COLIN ATKINSON FROM CHADDESDEN SENTENCED FOR DISTRIBUTING NEARLY 1,000 CHILD INDECENT IMAGES IN DERBY

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Colin Atkinson, a 47-year-old resident of Chaddesden, was found guilty of possessing, creating, and distributing a vast collection of indecent images of children. The investigation revealed that Atkinson had been involved in this illicit activity for approximately a year before authorities uncovered the extensive material stored on his home computers.

Police executed a search warrant at his residence on Shirley Road, where they discovered a significant cache of illegal content. The evidence included 387 indecent images, which ranged from the lowest to the highest categories of indecency, stored across three different laptops. In total, authorities identified nearly 1,000 images and movies attached to approximately 940 emails, indicating a highly active exchange network involving 36 recipients. Prosecutor Alex Wolfson detailed that the images involved children as young as six years old, and some of the material was of an extreme nature.

Judge John Gosling, presiding over the case at Derby Crown Court, emphasized the severity of Atkinson’s actions. He stated, “What makes this crime so serious is that you distributed something approaching 1,000 images, which included movies, with a significant number in a high category. You distributed these images to 36 people. It was a very active exchange by you.”

Following his arrest, Atkinson admitted guilt immediately. However, the case was delayed for nearly a year as police conducted further analysis of the digital evidence. During this period, it was revealed that Atkinson had searched the internet for child abuse images, and some of the images he shared involved children as young as six.

In July, police issued a media release after Atkinson went missing. It was uncovered that he had stolen approximately £5,000 from his employer, the Co-op store located in The Green, Breaston. Fearing the repercussions of the charges he faced, he traveled abroad but returned to the UK after a week, contacting his family. Subsequently, in August, magistrates sentenced him to a suspended sentence for the theft.

Atkinson’s latest court appearance saw him admit to multiple charges, including making, possessing, and distributing indecent images of children, as well as possessing extreme pornography. His defense lawyer, Dean Bower, argued that Atkinson had not gained financially from his actions and claimed he had initially engaged in the activity “just to be part of the trade.”

Mr. Bower also highlighted that Atkinson expressed genuine remorse and had previously been in denial about the impact of such material on victims. He explained that Atkinson believed the images were virtual and did not involve real children, but since his arrest, he had reflected deeply on the psychological harm inflicted on victims.

As part of his sentence, Atkinson is required to sign the sex offenders’ register and comply with a sexual offences prevention order for ten years. This order grants police the authority to inspect his internet activity at any time. Additionally, he is disqualified from working with children, aiming to prevent any future risk to vulnerable individuals.