JOHN ENGLANDER FROM WELLS FACES SERIOUS CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES IN SOMERSET

In a significant legal development in Wells, Somerset, a local businessman named John Albert Englander appeared before South Somerset Magistrates Court to face multiple serious charges related to the possession and creation of indecent images involving minors and extreme pornography involving animals.

The court proceedings took place on a Monday of last week, during which Englander, aged 42 and residing on Wood Close in Wells, pleaded guilty to all seven charges brought against him. These charges spanned a period from January 1, 2010, to April 21, 2011, and included four counts of making indecent photographs of children, as well as three counts of possessing extreme pornographic images involving animals.

According to the evidence presented, the charges stemmed from the discovery of a total of 365 indecent images of children and 476 extreme pornographic photographs involving animals stored on Englander’s devices. The prosecution, led by Emma Chetland, clarified that the magistrates considered the case appropriate for their jurisdiction because the defendant was not accused of distributing these images to others, but rather of possession and creation.

During the hearing, Englander’s defense solicitor, Robin Weelen, described his client as a family man who also managed a local business, emphasizing his otherwise unblemished reputation. The court acknowledged the gravity of the charges and indicated that a report from the Probation Service would be necessary to determine the appropriate sentence.

In response, the magistrates decided to adjourn the case to allow for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. They stated that all sentencing options, including the possibility of a custodial sentence, would be considered once the report was available. The court also mentioned the potential for transferring the case to Taunton Crown Court if they deemed their sentencing powers insufficient.

Englander was ordered to return to court in Yeovil on March 26. Until that date, he was released on unconditional bail. When he appeared again, he was not sentenced to immediate imprisonment but was placed on the sex offenders register, reflecting the serious nature of the charges and the court’s recognition of the need for monitoring and further assessment.