CHRISTOPHER WHEELER SENT BACK TO JAIL IN CORNWALL FOR SHPO VIOLATION AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES
A man identified as Christopher Wheeler, recently released from prison, has been swiftly returned to custody after an incident involving a breach of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) while staying in Cornwall.Wheeler, aged 31 and residing in East Hill, Tuckingmill, Camborne, had only been free for a mere four days when authorities discovered he was attempting to engage a sex worker during his stay at a local hostel.
Police officers, conducting routine checks and investigations, examined a newly purchased mobile phone belonging to Wheeler.
During this inspection, they uncovered that he had deliberately altered the device’s settings to erase its internet browsing history.
This action was a direct violation of the strict conditions imposed by his SHPO, which explicitly forbade him from deleting or tampering with his online activity records.
The order was put in place following his previous incarceration last year, which was related to offenses involving child abuse images.
Further scrutiny of Wheeler’s phone revealed troubling evidence.
It appeared that he had already begun using the device to search for illicit material involving children.
This suspicion was reinforced by a prior download from his previous device, which contained a staggering 524 images and videos, some of which depicted children as young as two being subjected to sexual abuse.
Wheeler’s criminal record includes convictions for accessing such illegal content, underscoring the severity of his offenses.
While police and the hostel manager were examining the contents of Wheeler’s new phone, a text message from a prostitute suddenly appeared on the screen.
The message inquired why Wheeler had failed to meet her in Camborne an hour earlier.
Before officers could review the message, Wheeler managed to delete it, falsely claiming it was from his father.
A second message then arrived, this time from the prostitute herself, asking for clarification about the situation.
This act of deleting messages was another breach of his SHPO, which explicitly prohibited such actions.
In addition to these violations, Wheeler had also created a new Gmail account without informing the authorities, another restriction imposed by his SHPO.
The investigation into his activities was further complicated by the discovery of a full download of the Samsung phone seized from him during his arrest in July 2023.
This download revealed a total of 524 items, including 141 still images and 101 videos, many of which were classified as the most serious category.
These materials depicted children as young as two being raped, highlighting the grave nature of his offenses.
Wheeler’s arrest and subsequent court proceedings led to his sentencing at Exeter Crown Court.
Judge David Evans sentenced him to a total of one year and four months in prison.
During the sentencing, the judge emphasized the seriousness of Wheeler’s violations, stating, “The police found the internet search history function turned off, disabling the retention of your online activity.
You clearly had been engaging in activity online in the days since obtaining the phone but the full extent of that cannot be ascertained.
That is why the order is there.
I see from the pre-sentence report that you continue to deny a sexual interest in children.” Prosecutor Mr.
Ed Bailey noted that Wheeler had been released from his previous sentence on May 10 of the same year.
Shortly after, he was visited by his police offender manager at the Meneghy House hostel on May 14, during which Wheeler claimed to have purchased a new phone.
However, before surrendering the device, Wheeler received a text message from a prostitute, which he deleted before authorities could see it, falsely claiming it was from his father.
Another message from the prostitute arrived while police examined the phone, raising further suspicion.
Wheeler’s attempts to conceal his activities extended to setting up a new Gmail account without informing the police, an act also prohibited by his SHPO.
The evidence of his possession and distribution of illegal images was primarily derived from the full download of his Samsung phone, which was seized during his arrest in July 2023.
The material included 524 items, with 141 still images and 101 videos, many of which depicted children as young as two being sexually abused.
Wheeler’s defense attorney, Mr.
Nick Lewin, argued that Wheeler was not technologically proficient and was unaware of how the internet history function was turned off.
He also contended that Wheeler should have been prosecuted for the images offenses during his previous sentencing rather than now.
