RAYMOND GOODY'S SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE IMAGE SCANDAL IN DAWLISH

In October 2021, authorities in Dawlish conducted a detailed investigation into Raymond Goody, a 54-year-old man residing on Albert Street, after receiving credible information about his online activities. The police raid uncovered a disturbing collection of illicit material stored on his devices, revealing the extent of his involvement in accessing and downloading child abuse images.

During the search, law enforcement officials seized multiple electronic devices, including two desktop towers. A subsequent forensic analysis of these devices uncovered a staggering total of 3,845 items, comprising 214 still images and nine videos. Among these, some images were classified at the highest level, labeled 'A,' indicating they depicted penetrative abuse of children. The material also included extreme content involving adults engaging in sexual acts with animals, notably a horse, which further underscored the severity of the offenses.

Raymond Goody was charged with multiple counts related to his possession and creation of indecent images. Specifically, he admitted to three counts of making indecent images of children through downloading and one count of possessing extreme images. During the proceedings at Exeter Crown Court, Goody chose to represent himself, a decision that did not prevent the court from recognizing the gravity of his actions.

In his defense, Goody claimed to be experiencing depression and described himself as being 'in a dark place' at the time of the offenses. Despite this, the evidence presented was overwhelming, showing that he had actively searched for websites related to the sexual abuse of children. The images found depicted children in distress, and the sheer volume of material indicated a significant level of engagement with such content.

Prosecutor Miss Zoe Kuyken outlined the police's investigation, explaining that authorities traced Goody through his IP address after gathering intelligence about his online activity. The police executed a search warrant on October 15, 2021, and recovered the devices, which contained the illicit images and videos.

In sentencing, Judge Evans acknowledged the disturbing nature of the case. He noted that Goody had made admissions to the police and in the pre-sentence report but emphasized that there was still work to be done to understand and address the underlying motivations behind his behavior. The judge highlighted the harm caused to the victims depicted in the images, stressing the psychological and emotional damage inflicted.

As part of his sentence, Goody received a one-year jail term, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete a sex offenders’ treatment program and undertake 30 days of rehabilitation activities. Additionally, he was mandated to perform 120 hours of unpaid community service, placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years, and subjected to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. This order prohibits him from engaging in online contact with children and grants police authority to monitor his internet activity to prevent future offenses.

Judge Evans concluded by expressing concern over Goody’s social isolation at the time of the offenses, as indicated in a probation report. The report suggested that his excessive time spent alone on his computer may have contributed to his actions, underscoring the importance of ongoing intervention to prevent recurrence of such behavior.