GRAHAM CRAFT DUFFIELD CHURCH ORGANIST CAUGHT WITH 61 CHILD INDECENT IMAGES IN DERBYSHIRE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Duffield and the surrounding areas, Graham Craft, a 71-year-old former church organist, has been found in possession of a significant collection of indecent images depicting underage boys. The revelation comes after police executed a search warrant at his residence on Wirksworth Road, uncovering a troubling cache of 61 images, including 12 classified as the most serious Category A images.

Craft’s criminal history dates back over four decades. In 2011, he was sentenced after admitting to two charges of sexual misconduct committed at his home in Duffield in 1969. At that time, he was ordered to attend a sex offenders’ treatment program and was placed under a sexual offences prevention order that was set to last until 2016. Despite this, new allegations emerged recently, leading to further legal proceedings.

According to Sarah Allen, the prosecuting lawyer, police seized a computer from Craft’s home on April 4. During the investigation, authorities discovered that Craft had used the internet to search for explicit content involving boys, including terms like “naturist boys.” Craft initially denied using the computer for viewing pornography but later admitted during police interviews that he had searched for images of boys on beaches and outside.

The forensic analysis of his computer revealed a disturbing collection of images, with the age range of the boys depicted between 12 and 15 years old. The images were categorized into three levels of severity: 12 images in Category A, the most serious, 15 in Category B, and 34 in Category C. The discovery of these images was particularly alarming given that Craft was already subject to a sexual offences prevention order, which was supposed to restrict his access to such material.

Further back in his criminal history, it was revealed that in 2010, a victim of Craft’s earlier abuse contacted the church, seeking information about the church’s organist and choirmaster. The victim recognized Craft as the man who had sexually touched him after they went inside a house. The victim and his family subsequently left the area, and Craft pleaded guilty to gross indecency and indecent assault related to that incident.

In the latest case, Craft faced four counts of making indecent images of a child. During the hearing, Recorder David Mason QC sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended for two years. Additionally, Craft was ordered to remain on the sex offenders’ register for ten years, and a new sexual offences prevention order was imposed to restrict his activities further. He was also sentenced to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and will be under probation supervision for 12 months.

Recorder Mason commented on the case, stating, “It is a relatively small number of images in the grand scheme of things, but you accept yourself that more work is needed to rid you of this revolting habit.”

Representing Craft, Jasmine Kumar noted that police reports classified him as a “low risk of harm to the community” and expressed hope that, if given the chance, Craft would engage in rehabilitative courses to address his behavior. The Diocese of Derby issued a statement acknowledging Craft’s history, confirming that he is known to the church and that, in accordance with Church of England safeguarding procedures, he attends services under specific conditions designed to protect the congregation. The Diocese emphasized their commitment to supporting survivors of abuse and working closely with law enforcement and probation services to ensure community safety, especially when offenders like Craft seek to participate in public worship.