RICHARD WAREHAM PAEDOPHILE LIBRARIAN FROM PADDINGTON AND STREATHAM ESCAPES JAIL

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the local communities, Richard Wareham, a 51-year-old librarian with connections to both Paddington and Streatham, was found guilty of viewing and possessing child pornography. The incident took place while he was employed at the Paddington Children’s Library, located on Porchester Road in Southwark.

During the court proceedings at Southwark Crown Court, it was revealed that Wareham had downloaded a total of 50 indecent images and six videos depicting child abuse. These illicit materials were stored on his computer, which was seized by police following an investigation. The severity of the images was classified on a scale, with Wareham possessing 48 images at level one, indicating less severe content, and eight at level three, which are considered more explicit. The grading system ranks the images from level one to level five, with level five representing the most obscene and extreme material.

Further evidence uncovered during the investigation included Facebook chat logs containing conversations of a sexual nature. Police also discovered an email sent by Wareham on September 18, 2011, which contained an image of him engaged in a sexual act. Although the court could not definitively establish the age of the recipient of this email, Wareham believed her to be approximately 13 years old. This belief was central to the charges against him, which included attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act and making indecent photographs of a child.

In court, Wareham admitted to these charges, pleading guilty to attempting to induce a child to view a sexual act and to three counts of creating indecent images of a child. His defense lawyer, Silas Reid, acknowledged that Wareham had “fairly spectacularly destroyed his life” but emphasized that his client now recognized he had a serious problem. The court heard that Wareham was a father of two and resided in Streatham, an area in South London.

Judge Alistair McCreath delivered a stern sentence, emphasizing the gravity of Wareham’s actions and the impact on the victims depicted in the images. The judge stated that the public expects offenders involved in the exploitation of children to be punished severely, as such acts are inherently wicked. He pointed out that Wareham’s actions not only involved the indirect corruption of children through the possession of abusive images but also included direct contact with a girl he believed to be 13 years old. The judge described the communication as “revolting” and indicative of Wareham’s intent to engage in sexual activity with a minor.

While considering the appropriate punishment, Judge McCreath warned Wareham that incarceration might not necessarily serve his best interests. He expressed concern that prison could potentially make Wareham more dangerous, as he might be exposed to other offenders with similar interests, thereby reinforcing his harmful tendencies. As a result, Wareham was sentenced to eight months in prison, but this sentence was suspended for two years. Additionally, he was placed under a two-year supervision order, required to participate in an internet sexual offender program, and registered on the sexual offenders register for the next ten years.

Following the discovery of Wareham’s crimes, Westminster Council, which manages Paddington Children’s Library, took immediate action. Wareham was suspended from his duties as soon as police alerted the library authorities. He was subsequently dismissed from his position and banned from entering any library within the borough, reflecting the seriousness with which the institution responded to the allegations and conviction.