GERALD MOORE FROME SHOCKS COURT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AND BESTIALITY PICTURES

In September 2017, Gerald Moore, a 53-year-old man from Frome, found himself at the center of a serious criminal case involving the possession and distribution of highly illegal and disturbing images. The case was heard at Taunton Crown Court, where it was revealed that Moore had engaged in the download of explicit material, including images depicting bestiality and child abuse, during a two-day period from November 21 to November 22, 2015.

Moore, who was residing at an address on High Street in Nunney at the time, had previously admitted to creating indecent videos involving a child, which was classified as the most serious Category A offense. In addition to this, he also confessed to producing four indecent photographs and 48 movies of children, categorized as Category B, along with 24 indecent photographs and 42 movies of children in Category C. These categories reflect the severity and explicit nature of the material involved.

Further complicating his case, Moore admitted to possessing an extreme pornographic image that depicted a person engaging in sexual acts with a dog, an act considered both illegal and morally reprehensible. During the proceedings, Moore chose to represent himself, telling Judge David Ticehurst that he would prefer to serve time in prison rather than burden his family with the financial costs associated with hiring legal representation.

The prosecution, led by Caroline Bolt, explained that the police from Avon and Somerset had been alerted to Moore’s activities after receiving information from Kent Police. The latter had identified Moore’s IP address on a peer-to-peer sharing network, which led to a police investigation. When officers visited Moore’s residence, he initially claimed ignorance about the police presence. However, his manner and demeanor during the encounter suggested he was not being entirely truthful, prompting further scrutiny.

Authorities seized Moore’s laptop, desktop computer, and hard drive, discovering that he had conducted numerous online searches for indecent images of children. The police investigation revealed that the images mostly depicted young girls aged between nine and twelve years old engaged in sexual acts, a finding that underscored the severity of his offenses.

During police interviews, Moore admitted to all the charges. He claimed that he had no sexual attraction to children and that his viewing of such material was driven purely by curiosity. He expressed remorse for his actions, stating that he had no defense and wished to sincerely apologize to the court, his family, and others affected.

Moore explained that his insomnia and the early bedtime of his partner left him with a significant amount of free time, which he admitted contributed to his online activities. “I suffer from insomnia and my partner goes to bed quite early,” he said. “It left me with a lot of time on my hands, which didn’t help.”

Judge David Ticehurst addressed Moore directly, condemning his actions and emphasizing the gravity of his offenses. The judge stated, “You could have looked at anything online – aeroplanes, motorcars, steam engines. Anything would be better than watching young children being sexually abused.” He also pointed out that Moore had not considered the real suffering of the children depicted in the images, highlighting the desensitization caused by internet pornography. Moore admitted that he had become addicted and that his viewing habits had become increasingly extreme.

In response to Moore’s assertion that prison would not benefit him, the judge delivered a stern sentence. Moore was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete 30 days of rehabilitation activities. Additionally, he was mandated to participate in a sex offender treatment program and was placed under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years, reflecting the seriousness of his crimes and the need for ongoing monitoring and intervention.