Latest Offenders Oxfordshire

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A MAN who was the face of a shop in the heart of Witney has been spared jail after viewing thousands of sexual pictures of children. Ian Pilcher, 63, who for 30 years worked at Domino Menswear in Corn Street, was yesterday handed a community sentence at Oxford Magistrates Court for making (downloading) indecent images of children. The court heard Pilcher viewed the images to cheer himself up. Pilcher, of Apley Way, Witney, had pleaded guilty to downloading more than 5,000 indecent images of children. The court was told that Pilcher, who has been married for 34 years, had a preference for Category C images of young girls. Police seized a number of electronic devices from Pilchers home and he helped identify where to find material. John Berry, defending, said Pilchers interest in looking at the indecent images came during a difficult period of his life. He said: His son attempted suicide. His sister-in-law committed suicide. Both of these happened just a year before he began looking at these images. His employer had become unwell and Mr Pilcher was having to work very long hours. He was at a very low ebb and found that looking at these images cheered him up, to use his expression. Mr Berry said Pilchers obsession grew over time. He quoted Pilcher as saying: I was at a point I could not stop it. Im glad the police came along because I knew that would cause me to stop it. I knew what I was doing was wrong. Mr Berry said that Pilcher was yet to reach a full understanding of his desire to look at indecent images. He continued: He has some insight into his offending but Im not sure he fully understands why it started. He doesnt fully accept that he must have found the images stimulating. He has been to see a doctor and is receiving counselling. He better understands that, though he has not done anything to harm young girls, that this sort of behaviour has or could result in young girls being harmed. He is willing to work fully with anyone able to help him. District Judge Kamlesh Rana gave Pilcher an 18-month community sentence, which included 100 hours of unpaid work and a 30-day rehabilitation requirement. She said it was regrettable Pilcher was appearing in court after a life of previously good character. The judge added: I have to take into account the number of images and that, by viewing these images, you were condoning the exploitation of young children. District Judge Rana also ordered a sexual harm prevention order that will control how Pilcher accesses various electronic devices. Pilcher appeared in the Oxford Mail in October when he revealed that Domino Menswear, which had sold menswear and school uniforms for 34 years, was moving to Abingdon to escape soaring business rates. Pilcher, who was made redundant after the story was published, said at the time he was immensely sad after serving four generations of customers at the store.

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A SELF-PROCLAIMED playboy who preyed on two vulnerable schoolgirls has been put behind bars for 10 years.

Paedophile Lucas Irons huffed and puffed as Oxford Crown Court heard how he targeted the youngsters to satisfy his 'sexual ends' between July 2014 and January 2015.

Sentencing on Tuesday, Judge Peter Ross branded the 28-year-old dangerous and condemned him for his 'calculated and pre-meditated' offending.

He handed Irons an extended licence period of four years, warning the defendant he may have to serve all of his sentence in jail.

Judge Ross added: "It is clear from the evidence in this case that you were out of control. You were using networks of young girls as a means of targetting them for your sexual ends."

A jury of six men and six women unanimously convicted Irons of two counts of sexual activity with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual assault.

But jurors were unable to reach a decision on a further count of sexual assault after more than five hours of deliberation following a trial last month.

Defence barrister Peter Du Feu told the court the sex offender, who appeared via video link from Bullingdon Prison, continues to maintain his innocence but 'respects' the decision of the jury.

He went on to claim Irons, who was hunted by police when he failed to appear at Oxford Magistrates' Court after being charged, did not deserve to be branded a paedophile.

During the trial, prosecutor Kevin James Barry claimed Irons, of Ock Street, Abingdon, had a 'powerful sexual attraction' towards the schoolgirls.

The court heard he used social media to target one victim, lying about his age and convincing the 'incredibly naive' teenager he wanted a relationship.

Irons, a former manager of Oxford’s All Bar One, invited the schoolgirl to his home, where she felt she had no choice but to 'go along' with having sex with him.

The sex offender, who claimed he had thousands of Facebook friends, preyed on his second victim in Littlemore Park, sexually assaulting her after swaying her away from her group.

She was left 'disturbed' by the assault, fleeing the park to a friend's house, the court heard.

Wearing a blue shirt and trousers, Irons took to the stand during his trial to refute the allegations, swearing on the Bible before claiming he had been 'completely honest'.

Irons, who also claimed he worked at St Clement's bar Joe Perks & Co, was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and must pay a victim surcharge.