Married Gosport father-of-four admits looking at child abuse images online

Lonely Gosport paedophile Christopher Messer, 35, avoided a jail term at Portsmouth Crown Court despite his ‘sexual attraction to children’ being exposed.

Former chef Messer, of Gorselands Way, came clean over his unhinged obsession of the sexual torment of young children.

The deviant admitted three charges of making indecent images of children and a single count of distributing images.

In total there were seven category A images, 15 category B and 19 category C that were found by police following Messer’s dip into the murky underbelly of the internet in July and August 2018 before his arrest in October that year.

The sordid images were predominantly of children aged between one and five years and 12-14, as well as a special focus on girls aged 10-14.

‘The images included a six-year-old being raped after you entered a chat room and became involved in the trading of images,’ recorder Sarah Vaughan-Jones QC said.

‘The offences show a sexual interest in children given the repeated viewing of the images.

‘Viewing such images encourages the sexual abuse of children and provides a market.’

Defending Daniel Reilly told the court Messer regretted his actions and admitted his offences to police immediately.

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‘He spoke openly to police about what he did,’ the lawyer said. ‘There is genuine emotion and remorse about the situation. He has not tried to hide from the facts.

‘Mr Messer went to his employer the day after his arrest and told them rather than wait as it was not viable to be in that work.’

Mr Reilly added: ‘He is someone with a reasonable prospect of rehabilitation.’

Messer, who has debts of £15,000, has been left by his wife and suffers with anxiety and depression, was spared immediate custody.

Recorder Vaughan-Jones said: ‘The offences only happened for some months in 2018. You have no previous convictions and I’m satisfied you feel genuine remorse.

‘The events arose during a period of isolation and loneliness.’

She added: ‘You are at low risk of reoffending and medium risk of harm to children. But I’m satisfied there is a sufficient prospect of rehabilitation.’

Instead of jail Messer was given a two-year community order including 35 rehabilitation days and given a sexual harm prevention order for five years. No costs were imposed.