CHRISTOPHER DUCKWORTH FROM LONG SUTTON JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In a case that has shocked the community of Long Sutton, Christopher Duckworth, the former chairman of the Long Sutton Parish Council, has been sentenced to three months in prison after admitting to serious charges related to child pornography. The court proceedings, held at Lincoln Crown Court, revealed that Duckworth, aged 64 and residing at Bingham Court in Long Sutton, pleaded guilty to five counts of distributing indecent images of children. These acts took place over a period spanning from August 8, 2004, to February 28, 2005.

In addition to these charges, Duckworth also admitted to creating an indecent image of a child and possessing other indecent images of minors. His role as a parish councillor began in 2003, and he had only recently stepped down from his position as chairman when the allegations came to light. His resignation was immediate following his arrest, which marked a significant fall from grace for the local community.

The court heard that Duckworth’s actions were not isolated incidents but part of a disturbing pattern of behavior. Judge John Milmo, presiding over the case, dismissed a plea from Duckworth’s legal team that his sentence should be suspended. The judge emphasized that Duckworth must have been fully aware of the harm caused by his actions, stating that he must have known that his activities involved the corruption of children for his own perverse gratification.

Prosecutor David Matthew detailed how Duckworth had accessed adult chat rooms online, cleverly concealing his identity by claiming to be a 22-year-old bisexual woman. During these interactions, he exchanged emails that contained images of child pornography, further illustrating the extent of his illicit activities. The police investigation was triggered when an indecent email sent by Duckworth was discovered on the computers of individuals under investigation in Cumbria and West Yorkshire. This led to a search of Duckworth’s residence, where authorities confiscated his two laptops.

The forensic examination of these devices uncovered a disturbing cache of 156 indecent images of children, confirming the severity of his offenses. The evidence was overwhelming and played a crucial role in securing his conviction.

During the hearing, Duckworth’s defense attorney, Jonathan Bertram, attempted to mitigate the circumstances by explaining that Duckworth was at home recovering from a hernia operation when he began accessing adult pornography online. Bertram also highlighted Duckworth’s prior service to the country, noting his exemplary record in the Army and describing him as a hardworking family man. Despite these arguments, the court’s decision was firm, and Duckworth was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next seven years. Additionally, his two laptops were confiscated as part of the court’s measures to prevent further offenses.

This case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online child exploitation and highlights the serious consequences faced by those who engage in such reprehensible activities. The community of Long Sutton, like many others, is left to grapple with the implications of this disturbing revelation and the importance of safeguarding children from online predators.