Shropshire Star

Telford sex offender is given last chance to complete therapy

A Telford company director with a history of indecent assault and possession of child pornography has been given a chance to continue therapy to control his behaviour.

Published

Matthew Whitehouse, 47, was found in possession of around 2,500 indecent images in January this year.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday Judge Peter Barrie told Whitehouse that he was now on "the precipice of a very long prison sentence".

He said that despite Whitehouse's previous convictions he was mindful of the best prospect of preventing further harm by the defendant's behaviour.

The defendant had completed a sex offenders programme in 2007 but had "lost his self control" by committing the recent offences.

At court yesterday Whitehouse was given a three-year community order and must complete the sex offenders programme.

He must do 100 hours unpaid work and pay £600 court costs and will be subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for five years.

Whitehouse, of Dallamoor, Hollinswood, who is already on the sex offenders register for life, had pleaded guilty to five charges at an earlier hearing.

The court heard that Whitehouse had three previous convictions which included being initially jailed for 10 years – later reduced to seven years on appeal – in 1998 for indecently assaulting boys under 16.

Mr Howard Searle, prosecuting, said Whitehouse was arrested after police were received information from Canada that he was a customer of a naturist website which had closed down.

Officers discovered indecent images on a laptop and more than 2,300 stored on a memory card. Following analysis of the material by police Whitehouse had accepted that he had an interest in young males and expressed remorse.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.