October 2014

‘Vile’ child abuse images addiction of landlord of Aylesbury’s White Swan pub

A pub landlord with a ‘thoroughly evil addiction’ to child abuse images downloaded 20,000 vile images of kids as young as six and seven.

Anthony Leaver, 54, who ran the White Swan pub in Walton Street, Aylesbury with his wife Terri, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity saying ‘it was me, I admit it’ when police raided his flat above the establishment.

Judge Karen Holt, sitting at Amersham for Aylesbury Crown Court, heard that as a result his wife has left him, and has given up the license at the pub – which is currently closed – to go and live in Norfolk.

Secretive Leaver, who also worked at Oxford University, used a laptop to access the images and videos, some of which were of children as young as six or seven and classed as Category A – the most serious type.

The majority found were Category C.

The landlord, who helped to run of one of Aylesbury’s only alternative music pubs, used the Frostwire file sharing system to get hold of the sick pictures.

Leaver, who has two adult sons, then made attempts to stop the programme from allowing other users access to the folder he kept the material in, by saving them to USB sticks and a computer hard drive to avoid the more serious crime of distributing indecent images of children.

But the tactic was not altogether succesful, because 42 files were still available for others to download when the laptop was seized by police.

Supported by his son, bearded Leaver listened intently as the court heard students at Oxford University had found about his crimes. The revelations led to him leaving his job as a telephone engineer.

Leaver’s defence told how when he was arrested he ‘expressed some relief that he was finally being stopped from this activity, because it had not only become unhealthy, but was a thoroughly evil addiction’.

The court also heard that Lever has sought help from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which offers an intensive course to help paedophiles overcome their addiction.

During police questioning Leaver described his actions as a ‘sick fascination’ and the court heard that he had led the life of a hoarder, with his flat crammed full of possessions.

His defence said ‘he was a man who lead a blameless life, but he sat in his room looking at this monstrous material.’

It was also heard that Leaver had told police that files containing even more images were in his car without being prompted, in an effort to be as co-operative as possible.

Paedophile Leaver, who is now living in High Wycombe, was sentenced to eight months in 
prison, suspended for two years.

He is also the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order and must attend a rehabilitation course to help him understand the nature and impact of his crimes.