CHRISTOPHER UNDERWOOD FROM WHITSTABLE SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGE OFFENSES IN CANTERBURY

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Whitstable, 66-year-old Christopher Underwood was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of possessing and distributing indecent images of children. The sentencing took place at Canterbury Crown Court, where the court heard how Underwood’s actions extended beyond mere possession, involving active sharing and publication of such material.

Underwood, a resident of Gordon Road in Whitstable, had earlier pleaded guilty to a total of 13 charges. These charges included possession of indecent images with intent to distribute, actual distribution of such images, acts that outraged public decency, and the publication of obscene material. The case was brought to light after police investigations revealed that Underwood was uploading indecent images of children to the internet, prompting a raid on his home in June.

Law enforcement officers from the Child Exploitation Investigation team executed a search warrant at Underwood’s residence, leading to his immediate arrest. During questioning, Underwood did not deny his involvement. Instead, he admitted to sharing indecent images of children online, explaining that doing so gave him a “buzz.” He further revealed that he was part of a group he referred to as “the club,” which shared such images among its members.

In addition to admitting to sharing images, Underwood confessed to writing stories about child abuse, which he published online for others to read. He described these stories as “epics,” indicating a disturbing level of engagement with the material. His actions demonstrated a blatant disregard for the harm caused to victims and the potential encouragement of further abuse.

As part of his sentencing, Underwood was also subjected to an indefinite sexual offences prevention order. This order is designed to restrict his access to children and prevent any future offenses. Furthermore, he will be required to sign the sexual offenders register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities.

Commenting on the case, DC Mikaela Stevens, a child protection officer involved in the investigation, expressed her concern: “This man was not satisfied with simply downloading indecent images from the internet, but also shared images with others as well as writing and sharing sordid stories of children being abused. By doing so he demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of what such material would be used for and the encouragement it gives others to abuse children. Underwood showed no understanding of the effect his actions could have on others. His offending encouraged the abuse of children and demonstrates his belief that children are sexual objects.”

It was also revealed that Christopher Newbrook, a man from Medway, was arrested in connection with the investigation into Underwood’s activities. Newbrook was subsequently jailed for 15 months on October 21 for his role in distributing child abuse images, highlighting the broader scope of the investigation and the serious nature of these crimes.