ANTONY PHILLIPS FROM PENSBY CAUGHT AS SNAPCHAT PAEDOPHILE IN LIVERPOOL AND WEST KIRBY

In a disturbing case revealed last month, Antony Phillips, a teacher from Pensby, has been exposed as a Snapchat paedophile who was deeply addicted to viewing and collecting indecent images of children. The investigation uncovered that Phillips had amassed thousands of such illicit photographs over several years, even going so far as to pay for some of these vile materials through online platforms.

Authorities linked Phillips to the upload of a category B indecent image to Snapchat via his IP address. The police arrived at his residence in December of the previous year to arrest him, seizing two laptops and a mobile phone during the operation. Subsequent examinations of these devices revealed a horrifying collection of indecent images of children, including a staggering 784 pictures classified as category A, which represent the most severe forms of abuse.

In addition to the category A images, investigators found 1,052 images in category B and 3,801 in category C. The devices also contained 79 computer-generated prohibited images. The majority of these images depicted teenage boys of school age, highlighting the disturbing focus of Phillips’ collection. His internet history further revealed concerning search terms, including one explicitly referencing “changing room boys,” indicating a predilection for young teenage boys.

Phillips, aged 32, was employed as a teacher at Calday Grange Grammar School in West Kirby, Wirral, a position he held for over seven years until January of this year. It was established that he had been collecting this illicit material since at least 2018, often paying for images on various websites and chat rooms dedicated to such content. Besides his teaching role, Phillips also worked as a football coach, leading teams on residential trips, which raises additional concerns about his activities.

The defendant, who resides on Bridgenorth Road in Pensby, has no prior criminal convictions. During police interviews, Phillips made full and frank admissions, confessing that he was “addicted to accessing this material.” However, he denied having any sexual interest in the boys he taught and coached, claiming he could “draw a veil” over his professional responsibilities. Despite this denial, he acknowledged that he experienced sexual arousal from viewing and accessing images of children.

Phillips faced multiple charges, including distributing indecent images, possessing indecent images, making indecent images on three separate occasions, and possessing prohibited images of children. In court, Judge Garrett Byrne sentenced him to nine months in prison, suspended for two years. Additionally, Phillips was ordered to complete 60 hours of unpaid work, participate in a rehabilitation activity requirement lasting up to 15 days, and attend the Horizon sex offender treatment programme. He was also instructed to sign the sex offenders’ register, and the court ordered the forfeiture of all devices seized during the investigation.