Child porn man spared prison on student pleas
A British man who claimed to have been subjected to sexual abuse in
his childhood in Sri Lanka has been nabbed for downloading child porn
videos to his computer.
The retired Sheffield headteacher was spared prison after former
pupils and parents sent testimonials of his behalf.
Colin Wilmshurst, who was head at independent Westbourne School in
Broomhill for 19 years before he retired in 2004, was told he would not
be jailed but given a three-year community order with three years'
supervision. He was ordered to attend a sex offenders' treatment
programme.
At York Crown Court Judge Stephen Ashurst told him: "A lifetime's
good work in your case has been ruined. I am impressed by the many
testimonials, chiefly by those sent by pupils.
"There is no hint of sexual impropriety in relation to the children
who have been in your care over the years. Quite the reverse is borne
out by the evidence children have thrived in your company."
Wilmshurst was found to have pornographic internet clips on his
computer, including one of a sedated and blindfolded girl being abused.
Ruth Cranidge, defending, told the court Wilmshurst had suffered
"traumatic events" as a boy at boarding school in Sri Lanka. He had
subsequently written a book of first-person stories to help children
cope with trauma and had been in therapy since 2000.
Now 67, the married father-of-three admitted five charges of
possessing child porn videos. He had his name placed on the sex
offenders' register for five years and was banned from using the
internet except in a public library. On retiring from Sheffield
Wilmshurst moved to Lockton near Pickering, North Yorkshire.
He served for two years as a member of the board of governors at
Terrington Hall School in York, a private school for pupils aged three
to 13. He was an academic adviser and did not teach at the school.
Martin Loxley, chairman of governors at Westbourne School, said: "The
school is shocked at the news that our former headmaster, who retired
four years ago, has admitted these offences.
"The police have confirmed that the charges do not relate to any
activity whilst Mr Wilmshurst was a member of staff at Westbourne."
Sheffield Telegraph |
