March 2012

Pervert used computer in Derby library to look at pics of boys

A SEX offender jailed twice for creating indecent pictures of children was caught in a Derby library looking at images of semi-naked young boys on a computer.

Derby Crown Court heard how Christopher Chamings told police “the temptation was too great” after he surfed online for pictures of children at Allestree library.

Chamings, of Park Farm Drive, Allestree, was released from prison halfway through a four years and three months sentence imposed in 2008.

At the time he pleaded guilty to creating indecent images of children.

As part of his punishment he was handed an indefinite sexual offences prevention order banning him from using the internet without controls being in place.

But Vee Monro, prosecuting, told the court that a librarian noticed the 69-year-old looking at images of young boys.

Miss Monro said: “On October 10 the defendant was in Allestree library and the librarian noticed he was looking at what she called ‘dodgy images’. They were images of boys wearing trousers or jeans but they were topless.

“On October 14 she saw the defendant again looking on the internet and as she approached him he minimised the image he was looking at.

“She walked away but then looked back and noticed it was of a young, naked boy sitting sideways on a chair.”

Miss Monro said the librarian contacted Derby City Council’s library service, who called the police and Chamings was arrested.

Miss Monro said: “During interview he accepted that he had breached his order by going to the library to view the images but told officers the temptation was too great.”

Chamings, a former captain of Derby Golf Club, pleaded guilty to breaching his order.

In 2008 he was jailed after police discovered nearly 5,000 images on his computer and on CDs. He had superimposed faces of young boys of whom he had taken pictures over indecent images.

And in 2006 Chamings was jailed for 27 months and banned from working with children indefinitely after admitting 15 charges of making an indecent images of a child and four of possessing indecent child images.

Handing Chamings a three-year community order, Judge John Burgess said: “I hope you know by now that what you do is not a victimless crime. The images you look at involve the exploitation and abuse of young children.”

Richard Posner, for Chamings, said his client was aware of the damage his crime had done.

Mr Posner said: “Mr Chamings will be 70 in a few weeks time and he is particularly aware that, having led a blameless life until his 60s, he has effectively wasted a substantial part of 10 years of retirement by committing offences of this nature.”