In 2026, the Offender Database recorded that Aaron Turner-Hobbs, then 28, of King Street, Exeter, Devon, was sentenced for downloading “vile” child abuse material from the dark web. On Friday, 13 February 2026, Turner-Hobbs appeared at Exeter Crown Court, where he was handed a 14-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years.
The investigation established that in May 2024, police and probation officers visited Turner-Hobbs’ address for a routine check of his phone. At the time, he was already a registered sex offender with a history of online sexual communication offences against children. Officers discovered a total of 105 images that had been deleted, 40 of which were classified in Category A—the most serious level of child abuse. The court reported that the images depicted very young children being subjected to “heinous” acts.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Turner-Hobbs has a persistent history of offending and has previously served time in jail for breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). Exeter Crown Court heard that the defendant, who lives on universal credit, admitted to three counts of making indecent images by downloading them. Judge David Evans noted that, while the severity of the images and the defendant’s prior record increased the starting point for sentencing, he accepted the defendant’s claims of remorse.
The judge noted that the best way to prevent further offending was to focus on continued rehabilitation. For his actions in Exeter, Devon, the court determined that Turner-Hobbs should undergo a specialist sex offender programme alongside 180 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days. The prosecution, led by Peter Coombe, highlighted that the defendant’s repeated failure to comply with court orders made him a significant and ongoing concern for the Public Protection Unit.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Aaron Turner-Hobbs was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: 14 months in prison, suspended for two years.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were maintained for 10 years.
- Rehabilitation: 20 rehabilitation activity days and attendance on a sex offender programme.
- Community Sentence: 180 hours of unpaid work.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Exeter Crown Court following guilty pleas.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Turner-Hobbs is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Devon and Cornwall Police and the Probation Service. Due to the nature of the dark web downloads and his history of breaching orders in Exeter, Devon, his management is subject to intense oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Turner-Hobbs must comply with notification requirements regarding his residence in King Street, Exeter, for the next 10 years. Authorities state that his SHPO remains active, strictly governing his use of the internet and digital devices. Any breach of his registration conditions, the SHPO, or the terms of his two-year suspended sentence will result in immediate arrest and a return to Exeter Crown Court.
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