Timothy Schofield – the brother of Phillip Schofield – has been jailed for 12 years, it has been confirmed. During an official hearing at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, Mrs Justice Cutts delivered his sentencing.
© Instagram"You exploited [the victim's] innocence at this stage of his life for your own sexual gratification," she began. "It was wrong on every level for you to behave as you did. He felt forced to do what you wanted, trapped and unable to escape. He felt he couldn't tell anyone and did not do so for many years. You took away his ability to be the teenager he should have been - carefree, relaxed, happy. It is clear to me that you became utterly obsessed with him."
The victim – who remains nameless – has also released a statement explaining that he'd felt "trapped in a loop of fear and anxiety," as a result of the abuse he endured. According to The Sun, it is understood that Phillip helped the accuser to come forward with his allegations.
MORE: Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield: a timeline of their alleged fallout
READ: Phillip Schofield all smiles during latest public appearance amid alleged Holly Willoughby feud
Timothy's initial trial took place in March. He was accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy from 2016 to 2019. According to The Mirror, the offences took place while Tim worked for Avon and Somerset police. Timothy has since been sacked from his job as a civilian worker.
As a result of the trial at Exeter Crown Court, Timothy has been charged with 11 sexual offences involving a child. Prior to his hearing at Bristol Crown Court this week, he had been remanded in custody.
What has Phillip Schofield said about his brother?
At the start of April, Phillip broke his silence after Timothy was found guilty of child sexual abuse offences.
Taking to Instagram, Phillip penned: "Statement about the conviction of Timothy Schofield: 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."
© Ken McKay/ITV/REX/ShutterstockHe finished by adding: "If any crime had ever been confessed to me by my sibling, 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."
How has the case affected Phillip Schofield's career?
During his brother's trial, Phillip was notably absent from This Morning in April. Since returning to the show, however, the TV presenter has since faced rumours of a fallout with his co-star Holly Willoughby.
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockAccording to reports, their relationship had come under strain in recent weeks following Timothy's trial.
Phillip, 61, addressed the reports in a recent interview with The Sun. "As I have said before, Holly is my rock," he said. "We're the best of friends - as always, she is an incredible support on screen, behind the scenes and on the phone.
© REX"Holly has always been there for me, through thick and thin. And I've been there for her. The last few weeks haven't been easy for either of us."
The 61-year-old added: "My family went through a real ordeal, and Holly's support throughout meant the world to me - as did the support of my bosses at ITV, my editor Martin Frizell and the whole This Morning family, including our amazing viewers. Whatever happens, we still have each other to count on."
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