July 2019

Pervert banned from the internet caught with hundreds of indecent images

A paedophile banned from the internet having twice been convicted of possessing indecent images was caught with hundreds of vile pictures of child abuse.

Gareth Rogers shook as police officers visited his home and discovered he had a mobile phone and two computers, which he was prohibited from owning.

Children as young as five were visible in the 1,129 images on one of the 62-year-old’s computers.

Swansea Crown Court heard Rogers was made subject to a 10-year sexual offences prevention order in July 2014 following his conviction for making indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornographic images.

On May 21 this year police officers visited a property in Milford Crescent, Milford Haven, where Rogers was living and asked if he had any devices which could connect to the internet – something he was prohibited from possessing as part of the order.

The 62-year-old handed over a mobile phone and led officers to a computer in the living room. Rogers was then observed going into the bedroom and closing the door behind him.

It raised suspicion with a police officer who followed him into the room and saw a TV with a keyboard next to it to the right of the bed.

Rogers said he sometimes carried the computer from the living room to the bedroom and connected it to the TV but appeared to be nervous and was shaking, prosecutor Brian Simpson told the court.

The officer saw another computer unit and he was of the opinion Rogers was trying to hide it from him. The officer asked if there would be anything indecent on the unit if it was to be inspected and Rogers said there would be indecent photos.

The device was examined and was found to contain 1,129 indecent images of children. There were 418 from Category A – the most serious – along with 216 in Category B and 495 in Category C.

The children in the images appeared to be between the ages of five and 14, the court heard.

Rogers was interviewed by police but gave a no comment interview to all questions asked of him.

He admitted three counts of making indecent images of children and breaching a sexual offences prevention order.

The court heard that on December 21, 2000, Rogers was sentenced for 11 counts of making more than 300 indecent images of children for which he was sentenced to nine months in jail.

On October 1, 2013, he was convicted of voyeurism at Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire Magistrates’ Court and was sentenced to 26 weeks imprisonment.

And on July 3, 2014, he was sentenced for 16 counts of making 533 indecent images of children for which he served eight months.

Judge Geraint Walters sentenced Rogers to 18 months in jail.

Rogers, now of Murray Road, Milford Haven, must register as a sex offenders for 10 years and a sexual offences prevention order has been made for the same period.

August 2014

‘Too long’: Appeal judges’ verdict on 18-month sentence on man convicted of child abuse images offences… even though expert said he had showed no remorse

A remorseless man jailed for downloading indecent images of children and extreme porn has had his jail term slashed on appeal.

Gareth Rogers, 57, stashed hundreds of vile images of children as well as perverted snaps of sex featuring animals and adults on his computer.

Rogers, of Beaufort Road, Pembroke, was jailed for 18 months at Swansea Crown Court in July after he admitted making and possessing indecent images of children, possessing extreme pornography and using threatening behaviour.

But three senior judges at London’s Appeal Court have now upheld a sentence challenge by Rogers – saying his term was “too long” and cutting it by almost half to 10 months.

Lord Justice Davis said the offences were committed in the wake of Rogers’ admission of an offence of voyeurism in October 2013.

The pervert had taken photographs of a woman while she showered using a secret camera. He received a 26-week sentence for the offence.

As a result of his conviction police analysed a computer seized from his home and discovered 392 indecent images of children, with the vast majority in the lowest level of seriousness.

There were also 19 extreme porn images, including some featuring adults engaging in sexual activity with animals.

After Rogers had been released from his voyeurism sentence in November 2013 he committed the threatening behaviour offence by verbally abusing a woman.

By the time he was locked up he already had a previous conviction for making indecent images of children and for driving offences, the appeal judge said.

The author of a pre-sentence report said Rogers “minimised” his conduct and showed little remorse or desire to change his behaviour.

On appeal Rogers’ counsel argued the judge had failed to apply the proper sentencing guidelines before handing him an excessive jail term.

The barrister also insisted the sentence was not “just and proportionate” given that Rogers had already served time for the voyeurism.

Lord Justice Davis, sitting with Mr Justice King and Mr Justice Holroyde, said: “Having considered all of the points that have been put to us we do think that the sentence imposed by the judge was, with respect, too long.”

The appeal judge cut Rogers’ overall jail term from 18 months to 10 months.