COLIN MCKINLEY FROM OKUS SENTENCED AFTER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY DISCOVERY IN SWINDON

In August 2011, a man from Okus named Colin McKinley was sentenced after being found guilty of creating and possessing indecent images of children. The case revealed disturbing details about his actions, which involved the use of computer software to manipulate and enhance illicit photographs.

McKinley, aged 57 and residing on Chain Court in Okus, had previously been on bail for nearly two years during the investigation. Despite this period of legal restraint, he had ceased offending during that time, a fact that influenced the court's decision not to impose a custodial sentence. Instead, he was given a community order, reflecting a recognition of his compliance during the bail period.

The prosecution, led by Claire Marlow, outlined how police authorities became aware of McKinley's activities through the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre in August 2007. An email address associated with him was linked to the downloading of six indecent images of children from a compromised website. This initial tip-off prompted further investigation into his online activities.

Almost two years later, in September 2009, officers from Wiltshire Police executed a search warrant at McKinley's residence. At the time, his wife was present at home alone, as McKinley was at his place of employment. During the raid, law enforcement officials seized multiple computers, floppy disks, and various other storage media, which contained evidence of his illicit activities.

McKinley was arrested at his workplace and taken into custody at Swindon police station. During questioning, he admitted to actively searching for and downloading child pornography. He explained that he used photo editing software to manipulate the images, adding captions he considered 'amusing' or 'rude' before storing them on a memory stick. He further disclosed that once the memory stick was full, he would delete the files and start the process anew.

The investigation uncovered a disturbing collection of images. A total of 3,980 indecent images of children, most of whom were under the age of 13, had been downloaded by McKinley between May 2001 and August 2009. Additionally, authorities found eight images depicting extreme pornography involving animals with either adults or children, which added to the severity of the case.

McKinley pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including 13 counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing such images, and one count of possessing extreme pornography. His defense attorney, Nick Fridd, highlighted that police had been aware of his client's activities for two years prior to his arrest and noted that McKinley had not reoffended during his bail period. Fridd also pointed out that some images were not initially indecent until manipulated with software, suggesting a degree of remorse and an attempt to stop his behavior.

In sentencing, the court imposed a three-year community order on McKinley. He was also instructed to participate in a sex offenders’ rehabilitation program and was required to register as a sex offender for a period of five years. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online child exploitation and the importance of monitoring digital activity to protect vulnerable children from harm.