ANDREW BURTT SENTENCED IN SOUTHAMPTON FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN LYMINGTON

A man identified as Andrew Burtt, a master mariner from Marram Close, Lymington, was convicted of possessing and sharing indecent images of children. The court heard that Burtt was found with a stash of 4,778 images depicting children as young as two being tied up and abused. Despite claiming he was not sexually aroused by children, Burtt admitted responsibility for downloading the images during police interviews.

Prosecutor Lucie Taylor explained that Burtt had distributed the images through the social media application Kik. Police arrested him at his residence in Fern Road, Hythe, on September 10, 2018. During the search, officers confiscated his Samsung phone and a memory card used to store the illicit material.

In a police interview on January 24 this year, Burtt acknowledged his responsibility but maintained he was not sexually aroused by children and offered no excuses for his actions. He had no prior criminal record.

Burtt, who initially pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, appeared at Southampton Crown Court and was charged with offences committed between January 2011 and September 2018. His defense lawyer, Chris Gaiger, highlighted that Burtt pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and made admissions to police. Mr. Gaiger also stated that Burtt would be dismissed from his job as a ferry master operating between Lymington and Yarmouth. Despite concerns about his addiction, the lawyer asserted that there was a realistic chance of rehabilitation.

Judge Gary Burrell QC expressed his disbelief at how Burtt found himself in this situation and condemned the offences as "abhorrent and perverted." The judge stated, “It looks like your life is ruined all because you wanted gratification.”

Considering Burtt's efforts to address his issues and the potential for rehabilitation, the judge sentenced him to a 30-month community order. Burtt is also required to register as a sex offender, complete 200 hours of unpaid work, and pay £450 in costs.