Disgraced businessman Peter Tomlinson, who was once a prominent and respected member of the local community, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for a string of heinous sex crimes against children.
Over a period of around 4 years, Tomlinson paid thousands of pounds to women overseas to watch them abuse children, some as young as 5-years-old. The abuse included oral sex involving a dog and a number of live sex shows streamed over the internet.
The communication between Peter and the Filipino women took place at all times of the day and night, even when he was in meetings. He was eventually caught out by a major National Crime Agency investigation, with the help of overseas authorities.
At the tail end of 2020, 63-year-old Tomlinson was charged with 5 counts of paying for the sexual services of a girl under 13, 2 counts of causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child under 13 and 2 counts of intentionally encouraging/assisting the commission of an either way offence. He was also accused of 3 counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo photographs of a child, namely 47 Category A, 148 Category B, 353 Category C photos and 46 extreme photos.
Then, earlier this year, Tomlinson was charged with a further 8 offences including 3 counts of paying for the sexual services of a girl under 13 (penetration), 2 counts of paying for the sexual services of a girl under 13 (no penetration), 1 count of attempting to pay for the sexual services of a girl 13 to 15 (no penetration) and 1 count of paying for the sexual services of a girl aged 16/17. The new offences related to 9 different children between 2017-2019.
At the Isle of Wight Crown Court today (Friday), Judge David Melville QC – who was given 3 letters of support for Mr Tomlinson to consider – handed down an 18-year sentence for a total of 20 offences. The sentence was reduced by a third due to his guilty plea.
Judge Melville, who described Tomlinson has being a very dangerous person as far as young girls are concerned, ordered him to pay £1,800 costs and a victim surcharge. He has also been made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and is now a registered sex offender.
Peter Tomlinson, of Baring Road in Cowes – just a stone’s throw away from a local primary school – is the former owner of the children’s play area JR Zone. He was also involved in several other organisations including Education Destination and Betapak, although he resigned from being a director of these firms in October 2019 following his arrest. JR Zone and Betapak have since changed ownership and Tomlinson no longer has a connection to any of the businesses he was once involved in, including the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce of which he was President.
Peter was also a member of the Catholic Church.
Island Echo was first made aware of rumours that Peter had been arrested in October 2019 when a round-robin email was sent out by an unknown whistleblower. It couldn’t be reported at the time due to the ongoing legal proceedings, but the full extent of Tomlinson’s horrific crimes have now been exposed.
It can now also be revealed that Tomlinson attempted to take his own life at his home in Cowes, but was resuscitated. He attempted to gas himself in his garage by means of carbon monoxide poisoning.
For Tomlinson, Elisabeth Bussey-Jones told the court;
“He is disgusted, ashamed and deeply regretful of how he acted. He is not seeking sympathy, the depression he suffers he knows has been brought by his own making.
“He is also troubled by the shame he has brought to his own family. Members of his own family have been appalled and disgusted”.
NCA operations manager Phil Eccles has today said:
“Peter Tomlinson believed he could carry out his sickening offences from the comfort of his own home and get away with it. He was directly responsible for the most heinous abuse of children thousands of miles away from him.
“Live-streaming sex crimes exploits the vulnerable; he was helped in this case by facilitators whose motive is to make money. Live-streaming is a key threat to the UK, and one of the main forms of financially-driven offending, for which the Philippines remains a key hub.
“The NCA does important work with international law enforcement partners in the Philippines to combat these sorts of crimes.
“Anyone like Tomlinson should know that the NCA and UK police will never give up our pursuit of offenders who commit these horrific crimes.”
More sentences like this should be handed out to these sick disturbed vile creatures!!!!!
Three letters of suport?! Imagine trying to mitigate the abhorrent acts of this monster. What could they have possibly said? Oh he was an upstanding member of the community when he wasn’t paying to watch children have sex with dogs.
He isn’t depressed because of what he did. He is depressed because he got caught.
Goodbye to bad rubbish
judging by what has been said, he was at it all the time, even in meetings..hopelessly addicted to the filth he immersed himself in at the expense of the innocence of the young.
I do hope that the fact that he cannot access this material, to take away the misery he was causing himself, now means that he will have to face the full mental and emotional consequences of his actions – i wouldn’t wish what he has to face on my worst enemy and when he dies, he probably has hell to look forward to also.
be out in 8 then because he pleaded guilty reduded by a third !!! great well done judge.
I don’t think so… I might be wrong, but the ‘full’ sentence would have been 27 years, reduced by 1/3 =18 yrs. No mention of a minimum term to be served. Hopefully, it won’t be 9 years….
Bob is right, sentencing can often be a joke. The West Wight child rapist was only given 14yrs !!
I sat in the courts today for 2 hours listening to the charge against him and they were utterly deplorable, this man has brought disgust upon himself and I can not begin to imagine the pain that his victims endured; I heard that the youngest victim was 5 years old and the children being abused were 10/11/12, listening to each charge in details at one point I had to leave the court room because I felt physically sick. Tomlinson showed absolutely NO emotion in fact he appeared composed in his trying to chat with the prison officer during moments of quietness. Tomlinson is a dangerous sick thing,
What a disgusting creature. Not even worthy of being called a human being. Even an animal wouldn’t behave in this way.
Bring back hanging for people like this
Hanging is 2 quick ,do a bobbit, then slowly let him die in agony , I have a pair of secateurs bit blunt but with a bit of effort will eventually do the job !!!!!
No doubt there will be more punishment metered out in prison.
Sadly, probably not. As a child abuser he will certainly be held in a “safe” wing with the other nonces for his protection.
He was only disgusted, ashamed and regretful AFTER he had been caught !!
Hi sentence is a set one in years which no doubt will be shortened.
Those he abused have a life sentence to deal with.
Good. Will no doubt be out in 10 years.