STUDENT CHRISTOPHER WRIGLEY JAILLED IN STAFFORDSHIRE FOR INTERNET CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN FEBRUARY 1999

In February 1999, a former university student was sentenced to six months in prison for transmitting indecent images of young boys over the Internet to paedophiles in the United States.

Christopher Wrigley, who studied psychology at Keele University in Staffordshire, used university computers to access and distribute the images. He claimed that he possessed the materials for legitimate research purposes.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that Wrigley used the call sign 'Christopher Robin' when communicating with two men in the USA, to whom he sent the photographs.

Judge Derek Stanley remarked during sentencing, "It became clear to me during the trial that although you had a genuine academic interest in matters of psychology and to do with sex offending, the purpose of you accumulating these images was to satisfy some deep-seated prurient interest in child pornography."

The judge also highlighted that Wrigley's use of the university computer to access the indecent pictures was an aggravating factor.

While noting that Wrigley was of previous good character and that he had apparently sacrificed a promising academic career, Judge Stanley sentenced him after finding him guilty of distributing indecent photographs of children and possessing indecent images with intent to distribute. Wrigley (29) denied the charges.

Prosecutor Mr. John Mitting QC stated that police raided Wrigley's flat in Keele and seized 52 floppy disks along with various documents and photographs.

His investigation uncovered over 600 indecent images of young boys stored on his computer disks. It was also established that he had used university computers to send these images to two American men.

When questioned, Wrigley, now living in Newcastle-under-Lyme, explained that he had been transmitting the pictures to analyze the reactions of the recipients and claimed his actions were aimed at reducing child abuse.

Defense lawyer Miss Lindsey Kushner argued that some of the images originated from the university library and were publicly accessible. She added that the interactions between Wrigley and the two men were private transactions with no element of corruption.