May 2023

Former police staff member given jail sentence for child sex offences

The brother of the television presenter Phillip Schofield has been jailed for 12 years after being convicted of sexually abusing a vulnerable teenage boy over a three-year period.

Timothy Schofield, 54, who was a civilian police worker with the Avon and Somerset force at the time of the abuse, was found guilty of 11 sexual offences involving a child.

In his victim personal statement, the complainant said he had felt trapped by Schofield and the “ripples” of his offences continued to caused deep hurt.

He said: “Before Tim was arrested, I felt I had no freedom. I often felt panic, stress and fear. I felt like I was trapped in a loop of fear and anxiety of the abuse happening again.”

But he said there had been little respite: “I feel more blunt, I feel more bitter, I feel numb to life. I know I should feel really happy or really sad but I don’t have the ability to emotionally react. I feel like I’m watching everything crumble before me … I’ve had to fake everything for so long.”

Sentencing him at Bristol crown court, Mrs Justice Cutts told Schofield: “You exploited his innocence for your own sexual gratification.” She said the complainant thought he had to do what Schofield wanted because he was worried about his temper.

She said: “He felt forced to do what you wanted, trapped and unable to escape. He felt he couldn’t tell anyone and did not do so for many years. You took away his ability to be the teenager he should have been: carefree, relaxed, happy. You became utterly obsessed with him.

“Your actions have had a devastating impact. You thought only of yourself. I have not heard a word of genuine remorse, only self-pity.”

Grey-haired and bearded, Schofield shook his head and appeared tearful during the judge’s sentencing remarks.

Schofield was convicted of two counts of sexual activity with a child, three of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, three of causing a child to watch sexual activity and three of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

The offences took place between October 2016 and October 2019. The court was told that some of the pornography was “extreme” and involved violence.

Robin Shellard, prosecuting, said aggravating factors included a “significant degree of planning” and the fact that he gave the complainant alcohol to make him more “malleable”.

Peter Binder, defending, said Schofield had no previous convictions and described his client as “socially isolated” and “deeply troubled”. “To his eternal shame he lost semblance of a moral compass,” the barrister said.

A jury at Exeter crown court was told the offences emerged after the complainant was persuaded to see two counsellors and revealed what had happened. The police were alerted and Schofield was arrested within 48 hours at his home in Bath.

Schofield was based at Avon and Somerset police headquarters and was suspended from duty in December 2021 when the allegations were first made. Following his convictions, a misconduct hearing took place and he was dismissed without notice.

In a statement issued after the verdicts last month, Phillip Schofield said he was disowning his brother. “These are despicable crimes,” he said. “As far as I am concerned, I no longer have a brother.”

He added: “If any crime had ever been confessed to me by my brother, I would have acted immediately to protect the victim and their family.”

April 2023

Phillip Schofield’s paedophile brother sacked from job after convictions

The paedophile brother of TV presenter Phillip Schofield has been sacked from his police job following his conviction for child sex offences.

Timothy Schofield, 54, was convicted of 11 sexual offences involving a child between October 2016 and October 2019, including two of sexual activity with a child, after a trial at Exeter Crown Court.

He worked for Avon and Somerset Police as an IT worker and has now been sacked by the force.

Schofield, from Bath, was suspended from his job at police HQ in Portishead after he was arrested and charged.

Following his convictions, a misconduct hearing was chaired by Assistant Chief Constable Will White and he was dismissed without notice.

Mr White, in outlining the findings of the panel, said: “Timothy Schofield committed a series of manipulative and exploitative offences against someone in a position of vulnerability.

“The details and impact of his criminality were distressing to read for the panel, as they would be for members of the public.

“The panel is grateful for the courage shown by the victim and all those who provided information and evidence to the investigation team, which resulted in him being brought to justice for these abhorrent crimes.

“Timothy Schofield’s position as a member of a police organisation makes his responsibility all the greater in terms of his offending behaviour. The harm he’s caused has been serious and extensive.

“His criminal conviction undermines the public’s trust and confidence in the police service and its employees who work tirelessly to build that trust, particularly at this time of national scrutiny.”

Schofield was convicted earlier this month by a jury at Exeter Crown Court of 11 offences and will be sentenced in May.

He had told the jury he watched pornography with the boy, whom he insisted was over the age of 16 at that time, and they had masturbated while sitting apart, but denied performing sexual acts on the teenager.

Jurors heard previously the defendant told his elder brother Phillip in September 2021 that he and the complainant had watched pornography together.

In a statement released by his lawyer after the guilty verdict, the This Morning host said: “My overwhelming concern is and has always been for the wellbeing of the victim and his family. I hope that their privacy will now be respected.

“If any crime had ever been confessed to me by my brother, I would have acted immediately to protect the victim and their family.

“These are despicable crimes, and I welcome the guilty verdicts. As far as I am concerned, I no longer have a brother.”