IAN WHITTAKER FROM WEYMOUTH SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN DORCHESTER

In a serious case that has shocked the community of Weymouth, Ian Whittaker, a resident of The Esplanade, was brought before Dorchester Crown Court to face charges related to the possession and creation of indecent images of children. The proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of behavior that culminated in a total of 16 months behind bars, following his admission to multiple offenses involving child exploitation material.

Whittaker, aged 50, was convicted of possessing 12 indecent images of children and making three indecent photographs of a minor. The charges stemmed from a recent investigation that uncovered a significant collection of illicit images on his computer, including 562 grade one images, which are classified as the least severe category of such material. Additionally, authorities found one image classified as grade five, which is among the most serious, along with images at levels two and three.

The case was brought to light when police officers visited Whittaker’s residence on October 7 of the previous year. The visit was part of a routine enforcement action under the terms of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order that had been imposed following his earlier conviction. During the visit, officers observed indecent images on his computer, which prompted them to seize the device for further forensic analysis by the high-tech crime unit.

During police interviews, Whittaker attempted to justify his actions by claiming that some of the images he possessed were ‘artistic’ in nature. He reportedly told investigators that he was aware possessing indecent images of children was illegal but believed he had his own interpretation of what was permissible under the law. When questioned about the images, he fully admitted to downloading the illicit material after the computer was examined.

Further investigation revealed that Whittaker had taken deliberate steps to conceal his activities. He had deleted many of the images from his computer and altered his system settings to give the false impression that he was accessing the internet from Venezuela, an attempt to evade detection.

This was not the first time Whittaker had been involved in similar offenses. In August 2009, he received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after being found guilty of 20 counts of making indecent images of children. That earlier conviction followed an incident where he was caught searching for child pornography at a training center for the unemployed.

During the recent hearing, the prosecution, led by Carolyn Branford-Wood, emphasized the severity of the latest offenses. The defense, represented by Tim Shorter, argued that Whittaker’s actions were driven by naivety. Mr. Shorter stated that the defendant was initially unaware of the extent of the police visit and believed there was nothing on his computer that should not be there. He suggested that Whittaker was attempting to download images in a way that he hoped would not cross legal boundaries, but he acknowledged that during police interviews, it became clear that the images did indeed cross those boundaries.

Judge Roger Jarvis sentenced Whittaker to serve the original eight months of his suspended sentence, which was activated, and additionally ordered him to serve a further eight months for the recent offenses. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat child exploitation and the importance of vigilance in community safety in Weymouth and beyond.