JASON PHILLIPS, FORMER WORCESTER UKIP CANDIDATE, SENTENCED FOR CHILD INDECENT IMAGES

In March 2009, Jason Phillips, a former UKIP candidate in Worcester who has since converted to Islam, was sentenced for possessing indecent images of children.

Phillips, who ran for the Arboretum ward in Worcester during the 2007 elections, had previously admitted to downloading two indecent images of a child.

Prosecutor Sallie Hewitt stated that police became aware of Phillips after he sent sexually offensive messages to friends of his girlfriend’s ex-husband via Facebook. Hewitt explained, “Police were alerted to Phillips when he sent sexually offensive messages to friends of his new girlfriend’s ex-husband through the social networking site Facebook.”

When police questioned him, Phillips admitted he had sent the messages simply to be as offensive as possible. Authorities then seized his computer, which, in December 2008, was found to contain the indecent images. These images were classified as Level 2 photos, with the most severe being Level 5. One of the images had been deleted by placing it into the computer’s recycling bin.

Hewitt added that Phillips told police that four years earlier, a friend had downloaded adult porn onto his computer, believing it to be humorous, but that he subsequently deleted it.

During sentencing, defense lawyer Paul Stanley explained that Phillips had sent the offensive messages after receiving similar unpleasant messages himself. Mr. Stanley noted, “Phillips was unhappy about being in court and pleading guilty to these offences. It’s a possession matter only in relation to two stills which might or might not be real. It has been for him a very difficult period of time. He has never been in trouble with the court before.”

The 33-year-old, of Cyril Road, Rainbow Hill, who had changed his name by deed poll to Abdullah Nasser Jihad following his conversion to Islam, was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for five years. Magistrates also imposed a community order requiring him to attend a sex offenders group program and be supervised for three years.

Additionally, Phillips was fined £60 in costs, and a forfeiture and destruction order was made regarding his computer. In a letter written to Worcester News the day before his sentencing, Phillips explained his recent religious conversion and admitted to feeling very depressed.