DERBY PERVERT CHRISTOPHER WITNALL JAILED FOR DOWNLOADS OF CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN DERBY

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Derby, Christopher Witnall, a 33-year-old resident of Leaper Street, has been sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of possessing and downloading extremely disturbing images depicting child abuse. The case came to light after police raids uncovered a cache of illicit material on his electronic devices, revealing a pattern of depraved behavior that persisted despite previous interventions.

Witnall’s criminal activities came to public attention when authorities executed a warrant at his home on December 13 of the previous year. During the search, officers seized three electronic devices from his bedroom. Subsequent analysis of these devices uncovered a horrifying collection of images, including 2,497 categorized as the most severe, known as Category A, along with 351 Category B images and 79 Category C images. In addition, investigators found 156 prohibited items, which typically included child sex cartoons, and 270 images classified as extreme pornography. The content of these images was so graphic and disturbing that it is considered too extreme to publish.

Prosecutor Joey Kwong detailed the nature of the material, emphasizing the severity of the offenses. The images depicted children, both boys and girls aged from infants up to ten years old, engaged in sexual acts. Some images showed babies crying while being subjected to sexual abuse, and others involved extreme acts with animals. These images were not only illegal but also represented a level of perversion that is rarely encountered in court.

Witnall’s criminal conduct was not an isolated incident. The court heard that he had only recently completed a three-year community order for similar offenses, which he was convicted of back in 2013. Despite this previous intervention, he resumed his offending behavior immediately after the order concluded. The police investigation revealed that Witnall admitted during police interviews that he had returned to viewing and downloading such material after the end of his community order in March 2016, without seeking any help from the probation service.

Judge Robert Egbuna addressed Witnall directly during sentencing, describing the material as “disgusting” and “perversion beyond the norm.” He stated, “I have never come across such disgusting material, it shows perversion beyond the norm if that term could ever be used. The material was disgusting and you knew that. What you did was to view and retain images of babies being raped. One image showed a baby crying and you got sexual gratification from that.”

He further emphasized that Witnall’s deafness was no excuse for his actions, asserting that he was fully aware of the nature of his conduct. The judge condemned the defendant for failing to change his behavior after his previous conviction and community order, noting that he had resumed his offending immediately after the order ended. Witnall was therefore sentenced to two years in prison for his crimes, which included five counts related to making images of children, possessing prohibited child images, and possessing extreme pornography between March and December 2016.

This case highlights the ongoing challenge faced by law enforcement and judicial authorities in tackling the possession and distribution of child abuse images, and the importance of strict sentencing to protect vulnerable victims and prevent further harm.