Liverpool, UK – Allan Clarke, 28, has Asperger’s syndrome. In October 2013, police raided his home after receiving intelligence that he had 250 indecent images stored on his computer. The Liverpool Echo report that 5,243 photographs and 458 movies were found that depicted children being abused.
However, Mr Clarke was spared jail by Judge Stephen Everett because he has Asperger’s. Instead he was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Judge Evererett told that without a diagnosis of autism;
“I would have had no hesitation whatsoever in imposing an immediate custodial sentence”.
Mr Blasbery, prosecuting, told:
“The defendant was present. When asked if he had any such material he replied ‘yes, I download it onto my netbook and then transfer it onto my laptop’.”
He also told that Mr Clarke made a “full and frank” admission to the police and pleaded guilty.
Mr Blasbery also told that 1,606 of the images were classified in Category A, which is the most serious category, and 2,012 in Category B.
Stephen Polson, defending, told that Mr Clarke who is a night cleaner, was diagnosed with “a mild form of Asperger’s,” was full of remorse and shame.
Mr Clarke received a two-year supervision order, a Sexual Offences Prevention Order and will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years.
Source:Neil Docking in the Liverpool Echo: Knowsley paedophile Allan Clarke spared jail because he has autism
Autism Daily Newscast is interested in your opinion. Should offenders with autism be given more lenient sentences?
Keep in mind that having autism or Aspergers are two separate condition levels. most people with autism do not drive or graduate High School but people with Aspergers have masters or PhD degrees. We also need to take into consideration that this was a hands off offense and done in the privacy of his home unless he personally took pictures of these kids. The story does not expose this information for us.
I personally feel just because he has Apergers does not mean he is off the hook, having said that I also feel that this case could have easily went to trail just bases on the information provided in this story.
Umm… I have Autism, I was first diagnosed when I was 6. I also have a Bachelor’s Degree, drive, and work. Beware of stereotyping.
NO, NO, NO….. him being on spectrum or not should have NOTHING to do with how he is being sentenced for this. It makes it sound like it is a part of his AS, when it is NOT. There a millions of people with autism spectrum conditions who don’t hurt others. This sort of action by the court is harmful to so many innocent people. Shudder.
I suggest you read “the Autism Spectrum, Sexuality and the Law” by Dubin and Attwood. It may open your eyes to the fact that this problem is becoming increasingly widespread and recognized. Remember autism spectrum disorders affect different people in different ways.
Whether or not someone with Asperger’s or mild ASD should receive a milder sentence or not probably depends in part upon the age of the person and the crime committed.
If this was a case of an 18-20 year old young man with Asperger’s who was looking at pictures of 14-year-old girls, I could see that while it would legally still be considered paedophilia, he may developmentally be young enough for that to be what he feels is age appropriate, which should lead to lighter sentencing.
This young many was 28 when the crime was committed, and the article does not disclose the age range of the minors he was looking at in the pictures. If they were anything below the age of about 12 -14, throw the book at him.
MOST people with mild ASD tend to have highly developed moral codes. Personally, I think people who look like they’re still in their teens are not attractive, I prefer people close to my own age. I could never understand why so many older women were drooling over Leonardo DiCaprio. he looked like he was all of 15 to me in the publicity photos for Titanic. Uggh.
The punishment did not fit the crime in this instance. While appreciating the fact that the judge did take into account the medical condition, “mild” Asperger’s should not excuse the convicted. Ongoing in-house mental placement along with a bracelet when released after treatment would be more appropriate, in my opinion. My 17 yo would never consider repeating the actions of this man. He has a very strong moral compass and rigid view of right/wrong, which is more typical of someone w asperger’s. I feel the judge should have done a little more research into asperger’s and have gotten a psychological exam evaluation prior to sentencing.
Aspergers is high functioning autism. You can basically manage in society, just be socially awkward.
My nephew has aspergers and if he was doing that (dont know if the man actually abused a child or not) I would think he would be locked up for a couple of months at least for it. He just dosnt get stuff sometimes.