COLIN BARKER FROM TAMWORTH JAILED FOR VIEWING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES ON NINTENDO WII IN STAFFORDSHIRE

In August 2012, the town of Tamworth found itself at the center of a disturbing case involving local resident Colin Barker, aged 45, who was convicted of viewing child abuse images on a gaming console. Barker's actions led to his imprisonment, highlighting the ongoing concerns about online safety and the misuse of household technology.

Colin Barker was sentenced at Burton Magistrates’ Court after it was revealed that he had used a Nintendo Wii console to access the internet, despite being under a court order that mandated specific restrictions on his online activity. The court order, originally issued at Stafford Crown Court in May 2011, was a result of Barker’s earlier guilty plea to 16 charges of making indecent images of children, along with one charge of possessing a collection of such images. The order required Barker to have an internet history function on his devices and to utilize parental controls to prevent access to inappropriate content.

However, during the recent hearing, it was established that Barker had violated these restrictions. The court was informed that the Nintendo Wii console in his possession did not have the required internet history feature or parental controls enabled, which allowed him to access and view disturbing images. The breach of the court order was considered a serious offense, especially given the nature of his previous convictions.

Judge John Wait, who presided over the case, emphasized the severity of Barker’s actions, stating that he had played an active role in abusing children by viewing images depicting their torture and suffering. Barker’s previous sentence at Stafford Crown Court had been a three-year community order, reflecting the gravity of his offenses. Despite this, he was found to have continued to breach the restrictions set to prevent further offenses.

In July, Barker was brought back before the courts on charges of breaching the court order between March 31, 2012, and April 25, 2012. The magistrates requested a pre-sentence report from the Probation Service to assist in determining an appropriate punishment. During the proceedings, Emma Thompson, representing the prosecution, pointed out that Barker was required by the court order to have an internet history function and parental controls on his devices, which he failed to implement.

As a result of the breaches and the seriousness of the offenses, Barker was sentenced to eight weeks in prison. The court’s decision underscored the importance of enforcing restrictions designed to prevent access to harmful material, especially for individuals with a history of such offenses. Barker’s case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in monitoring and controlling online activity among convicted offenders, particularly in the context of safeguarding children from exploitation and abuse.