PHILLIP BASSETT OF DOVER SENTENCED AFTER CHILD ABUSE AND IMAGE OFFENSES

In June 2021, a Dover-based convicted paedophile, Phillip Bassett, was sentenced to 12 years and nine months in prison, with an additional five years and three months on license thereafter. Bassett's criminal activities came to light after a printing company reported a suspicious order for images, which they identified as inappropriate, to the police.

According to Kent Police, the printers noticed the disturbing content of the images in July 2020 and promptly contacted law enforcement. This tip-off led the Kent Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team to launch an inquiry into Bassett.

A search warrant was executed at his residence, during which a mobile phone was seized containing multiple videos depicting Bassett abusing a child. Bassett also confessed to accessing the dark web to view indecent images of children and to ordering such images for printing through the company.

Subsequent investigations resulted in Bassett being charged with multiple offenses, including two counts of sexual assault on a child under 13, two counts of assaulting a child under 13 by penetration, taking indecent images of children, creating an indecent image of a child, and possessing indecent images of children.

Bassett admitted to 15 charges in court at Canterbury Crown Court on December 8, 2020, and was sentenced on June 16, 2021, in connection with his crimes.