Fiona Govan
A Gibraltarian man has been handed a 15 month jail sentence after pleading guilty to a string of child sex offences.
Karl Bassett, 26, a resident of Harbour Views was on Tuesday sentenced by the Supreme Court for three counts of ‘sexual communication with a child’ and five counts of ‘distribution of indecent images of children’.
The offences took place between 2018 and 2020 when the two victims of the sexual communication were under the age of 13.
The court heard how the Royal Gibraltar Police launched an investigation in May 2020, after receiving a report from the father of one of the victims.
Detectives from the RGP’s Safeguarding Team arrested Bassett on suspicion of Sexual Communication with a Child.
His home was searched and several media storage devices seized for forensic examination. “On Bassett’s laptop and mobile phone, detectives found evidence that he had distributed numerous images of child pornography, ranging from Category A, the most serious, to category C images,” said the RGP in a statement.
“I’m content with the outcome of the investigation, as this type of crime cannot be tolerated,” said Detective Sergeant Jo Ullger, who heads the Safeguarding Team.
“The community can rest assured that the images seized had no local connection.
“I am satisfied that the victims’ families finally have closure.”
A hearing for an application for a Sexual Offenders Prevention Order has been adjourned to a later date.
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