Convicted sex offender spared jail term for treatment order

Judge Jonathan Rose branded 59-year-old Roy Stobbs a potential danger particularly to young boys, but said that in his case it was more important to protect the public than to punish him.

"What I am about to do you today should not leave you under any mis-impression," he told Stobbs.

"I believe you are a potential danger to children but I do not believe that the custodial sentence I could pass for the offences to which you have pleaded guilty would suffice to protect the public from you."

The judge said the prison sentence would not be long enough to ensure Stobbs received treatment in jail and could mean his release in a few weeks without any assistance.

Instead of jailing Stobbs, of The Holllow, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, Judge Rose made him the subject of a three-year community order which includes close supervision by the probation service and attendance on an accredited sex offender treatment programme.

Stobbs, who admitted a series of charges relating to the possession of 6,885 indecent images of children, will also be subject to a indefinite sexual offences prevention order which limits his access to Internet websites and he will also have to register as a sex offender with the police for the next five years.

During yesterday's hearing at Bradford Crown Court it emerged that in 1981 Stobbs was put on probation for indecently assaulting a boy.

Last year he was also alleged to have sexually touched another child.

Although Stobbs was not charged with any offence relating to that allegation, police seized computer equipment from an address in Manchester Road, Cowlersley, and uncovered a catalogue of child porn images on the hard drives.

Tom Storey, prosecuting, said more than 6,500 images were at the lowest level of seriousness, but there were other images at the higher levels.

Following the police inquiry in May last year, Stobbs was eventually convicted of a public order offence which had involved exposing himself to children.

Judge Rose told Stobbs that although his relevant previous conviction was a long time ago it was difficult to imagine that the intervening years had done anything to allay or prevent his constant interest in children.

"That interest is a sexual one and it is directed primarily towards young boys," said the judge.

"Every single child has to be abused for the photograph to be taken and when you look at them Mr Stobbs you abuse them as well so you have abused thousands of children because of your sexual proclivities."

The judge warned if he breached the terms of the community order he could face years in prison because the sentencing guidelines for the offences would no longer apply.

Mr Storey told the court the allegation last year involved a six-year-old boy but he was not forthcoming about the alleged indecent touching when interviewed by police.

"That maybe the main explanation why the decision was taken not to charge the defendant with any offence arising out of that allegation," he said.

Judge Rose said Stobbs' interest in young boys was long-standing, entrenched and associated with self-gratification.

The judge added that at Stobbs' age a prison sentence might be very difficult, but if he breached any aspect of the order he would come back before the court and sentencing guidelines indicating months would not apply.