EXCLUSIVE: Friend accuses Phillip Schofield of ‘abandoning’ his paedophile younger brother by disowning him after he was convicted of sexually abusing a schoolboy
- Phillip, 61, distanced himself from his sibling just minutes after the guilty verdict
- Timothy Schofield, 54, is due to be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on May 19
Phillip Schofield has been accused of ‘abandoning’ his paedophile younger brother by disowning him after he was convicted of sexually abusing a schoolboy.
Timothy Schofield’s close friend John Picton, who lived with him and accompanied him to court during the trial hit out at the star saying: ‘The one person Tim thought might be able to help him has now thrown him under the bus.’
‘Before the trial Tim broke down and cried his eyes out to Phil and now he has abandoned him’.
This Morning presenter Phil took to social media after his brother Timothy Schofield was found guilty of abusing the boy and stated: ‘As far as I am concerned, I no longer have a brother’.
Minutes after the guilty verdict, Phil, 61, distanced himself from his younger sibling, 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.
Timothy Schofield’s close friend John Picton (pictured right, with Timothy outside court) lived with him and accompanied him during the trial
Phillip Schofield has been accused of ‘abandoning’ his paedophile younger brother Timothy Schofield, 54, pictured, by disowning him after he was convicted of sexually abusing a schoolboy
Yesterday, dressed in a grey shirt, Timothy Schofield, of Bath, bowed his head as the jury found him guilty on all 11 counts by a majority of ten to two on each at Exeter Crown Court. His friend John Picton, who has hit out at Phillip Schofield, is pictured right
‘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.’
But Timothy Schofield’s close friend Mr Picton, who shared a flat with him in north London after the pair grew up together in Newquay, Cornwall, hit out at the star for abandoning his brother.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Mr Picton said: ‘I’ve known Tim since I was 18. I understand why he’s in the mental condition he is at the moment.
‘Before the trial Tim broke down and cried his eyes out to Phil and now the one person he thought might be able to help him has thrown him under the bus.’
‘Tim has spent his lifetime living in Phil’s shadow and being controlled by everyone.’
Phil said his brother, 54, had committed ‘despicable crimes’ and told his followers: ‘I welcome the guilty verdicts.’
Yesterday, dressed in a grey shirt, Timothy Schofield, of Bath, bowed his head as the jury found him guilty on all 11 counts by a majority of ten to two on each at Exeter Crown Court.
Timothy Schofield’s close friend John Picton, who lived with him and accompanied him to court during the trial hit out at the star saying: ‘The one person Tim thought might be able to help him has now thrown him under the bus’ (the brothers are pictured together)
They took five hours and 41 minutes to convict the police IT technician of causing the victim to watch sex acts and engage in sex acts, and performing sex acts in front of the boy.
The boy told how he had felt ’emotionally blackmailed’ and ‘forced’ to participate in sexual activity from when he was a young teenager.
He bided his time until he had the ‘physical advantage’ before confronting his abuser in August 2021 when he told the paedophile: ‘It’s never going to happen again.’
Timothy Schofield called Phillip the following month saying he was suicidal, before driving to the star’s London home ‘in a state of heightened agitation’.
After switching between being ‘furiously angry’ and bursting into tears, the sex offender then told Phillip over the washing up that he had masturbated and watched pornography in the presence of the boy.
The celebrity turned and asked: ‘What did you say?’ His brother then claimed it was ‘just this time’, prompting the TV host to tell him ‘it should never happen again’.
But in his statement, Phillip makes no mention of asking for more details.
Instead he just told Timothy to ‘stop’ when he started to describe the teenager’s body.
Sentencing was adjourned while a file is compiled on Schofield’s mental health.
He was repeatedly accused of ‘playing the victim’ by prosecutors during the trial. At one point last week he did not appear in court because he had collapsed ‘in a crisis’.
Schofield is due to be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on May 19.
This Morning presenter Phil took to social media after his brother Timothy Schofield was found guilty of abusing the boy and stated: ‘As far as I am concerned, I no longer have a brother’
They took five hours and 41 minutes to convict the police IT technician (pictured right with his mother Pat, centre, and brother Phillip, left) of causing the victim to watch sex acts and engage in sex acts, and performing sex acts in front of the boy
Phillip has not appeared on This Morning this week to perform his regular hosting duties with Holly Willoughby in light of the trial of his brother
He was repeatedly accused of ‘playing the victim’ by prosecutors during the trial. At one point last week he did not appear in court because he had collapsed ‘in a crisis’
Avon and Somerset Police, where Schofield was employed, said a misconduct hearing will be held ‘as soon as possible’. The IT worker was suspended in December 2021.
Detective Inspector Keith Smith said: ‘This defendant has exploited and abused the victim by carrying out a sickening series of offences over a significant period of time.
‘Although the defendant does not work in a public-facing role, and the offences are not linked to his employment, we know the fact he works for the police will be a matter of public concern.’
An NSPCC spokesman said: ‘Child sexual abuse can have a devastating and long-lasting impact on a person’s life and Timothy Schofield’s actions were deeply harmful. We hope that the young man he targeted is receiving all the support he needs to move forward with his life.’
The NSPCC urged adults who are concerned about a child to contact [email protected] and young people to call Childline on 0800 1111.
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