REX FENEMORE SHOCKS JUDGE IN THATCHAM WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In December 2022, a disturbing case unfolded at Reading Crown Court involving Rex Fenemore, a 70-year-old resident of Thatcham, who was found guilty of possessing a significant collection of indecent images depicting children. The court was told that Fenemore’s actions and the extent of his online activity were both shocking and deeply troubling.

Fenemore, who resides at The Court, off Park Road in Thatcham, appeared before the court on Friday, December 2, to face sentencing after he pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to child exploitation. The charges included possession of 507 images classified as Category A, which are considered the most severe, involving explicit content of children being raped. In addition, Fenemore admitted to possessing 596 images in Category B and 781 images in Category C, indicating a vast and disturbing collection of illegal material.

Prosecutor Richard Hutchings detailed the police raid that took place on July 20 of the previous year. During the raid, officers seized electronic devices from Fenemore’s home, and he immediately acknowledged that the devices contained the illicit images. The court was informed that police found search terms on his devices that demonstrated Fenemore had actively sought out extreme material, including images of children being subjected to sexual violence. Furthermore, detectives uncovered evidence that Fenemore had engaged in online conversations with another male, sharing fantasies involving paedophilia and even sending photographs of a child, which added to the gravity of his offending.

Hutchings emphasized that Fenemore had been involved in this disturbing behavior over a prolonged period, and although he denied any direct sexual assault on a child, the evidence pointed to a pattern of sexual interest in minors. The court was also told that Fenemore had previously requested a delay in sentencing to gather character references, but none were provided, and none of Fenemore’s family members were present in court during the proceedings.

Defence lawyer Carl Wheeler acknowledged Fenemore’s guilty plea at the earliest opportunity and highlighted that his client had no prior convictions. Wheeler explained that Fenemore’s initial online interactions involved a sadomasochistic fetish website, where he was submissive to another male participant. The lawyer stated, “He was submissive to the other man… he would do as he was ordered,” though he cautioned that the content of the chats could not be disclosed for legal reasons. Wheeler expressed remorse, stating, “I know Your Honour will be deeply concerned by those chats. His behaviour was wholly inexcusable and abhorrent, if not worse.”

Despite acknowledging the severity of the case, Wheeler appealed for a community sentence rather than immediate imprisonment, arguing that Fenemore would not have access to the Horizon rehabilitation programme in prison. He also requested that the court consider the media attention Fenemore had received, which had caused him to flee his home. The judge, Judge Amjad Nawaz, responded with a stark reminder of the nature of Fenemore’s crimes. Addressing Fenemore directly, the judge said, “What pleasure anyone can gain from looking at such images I simply cannot understand,” and pointed out that Fenemore had used search terms related to “extreme rape” and engaged in sexualized online conversations involving the abuse of children.

Judge Nawaz described Fenemore’s conduct as “beggars belief,” emphasizing the disturbing nature of his online activity and the lack of insight he showed into his offending. The court noted that Fenemore had attempted to deny any sexual interest in children, which the judge firmly rejected, stating, “This is clearly not true.”

Nevertheless, considering Fenemore’s advanced age and previously good character, the judge decided against immediate imprisonment. Instead, Fenemore was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete the Horizon programme, pay costs of £300, and sign the Sex Offenders Register for the next decade. Additionally, Fenemore was subjected to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, designed to prevent any future harm to children and to restrict his access to minors.

This case underscores the ongoing concerns about online child exploitation and the importance of rigorous legal action to protect vulnerable children from such predatory behavior.