LEE WOODMAN CHATHAM PERVERT ESCAPES IMMEDIATE JAIL OVER ANIMAL AND CHILD SEX IMAGES
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Chatham, Lee Woodman, a 37-year-old man from Melville Court, was found to have downloaded and possessed highly disturbing images depicting sexual acts involving animals, including an octopus, a calf, and dogs.The case, which has garnered significant attention, highlights the severity of the crimes committed and the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in tackling such heinous offenses.
Woodman appeared before Maidstone Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the possession and creation of extreme pornography, as well as indecent images of children.
The court was informed that the images included explicit acts involving live animals, with prosecutors indicating that the material also contained images of children engaged in sexual activities.
Prosecutor Trevor Wright emphasized that the nature of some images was so extreme that revealing their details publicly might be inappropriate, but he confirmed that they involved acts of intercourse with animals, including dogs, and also depicted children.
During the hearing, Judge Martin Joy acknowledged the sensitive nature of the case but underscored the importance of transparency in justice.
He stated, “This is public legislation.
In a sense, it is the public that is affected.
There is no such thing as private or hidden justice.” The prosecutor clarified that the images included “acts of intercourse with a live animal,” and although the court was initially told that the creatures involved also included a calf and an octopus, the details were kept discreet to protect public sensibilities.
The investigation was initiated after police executed a search warrant at Woodman’s residence on Castle Road, Chatham, on March 26 of the previous year.
During the search, officers discovered a substantial collection of illicit material on his computer equipment, including over 500 still images and video clips.
Woodman admitted to police that he had a sexual obsession and that he had been exchanging these images via Skype, claiming he received some images and sent others in return.
He insisted that he had no sexual interest in children, attempting to distance himself from the most serious allegations.
Defense lawyer Danny Moore acknowledged the gravity of the case, especially concerning the extreme images.
He stated, “The defendant cannot have been any more frank.
He became obsessed with porn.
He was being sent large tranches of porn and within them were these images.” Judge Joy emphasized the seriousness of the child abuse images, noting that they involved real children and contributed to the demand that fuels such criminal activities.
He described the offenses as “particularly serious” and pointed out that Woodman’s preoccupation with sexual and pornographic material was evident.
As part of the sentence, the judge decided to suspend Woodman’s imprisonment for two years, provided he undergoes 80 sessions of a sex offender treatment program.
Additionally, Woodman will be registered on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and will be subject to a sexual offences prevention order for the same period, which includes a ban from working with children.
Earlier, in April 2014, Woodman had already admitted to possessing extreme pornography showing humans engaging in sexual acts with animals, including an octopus.
He pleaded guilty to 15 charges related to these images, which also depicted sexual acts with a calf and a dog.
The police had uncovered these images on an Acer notebook and an external hard drive.
The charges included six counts of possessing extreme pornographic images involving animals and nine counts of making indecent images of children at levels one through four.
The case was deemed so serious that it was transferred from Medway magistrates to Maidstone Crown Court for sentencing.
Woodman was granted bail under strict conditions, including a prohibition on unsupervised contact with children under 16 and restrictions on internet use, pending his next court appearance.
