STEPHEN BUTTERWORTH FROM GOOLE EXPOSED AS PAEDOPHILE AFTER USB STICK INCIDENT AT LOCAL SOLICITORS

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Goole, Stephen Butterworth, a 68-year-old company director, was revealed to be a paedophile following an incident involving a USB storage device at a local solicitors' office. The events unfolded on April 24 of the previous year when Butterworth visited Heptonstalls solicitors in Goole. During his visit, he inadvertently dropped and lost the USB stick, which prompted the staff at the firm to investigate its contents out of curiosity and concern.

Upon connecting the device to a computer, the staff were met with a shocking discovery: the USB contained indecent photographs of children alongside documents belonging to Butterworth himself. Recognizing the severity of the situation, they immediately contacted the police to handle the matter appropriately.

Law enforcement officers responded swiftly by conducting a search of Butterworth’s residence on Bretton Avenue in Goole. During the search, they uncovered a total of five additional memory sticks, all of which contained indecent images of children. The police investigation revealed that Butterworth had amassed a staggering collection of 879 indecent images, including 125 videos. The images were categorized based on their severity, with eight photographs classified as Category A—the most serious—13 as Category B, and 733 as Category C. The videos included two at Category A, 18 at Category B, and 105 at Category C.

The youngest victim depicted in the images was just five years old, while the oldest was 13. However, the majority of the photographs featured girls aged between eight and ten. It was established that Butterworth had downloaded these illicit images during work hours and stored them on external devices. The court was informed that it was unclear how long he had been engaged in this activity, as his work computers automatically deleted internet search histories after a certain period.

Butterworth is known to be the sole director of two companies employing around 30 staff members. Additionally, he serves as the lead negotiator for a property consortium that is planning to develop farmland, highlighting his active involvement in local business and development projects.

During the court proceedings, Paul Norton, representing Butterworth, stated that his client had been asked to continue in his role despite offering to resign due to the offences. Norton emphasized that Butterworth’s colleagues believed he was the most suitable person for the position, and that his family and friends had shown him significant loyalty and support throughout the process.

Referring to a pre-sentence report, Norton highlighted Butterworth’s desire to understand the motivations behind his offending and his commitment to avoiding further criminal behavior. It was also noted that Butterworth had engaged with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a child protection charity, as part of his efforts to address his actions.

Judge Mark Bury sentenced Butterworth to a three-year community order, which includes the requirement to attend 45 sessions of the Northumbria sex offenders’ treatment programme. The judge underscored the gravity of the offences, stating that each image represented an abusive episode for a young child. He warned Butterworth that the demand for such images sustains a market that perpetuates child abuse, emphasizing the seriousness of the crime.

Furthermore, Butterworth was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for five years and was subject to a sexual offences prevention order for the same duration, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to prevent further offending.