David Turner, 72, from Ramsgate, Kent, was today sentenced to 16 months in prison after he admitted importing and having sex with a life-like 3ft 10in child sex doll
A sick ex-school governor and churchwarden who imported a child sex doll into Britain has been jailed.
David Turner, 72, from Ramsgate, Kent, was today sentenced to 16 months in prison after he admitted importing and having sex with the life-like 3ft 10in model.
It comes after Turner pleaded guilty, thereby accepting the doll was obscene or indecent, in a UK first.
Officers also found 29 fictional stories – which described sexual abuse of children but fell outside the Obscene Publications Act – when they searched Turner’s home.
One of these Turner wrote after dreaming about having sex with a child, the court heard.
The pervert was caught in November last year after Border Force intercepted a parcel containing another three foot doll he was attempting to import from China.
Officers found the doll in a parcel labelled ‘mannequin’ at Stansted Airport. It came with a fishnet body-stocking.
But when National Crime Agency officers arrested Turner and raided his home they found the anatomically correct doll which he had been sleeping with – as well as 34,000 indecent images.
The charge of ordering and importing an indecent or obscene article relates to a 3ft 10in doll that was already in his possession – which the depraved pensioner had even bought clothes and underwear for.
He pleaded guilty to six counts of possessing indecent images at an earlier hearing in June.
He was in possession of 138 Category A images of child abuse (the most serious), 299 Category B images and 33,619 Category C images.
Appearing on June 22 at the same court, Turner admitted that on November 10 2016 he had in his possession 138 photographs, and a further charge of having 33,918.
Standing in the dock the bespectacled pensioner also confessed to a count of making 35 indecent images on November 2.
Further charges of making 15 indecent photos, possession of category B and C videos and other moving images on November 10 were also admitted.
Turner pleaded guilty, thereby accepting the doll he imported, pictured, was obscene or indecent – a UK first
Analysis of Turner’s computers showed he viewed websites selling items advertised as ‘flat chest love doll’ and ‘mini silicone sex doll 65cms little breasts’.
Children in the images were aged from approximately three to 16.
In interview, Turner said his preference was to view indecent images of children aged four to 10 and he admittedly ‘secretly’ taking photographs of girls aged six to 11 in public places.
After being arrested Turner resigned as a school governor of St Ethelbert’s Church Primary School in Margate and from St Ethelbert’s and Gertrude Church where he was a warden.
Canterbury Crown Court heard how he had taken photographs of the children at the school where he was a governor.
He regularly attended the school library to help children as young as four with their reading.
In sentencing him Judge Simon James said: ‘It is difficult for reasonable people to be anything other than horrified that you could find such material sexually arousing.
‘Particularly as you were, at the same time, voluntarily involving yourself with children of a similar age as a school governor and at your church.
‘What makes your circumstances of particular concern is the fact that, in addition to pictures and movies, you have also obtained a number of disturbingly lifelike and anatomically correct dolls of young age, so as to be in a position to recreate the sort of abuse you had viewed being perpetrated by others.
‘Not only was one of these dolls, which are clearly designed for the purpose of sex, intercepted by Customs, but another was found in your possession, dressed in clothes that you had purchased and that you have subsequently admitted to having intercourse with.
‘I have been shown the items and the word doll does not adequately convey what was imported by you.
Frankly, without seeing one of these things it is difficult to convey just how lifelike and repugnant they are.
‘Your deliberate seeking out of items designed to recreate sex with children is, in my judgement, a significant aggravating feature.
‘It demonstrates, despite your protestations to the contrary, that having become dissatisfied with watching two-dimensional imagery, you have moved on to seek to act out your grotesque fantasies.’
Hazel Stewart, from the NCA CEOP Specialist Operation Team, said: ‘The importation of these child sex dolls is a relatively new phenomenon.
‘We know their purchase can indicate other offences against children, as was the case against Turner who had a sickening stash of abuse images.
‘The NCA and Border Force co-ordinate law enforcement activity, carrying out intelligence checks and offering specialist advice every time these indecent and obscene items are seized at the border.
‘Importers of such obscene items should expect to have law enforcement closing in on them.’
Pictured is a doll intercepted by UK Border Force which could be used for sexual gratification
Border Force’s Dan Scully, Deputy Director, Intelligence Operations said: ‘Our front line officers and intelligence teams are vigilant to emerging criminal trends such as the importation of obscene dolls.
‘This work is part of the Border Force-led Operation Shiraz. The seizure of the offending item led directly to the identification of Turner and ultimately to the uncovering of his criminal interest in children.
‘Through our work with law enforcement partners like the NCA, we are committed to preventing the smuggling of obscene articles and bringing those responsible to justice.’
Jon Brown, NSPCC Head of Development, said: ‘There is no evidence to support the idea that the use of so-called child sex dolls helps potential abusers from committing contact offences against real children.
‘And in fact there is a risk that those using these child sex dolls or realistic props could become desensitised and their behaviour becomes normalised to them, so that they go on to harm children themselves, as is often the case with those who view indecent images.
‘The NSPCC is calling on Government to take action to criminalise the manufacturing, distribution and possession of these grotesque dolls, in the same way it does indecent images of children.
‘And until this loophole is closed, online retailers who have these items available to purchase should immediately remove them from sale.’
The judge ordered for the dolls and his computer to be destroyed as well as making a sexual harm prevention order stopping Turner from having contact with children under 16 without their parents’ permission and only if they are aware of his crimes.
He was also ordered to pay £140 mandatory surcharge.
Barnardo’s Chief Executive, Javed Khan, said: ‘We hope the sentencing shines a light on this deeply disturbing trend and sends a stark warning to anyone thinking of buying one of these child sex dolls.
‘Evidence from the National Crime Agency shows there’s a clear link between these obscene dolls and offences against vulnerable children, including the downloading of indecent images.
‘Children need the law’s full protection and we welcome further investigations and prosecutions into people who import these disgusting dolls.’