An Isle of Wight businessman and former president of the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for child sexual abuse offences following a National Crime Agency investigation.
Peter Tomlinson, 63, admitted 20 charges, including ten of paying for the sexual services of a girl under 13 – by arranging, directing and paying for the live-streamed sexual abuse of children in the Philippines.
Tomlinson: It is my escape from reality
When arrested by NCA officers in October 2019 at his home on Baring Road, Cowes, he said:
“The thing you’re looking for is on my computer in there. It is my escape from reality. That is all it is.”
Paid £5,500 for live-streamed child sexual abuse
Tomlinson paid £5,511 via 127 transactions to accounts in the Philippines between May 2015 and April 2017 for a mix of live-streamed child sexual abuse (CSA) and adult sex shows.
The NCA uncovered evidence that over a three-year period (2016-2019), he repeatedly paid facilitators for the live-streamed abuse of at least eleven young girls.
Abuse of five-year-old
The youngest was just five when the abuse began. In January 2018, Tomlinson paid £22 to view a live sex show he had requested involving the child.
In a further exchange January 2019, he said he would pay a Filipino woman £7.66 if she performed a sex act on a ten-year-old girl.
Facilitator arrested
Investigators unearthed proof of thousands of messages between Tomlinson and the female facilitator – who has been arrested and the children safeguarded.
They exchanged 4,166 lines of chat on Skype – 358 indicated to be video calls and 3,809 text messages.
Asked for ‘harder’ abuse
During those calls Tomlinson repeatedly asked for “harder” abuse footage, spelling out what he wanted to see and then complaining about what he received.
In June 2018 he paid the woman £12.99 and then complained saying for that price:
“I will expect a show with two girls for 30 minutes.”
Whilst at work
Communication between Tomlinson and the woman was at all times of the day and night with him telling her:
“I am busy in meetings” and “I’m still working”.
Hundreds of images
During interview with NCA officers he admitted arranging, directing and paying for live streamed CSA and possessing indecent images of children.
His electronic devices contained 47 category A images (the most severe), 148 category B, 353 category C and 46 extreme images.
Pleaded guilty to 20 counts
Tomlinson pleaded guilty to the initial 12 counts put to him – which included paying for the abuse of two young girls and making indecent images of children, at Newport Magistrates Court on 18th December 2020.
NCA investigators charged him with the additional eight counts in February this year after proving he was responsible for the abuse of a further nine children in the Philippines.
Today at Newport Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to the eight charges and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Eccles: Directly responsible for the most heinous abuse of children
NCA operations manager Phil Eccles 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.”
Businesses he was involved with
News OnTheWight researched Mr Tomlinson at the time of his arrest in October 2019 and found that he had resigned within two days from a number of Isle of Wight businesses, including Vectis Trading Ltd/JR Zone, Betapak, IW Chamber of Commerce, Hampshire and IW Opportunity Society, Avalon House International and Education Destination Ltd – an organisation that arranges trips to the Island for school trips.
Helpline
Child protection charity The Lucy Faithfull Foundation also runs the Stop It Now! helpline – 0808 1000 900 – which offers confidential advice to anyone concerned about their own or someone else’s behaviour towards children.
News shared by the National Crime Agency, with some additional information from News OnTheWight. Ed
