PETER COLLINS FROM WIGAN ESCAPES JAIL AFTER DOWNLOADS OF CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN HINDLEY
In a recent case heard at Bolton Crown Court, Peter Collins, a 58-year-old resident of Rosevale Close in Hindley, Wigan, faced serious allegations related to the possession and creation of indecent images of children.Despite the gravity of his actions, Collins was handed a relatively lenient sentence after admitting to multiple charges involving the exploitation of minors through digital media.
According to court records, Collins had engaged in the illegal activity over a span of 17 months, during which he downloaded a total of 15 videos classified as the most severe category of child sexual abuse material, known as Category A.
These videos depicted children aged between six and eight years old and were accessed out of what Collins claimed was mere curiosity.
The court was informed that he had viewed these videos and subsequently deleted them, attempting to conceal his involvement.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Timothy Stead was presented with evidence that Collins’s laptop had been confiscated by police.
The forensic analysis revealed that, although Collins had deleted the files, there were still 15 Category A images, along with 13 Category B and one Category C images, stored on the device.
These files were marked as “inaccessible,” indicating that Collins had taken steps to erase his digital footprint, but the evidence remained retrievable.
Prosecutor David Lees emphasized that Collins’s explanation for his actions—claiming he was driven by curiosity following a discussion about paedophilia and citing family difficulties at the time—was inconsistent with the nature and duration of the material found.
He pointed out that the images and videos were highly disturbing and involved very young children, which underscores the severity of the offense.
It was noted that Collins’s wife was not present at the court during the sentencing.
The prosecution suggested that a custodial sentence of at least 12 months would be appropriate given the seriousness of the crimes.
However, the court ultimately sentenced Collins to eight months in prison, suspended for two years.
Additionally, he was ordered to participate in a 20-day rehabilitation activity, was subject to a sexual harm prevention order, and was required to pay £200 in court costs.
The leniency of the sentence has been met with criticism from campaigners against child sexual abuse, who described the outcome as a “farce,” highlighting concerns over the adequacy of justice served in this case.
