Scientist jailed for having 500,000 images of children

AN ASTROPHYSICIST was jailed for 15 months yesterday after being caught with 500,000 indecent internet images of children.

During a “decade of dedicated downloading” married father of two Robin Phillips built up what is thought to be the largest child porn collection yet found in Britain.

The Canadian-based scientist’s “obsession” was discovered when plain-clothed officers spotted him taking up the skirt photographs of a schoolgirl playing on one of the Trafalgar Square lions during the summer. Shots of a second youngster were also found on his camera.

But London’s Southwark Crown Court heard it was only when detectives later examined the “eminent” scientist’s laptop at his parents’ home in West Sussex, England, the extent of his “fun hobby” was revealed.

The 33-year-old, who has since lost his research job at a Canadian university, admitted one count of possessing indecent images, two of taking them on August 27 and one of trying to.

Phillips showed no reaction as Judge Paul Dodgson said the scale of his offending meant immediate imprisonment was inevitable.

As the astrophysicist’s parents listened from the public gallery, the judge made it clear Phillips’ “wilful collection” of such banned images simply served to fuel the sexual abuse of children.

“I accept you had no physical contact with any young girls but the taking of pictures such as these exposes them to long-term sexual abuse.

“If it was these offences alone, I could have considered a non-custodial sentence but you went beyond that. You were actually taking pictures yourself.”

The judge said Parliament had recognised the gravity of such offending by imposing a maximum 10-year prison sentence for it.

In addition to being registered as a sex offender, he was disqualified from working with children for life.