Exmouth Man Admits to Making Over 100,000 Child Abuse Images and Distributing Thousands

A man has admitted to producing over 100,000 child abuse images spanning a 15-year period and distributing an additional 12,000 images. Stephen Huxtable, aged 59 from Exmouth, pleaded guilty to nine charges under the Protection of Children Act during a hearing at Exeter Magistrates Court on Wednesday. The charges included creating more than 17,000 of the most serious Category A images, along with over 19,700 Category B and 67,800 Category C images. Huxtable was released on bail and is now registered as a sex offender. The court heard he created these images from 2009 to 2024. In August 2023, Huxtable admitted to distributing 12,358 child abuse images across the three categories to an undercover police officer over five days. He also faced charges for possessing a prohibited image involving bestiality with a dog. Sentencing is scheduled for 30 July at Exeter Crown Court.