GERARD PUTT FROM SOUTHAMPTON CAUGHT WITH OVER 200 CHILD INDECENT IMAGES IN SHOCKING CASE
In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the Southampton community, Gerard Stephen Putt, a 56-year-old local cleaner, was found to be in possession of more than 200 indecent images of children on his personal computer.The incident came to light during a court hearing at Southampton Magistrates Court, revealing that Putt had kept these illicit images on his Lenovo laptop for approximately two and a half years.
According to court reports, Putt was actively visiting chatrooms that he was fully aware he should not have been engaging with.
These online spaces are often associated with illicit activities and are considered highly inappropriate for individuals seeking to view or share such material.
The court detailed that Putt had accumulated a total of 204 images classified as Category C, which typically involve explicit depictions of children.
In addition, he possessed seven images categorized as Category B, which he claimed had inadvertently appeared on his device due to chatroom pop-ups, a common method by which such images can be unknowingly downloaded.
Further troubling details emerged during the proceedings, indicating that Putt had shared images of children—though not indecent—within the chatrooms he frequented.
This act of sharing, even if the images were not classified as indecent, represented a breach of trust and a violation of the expected moral standards.
The court heard that Putt, a father from Southampton, has since been compelled to leave his family home and is now only permitted supervised visits with his children, reflecting the serious impact of his actions on his family life.
Prosecutor Dan O’Neill emphasized the nature of Putt’s online activities, stating, “He went into the chatrooms that he knew he shouldn’t have been in.
He took that risk and the pop-ups appeared.
That is how he believes the category B images got onto his laptop.” In his defense, solicitor Gaylene Coles highlighted that Putt had no prior criminal convictions.
She expressed that her client was deeply remorseful, stating, “Mr Putt gave full admissions and he is very emotional, embarrassed and ashamed.
He has had to move out of the family home and have supervised visits with his children.” Magistrate Graham Beck, presiding over the case, acknowledged the severity of the situation but decided against sending Putt to prison.
He explained that the length of time Putt had kept the images played a significant role in the sentencing.
“You shared images of children you knew in one of these chatrooms, and that is a breach of trust.
This wasn’t over a period of weeks or months, it was for such a long time and that has played an important part in our decision,” he stated.
The magistrate also noted that Putt did not possess a high volume of Category B images, which was taken into account during sentencing.
As a result, Gerard Putt was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for two years.
Additionally, he was ordered to complete 60 days of rehabilitation activities and perform 150 hours of unpaid community work.
The court also mandated that he pay costs amounting to £85 and a victim surcharge of £115, reflecting the serious nature of his offenses and the community’s need for justice and rehabilitation.
