HEANOR PAEDOPHILE DOCTOR ROBERT MANLEY SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CRIMES IN DERBYSHIRE

In April 2009, the quiet community of Heanor was shaken to its core as news broke of a local doctor, Robert Manley, being convicted and sentenced for possessing an alarming collection of nearly 90,000 indecent images of children. The case drew widespread outrage and disgust from residents and patients alike, highlighting the severity of his crimes and the breach of trust that had occurred within the community.

Robert Manley, a 46-year-old general practitioner who had been practicing in Heanor since the early 1990s, was sentenced to three years in prison after police in Poland collaborated with authorities to apprehend him. The investigation was facilitated by advanced technology that tracks the distribution of illicit material across computer networks, leading to the discovery of his extensive collection of child pornography. Manley, who qualified as a doctor in 1985 and was a father of one, had been collecting these images for approximately five years prior to his arrest.

The revelation of his crimes has left many of his patients and residents in Heanor feeling betrayed and appalled. Among them was Michael Underhay, a 60-year-old local resident who has lived in the area for three decades. He is also a patient of Manley's at the Brooklyn Medical Practice on Mansfield Road. Mr. Underhay expressed his deep disgust, stating, “In my opinion, what he’s been up to is disgusting and sick.” He revealed that he has eight grandchildren, all of whom have been treated by Manley at the surgery. He was particularly disturbed by the nature of the images found, including 342 classified as category five—the most severe and disturbing type of child exploitation material.

Mr. Underhay further commented on his distrust of Manley’s professionalism, saying, “I never liked Manley, but I continued to go to the practice because the other staff there were excellent.” He added, “The practice itself is excellent, but I was never confident in Dr. Manley. He never seemed interested in dealing with problems. He would always say, ‘There’s nothing wrong with you—take some aspirin and go home and rest.’” His concern was compounded by the fact that some of the images depicted children as young as two-and-a-half years old. He expressed relief that Manley was now behind bars, stating, “Whenever my grandchildren have gone to the doctors, a family member has gone with them. I dread to think what could have happened if they had gone alone.”

Other residents of Heanor voiced their outrage and believed that Manley deserved a longer prison sentence. Mathew Gibbons, a 27-year-old from Howitt Street, criticized the three-year term, asserting, “Children need protecting from perverts like him. He should have received at least double that. He’ll probably be out by the end of 2010—that’s not justice.”

A retired teacher, who previously worked with children with special needs, described the situation as a “nightmare scenario.” She expressed her shock and concern, saying, “It’s terribly shocking, and like everyone around here, I’m appalled. To think he was working with children as a GP is very worrying. He would have undergone all the necessary safety checks, yet he still managed to get away with it for so long—these people are often very cunning.”

Another local resident called the case “atrocious,” referencing the staggering number of images—89,515 in total—found on Manley’s computers, discs, and hard drives. He remarked, “It should never have been allowed to get this far. This isn’t something you expect to happen right on your doorstep.”

Health authorities have confirmed that Robert Manley will be permanently struck off the medical register, ensuring he will never be permitted to practice medicine in the United Kingdom again. The community of Heanor remains deeply disturbed by the case, which has shattered the trust placed in a trusted local doctor and highlighted the importance of vigilance and safeguarding in medical and community settings.