PHILIP SLATER FROM DOVE HOLES SENTENCED FOR EXTREME PORNOGRAPHY AND CHILD IMAGE OFFENSES IN DERBY

In a case that has shocked the local community of Dove Holes, Philip Slater, a 44-year-old resident, was found guilty of possessing a significant collection of highly disturbing and illegal images. The conviction was handed down at Derby Crown Court after Slater admitted to possessing more than 400 images of extreme pornography, which included graphic depictions involving animals such as gorillas, snakes, and tigers.

The charges stem from an investigation that led police to search Slater’s residence on Beaumont Drive in January 2013. Although the investigation related to another matter that was later dropped, the authorities discovered a troubling cache of images on his laptop. Among these were 411 images of a graphic, offensive, and obscene nature, dating back to June 2012. Additionally, Slater pleaded guilty to a separate charge of making an indecent photograph of a child.

During the court proceedings, prosecutor Andrew Vout detailed the disturbing contents found on Slater’s device. The police examination revealed that the images included men and women engaging in sexual acts with animals, with 83 of these images depicting oral sex with animals. These files were stored in a folder labeled ‘Phil’ on his hard drive. The majority of the images involved horses and dogs, but there were also explicit depictions involving a cow, a dead chicken, a donkey, a goat, a gorilla, a pig, a snake, and a tiger.

In his interview with authorities, Slater claimed he was unaware that possessing such images was illegal. He stated that he found normal pornography “boring” and that his interest in extreme material was driven by a need for stimulation. He also insisted that he had no interest in images of children and suggested that he must have downloaded the single child photograph “in error.” Slater explained that his stressful job made it difficult for him to find motivation, and that viewing extreme pornography provided some form of relief.

Representing Slater, solicitor Sonal Ahya, emphasized that her client was a professional man with a wife and children. She acknowledged that he had learned a “heavy lesson” and expressed that the incident had caused him a great deal of shame. Ahya noted that Slater had been living with the consequences of his actions for approximately a year and a half since his arrest.

Judge Jonathan Gosling addressed the court and the defendant, referencing a pre-sentence report prepared by probation services. The judge noted that Slater “just about accepted his guilt” and recognized that while his interest was not in children, it involved “some quite revolting material which right-minded people are at a loss to understand.”

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Gosling highlighted the nature of the victims in these images, stating, “The victims of your obsessions are the adults who are plainly visible in these images. They are often vulnerable adults. The reasons these images arise is that a few people, like you, have this obsession.”

As a result of his actions, Slater was sentenced to a 12-month community order. This included 200 hours of unpaid work and a supervision requirement. Furthermore, he was placed under a five-year sexual offences prevention order, aimed at monitoring and preventing any future offending behavior.