GRAHAM WILLIAMS, SOUTHAMPTON COURIER, SENTENCED FOR DISTRIBUTING INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN
In July 2017, Graham Williams, a courier from Southampton, was sentenced to over four years in prison after being found guilty of possessing and distributing indecent images of children.The 30-year-old was described as being 'in denial' about his sexual interest in minors, despite having accumulated more than 100 such images across his electronic devices.
Prosecutor Siobhan Linsley explained that Williams' manager discovered the indecent images on his phone after Williams attempted to deliver a parcel to a 17-year-old female customer.
Following difficulties in delivering the package, Williams sent numerous texts and messages via WhatsApp to her.
The girl’s father, also the courier’s boss, was informed of the messages and arranged a meeting with Williams, requesting to see his phone.
Miss Linsley stated: “The manager asked to see Williams’ personal phone that the message had allegedly been on.
But when he went on the phone he saw photographs of females, which were of an indecent nature.” Despite being arrested, Williams continued offending while on bail.
The court learned that he had also contacted children under an alias, using a profile picture of a teenage girl and claiming to be a 14-year-old.
Williams used aliases on adult sites, asking girls their ages and whether they were virgins, regardless of their actual age.
Police seized all of Williams’ personal devices, revealing a total of 163 images, including 73 in the most serious Category A.
In mitigation, his lawyer Timothy Akers described the offences as “frankly disgusting” but noted that the number of images was not particularly high.
He added that since the offending began in 2015, Williams’ partner had left him, taking their two-month-old child.
Judge Gary Burrell QC delivered the sentence, stating that Williams’ claims of not being attracted to children were “preposterous.” The judge commented: “Clearly he has an interest in children sexually, and in the probation report it states he struggles to accept what he has done.
He is in denial.
It’s hardly surprising no one is here for him.
He’s committed these offences.
He has to take what comes from it and often it’s isolation.
In my judgment, you are interested in children.
What else can it mean but having one?
You’re a risk to any community, especially if there are children around.” Williams, of Millbrook Road West, was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and will be subject to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.
