In 2018, the Offender Database recorded that 43-year-old Stephen Dews was jailed for a year after attempting to disguise his online identity while downloading perverted images of children. Dews—of Glanton Terrace, Horden, County Durham—was sentenced at Durham Crown Court after a police search warrant at the home he shared with his parents. It was reported that the investigation was launched after authorities received intelligence regarding his internet activity, which involved the deliberate use of encryption tools to evade detection.
The investigation established that Dews used a Tor browser—software specifically designed to hide a user’s location and identity—to access 350 moving and still images. Durham Crown Court heard that the collection included 143 Category A images, the most serious classification, depicting children as young as three being raped and in clear distress. The prosecution reported that Dews also used Facebook and other messaging platforms to discuss his sexual interest in children, at one point lamenting to another user that people had been quiet lately regarding the trade of such material.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that while the messages suggested Dews was prepared to distribute images, he was sentenced solely for possession. Durham Crown Court heard that three digital devices were recovered and analysed, revealing a persistent pattern of offending between January and April 2018. The investigation established that Dews provided a market for abusers by consuming this material, with the judge noting that he would likely have continued his activities had the police not intervened.
Recorder Lumley presided over the sentencing, stating there was no realistic alternative to immediate custody. For his actions in Horden and County Durham, Dews was jailed for one year and ordered to sign the sex offender register for ten years. The judge noted the bewilderment his elderly parents would feel upon discovering his crimes and ordered the permanent confiscation and destruction of all internet devices used to facilitate the abuse.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in County Durham, the status of Stephen Dews as of April 6, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: RELEASED (Served 1-year term; sentenced 2018; released circa 2019).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active until 2028 (10-year term).
- Internet Order: Subject to an indefinite order limiting and monitoring his internet use.
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barring List (Indefinite ban on working with children).
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Downloading indecent images of children; 3 counts).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Durham Crown Court; investigated by Durham Constabulary.
- Criminal Record: Possession of 350 images/videos; Use of Tor browser for concealment; Social media discussions regarding child sexual interests.
- Origin: Glanton Terrace, Horden, County Durham.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Dews is managed as a registered sex offender within the Horden area following his release from prison. Due to the nature of his conduct—specifically the use of anonymising software and encrypted browsers to access Category A material—his management is a priority for the Durham Constabulary Public Protection Unit. Authorities state that his indefinite internet order is a critical tool in preventing him from returning to the dark web or using encrypted platforms to re-engage with predatory content.
As a registered sex offender, the then 43-year-old’s details are permanently logged on the national police database until 2028. Authorities state that his notification requirements include informing the police of any internet-enabled devices he possesses, which are subject to unannounced inspections. Any failure to notify police of his movements in Horden, any attempt to reinstall Tor or similar encryption tools, or any breach of his digital restrictions will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from his demonstrated pattern of persistent digital offending.
QUESTION – Given that the offender used a Tor browser specifically to hide his location from the police, do you believe that any use of anonymising software by a registered sex offender should be treated as a mandatory breach of their court order?
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