CHRISTOPHER WATTS FROM WIDNES JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENCES AT LIVERPOOL CROWN COURT
A convicted sex offender, Christopher Watts, aged 50, was sentenced to prison after being found in possession of hundreds of indecent images of children.Watts was arrested in Widnes in April when police conducted a raid on his home following intelligence that indicated he was searching for inappropriate content online.
During the search of multiple devices owned by Watts, officers discovered a large collection of indecent images.
Yesterday, Watts appeared at Liverpool Crown Court and admitted to three counts of making indecent images, two counts of possessing indecent images, and one count of possessing a prohibited image.
Prosecutor Simon Duncan informed the court that Watts possessed 109 Category A images, indicating the most serious type, and 143 Category B images.
His collection also included a small number of extreme images depicting child rape and acts of bestiality.
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Duncan noted that Watts initially denied having any images of child sexual exploitation during police interviews in April following the raid at his Hambleton Close residence.
However, he was re-arrested in November, which led to further charges.
Judge Gary Woodall sentenced Watts to two and a half years in prison.
He stated that Watts had used the dark web for his activities.
Judge Woodall remarked: "You were using peer-to-peer sites and clearly involved in the dark web.
Many of the images found were thumbnail stills of videos which had been deleted." The judge emphasized that some of the images discovered on Watts' devices were particularly extreme, including photos of very young children being raped.
He further explained that there was evidence suggesting Watts had a sexual interest in young children.
Watts appeared in court via video link from HMP Altcourse.
Judge Woodall informed him that he would serve half of his sentence in custody, with the remainder on license, and that he would also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order.
Defence lawyer Jeremy Rawson described Watts’ background, stating he grew up in Guildford before relocating to Runcorn as a child.
Rawson added that Watts left school at 18, completed a YTS course, and worked as a painter and decorator.
He later undertook a computer course and secured employment with BT.
Rawson highlighted that Watts had no history of substance abuse and was currently employed in the laundry at Altcourse prison.
Prosecutor Duncan also revealed that in 2015, Watts was convicted of four counts of indecent assault and two counts of indecency with a child.
Following a trial at Guildford Crown Court, Watts was sentenced to ten years in prison.
The victim, whose identity was protected, provided testimony that Watts made her feel "disgusting and dirty," and that he threatened to harm her family if she reported him.
It was also revealed that at age 15, Watts pleaded guilty to indecent assault for simulating sexual acts with a two-and-a-half-year-old girl.
