BILLY COOPER SENTENCED IN PORTSMOUTH COURT FOR CHILD PAEDOPHILIA OFFENSES
Portsmouth Crown Court heard how Billy Cooper, a 36-year-old crack cocaine addict, confessed to a police officer his disturbing sexual interest in children aged eight to 16.Cooper believed he was speaking with a 41-year-old woman who had access to a three-year-old girl, but she was actually an undercover operative from the South Eastern Regional Organised Crime Unit.
The judge was told that Cooper possessed indecent images of children showing 'deliberate torture of a young child.' Prosecutor Unyime Davies detailed Cooper’s messages, including one where he stated: 'I know it seems bad but I’m so desperate.' She added, 'He asked whether the officer had access to children.' In private conversations within a paedophile chatroom, Cooper, of Hunts Pond Road, Park Gate, shared his supposed experiences with a young girl.
The prosecutor explained that Cooper inquired if the undercover officer needed help while babysitting and planned to meet at Tesco in Guildford on July 18, but he later withdrew, claiming he had been 'called into work.' The following day, Cooper messaged about the young girl, prompting the officer to meet him again.
However, Cooper canceled, citing 'car trouble.' Officers raided his home two days later, confiscating his phone and laptop, and found 441 indecent images of children, including 71 categorized as the most severe, Category A.
Additionally, six extreme pornographic images involving animals were recovered.
Just a week after his arrest and police interview, Cooper returned to the paedophile website, sending more illicit messages about children.
He later admitted to attempting to arrange or facilitate a child sex offence, along with 24 charges of making and possessing indecent images and publishing obscene material.
Defence solicitor Daniel Reilly stated that Cooper might have post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from a brain injury sustained nine years ago when he was punched and hit his head on a pillar during a night out.
Judge Robert Hill sentenced Cooper to 44 months in prison and imposed a lifelong sexual harm prevention order, restricting his internet access.
Cooper is also required to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.
