MICHAEL GARRATT FROM CAMBRIDGE SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In a significant case stemming from Cambridge, a man identified as Michael Garratt has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after being found guilty of possessing and sharing a large collection of indecent images of children. The investigation into Garratt’s activities was initiated after authorities traced his internet activity, leading to his arrest and subsequent discovery of disturbing material stored on his personal computers.

On June 12th of the previous year, law enforcement officers executed a search at Garratt’s residence located on Chancellors Walk in Cambridge. During this operation, they confiscated his computers, which were later examined in detail. The forensic analysis revealed that Garratt’s devices contained an alarming total of 13,664 indecent images of children, along with 272 movies depicting similar content. The images were classified into various severity levels, with 62 categorized as level five—the most severe—followed by 173 at level four, 177 at level three, 256 at level two, and a staggering 12,996 at level one.

Garratt, aged 61, pleaded guilty to multiple charges in Cambridge Crown Court. Specifically, he admitted to three counts of making indecent images, three counts of possessing such images, and one count of distributing indecent images. His guilty plea was entered on Friday, May 8th, during the court proceedings.

Following his conviction, Garratt was sentenced to a total of 15 months imprisonment. Additionally, he was subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which will restrict his activities for the next five years. He will also be registered on the Sex Offenders Register for a period of seven years, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his conduct.

Detective Constable Gareth Purdy issued a statement emphasizing the seriousness of the crime and the authorities’ commitment to combating such offenses. He stated, “I hope this sends out a clear message that anyone who thinks they can access and share such images will not get away with it. We will find out and we will catch up with you. This is not a victimless crime as it fuels the abuse of children worldwide.”