ANDREW O’DWYER FROM ILKLEY SENTENCED FOR DEPRAVED IMAGES AND ONLINE SEXUAL OFFENCES

In July 2019, a disturbing case emerged involving Andrew O’Dwyer, a 41-year-old resident of Dean Street, Ilkley, who was found to have engaged in the distribution and possession of highly disturbing and illegal material involving young girls. The case was brought before Bradford Crown Court, where the severity of his actions was laid bare to the court and the public.

O’Dwyer was accused of trading in indecent images that he himself described as 'utterly depraved and disgusting.' These images depicted young girls, and he shared them via a messaging application, which raised serious concerns about his motives and the nature of his online activities. The court heard that he was also in possession of candid photographs of schoolgirls in uniform, images he had taken locally in Ilkley to satisfy his own disturbing fetishes. These photographs, while not necessarily illegal, added to the evidence of his inappropriate interests and were considered an aggravating factor in the case.

Further investigations revealed that O’Dwyer had engaged in sexually explicit chat conversations involving rape fantasies on the Kik Messenger app. Additionally, authorities discovered that he possessed an extreme pornographic image of a dog, which is classified as a serious offence under current laws governing such material. The court was informed that O’Dwyer’s online activities extended to a notorious Russian photosharing website, iMGSRC, where he used the same username linked to his other accounts, indicating a pattern of disturbing online behaviour.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC, the Recorder of Bradford, presided over the case and delivered the sentence. He sentenced O’Dwyer to two years in prison, but this sentence was suspended for two years, meaning he would not serve time unless he reoffended within that period. The judge described the material involved as 'utterly depraved and disgusting,' emphasizing the gravity of the offences and the shock they would cause within the local community. The judge also expressed concern about the reaction of residents in Ilkley, highlighting that the images and photographs O’Dwyer had taken of local girls would evoke 'horror' and outrage.

Despite the serious nature of his crimes, the court acknowledged O’Dwyer’s participation in the Safer Lives programme, an organization dedicated to helping men under investigation for indecent images to address their behaviour. This involvement was a factor in the decision to suspend his prison sentence. As part of his sentence, O’Dwyer was ordered to complete 300 hours of community service and was placed under a sexual harm prevention order for ten years, restricting his access to certain online content and activities.

Prosecutor Andrew Morton outlined the details of the case, revealing that O’Dwyer was linked to the Kik Messenger chat and the iMGSRC website through the same online username. Authorities found that he had taken photographs of local schoolgirls in Ilkley, which, although not illegal, added to the severity of his conduct. His actions were described as a clear breach of moral boundaries and legal standards.

Giles Bridge, representing O’Dwyer, provided insight into his client’s remorse and efforts to seek help. He explained that O’Dwyer had been receiving counselling through the Safer Lives project since January, after learning he was to be charged. The defence highlighted that O’Dwyer now recognizes the abusive nature of his previous viewing habits and expressed a sincere desire to prevent any recurrence of such behaviour. The lawyer also detailed the personal toll the case had taken on O’Dwyer, including the loss of his job, his relationship with his daughter, and the risk of losing his current partner and stepson, who had recently settled in the UK with him. He attributed these issues to a 'lack of moral compass.'

Earlier this year, O’Dwyer pleaded guilty to three charges related to the creation of 51 indecent photographs, four of which were classified as the most serious category. He also admitted to distributing 32 images, with two of these being in the highest category, and possessing an extreme pornographic image of a dog. These offences occurred between February 18 and May 1, 2018, marking a troubling period of illegal activity that has now been brought to justice.