JOHN SHEPHERD FROM WHITWICK SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN LEICESTER

In February 2012, a disturbing case involving the possession of a large collection of child abuse images came to light in Leicester. John Shepherd, a resident of Whitwick, was found to have downloaded and stored an alarming number of indecent images of children, totaling more than 4,800 files. The authorities' investigation revealed that Shepherd's offending was not a first-time occurrence, as he had previously been convicted of similar crimes.r>

Leicester Crown Court heard that police officers executed a search at Shepherd's residence located in Market Place, Whitwick. During the search, they discovered that although his main computer did not contain illegal material, he had accessed and stored child pornography on a separate portable hard drive. This discovery was made in March of the previous year, 2011, and marked a significant escalation in the case.r>

John Shepherd, aged 37 at the time, pleaded guilty to eight counts of making indecent images by accessing them via the internet. The images were categorized into different levels based on their severity, with 4,284 images falling into the least serious category (level one), 261 at level two, 54 at level three, and 253 at the most severe level four. Some of these images depicted young girls aged between eight and 14, and included video footage, highlighting the disturbing nature of the material.r>

In addition to his guilty plea, Shepherd was subjected to a sexual offences prevention order, which restricts his future use of computers and online access. This order is designed to monitor and limit his ability to access similar material in the future. Furthermore, Shepherd was ordered to register as a sex offender for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and public safety measures.r>

During sentencing, Judge Sylvia De Bertodano addressed the court, emphasizing the gravity of the offense. She stated, “These images are created for a market. If people like you didn’t want to see these pictures, there would be no incentive to produce them. In that way, you are a direct contributor to the horrific abuse of young children.” The judge acknowledged Shepherd’s difficult personal circumstances, including his role as the primary carer for his ill grandmother, and noted the emotional impact on her.r>

It was also revealed that Shepherd had a prior conviction in 2007, which involved a two-year prison sentence for similar offenses, as well as engaging in sexual activity in the presence of ten-year-old girls. This history underscored the seriousness of his current actions.r>

Gregor Purcell, representing Shepherd, argued that his client was not involved in distributing the images but had viewed them privately for his own sick purposes. He suggested that Shepherd had not been given the opportunity to participate in a rehabilitation course during his previous imprisonment and urged the court to consider a community order with a long-term rehabilitation program instead of immediate custody. Purcell emphasized that such a program would help Shepherd confront and address the underlying issues that led to his offending, which he believed would be difficult to achieve in prison.r>

However, Judge De Bertodano concluded that, despite the potential benefits of a community order, the severity of Shepherd’s offenses warranted a custodial sentence. She emphasized that the nature of the crimes was too serious to warrant anything less than a prison term, reflecting the need for justice and public safety.