KEMPSTON MAN GARY WHEATLEY CAUGHT WITH NEARLY 10,000 INDECENT CHILD IMAGES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Kempston, Gary Wheatley, a 51-year-old former assistant warden at an ex-offenders institute, has been found in possession of an alarming number of indecent images and videos depicting children. The incident came to light after police investigations uncovered Wheatley's involvement with a significant collection of illicit material, leading to his appearance at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court.

Wheatley, who resided on Galloway Close in Kempston, was charged with possessing a total of 9,691 indecent images and videos of minors. The authorities seized two of his computers over a year ago, which contained a disturbing cache of digital content. Specifically, investigators discovered 9,607 images and 84 videos featuring children aged between 11 and 14 years old. The nature of these images was classified as level one, indicating they involved nudity or erotic posing of individual children.

The case was transferred to Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court because the Bedfordshire Probation Trust, where Wheatley was employed, was not authorized to handle allegations involving its own staff. Wheatley, who had previously worked as an assistant warden at Bedford Approved Premises, was dismissed from his position following the allegations.

During the court proceedings, prosecutor Emma Duckett revealed that Wheatley was identified as a subscriber to a particular online news service, which may have facilitated his access to such material. Authorities seized his two computers and questioned him about the content found, but Wheatley chose to make no comment during police interviews. Despite the severity of the evidence, it was noted that Wheatley had no prior convictions and was considered a man of good character before these events.

Legal representatives for Wheatley, including defense lawyer Andy Brumhill, expressed their client's remorse and confusion. Brumhill questioned Wheatley's motives, describing his actions as foolish and driven by poor judgment. He emphasized Wheatley's embarrassment and the impact of the allegations on his employment prospects and family life, highlighting the difficulty of finding work in the current economic climate.

As part of the court's sentence, Wheatley was placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years. He was also issued a Sexual Offences Prevention Order and received a community order lasting 24 months. This included mandatory attendance at an Internet Sexual Offending treatment programme. Additionally, Wheatley was ordered to pay costs amounting to £85.

Following the allegations, Bedfordshire Probation Trust’s chief executive, Linda Hennigan, confirmed that Wheatley was suspended immediately once the serious allegations emerged. He was formally dismissed in early December of the previous year. Hennigan reaffirmed the organization’s stance, stating that any misconduct by staff that conflicts with the organization’s values is taken very seriously and dealt with swiftly.