STUART TOMLINSON FROM MORETON SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE IN LIVERPOOL

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community, Stuart Tomlinson, a 56-year-old resident of Moreton, was sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison for heinous crimes involving the abuse and exploitation of a young child. The case came to light after police officers executed a search warrant at Tomlinson’s home in Liverpool on July 22 of the previous year, aiming to investigate allegations related to indecent images of children found on his computer.

During the search, authorities uncovered a disturbing collection of illicit material stored on his devices. Among the evidence was a video that police recognized as Tomlinson himself, engaged in the act of raping a baby. This revelation was a pivotal moment in the case, leading to further charges and a detailed court examination of his actions.

Judge Andrew Menary, QC, presided over the case and described Tomlinson’s conduct as deeply depraved. He stated that Tomlinson had spent hours “trawling the internet in order to satisfy your depraved sexual appetite,” and that his offending extended beyond the initial acts. The judge emphasized the profound impact on the victims, noting that their families were left devastated and traumatized by the revelations. “Your victims speak of understandable stress, shock, and outrage of what has been discovered,” he remarked. “Any right-thinking member of society will be horrified and disgusted to hear what you have done.”

Prosecutor Martine Snowdon informed the court that Tomlinson remained silent when questioned about the images and videos, both at the time of his arrest and during subsequent re-arrest. She detailed that the video in question depicted Tomlinson treating the abuse as a “game,” with the victim being a baby, which added to the severity of the charges. The investigation also uncovered that Tomlinson had secretly recorded adult women and girls using the toilet, and possessed five videos of extreme animal pornography. His collection included 71 videos classified as Category A, the most serious, along with nine Category B and five Category C videos.

The emotional toll on the victims’ families was palpable. The parents of the baby victim told the court that their entire world was shattered upon learning of the abuse. The father expressed his hope that his child would not remember the trauma inflicted upon her, saying, “I pray to God every day that she can’t remember anything about what has happened to her.”

One of the women secretly recorded by Tomlinson described how the incident had “changed her life forever,” while another victim expressed her disgust, stating she felt “sickened and repulsed” by Tomlinson’s actions and his perverted pleasure in filming victims. A third victim described the perpetrator as “twisted,” “dishonest,” and “vile,” emphasizing the profound betrayal and harm caused.

Ms. Snowdon highlighted that Tomlinson’s crimes were aggravated by the young age of the baby victim and the potential long-lasting impact on her life. Tomlinson pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including rape of a child under 13, five counts of voyeurism, two counts of making indecent photographs of children, along with possession of indecent images and extreme pornography. He has no prior convictions.

Defending him, Michael O’Brien acknowledged that Tomlinson understood the severity of his actions and accepted that he would likely serve a lengthy prison sentence. He expressed that Tomlinson had shown remorse and regret but was unable to explain his behavior.

Judge Menary sentenced Tomlinson to 12 years in prison, with an additional 12 months on license. He clarified that Tomlinson would only be eligible for release after serving six years, contingent upon a parole board’s assessment of his risk to the public. If deemed still dangerous, he would serve the full term. The court also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, a restraining order, and mandated that Tomlinson register as a sex offender for life. As the sentence was announced, a family member of one of the victims shouted, “Don’t think it’s over,” reflecting the ongoing pain and anger surrounding this case.