ANDREW STARKY SHAMES WILLEHALL WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN WOLVERHAMPTON COURT

In a disturbing case heard at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Andrew Starkey, a 47-year-old former bus driver and active member of the Willenhall Operatic Society, was found to possess an alarming collection of over 3,000 images and videos depicting child abuse. The court was told that Starkey had accumulated a total of 3,130 such photographs and recordings on his personal computer, which was located at his former residence in Underhill, Wolverhampton.

During the proceedings, the judge described the material as some of the most horrific he had ever encountered, emphasizing the severity of the images involved. Starkey, who now resides with his parents in Willenhall, was identified as the individual responsible for these illicit files. The discovery was made after police executed a search warrant at his home, leading to the seizure of the computer and subsequent investigation.

Prosecutor Miss Kanwal Jus revealed that Starkey admitted during police interviews that he had not only received these images but also sent them to individuals he had never met in person. The images involved very young children, adding to the gravity of the offense. Starkey pleaded guilty to charges of making and distributing indecent images, which spanned from March 2005 to November 2007.

In sentencing, Judge Michael Dudley imposed a three-year community order on Starkey, coupled with three years of supervision. The court also mandated that Starkey attend a sex offenders' rehabilitation program and register as a sex offender for a period of five years. The judge remarked on Starkey’s character prior to the offense, stating, “You were a man of good character, a hard-working man with a family – you have lost all of that and that is a huge punishment in itself.”

Defence lawyer Mr. John Dove argued that Starkey viewed the images in a detached manner, suggesting he was desensitized to their content. He further explained that Starkey used these images as a form of relaxation from his demanding job as a bus driver. The lawyer also highlighted the personal toll on Starkey, noting that he has since lost his employment and has no contact with his daughter, emphasizing how profoundly his life has been affected by these events.