GARY DENNIS SENTENCED IN EXETER FOR POSSESSING OVER 3,000 CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In August 2012, Gary Dennis, a 56-year-old postman from Homer Close, Bratton Fleming, Barnstaple, was sentenced after being found with more than 3,400 images and videos depicting child abuse. Dennis admitted to 21 offences related to the making and possession of indecent images of children, with the material including 150 images rated at the most severe levels, showing adults engaging in sexual acts with minors.

Dennis was discovered after police traced his online activity, where he had logged into child pornography websites under an obscene alias. Authorities found the explicit content stored across two computers and a hard drive. During police interviews, Dennis claimed he enjoyed looking at the faces of young girls, stating, "I liked looking at the faces of the young girls." However, a judge condemned his interests as "perverted and depraved."

The court heard that most of the images depicted children between four and twelve years old, with some as young as four to six. Prosecutor Mr. Sapiecha explained, "Police were alerted because the defendant's IP address was being used to access these images," adding that the material was readily accessible on his devices.

Dennis pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to attend a sex offenders’ treatment program as a condition of a two-year supervision order. Additionally, the judge imposed a sexual offences prevention order to restrict his access to children unsupervised and mandated him to register as a sex offender for ten years.

Judge Francis Gilbert QC remarked, "You are hardly going to look at the pretty face of a five-year-old during a sexual act with an adult male. You were clearly seeking your own perverted satisfaction through these images. However, you have not been previously convicted, or you would be going straight to prison."

Defence lawyer Mr. Nigel Wraith urged the court to consider the recommendations from a pre-sentence report, highlighting Dennis's early guilty plea and cooperation with police efforts.