Man admits making 100k child abuse images

Jack Silver
BBC News, South West
BBC A white crown court building with a large glass entrance. A sign reads Exeter Law Courts. People stand on the steps.BBC
Stephen Huxtable, 59, of Moorfield Road, Exmouth will appear at Exeter Crown Court for sentencing later this month

A man has admitted making more than 100,000 child abuse images over 15 year period and distributing a further 12,000.

Stephen Huxtable, 59, from Exmouth, pleaded guilty to nine charges under the Protection of Children Act at Exeter Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The offences included making more than 17,000 category A images - the most serious, as well as more than 19,700 category B and 67,800 category C images.

Huxtable was bailed and placed on the Sex Offenders' Register.

The court heard he created the images between 2009 and 2024.

Huxtable, of Moorfield Road, also admitted distributing 12,358 child abuse images of all three categories to an undercover police officer in Exmouth over five days in August 2023.

The charges he admitted to also included possessing one prohibited image involving bestiality with a dog.

Sentencing is due to take place at Exeter Crown Court on 30 July.

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