In 2016, the Offender Database recorded that then 29-year-old Steven Wilkes—a restaurant supervisor of Milton Road, Exeter, Devon—avoided an immediate prison sentence despite possessing extreme images of child sexual abuse. The investigation established that Wilkes used a housemate’s laptop to access and download 24 stills and six movies, some of which depicted the most severe Category A abuse. The prosecution reported at Exeter Crown Court that the material included a “beyond belief” image of a toddler, aged between two and four, being raped by an adult male.
The investigation established that Wilkes attempted to evade detection by hiding the laptop under a bed in a friend’s room. The prosecution reported that police received intelligence of the illicit activity but initially could not locate the device. Specialist software was eventually used to recover the files, which Wilkes claimed he had accessed out of curiosity. Wilkes was arrested at Heathrow Airport in 2016 after his gap year travels through India, Malaysia, and Thailand were interrupted when police alerted international authorities to block his onward travel to Australia.
Judicial Findings and Sentencing
The court reported that Wilkes had spent seven weeks in custody prior to sentencing after failing to answer his bail in February. The investigation established that although he admitted five counts of making indecent images, Recorder Mr Stephen Parish opted for a rehabilitative approach. The prosecution reported that despite the judge describing the images as the “worst type” of abuse, Wilkes was handed an eight-month jail term, suspended for two years.
Judge-led proceedings at Exeter Crown Court concluded in May 2016. For his actions in Exeter, Devon and the nature of the serial child abuse reported, Wilkes was ordered to attend a probation-run Internet Sex Offenders Treatment Programme. He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for a period of five years, allowing police to monitor his digital footprint. The judge noted that Wilkes would be allowed to return to his job at an Exeter restaurant, provided he adhered to the strict conditions of his suspended sentence.
Status and Statutory Requirements
Based on the judicial orders issued at Exeter Crown Court in 2016:
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Making indecent images of children x5).
- Custodial Status: NON-CUSTODIAL (8-month suspended sentence; concluded in 2018).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were active for 5 YEARS (Concluded in 2021).
- SHPO Status: Active for 5 YEARS (Concluded in 2021; previously allowed police to inspect all digital devices).
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barring List (Indefinite ban on working with children or vulnerable adults; permanently barred from all regulated activity).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Exeter Crown Court; investigated by Devon and Cornwall Police.
- Criminal Record: Downloaded Category A images of toddler rape; Used a housemate’s device to hide his strikes; Arrested at Heathrow after attempting to flee to Australia; Jailed for 8 months (suspended).
- Origin: Milton Road, Exeter, Devon.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Wilkes was managed as a registered sex offender under the statutory requirements of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in Devon. Due to the nature of his behaviour—specifically his “curiosity” regarding the extreme sexual violation of infants—he was a priority for digital monitoring throughout his five-year registration period. Authorities reported that the 2016 conviction ensures Wilkes is permanently flagged on the national database, preventing him from ever holding a position of trust involving children in Exeter, Devon or elsewhere.
While his active police notification requirements ended in 2021, his details remain permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that Wilkes’ behaviour identifies an individual who prioritised his own gratification and curiosity over the safety and human rights of children. Any attempt by Wilkes to bypass his permanent barring from regulated activity will result in immediate police intervention to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from a man who has violated the principles of human decency.
QUESTION – Given that the offender used a “Housemate’s Laptop” to access the images, do you believe that the law should legally be amended to hold the owner of a device partially liable if they knowingly allow a person to use their computer without supervision?
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