Paul Ricketts, a 58-year-old man from Oberhaslach, France, was sentenced to 42 months in prison by Chichester Crown Court after pleading guilty to multiple charges of making, distributing, and possessing child sexual abuse material, as well as possessing extreme pornography. His sentence includes a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a lifetime listing on the Sex Offenders Register. His case initially arose from a report in July 2022 when he was caught taking pictures of a 17-year-old girl on a train, leading police to seize his device.
The initial investigation found 69 Category C images of children on Ricketts’ device, which led to a deeper inquiry into his digital activity. With support from British Transport Police’s Major Investigation Team and Cyber Crime division, authorities discovered that Ricketts had amassed over 20,000 illegal images and videos across Categories A, B, and C, stored on an international cloud storage service. Investigators also found additional images of extreme pornography, including those involving animals.
Further analysis revealed that Ricketts had been actively distributing some of this illegal material, resulting in additional charges. Ricketts eventually changed his plea to guilty for all charges in May 2024 at Guildford Crown Court. His vast collection of child sexual abuse material and distribution activities underscored the severity of his offenses and the need for significant investigative efforts to reveal the full extent of his actions.
Detective Constable Saunders, the lead investigator, highlighted the extensive work involved in the case, including collaboration with international agencies to map Ricketts’ activities. She commended the dedication of the team in pursuing justice and emphasized the strong post-release restrictions in place to prevent further harm.
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