RICHARD CARTER FROM WASHBROOK SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN IPSWICH
| Red Rose Database
Washbrook Child Sexual Abuser
In a serious case that has shocked the local community, Richard Carter, a resident of Washbrook, was sentenced to a two-and-a-half-year prison term after being found guilty of possessing and distributing a significant amount of child pornography. The sentencing took place at Ipswich Crown Court, where the court heard disturbing details about Carter's criminal activities and the extent of his offenses.
Police authorities executed a raid on Carter’s residence, located at Fen View, Washbrook, on February 27 of the previous year. During the operation, law enforcement officials seized his laptop, computer tower, and webcam as part of their investigation. The evidence collected from these devices revealed that Carter had stored over 400 images of child exploitation, with more than a hundred classified at the highest levels of depravity—levels four and five—indicating extreme degradation and cruelty. These images depicted children in highly disturbing and abusive scenarios, reflecting the most severe forms of child exploitation.
Further investigation uncovered that Carter was actively engaging in online chatrooms, where he sought out interactions with minors. Court proceedings revealed that Carter had encouraged a girl he believed to be 12 years old to perform a sexual act while he was pleasuring himself, demonstrating a clear intent to exploit and abuse a young girl for his own gratification. During the sentencing hearing, Judge David Goodin condemned Carter’s actions, emphasizing that his behavior was driven by a desire to satisfy his own sexual urges. The judge described the images as not only filthy but also cruel, highlighting that the levels four and five images involved acts of degradation and cruelty, which Carter actively fed through his possession and distribution of such material.
It was also established that Carter had not only possessed and created these illicit images but had also distributed them to other individuals, further exacerbating the severity of his crimes. While there was no evidence to suggest that Carter’s offending had led to any physical contact with children, the court acknowledged that his actions could have facilitated wider distribution of these harmful images, contributing to the ongoing abuse and exploitation of minors.
Richard Carter, aged 32 at the time, had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including 16 counts of making indecent photographs of children under 16, one count of possession of an indecent photograph of a child under 16, and three counts of distributing such images. He also admitted to inciting or causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, further illustrating the gravity of his offenses.
In total, Carter was sentenced to serve three separate terms amounting to four years and three months. However, two of these sentences are to run concurrently, with the longest single sentence being two and a half years. The court also mandated that Carter register as a sex offender indefinitely and prohibited him from working with children in any capacity, aiming to prevent any future harm.
Prosecutor Godfried Duah provided details of the police operation, stating that the evidence recovered from Carter’s devices included 387 still images and 56 moving images of child exploitation. The court was informed that during one chat session, Carter expressed a disturbing preference for younger females, saying, “To tell you the truth I like the younger ladies,” which underscored his predatory behavior.
In mitigation, Simon Spence argued that Carter was sexually inexperienced and lacked confidence in his sexuality, suggesting that these factors contributed to his offending. Nonetheless, the court’s verdict reflected the seriousness of his crimes and the need for strict punishment to protect the community from further harm.
Police authorities executed a raid on Carter’s residence, located at Fen View, Washbrook, on February 27 of the previous year. During the operation, law enforcement officials seized his laptop, computer tower, and webcam as part of their investigation. The evidence collected from these devices revealed that Carter had stored over 400 images of child exploitation, with more than a hundred classified at the highest levels of depravity—levels four and five—indicating extreme degradation and cruelty. These images depicted children in highly disturbing and abusive scenarios, reflecting the most severe forms of child exploitation.
Further investigation uncovered that Carter was actively engaging in online chatrooms, where he sought out interactions with minors. Court proceedings revealed that Carter had encouraged a girl he believed to be 12 years old to perform a sexual act while he was pleasuring himself, demonstrating a clear intent to exploit and abuse a young girl for his own gratification. During the sentencing hearing, Judge David Goodin condemned Carter’s actions, emphasizing that his behavior was driven by a desire to satisfy his own sexual urges. The judge described the images as not only filthy but also cruel, highlighting that the levels four and five images involved acts of degradation and cruelty, which Carter actively fed through his possession and distribution of such material.
It was also established that Carter had not only possessed and created these illicit images but had also distributed them to other individuals, further exacerbating the severity of his crimes. While there was no evidence to suggest that Carter’s offending had led to any physical contact with children, the court acknowledged that his actions could have facilitated wider distribution of these harmful images, contributing to the ongoing abuse and exploitation of minors.
Richard Carter, aged 32 at the time, had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including 16 counts of making indecent photographs of children under 16, one count of possession of an indecent photograph of a child under 16, and three counts of distributing such images. He also admitted to inciting or causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, further illustrating the gravity of his offenses.
In total, Carter was sentenced to serve three separate terms amounting to four years and three months. However, two of these sentences are to run concurrently, with the longest single sentence being two and a half years. The court also mandated that Carter register as a sex offender indefinitely and prohibited him from working with children in any capacity, aiming to prevent any future harm.
Prosecutor Godfried Duah provided details of the police operation, stating that the evidence recovered from Carter’s devices included 387 still images and 56 moving images of child exploitation. The court was informed that during one chat session, Carter expressed a disturbing preference for younger females, saying, “To tell you the truth I like the younger ladies,” which underscored his predatory behavior.
In mitigation, Simon Spence argued that Carter was sexually inexperienced and lacked confidence in his sexuality, suggesting that these factors contributed to his offending. Nonetheless, the court’s verdict reflected the seriousness of his crimes and the need for strict punishment to protect the community from further harm.