September 2008

Ex-teacher: Pills made me a pervert

A FORMER headmaster who hoarded 8,000 child porn pics walked free from court yesterday after a judge accepted that medication for Parkinson’s Disease had turned him into a paedophile.

Phillip Carmichael, 58, admitted downloading the videos and images — with one in the most serious “Level Five” category — but got an absolute discharge as lawyers said the drugs had boosted his sex drive.

Judge Mary-Jane Mowat even rejected a prosecution appeal for him to be put under supervision after hearing about his “impeccable record”.

One image of a nine-year-old girl was downloaded BEFORE the retired primary school head began taking medication for Parkinson’s and Graves’ Diseases.

Pictures

Carmichael said he did not know why it was there and Judge Mowat agreed to disregard it.

Most pictures were in least-serious Level One category but four videos were Level Four, Oxford Crown Court heard.

Married Carmichael, of Wantage, even emailed one website to complain about the quality of pics.

The court heard “hypersexuality,” and compulsive gamblingand shopping were side effects of the drugs.

Carmichael, who retired through ill health in 1999, stopped taking the medication after his arrest.

He admitted seven counts of making indecent images and four counts of possession