A ‘dangerous’ pedophile ran a WhatsApp group to share and collect indecent images of children

A ‘dangerous’ pedophile collected thousands of indecent images of children and facilitated the sharing of ‘disturbing’ material in chat rooms. Christopher Cefyn James, from Sea Mills, received a knock on his door from the police on 10 June 2020 after the National Crime Agency became concerned he was sharing illegal photos.

James, 34, initially denied any illegal activity online in front of his family, but slipped outside and told an officer: “I’m involved. I don’t know why I do it. I’m not interested in children.”

What officers found on James’ phones, laptops and other electronic devices were hundreds of indecent images, ranging from Category A to Category C, multiple online searches around child pornography and various online conversations.

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James also ran online chat groups where he asked others to share his indecent images. Prosecutor Ian Senny said at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday afternoon (May 16): “For a number of years this defendant has been an active and enthusiastic presence online, indulging like-minded others in his sexual interest in children.

“He had a leading role in sharing and encouraging others to share such images and discuss in graphic and, disturbing detail, what he would want to do to other people’s children. His interests are extreme and are both sadistic and sexually abusing young children, including babies.”

His seized devices uncovered a “significant number of images”, including 940 Category A images, a “large number” of Category B images and 2,403 Category C images. Officers also discovered numerous conversations in which he discussed sexual abuse, exchanged pictures and shared his “extreme sexual interests”.

Mr Senny added: “The defendant’s social media activity also identifies him as the administrator of a Snapchat chat room under the account ‘naughtyhubbyuk’. The chat logs in this group tell people the rules, involving sharing child abuse material before adding them to the group. If not, they would remove them.”

When interviewed by police, James made no comment and remained under police investigation. While on bail, James continued to engage in illegal activity online and officers discovered more than 1,000 indecent images, ranging from Category A to C.

James, of Trym Leaze in Sea Mills, continued to make no comment in police interviews and was later charged with distributing an indecent photograph of a child, indecent photographs of a child and voyeurism. He pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this year.

Defense lawyer Alistair Haggerty gave several character references which described him as “thoughtful”, “caring” and “hardworking”, as well as someone who looked after his sick father before his death. One person commented that James was a man of “high moral character” – but Judge Michael Cullum rejected this claim.

Judge Cullum remarked: “It is a surprise that an individual who knows what the defendant has done and is talking about should see fit to describe the defendant as having an obvious flaw in his character. This is not a man of high moral character. You cannot come to that conclusion.”

He added: “Helping her father during the day, watching the children being raped at night. That doesn’t make for a man of high moral integrity, does it?

Mr Haggerty said James was very remorseful for his actions and likened his illegal behavior to an addiction and increasing his needs. He added that James had lost his job as a mechanic, his house, his family and “knew he was facing prison”.

He said: “Mr James is someone who is now showing genuine remorse, despite the report describing self-loathing. He is someone who is truly disgusted by what he has done.

“It is worth noting that the remand is a relief for him. Something had to break the cycle. He acknowledges that his time in prison has allowed him to properly reflect on his actions and accept the seriousness of what he has done.”

Appalled by James’ actions, Judge Cullum remarked that he “cannot and frankly does not want to find the adjectives to describe what you have done”. He said: “Possessing indecent images of children and enthusiastically sharing them while running a WhatsApp group.

“You discuss in graphic and disturbing detail what you would do to other people’s children (…) Your interests are extreme and involve the sadistic sexual abuse of very young children, including babies.

He added: “Of course you are dangerous. You pose a huge risk to children. Certainly in sharing their images and there will be a concern of what you have not done to physically abuse children. You abused children.”

James was jailed for four years, including a year’s extended licence, placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. He was ordered to stay 50 meters away from schools and playgrounds and ordered to pay a £120 victim surcharge and a deprivation order was made on his electronic devices.