PAUL WOODS FROM CLEETHORPES CAUGHT WITH VILE CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AND VIDEO

In September 2017, a disturbing case unfolded involving Paul Woods, a chiropractor from Cleethorpes, who was found in possession of highly disturbing and illegal images depicting child abuse. The authorities uncovered evidence that included not only indecent photographs but also an 11-minute video showing a young girl as young as 10 being subjected to sexual abuse.

Paul Woods, aged 62 and residing on Grimsby Road in Cleethorpes, faced severe repercussions as a result of his actions. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Woods had been left devastated, with his life described as being 'in tatters' due to his shameful conduct. The court also noted that Woods had voluntarily removed himself from a list of approved chiropractors, indicating some awareness of the gravity of his misconduct. Nonetheless, his case was still under investigation by the relevant professional governing body.

Woods pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent photographs of children, which he committed between January 27 and April 7 of the previous year. Prosecutor Jeremy Evans told Hull Crown Court that police had responded to a tip-off leading them to Woods’ residence after reports suggested that indecent images had been downloaded onto his computer. Despite denying any knowledge of the images, police seized his computer for examination.

During the investigation, Woods’ wife provided a statement asserting that he was the sole user of the computer and that she had no involvement in the matter. Woods was not interviewed until April 7 of this year, during which he chose to remain silent and did not provide any explanation, instead offering a pre-prepared statement.

The police investigation uncovered a total of 21 images, including 12 classified at the most serious level of indecency. Additionally, they found an extensive video lasting over 11 minutes, which depicted a girl aged between 10 and 12 engaged in sexual activity. The youngest child shown in the images was only seven years old. Mr. Evans explained that, given the relatively low number of images, early admissions might have led to a different legal outcome, potentially avoiding prosecution. However, Woods did not make such admissions at the initial stage.

Psychiatric assessments indicated that Woods was unlikely to benefit from group rehabilitation sessions, highlighting concerns about his psychological state. Throughout the proceedings, Woods’ wife stood by him, and references from an individual believed to have been an ex-client were presented in his favor.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC delivered a stern condemnation of Woods’ conduct, describing his behavior as 'shameful.' The judge emphasized that Woods had permanently lost his good character and that his life was currently 'in tatters.' The court underscored the fact that such crimes are not victimless, as the vile images involved real children who suffered abuse and pain. The images were circulated on the internet, driven by individuals like Woods who viewed them.

As part of his sentence, Woods received a four-month prison sentence suspended for a period, along with 25 days of one-to-one rehabilitation. He was also subjected to a seven-year sexual harm prevention order and mandated to register as a sex offender for the same duration. Furthermore, his computer was ordered to be destroyed to prevent further dissemination of such material.