ANDREW CHANT FROME CAUGHT WITH EXTREME PORNOGRAPHY IN TAUNTON COURT

In November 2007, a man from Frome named Andrew Chant, aged 24, faced serious legal consequences after being found in possession of extreme pornographic images involving animals. The incident unfolded when IT specialists conducted a routine check at his workplace, during which they discovered that Chant had downloaded illicit images onto his computer. This discovery prompted further investigation by police authorities.

Subsequently, law enforcement officials executed a search of Chant's residence in Frome, where they confiscated his laptop computer and a memory stick. During questioning, Chant admitted to transferring the illegal images onto these devices, acknowledging his involvement in the creation and possession of such material. Prosecutor Harry Ahuja detailed that Chant made full admissions regarding his actions, which led to his conviction by South Somerset magistrates on September 21.

Chant was charged with two counts of possessing extreme pornographic material and four counts of making indecent images. His defense attorney, Patrick Mason, highlighted that Chant was generally of good character and expressed deep remorse for his conduct. Mason also pointed out that the offences had significantly impacted Chant's life, resulting in the loss of his job in an administrative role and the cessation of his benefits, which had been providing financial support.

According to Mason, Chant's viewing habits initially involved adult pornography, but over time, more disturbing images appeared, which he described as a result of 'morbid curiosity.' He explained that the extreme images had been compressed alongside other content, and Chant admitted to viewing them out of curiosity rather than for any malicious intent.

During sentencing, Recorder Peter Blair QC acknowledged that this was Chant's first appearance in court and noted that he had come very close to facing imprisonment. The judge took into account Chant's guilty plea at the earliest opportunity and his cooperation with police authorities. Recorder Blair emphasized that the offences would have caused significant shame to Chant and his family.

As part of his sentence, Chant was ordered to complete a community order with two years of supervised probation. He was also mandated to attend the Thames Valley sex offenders' programme. Additionally, Chant was required to register as a sex offender for five years and was issued a Sexual Offenders' Prevention Order for the same duration. This order disqualified him from working with children and from taking any photographs of children without parental consent, aiming to prevent any future harm or misconduct.