CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS FROM WALTHAM CROSS AND BROXBOURNE SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In a significant case that has shocked the local communities of Waltham Cross and Broxbourne, Christopher Williams, a 33-year-old man, was sentenced to four years in prison after admitting to serious charges related to child exploitation images. Williams, who was residing at Madley Court in Broxbourne at the time of sentencing, was found to possess and distribute a vast collection of illicit material involving minors.

Williams' arrest followed a police investigation that originated from an international inquiry. Authorities in the United States had identified a user with the online pseudonym 'Bardine,' who had been arrested for sharing child abuse images. During their investigation, it was revealed that this individual had received a total of 32 emails over a five-month period from Williams. This connection prompted further scrutiny and ultimately led to the police executing a search warrant at Williams' residence in Westminster Court, Waltham Cross, a property he shared with his girlfriend.

During the court proceedings held at St Albans Crown Court on Thursday, December 4, Williams pleaded guilty to 22 counts encompassing the making, possession, and distribution of indecent images of children. Prosecutor Jan Hayne detailed the extent of Williams' illicit activities, stating that police discovered more than 2,000 disturbing images and videos on various storage devices. The material depicted children aged between six and twelve years old engaged in sexual acts, with some images classified at the most severe levels of abuse.

Specifically, the police found three CD-ROMs containing 26 moving images and 2,254 still photographs. The images included detailed descriptions such as hair color and bra size, suggesting that Williams kept a list of potential victims. Additionally, investigators uncovered a list of names, likely those of children, along with websites and email addresses used to source further pornography. Disturbingly, photographs taken with Williams' camera showed young girls in a car park behind his residence.

Williams initially claimed that the illicit material was not his and attempted to shift blame onto his partner, stating, “I know what the other half is like.” He also claimed that he was in the process of separating from his girlfriend, whom he met when she was just 15 years old, and that they shared an email account. When questioned about the images on CD-ROMs at his home, Williams admitted that if he received images, he would send them back, claiming that such actions made him feel sick.

Following his arrest in July, Williams was released on bail under strict conditions, including a ban from accessing the internet. However, in June of the following year, he violated these conditions by visiting a woman he had met online. The prosecutor explained that Williams first contacted her at 4:30 pm and by 12:30 am, he was at her house. The woman had two young children aged four and five. During this visit, a social worker, who was present, discovered that Williams was on bail for downloading child pornography. This led to his re-arrest in August, and he was remanded into custody.

In court, a letter from Williams was read aloud, in which he expressed remorse and stated that his family was very important to him. Despite this, Judge Marie Catterson expressed serious concerns about Williams' attitude and lack of insight into the severity of his crimes. She highlighted the high risk of re-offending and warned that his offending could escalate to contact with children. As part of her sentencing, the judge ordered an extension of a two-year license period upon the completion of Williams' sentence and prohibited him from working with or having contact with children upon his release, emphasizing the need to protect the community from further harm.