PETER LOFTS FROM PURLEY JAILED FOR HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In January 2010, Peter Lofts, a former England pool champion and resident of Purley, was sentenced to a total of 27 months in prison after being found guilty of possessing and distributing extremely disturbing images of children being subjected to torture.

Lofts, aged 50, was convicted at Reading Crown Court of multiple serious offences related to indecent images of children. The charges included the creation of 89 indecent images, eight counts of distributing such images, and eight additional counts of inciting others to share indecent images of minors. The offences took place over a period spanning from October 2007 to November 2008.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Lofts had exchanged grotesque and disturbing images via the internet chat platform MSN while he was on a business trip in Germany. He claimed that his computer had been hacked by an unknown prankster, attempting to deny responsibility for the material. Despite his assertions, the evidence presented was damning.

Lofts was visibly distressed as he was sentenced, holding his head in his hands as the judge delivered the verdict. The court heard that some of the images he downloaded and shared were rated at level four on a five-point severity scale, indicating a high level of depravity. These images depicted children being subjected to torture, a fact that the judge described as 'terrible.'

The investigation was initiated after Lofts returned his work laptop to Motorola’s IT support team for repairs. During the subsequent police search of his residence in Purley, authorities examined all of his electronic devices, including computers, CD-ROMs, and cameras. Surprisingly, no illegal images were found on any of these devices, which raised questions about the extent of his activities. However, the evidence of his online exchanges was sufficient for conviction.

Rachel Drake, representing Lofts, argued that there was no evidence to suggest he had introduced new images onto the internet. She emphasized that the images he shared were likely supplied by others and that his involvement was limited to redistribution. She pointed out that the number of images involved was relatively small and that the offences occurred over a limited timeframe.

Ms. Drake also highlighted that Lofts was a hardworking man of integrity, supported by his family, including his wife and daughter, who had distanced themselves from his actions but continued to support him emotionally. She contended that a custodial sentence would serve more as punishment than rehabilitation and would severely impact his personal relationships.

Despite her pleas, Judge Zoe Smith was firm in her decision. She sentenced Lofts to 21 months in prison for the possession of indecent images and an additional six months for distribution, to be served concurrently. The judge described the nature of the images as 'terrible,' emphasizing the gravity of the offences involving real children being subjected to torture for sexual gratification.

Furthermore, Lofts was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years and was prohibited from working with children in any capacity. The case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat the distribution of child abuse images and protect vulnerable minors from exploitation.