Science graduate with addiction to child abuse images is sentenced

Christopher Wheatley from Coven was said to be 'feeding a dark secret' that had spiralled out of control.

Stafford Crown Court heard how he used search terms such as 'jailbait' to build up a collection of more than 300 indecent photographs and movies of children.

The 24-year-old's crimes came to light after police raided his home in Penkside Close and seized the computer from his bedroom. Of the more than 300 indecent images they found, 113 of them were of the most severe Category A classification.

Mr Paul Farrow, prosecuting, said Wheatley had been using file sharing sites including Limewire.

When questioned, he confessed that he had been looking for images of girls aged five or six upwards and that he found it sexually arousing.

Wheatley admitted six charges of making indecent images of children. He was given a three-year community order to undergo a sex offender treatment programme and ordered to register as a sex offender for the next five years.

Judge Mark Eades told him: "You have to recognise your conduct hitherto has been simply not acceptable."

The judge said Wheatley had been 'feeding a dark secret'.

"It started at the age of 15 and snowballed until you became entirely in the grip of that addiction," Judge Eades added.

Mr Oliver King, defending, said Wheatley was of previous good character, a science graduate and had a good job which he hoped to keep if he were allowed his liberty.

Mr King said the offences had had a devastating effect on his life as his partner had recently given birth but he was not allowed to live with her and only has supervised contact with the child.

"This is something he deeply regrets, he is willing to get as much help has he can. He has had this problem since 15, he now realises it can't control his life," added Mr King.