GERALD TAPP FROM GRAVESEND CAUGHT IN SHOCKING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SCANDAL IN KENT

On September 17, 2008, a disturbing case involving serious allegations of child exploitation and online misconduct came to light in Kent, specifically involving individuals from Gravesend and Croydon. Gerald Tapp, a 56-year-old resident of Gravesend, was apprehended after police uncovered a vast collection of indecent images and videos depicting children of various ages, ranging from infants to pre-teens. The investigation revealed that Tapp had been involved in heinous activities, including filming underage girls without their consent, and engaging in online conversations with minors, which further compounded the severity of his crimes.

Police reports indicated that Tapp had stored more than 24,000 indecent images and nearly 1,000 stills from movies on his family computer. These materials included explicit content involving children from as young as six months old up to 12 years old. Tapp was charged with 34 counts related to the creation, distribution, and possession of child pornography. During the court proceedings, he admitted to all charges, acknowledging the gravity of his actions and accepting that he deserved punishment.

The investigation also uncovered that Tapp had been involved in filming girls at a local school where he worked as a design technician. Police found video footage showing children in Gravesend town centre, further illustrating the extent of his misconduct. The case took a shocking turn when police linked Tapp to another suspect, Jonathan Wales, a 33-year-old from Croydon, who had previously been convicted for similar offenses involving indecent images.

Wales was discovered to have over 1,000 indecent images on his laptop and USB drive. He had been actively involved in a scheme to waste the time of approximately 15 other paedophiles by posing as a 12-year-old girl named Jessica online. Wales’s details were found on the mobile phone of Gerald Tapp, which led to his arrest. Wales admitted to 38 charges of making, distributing, and possessing indecent images and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

Further details emerged when Tapp’s wife, Jenny, confronted him about his internet activities. She revealed that he had been viewing pornography and engaging in online chats with a girl called Jessica, who was only 12 years old. Tapp, a former Mormon bishop, had a disturbing collection of images and videos involving children from six months to 12 years old. His actions shocked his family and the community, prompting police to take swift action.

During the court hearing, Judge Philip Statman emphasized the severity of Tapp’s crimes, stating, “You had no understanding of what your victims had suffered.” Tapp was subsequently sentenced to three and a half years in prison, and both he and Wales were placed on the sex offenders’ register and barred from working with children. In a statement, Mrs. Tapp expressed her shock and dismay, stating, “It came as a great shock to me that my husband was involved in this activity, as I was totally unaware of his actions. Once I began to have suspicions, I spoke to him and persuaded him to hand himself in to police and make a full confession of his crimes. I do not condone his despicable actions.”

Following their arrests, authorities worked diligently to trace the online identities involved, leading to the apprehension of Wales and the subsequent linking of his details to Tapp’s case. The investigation highlighted the disturbing extent of online child exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts to protect vulnerable victims from such heinous crimes.