GOSPORT MAN DAVID WILCOCK CAUGHT WITH HORRIFIC CHILD INDECENT IMAGES

In November 2017, authorities responded to a distressing case involving David Wilcock, a 32-year-old resident of Gosport, who was found to possess an alarming collection of over 1,500 indecent images of children on his personal computer. The severity of his offenses was compounded by the presence of extremely disturbing material, including videos depicting the rape of a toddler and acts of bestiality involving minors.

Wilcock’s arrest was prompted by reports from other internet users who had accessed his files through a peer-to-peer sharing network. Unbeknownst to him, his collection was visible to others on the same network, which ultimately led to his exposure. Prosecutor Matthew Lawson explained that the files could be viewed, downloaded, and shared by others, making Wilcock’s secret collection accessible to malicious actors.

When police arrived at his Fraser Road address in Gosport, Wilcock did not attempt to conceal his actions. Instead, he readily admitted to his crimes, acknowledging his guilt during police questioning. His computer was seized as evidence, and subsequent investigations revealed that he had been searching for images of pre-teen children and incestuous material, indicating a long-standing and deeply troubling pattern of behavior.

The most heinous files discovered included moving images of young girls aged between two and four years being raped, as well as videos of girls aged four to six being subjected to sexual assault. There was also footage involving a girl aged 11 to 13 engaged in acts of bestiality. Wilcock claimed that he accessed this material via peer-to-peer software and insisted he was unaware that others could access or share his files, asserting that he did not knowingly distribute the images.

He faced multiple charges, including three counts of distributing indecent images of children and three counts of making such images. The images ranged from Category A, which involved penetration and were deemed the most serious, to Category B and C images. Specifically, Wilcock was found to possess 124 Category A images, 1,256 Category B images, and 171 Category C images.

During his sentencing at Portsmouth Crown Court, Judge David Melville QC acknowledged that Wilcock had taken 'significant steps' to address his offending, which had reportedly been ongoing since childhood. As a result, the judge decided against sending him to prison. However, he issued a stern warning about the grave harm caused to the young victims depicted in the images, emphasizing that such material leaves children 'humiliated' and 'distressed,' with potential long-term psychological effects.

Judge Melville highlighted the broader societal impact, stating that viewers like Wilcock inadvertently support the market for such images, thereby encouraging the continued abuse and exploitation of children. He urged Wilcock to remember that his actions contribute to ongoing suffering for the victims, who endure lifelong trauma.

As part of his sentence, Wilcock was ordered to complete a three-year community order, including 100 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of rehabilitation programs. Additionally, he was mandated to attend a sex offender’s group therapy and was placed on the sex offenders register. A sexual harm prevention order was also issued to restrict his future conduct, aiming to prevent any recurrence of such offenses.