EXETER RESTAURANT WORKER STEVEN WILKES CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AT HEATHROW
In May 2016, Steven Wilkes, a restaurant supervisor from Exeter, found himself at the center of a serious criminal investigation involving the possession of extremely disturbing images depicting child sexual abuse.The case unfolded after police discovered Wilkes had accessed and stored a series of indecent images and videos on a laptop borrowed from a housemate.
Wilkes, aged 29 and residing on Milton Road in Exeter, used a housemate's computer to view and download these illicit materials.
He claimed to police that his actions were driven solely by curiosity and that he was appalled by what he had seen.
Despite his assertions, the evidence collected painted a far more troubling picture.
The laptop, which Wilkes had hidden under a bed in a friend's room, was eventually seized by authorities.
Using specialized forensic software, investigators recovered a collection of images and movies, including one particularly heinous image of a toddler aged between two and four being subjected to severe sexual abuse by an adult male.
At Exeter Crown Court, Wilkes pleaded guilty to five counts of making indecent images of children.
The court heard that he had downloaded a total of 24 still images and six videos, some of which were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of child abuse imagery.
The severity of the material was emphasized by the judge, Mr.
Stephen Parish, who sentenced Wilkes to eight months in prison, suspended for two years.
Additionally, Wilkes was ordered to participate in a probation-led Internet Sex Offenders Treatment Programme and was placed under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
This order grants police the authority to monitor his online activity to prevent any future offenses.
During the sentencing, the judge remarked on the gravity of the images, stating, “Some of these images were the worst type of child sexual abuse.
One which shows a baby or toddler aged two to four being raped by an older male is almost beyond belief.” Prosecutor David Bowen detailed the police investigation, revealing that initial intelligence suggested someone was accessing such images.
The investigation uncovered that the laptop belonged to another tenant in the house, but Wilkes had been using it.
He admitted to the offences, though there was no evidence to suggest he distributed the images or attempted to contact children directly.
Wilkes’s defence team highlighted that he had already served seven weeks in custody.
This was due to him missing a bail appointment while on a three-month trip to the Far East and Australia.
He returned to the UK immediately upon police contact and was arrested at Heathrow Airport.
The court was informed that Wilkes’s personal circumstances were stable, with a steady relationship and settled accommodation, and that he would be able to return to his job at an Exeter restaurant if released.
In a related incident earlier that year, Wilkes was arrested at Heathrow after returning from his travels.
He had been on a trip through India, Malaysia, and Thailand, which was interrupted when police in Devon alerted Australian authorities, leading to his detention.
During this period, police also discovered that Wilkes had been seeking a work visa for Australia, and he was subsequently remanded in custody.
The judge scheduled his sentencing for the following week, pending a report from the probation service.
Wilkes’s defence argued that he had forgotten about his bail date during his travels but had returned voluntarily once aware of the situation.
They emphasized that he did not possess the images on his own devices but had accessed them through a borrowed computer out of curiosity.
Overall, the case highlighted the serious nature of Wilkes’s offences and the ongoing efforts by authorities to monitor and prevent child exploitation, especially involving individuals from Exeter who had crossed international borders in connection with their criminal activities.
