Thomas Dodsley 37

Description

A warped University of Derby lecturer manipulated and fantasised over pictures of students and staff he had downloaded from their social media accounts.

Pervert Thomas Dodsley superimposed images of genitalia over their photos and created text boxes accompanied with captions featuring obscene messages.

One of the lewd images included wording that read: "look into my eyes, Mr Dodsley".

Over a six-year period, the married 34-year-old also downloaded just short of 3,000 sick child abuse images, including infants being raped.

And police found vile footage on his laptops, including humans engaged in sexual acts with animals.

Jailing him for a year at Derby Crown Court, Judge Shaun Smith QC said: "At the time you were caught you were a lecturer in criminology at the University of Derby.

"You had been there for three years and previously to that you were involved in youth work.

"You have, it is true, some significant personal mitigation in what you have done since you were caught.

"But I emphasise 'since you were caught' as the author of your (pre-sentence) report is of the opinion you would have carried on if you had not been caught."

Eunice Opare-Addo, prosecuting, said police executed a warrant at Dodsley's address in Grosvenor Avenue, Breaston, at 6.50am on September 1 last year.

She said his wife answered the door and the defendant appeared a short while later.

Miss Opare-Addo said laptops and other electronic devices were seized and analysed.

She said on them were 62 category A movies or images which is the most serious category, 70 category B, 2,842 category C, five prohibited images and 16 extreme pornographic images.

Miss Opare-Addo said: "On a USB stick were photos of past and present Derby University students and staff which appeared to have been obtained from social media.

"Some of them had genitalia and text superimposed over them with one saying 'look into my eyes, Mr Dodsley'."

The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, possession of prohibited images and possession of extreme pornography between March 24, 2014 and September 1, 2020.

His barrister, also called Sean Smith, said: "He has already been addressing his offending by completing an accredited programme which included behavioural therapy."

In a statement, a spokesperson for the University of Derby said: The University was unaware of any allegations or concerns in relation to this individual until he appeared in court to enter his plea.

"He is no longer employed by us, having left his role in March this year.

As well as the jail sentence, Judge Smith made Dodsley sign on the sex offender register for 10 years and handed him a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

He also banned him from working with children for the same amount of time.