June 2013
‘I’ve got a problem’ said child abuse photo’s man
A STAFFORD man who downloaded more than a thousand pornographic images of children from the internet has been given community punishment by a judge.
Police carried out a search raid at the home of Robert Whitlock in September 2011, Stafford Crown Court heard.
His mother opened the door, but the defendant was inside and he said straightaway: “I’ve got a good idea what this is about – I’ve got a problem.”
Mark Rees, prosecuting, said an examination of Whitlock’s computer revealed a total of 1,150 still pictures at the least serious level one. There were also seven movies and two stills at level two.
Whitlock, aged 35, of Owen Walk, Stafford, who admitted making indecent images of children, was given a three year community order with a condition of undergoing a sex offender programme. He was also ordered to register with the police as a sex offender for the next five years.
Judge John Wait told him: “All of these images involve child abuse. These children will know for the rest of their lives they have been subject of this sort of photograph – they are all over the inter- net. It is nothing short of torture – by looking at these images you are encouraging the men who abuse these children. They do it for money. I can see you are upset now.”
Anthony Potter, defending, said: “He has accepted the difficulty he has.”
