ROBIN DOHERTY SHOCKS BRADFORD, ILKLEY, AND KEIGHLEY WITH CHILD ABUSE AND PHOTOGRAPHY SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Bradford, Ilkley, and Keighley, Robin Doherty, a man with a troubling history of child exploitation, has been sentenced to prison once again for heinous crimes involving indecent images and attempts to engage minors in sexual activities.

On December 2019, Bradford Crown Court heard detailed evidence of Doherty’s ongoing criminal behavior, which included the possession and creation of hundreds of indecent photographs depicting children as young as four. The court was informed that police executed a raid on Doherty’s residence in Crosley Wood Road, Bingley, on May 8 of the previous year. During this operation, authorities seized numerous electronic devices, including computers, a memory stick, and his mobile phone, all containing a vast array of child abuse images.

Prosecutor Clare Walsh revealed that Doherty, aged 53 at the time, had pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs and one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child. The police, acting on credible intelligence, forcibly entered his home and confiscated the devices. When Doherty arrived at the scene, officers also took his phone, which was found to contain further images of child abuse. The material recovered included 69 images classified as Category A, 51 as Category B, and a staggering 1,178 as Category C, illustrating the severity and extent of his offending. These images featured both still and moving pictures of children aged between four and sixteen years old.

It was also disclosed that Doherty was in breach of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) imposed by Leeds Crown Court. This order was a consequence of a previous conviction in March 2010, when Doherty, then residing in Ilkley, was sentenced to five years in prison for 18 offences related to the creation, possession, and distribution of indecent images. At that time, he operated a photographic studio on Brook Street, Ilkley, where he paid teenage girls to pose for indecent photographs. His criminal activities extended to negotiating with children as young as 13 for sexual acts on camera in exchange for money.

One particularly disturbing incident involved a 16-year-old girl who visited Doherty’s studio, initially for fashion photos, but was later coerced into nude shots, for which she was paid £300. Subsequently, Doherty contacted her sister, aged 14, and her 13-year-old friend, offering £1,000 to each girl to have sex with him, possibly in the presence of another man, and to record the encounters. The court was told that one of the girls even sent Doherty indecent images of herself as she contemplated his offer. Fortunately, the planned session was canceled, but the case highlighted Doherty’s predatory behavior.

Further investigations uncovered that Doherty had attempted to conceal his activities by masking his IP address to avoid detection. When confronted by police, he expressed a resigned attitude, stating, “How did you find out? I will be going to prison again.” Despite having undergone treatment for paedophilia during his previous incarceration, Doherty continued to offend, storing images of men engaging in sexual acts with children as young as four. His repeated offending demonstrated a persistent pattern of abuse and exploitation.

In light of his continued criminal conduct, Judge Jonathan Rose imposed a lengthy sentence of two years and eight months. Additionally, Doherty was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order with no fixed end date and was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely. The court’s verdict underscored the gravity of his offenses and the need to protect the community from further harm.

In a related case from March 2010, Doherty was convicted of luring teenage girls to his Ilkley studio under false pretenses, offering cash, cigarettes, and alcohol in exchange for nude and sexually explicit photographs. He also attempted to persuade them to engage in sexual activities on camera, including negotiations with a 13-year-old girl’s sister and her friend. Police found that Doherty’s computer contained approximately 25,000 indecent images, including some classified as the most serious level of child abuse material. He admitted to trying to persuade the girls to have sex on camera and to offering them money for such acts.

His associate, Andrew Thorpe, was also tried separately and received a non-custodial sentence for his involvement. Judge Peter Collier QC condemned Doherty’s actions, emphasizing the gravity of his offenses and the exploitation of vulnerable minors. Doherty was ultimately sentenced to five years in prison for multiple counts of creating, possessing, and distributing indecent images, as well as attempting to engage minors in sexual activities. His case remains a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by individuals like Doherty within the community.