ALAN WILES FROM CLITHEROE FAILS APPEAL OVER CHILD SEX OFFENSES AND PORNOGRAPHY

In March 2004, the case of Alan Ralph Wiles, a 36-year-old man from Woone Lane, Clitheroe, drew significant attention due to the serious nature of his crimes involving a minor and the possession of indecent images of children. Wiles had previously pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court to charges of indecent assault and the making of ten indecent photographs of children, which led to his imprisonment in April of the previous year.

He was sentenced to six months in prison, a term that reflected the severity of his offenses, and was also subjected to an extended licence period of 18 months. This extended supervision was designed to monitor his behavior closely after his release, with the aim of preventing any potential re-offending. Additionally, Wiles was disqualified from working with children and was placed on the sex offenders register, marking him as a high-risk individual in terms of public safety.

Following his release from incarceration, Wiles remains under the supervision of probation services due to the conditions of his extended licence. This means he is still subject to strict monitoring, and any violation of the conditions could result in his return to prison. His legal representatives recently challenged the length of this licence period, arguing that it was excessively long and hindered his chances of rehabilitation. However, their appeal was unsuccessful.

Mr Justice Mitting, presiding over the case alongside Lord Justice Rose and Mr Justice Newman, addressed the court regarding the details of Wiles’s crimes. It was established that Wiles had established a relationship with a 14-year-old girl through an Internet chat room. He arranged to meet her in person and subsequently assaulted her in the bedroom of his former residence in Ribchester. The court also noted that after his arrest, authorities discovered ten photographs on Wiles’s computer depicting children in erotic poses, further evidencing his predatory behavior.

Pre-sentence reports classified Wiles as an immediate risk to re-offend, citing concerns that he believed his actions towards the girl were acceptable. The reports also highlighted his refusal to participate in a sex offenders’ rehabilitation program, which was viewed as a significant obstacle to his rehabilitation process. The probation service recommended the 18-month extended licence period as a necessary safeguard to protect children and to facilitate his rehabilitation efforts.

During the hearing, Mr Justice Mitting dismissed the appeal, rejecting the argument that Wiles’s sentence was too short to justify the extended licence. The judge also upheld the condition that Wiles should not contact anyone under the age of 18 during this period, stating that it was a reasonable measure to prevent further harm. Wiles was informed that he could apply to the probation service if he believed the restrictions were too restrictive, but for now, the conditions remain in place to ensure community safety.