NORTH WEALD MAN BARRY GOODERHAM JAILED FOR CHILD GROOMING AND INDECENT IMAGES

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the North Weald community, Barry Gooderham, aged 51, has been sentenced to a total of six years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to groom children and sharing indecent images online. The sentencing took place at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday, May 12, following a series of serious charges that stemmed from investigations into his online activities and behavior.

Gooderham, formerly residing on Hawks Hill in North Weald, had previously pleaded guilty to 18 separate charges, all of which were linked to offenses committed in Harlow. The police raid on his residence on December 1, 2015, uncovered chat logs dating back to January 2014. These logs revealed disturbing conversations in which he encouraged what appeared to be teenage girls to perform sexual acts and to send him explicit photographs. The content of these exchanges was described in court as utterly disgusting, vile, and repugnant by Judge Peters.

During the proceedings, the court heard that Gooderham admitted to three charges of attempting to cause a girl aged between 13 and 15 years old to engage in sexual activity. However, the victims have not been identified, and their ages could not be verified, as they have never been traced. The charges relate to attempts rather than completed acts, which complicates the case but does not diminish the severity of the offenses.

In addition to the grooming charges, Gooderham pleaded guilty to five counts of distributing indecent images of children and nine counts of creating hundreds of such images. Among the material he shared was a video and still images of a 13-year-old girl he had filmed himself, which he distributed among three other men. These actions highlight the extent of his involvement in the circulation of child exploitation material.

Emma Nash, prosecuting, detailed an incident where Gooderham arranged to meet someone he believed was a nine-year-old girl. In reality, the person he was communicating with was another middle-aged man. Nash emphasized that the meeting was never intended to happen, but Gooderham’s lack of awareness about the true identity of his online contact demonstrated his dangerous intentions.

It was also revealed that Gooderham had previously been involved in foster care for vulnerable children, raising concerns about his past associations and the potential risk he posed to children in his care.

Throughout the court proceedings, Gooderham’s behavior was subdued; he sat with his head bowed, dressed in a blue hoodie, before turning to face Judge Peters with an impassive expression as she delivered her sentence. The judge condemned his actions, stating that such offenses are serious and indicative of a clear sexual interest in children, including infants just weeks old. She emphasized that Gooderham’s conduct was a life-altering event for his victims and that he would be under police scrutiny for the foreseeable future.

In addition to his prison sentence, Gooderham will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and his name will be registered on the sex offenders register indefinitely. The court also noted that since the legal proceedings began, his property and vehicle had been targeted with vandalism, including a petrol bomb thrown at his home. An investigation is ongoing into an alleged assault on him during a previous court hearing, further illustrating the tense and volatile atmosphere surrounding this case.

Judge Peters concluded her remarks by condemning Gooderham’s actions, stating, “Most people do not resort to this sort of paedophilic offending. These acts are serious and reveal a disturbing sexual interest in children, even including infants a matter of weeks old. For the rest of your life, the police will be watching you.” The court’s decision ensures that Gooderham will serve a significant prison term, with a combined sentence of eight and a half years for the charges related to indecent images, all to run concurrently with his six-year term for grooming and related offenses.