Vet convicted over child porn and bestiality images struck off

A veterinary surgeon who last year was handed a suspended sentence over possession of child porn and images of extreme bestiality has been struck off.

Following the emergence of online discussions in which Dr Walter Dingemanse shared fantasies of abusing young children and talked of setting up a group for “pervy dads”, police raided his home in Streatley, Berkshire, on Valentine’s Day, 2019.

There they seized a number of devices containing  indecent images of children and 22 extreme pornographic images showing people having sex with animals.

Dr Dingemanse was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months, directed to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and fined £420 for prosecution costs and £140 victim surcharge.

Following that conviction, the RCVS Disciplinary Committee held an online hearing on 14 and 15 February 2022 at which Dr Dingemanse was in attendance, represented by his solicitor, Mr Primmer.

In relation to the charges, the committee were presented with evidence taken from the transcripts of the canine psychotherapist’s Crown Court sentencing hearing, which outlined that he had used an online messaging service to engage in conversations about child sexual abuse under a pseudonym.

Counsel for the College submitted to the Disciplinary Committee that the nature of circumstances of the offences rendered Dr Dingemanse unfit to practise as a veterinary surgeon and Mr Primmer indicated to the Committee that Dr Dingemanse accepted this.

Committee chair Cerys Jones said: “The Committee considered that members of the public would rightly be appalled that a registered veterinary surgeon had committed offences of this nature and decided that the only appropriate and proportionate sanction in this case was removal from the Register.”

Dr Dingemanse has 28 days from being notified of his removal from the Register to lodge an appeal with the Privy Council.

The Committee’s full findings can be viewed at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary