BATH MAN JULIAN OLIVER SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND ONLINE PREDATION

In July 2009, Julian Oliver, a 36-year-old resident of Bath, was handed a significant prison sentence after being found guilty of possessing and distributing a large collection of child exploitation material. The authorities uncovered more than 1,600 indecent images and nearly 1,000 illicit videos depicting children on his personal computer, leading to his arrest and subsequent conviction.

Oliver's criminal activities came to light following an undercover operation conducted by police officers from Australia and the UK. An Australian policewoman, posing as a teenage girl online, engaged in a covert online conversation with Oliver, who believed he was communicating with a 13-year-old girl. During this interaction, Oliver revealed disturbing details about his personal life, claiming to be a 28-year-old paramedic involved in a relationship with a girl as young as 10 years old. He inquired about her appearance and explicitly asked if she liked sex, indicating a predatory mindset.

Further, Oliver suggested that he wanted to see more of the girl and attempted to persuade her to obtain a webcam. He also made inappropriate comments about her appearance, expressing a desire to see her naked, and sent several indecent images to the undercover officer, which he believed was a minor. These conversations, which took place on a social networking site, prompted the Australian police to alert the Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

On August 13, 2008, police officers executed a search warrant at Oliver's residence on Rivers Street in Bath. During the search, they discovered a substantial collection of illegal material, including 937 indecent movies and 1,668 photographs stored across a computer, a hard drive, and a CD. The evidence was linked directly to Oliver, who was subsequently arrested and charged with multiple offenses.

Prosecutor Richard Posner described Oliver as an internet predator and emphasized the danger he posed to children online. He highlighted the importance of police intervention to control and monitor such offenders' internet activity to prevent further harm.

In his defense, Oliver's lawyer, Brendon Moorhouse, acknowledged that his client recognized his problem with viewing child exploitation images. Moorhouse stated that Oliver had sought help from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, an organization dedicated to reducing the risk of child sexual abuse. While some of the material found was particularly disturbing, Moorhouse argued that the images Oliver sent online were not the worst possible, and emphasized his client's acceptance of responsibility.

At Bristol Crown Court, Judge Michael Roach sentenced Oliver to two years in prison. The judge described the images as 'abhorrent' and underscored that there was no other way to characterize them. He also noted that Oliver had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, which merited some leniency in sentencing.

In addition to his prison term, Oliver was placed on the sex offenders register for ten years. He was also issued a lifelong sexual offences prevention order, which prohibits him from making contact or forming relationships with anyone under the age of 16.

A police spokesperson expressed satisfaction with the conviction and sentencing, highlighting the ongoing efforts to combat online grooming and child exploitation. The Bath and North East Somerset police have been actively collaborating with local authorities and safeguarding boards to promote internet safety awareness in schools and within the community. Initiatives include providing training for teachers and parents to ensure safer computer use at home and in educational settings, aiming to protect vulnerable children from online predators.