PETER WATERTON FROM HIGHAM ON THE HILL ESCAPES PRISON DESPITE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES IN LEICESTER
| Red Rose Database
Higham on the Hill Child Sexual Abuser
In a recent case heard at Leicester Crown Court, Peter Waterton, a 75-year-old resident of Main Street, Higham on the Hill, was handed a community order after admitting to possessing indecent images and extreme pornography involving children. The court was informed that Waterton had on his computer a total of 10 indecent photographs, two of which were classified as extreme, along with a disturbing collection of 343 images categorized at the highest level of severity, including some depicting bestiality and one of the most serious level five category images.
Despite his age and previous convictions, including a 15-month prison sentence in 2005 for grooming a 12-year-old girl for sexual activity, Waterton’s recent guilty plea led to a sentence that emphasized supervision and preventative measures rather than incarceration. The judge, Recorder Nigel Daly, ordered that Waterton be under supervision for three years and participate in a community sex offenders’ program. Additionally, he was prohibited from possessing any digital devices capable of storing images unless he agrees to allow police inspections for the next decade, even if new types of devices are developed.
During the sentencing, the court heard from Justine Robinson, who highlighted that Waterton had voluntarily reported his offenses to the police, acknowledging the need for ongoing treatment to address emotional triggers that might lead to reoffending. Robinson emphasized that while the risk to the public remains, participation in the program could help mitigate that risk, and Waterton claimed he had no desire to access such images again.
Judge Daly expressed concern over the presence of such images, noting the suffering of victims depicted in these materials. He remarked that despite previous treatment and a prison sentence, Waterton continued to offend, which was deeply troubling. The judge considered sending him back to prison but ultimately decided that the focus should be on preventing further offenses. He stressed the importance of stopping Waterton from being involved in the distribution or possession of such material and warned that failure to comply with the court’s orders would likely result in imprisonment.
In a separate but related case from September 2005, Waterton was also convicted of grooming a 12-year-old girl over the internet. His wife, Dawn, a Church of England minister in Nuneaton, took her husband to the police after discovering evidence of his inappropriate communications with the girl. The police investigation uncovered over 50 images of child pornography on Waterton’s computer, and he admitted to possessing indecent images and engaging in sexual grooming. The victim’s parent found explicit texts and emails from Waterton, in which he described a “tingly, buzzy feeling” when the girl posed like a model and expressed a desire to photograph her.
Judge Michael Stokes QC described the images as “wholly disgusting” and expressed concern that Waterton’s virtual addiction to such material could have led to a real-world incident with the young girl. The court noted that Waterton’s use of the internet for gratification was linked to age-related sexual difficulties. Despite his remorse, the court imposed an extended two-year license and ordered him to register as a sex offender for ten years. The couple has faced malicious phone calls since the offenses came to light, adding to the distress caused by these revelations.
Despite his age and previous convictions, including a 15-month prison sentence in 2005 for grooming a 12-year-old girl for sexual activity, Waterton’s recent guilty plea led to a sentence that emphasized supervision and preventative measures rather than incarceration. The judge, Recorder Nigel Daly, ordered that Waterton be under supervision for three years and participate in a community sex offenders’ program. Additionally, he was prohibited from possessing any digital devices capable of storing images unless he agrees to allow police inspections for the next decade, even if new types of devices are developed.
During the sentencing, the court heard from Justine Robinson, who highlighted that Waterton had voluntarily reported his offenses to the police, acknowledging the need for ongoing treatment to address emotional triggers that might lead to reoffending. Robinson emphasized that while the risk to the public remains, participation in the program could help mitigate that risk, and Waterton claimed he had no desire to access such images again.
Judge Daly expressed concern over the presence of such images, noting the suffering of victims depicted in these materials. He remarked that despite previous treatment and a prison sentence, Waterton continued to offend, which was deeply troubling. The judge considered sending him back to prison but ultimately decided that the focus should be on preventing further offenses. He stressed the importance of stopping Waterton from being involved in the distribution or possession of such material and warned that failure to comply with the court’s orders would likely result in imprisonment.
In a separate but related case from September 2005, Waterton was also convicted of grooming a 12-year-old girl over the internet. His wife, Dawn, a Church of England minister in Nuneaton, took her husband to the police after discovering evidence of his inappropriate communications with the girl. The police investigation uncovered over 50 images of child pornography on Waterton’s computer, and he admitted to possessing indecent images and engaging in sexual grooming. The victim’s parent found explicit texts and emails from Waterton, in which he described a “tingly, buzzy feeling” when the girl posed like a model and expressed a desire to photograph her.
Judge Michael Stokes QC described the images as “wholly disgusting” and expressed concern that Waterton’s virtual addiction to such material could have led to a real-world incident with the young girl. The court noted that Waterton’s use of the internet for gratification was linked to age-related sexual difficulties. Despite his remorse, the court imposed an extended two-year license and ordered him to register as a sex offender for ten years. The couple has faced malicious phone calls since the offenses came to light, adding to the distress caused by these revelations.