Ex-North Kesteven and Sleaford Town Councillor '˜likely' to face jail after guilty plea to 23 child sex offence charges

Former North Kesteven District Councillor Ian Dolby is facing jail after he today (Wednesday, August 16) changed his plea and admitted child pornography charges.
Ian Dolby. EMN-170815-165603001Ian Dolby. EMN-170815-165603001
Ian Dolby. EMN-170815-165603001

Dolby, 52, of North Road, Sleaford, had been on trial in front of a jury at Lincoln Crown Court facing 36 charges of making an indecent image of a child.

This morning at the start of the second day of the hearing he pleaded guilty to 23 of the charges relating to a police search of his home in 2013. The other 13 charges are not to be pursued by the prosecution.

Dolby was granted bail and sentencing was adjourned until tomorrow (Thursday) for a probation report to be prepared.

Judge Simon Hirst told him “You have sought to avoid pleading guilty or being found guilty in any way you possibly could. Custody is overwhelmingly likely. The fact that I adjourn the case for a report should not be taken in any way to mean you won’t receive a custodial sentence.”

Dolby served as an Independent member for the Quarrington Ward of North Kesteven District Council. He resigned his seat in April 2014, five months after the police raid, citing “pressure of work commitments”. He also resigned from Sleaford Town Council at the same time.

The court was told that Dolby has no previous convictions and is currently working as an accountant.

Martin Hurst, prosecuting, earlier told the jury that the police search carried out in December 2013 followed the arrest of Dolby’s then lodger over a completely unconnected matter.

Mr Hust said that officers who initially went to the property discovered photographs of unclothed young girls on the walls and folders containing photographs of young girls.

As a result CID officers were asked to attend and a detailed search was carried out.

Mr Hurst said “They searched the whole house. They searched in particular Dolby’s bedroom and took away quite a lot of things principally electronic devices including a lap top.

“Also in his bedroom they found a very, very substantial library of DVD disks.

“These were DVDs he had made at home. He had burned them from websites he had been visiting on the internet.”

Mr Hurst said that 45 of the DVDs contained around 180 hours of film of child pornography including 46 hours of the worst category.

He told the jury “They contained some of the most offensive material that you can imagine. The 45 DVDs contained principally or exclusively indecent images of children. The other 687 were dip-tested. There was a vast quantity of adult pornography.

“When asked if there were any indecent images of children on his lap top he said there was a possibility something may have been downloaded accidentally.”

When Dolby was interviewed he said he tried to make sure that the images he viewed were of girls over the age of 18.

Mr Hurst said “He made it perfectly clear that he has an interest in looking at sexual pictures of young women. He revealed a rapacious interest in downloading pornography. When he sees something he likes he burns it onto a DVD.

“The prosecution say that when you have heard all of the evidence you will be absolutely confident that this man is a paedophile and that is why he has downloaded this and burned it and stored it.”