Paedophile jailed for attempting to import child-like sex doll in UK first

A man from Cheshire has been jailed for attempting to smuggle a child-like sex doll, in what is believed to be a first conviction of its kind in the UK.

Andrew Dobson, 49, from Crewe, was sentenced to two years and eight months after pleading guilty to importing an indecent object, two counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing indecent images of children at Chester Crown Court.

An investigation was launched after Border Force officers discovered a parcel at East Midlands Airport. last September that was labelled as a mannequin, but instead was found to contain an "obscene" childlike doll. The package was addressed to Dobson and had been purchased in Honk Kong.

During a search of his home following an arrest, officers also uncovered a host of indecent images of children on Dobson's computer. Dobson admitted buying the doll to use for his own sexual gratification as well as downloading child abuse images and movies online.

Upon sentencing, the judge said he was "disgusted" to discover that sex dolls that look like children exist.

Detective Constable Andy Kent, of Cheshire Constabulary's Paedophile and Cyber Investigation Unit, said: "Knowing child sex-dolls exist and are available for sex offenders to buy is sickening. For Dobson to go to great lengths to import one for his own sexual gratification shows the extent of his paraphilic interest in children.

"This conviction is the first of its kind for Cheshire, cases like these are also very rare across the country, however I want to make it clear that importing a child sex-doll is a criminal offence. Dobson should serve as an example to those who think they can also commit this crime for their own selfish needs."

Border Force's Julian Doughty, Senior Manager at the Fast Parcel Joint Border Intelligence Unit, said: "The Border Force detection at East Midlands Airport was the vital first step in the identification and conviction of an individual who was found to be involved in other serious offences against children.

"The importation of dolls likes this is a new phenomena and Dobson is one of the first people sentenced in the UK in relation to such an item. Working closely with law enforcement partners, Border Force is determined to bring those involved in this type of offence to justice."