JOHN O’REILLY FROM WOOBURN GREEN SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN AYLESBURY

In July 2019, authorities uncovered disturbing evidence involving John O’Reilly, a resident of Meare Estate in Wooburn Green, who was found to have downloaded a significant number of child abuse images. The case came to light after police received a credible tip-off indicating that O’Reilly’s mobile phone and Apple MacBook contained indecent images of children, prompting a police raid on his residence.

During the investigation, it was revealed that O’Reilly, aged 53, had accessed and stored a total of 708 images classified as Category A, which is considered the most severe form of child abuse imagery. Additionally, he possessed 1,549 images categorized as B and 2,092 images classified as C. The authorities also discovered that he had distributed six images, including one from Category A, one from Category B, and four from Category C, through digital means.

The court proceedings took place at Aylesbury Crown Court on Friday, July 26. Evidence presented during the hearing indicated that O’Reilly had engaged in conversations via the messaging app Kik, where he expressed a disturbing preference, stating that he “loved the young teens.” Prosecutor John Reilly detailed the extent of the digital evidence, explaining that devices used by O’Reilly had been employed in various ways to download and store these illicit images. It was also noted that he had viewed these images multiple times, revisiting them on different occasions.

In her judgment, Judge Catherine Tulk acknowledged the seriousness of the offenses but also recognized O’Reilly’s guilty plea, which was taken into account during sentencing. She highlighted that police had found 4,349 images that had been deleted but were still accessible through forensic examination, indicating that O’Reilly had previously saved and viewed these images repeatedly. The judge also noted that distribution of the images had occurred via Kik, and that O’Reilly had ceased his offending behavior before police intervention.

Despite the gravity of the crimes, the judge commended O’Reilly for his efforts to address his behavior, citing character references that reflected his attempts at rehabilitation. As a result, she sentenced him to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years. Additionally, O’Reilly was ordered to participate in 41 days of rehabilitation activities, complete 120 hours of unpaid work, and pay costs amounting to £200. A sexual harm prevention order has also been imposed for a period of ten years to restrict his future conduct and protect the community from potential harm.