BRACKNELL MAN IAN PHILLIPS ESCAPES JAIL AFTER SENDING OFFENSIVE MESSAGE AND POSSESSING CHILD AND ANIMAL PORNOGRAPHY

In a case that has shocked the community of Bracknell, Ian Phillips, a 58-year-old man residing in Keepers Coombe, narrowly avoided imprisonment after being convicted of serious offenses involving a minor and indecent material. The incident dates back to May 2019, when Phillips was arrested following a series of disturbing actions that included sending inappropriate messages to a girl with special needs and possessing a significant collection of indecent images.

Phillips, who previously worked as a minibus driver, had a long-standing connection with the girl, whom he transported to school in Bracknell for approximately five years. During this period, he had access to her mobile number, which he used to communicate with her about school schedules and other routine matters. However, the nature of their relationship took a dark turn years later when Phillips initiated contact via Facebook after he ceased driving her to school.

According to court reports, the messages started off as benign but gradually became more inappropriate and intrusive. Prosecutor Jack Wright detailed that Phillips sent the girl a message reading: “Hey sexy girl, how are you? Can I kidnap you and tie you up?” The girl, who was described as vulnerable and with special needs, was reportedly shocked and distressed by the message, prompting her to inform her carers. This revelation led to police intervention.

Law enforcement officials seized Phillips’s mobile phone and computer, uncovering more than 50 indecent images and videos depicting children and animals. These materials included both photographs and videos, highlighting the extent of his possession of illegal content. Phillips was subsequently arrested in May 2019 and faced multiple charges related to these offenses.

During the court proceedings, Phillips’s defense attorney, Andrew Storch, argued that the girl had been driven to school by Phillips in a minibus with other children, and that he had only obtained her mobile number for legitimate reasons related to school schedules. Storch also claimed that Phillips believed his Facebook message was a joke, asserting that he thought he was making a harmless comment at the time. He emphasized that Phillips has expressed remorse over his actions and has shown regret in the two years following his arrest.

Storch further explained that Phillips, upon noticing the girl had grown into a woman, believed his message was a joke and did not intend harm. He acknowledged that Phillips now understands the severity of his misconduct and the inappropriateness of his actions.

Judge Edward Burgess delivered the sentence at Reading Crown Court on Thursday, May 13. He sentenced Phillips to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months, for the five offenses to which he pleaded guilty. The judge also ordered Phillips to undertake various rehabilitation courses aimed at preventing future offending. Additionally, Phillips was issued a sexual harm prevention order for seven years and a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting the girl for five years.

In his remarks, Judge Burgess highlighted the vulnerability of the girl and expressed concern over Phillips’s sexual fantasies, noting that whether he intended to act on them remains unknown. Phillips was convicted of three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image of an animal, and one count of sending an offensive message. Despite the gravity of his crimes, he avoided jail time but will be closely monitored through the court-mandated restrictions and orders.