Geoffrey Kettle

Geoffrey Kettle, a 50-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent, was involved in a paedophile hunter sting that led to his arrest and subsequent sentencing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. The incident unfolded on New Year's Day when members of an online paedophile hunter group confronted Kettle, prompting police intervention.

Staffordshire Police were called to the scene after the confrontation. Upon arresting Kettle, officers seized his mobile phone and discovered a collection of indecent images of children, including moving images. The prosecution, led by Matthew Ness, informed the court that Kettle had deliberately searched for child pornography using specific keywords. The activity had been ongoing for approximately six weeks prior to his arrest.

Kettle pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent images or pseudo-images of a child. In mitigation, Anis Ali argued that Kettle had reached middle age without any prior criminal record and expressed genuine disgust and remorse for his actions. Ali highlighted the low number of images, the short duration of the offending, and the severe personal consequences Kettle had already faced, including physical and verbal abuse that forced him to relocate from his home for safety reasons. His social life had been significantly impacted, with reduced interactions and cautious outings.

Judge Richard McConaghy acknowledged the seriousness of the offences, stating: "Offences of this sort aren't victimless; every image is a real child who has been subjected to real sexual abuse. Because people will download this material, others go to make it and create a market for people who want to exploit children in that way." Despite noting that the offending crossed the custodial threshold, the judge recognised Kettle's prospects for rehabilitation and imposed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. Additionally, Kettle was made subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The case was reported by Stoke-on-Trent Live on 22 December 2025, drawing attention to the broader implications of such crimes in North Staffordshire.