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Paedophile's PCC complaint dismissed

5:55pm Friday 25th April 2008

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A CONVICTED paedophile caught on camera delivering food to a nursery in Corsham has had his complaint to the Press Complaints Commission dismissed.

Steven Spencer, 35, an ex-Scout leader from Charlton, complained over an article which appeared in the Chippenham News on February 22, as well as in other local and national papers.

Spencer complained the articles were inaccurate, breached his privacy and amounted to harassment. He said his private life and sexuality were not news.

The PCC dismissed all three allegations and said the Chippenham News had no case to answer.

We reported how Spencer was suspended from his job at Sainsbury's after he was photographed making a delivery to Snapdragons Nursery in Pound Pill, Corsham.

Last July Spencer admitted hoarding hundreds of images of children and received a suspended sentence, as well as being placed on the sex offenders' register.

The PCC dismissed claims of inaccuracy and said the press was entitled to report on this story, as the fact Spencer was convicted of possessing and distributing indecent photos of children and that he had made a delivery to a nursery were not in dispute.

The PCC's report went onto say there was no intrusion into Spencer's private life, as his details had been widely reported at the time of his trial and a repetition of these details did not amount to a breach.

It said: "There is also a general public interest in the identification of individuals who have been charged with criminal offences."

On the allegation of harassment, the PCC said it was legitimate for reporters to ask questions of Spencer on this matter.


Your Say YourWiltshire Times

Necker, Trowbridge says...
9:14pm Fri 25 Apr 08

"He said his private life and sexuality were not news."
Might not be news but it's nice to be kept informed.

News for you mate, your rights were blown away as soon as you downloaded the first indecent image.

Well done Chippenham News - Everyones conscience is clear except his...

cindy, darkest Corsham says...
3:49pm Sat 26 Apr 08

He was unlucky, obviously picked a slow news day to do his delivery. Come to that, lately every day has been a slow news day at WT. Do I detect a fall in the number of staff reporters and a dependance on readers texts and emails?

DILLIGAF, Westbury says...
4:32pm Sat 26 Apr 08


Surely the bloke has done his time and is now kept an eye on by whatever services gets involved with these people after they leave prison Tacky little rags like WT are indeed only chasing him to harrass him. If his behaviour was serious enough for him to not be near a nursery then such an order banning him from doing so would have been part of his parol conditions. WT achieve nothing by such gutter stories other than to prove how sh1tty WT is and how desperate it is to get readers these days.


SteveK, Wiltshire says...
8:49am Sun 27 Apr 08

However politically 'incorrect' common sense may actually be these days, I agree with DILLIGAF on this. The man was not 'working' at the nursery (which would have been another matter entirely) He was a delivery driver for Sainsburys for goodness sake. Experience also shows that if an offender is gainfully employed, the chances of his re-offending are greatly reduced. So, net result? The man has now lost his job and has plenty of time on his hands! I'm sure his probation officer is well-pleased!

ronnie, deepest wiltshire says...
10:10am Sun 27 Apr 08

perhaps the gentleman should be stop from walking round the streets or going shopping lots of children around these places and not all with parents to keep a eye on them. delivering to a Nursery poses know more risk the mans been caught let him get on with his life.
I don not agree with what he did and agree he should be punished.
but he can not keep being punished for the rest of his life.

westburygirl, westbury says...
10:28am Sun 27 Apr 08

i can see both pints of views of the different commenets on here....BUT what if it was your child at this nursery or grandchild !!! wouldnt you want toknow if there was someone around the premises that you should be on your guard against cincerning your young ones....... iknow i would ..
if he is not allowed near children again then he shouldnt really be dilivering to a nursery school to be honest....

jh, west wilts says...
10:46am Sun 27 Apr 08

interesting responses from ronnie,SteveK and DILLIGAF who have chosen Spencer as the victim..a paedophile's victim is a child..a paedophile is a danger to children FOR EVER!! even convicted ones who have served their sentences are still a risk to children FOR EVER!! Children must must always be protected even to the extent of erring on the over cautious

ronnie, deepest wiltshire says...
2:23pm Sun 27 Apr 08

jh wrote:
interesting responses from ronnie,SteveK and DILLIGAF who have chosen Spencer as the victim..a paedophile's victim is a child..a paedophile is a danger to children FOR EVER!! even convicted ones who have served their sentences are still a risk to children FOR EVER!! Children must must always be protected even to the extent of erring on the over cautious
I realise that children need to be protected, But you can keep him away from children for ever
without locking him up perhaps that should have happen but it did not so the man has to beable to work and earn a living.

Necker, Trowbridge says...
7:11pm Sun 27 Apr 08

Maybe the application form he filled out where it says 'Do you have a criminal record' was overlooked?
It would be interesting to find out if the employer had this question on the form?

Whats Sainsbury's take on this?
I know every application form I've filled out had it.

Or is there some cover up or immunity for paedophiles to declare this?

cindy, darkest Corsham says...
7:13am Mon 28 Apr 08

I do hate the misuse of the word "paedophile". It comes from Greek: "pais" = child and "philia" = love. Most people love children. Can't we use the terms "vile perv" or similar?

DILLIGAF, Westbury says...
11:13am Mon 28 Apr 08

jh wrote:
interesting responses from ronnie,SteveK and DILLIGAF who have chosen Spencer as the victim..a paedophile's victim is a child..a paedophile is a danger to children FOR EVER!! even convicted ones who have served their sentences are still a risk to children FOR EVER!! Children must must always be protected even to the extent of erring on the over cautious

Dont talk such cr@p. The guy downloaded a few iffy pictures. He did not fiddle with kids nor is he ever likely to. I'd expect the staff at the nursery to act *IF* anyone approached the children innapropriately but to be honest you are far more likely to find a kiddy fiddler INSIDE a nursery rather than delivering to it.
I'd also say that Spencer is very much a victim both of the current witch hunt and whatever causes people to decide that looking at such filth gives them a kick.
Still, when some drunken vigilante mob burn Spencers house down along with whoever else was in it at the time then WT can say how clever it has been eh?

concerned in wilts, TROWBRIDGE says...
6:28pm Mon 28 Apr 08

DILLIGAF wrote:
jh wrote: interesting responses from ronnie,SteveK and DILLIGAF who have chosen Spencer as the victim..a paedophile's victim is a child..a paedophile is a danger to children FOR EVER!! even convicted ones who have served their sentences are still a risk to children FOR EVER!! Children must must always be protected even to the extent of erring on the over cautious
Dont talk such cr@p. The guy downloaded a few iffy pictures. He did not fiddle with kids nor is he ever likely to. I'd expect the staff at the nursery to act *IF* anyone approached the children innapropriately but to be honest you are far more likely to find a kiddy fiddler INSIDE a nursery rather than delivering to it. I'd also say that Spencer is very much a victim both of the current witch hunt and whatever causes people to decide that looking at such filth gives them a kick. Still, when some drunken vigilante mob burn Spencers house down along with whoever else was in it at the time then WT can say how clever it has been eh?
what di you assume a few to be in the report it says hundreds well thats more than a few si he was more than curious I think,and sounds more than a bit iffy to me.If your child was on one of these pictures im sure your view would be different.

walter, wilshur says...
7:48am Tue 29 Apr 08

cindy wrote:
I do hate the misuse of the word "paedophile". It comes from Greek: "pais" = child and "philia" = love. Most people love children. Can't we use the terms "vile perv" or similar?
I quite agree Cindy. And did I ever tell you,the wife's mother thought a paedophile was something you used to file your toe nails?

IAMLEGEND, Wilts says...
11:29am Wed 30 Apr 08

concerned in wilts wrote:
DILLIGAF wrote:
jh wrote: interesting responses from ronnie,SteveK and DILLIGAF who have chosen Spencer as the victim..a paedophile's victim is a child..a paedophile is a danger to children FOR EVER!! even convicted ones who have served their sentences are still a risk to children FOR EVER!! Children must must always be protected even to the extent of erring on the over cautious
Dont talk such cr@p. The guy downloaded a few iffy pictures. He did not fiddle with kids nor is he ever likely to. I'd expect the staff at the nursery to act *IF* anyone approached the children innapropriately but to be honest you are far more likely to find a kiddy fiddler INSIDE a nursery rather than delivering to it. I'd also say that Spencer is very much a victim both of the current witch hunt and whatever causes people to decide that looking at such filth gives them a kick. Still, when some drunken vigilante mob burn Spencers house down along with whoever else was in it at the time then WT can say how clever it has been eh?
what di you assume a few to be in the report it says hundreds well thats more than a few si he was more than curious I think,and sounds more than a bit iffy to me.If your child was on one of these pictures im sure your view would be different.
i agree, he's a dirty rotten SCUMBAG, he had a freekin suspended sentence, no jail time, you know why cos if he'd gone inside he would have never come out again, and i say good! i think capital punishment chould be brought back for these dirty pigs, everyone on the sex offenders list should be strung up and stoned to death,

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