WALTER WELBOURNE FROM WESTCLIFF JAILED FOR INDECENT PHOTOS OF CHILD

In December 1998, a disturbing case emerged involving Walter Welbourne, a 72-year-old resident of Westcliff, who was sentenced to three months in prison after being found guilty of taking indecent photographs of a young girl. The incident came to light when staff at a local photo developing company became suspicious during the processing of film that contained inappropriate images.

These photographs depicted a girl under the age of 16, and they were taken while she was staying with Welbourne at his residence on Albion Road, Westcliff. The staff at the photo lab, noticing the nature of the images, promptly reported their concerns to the police, which led to Welbourne's arrest.

During the court proceedings, Welbourne admitted to taking the photographs between August 18 and September 11 of that year. The magistrate, Kevin Gray, presiding over the case at Southend, expressed his strong disapproval of Welbourne's actions. He emphasized the breach of trust involved, stating, "You were in a position of trust. I have a duty to protect society including children from people like you. I have no alternative but to send you to prison."

In addition to the prison sentence, the magistrate ordered that the photographs be destroyed to prevent any further harm. Furthermore, upon Welbourne's release from incarceration, he will be required to register on the national sex offenders’ register, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities. This case highlights the serious legal and moral consequences faced by individuals who exploit their positions of trust to commit such offenses, especially involving minors in the Westcliff area.