OLIVER WATTS FROM GLASTONBURY AND SOUTHAMPTON FACES SERIOUS CHARGES OVER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In October 2017, a man identified as Oliver Geoffrey Watts, who has connections to both Glastonbury and Southampton, faced serious allegations related to the possession and distribution of indecent images of children. The case was brought before authorities after Watts was found to have downloaded nearly 300 such images onto his personal computer while residing at an address in Glastonbury.

Watts, aged 30, was living at a care of address on Walkers Lane North in Southampton at the time of his arrest. When police officers arrived at his residence, he did not deny his actions; instead, he volunteered detailed information about his activities, which led to his immediate arrest. The case was subsequently transferred to Taunton Crown Court for sentencing, given the gravity of the charges.

During proceedings at Somerset Magistrates Court, held in Yeovil, Watts pleaded guilty to multiple charges. He admitted to making indecent photographs of a child, specifically 59 images classified as Category A, which is considered the most serious level of such material. The charges also included making an additional 70 Category B images and 152 Category C images of children, all within the period from February 11 to March 3, 2017, in Glastonbury.

Furthermore, Watts acknowledged two counts of distributing indecent photographs of children—one in Category A and another in Category C—highlighting his involvement in sharing these illicit images with others. The prosecution, led by Christine Hart, emphasized that the case involved a significant number of highly serious images, and that Watts had also engaged in the distribution of these images to other individuals.

Ms. Hart noted that Watts had been cooperative throughout the investigation. She explained that when police officers visited his address in Glastonbury, he admitted his guilt openly and provided a comprehensive interview detailing his actions. In response to his arrest, Watts stated that he had attended a specialized course aimed at helping internet sex offenders and developing strategies to prevent future offending.

Given the severity of the case, the magistrates determined that Watts should be transferred to the Crown Court for a more appropriate sentence. They decided to adjourn the proceedings until November 24, when a judge at Taunton would impose the final sentence. In the meantime, the magistrates ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the Probation Service. Watts was released on unconditional bail but was required to sign the Sex Offenders Register within three days of the hearing, underscoring the seriousness of his crimes and the ongoing monitoring required.