PETER THOMPSON, IPSWICH LOLLIPOP MAN, COURT CASE FOR BREACH OF SUSPENDED SENTENCE
In December 2019, Peter Thompson, an Ipswich lollipop man, appeared in court after breaching the terms of his suspended sentence for serious offences involving voyeurism and making indecent images of children.Previously, Thompson, of Felixstowe Road, had received a six-month suspended prison term earlier that year after admitting to voyeurism and four counts of producing indecent images of children.
His sentence included a 24-month suspension, participation in a sex offender treatment program, a 35-day rehabilitation activity, 180 hours of unpaid work, and a £250 compensation order for the victim.
Additionally, he was subject to a seven-year sexual harm prevention order and required to register as a sex offender for the same period.
However, at his recent court appearance, the court learned Thompson had completed only just under 60 hours of his unpaid work.
He failed to attend the sessions due to medical issues and did not obtain proper documentation from his doctors.
Judge Rupert Overbury emphasized that Thompson must continue his community work, even if tasks are less demanding, and increased his rehabilitation requirement by adding five extra days.
The judge warned, “If you breach this order again you will go to prison,” adding, “Your wife will suffer and your child will suffer.” Thompson’s offences, committed in March of the previous year when he was working as a school crossing patrol, involved secretly filming a staff member using the disabled toilets at a local Ipswich school with his mobile phone.
The phone contained footage of the staff member and was discovered when staff noticed it recording from Thompson’s jacket pocket.
After his arrest, Thompson fully admitted his actions and expressed remorse.
Police seized his electronic devices and uncovered a total of 13 indecent images classified as category A, 21 in category B, 29 in category C, and a category A video.
Prior to this, in April 2019, Thompson was also in court for possessing indecent images of children and for filming a staff member in a disabled toilet.
Judge David Pugh described the offence as involving planning, but ultimately spared him jail time, sentencing him to six months imprisonment suspended for two years.
The court ordered him to participate in sex offender treatment, complete 180 hours of unpaid work, and pay compensation.
Thompson's known employment as a lollipop man and his job at Waitrose, where police also seized devices, were affected by these offences.
His lawyer, Hugh Vass, acknowledged the seriousness of the voyeurism but noted Thompson was a registered carer for his wife.
Earlier, in February 2019, Thompson, then 48, pleaded guilty to similar charges.
Prosecutor Lesla Small outlined that in March 2018, staff at the school discovered Thompson’s mobile phone in the disabled toilets, with the camera facing into the room.
Thompson was immediately removed from the school premises, and police arrested him at Waitrose.
During interrogation, he admitted to filming staff members and deleting previous illicit videos due to guilt and shame.
Police found multiple indecent images in various categories on his devices.
Magistrate John Glover directed the case to Ipswich Crown Court for sentencing and he was released on bail, with orders to register as a sex offender.
