In 2017, the Offender Database recorded that Stephen Stott, then 23, of Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, was jailed for 32 months for his involvement in a global child abuse network. On Wednesday, 6 December 2017, Stott appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court for sentencing. The court reported that the hospitality worker utilised sophisticated video conferencing software to watch live and pre-recorded films of children, including infants as young as 12 months old, being raped.
The investigation established that Stott was a prolific user of an encrypted app where up to 50 users at a time would view “live feed” abuse. Greater Manchester Police and the National Crime Agency (NCA) reported that the investigation was triggered by US Homeland Security after Stott posted “bragging” messages soliciting even more extreme material. The prosecution reported that over a three-month period in 2015, Stott viewed a five-year-old girl being raped and asked the group for “snuff” and “tiny” videos.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Stott actively enquired about participating in real-world abuse, asking other users if they had “real access” in the UK. Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard that when detectives examined his phone in July 2016, they discovered he had used WhatsApp to distribute horrific video clips to an associate. The prosecution reported that these clips included a 10-year-old girl being raped by a man who was heard verbally abusing her during the attack.
Judge Mark Savill noted that Stott had “abandoned his moral compass” and engaged in behaviour that was abhorrent and distressing in equal measure. For his actions in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, the defendant pleaded guilty to making and distributing indecent images, possessing extreme images, and conspiracy to perform a sexual act with an animal. The judge noted that by viewing these images for his own perverse interests, Stott placed himself in close connection with the abusers and perpetuated the dreadful abuse of children.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Stephen Stott was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: 32 months in prison.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court following an international investigation.
- Criminal Record: Convicted of making, distributing, and possessing indecent and extreme imagery.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Stott is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Greater Manchester Police and the prison estate. Due to the “global and sophisticated” nature of the digital abuse in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, his management is subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Stott must comply with notification requirements regarding his identity and residence for the remainder of his life. Authorities state that his history of soliciting live-streamed abuse necessitates permanent and stringent monitoring of his digital devices and internet access. Any breach of his registration conditions or his licence terms upon release will result in immediate arrest and a return to the court system.
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