SUSSEX PENSIONER BERNARD SOUTHGATE SENTENCED IN CROWBOROUGH FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In September 2003, Bernard Southgate, a 64-year-old resident of St John’s Road in Crowborough, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of possessing and downloading over 6,000 child abuse images from the internet.

The images, some depicting children as young as five engaged in sexual acts, were stored on a file called RDS, which stood for 'Really Dodgy Stuff,' court heard. Southgate was apprehended following a police raid on his home on Christmas Eve, during which his computer was confiscated, as revealed at Lewes Crown Court.

Southgate pleaded guilty to 20 charges of making indecent photographs of children, with charges covering the period from February 2000 to November of the previous year. He also asked for 19 additional similar charges to be taken into account.

The court was informed that Southgate had a criminal history, including a nine-year prison sentence in 1981 at London's Central Criminal Court for a serious sexual offence and indecent assault on a male under 14. Additionally, he served four months in 1998 at Lewes magistrates' court for possession of a Class B drug with intent to supply, a sentence later reduced to a community service order on appeal.

Prosecutor Tim Bergin stated, "The images came to light following a police raid. On that occasion, various computer equipment was seized. In total, there were 6,047 images. One shows a girl aged between six and eight on a bed with a gag in her mouth and a whip across her buttocks, with a sex aid on the bed."

The court was told that other images depicted children and adolescents in sexual poses.

Upon arrest, Southgate admitted to downloading the illicit images. His defense lawyer, Paul Casey, commented, "He has a longstanding problem and has previously sought voluntary medical and psychiatric help."

In addition to his prison sentence, Southgate was ordered to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offenders’ Register.