June 9, 2017 9.09 pm This story is over 81 months old

Disgraced councillor jailed after sharing indecent images of children

A disgraced Sleaford councillor has been jailed for at least eight months for making and distributing indecent images of children. Richard Willis, 51, was arrested by National Crime Agency officers in December 2016, after digital evidence recovered in a wider NCA investigation found that he had been using WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger to send indecent photos of children. Willis,…
Richard Willis was a Sleaford Town councillor at the time of his arrest

A disgraced Sleaford councillor has been jailed for at least eight months for making and distributing indecent images of children.

Richard Willis, 51, was arrested by National Crime Agency officers in December 2016, after digital evidence recovered in a wider NCA investigation found that he had been using WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger to send indecent photos of children.

Willis, who was a Sleaford Town councillor at the time of his arrest, sent a number of images containing child sexual abuse, some of which were in the worst category possible.

On May 18, 2017 Willis pleaded guilty to three counts of making and distributing indecent images of children.

He was sentenced today to 16 months; eight months to be served in prison and eight on licence. He is also subject to a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Tony Cook from the NCA’s CEOP Command said: “Every indecent image shared by Richard Willis is a child being sexually abused.

“Tackling child sexual exploitation is a priority for the NCA. We will use every means at our disposal to ensure vulnerable children are protected and those seeking to abuse them are brought to justice.”

Richard Willis won the by-election for the vacant Sleaford Town Council Mareham Ward seat by just eight votes in February 2016, some 10 months before he was arrested.

Willis was elected with only 148 votes at the time.