PETER COLBEAR SHOCKS SHOEBURY WITH CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES AND SOFTWARE TAMPERING AT BASILDON CROWN COURT
| Red Rose Database
Shoebury Child Sexual Abuser
In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Shoebury, Peter Colbear, aged 58, has been brought before Basildon Crown Court on serious charges related to child exploitation and the tampering of digital evidence. The proceedings revealed a troubling history, including previous convictions, and detailed the extent of his alleged illegal activities involving indecent images of children.
According to court reports, Colbear was accused of downloading a total of 101 indecent images of minors, ranging from the most severe Category A to Category C. These images depicted children in various states of abuse, and the case highlighted the severity of the offense. Prosecutor Richard Burrington outlined that police officers executed a search warrant at Colbear’s residence in July 2014, uncovering evidence on an upstairs computer that indicated he had viewed such illicit material.
Mr. Burrington explained that the images found on the computer were not directly accessible to an ordinary user at the time of seizure. The original images had been deleted, but forensic analysis revealed their digital fingerprints on the hard drive, suggesting that these images had once been viewable on the device’s screen. This indicated that Colbear had previously accessed and viewed the material, raising serious concerns about his intentions and actions.
Further investigation uncovered that Colbear had subscribed to specialized software called Securus, which was provided by the Lucy Faithful Foundation, a charity dedicated to paedophile treatment. The purpose of this software was to automatically send screenshots to the charity if certain search terms related to child abuse were entered. Prosecutors argued that the software was functioning correctly until it was tampered with, which was evidenced by the removal of a crucial file, rendering the software ineffective. Mr. Burrington likened this act to removing a spark plug from a car engine, emphasizing its importance in the software’s operation.
It was alleged that Colbear had deliberately tampered with the software to cover his tracks, making it more difficult for investigators to trace his activities. Despite admitting to using the computer, Colbear denied any involvement in corrupting the software or viewing indecent images of children. The court also revisited his previous conviction from 2009, when police raided his home and found evidence of similar offenses. At that time, Colbear had provided a hard drive to officers, claiming it contained the illicit images, and he had no other cautions or convictions on record.
In a separate but related case from March 2009, Colbear, then aged 50, was sentenced to a year in prison after being found guilty of downloading over 11,000 child sex abuse images. The court described his collection as among the worst seen in the judge’s career, including 33 images classified at the highest level of severity, depicting sadism and bestiality. Colbear, who worked professionally as a dispensing optician, was also a well-known community figure, actively involved as a scout leader and volunteer for the Salvation Army.
The court heard that Colbear unwittingly downloaded the images over a two-week period in April, during which he reportedly became obsessed with adult pornography sites. It was noted that he viewed only about one percent of the images before they were seized and that he derived no sexual gratification from viewing them. His defense argued that he was not aware of the extent of his actions and that his involvement was unintentional.
Judge Rupert Overbury, presiding over the case, expressed profound concern over the nature of the images, especially given Colbear’s claims of seeking no sexual pleasure. The judge remarked on the rarity of encountering such a high number of Level 5 images, which involved children and boys, and emphasized the gravity of the offense. Colbear’s reputation as a respected community member was contrasted sharply with the nature of his crimes.
As the sentencing concluded, Colbear, who appeared with thinning white hair, glasses, and dressed in a dark shirt over a T-shirt, nearly fainted in the courtroom and had to be supported by security personnel. He was sentenced to 14 counts of making indecent photographs of children and one count of possessing child pornography. Additionally, he was banned from working with children or having unsupervised contact with minors, except his own, for a period of ten years. The case has left a lasting impact on the community of Shoebury, raising questions about safeguarding and the importance of vigilance against such heinous crimes.
According to court reports, Colbear was accused of downloading a total of 101 indecent images of minors, ranging from the most severe Category A to Category C. These images depicted children in various states of abuse, and the case highlighted the severity of the offense. Prosecutor Richard Burrington outlined that police officers executed a search warrant at Colbear’s residence in July 2014, uncovering evidence on an upstairs computer that indicated he had viewed such illicit material.
Mr. Burrington explained that the images found on the computer were not directly accessible to an ordinary user at the time of seizure. The original images had been deleted, but forensic analysis revealed their digital fingerprints on the hard drive, suggesting that these images had once been viewable on the device’s screen. This indicated that Colbear had previously accessed and viewed the material, raising serious concerns about his intentions and actions.
Further investigation uncovered that Colbear had subscribed to specialized software called Securus, which was provided by the Lucy Faithful Foundation, a charity dedicated to paedophile treatment. The purpose of this software was to automatically send screenshots to the charity if certain search terms related to child abuse were entered. Prosecutors argued that the software was functioning correctly until it was tampered with, which was evidenced by the removal of a crucial file, rendering the software ineffective. Mr. Burrington likened this act to removing a spark plug from a car engine, emphasizing its importance in the software’s operation.
It was alleged that Colbear had deliberately tampered with the software to cover his tracks, making it more difficult for investigators to trace his activities. Despite admitting to using the computer, Colbear denied any involvement in corrupting the software or viewing indecent images of children. The court also revisited his previous conviction from 2009, when police raided his home and found evidence of similar offenses. At that time, Colbear had provided a hard drive to officers, claiming it contained the illicit images, and he had no other cautions or convictions on record.
In a separate but related case from March 2009, Colbear, then aged 50, was sentenced to a year in prison after being found guilty of downloading over 11,000 child sex abuse images. The court described his collection as among the worst seen in the judge’s career, including 33 images classified at the highest level of severity, depicting sadism and bestiality. Colbear, who worked professionally as a dispensing optician, was also a well-known community figure, actively involved as a scout leader and volunteer for the Salvation Army.
The court heard that Colbear unwittingly downloaded the images over a two-week period in April, during which he reportedly became obsessed with adult pornography sites. It was noted that he viewed only about one percent of the images before they were seized and that he derived no sexual gratification from viewing them. His defense argued that he was not aware of the extent of his actions and that his involvement was unintentional.
Judge Rupert Overbury, presiding over the case, expressed profound concern over the nature of the images, especially given Colbear’s claims of seeking no sexual pleasure. The judge remarked on the rarity of encountering such a high number of Level 5 images, which involved children and boys, and emphasized the gravity of the offense. Colbear’s reputation as a respected community member was contrasted sharply with the nature of his crimes.
As the sentencing concluded, Colbear, who appeared with thinning white hair, glasses, and dressed in a dark shirt over a T-shirt, nearly fainted in the courtroom and had to be supported by security personnel. He was sentenced to 14 counts of making indecent photographs of children and one count of possessing child pornography. Additionally, he was banned from working with children or having unsupervised contact with minors, except his own, for a period of ten years. The case has left a lasting impact on the community of Shoebury, raising questions about safeguarding and the importance of vigilance against such heinous crimes.