JOHN BATTERSBY-HILL FROM HILL ARRESTED FOR CHILD INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In October 2018, a disturbing incident occurred involving John Battersby-Hill, a 69-year-old resident of Meadow Road, Wigton, in the area known as Hill. During this encounter, Battersby-Hill made an inappropriate and predatory request to a young girl, asking her to remove her top so he could take her photograph. The young girl, who is of primary school age, refused to comply with his request. During their conversation, she called him a creep, which prompted Battersby-Hill to tell her not to say anything about the incident.

Despite her refusal and her attempt to alert him, the girl reported the incident to authorities. The police were promptly called, leading to the arrest of John Battersby-Hill. During police interviews, he admitted to the offense. Authorities also seized electronic devices from his residence, where they discovered illegal images involving children. Among these images, many were classified as pseudo images, which involve digitally placing the face of well-known actress Emma Watson onto various other bodies, creating manipulated images that are considered illegal.

Prosecutor Charles Brown explained to Carlisle Crown Court that Battersby-Hill had a particular fascination with Emma Watson, which was reflected in his online activity. The police investigation revealed concerning internet searches related to young girls, further highlighting his inappropriate interests.

Battersby-Hill pleaded guilty to charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity. He also admitted to downloading a total of 41 illegal images of children, two of which were classified as Category A, indicating the most serious level of child exploitation material. The court was informed that he had downloaded these images, and his actions were deemed highly concerning.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge James Adkin reviewed a pre-sentence report prepared by a probation officer. The report was described as “an unhappy document,” reflecting the seriousness of Battersby-Hill’s offenses. Defense lawyer David Thompson argued that rehabilitation efforts could be undertaken within the community to address his behavior and prevent further offending. He requested that the court consider not imposing immediate custody.

Ultimately, the judge decided to suspend a two-year prison sentence for 24 months. As part of his sentence, Battersby-Hill is required to complete a rehabilitation program and a sex offender treatment course. Additionally, he must sign the sex offenders’ register and adhere to a strict sexual harm prevention order for the next ten years, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to prevent further harm.