FEATHERSTONE PAEDOPHILE RUSSELL WESTWOOD SENTENCED TO INDEFINITE JAIL FOR CHILD SEX CRIMES

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Featherstone community, 40-year-old Russell Westwood has been handed an indefinite prison sentence at Leeds Crown Court after admitting to a series of disturbing child sex offenses. The court proceedings revealed a troubling pattern of behavior involving the former bus driver, who was found to have engaged in indecent assaults on a girl under the age of 16, as well as possessing and downloading an extensive collection of illegal images and videos depicting children.

Westwood’s criminal activities came to light following a police raid on his residence in December 2007. During the search, authorities uncovered a disturbing cache of evidence, including a number of bus passes issued to young children, each bearing their photographs. These passes, which are typically used for student or child travel, raised immediate concerns about Westwood’s potential exploitation of his position as a bus driver to access or target minors.

The investigation was further intensified when police examined Westwood’s computer and found 223 images categorized from levels one to four of severity, although none were classified as the most serious level five. Prosecutor Philip Standfast explained that the police also discovered a significant number of indecent images of children, totaling 1,336 photographs. Among these, 941 were classified as level one, indicating the least severe, while 123, 130, and 141 images fell into levels two, three, and four respectively. Alarmingly, many of these images depicted children aged between six and nine years old.

Further evidence of Westwood’s disturbing behavior was uncovered when police found a six-minute secretly filmed video of a woman on the toilet, indicating voyeuristic tendencies. The investigation also revealed that Westwood had failed to register as a sex offender after previously admitting to possessing indecent images, leading to his re-arrest in December 2008. During this subsequent search at his bail address on Moor Road, authorities seized additional electronic devices, including a computer tower, a laptop, an MP3 player, and various CDs and DVDs stored in his vehicle. Forensic analysis of these items uncovered more indecent images of children, reinforcing the extent of his criminal activities.

In total, the police recovered 1,336 photographs, with the most serious images—classified as level five—numbering 31. Many of these images involved very young children, some as young as six or seven years old. The court heard that Westwood had also engaged in voyeurism, with the filmed incident of the woman on the toilet being a clear example of his predatory behavior.

During the sentencing, Westwood’s defense, represented by Kama Melly, acknowledged his guilty pleas at the earliest opportunity and expressed hope that he would seek help while incarcerated. She emphasized that his sexual interest in children had been longstanding and that he was remorseful. Despite this, the court was unyielding in its judgment, with Judge Geoffrey Marson sentencing Westwood to serve a minimum of three years in prison. The judge made it clear that Westwood would only be released when he was no longer considered a danger to children, and even then, he would remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

Judge Marson also issued a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, explicitly prohibiting Westwood from working with children or having any unsupervised contact with minors in the future. The court’s decision underscores the serious threat posed by Westwood’s actions and the community’s need for protection from his predatory behavior. The sentence reflects the gravity of his offenses and the ongoing risk he poses, with the possibility of recall to prison if he breaches any conditions or reoffends.