A retired IT worker who had more than 7,000 indecent images of children and 3,000 images of bestiality has been sentenced to 8 months in jail – suspended for 2 years – and hit with a £3,000 fine after a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation.
John Stoddart, 65, of Madeira Road in Ventnor, appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court on 13th July where admitted 10 charges mainly relating to making and possessing indecent images of children.
As part of his sentencing at the Isle of Wight Crown Court by Judge R Hetherington today (Friday) he was also put on the sex offenders register for 10 years, given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order limiting his use of the internet, ordered to attend a 35-day rehabilitation programme and told his electronic devices will be destroyed.
Stoddart made in excess of 500 indecent images of children; 149 fell into the most severe category (A) for child abuse.
NCA officers arrested him in June 2018 after proving he had made child sex abuse files available on an online sharing platform. Files containing the words ‘Pedoland’, ‘Preteen’ and ‘Lolita’ were located and attributed to Stoddart’s IP address and user profile.
Forensic analysis of his digital devices found 7,256 indecent images and 754 videos from as early as 2004. An additional 3,000 images related to bestiality.
During interview he initially denied all allegations and said he was not sexually attracted to children. He said he sometimes clicked on online files ‘to give them a go’, and that he’d once inadvertently seen a video of a baby being abused by clicking into a pop-up on his screen.
Within the downloaded material, officers found Stoddart was a fan of online games and visual stories featuring erotic encounters with adults, children and animals.
He admitted to having a fascination with incest because it was ‘taboo’ and said he had been collecting extreme pornography since living in Germany in the 1970s.
Martin Matthews, NCA operations manager, said:
“Over decades Stoddart had made and amassed a vast collection of imagery that was both obscene and involved the sexual exploitation of children.
“He took pleasure in experiencing a virtual world online that involved violence and sexual abuse. Stopping this before it ever became a reality was paramount to our officers.
“Protecting children remains a top priority for the NCA and we won’t stop in our pursuit of those individuals who pose a threat.”
An NSPCC spokesperson has said:
“The scale of Stoddart’s horrific collection is extremely disturbing. These kind of images capture abuse which could stay with the victims for the rest of their lives and Stoddart has helped provide a demand for them.
“The NSPCC continues to call on the Government and tech giants to crack down on this disgusting trade and ensure no child is forced to endure abuse for the gratification of sexual predators.”
To be honest I’m lost for words, there’s no word in the dictionary that can describe that thing…
I agree with you bit lenient on The sentence they should be remove nachos
The judge needs sending to prison for this.
Birds of a feather flock together
What 8 months and ten years on a sex offenders register. Woop d doo. It should be a life time in prison.
Grrrr horrible scum
Justice- NO. Protection of children – NO. Don’t know about destruction of electronic devices, but can definitely think destruction of something else.
Castration?
Another fantastic result for the UK justice system!!! How do the judges sleep !!
Thing is, half of UK judges are into this stuff themselves.
The justice system is a joke when dealing with this vile scumbag . What deterrent is a suspended sentence. Yes destroy his electronic systems but he’ll get round that in time. The major blame is the internet . The government should totally ban any internet giants from having anybody having the ability to view any provider that gives access to extreme porn involving children online.
#Saveourchildren #Savethechildren
OMG unbelievable ! basically he has got away with his filthy crime. I suppose he will be out buying a new computer next week. He is not sick but just plain evil . Dirty filthy scum
Wtf! A suspended sentence! Somebody save us from do gooders and judges! He is evil and should be behind bars – for the rest of his days
The liberalisation of our nation will always show leniency to depraved creachers like this, sadly it’s gone too far and nothing can be done about it.
Criminal sentencing rules require a defendant who is given a custodial sentence should be locked up forthwith, unless a very special reason is identified that would make it unjust to give immediate custody. Such reasons are mainly to do with effect on defs family such as hardship through being the only provider of income, or effect on workers who are employed by the def as the only employer, etc. If a suspended sentence is given the justice MUST give the reason why custody is suspended. SO judge Hetherington, WHAT WAS THE SPECIAL REASON FOR SUSPENDING?
So how many reasons are there? Read the court roundups each week. Suspended sentences all the time for teenagers and adults alike. You cannot say that a 19 year old of not fixed abode, for example, will deprive his loved ones and cause them hardship if locked up.
What a totally ridiculous sentence. Lock him up and throw away the key. I hope someone takes this up and looks into why the hell this was a suspended sentence, and why it is only so short. No rehab will work. Never mind if he is out and about I’m sure someone may give him a good kicking.
If I were him I would move away, far away, far far away !
I disagree, I want to know where it is, not “wonder” where it is..
Most of the time that sort of information such as location is on Google, public records, ventnor town council webpage, etc.
He has been doing this since the 1970’s !! That is 50 years. Don’t tell me he has restricted himself to images only. The justice system is appalling in that they don’t realise he is a danger to society. No internet access? How will he now get his 50 year old kicks I wonder. Well we all know where he will, hanging around parks and beaches I suspect. Appalling sentence, not even a tag! These people should be chipped and tracked 24/7.
What a filthy dirty scum bag! Remember his face because he’ll probably move close to a school next!! He wants shooting.. disgusting actions from the judge as well!
Dirty nonce
He admitted 10 charges…. That’s enough but 7000 images. If that’s not enough to strong him up. I think the judicial system needs reassesing….. Bloody ludicrous.
Ask parents what there opinion is!!!!!!?
Sting
For Petes sake, a suspended sentence? Has the judge gone mad? Lock him up and throw away the key.
Shame we never had such outcry with the GANGS not a gang, but gangs of such vile in Rotherham.
But of course now we can only mention such, in a positive light
We clearly have MORE than enough of our own vile filth without importing even more.
Why have comments not been turned off for this bloke? But they had been turned off for the air ambulance bloke? Why is he being protected just because he worked for the NHS
How did the police know what he was up to in his own home
Are you for real?
You worried??
Mojo, anything anyone does on a computer can be traced. ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. Internet providers can see the websites we visit/log into, dates, times etc. And people who think they can delete vile disgusting images of WHATEVER they have downloaded are complete idiot’s…. like I said, everything is traceable. I have worked with computers all my working life so believe me, they are a very good invention with unlimited up to date knowledge but of course there are people in this world who use a computer in the wrong way to fuel their sick, disgusting, twisted ways
At last. A subject we can all agree on. He should have got 20 years.
Whaaat only 8 months, what’s the point in that. A woman’s pregnancy lasts longer than that.
Over and over again we see lenient punishments handed out to these people.
The judiciary in this country are a joke. They make a mockery of the people who are trying so hard to stop these sick evil individuals.
Makes me sick to my stomach.
When governments cut policing and prison services this is what you get.
When the country fills its small impoverished land with the dregs of the third world, which then fills it’s courts, it’s jails, and all their huge dependant family all kept by the state THIS is what you then get.
Jails too full to be able to jail home grown low life for meaningful lengths of time and a growing poverty as the costs of keeping such with ever growing rights ever higher.
I agree with your comments Danny, our prisons are too full. BUT…but full on whoes recognition. The Human Rights lot who think prisoners should have a TV, a PlayStation, a radio, only 2 to a cell…. These low life have committed a crime and have been sent to prison. Prison should be harsh, not like the bloody Ritz. Take a look at the prisons in Russia. Now that’s justice.
This must be great news for the people with children that live near this scum.
I know this probably won’t get printed as the paper regularly bans my articles.
The locals have to start taking the initiative and get him thrown out and off the island
Judge R Hetherington needs to be removed from office, and be criminal investigated, as he must have an interest in this sort of sick activerty.
We pay his wage, and this is how he treats us, by not protecting our children and grandchildren.
It’s no wonder there is no faith in the Island Courts.
as for the sick vial creacher he has let off, justice will happen, it allways does.
Disgusting. Monsters like this should have their genitals cut off and fed to them. Realistically tho.. it Should be life in prison.
This is my second attempt to get my comment printed and I am glad to see nearly all I wanted to say has been said by others; This is unbelievable. The judge must be sympathetic to this sort of thing and should be investigated. Everyone who has read this is in a state of shock that the sentence is so ridiculous and will lead to him becoming reclusive, as he has lost all respect. He will then find a way to satisfy his perversion that will not be online. The therapy will be a joke to him as has been quite happy to lie about his crime, so he has no empathy and is a psychopath that needs to be locked up for good – also why the delay in informing us of sentence – a month!! – giving him time to relocate? God help us.
Interesting statistics sex crime prisoners who are released from Isle of Wight each year total about 30. On average about a third register to live on the Island. Scary thought.
Tony Blair bought in a new ruling that any released prisoner could choose where they wanted to be rehomed, most choose the area that their prison was in. As Albany is predominantly sex offenders, this leaves us at a distinct disadvantage. Probably the lovely Cherie that influenced him in this.
I reckon he got such a light sentence because it was images not actual contact with a child.
He is still sick in the head though and should get a tougher sentence.
Should say, Ventnor Peadophile, not pensioner.