DEREK WILLEY FROM BILLINGHAM AND STOCKTON JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Billingham and Stockton, Derek Willey has been sentenced to prison after a series of serious offenses involving child exploitation and possession of indecent images of children.

The case was brought to light when police uncovered a significant amount of illicit material on Willey's devices, revealing a disturbing pattern of abuse and illegal activity. The investigation began when authorities linked Willey's mobile phone number to a Twitter account where he was actively uploading and sharing child abuse images and videos, prompting a raid on his residence.

The police executed a dawn raid in September of the previous year at Willey's home, located on Sadberge Street in Middlesbrough, which is near the communities of Billingham and Stockton. During the search, officers discovered a tablet device concealed beneath a pile of clothing. This device was not disclosed by Willey to his sex offender manager, despite his legal obligation to do so under the terms of his indefinite Sexual Offense Prevention Order.

On examining the tablet, authorities found a horrifying collection of material: 61 images classified as the most serious Category A, 59 Category B images, and 53 Category C images. Additionally, there were 51 Category A movies and 22 Category B movies, totaling nearly eight hours of footage. The videos depicted children as young as five years old being sexually penetrated, a revelation that deeply shocked the court and the public alike.

Prosecutor Harry Hadfield detailed the extent of the material, emphasizing the severity of the case. He also highlighted Willey's prior convictions, which included making indecent images of children in 2013, illustrating a troubling pattern of behavior.

During the court proceedings, defense counsel Kelleigh Lodge acknowledged Willey's guilty plea at the earliest opportunity and admitted that her client recognized he had a serious problem. She explained that Willey had previously completed a sexual offenses treatment program in 2014, but such programs were no longer available to him. She emphasized that Willey accepted that incarceration was inevitable and expressed that he would have sought help if such options had been accessible.

Judge Peter Armstrong condemned Willey's actions, particularly noting that he had breached his Sexual Offense Prevention Order by hiding the tablet. The judge also pointed out the aggravating factor of the young age of the children depicted in the images and videos.

As a result, Willey was sentenced to ten months in prison for breaching his order and possessing the Category A images and videos. An additional six months was imposed for the Category B material, and four months for the Category C material, with all sentences to run concurrently. The judge ordered that all devices, images, and videos be forfeited and destroyed to prevent further harm.

This case echoes a previous incident from June 2013, when Willey was caught with child abuse images on his mobile phone. That incident was reported by his sister after his landlord discovered the images while trying to turn off an alarm on his phone. At the time, Willey was renting a room in Billingham, and the landlord contacted his sister, leading to his arrest after police examined the device.

During that investigation, 60 images of varying severity were found, some classified as second worst category. Willey admitted to downloading the images from websites but claimed he had not used his landlord’s computer for internet searches. He was subsequently sentenced to a community order, placed on the sex offenders' register for five years, and banned from working with children. Restrictions were also placed on his computer use.

Judge Howard Crowson emphasized that placing Willey on a treatment program was a more effective form of public protection than a short-term jail sentence, acknowledging the disturbing nature of the images and the public's revulsion towards such crimes. Willey’s case remains a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against child exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement in safeguarding vulnerable children.