Six year sentence for sex abuser who “hates himself for doing it”

Ashley Godber (26), of Woodland Drive, North Anston, was arrested last year for possessing child porn.

He told police: “I hate myself for looking at it — I don’t look at it anymore.”

Godber then admitted he had abused two children years earlier.

And at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday, he was jailed for 14 sex offences against the boy and girl who were both aged under nine between 2010 and 2016.

Godber also admitted one count of possessing indecent images.

Mr Gurdial Singh, prosecuting, said when Godber was arrested, officers had questioned him about what he was viewing.

“He said he had borderline personality disorder and from time-to-time looked at porn, the last time being two to three years ago,” said Mr Singh.

“He said the images would be on his phone which he was no longer in possession of and he knew they were indecent images.”

Police had asked him if he had ever sexually assaulted any children, said Mr Singh, and he admitted to sexually assaulting the boy and girl and showing them porn on several occasions.

Godber said he believed the girl was aged nine.

Mr Singh said: “He said he hoped showing the porn would lead to sexual activity with her.

He added: “He claimed to have no interest in children and told police it was a relief to tell them and get it all off his chest.”

Godber, who has no previous convictions, told police he was disgusted with himself.

The girl told officers Godber had shown her porn on Twitter and she had “whacked the phone” out of his hand because she had not liked what she was being shown and it had made her feel uncomfortable.

She estimated Godber had shown her porn more than 20 times.

The boy said Godber had also shown him sexual material and Godber had “made him feel uncomfortable”.

The court heard the sexual abuse had had a devastating impact on the children — the boy does not like being alone in a room with strangers and the girl had stopped being “girly” and given up her love of dancing.

Godber will serve half of his sentence on licence and was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.