JOHN GOODIER FROM BARNTON SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN CHESTER

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Barnton, John Goodier, a 44-year-old man employed at a chemical company, was formally sentenced at Chester Crown Court for a series of serious child pornography offenses. The charges against him encompass a wide range of criminal activities related to the exploitation and distribution of indecent images involving minors.

Goodier faced a total of 20 charges, which included 13 counts of taking 67 indecent photographs of a young girl, three counts of downloading 120 images from the internet, one count of distributing an indecent photo, one count of possessing 187 images, and two counts involving a 14-year-old girl in pornographic photographs. These offenses spanned from July 2004 to July 2005, highlighting a prolonged period of criminal activity.

During the court proceedings, prosecutor Miles Wilson detailed the case, emphasizing that Goodier, who was supported by his partner during the hearing, did not believe his actions were inappropriate. Wilson explained that Goodier was arrested in March following a police investigation that traced a photograph of a young girl in a school uniform back to him. The police had initially been alerted after discovering images on a computer belonging to a man from Lancashire, which included photographs of an unidentified girl wearing a Middlewich High School uniform.

When police officers visited Goodier’s residence on Spencer Street, they uncovered the images stored on his computers and a CD. Despite the social worker’s concerns about the nature of the images, Wilson stated that Goodier believed the 67 photographs he took, which depicted a 14-year-old girl alone and with a female friend, were acceptable. Goodier claimed he was merely trying to make the girl happy, and both girls reportedly did not see themselves as victims nor viewed the images as inappropriate.

However, Judge Stephen Clarke was unequivocal in his judgment, condemning Goodier’s actions as inexcusable. The judge expressed concern over the fact that the girls involved were only 14 years old and were posing in a manner that could be exploited in a market for such images. He questioned Goodier’s apparent lack of understanding of the severity of his conduct, emphasizing the importance of protecting children from such exploitation.

As a result of his crimes, Goodier was sentenced to a total of three years in prison, with an initial 12 months to be served behind bars. He will serve half of this sentence before being released on license. Additionally, he was disqualified from working with children and ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years. Authorities also seized items including computers, cameras, and a CD as part of the case. The sentence underscores the seriousness with which the court viewed his violations and the ongoing need to safeguard minors from exploitation and abuse.