EX-COUNCILLOR DAVID CROSLAND FROM WEYMOUTH FACES JAIL OVER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE

In a significant legal development, former Weymouth councillor David Crosland has been found guilty of multiple charges related to child pornography. The verdict was delivered after a relatively swift trial at Dorchester Crown Court, where a jury composed of five men and six women took just over an hour and a quarter to reach a unanimous decision.

David Crosland, aged 52 and residing on Shrubbery Lane in Weymouth, appeared in court with a composed demeanor, standing with his hands resting on the edge of the dock as the court read out the details of the 23 counts against him. Despite the gravity of the charges, he showed little visible emotion during the proceedings. Following the verdict, he was granted bail until February 17 to allow for pre-sentence reports to be prepared. However, the presiding judge, Recorder Claire Miskin, issued a stern warning that Crosland could be facing a custodial sentence.

The police investigation uncovered a disturbing collection of illegal images stored on Crosland’s computer—specifically, 648 photographs depicting young girls, some as young as one year old. The images included explicit scenes where girls were engaged in sexual acts with adult males. The severity of the material was underscored by the judge, who remarked that the content was 'pretty high up' in terms of seriousness. The case was described as 'unattractive' by the court, emphasizing the disturbing nature of the evidence.

During the trial, it was revealed that Crosland was convicted of 21 counts of making indecent photographs of children under 16, with the offenses occurring between March 21 and April 4, 2001. Additionally, he faced two counts of possessing indecent images of children, with the possession taking place on October 31, 2001. The police action that led to his arrest was initiated early that morning when a repair company working on his computer at his home in Weymouth raised concerns, prompting a police raid at approximately 7:40 am on October 31, 2001.

Throughout the proceedings, Crosland maintained his innocence, repeatedly denying the allegations. He explained to prosecutor Hamish Dunlop that he had encountered paedophilic websites during his internet use but claimed he had immediately closed such sites upon discovering them. Crosland also disclosed that he had developed an addiction to pornography following a heroin addiction, which he had struggled with since the 1980s. The former architectural consultant, originally from Huddersfield, had previously received two suspended sentences related to heroin possession.

In a candid admission, Crosland acknowledged that he found some images of teenage girls sexually arousing. His defense attorney, Tim Shorter, argued that Crosland was inexperienced with computers and might have unknowingly downloaded illegal material onto his device. Expert witnesses suggested that it was possible, though unlikely, that a third party could have used Crosland’s computer remotely to store or transfer such images, but the evidence did not strongly support this theory.

As the court prepares for sentencing, the case has drawn considerable attention due to the serious nature of the crimes and the former public figure involved. Crosland’s future remains uncertain, with the possibility of imprisonment looming as the legal process continues.