SHREWTON MAN COLIN FULLER ESCAPES PRISON AFTER CHILD AND ANIMAL ABUSE IMAGE SCANDAL IN WINCHESTER

In December 2014, Colin Fuller, a resident of Shrewton, found himself at the center of a serious criminal case involving the possession and distribution of indecent images of children and bestiality. Fuller, who was 73 years old at the time, appeared before Winchester Crown Court to face multiple charges related to his online activities.

Fuller, a former taxi driver with ties to Amesbury and Salisbury, was accused of downloading and possessing a total of six charges of indecent images of children, along with images depicting bestiality. The police investigation was initiated after a search of his home in February uncovered two mobile phones containing a disturbing collection of digital material. Authorities seized these devices and discovered a total of 11 indecent videos and 166 images, of which 58 were classified as the most severe category, known as “category A.”

The court was informed that Fuller had received these illicit images from individuals he met through an online chat channel called Rabbit TV, which was associated with a Freeview broadcast service. This connection raised concerns about the nature of his online interactions and the potential for further distribution of such material.

Judge Susan Evans QC acknowledged Fuller’s guilty pleas and his previously unblemished character, but she emphasized that his actions indicated a significant deviation from acceptable behavior. She expressed concern that Fuller was still far from fully addressing his offending tendencies. As part of his sentence, Fuller was ordered to complete a three-year sex-offender treatment program and was given a five-year community order. Additionally, his Hackney carriage license was revoked, and the two phones used to store the illegal images were ordered to be destroyed.

During the proceedings, Fuller’s legal representative, Mark Ruffell, explained that his client had sought treatment prior to his guilty plea and had shown no signs of unusual behavior during his decade-long career as a taxi driver. Ruffell described Fuller as a man living alone, working six nights a week, and struggling with loneliness, which led him to seek companionship through the television and online chat channels. Unfortunately, this pursuit exposed him to individuals with malicious intent.

Judge Evans highlighted that Fuller had engaged in conversations of a concerning nature and possessed a substantial collection of highly disturbing images. She pointed out that by possessing and sharing these files, Fuller was contributing to the ongoing demand for such material, which perpetuates the market for these heinous images. The judge concluded that the most appropriate course of action was to require Fuller to undergo treatment, as incarceration alone would not suffice to address his underlying issues.

Fuller was warned that if he breached the conditions of his community order, he would be brought back to court and potentially face imprisonment. The court’s decision reflected a focus on rehabilitation, with the understanding that his crimes had crossed the threshold for custody but did not warrant a prison sentence long enough to facilitate effective treatment within a jail setting.

Earlier in November 2014, Fuller had admitted to making child abuse images and possessing extreme images of bestiality at Winchester Crown Court. He pleaded guilty to six charges of creating indecent images of children and two charges related to possessing extreme images involving animals. However, he denied two additional charges of distributing child abuse images and one charge of possessing other extreme pornographic material. Fuller was released on bail under strict conditions, including a ban on unsupervised contact with children under 16, and his name was added to the sex offenders’ register. His next court appearance was scheduled for his birthday, December 12, in Winchester.