Man Jailed for Livestreaming Child Sexual Assault

A man has received a sentence of up to 25 years in prison for livestreaming the sexual assault of a young girl on the dark web. Woody Spencer, aged 34, was handed a 20-year prison term along with a five-year extended sentence at Exeter Crown Court on Thursday. Spencer’s arrest occurred at his residence on Hexworthy Avenue, Exeter, in March. This followed an alert from the Australian Federal Police to the National Crime Agency (NCA) regarding the video, leading to his identification as a UK national. At the hearing, Judge James Adkin stated that Spencer “knew [his actions] were utterly revolting and contemptible”. Spencer’s mobile phone was found to contain 163 indecent images of children. Of these, 43 were classified as category A, which is the most severe, with 50 in category B and 70 in category C. Spencer had previously been convicted of multiple offences, including assault of a child under 13, sexual assault of a child under 13, causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, attempted rape, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, causing a child to watch sexual activity, and making and distributing indecent images of children. Furthermore, he had been found guilty on a prior occasion of voyeurism offences involving an 18-year-old woman, whom he had secretly recorded without her consent while she was showering. Prosecutor Emily Pitts described the proceedings as a “difficult case for all”. She stated that the video was “now available worldwide and that factor adds to the degradation and humiliation” of the victim. Ms. Pitts further remarked: “This is going to be hanging over her all of her life.” She added: “Once a video is out there it’s always out there.” Ms Pitts explained that despite Spencer having pixilated his face, the NCA successfully identified him by analyzing the video and recognizing the room he occupied and his tattoos. Defense counsel Nigel Wraith stated that there was “no evidence of severe psychological harm” to the victim. He also noted that Spencer had no prior sexual offence convictions and that his admission of his actions represented a “positive first step”. In his summation, Judge Adkin characterized the case as “repugnant”. He referred to Spencer as “an exceptionally dangerous man” and stated that the video would persist “on the world wide web indefinitely”. The judge remarked: “Little wonder you didn’t have the courage to go into the court and face a jury, you knew it was utterly revolting and contemptible.” After the sentencing, NCA operations manager Holly Triggs commented that the victims in this case “suffered the most abhorrent sexual abuse, purely for his sexual gratification and others like him online”. She further asserted: “We will continue to protect the victims of these crimes and prevent offenders like Spencer from causing harm.” Spencer is scheduled to serve 13 years in prison before becoming eligible to seek parole. Additionally, he will be listed on the sex offenders register for the remainder of his life. For updates, follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.