Predatory pervert back behind bars after targeting 13-year-old on TikTok
Keith Stobbart has a long history of entrenched sexual offending going back to 2008
by Rob Kennedy · ChronicleLiveA predatory pervert is back behind bars after targeting a 13-year-old girl on social media.
Keith Stobbart has a long history of sex offences and his behaviour has been described as "entrenched". Newcastle Crown Court heard that in 2008, Stobbart was convicted of eight offences of indecent assault on a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and was jailed.
In 2015 he was convicted of two counts of breaching a sexual offences prevention order. Then in December 2022 he posted a graphic comment on a video posted on TikTok of a 14-year-old girl miming to a song. He got a community order in relation to that offence, having served eight months in custody on remand. He was also given a seven year sexual harm prevention order.
More recently, it came to light that in November 2022 he was using TikTok when he sent a 13-year-old girl a sexualised message asking for naked images.
Police went to his home in June to carry out a risk review and when they examined his phone they found four images in an album called "girlfriends" showing adult females in sexual poses with the face of a female child superimposed.
He had also been using a Facebook account which he had not informed the police about, which was a breach of the sexual harm prevention order.
Stobbart, 66, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child, making indecent images and breaching a sexual harm prevention order and a sexual offences prevention order. He was jailed for two years and eight months and must sign the sex offenders register for life and was given a restraining order banning him from contacting the 13-year-old.
A probation officer described his behaviour as "entrenched". Judge Penny Moreland told him: "The writer of the pre-sentence report refers to your predatory behaviour and forms the view you pose a high risk to children."
Ian Hudson, defending, said: "I accept he is a high risk to children. " He added that he has served 16 weeks in custody on remand.
Join our WhatsApp communities
ChronicleLive is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our communities.
We have a number of communities to join, so you can choose which one you want to be part of and we'll send you the latest news direct to your phone. You could even join them all!
To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press 'join community'.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice.
Join the ChronicleLive Breaking News and Top Stories community
Join our Court & Crime community
Join the Things to do in Newcastle and the North East community
Join our Northumberland community
Join our County Durham community
Join our Great North Run community