PETER PARKES FROM WOODSETTON JAILED FOR CHILD AND ANIMAL PORNOGRAPHY IN WOLVERHAMPTON

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Woodsetton and the wider Wolverhampton area, Peter Parkes, a 49-year-old resident of Brook Street, was sentenced to a year in prison after being found guilty of possessing a vast collection of indecent images involving children and extreme pornography involving animals.

The case came to light when police officers executed a search warrant at Parkes' residence and seized his computer. An extensive investigation revealed that he had stored a staggering total of 3,643 indecent images of children, some of which were classified at the most severe levels four and five, indicating the most extreme forms of such material. These images included both still photographs and moving videos, with some depicting children as young as two years old. The police also uncovered additional illicit content on Parkes' mobile phone, which contained 793 images, including 384 videos and photographs at levels four and five.

The court heard that Parkes had been downloading these images over a period of seven years, from 2005 to 2012. Recorder Michael Burrows QC emphasized the seriousness of the charges, highlighting the disturbing nature of the material involved. He pointed out that the collection included a significant number of videos involving children under ten years of age, some as young as two to four, which compounded the gravity of the offense.

Furthermore, authorities discovered photographs depicting extreme pornography involving animals, adding another layer of depravity to the case. During the proceedings at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Mr. Simon Hanns, representing Parkes, described the impact of the charges on his client’s life. He stated that Parkes’ life was now in “tatters,” with his marriage dissolved and his wife pursuing divorce proceedings. His children had also distanced themselves from him, and his reputation within the community was in ruins.

Mr. Hanns suggested that Parkes’ initial interest in the images was driven by curiosity, but he admitted that the reasons behind his continued access to such material remained a mystery. The defense argued that Parkes was a man in need of help to address his underlying issues, asserting that society would benefit more from providing him with support rather than further punishment.

The court took a stern stance, with Recorder Michael Burrows QC sentencing Parkes to a one-year prison term. In addition to his incarceration, Parkes was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next seven years and was subjected to a sex offenders protection order. The judge also explicitly prohibited him from working with children in any capacity in the future. Throughout the sentencing, Parkes showed no visible reaction to the verdict, standing silently as the sentence was passed, marking a grim chapter in his life and a stark reminder of the serious consequences of such offenses.