BRIAN CHARLTON FROM ALLERTON ESCAPES JAIL AFTER QUARRY FALL BEFORE CHILD PORN TRIAL IN BRADFORD

In a case that has drawn significant attention in Bradford, Brian Charlton, a 61-year-old finance director from Allerton, narrowly avoided imprisonment after a dramatic incident just days before his scheduled trial on serious child pornography charges. The events unfolded in September 2006, when Charlton was found critically injured at the bottom of Chellow Dene Quarry in Bradford, a location well-known for its rugged terrain and natural beauty.

Charlton's legal troubles stemmed from allegations that he possessed over 300 indecent images of children, with a total of 21 charges brought against him. These images, which included disturbing depictions of minors, were discovered on his home computer during an investigation that began in February 2005. The police had initially suspected Charlton of possessing child abuse material, leading to his suspension from his role as finance director at Bradford Cathedral Centre. The investigation revealed that most of the 322 photographs found on his computer fell into the least severe category, but some were classified as more serious, with 23 images at level two, 18 at level three, and five at level four.

During the court proceedings, prosecutor Giles Bridge outlined that the images appeared on Charlton’s computer as he accessed adult pornography, and that he had been cautioned by police in April 2003 during Operation Ore, a crackdown on child pornography. Charlton admitted to the court that he was unaware that the disks he brought from his workplace contained illegal material. The court also heard that one of the images depicted a girl aged between ten and thirteen, who was shown bound and gagged.

In a shocking turn of events, just three days before his trial was set to commence at Bradford Crown Court, Charlton took a drastic step. He plunged into Chellow Dene Quarry and was left undiscovered for up to 24 hours. The fall resulted in severe injuries, including broken bones, hypothermia, and bleeding on the brain. He was rescued and treated in the intensive care unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary. Charlton, who walks with a stick, survived the incident but faced a different kind of legal consequence.

At the sentencing hearing, Charlton pleaded guilty to 13 of the charges. The court sentenced him to 20 weeks’ imprisonment, but the sentence was suspended for 18 months. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for a period of seven years. The remaining charges were left on file, and the Crown accepted that the illegal images had appeared on his computer as a result of his access to adult material, rather than deliberate possession of child abuse images. This case highlights the complex interplay of legal, psychological, and personal issues surrounding allegations of child pornography, and the extraordinary circumstances that led to Charlton’s survival and legal outcome.