PHILLIP LLOORCA FROM SALISBURY SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN THE UK

In a case that has shocked the Salisbury community, Phillip Llorca, a 56-year-old bus driver from Salisbury, was sentenced to a mere 12 months in prison after being found guilty of possessing an enormous collection of indecent images of children. The case came to light following an investigation initiated by U.S. authorities, which led to his arrest by Wiltshire police in September of the previous year.

During the court proceedings at Salisbury Crown Court, it was revealed that Llorca had pleaded guilty to charges of making and downloading illegal images. The police discovered that he had stored an astonishing number of these images on his devices—specifically, 163,529 files, a figure that was described by prosecutors as a conservative estimate. The actual number was believed to be more than double that, indicating the extent of his illegal activities. Many of these images were classified at the most serious level, highlighting the disturbing nature of the content he possessed.

The investigation uncovered that Llorca’s collection was not solely obtained from online sources. He was also found to have taken several photographs of young children himself, from his bathroom window, adding a disturbing personal element to his crimes. When authorities raided his residence following his arrest at Salisbury bus station, they confiscated a total of 57 CDs used for backing up the illicit images, along with two computers, a digital camera, and a memory card—evidence that underscored the scale of his activities.

Prosecutor Mark Ashley emphasized that Llorca was fully aware of the wrongfulness of his actions. During police questioning, Llorca reportedly acknowledged that the children depicted in the images were being abused, demonstrating a clear understanding of the criminal nature of his conduct. It was also revealed that he had been actively viewing paedophilic material since the breakdown of his relationship in 1998, indicating a long-standing pattern of offending behavior.

Despite the gravity of the charges, Llorca chose to forgo legal representation and admitted to all allegations without offering any mitigation. His straightforward admission was noted by the judge, Keith Cutler, who took into account his lack of legal defense and his apparent remorse. The judge described Llorca as a man of “good character,” which influenced the decision to impose the lightest possible sentence under the circumstances.

Judge Cutler acknowledged the seriousness of the offense but also recognized the remorse and embarrassment expressed by Llorca. He stated, “I recognize you are in a difficult and embarrassing position, and you are appearing here before the court for the first time.” The judge further commented that Llorca appeared to be genuinely remorseful, feeling shame for his actions and willing to accept the consequences. As a result, he was sentenced to 12 months in prison and was ordered to be placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years, reflecting the court’s recognition of the severity of the crime while also considering the defendant’s attitude during proceedings.