Russell Weatherley: Paedophile Jailed for Sexually Abusing Teenage Girl and Possessing Thousands of Indecent Images

A paedophile who sexually abused a teenage girl and possessed over 15,000 indecent images of children and animals has been sentenced to over a decade in prison.

Police raided the home of registered sex offender Russell Duncan Frederick Weatherley in 2022 after receiving information he possessed indecent images of children. Officers recovered a laptop containing more than 15,000 indecent images and arrested the 62-year-old from Bearpark, County Durham.

Detectives also discovered a folder on the device named after the victim, who Weatherley had abused decades earlier. Weatherley had forced the girl to perform sexual acts, often photographing or filming them.

He was charged with over 30 offenses and initially pleaded not guilty to six counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl and five counts of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity. He went to trial and was found guilty of all these charges, as well as changing his plea to guilty for an additional 18 counts of making indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornography featuring animals.

Weatherley was sentenced to ten years and six months in prison at Teesside Crown Court on Friday (December 6).

Following the sentencing, DC Liam Padget, who led the investigation, said: "Weatherley is a monster in every sense of the word and that is how the victim described him. We hope this sentence allows her to finally start to heal from this ordeal."

"I would like to commend the victim and her family for their bravery and perseverance during the investigation. She has had to carry the burden of abuse for many years, and this sentence reflects society’s abhorrence of crimes such as this.

“Durham Constabulary will always investigate offences of this nature and place victims at the centre of everything we do. If you have been a victim of abuse, please reach out. We will believe you.”