Christopher Hobbs

Christopher Hobbs, a 25-year-old former resident of Swaffham, faced fresh charges related to indecent images shortly after being granted leniency for a previous sexual offence. On 5 June 2020, Hobbs had been sentenced at King's Lynn Magistrates' Court to ten months' custody, suspended for 18 months, for voyeurism committed for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification. The offence involved setting up covert cameras to spy on three victims in their bathroom and bedroom, breaching their privacy in a deeply invasive manner.

Merely four days later, on or before 9 June 2020, Hobbs was found in possession of an indecent photograph of a child and 189 extreme pornographic images depicting individuals engaging in sexual acts with dogs and pigs. These images were discovered in Swaffham, Norfolk, highlighting a rapid escalation in his offending behaviour despite the recent suspended sentence. The possession of such material constitutes serious sexual offences under UK law, involving both child exploitation and bestiality.

Hobbs, now residing at Carl Hall Court in Peterborough, appeared before King's Lynn Magistrates' Court on 19 August 2021 to plead guilty to making an indecent photograph and possession of the prohibited images. The bench determined that it lacked sufficient powers to adequately sentence him for these grave charges and committed the case to Norwich Crown Court for a hearing on a date to be fixed. In the interim, Hobbs was granted bail with strict conditions, including mandatory sign-ins at Thorpe Wood Police Station to register on the sex offenders' register and a prohibition on unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16, except in unavoidable day-to-day situations.

This sequence of events underscores the challenges in rehabilitating individuals convicted of sexual offences, as reported by the Lynn News on 20 August 2021. The case draws attention to the ongoing monitoring required for those on suspended sentences and the severe legal consequences for reoffending in this domain.