WESLEY STRUDWICK RETURNED TO PRISON IN BASILDON AFTER DOWNLOADING ABUSIVE IMAGES

In July 2017, Wesley Strudwick, a convicted child sex offender from Basildon, was re-incarcerated after being caught accessing and downloading explicit images of child sexual abuse. Strudwick, 47, previously served time for abusing two primary school girls, which led to a 14-year prison sentence handed down in 2010. Originally residing on Bulwark Road, Shoebury, he was released early and subsequently moved to Swanstead in Basildon.

Basildon Crown Court heard that during his original sentencing, the judge described Strudwick’s crimes as "offences of the highest gravity." Recently, he admitted to possessing 293 Category A images, 310 Category B images, and 1,704 Category C images, as well as extreme animal pornography involving horses, on May 30 this year. Police investigations revealed that Strudwick used a laptop, tablet, and a hard drive to access abuse websites and store these images. He had purchased these devices without notifying authorities, thereby breaching a sexual offences prevention order.

During a court hearing, prosecutor Richard Jones stated, "The author of the report suggests he may have committed an even more serious offence than what he is currently facing. We request additional time for police to interview him. It might lead nowhere, but it needs to be investigated." Defense attorney Matthew Bone noted that Strudwick had no objection to the delay, stating, "This defendant is in custody and will remain so."

Judge Ian Graham agreed to postpone the sentencing until September 6. He had also presided over Strudwick’s original 2010 sentencing, when details emerged that he had stored thousands of indecent images of children, many depicting them being raped, some as young as six. Some images even showed Strudwick himself abusing his victims.

After the hearing, Detective Constable Paul Alabaster of Rayleigh Child Abuse Investigation Unit remarked, "This is one of the worst cases of sexual abuse of young girls I have dealt with. The man sexually assaulted and raped the two girls over a long period."

Judge Graham emphasized the severity of the case, describing it as "as serious a sexual abuse as is possible," noting that the images involved real children subjected to degenerative sexual abuse, not mere fantasies. Strudwick pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including four counts of rape, engaging in sexual activity with a child, encouraging children to engage in sexual acts, sexual assault, making indecent images of children, and possessing extreme pornography.

In a separate incident in February 2010, Strudwick, then 40, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for his "systematic and chronic" abuse of two primary school girls. During that trial, prosecutors revealed he had kept thousands of indecent images, some depicting children as young as six being raped, including images he took himself of his victims. Police described the case as among the worst they had encountered.

Andrew Jackson, the prosecutor, stated, "This was no less than repeated rapes of young girls over a two to three-year period." Following his arrest in September 2009, defense lawyer Diana Pigot expressed remorse on his behalf, claiming he was devastated and intended to seek treatment for his perverse attraction.

Judge Graham reaffirmed the gravity of the case, noting that the images showed real children in degenerative abuse and that it was difficult to conceive a more serious offense. As part of his sentence, Strudwick was subject to a sexual offences prevention order restricting his work and residence around children and was banned from using computers unsupervised. Detective Alabaster added, "This is one of the worst cases of child sexual abuse I have dealt with. The man sexually assaulted and raped the girls over an extended period, and we found extreme indecent images and pornography on his devices. I'm pleased he has been removed from society and will not pose a threat to children for a very long time."