JOHN BOOTH FROM WHITLAND SENTENCED FOR POSSESSING INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN

In June 2013, a man from Whitland named John Booth faced serious legal consequences after being convicted of possessing indecent images of children. Despite the conviction, Booth continues to deny any involvement or guilt in the matter, a stance he maintained throughout the court proceedings.

Booth was found guilty last month on a total of 25 counts related to the making and possession of indecent images of minors. The evidence presented in court revealed that these images were stored across multiple devices found within his residence in Whitland, including two laptops, a mobile phone, USB drives, and a desktop computer. Most of these images were located in deleted items folders, which suggests an attempt to conceal or delete the content, Swansea Crown Court heard during the trial.

According to the prosecution, police recovered a total of 117 indecent images. These images were categorized based on their severity, with 24 images classified as Category 4, which is considered highly serious, nine images as Category 3, 13 as Category 2, and a significant number—71 images—falling into Category 1, the least severe classification. The scale used ranges from one to five, with five representing the most serious content.

During the trial, Booth’s defense lawyer, Jim Davis, argued that the number of images was relatively low compared to other cases. Davis highlighted that Booth had been more focused on asserting his innocence rather than admitting guilt, as reflected in a pre-sentence report prepared for the court. The report also noted that Booth had been subjected to a lengthy curfew while awaiting trial, which added to his difficulties.

Jim Davis requested that the court impose a minimal sentence, emphasizing Booth’s disabilities and transgender issues, which he claimed would make incarceration particularly challenging for him. However, the presiding judge, Huw Davies, was not persuaded by Booth’s denial. The judge expressed that the pre-sentence report was unhelpful because Booth maintained his innocence, and until he acknowledged his responsibility, any hope of changing his attitude towards such behavior was unlikely.

Judge Davies stated, “You do not seem to me to be one of those people willing to accept his own behaviour,” and subsequently sentenced Booth to 18 weeks in prison. The court also noted that Booth, of St John Road in Whitland, was the individual responsible for downloading the images.

Additionally, the court addressed other charges related to sexual misconduct. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on charges of rape and sexual assault of a child, and the judge recorded not guilty verdicts on those counts, leaving those allegations unresolved.