SHANE WEBBER OF NOTTINGHAM SENTENCED AGAIN FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN 2015

In October 2015, Shane Webber, a Nottingham man, was re-incarcerated after being convicted of creating indecent images of children and engaging in grooming activities involving minors. Webber had initially gained notoriety in October 2011 when he served a four-month prison sentence for harassing a student from Loughborough University, during which he posted nude photos of her online and sent them to her acquaintances. He also impersonated her online over several years, sending sexually explicit videos and messages.

Most recently, authorities sentenced him to a total of three years for breaching a sexual offences prevention order multiple times, attempting to incite child pornography, and producing indecent images of girls. Judge Michael Stokes expressed concern that Webber, 27 years old at the time, posed a serious risk of harm to girls under 16. Webber, formerly of Hodgkin Close, Clifton, had reoffended the previous year by using a concealed mobile phone—hidden behind a wardrobe in his hostel—to contact at least 15 girls via a messaging app. During these communications, he expressed a desire for sexual activity with one girl, who responded by sending nude photographs of herself; Webber replied with similarly inappropriate images.

Judge Stokes highlighted Webber’s manipulative behavior, stating, “You told probation and a psychiatrist you did not intend to engage in the activities you did when you started contact. You claimed ‘it just happened,’ and you insisted you had no sexual interest in girls under 13. But that is not the truth. Your interest is clearly in girls aged 13 to 15.” In court, Webber admitted all charges and was placed on a three-year extended license upon release. He remains subject to a lifelong sexual offences prevention order and must continue to register as a sex offender.

This case follows earlier incidents from September 2012, when Webber, then 23, was jailed for four months for harassment involving distributing explicit photos of his former girlfriend, Ruth Jeffery. After his release, Webber engaged in grooming two 15-year-old girls through webcam chats, persuading both to participate in sexual acts online. One of the girls, who was already vulnerable, was later detained under the Mental Health Act due to the impact of the abuse.

Webber exploited footage of himself with Ruth Jeffery to manipulate another victim, showing her explicit videos in an attempt to groom her. Ruth Jeffery expressed revulsion upon discovering his further offending, stating she felt "revolted" and "physically sick." Prosecutor Dawn Pritchard noted that Jeffery was disturbed by Webber’s use of her images for his own harmful activities and was apprehensive about her future at university, fearing her ordeal might persist.

Webber had previously been sentenced on October 31, 2011, to five years’ restraint from communicating with Jeffery and was ordered not to display her images on social media. He had maintained a relationship with Jeffery during the period of harassment and, over more than a year, shared her explicit photos online and sent them to her friends and family. He also pretended to be former classmates to send sexually explicit images of men.

He attempted to deflect blame onto a friend, and Jeffery only learned of his involvement after charges were brought against him. Released from prison at the end of 2011, Webber resumed contact with two 15-year-old girls he knew beforehand. Using MSN Messenger, he asked them to perform sexual acts with him over webcam; one girl complied, and Webber performed a sexual act in view of the teenagers.

Webber pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including causing or inciting sexual activity with a minor, witnessing sexual acts via webcam, and creating indecent images of children by saving webcam footage. He was subject to various legal restrictions, including a sexual offences prevention order, disqualification from working with children, and obligations to notify police of any personal change.

Although initially charged with breaching his restraining order by sharing Jeffery’s images online, he denied the charge regarding MSN Messenger on the grounds that the platform was not a social networking site, leading the Crown Prosecution Service to drop this particular count. Judge Stokes described Webber as "extremely manipulative and devious."