LEE DAVENPORT FROM ODSTONE SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND POSSESSION OF EXTREME INDECENT IMAGES

In March 2018, a disturbing case unfolded involving Lee Davenport, a resident of Newton Road, Odstone, near Twycross, who found himself at the center of a serious criminal investigation related to online child exploitation and possession of extreme indecent images.

It all began when Davenport attempted to initiate a sexual conversation with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. Unbeknownst to him, this individual was actually an undercover police officer operating under the alias 'Chloe' as part of a child protection operation. Davenport's actions led to his arrest in November of the previous year, during which law enforcement officers seized his computers and other electronic devices.

Following his arrest, Davenport admitted to the police that he had engaged in attempts to communicate sexually with a minor. As part of the legal proceedings, he was ordered to surrender all devices capable of connecting to the internet. During a subsequent search of his home, officers recovered two smartphones and a PlayStation 4 console, all of which had internet connectivity capabilities. These devices were later examined by authorities, revealing a disturbing collection of indecent images.

In total, the police found on his seized computers 116 videos and 181 still images classified as Category A, the most severe level of indecency. Additionally, there were 21 movies and 222 still images in Category B, along with 50 movies and 1,870 still images in Category C. Among the most heinous material was a Category A video depicting a man raping a baby boy, a discovery that significantly contributed to the severity of Davenport’s charges.

Prior to his sentencing, Davenport pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. In January, he was given an eight-month suspended sentence and was placed under a sexual harm prevention order. This order mandated that he inform his offender manager of any new internet-enabled devices he acquired. Despite assurances to his offender manager that he possessed no such devices and that his mobile phone was solely for making calls, police investigations revealed otherwise.

On February 27, police officers returned to Davenport’s residence and discovered two smartphones and a PlayStation 4 console capable of internet connection, directly contravening the terms of his order. The authorities also examined the computers seized in November, uncovering a vast collection of illegal images, including some of the most extreme categories.

During the court proceedings, Prosecutor Simon Phillips detailed the extent of Davenport’s offenses, emphasizing the severity of the images found. The case was heard by Recorder Tom Rochford, who addressed Davenport directly. The judge highlighted the gravity of the crimes, noting that Davenport had been arrested for attempting to communicate sexually with a minor who was actually an undercover officer, and that he had subsequently breached the sexual harm prevention order by acquiring new devices.

Ultimately, Davenport was sentenced to 16 months in custody for his multiple offenses, reflecting the serious nature of his actions and the breach of court orders designed to protect children from exploitation.