Portsmouth News

Paedophile who sexually assaulted child is given 14-year prison sentence

Sickening Newell, 48, also hoarded thousands of indecent images

- By TOM COTTERILL The News tom.cotterill@thenews.co.uk

A TWISTED paedophile who sexually abused a child and hoarded thousands of indecent images has started his 14-year jail term.

Sickening Stephen Newell, 48, of St Mary’s Road, London, came to officers’ attention as a Portsmouth resident when an online account linked to him uploaded an indecent image of a child to the internet earlier this year.

Hampshire police’s internet child abuse team subsequent­ly carried out an investigat­ion, which led to the seizure of a number of devices, including a laptop and mobile phones that had inappropri­ate content on them.

During the investigat­ion, horrified detectives were able to uncover that Newell had also sexually abused a young boy and recorded the footage.

Newell was arrested in February this year and subsequent­ly charged with two counts of taking indecent photograph­s of a child, one count of making indecent photograph­s of children, three counts of distributi­ng/showing indecent photograph­s/indecent pseudo-photograph­s of a child/children, one count of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, two counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetratio­n and three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13.

He pleaded guilty to all charges and appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court where he was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Sentencing him, Judge Recorder Robert Bright QC said he found the pervert’s actions ‘profoundly disturbing’ and said they would have a ‘devastatin­g impact’ on the victim. He said: ‘They will have lifelong consequenc­es [for the victim].’

DC Stephen Hill, officer in charge of the case, said: ‘The sexual abuse of children causes unfathomab­le damage, and I hope that this sentence provides some justice for the victim, who will continue to receive support from partner services.

‘We take all reports of sexual assault extremely seriously, and will do everything in our power to bring those responsibl­e to justice.

‘It is so important to us that people have the confidence to report these incidents to us, whether they have happened to you or somebody you know.

‘It is also important to us that survivors and their families are provided with the support they need, and we work in partnershi­p with other organisati­ons to ensure this happens.’

Newell must serve at least half of his sentence and will remain on licence for a further eight years.

The sexual abuse of children causes unfathomab­le damage.

DC Stephen Hill

 ??  ?? BEHIND BARS Paedophile Stephen Newell has been jailed for 14 years for sexually assaulting a child and possessing thousands of indecent images
BEHIND BARS Paedophile Stephen Newell has been jailed for 14 years for sexually assaulting a child and possessing thousands of indecent images

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