GARETH GODFREY OF WISBECH SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN GLOUCESTER

In May 2021, Gareth Godfrey, a 48-year-old from Wisbech, was sentenced to over three years in prison after being convicted of filming himself having sex with a 14-year-old girl and subsequently sharing the video online.

The court heard that a viewer of the video, who encountered it on a Kik chatroom, inquired about its origin. Godfrey responded that the footage was of himself and described the girl as 'a good girl' who was performing oral sex on him.

The distressing video depicted the girl kneeling on the floor with her hands behind her back as Godfrey penetrated her mouth, Gloucester Crown Court was told.

At the time of the offences, Godfrey was residing in Gloucester but is now living on Stow Road, Wisbech. He received a sentence of three years and three months behind bars after pleading guilty to multiple charges: two counts of taking indecent photographs, two counts of distributing such images, and one count of creating indecent images.

Prosecutor Giles Nelson stated that the offences took place between August 2017 and February 2018. The crimes were uncovered during an investigation into Godfrey’s alleged grooming of a 14-year-old girl for sexual activity. However, he was not prosecuted for that particular offence, as Godfrey claimed he believed the girl was 16, and the girl did not cooperate with police investigations.

On February 18, 2018, police arrested Godfrey in Gloucester. His phone and iPad were seized, revealing numerous indecent images of the girl—58 Category A images and eight videos, which are considered the most severe category—and 32 Category C images along with three videos.

Authorities also discovered evidence of conversations with other chatroom users discussing the sexual abuse of young children. During police interviews, Godfrey admitted that chatting with young girls was part of an online sexual fantasy, describing some of the chats as 'shocking and disgusting.' He acknowledged that he had discussed children who had just been born and were still attached to their mothers, which was deemed profoundly depraved.

Judge Ian Lawrie QC sentenced Godfrey, remarking, “He was clearly active in striving to communicate with females to further his interest in sex with children and eventually meet with a view to achieving sexual contact.”

The judge emphasized that the sentence needed to reflect Godfrey’s persistent sexual interest in minors. “Over several months he moved from viewing such images to communicating with mothers with the stated intention, if able to meet, of having sex with a child. A number of the Class A images confirm this interest.”

He also considered whether an extended sentence was appropriate due to the potential danger Godfrey posed. “I do take the view that his overall actions raise the issue of dangerousness in terms of potential harm to children. Whilst I believe Mr. Godfrey is potentially dangerous, I am satisfied I possess sufficient power to punish him through a determinate sentence. These offences are so serious that only custody is justified.”