NEIL ROBERTS FROM SOUTHSEA CAUGHT WITH 13,000 CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN PORTSMOUTH

In August 2011, a disturbing case emerged involving Neil Roberts, a resident of Southsea, who was found to possess an alarming collection of child abuse images. The incident came to light after Roberts' wife discovered a child pornography image on his computer, prompting her to report her suspicions to the police. This initial discovery set off a thorough investigation that revealed the full extent of Roberts' disturbing secret.

Following the report, law enforcement officers seized Roberts' computers as part of their inquiry. The subsequent analysis uncovered a staggering total of over 13,000 images depicting child abuse. One of his laptops alone contained more than 10,000 such images, highlighting the scale of his illicit collection. Experts examined a sample of 130 images from his collection, revealing a disturbing distribution of severity levels. Of these, 92 images were classified at the lowest level of seriousness, indicating less explicit content. However, the investigation also uncovered eight images rated at level five, the most severe classification, indicating extreme content. Additionally, 11 images were rated at level four, 15 at level three, and five at level two, illustrating a wide range of disturbing material.

Neil Roberts, aged 44 at the time, was arrested on May 5 of the previous year. He was subsequently charged with nine counts related to the making and possession of indecent images of children. The case drew significant attention, not only because of the volume and severity of the images but also due to the personal consequences Roberts faced. His marriage ended in divorce, he was stripped of access to his children, declared bankrupt, and lost his employment as a result of the allegations.

During legal proceedings, Roberts' defense lawyer, Benedict Kelleher, acknowledged the profound impact of the case on Roberts and his family. Kelleher stated, “His life and that of his now ex-wife and children has obviously been gravely affected by this offence.” He further emphasized that Roberts had been punished in many ways, including the breakdown of his family and his financial ruin.

In his police interview, Roberts claimed that the images had been sent to his computer remotely and insisted that he did not derive any sexual gratification from possessing them. However, he later admitted to nine charges in court, including six counts of making indecent images of a child and two counts of possessing such images. He also pleaded guilty to possessing an extreme pornographic image.

At Portsmouth Crown Court, Judge Roger Hetherington addressed the severity of the case, stating, “Courts in this area have a very difficult sentencing task because the public, rightly, are disgusted by this sort of offence and the very fact of the existence of these photographs and films on the internet which people like you have downloaded means that children somewhere in the world have been seriously abused in order to obtain them.”

Roberts was sentenced to a three-year community order under supervision, which includes the requirement to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. Additionally, he was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register. The computers and related equipment seized during the investigation are set to be destroyed, ensuring that such material cannot be circulated further. This case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat child exploitation and the serious consequences faced by those involved in such heinous activities.