The Berkshire men convicted for making indecent images

Here are some of the Berkshire residents who have recently been sentenced having made indecent images in years gone by. 

Brian Darlow, 63 from Orchard Close in Wales, was convicted for three counts of making indecent images at Reading Crown Court on Friday, July 2. 

According to the charges, the 63-year-old made the images while he was living in Berkshire. 

The images included two still category B images and one category B video, along with 21 category C images. 

Sentencing, Judge Edward Burgess QC said: “The court treats these offences seriously. 

“Very few images were involved here and you are a man of previous good character.”

Darlow was given a community order lasting 18 months and was told he must sign the sex offenders register for five years. 

Michael Mitchell, of Havergate Way, Reading, was given 16 months in prison after he was caught with more than 1,000 indecent images of children and animals on his computer.

The 41-year-old was told by Judge Sarah Campbell that the images downloaded were “some of the worst” she had ever seen when he was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Friday, May 21. 

Michael Mitchell at an early hearing.

The court heard how Mitchell was “pleased” to have been caught by police because he “realised it was wrong” and he “couldn’t stop”.

Matthew Hewitson, of Woodlands Road, Guildford, was caught with dozens of indecent images of children and extreme pornographic images while residing in Bracknell.

The pervert also filmed a 14-year-old girl getting undressed on a webcam years before sexually assaulting her.

Hewitson, 40, was caught by police when alerted to the download of an indecent image at his address in February 2020. 

After being arrested, he admitted possessing the indecent images.

Despite this, he was not sentenced to time behind bars when he appeared at Reading Crown Court on Friday, May 7. 

Sentencing, Judge Norton handed Hewitson a 14-month prison sentence suspended for two years, meaning he will avoid jail unless he commits another offence or breaches any conditions of his sentence. 

He must attend a sexual offences rehabilitation programme and also undertake 200 hours of unpaid community work. 

Hewitson was also given a sexual harm prevention order for ten years. 

Ian Philips, of Keepers Coombe, Bracknell, was given a six-month suspended prison sentence for sending an ‘offensive’ message to a girl he used to take to school and for possessing more than 50 indecent images of children and animals.

The 58-year-old, who appeared at Reading Crown Court on Thursday, May 13, was sentenced after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image of an animal, and one count of sending a communication with an offensive message.

Philips used to drive the girl to school in a minibus with other children.

Years later, he messaged her over Facebook in texts which were “benign at first, but increased in their intensity.”

Prosecuting, Jack Wright said Phillips sent the girl a message which read: “Hey sexy girl, how are you? Can I kidnap you and tie you up?”

The girl was said to be ‘shocked’ at this message and told her carers about it.

Police then spoke to Phillips, seizing his mobile phone and computer where they found more than 50 indecent images and videos of children and animals.

Paedophile Richard Wilkins will spend years in jail after he sexually abused a child.

The 37-year-old, of St Leonards Hill, Windsor, was also found to have made indecent images of a child. 

Richard Wilkins

He was told he will spend four years and two months in prison for these offences back in April 2021.