COLIN APPLEBY CHERTSEY CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SENTENCE SHOCKS LOCAL COMMUNITY

In January 2008, a highly regarded music teacher from Chertsey was sentenced to six months in prison after being found guilty of possessing and creating indecent images of minors. The individual, identified as Colin Appleby, a father of two, was arrested following an investigation into his online activities. Appleby, aged 44, faced charges related to the downloading and possession of child pornography, which he claimed was a result of personal distress stemming from his failing marriage.

During proceedings at London's Southwark Crown Court, it was revealed that Appleby had insisted to Scotland Yard officers that he had only viewed adult pornography. However, forensic analysis of the hard drives from two computers seized from his residence uncovered a disturbing collection of nearly 800 images depicting underage children. Some of these images were classified as the most severe “level five” category, indicating their extreme nature and the seriousness of the material involved.

Appleby pleaded guilty to ten counts of making indecent images and two counts of possessing such material. His defense lawyer, Sally Hencox, explained to the court that the offences had devastated his career, which he had worked diligently to build. She suggested that the breakdown of his marriage might have driven him to explore these illicit images, implying a possible link between his personal turmoil and his criminal behavior.

Members of Appleby’s family watched from the public gallery as Judge Deborah Taylor addressed him directly. The judge emphasized the gravity of the crime, stating, “This is not a victimless crime. Children are trafficked and forced into involvement in the making of these images and have to be protected from exploitation. And the downloading of these images contributes to the demand for them and the further exploitation of children.”

Following his conviction, Appleby was ordered to register as a sex offender and was disqualified from ever working with children again. Outside the courtroom, Detective Constable Ian McGraw of the Metropolitan Police’s Paedophile Unit commented on the sentencing, saying, “I think it is a fair sentence. People who commit this sort of crime cannot expect to escape prison.”