Christopher Jacketts, a 35-year-old former corporal in the British Army, faced severe consequences following his conviction for sexual offences at York Crown Court. The case, reported by the York Press on 22nd December, highlighted how Jacketts' online interactions and possession of illegal material led to the end of his 12-year military career and the breakdown of his marriage.
The offences came to light after Jacketts met a woman on the dating app Bumble. Initially, their conversations were normal, but Jacketts soon suggested moving to WhatsApp, where he began discussing sexual topics that shocked the woman. As detailed by prosecutor Michael Cahill, Jacketts proposed having sex while a child watched, which the woman found deeply unsettling. She continued the chat for a few days to gather evidence before blocking him and contacting the police.
Upon investigation, authorities discovered illegal sexual images of children on Jacketts' mobile phone, including one prohibited image and several indecent images in varying categories of seriousness. Jacketts, formerly residing in Fulford, York, and now in Hull, pleaded guilty to arranging the commission of a sexual offence involving a child, possession of prohibited and indecent images of children, and publishing an obscene article through his online chats.
During the sentencing, Recorder of York Judge Sean Morris acknowledged the gravity of Jacketts' actions, stating that had he acted on his fantasy, he would have faced a lengthy jail term. However, considering an 'extraordinary letter' from Jacketts' wife and his ongoing support for his family, the judge imposed a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, on condition of completing 20 days of rehabilitative activities. Jacketts was also placed on the sex offenders' register and subjected to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order to monitor his online and other activities.
Defence barrister Zarreen Alam-Cheetham emphasised the devastating impact on Jacketts' life, noting that the Army was discharging him, forcing his family to leave military accommodation, and that his wife was seeking a divorce. 'He has lost everything as a result of this offending,' she said. Jacketts, who had served with exemplary conduct in Afghanistan, Cyprus, and Northern Ireland, was suspended from duty for four months prior to sentencing and had been dealing with personal hardships, including £27,000 in debt and the recent loss of his mother. At the time of the article, he had found work as a bricklayer in the Hull area.