IVYBRIDGE MAN GARY RENDLE CAUGHT WITH HORRIFIC ANIMAL AND CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In August 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving Gary Rendle, a resident of Ivybridge, who faced serious allegations related to the possession of explicit images depicting both child abuse and bestiality. The case unfolded in a court where Rendle, an IT consultant, admitted to possessing a significant collection of illegal material, which the judge described as covering all age groups and a broad spectrum of the animal kingdom.

According to court reports, Rendle was found to have accessed these images while at his parents' house. During police interviews, Rendle claimed that his computer had been infected by some form of virus, which he suggested might have caused the illicit images to appear on his device. He maintained that he used his computer primarily for reading The Guardian and playing Star Wars games, asserting that he was unaware of the extent of the material stored on his system.

The images in question included disturbing photographs of individuals engaging in sexual acts with animals such as horses, dogs, donkeys, and chickens. Additionally, there were images depicting children as young as six being abused by adults. The severity of the content was underscored by the judge, Ian Lawrie, who remarked that the images covered all age groups and a significant portion of the animal kingdom, highlighting the disturbing breadth of the material.

During the proceedings, Rendle was temporarily remanded into custody in the court cells for just under an hour while the judge prepared to deliver his sentence. Judge Lawrie emphasized the gravity of the offenses, stating, “I want to give you a taste of what your future will hold if you fail to comply with the court’s order or commit further offences. By viewing these images, you are part of the process which inflicts appalling suffering on these children.” Despite the seriousness of the charges, the judge ultimately suspended Rendle’s prison sentence, citing his previous good character, his guilty plea, and his employment as a skilled IT professional.

Rendle, who resides at Barons Pyke in Ivybridge, initially denied two counts of possessing indecent images of children, which were alleged to have been downloaded between March 2015 and March 2016. The police investigation revealed that he possessed 24 Category A images, which are considered the most severe, showing children being abused by adults. He also had eight images classified as Category B. Rendle claimed that these images must have been downloaded without his knowledge, a defense he later abandoned two weeks before his trial.

In addition to the child abuse images, Rendle pleaded guilty to possessing 322 extreme pornographic images depicting adults engaging in sexual acts with animals, including dogs, horses, donkeys, and chickens. The police executed a search warrant at his parents’ home in April of the previous year, seizing a laptop from Rendle’s car and his computer tower, both of which contained the illegal images.

During police interviews, Rendle reiterated his claim that the images could have been downloaded unknowingly. He insisted that his computer was primarily used for work, browsing sites like The Guardian, and playing Star Wars games. His defense attorney, Tom Bradnock, argued that the collection of images was largely driven by curiosity and impulse rather than a sexual interest in children. Bradnock emphasized that the number of images, while large, did not necessarily reflect a deep-seated sexual preference, and that Rendle was remorseful, having taken time to come to terms with his actions.

However, the court acknowledged that Rendle derived gratification from viewing these images. The impact of his actions on his professional life was also considered, as he is a self-employed IT consultant. Despite the allegations, he was still engaged by a major client at the time of the hearing.

Judge Lawrie described the scope of Rendle’s illegal collection, stating, “He covers all age groups and a fair swathe of the animal kingdom.” As a result, Rendle was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to attend a 31-session Horizon program for sex offenders, pay £1,500 in prosecution costs, and sign the Sex Offender Register for ten years. Additionally, he was issued a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for a similar period and required to surrender any computers to police for monitoring and inspection to prevent further offenses.