Twice-Convicted Pedophile Ordered To Try Experimental Psychotherapy To Curb Perverted Fantasies

A UK court has ordered a twice-convicted pedophile to undergo an experimental psychotherapy, usually intended to help trauma victims heal their mental wounds, to curb his perverted fantasies about children.

Known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EDMR), the fairly new therapy pairs eye movements with the cognitive processing of a person's traumatic memories and thereby reduces the vividness of the consequent emotions.

The Grimsby Crown Court asked 35-year-old Antony Akid of Edward Street to undergo the new treatment of EMDR, while deferring his sentence to Aug. 27, reports Hull Live.

Judge Ahmed Nadim said it was the second time in six years that Akid had been convicted of possession of indecent images of children. He had earlier been jailed for the same crime in 2014 after he admitted to eight counts of possession and one of distribution of indecent images.

Akid should either pay for the treatment or avail it through the NHS, the judge ordered, adding that the latest conviction was "a persistent breach and a breach of the Sex Prevention Order imposed at the previous hearing."

Akid has admitted to "having a perverted interest" in children although he never "translated that into acting out those fantasies,” the judge said.

"You contribute to the exploitation of vulnerable children that leads to immeasurable harm. The images you viewed are created with harm and with a consequential danger that lasts many years. The easiest thing would be to look at the guidance and determine how long you are going to prison for," the judge said.

He added that he was willing to accept that Akid was committed to correcting himself. The judge also said he wanted confirmation in three days that Akid had made contact with EDMR experts. "If you don't, you will appear before me and I will impose a significant sentence," the judge warned him.

Meanwhile, prosecutor Paul Genney said police had visited Akid's home in Grimsby in November 2019. They found over 227 images of the most serious classification involving children as young as three to four years old.

Akid's lawyer Craig Lowe said his client had experienced trauma as a child and was seeking psychological support. He said he was exploring "Eye Desensitization Therapy" from an expert named in court as Stuart McLeod.