TREVOR CHARLES DIAPER FROM BOCKING, HAMPSHIRE, FACES CHURCH EVICTION AFTER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the local community, Reverend Trevor Charles Diaper, a former vicar from Bocking, Hampshire, has been found guilty of possessing and downloading nearly 2,000 images of child pornography. The images included highly disturbing material, such as photographs depicting young girls under the age of eight being forcibly engaged in sexual acts with adults, some of which were rape-themed. Police investigations also uncovered video footage capturing the sexual abuse of a child, adding to the severity of the charges against him.

Reverend Diaper, who served as the minister at St Peter’s Church in Bocking, was arrested in June of the previous year at his family residence. During the police raid, authorities seized his computer and other electronic devices. In subsequent interviews, Diaper admitted to actively downloading these illicit images from the internet for his own sexual gratification. He further revealed that he had copied the files onto DVDs and CDs, which he encrypted using specialized software in an attempt to conceal his activities.

Two months following his initial arrest, detectives recovered additional hard drives and CDs containing a significant number of indecent images. Prosecutor Andrew Jackson explained that the images were categorized into different levels of severity: 64 images were classified as level four, the most serious; 579 as level two; and 1,327 as level one, which are considered less severe. The investigation revealed a disturbing pattern of obsession, with Diaper’s collection reflecting a deep-seated fixation on child exploitation.

At Chelmsford Crown Court, Judge Christopher Ball QC addressed the court, emphasizing that Diaper’s previous time in custody—seven and a half months—on seven counts of indecent assault, of which he was ultimately cleared, had influenced the sentencing. The judge noted that Diaper’s fascination with such material bordered on obsession and that his actions warranted serious consequences. As a result, Diaper was sentenced to a three-year community order, which includes a five-year sex offenders’ programme and a three-year supervision period. The judge highlighted that a custodial sentence was avoided due to the time already served, but stressed the importance of addressing the underlying issues.

During the proceedings, Diaper pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing such images. His legal representative, David Williams QC, argued that a custodial sentence would not benefit society or the individual, stating that Diaper planned to relocate to a different part of the country upon his release. The court was also informed that Diaper’s actions had been an attempt to satisfy a compulsive and potentially obsessive interest in child exploitation images.

Following the sentencing, officials from the Church of England, including Chris Newlands, chaplain to the Bishop of Chelmsford, expressed their intent to pursue disciplinary measures against Diaper. Newlands stated that the Church would ensure that proper procedures were followed and that Diaper would not be allowed to continue ministering within the church community. The case has raised serious questions about safeguarding and the responsibilities of religious leaders, prompting calls for stricter oversight and accountability in such institutions.