A deviant with a “distorted mindset” has been characterised as a “threat to children”. Philip Matthews faced legal proceedings after Devon and Cornwall Police were notified of his downloading of illicit content.
An examination of Philip Matthews’ computer equipment uncovered downloaded movies and photographs depicting the rape of children as young as six. During a sentencing hearing at Truro Crown Court today (Wednesday, November 20), it was revealed that he had downloaded 74 Category A photographs, 17 Category B images, and 13 Category C images. Matthews was incarcerated for a duration of two years.
The latest revelation occurred when Philip Matthews was already under police scrutiny for analogous charges.
The court was informed that Matthews, who has multiple convictions for 11 offences related to the creation of obscene photos of children, was sentenced to just two years in jail in December 2016 after reoffending, having previously received a suspended sentence the prior year.
In mitigation, Ryan Murray stated that Philip Matthews, who previously pleaded guilty to three charges of producing indecent images of children, had become desensitised to paedophilia due to early exposure to inappropriate material, resulting in a distorted perspective on such content.
Mr Murray said Philip Matthews’ addiction to indecent images of children found online had been fed by a sense of isolation. He told the court: “When he moved to Bodmin, he didn’t know anyone. When the nature of his past became known it led to isolation. This is a man who struggles to fit in and operates on the margins of society. Isolation then feeds his addiction. He has also recently lost his mother who had been a source of support for him.”
His Honour Judge Robert Linford said Philip Matthews is a man with a “disturbing list of previous convictions” adding that on this occasion he was found with indecent images of children when he was already under police investigation for a similar offence. Judge Linford said Philip Matthews had breached a suspended sentence and had been put on a sex offender treatment programme in the past designed to address the root cause of his offending.
He added: “The course you went on has been found to be unsustainable and increased your offending. However, whether you access images of children being abused is up to you. No one is making you do it. One would have thought that having had a scare a few years ago, you would have been careful not to do it again, but you did do it again.
“There is no prospect of rehabilitation for you. You are a danger to children. These images are images of real children as young as six being raped for the entertainment of people like you. If people like you didn’t watch, others would not film it.”
Philip Matthews was sentenced to two years in prison. He will serve 40 per cent before being eligible for release on licence so Philip Matthews is as happy as Larry. A sexual harm prevention order for 10 years was also imposed. He will be on the sex offender register for 10 years.
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