RICHARD TURNER FROM LEEDS JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND PROSTHETIC DOLL DISCOVERY
In August 2019, Richard Turner, a former soldier with ties to Leeds, was sentenced to nearly a decade behind bars after being found guilty of a series of disturbing sex crimes involving minors and the possession of illicit materials.The case came to light following his arrest at his previous residence in Catterick Garrison, where authorities conducted a search as part of an investigation into child sex abuse images linked to him.
During the search, police uncovered a significant collection of child abuse images stored across multiple computers and digital devices owned by Turner.
The evidence revealed that he had amassed over 100,000 such images, with 203 classified as the most severe category of abuse.
The court was also informed that Turner had engaged in sexual assaults on three young girls, during which he took indecent photographs of them, further compounding the severity of his crimes.
It was revealed that Turner, aged 47 at the time, had served in the British Army for 20 years before his discharge.
His military career was cut short after he sustained serious injuries when a Land Rover he was traveling in was targeted by a roadside bomb during a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
This background was presented during the court proceedings, highlighting the contrast between his military service and his subsequent criminal behavior.
Turner pleaded guilty to ten charges, which included five counts of sexual assault on individuals under the age of 13, three counts of possessing indecent images of children, and two counts of taking indecent photographs of the three young victims.
The court heard that among the items found was a rucksack containing children’s underwear and a prosthetic child-like sex doll, which Turner had used in his illicit activities.
Judge Stephen Ashurst delivered the sentence, emphasizing the gravity of the crimes.
He stated that Turner possessed more than 100,000 child abuse images, with 203 being of the most serious nature.
The judge sentenced Turner to four and a half years for the most serious sexual assault, with additional consecutive sentences of 18 months for lesser charges, including the indecent photographs of the victims, and two years for possession of the abuse images.
This culminated in a total sentence of nine and a half years in prison.
Furthermore, the court ordered that Turner be placed on the sexual harm prevention register indefinitely, reflecting the ongoing risk he poses to the community.
Turner, who resides on Victoria Road in Hyde Park, Leeds, was thus held accountable for his heinous actions, which shocked the local community and underscored the importance of vigilant law enforcement in protecting vulnerable children from exploitation and abuse.
