WARSOP MAN STEPHEN PEGG SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES ON FACEBOOK IN NOTTINGHAM

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Warsop and the wider Nottingham area, Stephen Pegg, a 52-year-old resident of Wellington Close in Warsop, was found guilty of possessing and distributing highly illegal and disturbing images involving children. The offences came to light after police investigations that began in late 2018, leading to a warrant being executed at Pegg’s home on June 11, 2019, as revealed during a court hearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday.

Between February 2013 and June 2019, Pegg engaged in the illegal activity of downloading and sharing a significant number of indecent images and videos. The police uncovered that he had downloaded a total of 46 still images and 117 videos classified as Category A, which is designated for the most extreme content involving children. Additionally, he possessed 37 still images and 43 videos rated as Category B, and 25 still images along with six videos categorized as Category C, indicating a range of severity but all involving illegal material.

Prosecutor Esther Harrison detailed that the majority of the Category A images depicted boys aged between 12 and 14 years old. Furthermore, it was established that Pegg had shared these illicit images and videos with nine other users over a period of six months, raising concerns about the extent of distribution and potential further victimization.

During police interviews, Pegg claimed that he had sent the videos because he was asked to do so and that he received videos in return. He also expressed a misguided belief that sharing such material outside the United Kingdom might not be illegal, a statement that drew significant criticism from the court. It was also noted that Pegg, who has learning difficulties, had previously been warned by Facebook about his activities. Despite this, he described his actions as “disgraceful” and expressed remorse for his conduct.

In court, Pegg pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of making indecent images, three counts of distribution, and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image. The judge, Stuart Rafferty QC, acknowledged the seriousness of the offences but also considered Pegg’s difficulties, opting to suspend the prison sentence.

Judge Rafferty addressed Pegg directly, emphasizing the harm caused to children involved in such exploitative material. He stated, “It doesn’t take much thought by anybody to realize that children who are seen in pornographic videos don’t want to be doing it. People are off camera waiting to batter them if they don’t pretend to be happy. Sadly, their lives are damaged. People like you are simply making them more unhappy and taking their dignity away from them.”

As a result, Pegg was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to complete a two-year community order and 60 days of rehabilitation. A five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order was also imposed to restrict his future activities, and his computers were confiscated and destroyed to prevent further misuse.

The judge concluded by advising Pegg to take advantage of the help available and to stay out of trouble, emphasizing the importance of rehabilitation and accountability in cases involving such grave offences.