A sex offender from Thanet who has viewed indecent children images through the dark web earlier absconded to Scotland after he had been caught is now imprisoned. The convict, named Gregory Powney was convicted more before on account of creating indecent children images and had been listed under the Sexual Harm Prevention Order. This meant that he had frequent visits from the cops and could solely own a computer or a phone, in case the browsing history was available for examination to the cops.

On the 2nd of July 2018, the officers had visited the sex offender’s residence in the High Street, Ramsgate. The cops had found that he possessed a secret laptop from where he was accessing the dark web and continued his offending. The culprit, 67 years old handed over a tablet and a phone to the cops for checking. He was then warned by the officers after which the sex offender had admitted that he possessed another laptop that he had kept hidden behind a drawer.

The cops had examined the secret laptop and found an installed software that could wipe off all the browsing history, including the various applications that helped the sex offender access the dark web. The laptop bore numerous indecent children images and films.

While the investigation was still ongoing, the accused was found to have breached his order to some more extent by possessing two credit cards that he had never told the officers by then. The officers had also discovered another phone that he had kept undisclosed by far.

Back in November 2018, the culprit was charged, but he successfully absconded while on bail during the court proceedings. The cops had then traced him down, and he was found in a caravan in Scotland where he was sketching out plans for avoiding his detection. The police had arrested him again on account of further breach of orders as he did not intimate the cops that he was staying in Inverness and acquired two new bank accounts. 

The sex offender, Powney, had pleaded guilty to a total count of 16 offences at the Canterbury Crown Court, that were related to the making of indecent children images along with the multiple breach orders. When he appeared on the 27th of August 2020 before the court, he had been sentenced four years of imprisonment and is bound to serve two years additionally on a license.

Opinions of People On The Case

Investigating officer, DC Fleur Mciver said: “I hope the public are reassured by this case as an example of the many hours of work carried out by dedicated officers as part of their duties to monitor convicted sex offenders and ensure that if any further offending takes place, they will not be able to get away with it.

“The steps Gregory Powney took to conceal his online activity were elaborate, and throughout the police investigation and court case, he continued to offend.

“A Sexual Offences Prevention Order is one of the tools we use to keep the public safe and restrict the criminal behaviour of offenders, who if they don’t abide by the orders, will have action taken against them.”

An NSPCC spokesperson said: “Behind these images are often children who have been subjected to unthinkable pain and suffering. By continually downloading and sharing this sickening material, Powney has helped to leave a trail of devastation by fuelling demand for more children to be abused.

“Big tech companies need to ensure that they work with law enforcement to remove this terrible content as soon as it appears and identify who put it there in the first place.”

Source: The Isle of Thanet News

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