Exclusive:Why Waterlooville man who sent nude photos to multiple children just received a suspended sentence
Andrew Gregg sent photos and videos of himself to multiple children, the court heard.
A predator who sent nude photograps to several children will not be jailed for his crimes, a judge has ruled.
Andrew Gregg appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court today (Friday, October 23) having been charged with making and distributing indecent images of children, breaching a sexual harm prevention order, and multiple counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with children.
The 41-year-old, previously of Waterlooville but currently residing at HMP Winchester, messaged eight separate victims online - all of whom told him they were underage - sending most of them indecent images of himself.
The court heard how one child told Gregg they were 15 years old, before the defendant asked for a naked photo of them. In other cases, Gregg sent photos and videos of himself to young people, all of whom have a life-long right to anonymity.
While many cases like this see police or vigilantes posing as ‘decoys’ in a sting operation, Judge David Melville was told that all the children in this case were genuine, although some could not be identified.
Police uncovered the messages when they seized Gregg’s iPhone, where they also found other indecent images of children.
Gregg was in prison after being sentenced for separate offences in October last year - these matters were not brought before the court at the same time, but subsequently led to his stint in custody being extended past his planned release in August.
Daniel Reilly, defending Gregg, said: “It has been a difficult year for Gregg, going through this experience. There have been at least two particularly traumatic events that he has had to deal with since he’s been in custody.
“He is, without question, someone who is completely committed to ensuring that he doesn’t go on to find himself in any sort of trouble going forward.”
Judge Melville opted to give Gregg a suspended sentence, and gave his reasoning at the end of the hearing.
“You were sentenced in October last year, and would have been released in August, had it not been for these charges,” he said. “All of these charges were available for you to be prosecuted for at that time, but they were not brought against you until nine months later.
“Usually, one tries to deal with all counts in one go, to avoid precisely what is happening here. These offences have been outstanding since October 2025, and not been dealt with.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that it would be a pointless exercise to sentence you as it would have been last year. That is an impossible task to undertake, and you have been in custody longer than anticipated.”
Gregg was sentenced to two years in custody, suspended for two years, with an attached probation requirement. He must notify with police for the next 10 years, and has an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.