DERBY PAEDOPHILE DARREN KING CAUGHT WITH SICK CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN DERBY

In July 2020, a disturbing case emerged involving Darren King, a known offender from Derby, who was found to have an extensive collection of illegal and highly disturbing child abuse images. The case revealed that King, who had previously served a four-year prison sentence for similar offenses, had quickly reverted to his illicit activities following his release, during the period of the COVID-19 lockdown.

According to court reports, King’s lawyer explained that the lockdown at his bail hostel in Derby provided him with excessive free time, which allegedly contributed to his relapse into viewing and downloading child abuse material. The 49-year-old was discovered to possess over 1,000 illegal videos and images stored on his smartphone. When authorities arrested him, staff at Burnett Lodge on Bass Street, Derby, uncovered additional illicit content hidden within a Jaffa Cakes box during a room clearance.

Judge Jonathan Bennett sentenced King to three years in prison for his latest offenses, to be served concurrently with a five-year sentence he was already serving after being recalled for previous violations. The judge described some of the images as “just horrific,” emphasizing that they depicted real children being subjected to abuse solely for the gratification of viewers worldwide. The court was told that King’s criminal history includes a 2016 conviction for sexual assault and possession of indecent images of children.

Prosecutor Sarah Allen detailed that King was released from prison on April 2, 2020, and was placed at Burdett Lodge, where police conducted multiple checks to prevent re-offending. During one such visit in May, staff reported that they observed King seemingly deleting content from his mobile device, prompting police intervention. The police found on his Motorola smartphone a staggering collection: 283 images classified as Category A (the most serious), 140 as Category B, and 699 as Category C. Many of these images were movies, with some depicting children as young as one year old, and others aged between six and eight. One particularly disturbing video showed a girl aged six to eight tied down and visibly in pain during abuse.

Further investigation revealed that staff at the hostel discovered an additional 163 physical photographs concealed in a biscuit box, further evidence of King’s ongoing possession of illicit material. The images included graphic depictions of child abuse, with some involving the rape and torture of young children. The police also seized his mobile phone, which contained over 1,100 indecent images, including 283 of the most serious Category A material.

King, formerly residing on Osmaston Road, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of making indecent images, three counts of possessing indecent images, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order. His criminal record is extensive; in 2012, authorities uncovered more than 4,267 indecent images of young girls aged between two and 15 on computers seized from his residence. The following year, he was convicted for stealing photographs of his ex-girlfriend’s late daughter, who had died of leukemia, to add to his collection of obscene images. These photographs, taken when the girl was four and partially undressed, were shared with King after her mother confided in him about her grief.

King’s latest appearance in court was via video link from HMP Nottingham. Judge Bennett adjourned sentencing at the request of King’s defense lawyer, Justin Ablott, to allow for further mitigation. The court was informed that police had visited Burdett Lodge on May 30, seizing King’s mobile phone, which contained images spanning categories A to C, along with physical photographs found in a cereal or biscuit box.

Throughout his criminal history, King has demonstrated a pattern of possessing and downloading child abuse images. His 2012 sentence was later replaced by a community order with supervision and a treatment program, as judges believed this approach would better prevent reoffending. The court acknowledged that the images of his then-partner’s daughter, taken when she was four, were “completely innocent” family photographs but were exploited by King for his own gratification.

In sentencing, Judge Gosling described King’s theft of the photographs as “grotesque,” emphasizing the betrayal of trust involved. The mother of the girl, who cannot be named, expressed her devastation and loss of trust following the incident. She recounted how she had confided in King about her daughter’s death from leukemia, only to discover he had stolen and kept intimate images of her daughter, which he later used to indulge his perverted interests.

Following his arrest in 2012, King was sentenced to two years in prison. The court later recognized that his actions, including the large-scale downloading of images, warranted a community-based punishment to allow him access to treatment programs that could help prevent future offenses. The court’s decision was based on the belief that community supervision, combined with a treatment plan, was the most effective way to protect the public.

In the most recent case, King pleaded guilty to 23 counts of possessing indecent images. His lawyer highlighted his remorse and desire for help, and the court imposed a sexual offences prevention order for ten years, disqualifying him from working with children and requiring him to register as a sex offender. He will serve at least half of his sentence in prison, with subsequent supervision and restrictions in place.

Detective Constable Steve Fuller, involved in the investigation, expressed the profound impact of the case, noting the emotional toll on the victim and the importance of ongoing support. He also mentioned the hope that the victim would find closure and that the recovered photographs, which hold significant sentimental value, could be returned to her in the future.