MAN JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES
A resident of Alton has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being found guilty of 23 offenses related to indecent images and attempts to communicate sexually with a child.Following an investigation by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Internet Child Abuse Team, Gavin Chivers, 39, was identified as a suspect involved in viewing child abuse images online.
He was arrested on 31 March.
Chivers, who lives on Russett Road in Alton, explained during police interviews that he accessed the images in an attempt to earn the trust of offenders online, intending to identify and report them.
Nonetheless, examining his mobile phone revealed numerous chats about child abuse, along with many indecent images and videos, some showing sexual abuse of children.
There was no evidence to support his claim of trying to uncover offenders, which led to him being charged with various offences.
He admitted guilt to multiple charges, including three counts of creating indecent images or pseudo-images of children, one count of taking such images, one count of possessing extreme pornographic material involving an animal, 14 counts of distributing indecent images, two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a minor, and two counts of publishing obscene material.
At Winchester Crown Court on 23 June, he was sentenced to an eight-year prison term.
Additionally, he is required to be on the Sex Offenders Register for life and must abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, both of which are lifelong restrictions.
