THOMAS LEE FROM GOOSTREY CAUGHT WITH OVER 100 CHILD INDECENT IMAGES IN CHESTER

In January 2011, a disturbing case emerged involving Thomas Lee, a 22-year-old man residing in Goostrey, who was found to possess a significant collection of indecent images of children. The investigation was triggered after Lee engaged in online conversations with a registered sex offender from Manchester, which led authorities to discover the illicit material stored on multiple devices.

Thomas Lee, who lives on Sandy Lane in Goostrey, was found to have more than 100 images of children on his personal computers. The images were located on his laptop, a tower computer, and a USB drive, all of which were seized during the investigation. The online communication took place via MSN chat in 2009, during which Lee interacted with a registered sex offender from Manchester. This interaction ultimately uncovered the disturbing collection of images.

The images found on Lee’s devices were predominantly classified as level one, indicating the least severe category of indecency. However, he was also charged with possessing four images classified as level four, which are considered more serious. The case drew attention not only because of the volume of images but also due to the nature of the charges.

During the court proceedings, Lee pleaded guilty to the charges. His defense lawyer, Sion ap Mihangel, explained that Lee had paused his university studies to pursue a career as a paramedic, a decision influenced by the ongoing investigation. The lawyer stated, “At the time he was perhaps finding his character and he has resolved this issue.”

He further added, “He is only 22 but his friends have distanced themselves from him. He was studying to be a paramedic and he knows the consequences of his actions. The trigger of all this was the untimely death of his father and everything seemed to be getting back to normal. He was at university and then he was arrested. And of course it was of his own making.”

Judge Nicholas Woodward addressed the court, commenting on the unusual circumstances surrounding Lee’s behavior. He noted, “Your behaviour seems to be unusual in that at a time of emotional distress you started to explore your sexuality and then talk to a man who began to share child images with yourself. The emotional distress clearly affected your judgement.”

As part of his sentence, Lee was given a community order that included a three-year supervision requirement and was mandated to attend a sex offenders’ rehabilitation program. Additionally, he was prohibited from working with children, although the judge mentioned that Lee could appeal this restriction in the future if he wished to continue his studies to become a paramedic. The court also ordered Lee to pay £1,200 in costs and to sign the sex offenders register for a period of five years.