Jailed for 13,000 child porn pictures
A RETIRED businessman has been sent to prison after detectives found almost 13,000 pornographic images of children on computer equipment at his Carmarthenshire home.
Stephen John Ible was jailed for 35 weeks after pleading guilty at Swansea Crown Court.
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Stephen Ible was jailed for 35 weeks for making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children.
The court heard that Ible, who downloaded the pictures over a period of three years, had also been involved in swapping child porn with "like-minded" individuals.
Ible, aged 60, admitted 16 offences of making indecent photographs of children — plus 16 of distribution and five of possession. Kevin Jones, prosecuting, said that on September 24 last year police raided the defendant's Pentrecwrt, Llandysul, home, after obtaining a search warrant under the Protection of Children Act.
They seized a range of computer equipment and discovered nearly 13,000 pornographic images of children. Many of the pictures were of youngsters under the age of 13, the court heard.
Frank Phillips, in mitigation, emphasised that Ible had made full and frank admissions and entered early pleas of guilty.
He said it was significant that Ible — a former social worker who went on to run a taxi business — was in the opinion of a psychiatrist not a danger to children "in a direct physical sense".
The barrister said relatives and friends were standing by Ible despite what he had done.
Sentencing, Judge Christopher Morton said "substantially aggravating features" of the case were the ages of the children, the duration of the downloading and the fact that Ible had been involved in distributing such images.
There were clear sentencing guidelines for such cases, said the judge, and an immediate prison term was unavoidable.
He also disqualified Ible from ever working with children.
9 Comments
by Keith, Switzerland
Monday, June 01 2009, 10:22AM
“I worked with Stephen when I was a Social Work assistant in the London Boro' of Tower Hamlets. We organised and went on activity, sailing, camping weekends with problem kids. He was a great character, the kids loved and respected him. It's a shame for his life to take this path.”
by Phil, the chapel
Tuesday, May 12 2009, 9:07PM
“We are so very sad. We can not undertand what happend.
In some senses he was our
Mentor of child care. Shame on him. He must feel like a toilet.”
by peter smith, essex
Saturday, November 15 2008, 8:30PM
“what can i say . While feeling greatly disgusted with what this man has done, I know that this man has done good things. While working in East London he saved many children from going into care and was a good social worker . I was one of those kids and later in life he was there when my life fell to bits. I wonder what changed him into this monster? P Smith”
by Anon, Swansea
Thursday, September 25 2008, 11:05AM
“Vermin like this make my skin crawl.35 weeks in jail is an insult to the victims.Even though it's alarming the amount of similar cases we see in the news, at least it shows this sort of person is being tracked down.But the punishment they have needs to be tougher.”
by Chris, Uplands
Thursday, September 25 2008, 10:15AM
“There is not a week that goes by that the media are reporting stories like this. Stiffer sentences need to be handed out to these vile individuals in order to send out a clear message. This type of activity and behaviour will not be tolerated by our society. Its also very disturbing to read that this man was once a social worker and then went on to run a taxi business.”
by Madelaine, Cardigan
Thursday, September 25 2008, 9:47AM
“Should have been 35 years. It begs the question how someone like this can get a CRB check to be able to operate a business with contracts from Social Services and County Councils to drive children with special needs to and from schools. I cannot believe that the judge did not consider that the children in the photographs were not suffering extremely terrrible things. And this man used to be a social worker. Shame on him.”
by Steve, Bournemouth
Wednesday, September 24 2008, 5:30PM
“perhaps he got the light touch; because the "like minded" others - are men of higher positions in society - maybe even pillars of society?”
by andy, swansea
Wednesday, September 24 2008, 1:57PM
“what happens when this man is let out and he plays out his fantasies??? who will be 2 blame??? 35 weeks, thats disgusting, and you get all these comments on swansea fans and just 2 here, the judge who sentanced this man should be sacked and put to jail with him”
by dai, swansea
Tuesday, September 23 2008, 11:23PM
“35 weeks is that all, thats not even a year, 35 weeks for 13,000 images of kids, thats disgusting, ok he only downloaded pics but come on, the judge should of made an example of him and sent a warning message to other sic people such as this monster, they give people more than that for fighting”