Arthur Waite

A paedophile from Taunton, Somerset, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a series of sexual offences against two underage girls committed over a decade ago. Arthur Waite, aged 65 and formerly a church volunteer, was exposed when he attempted to develop photographs of the victims, leading to a police investigation that uncovered disturbing evidence of his crimes.

The offences occurred between 2004 and 2005, during which time Waite was entrusted with the care of the girls, aged 13 and 15. Prosecuting barrister Ian Dixey told Taunton Crown Court that Waite had groomed the children over an extended period, spending money on them, buying clothes, showing the younger girl pornographic videos, and encouraging her to wear provocative clothing to normalise the sexual activity. The court heard that Waite filmed his actions using a hidden static camera placed on top of a wardrobe in his master bedroom, capturing 34 scenes of him engaging in sexual intercourse with the girls. These recordings were later compiled into videotapes, along with two sex aids, which Waite hid in a carrier bag in a hedge outside his home on Eastleigh Road.

Waite's downfall came on 26 August 2005, when staff at a photography shop alerted authorities after he brought in photos of the underage girls for development. Police searches recovered the three videotapes, confirming the abuse. Waite, who had pleaded guilty to nine charges including one count of rape, covered his head in shame as he was led into court on Wednesday. Defending barrister Lawrence Wilcox highlighted Waite's previous good character, his service in the armed forces for six years, his role as a driver, and his charity work overseas with the church and the Royal British Legion. Wilcox also noted that Waite, a father of two and grandfather, had attempted suicide on 1 September of the previous year once legal proceedings began.

Sentencing Waite, Judge Stephen O'Malley described the behaviour as a 'grave breach of trust', stating: 'Instead of caring for these young people you involved them in grossly indecent sexual activity over a period of time, the conduct taking place years before it should have normally happened.' In addition to the seven-year custodial sentence, Waite will serve the remainder under licence in the community after three years, subject to a sexual offences prevention order and indefinite registration on the Sex Offenders Register. The case was heard at Taunton Crown Court, with reporting by Helen Rossiter for the Somerset County Gazette, in partnership with USA Today.