Oxford News
AI chatroom apps used by Oxfordshire sex offender on phone
Benjamin Thompson, previously of Coombe Hill Crescent, Thame, was sentenced at Oxfordshire Crown Court for three breaches of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).
The court heard the 32-year-old pleaded guilty to the offences which were committed on January 9.
Thompson was made the subject of the order in January last year when he was given a suspended sentence for six counts of possession of an indecent images of children and one count of possession of a prohibitive image of a child.
READ MORE: Wallingford – Face of son jailed for strangling own mother
On the new offences Sandra Beck, prosecuting, told the court that Thompson’s offender manager had gone through the conditions of the SHPO with him.
The barrister said: “He knew he couldn’t delete history from his phone. He had used up all the storage on his phone in two months.”
The three breaches of the order were deleting apps and internet history, using online aliases and accessing X and an AI chatroom app called Chai Research.
Ms Beck said: “He was trying to wean himself off his addiction to child pornography by using AI chatrooms.
“The order had been explained to him on a number of occasions.”
Gareth James, mitigating, said: “He struggles to retain information.
“This didn’t cause a serious risk of harm or distress. He realises he should not have been behaving in this way.
“He needs rehabilitative work.”
Thompson was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.
He must also complete 15 rehabilitation activity days and pay costs of £150.
The Judge said: “There will be no further charges.”
The former Top Gear and Grand Tour host delivered the update via social media this evening (Tuesday, June 16) ahead of the release of the final two Clarkson’s Farm episodes.
The fifth series of the highly popular show premiered on June 3 and has already seen Mr Clarkson battling a major health scare and embrace high-tech farming.
READ MORE: Popular Oxford United community pub put up for £495,000 sale
Set at his 1,000-acre Oxfordshire farm Diddly Squat, in addition the latest season has shown the television host planning for the first festive period at his pub The Farmer’s Dog.
However, the next two episodes – which will be released tonight – are set to be very downbeat.
On Instagram, he said he had “sombre news”.
He added: “Ordinarily we try to keep the show bucolic and charming and cheerful.
“But the final two episodes which drop in the middle of the night tonight are none of those things really. They are a difficult watch.
“They’re really, really difficult.”
Reiterating that, the episode titles are ‘Reaping’ and ‘Sickening’ and may show the bovine TB outbreak that occurred at Diddly Squat in 2025.
READ MORE: Top UK charity’s £350,000 debts to National Lottery and Amazon as jobs lost
It led to the deaths of several animals.
The first series of Clarkson’s Farm premiered in 2021 and was an instant hit with viewers making stars out of its cast which include Mr Clarkson’s partner Lisa Hogan and farm assistant Kaleb Cooper.
It has been renewed for a sixth series.
AA is reporting that a truck has ‘rolled over’ and fuel is spilling on a major junction connecting the M40 and A43.
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Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is due to visit the prestigious debating hall in St Michael’s Street tomorrow (June 16) to take part in a debate.
The ultra nationalist figure’s invitation to the society, to debate a motion on whether the West is ‘right to be suspicious of Islam’ alongside Laurence Fox and Sir Jacob Rees Mogg, has been highly criticised.
READ MORE: Oxford Artisan Distillery plans approved ahead of reopening
But it’s not the first time the Oxford Union has invited controversial figures to its hall, to take part in discussions on some of the most divisive topics of the day.
From the Prime Minister of Pakistan to representatives of Palestinian and Israeli interests, to divisive British politicians and more light-hearted visits from popular sportspeople, the society has hosted a number of interesting voices over the years.
Look through this picture archive to see some of the famous faces who have visited the Oxford Union in days and decades gone by.
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