Phillip Dawson, residing on Springfield Road in Wantage, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court for several charges involving indecent images of children.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that the 50-year-old possessed 19 Category A images, 14 Category B images, 53 Category C images, and seven prohibited images between April 2019 and December 2022.
Judge Emma Nott sentenced him to 14 months in prison, stating, “This is the second time you appear before the courts for sexual offending involving children. Accepting your guilt does not equate to accepting your underlying behavior. It’s clear you’re minimizing the sexual satisfaction you derive from these images. This serious offense justifies only an immediate custodial sentence.”
The case was opened by prosecutor Bethan Chichester, who explained how police executed a search warrant at Dawson’s residence on December 6, 2022. Upon their arrival, Dawson initially shut the door, claiming he needed to dress, and refused to reopen it, prompting police to force entry, leading to his arrest. A forensic examination of his Samsung phone and tablet revealed multiple incriminating images, including those of a child aged nine to 11 engaged in penetrative activity.
Dawson was interviewed twice, initially denying any wrongdoing and alleging unauthorized access to his messaging account. However, he chose to respond with ‘no comment’ during his second interview.
The court was informed of Dawson’s previous conviction in 2013 for a similar offense, resulting in a three-year community order for attempting to incite a female to engage in sexual activity.
In defense, barrister George Joseph attributed Dawson’s actions to social isolation and the lack of personal intimacy, circumstances worsened towards the end of the COVID lockdown. Joseph explained, “He was extremely lonely; his parents had passed away, and he lacks a significant social circle.”
Joseph added that his client, formerly an electrician who lost his job upon pleading guilty, would face significant hardships during his prison term, describing the prospect as “quite mortifying” for Dawson.
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