CHRISTOPHER GOBLE, PAEDOPHILE VICAR FROM WARWICKSHIRE, JAILED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGE OFFENCES
Christopher Goble, a vicar from Ilmington in Warwickshire who previously appeared on the BBC to deliver his "thought for the day," has been sentenced to 20 months in prison after being found with an alarming collection of indecent images of children.He was discovered with a total of approximately 1,700 such images on his devices, including over 600 classified as the most serious "category A" images.
These included explicit images of very young children and babies being subjected to horrific abuse.
The court heard that the illegal images were stored on Goble's laptop and phone, with some of his searches including terms like "incest" and "young children" carried out over a period of five years.
Police raids at Goble's home on September 30 revealed the extent of his illicit collection.
Detective investigations uncovered that Goble, a married man serving within the Diocese of Coventry, had also engaged in messaging with another adult where he discussed abusing a child.
Goble, aged 44, pleaded guilty to making 627 category A indecent images, 445 category B images, and 629 category C images of children between November 2014 and September of this year.
He also admitted possessing six prohibited images of acts involving penetrative sex and 17 extreme pornographic images, including depictions of oral sex with animals.
During sentencing at Warwick Crown Court, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano stated: "You are here because on September 30, police came to your address.
They initially found a hidden gallery of indecent images of children on your phone, then continued to search other devices, finding two computers with more images.
Over 600 images were in the most serious category A, totaling close to 2,000, mostly still, some moving.
These include images of babies and very young children being horrifically abused.
This collection was built up over five years." She emphasized the seriousness of the offences, noting that looking at these images supports a market where children are abused, thus perpetuating the cycle of abuse.
The judge highlighted Goble’s prior role as a respected community figure and his appearance on the BBC, underlining the shocking nature of these crimes given his position.
Goble was previously photographed in 2015 giving his "thought for the day" to BBC Coventry & Warwickshire.
Prosecutor Adrian Fleming detailed that officers discovered the illicit material stored in hidden folders during their search, with images found across multiple devices including phones, laptops, and computers that could not be accessed.
The search also revealed that Goble conducted online searches for terms like "incest" and "young children," and engaged in explicit messaging with another adult that described the abuse of children under six, although no evidence was found of actual abuse occurring.
Defense lawyer Naomi Perry highlighted Goble’s remorse and efforts at rehabilitation, noting that he has taken online courses to understand the severity of his actions and that he recognizes he will likely never practice as a priest again.
She added that Goble has lost his family, including lost contact with his children, and is currently staying with his parents.
Senior Crown prosecutor Andrew Crump from CPS West Midlands stated: "Christopher Goble, a vicar in a position of authority, should have been safeguarding children.
This case makes it clear that viewing indecent images of children is a crime, and the CPS will pursue those responsible." A spokesperson for the Diocese of Coventry expressed their regret, saying: "Christopher Goble was charged following his arrest on October 1 and was suspended from ministry immediately.
We apologize unreservedly to all those affected by these crimes, recognizing the distress caused.
The diocese takes such allegations very seriously and remains committed to creating a safer environment, though we acknowledge we must remain vigilant."
