DANIEL LEATHAM FROM MERSTHAM AND MERSHAM JAILED FOR CHILD SEX IMAGE OFFENSES IN GUILDFORD AND GODALMING

In a series of disturbing criminal cases, Daniel Leatham, a man with a troubling history of offenses related to child exploitation, has been sentenced to significant prison terms following his involvement in possessing indecent images of children and breaching court orders designed to protect minors.

Leatham, aged 35 and residing in Hall Close, Farncombe, was first arrested in October of the previous year after suspicions arose at his place of employment, the Lounge Bar located in Godalming. The suspicion was raised by his employer, Lee Harris, who reported concerns about Leatham’s behavior and the presence of inappropriate material on a computer at the workplace.

During the court proceedings at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday, May 19, prosecutor Lee Harris detailed the circumstances leading to Leatham’s arrest. Harris explained that Leatham was a member of staff at the Lounge Bar, and his employer had discovered some concerning images on a computer used at the establishment. This computer was subject to a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO), which explicitly prohibited Leatham from using computers without monitoring software due to his prior convictions.

Harris further revealed that Leatham was aware of his restrictions and his criminal history, which included convictions related to similar offenses in 2012. Police seized the computer from the bar and also conducted a search at Leatham’s home address, where they recovered a hard drive and the main computer used at the bar. Additionally, CCTV footage was obtained, showing Leatham on October 11 of the previous year, alone in the bar, and on several occasions, he was seen entering the room where the computer was kept, particularly around the time of his arrest.

The police investigation uncovered a disturbing collection of indecent images stored on both the work computer and the hard drive at Leatham’s residence. In total, authorities found 1,275 images, all classified as Category C, which had been downloaded between March 21, 2014, and July 13, 2015. The images depicted children in sexually explicit situations, and Leatham was arrested on October 11. During police interviews, Leatham maintained that he had no knowledge of how these images appeared on the computer or the hard drive, claiming that he had not downloaded any such material. He stated that multiple staff members had access to the work computer and that he was unaware of the images' presence.

Leatham later pleaded guilty to the charges on the day his trial was scheduled to commence, April 20. He admitted to breaching the SOPO, which had been imposed in March 2010, and to possessing indecent images of children. His defense attorney, Edward Culver, informed the court that Leatham had been held at High Down Prison since October 23 of the previous year. Culver also highlighted that prior to this latest breach, Leatham’s life had been on a positive trajectory, with stable employment, a partner, and a small social circle. However, he acknowledged that Leatham recognized the need for change and understood that continued offending would only lead to further legal consequences.

Judge Christopher Critchlow sentenced Leatham to a concurrent term of 16 months for both charges. The judge emphasized Leatham’s extensive criminal history, noting that he had breached a SOPO on no fewer than nine occasions. The court was also presented with a report from a highly experienced probation officer, describing Leatham as a serial offender who tends to live in a fantasy world and is manipulative. The report expressed serious concerns about the high risk Leatham poses to children, stating that he should not be allowed to be unaccompanied with any child under the age of 16.

Furthermore, the judge imposed a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) for ten years and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of all indecent images found during the investigation.

In a related case from March 2010, Leatham, then aged 28 and residing in Mansfield Drive, Merstham, was also convicted of possessing indecent images of children. Police had seized a computer, a camera, and three mobile phones from his home, which contained a total of 478 images and videos, including over 100 images involving children as young as three years old. Eleven of these were classified as Category Five, the most severe level of child pornography. Leatham was sentenced to three years in prison and was subject to a SOPO requiring him to participate in a sex offenders’ rehabilitation program.

However, in October of the same year, Leatham was arrested again for breaching the terms of his SOPO. The breach occurred after he took a job teaching dance at a local school, where he was found to have taught children aged six to sixteen without proper supervision. He had also failed to attend all scheduled appointments with the Thames Valley Sex Offenders program and was found to possess a smartphone capable of internet access.

During the court hearing, prosecutor Jill Beale described how Leatham had initially claimed he was teaching adults and that his involvement with children was unintentional. Despite this, Judge Peter Moss sentenced him to seven months for the original offenses and an additional 28 months for breaching the SOPO, to run consecutively. The judge described Leatham as manipulative and living in a secretive, fantasy world, with a high risk of reoffending. He expressed concerns that Leatham was a predatory paedophile, noting that he had traveled long distances to meet children and had written letters to children from prison.

Ultimately, Leatham received a total sentence of 35 months, less the 157 days he had already served in custody, reflecting the seriousness of his repeated offenses and breaches of court orders. His case underscores ongoing concerns about the dangers posed by individuals with a history of child exploitation and the importance of strict legal measures to prevent further harm.