In 2020, the Offender Database recorded that 31-year-old John Readman was sentenced for the possession of a vast and disturbing collection of child abuse material and extreme pornography. Following a hearing at Plymouth Crown Court, the defendant—of Vauxhall Street, The Barbican—admitted to making and downloading hundreds of indecent images of children over a ten-year period between 2008 and 2018. It was reported that his collection included 736 prohibited images of children, which often consisted of graphic and disturbing cartoons.
The investigation established that Readman’s interests extended into extreme and violent categories of prohibited material. Devon and Cornwall Police reported that the seized devices contained images depicting realistic acts threatening life and the mutilation of genitalia. The prosecution reported that Readman also pleaded guilty to the possession of extreme animal pornography, specifically an image showing a person having sex with a pig, which was discovered alongside his extensive library of child abuse films.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the sheer volume and nature of the images indicated a deeply ingrained and dangerous set of sexual fixations. Plymouth Crown Court heard that the collection included the most serious categories of child abuse, showing youngsters being subjected to physical harm. The investigation established that the material was recovered following a forensic sweep of Readman’s digital hardware, revealing a decade of active downloading and storage of illegal content.
Recorder Richard Shepherd presided over the sentencing in January 2020, describing the collection as a relatively large number of images and films. For his actions in Plymouth and the surrounding Devon area, Readman was warned that an immediate custodial sentence was the likely outcome despite his early guilty pleas. The judge noted that the combination of child abuse, bestiality, and images of death and mutilation represented a significant risk to public safety and required robust judicial intervention.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the crimes reported in England, the status of John Readman as of April 1, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: Sentenced January 2020 (Specific term subject to Plymouth Crown Court records; custodial element completed).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active until 2030.
- SHPO Status: 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order active until 2030.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court, following a Devon and Cornwall Police investigation.
- Criminal Record: Making indecent images of children (3 counts); Possession of prohibited images of children; Possession of extreme pornography (Animal and Mutilation).
- Origin: Vauxhall Street, The Barbican, Plymouth, Devon.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Readman is managed as a high-risk registered sex offender within the Plymouth area. Due to the nature of his conduct, which involved a ten-year history of accessing the most extreme forms of illegal imagery, his management is a maximum priority. Authorities state that the crossover between child abuse material and images of extreme violence and bestiality indicates a complex and high-risk profile that requires intensive monitoring by the MOSOVO (Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders) unit.
As a registered sex offender until 2030, Readman’s details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that his SHPO includes strict conditions prohibiting the use of any internet-enabled device without monitoring software and mandating the disclosure of all digital hardware to his risk management officer. Any attempt to access prohibited material, any failure to report a change of address in The Barbican, or any unauthorised contact with minors will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the public.
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