DAVID COCKS GILLINGHAM PAEDOPHILE JAILED FOR OVER 1000 CHILD IMAGES

A man from Gillingham with a disturbing collection of child sexual images has been sentenced to eight months in prison. David Cocks, a 45-year-old multimedia equipment designer residing on Lyndhurst Avenue, was found to have downloaded and stored a staggering total of 1,117 indecent images of children on his computer. The images ranged in severity, with seven classified at the highest level five, and 54 at the next most serious level four, highlighting the disturbing nature of his collection.

During the court proceedings, Cocks admitted to creating indecent photographs of a child, a confession that added weight to the prosecution's case. Prosecutors revealed that among the images was a particularly troubling one involving a newborn baby, underscoring the heinous nature of his offenses.

Despite the evidence, Cocks maintained a denial of any sexual attraction to children, a stance that the presiding judge, David Griffith-Jones QC, found difficult to accept. The judge emphasized the seriousness of the offenses, stating, “The images were across the whole range of seriousness. On any view, these are serious offences.”

Judge Griffith-Jones further commented on the broader implications of such crimes, warning that those who indulge in such material contribute to a substantial and damaging market that inflicts profound psychological harm on countless children, most of whom remain unidentified and unprotected. He pointed out that Cocks had deliberately downloaded and kept these images over a period of approximately three years, demonstrating a sustained pattern of offending.

Expressing skepticism about Cocks’s claims of innocence, the judge remarked, “It is a position I regard as frankly untenable,” indicating his belief that Cocks’s denial was unfounded. As part of his sentence, Cocks will be subject to a sexual offences prevention order, which will restrict his activities and prevent him from working with children. Additionally, he will be registered as a sex offender for the next ten years, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his conduct.