Andrew John Stephenson

A sex offender from York has been jailed for creating indecent images of children and voyeuristic activities. Andrew John Stephenson, 38, of Farro Drive, Rawcliffe, York, pleaded guilty to two charges of making indecent photographs, two of making pseudo-images of children, and one of voyeurism at York Crown Court.

Prosecutor David Hewitt told the court that Stephenson used computer software, including Adobe Photoshop, to manipulate innocent photos, such as altering one to depict two men touching a child sexually. Police investigations revealed that Stephenson had been engaging in voyeurism for 11 months, capturing numerous photos of unaware women on his phone, with the most recent taken the day before his arrest on 13 April 2021. Some of these voyeuristic images were also digitally altered in a sexual manner. Searches on his devices showed terms related to child sex images on an adult pornography website, along with 21 sexual images of children in the least serious category, and one video plus three images in the middle category.

The case came to light following a tip-off to North Yorkshire Police on 13 April 2021, leading officers to Stephenson's home where they arrested him. Initially, Stephenson protested his innocence, claiming he had received and deleted unsavoury photos via WhatsApp and Tumblr, but he provided no comment during a subsequent interview after analysis of his phone. Judge Simon Hickey, sentencing Stephenson to two years' immediate imprisonment, stated: 'In my judgement the only proper punishment that can be meted out in this case is an immediate prison sentence. You still pose a risk to certain members of the public.' The judge also placed Stephenson on the sex offenders' register for 10 years, imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, and barred him from working with children or vulnerable adults. The prevention order includes prohibitions on photographing children, possessing devices for covert photography, using internet-capable devices or online storage without police notification, and employing software to wipe data or conceal his online identity.

Defence barrister Nicholas Wragg highlighted Stephenson's remorse, noting he had undergone general therapy for years and recent focused sexual therapy. Wragg explained Stephenson's lifelong struggles with anxiety, health issues, insomnia, and the profound impact of his father's death in 2018, which exacerbated his mental health and led him to 'escape into the internet'. His partner left him after the offences were discovered. The court proceedings were reported by the York Press, with details from the prosecution and defence submissions providing full context to Stephenson's offending behaviour.