COLIN WILMSHURST FROM PICKERING JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN YORK

In a case that has shocked the local community of Pickering and the surrounding areas, Colin Wilmshurst, a man with a disturbing history, has been sentenced to prison for possessing and downloading explicit images of children. The proceedings took place at York Crown Court, where Wilmshurst, now 71 years old, faced serious charges related to his online activities involving child pornography.

Wilmshurst’s criminal history includes a previous conviction from 2008, when he was sentenced to a three-year community order after police discovered illicit internet clips on his computer. These clips depicted a sedated and blindfolded girl being subjected to abuse, a revelation that initially led to his conviction. At that time, he was also ordered to undergo a sex offenders’ treatment program. In August 2010, a probation officer supervising Wilmshurst successfully petitioned for the early termination of this order, citing a report that claimed Wilmshurst had come to terms with his past and was unlikely to reoffend.

However, the recent case uncovered a darker side. Earlier this year, Wilmshurst admitted to four charges of downloading child pornography, one charge of possessing such material, and another of possessing prohibited drawings of children engaged in sexual acts. These offenses spanned from March to August 2010 and involved both hardcore pornography and illegal illustrations. The evidence presented included images and cartoons that depicted extreme acts of abuse, including rape, mutilation, and torture of women, as well as 19 soft-pornographic images of children and 126 prohibited drawings and cartoons of child abuse.

During the court proceedings, Wilmshurst’s defense lawyer, Taryn Turner, pleaded for leniency, requesting that her client be given a sentence that would allow him to remain free. Nevertheless, the judge presiding over the case, Judge Stephen Ashurst, who was also the same judge responsible for his earlier sentencing and subsequent reduction, expressed skepticism about Wilmshurst’s intentions. He remarked, “Having experience of your devious behaviour doesn’t fill me with great confidence that you would necessarily comply with such an order.”

Wilmshurst, who was initially charged under the name Wilmhurst in 2008 and is now residing at Willow Court, Recreation Road, Pickering, was ultimately sentenced to nine months in prison. Additionally, he was issued a ten-year sexual offences prevention order, which restricts his internet access. The order mandates that he can only use a computer equipped with specially installed software that automatically alerts police if he attempts to access child pornography websites. Furthermore, Wilmshurst will be registered as a sex offender for the next ten years, a measure designed to monitor and prevent further offenses.

Prosecutor Tom Storey detailed the extent of the evidence, revealing that police found on Wilmshurst’s computer memory sticks a collection of adult sado-masochistic images, including depictions of rape, mutilation, and torture of women. The police also discovered written stories related to child abuse, along with 19 images classified as soft pornography involving children and 126 prohibited drawings and cartoons depicting child abuse.

Mrs. Turner, representing Wilmshurst, explained that her client claimed to have been researching a book aimed at helping him cope with his own past experiences of abuse at a private school. Importantly, the court was informed that there was no evidence to suggest Wilmshurst had ever sexually abused any children in his care or within his personal history. Despite this, the court’s decision reflects the severity of his online activities and the potential risk posed to the community.