Brother of famous TV presenter sentenced for child sex offences
Timothy Schofield was sacked from Avon and Somerset Police when he was found guilty
Last updated 19th May 2023
Timothy Schofield, brother of TV presenter Philip, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of 11 sexual offences against a child.
At Bristol Crown Court today (Friday 19 May) he was told he will serve two thirds behind bars, and the rest on licence.
Schofield, 54, was a member of staff with Avon and Somerset Police when the allegations first came to light, but has since been dismissed.
He was convicted following a trial at Exeter Crown Court, with the sentencing going ahead today in Bristol.
At the time of his sacking from Avon and Somerset Police a force spokesperson said: A force spokesperson said: "A criminal investigation was launched after we were first informed of the offences through a third party on December 3, 2021.
"The defendant was arrested the same day and within 48 hours he was charged with criminal offences...
"He was suspended from duty in December 2021 and misconduct proceedings were put on hold while the criminal investigation took priority.
"Following his convictions, a misconduct hearing was chaired by Assistant Chief Constable Will White at Police HQ."
The trial
While giving evidence at Exeter Crown Court, 54-year-old Schofield told the jury he had watched pornography with the boy, who alleged the offending started when he was just 13.
He claimed the boy had told him he was over 16 at the time - despite the boy in court alleging the offending started when he was 13.
Jurors had previously heard how Timothy Schofield told his older brother Phillip in September 2021 that he and the teenager had watched pornography together.
The boy told the jury he felt "emotionally blackmailed" by Schofield and "forced" to participate in sexual activity.
Giving evidence during the trial, the defendant told the jury he had been gay his "entire life" but had kept it "completely secret and hidden from everybody".
He described this as "incredibly difficult" and told the court he had struggled with mental health problems for years.
He insisted the teenager was "old enough" to choose to watch pornography with him.
He told the jury: "It was a consensual thing after the age of 16. He never in any way said no at all."
Schofield denied the charges but was convicted of three counts of causing a child to watch sexual activity, three of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, three of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and two of sexual activity with a child.
After the guilty verdict, Phillip Schofield issued a message saying: ""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."
Police statement outside court
Giving a statement outside court, an officer from Avon and Somerset Police said: "Timothy Schofield, who worked for Avon and Somerset Police at our headquarters at Portishead committed a series of sickening offences for which he's now been brought to justice.
"The offences were first brought to us in December 2021 and within 48 hours Timothy Schofield had been arrested, interviewed and charged.
"The victim in this case has shown remarkable bravery in disclosing the horrific offences committed against him. and the support of the police investigation and court process has been invaluable to us.
"We hope that their courage and determination will encourage other victims of sexual abuse to come forward and speak to the police."
Rachael Lane of the CPS said: “It’s clear that the offences carried out by Tim Schofield had a very significant impact on the victim in this case. I would like to commend them for the immense bravery they have shown in coming forward to report what happened to them.
“The CPS is working closely with our partners across the criminal justice system to transform the way we handle sexual assault cases, drive up the number of successful prosecutions, and ensure that victims are supported throughout the prosecution process.
“I hope that cases like this will encourage victims to feel confident in reporting what happened to them, in the knowledge that they will be supported and that the police and CPS are determined to secure justice for the victims these appalling crimes.”