PHILIP CANT FROM SOUTHAMPTON JAILED FOR CHILD MOLESTATION VIDEO IN BELGIUM
In a disturbing case that spanned across international borders, Philip Cant, a resident of Southampton, was convicted of heinous crimes involving the exploitation of a young girl.The allegations came to light after Cant had secretly recorded an 80-minute video depicting him molesting a young girl he had lured into a private room.
The room was specially arranged with cameras to capture these illicit acts, which he kept hidden on a computer memory stick for his own sexual gratification.
Initially, Cant’s actions went unnoticed by his wife, and he managed to conceal the extent of his misconduct for two years.
The young girl involved had initially posed for photographs to assist Cant and his wife in promoting their children’s clothing business, a seemingly innocent activity that was later exploited for criminal purposes.
The video footage, however, revealed the girl in semi-naked states, highlighting the severity of Cant’s abuse.
The case took a significant turn when Cant traveled abroad to work as an engineer in Belgium.
It was during this period that a colleague discovered the memory stick containing the illicit images.
Recognizing the disturbing nature of the content, the colleague promptly contacted the police authorities in Antwerp.
Belgian law enforcement officials responded swiftly, arresting Cant and subsequently informing authorities back in England about the situation.
During police interviews, Cant admitted to the assault on the young girl and acknowledged possessing the indecent images.
Prosecutor Gavin Sumpter, representing the Crown at Southampton Crown Court, revealed that Cant had openly confessed to being a paedophile since the age of 15, with a particular preference for girls aged between six and eight.
The court was informed that Cant’s criminal history included two prior convictions: one from 1972 for sexually abusing an eight-year-old and another from 1989 for gross indecency with a five-year-old.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Derwin Hope described Cant’s dangerous behavior and the ongoing risk he posed to the public.
He stated, “You have acknowledged you can’t be alone with young girls and not abuse them.
You pose a significant risk of causing significant harm to the public.” As a result, Cant, aged 55 and residing on Myrtle Road in Southampton, was sentenced to four years in prison, with an extended six-year license period to monitor his behavior post-release.
Furthermore, the court ordered Cant to be placed on the sex offenders’ register and subjected to a sexual offences prevention order, both of which are to remain in effect indefinitely.
In his defense, Neil Fitzgibbon, representing Cant, highlighted that his client was genuinely ashamed of his actions and had taken steps to address his issues by referring himself for psychological assessment, aiming to control his dangerous desires.
