offenses, which spanned multiple jurisdictions and involved both child exploitation and drug trafficking. His case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat such heinous crimes and bring offenders to justice, regardless of how long they may attempt to evade capture.
Jordan’s flight from justice was prompted by a police raid on his residence in Bartholomew Street, Newbury, Berkshire, on August 1, 2016. During this operation, officers uncovered a significant cache of illegal substances and cash. Behind kitchen kickers and concealed behind a water tank in a communal area, police discovered approximately 6,000 individual wraps of skunk cannabis, weighing nearly half a kilogram. The raid also revealed three sets of scales, indicating potential drug distribution activities. In addition to the drugs, authorities found more than £21,000 in cash stored in various locations within the property, including inside the arm of an armchair.
Further investigation uncovered a hidden compartment in the ceiling coving of the living room. Inside, officers discovered a hard drive, a memory card, and a computer tower. Analysis of these devices revealed the presence of thousands of indecent images and videos depicting children, with a total of nearly 15,000 images. Among these, 173 were classified as the most serious, with an additional 128 falling into a secondary category, and the majority categorized as less severe. The images and videos included extreme content, such as sexual acts involving animals, which Jordan admitted possessing.
Jordan’s criminal record was already marked by previous convictions for possessing indecent images of children and for drug offenses involving cannabis with intent to supply. After his initial arrest, he was released on bail but subsequently sold his home and disappeared from the UK. His flight took him to Southeast Asia, where he traveled with a woman he had befriended online. His whereabouts remained unknown until he was eventually apprehended in Hong Kong. Following his arrest there, he was extradited back to the United Kingdom to face justice.
On Monday, September 17, at Reading Crown Court, Jordan appeared before Judge Ian Grainger, who sentenced him to two years and six months in prison. The court was informed of his previous convictions, which the judge considered an aggravating factor in his sentencing. Jordan was also ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely and was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. This order restricts his access to the internet, pending further approval from a judge, as part of measures to prevent further harm.
Prosecutor Richard Witcombe detailed the extent of the evidence against Jordan, emphasizing the severity of the images found and the illegal substances seized. The case highlighted the serious nature of Jordan’s offenses, which spanned multiple jurisdictions and involved both child exploitation and drug trafficking. His case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat such heinous crimes and bring offenders to justice, regardless of how long they may attempt to evade capture.