Latest Offenders Barnstaple

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An obsessed paedophile carefully catalogued more than 10,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse, a court heard. Nigel Miller, 38, blamed a lack of self-esteem, a difficult childhood and lockdown for his sick behaviour.

Police raided his address in Barnstaple and found he had a massive collection of indecent images he had found on the internet. Most were of real children but some were computer generated.

Miller was already a convicted paedophile and had previously completed a course designed to change his ways. The judge said his behaviour was a warning to others about the dangers for people who spend their lives in the twisted virtual world.

He admitted five offenses of having indecent, prohibited and extreme images and was jailed for 18 months.

Police raided his address in August 2022 and seized a number of devices. They were alerted over concerns he had been using a file sharing platform called MegaNZ to collect and store images on the cloud.

The found more than 12,000 in the most serious category involving the abuse of very young children. There were also CGI images and 60 showing people having sex with animals.

Prosecutor Zoe Kuyken said Miller was convicted in 2014 for similar offences and had a caution from 2018. He had previously completed a sex offender treatment programme.

Nick Lewin, defending, said Miller was now a different man. He said the sex offender programme was now more sophisticated than it was decade ago and he would respond better to it.

Judge David Evans said the offences had happened over a period of two years. He accepted unemployed Miller was genuinely remorseful and was socially isolated, suffered with anxiety and depression and had not tackled difficult childhood experiences.

"You admit you are sexually attracted to underage children," said the judge. "You warn you may well reoffend and you do not know what there will be to stop you."

He said Miller had had spent most of his life jobless, drawing benefits and spending his time in the virtual world.

"You are standing warning to others of the potential corruptions of life spent in that way," added Judge Evans.

Miller, of Bear Street, was made subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years. He must serve 40 per cent of his sentence before being released.

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A dangerous sex offender has been jailed for grooming a teenager he met online.

Christopher Johns, a 40-year-old farmer from Barnstaple, told the child he was 20, Exeter Crown Court heard.

He lavished her with gifts, including lingerie, sent her explicit photos and persuaded her to meet him.

During eight visits he groped, kissed and engaged in sexual activity with the 15-year-old girl. He was so convinced of his control over the child that he boasted to a friend online about seeing her.

Johns has a history of targeting young girls and was known to authorities as a dangerous offender.

Back in 2011 he was convicted of similar offences against a 14-year-old girl. He was jailed then for four years and has since received help and support from probation and a sex offender course.

Mr Herc Ashworth, defending, said Johns was a lonely, 'simple' man who led a secluded existence with only his elderly mother and dogs for company. His loneliness had increased during lockdown. The offending was limited to a five week period. He knew he had done wrong and was sorry.

The defendant, of Lyndhurst Avenue, admitted nine offences, including sexual activity with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, communicating with a child to commit a sexual offence, and breaching the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

He was jailed for five years and three months with a further extended licence period of five years.

Judge Peter Johnson said: "In 2011 you were convicted of offences of a very similar type. You were convicted of sexual activity with a female child involving penetration and for that, after a successful appeal at the Court of Appeal, were given an extended sentence of seven years - four custodial and three extended.

"You were also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and were subject to that when you committed these offences."

He said within two days of meeting the girl online he was bombarding her with sexually explicit messages, despite knowing she was just 15.

He sent her sexual images and she did the same.

"You also bombarded her with a substantial number of presents, including a mobile phone and lingerie and make-up," said the judge.

"This was all part of the grooming. 

"It was all towards one aim - so you could engage in sexual activity with her."

He said he had considered the question of whether Johns posed a danger to the public.

A risk assessment tool had assessed Johns as posing just a nine per cent risk of offending again in the next two years.

Judge Johnson said he could not agree with the low assessment and neither did probation. The court in 2011 had also found him dangerous. Judge Johnson said Johns had known the child was 15 but still met her in breach of his SHPO.

"I do find you to be dangerous still."

Johns must serve five years and three months in prison before being released. He will then be subject to the extended five year licence period in the community.

The defendant was made subject to a SHPO order banning his contact with girls under 16 and limiting his use of internet devices.