'Dangerous' Northampton paedophile jailed for making indecent images of children and sending them on Facebook

A 'dangerous' Northampton paedophile has been jailed for three years and three months for making indecent images of children and and distributing them on Facebook.

Christopher Garvan had a screenshot from a video and two videos of the most serious type of indecent image on an electronic tablet he was not allowed to have, Northampton Crown Court heard yesterday (Friday, July 9).

The 67-year-old, of Holmecross Road, had also sent the videos to another Facebook user using an account with a different name but his own picture in November, 2020.

Garvan was given an extended licence period for whenever he leaves prison of two years and nine months because of the significant risk of serious harm he poses to children.

Her Honour Judge Rebecca Crane told him: "Children are at very real risk of sexual offences being committed against them [by you] and I do find you dangerous."

Garvan's crimes were discovered when an offending manager visited his home on November 25, last year, and saw the tablet which police did not know about.

Because of his previous convictions for sexual offences against children, the defendant was under strict instructions about his internet access and devices.

Garvan initially denied having the tablet to officers before admitting it, and they found the fake Facebook account and messages asking for sexual photos from a child.

The defendant was arrested and he admitted talking to a child online but insisted he did not know their age.

Following another home visit on January 18, police officers found a notebook with names and Facebook account details which matched those on the tablet.

Garvan, who was now not allowed any internet access, denied all knowledge of it but Judge Crane said: "It was clearly your notebook."

Police found the defendant had made the indecent images between September 16 and November 25, 2020, and sent them on November 2 and 8, that year.

Garvan has tried to deny he has a sexual interest in children but Judge Crane said that was 'clearly not true'.

The judge said: "You are remorseful, you say these offences reason out of being lonely.

"You have now accepted you need assistance and want that assistance, which is a positive step for those who can work with you in custody."

As well as the indecent images, Garvan breached his notifications requirements of the sex offenders register in 2014, 2018 and November, 2020.

The defendant pleaded guilty at Northampton Magistrates' Court to those offences and to the indecent image charges at the crown court.

Of his 23 previous convictions, the most pertinent were convictions in 2008 for 11 sexual offences relating to children as well as grooming and making a child under 13 to watch a sexual act.

Garvan was given two concurrent 27-month jail sentences for distributing the indecent images and five concurrent 12-month terms for making the images and the sex offenders register breaches consecutively.

He will serve two years before he is eligible for parole and will spend the extra time on licence - he will also be on the sex offenders register for life.