IAN SKILLINGS FROM TUTBURY ESCAPES JAIL AFTER SECOND CHILD ABUSE IMAGE OFFENSES IN STAFFORDSHIRE
| Red Rose Database
Tutbury Child Sexual Abuser
In a case that has once again brought attention to the ongoing issue of child exploitation, Ian Skillings, a 49-year-old man from Tutbury, was found guilty of possessing indecent images of children for a second time. The incident was brought to light when police, acting on a tip-off from his former wife, seized his computer and uncovered evidence of his illicit activities.
According to Stafford Crown Court, the police investigation revealed that Skillings had downloaded and stored a total of seven video clips and 77 damaged indecent images of children, which he had attempted to delete prior to the police raid. These findings came despite Skillings already being under a community order imposed nearly three years earlier for similar offenses. At that time, he was convicted of downloading child pornography and was subjected to a three-year rehabilitation order in February 2004.
During the recent court proceedings, Skillings, who previously resided in Sorrell Close, Uttoxeter, and at the time of the latest offense was living on High Street, Tutbury, pleaded guilty to 10 charges of making indecent images of children. The court heard that he was still under the influence of his previous community order when the police executed the search warrant.
Judge Michael Dudley presided over the case and acknowledged the progress Skillings had made under his earlier order. While he admitted that it would have been straightforward to send him to prison immediately, the judge emphasized that doing so would not serve the best interests of society. Instead, he opted for a more lenient approach, sentencing Skillings to a nine-month prison term, suspended for two years. Additionally, the court imposed strict conditions, including a ban on accessing the Internet by any means and a requirement for Skillings to register as a sex offender for the next ten years.
During the hearing, it was revealed that Skillings had initially denied any further misconduct but later admitted to the offenses in September, explaining that he had been intoxicated at the time. His defense lawyer, Stephen Redmond, provided context for his client’s actions, stating that Skillings had been making efforts to comply with his previous community order, including informing authorities about his relationship with a woman in North Wales. The police had even contacted her to offer advice.
Mr. Redmond further explained that the relationship ended after the woman was advised by the police, which deeply affected Skillings. He described how the defendant became extremely depressed and, in a moment of self-destructive behavior fueled by alcohol, accessed the internet and viewed the illicit images. The lawyer emphasized that the following morning, Skillings took steps to erase all the images from his device, indicating a level of remorse and an attempt to rectify his actions.
Despite the gravity of the charges, the court’s decision reflected a balance between punishment and the potential for rehabilitation, considering Skillings’ previous compliance and the circumstances surrounding his latest offenses.
According to Stafford Crown Court, the police investigation revealed that Skillings had downloaded and stored a total of seven video clips and 77 damaged indecent images of children, which he had attempted to delete prior to the police raid. These findings came despite Skillings already being under a community order imposed nearly three years earlier for similar offenses. At that time, he was convicted of downloading child pornography and was subjected to a three-year rehabilitation order in February 2004.
During the recent court proceedings, Skillings, who previously resided in Sorrell Close, Uttoxeter, and at the time of the latest offense was living on High Street, Tutbury, pleaded guilty to 10 charges of making indecent images of children. The court heard that he was still under the influence of his previous community order when the police executed the search warrant.
Judge Michael Dudley presided over the case and acknowledged the progress Skillings had made under his earlier order. While he admitted that it would have been straightforward to send him to prison immediately, the judge emphasized that doing so would not serve the best interests of society. Instead, he opted for a more lenient approach, sentencing Skillings to a nine-month prison term, suspended for two years. Additionally, the court imposed strict conditions, including a ban on accessing the Internet by any means and a requirement for Skillings to register as a sex offender for the next ten years.
During the hearing, it was revealed that Skillings had initially denied any further misconduct but later admitted to the offenses in September, explaining that he had been intoxicated at the time. His defense lawyer, Stephen Redmond, provided context for his client’s actions, stating that Skillings had been making efforts to comply with his previous community order, including informing authorities about his relationship with a woman in North Wales. The police had even contacted her to offer advice.
Mr. Redmond further explained that the relationship ended after the woman was advised by the police, which deeply affected Skillings. He described how the defendant became extremely depressed and, in a moment of self-destructive behavior fueled by alcohol, accessed the internet and viewed the illicit images. The lawyer emphasized that the following morning, Skillings took steps to erase all the images from his device, indicating a level of remorse and an attempt to rectify his actions.
Despite the gravity of the charges, the court’s decision reflected a balance between punishment and the potential for rehabilitation, considering Skillings’ previous compliance and the circumstances surrounding his latest offenses.