TREVER SHAROT CAUGHT IN PINNER WITH CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES AVOIDS JAIL

In December 2014, a disturbing case emerged involving Trevor Sharot, a resident of Hillview Road in Pinner, who was found to possess highly explicit images depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as five years old. The incident drew significant attention due to the nature of the material and the circumstances surrounding his arrest.

Sharot, aged 65 at the time, was employed by the well-known research firm Ipsos MORI. The trouble began when his employer issued a warning after discovering that he had stored adult pornography on his work-issued laptop. Despite this initial caution, further investigations by the company's IT department revealed something far more disturbing: extreme images of child exploitation. These images included titles such as ‘Lolita sex party’ and featured young girls in various states of sexual abuse, some as young as ten or eleven, dressed in suspenders, PVC dresses, and bondage gloves. The severity of the content prompted the company to alert law enforcement authorities.

Following the discovery, police took swift action. Sharot was arrested at Heathrow Airport as he was returning from a trip to Singapore. During police questioning, he was shown the images stored on his laptop. His reaction was notably dismissive; he reportedly laughed when confronted with a picture titled ‘Big breasted Asian schoolgirl’. Despite possessing numerous photos of young girls, including one of a girl wearing a netball skirt taken at a social event, Sharot insisted that his sexual preferences were “completely normal” and claimed he had “no interest” in young girls. He also stated that the images were merely stored out of “curiosity,” attempting to downplay the seriousness of his actions.

However, the court was not convinced by his explanations. Judge Alan Greenwood, presiding over the case at Harrow Crown Court, was presented with evidence that included a photograph of a young girl in a netball skirt, which Sharot had taken himself at a social gathering. The judge remarked on the implications of this evidence, stating, “This shows an interest in children, and an interest in the abuse of children.” He emphasized the gravity of the offences, describing them as “extremely serious,” and highlighted the damage inflicted on the victims depicted in the images.

Judge Greenwood made it clear that such offences could not be taken lightly. He acknowledged the need for a sentence that would serve as a deterrent but also recognized the constraints of the prison system. As a result, he sentenced Sharot to four months in prison, suspended for one year. Additionally, Sharot was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid community service. The court also noted that as a consequence of his actions, Sharot lost his job at Ipsos MORI and is no longer associated with the company. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat child exploitation and the importance of vigilance in identifying and prosecuting individuals involved in such heinous crimes.