A 31-year-old ex-firefighter from Derbyshire has been sentenced to seven years in prison for paying children to send him explicit images online. Robert Stevenson, originally from Long Eaton but residing in Hucknall, was found guilty of multiple offences at Derby Crown Court.
The Offences
Stevenson’s criminal activities included:
– Trawling social media sites to contact young girls
– Offering money in exchange for naked photographs
– Sending a picture of himself in uniform to one victim
– Threatening to post an explicit image of a 15-year-old girl online
He initially approached victims on Instagram, later moving conversations to Snapchat. In one instance, Stevenson falsely claimed to be 17 years old when communicating with a teenage girl.
Police Investigation
Following his arrest, police seized Stevenson’s devices and uncovered:
– Messages to numerous young girls
– Multiple bank transfers to victims
– Evidence of repeated sexual communication with children across the country
Charges and Sentencing
Stevenson was charged with several offences, including:
– Causing/inciting the sexual exploitation of a child aged 13 to 17
– Causing/inciting a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity
– Making indecent photographs of children
Despite denying the charges, he was found guilty after a trial. In addition to his prison sentence, Stevenson received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.
Police Statement
Detective Sergeant Sophie Draycott, Child Sexual Exploitation Supervisor, commented on the case:
“His behaviour was appalling and repeated so I am pleased that he has now been brought to justice for his crimes and is serving a prison sentence”.
She also urged parents to be vigilant about their children’s online activities and encouraged open communication about inappropriate messages.
