Thomas Verdicchio

Thomas Verdicchio, a 24-year-old former gymnastic coach from Seathwaite, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, was sentenced to one year and 10 months in prison at Cambridge Crown Court after pleading guilty to four counts of making an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child.

The case came to light following a referral to Cambridgeshire Police in October 2023 by British Gymnastics, the UK's national governing body for the sport. Verdicchio had been working for Rotations Trampoline Club in Huntingdon when concerns were raised about his activities. Officers subsequently arrested him and seized his mobile phone, iPad, and laptop for examination.

Upon forensic analysis of the devices, police discovered two category B indecent videos and 15 category C indecent photographs of children. Category A represents the most severe material, while categories B and C denote progressively less extreme content. Notably, some of the images had been digitally manipulated using 'deep fake' technology, superimposing children's heads onto nude bodies to create pseudo-photographs.

Detective Constable Daniel Knight of Cambridgeshire Police commented on the case, stating: 'Verdicchio was fully aware his actions were wrong, and he betrayed the trust placed in him by the community. He poses a serious threat to children, and had he not been caught, his crimes could have escalated into contact offences.'

In addition to his custodial sentence, Verdicchio was issued with a sexual harm prevention order lasting 10 years and required to register as a sex offender with the police for the same duration. The sentencing occurred on Thursday, 21 November 2024, as reported by the BBC.