Gary Williams accessed hundreds of pictures and videos of child abuse and two images showing “sexual interference with corpses”
16:03, 05 Dec 2025Updated 23:33, 05 Dec 2025
Gary Williams outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A funeral directors where a man who possessed necrophilia images worked said he has been dismissed. Gary Williams engaged in a series of vile chats, in which he revealed he had a sexual interest in girls aged as young as five, with fellow depraved individuals on Skype and Telegram.
This led to him accessing hundreds of pictures and videos of child abuse and even images showing “sexual interference with corpses”. He now says that he is “disgusted with himself” and “wants to change”.
Following Williams’ appearance in court, his former employer, T. & M. E. Walsh Funeral Directors, in Standish, near Wigan, told the ECHO he has now been dismissed.
A spokesperson for T & M. E. Walsh said: “We are aware of the court decision involving an employee who joined T & M. E. Walsh in March 2025. We took action immediately upon learning of the decision and he no longer works at T & M. E. Walsh.
“Our internal investigation has found no evidence or indication of impropriety during his time at T & M. E. Walsh, which is consistent with findings of the police report.”
Until the day before his sentencing hearing, Williams was a regular feature on the funeral directors’ Facebook page.
In now deleted posts, T. & M. E. Walsh said people were able to meet with William and discuss funeral options. In a social media post shortly before 11am on Wednesday – the day before Williams’ sentencing hearing – the directors said: “Fancy a coffee and a chat? Come on down and meet Gary.
“T. & M. E. Walsh Funeral Directors funeral plan consultant for a friendly, no-pressure chat about planning for the future. Making arrangements in advance isn’t gloomy – it’s sensible, comforting and gives a peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
“Whether you’re just curious or ready to explore your options. Gary is here to answer questions and offer guidance over a warm cup of coffee.” The post was accompanied by a smiling picture of Williams wearing a black suit and tie.
The ECHO has seen evidence of a number of social media posts dating back to June this year about the “friendly and knowledgeable” employee. Williams was also present in the main picture on the funeral directors’ page. All posts were deleted within minutes of the ECHO calling the directors.
Williams, of Wargrave Road in Newton-le-Willows, was also a member of an amateur dramatic society in his home town. NADOS posted on its own social media page on Thursday evening: “We are aware that a former member of our society, has faced criminal charges on Thursday 4th December relating to illegal and inappropriate images.
“We wish to make it clear that this matter is entirely unrelated to NADOS, its activities and any of its members. The individual concerned has not been involved with the society during the course of the investigation and was suspended from the society immediately after we were made aware by the police and the St Helens Local Authority Designated Safeguarding Officer.
“Our committee has acted responsibly to safeguard the society and its members, and we remain committed to providing a safe, welcoming and creative environment for all participants. We would like to confirm that no member of our society gave a character reference for use in court. Their membership to our society is now permanently terminated due to the investigation.”
Liverpool Crown Court heard this week that Merseyside Police received intelligence concerning the “sharing of images on a social media site”, with Williams having been identified as one participant. This led to officers attending the 45-year-old’s home on September 18 last year and seizing a number of electronic devices.
Derek Jones, prosecuting, described how the defendant’s iPhone was subsequently found to contain a total of 542 indecent images of children, including 130 pictures and 193 videos in category A, those involving the most serious forms of abuse, with some clips having shown babies being restrained and raped.
Williams had meanwhile amassed 114 category B images, including 40 films, and 75 category C images, including 23 videos. His disturbing collection further included three prohibited “cartoon or CGI” images depicting child abuse, 352 “images of bestiality” and two “showing sexual interference with a corpse”.
Investigations also found that Williams had been using Skype and messaging app Telegram “to talk to other people in respect of such images”, having been sent the materials in question via these platforms. During one conversation, he asked a fellow user “any taboo videos?” before the other person responded by saying: “What age do you like?”
Williams then stated “five plus” before his contact told him “zero plus”, at which he replied “mmmmm”. Under interview, he “accepted he had been on chatrooms and may have downloaded the images that way” but “slightly downplayed” his actions to detectives and said “it wasn’t what he was after”.
Gary Williams outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Olivia Beesley, defending, told the court: “Mr Williams is 45 years old and of previous good character. That is the strongest point of mitigation in his case, along with his timely plea.
“He has been candid with me today and wants the court to know that he fully accepts responsibility for these offences. He knows the issues and demons that he has. He wants to address those issues and demons and the root cause of his offending behaviour.
“He lost both of his parents tragically within four months of each other in 2007. He has not been in an intimate relationship. He understands that he has allowed his loneliness to dominate his life.
“He has a stable job. He is currently working in a funeral directors, and he owns his own property. He clearly has people in his life who describe him as warm, enthusiastic, committed and compassionate. He has volunteered in the past and assisted in his community.
“I submit that this man does have a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. He has taken some accountability. He has told me that he is willing to grasp any help which the court may afford him. Quite simply, he is disgusted with himself and he wants to change. He wants the toolbox to change. I ask my lord to afford him that opportunity today.”
Williams admitted possession of indecent images of children, three counts of making indecent images of children, two counts of possession of extreme pornographic images and possession of prohibited images of children. Appearing in the dock wearing a black suit over a white shirt and black tie, he was handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months on Thursday.
Sentencing, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC said that police had uncovered a “significant quantity of illegal material”, including the two disturbing images depicting necrophilia. He added: “The description of the category A images are particularly disturbing indeed, involving very, very young children, essentially babies, being penetrated by adults.
“You have eventually recognised that you have a problem with indecent images of children after some initial denials. You have expressed remorse for what you have done and a desire, with the assistance of probation, to address this unhealthy interest that you have. The [pre-sentence] report describes you as posing a low risk of harm to the public in future, providing you engage with rehabilitative measures.”
The judge referred to character references written by members of an amateur dramatics group and an ex-colleague of Williams’ at Santander bank, saying: “All of those speak highly of your moral principles and integrity. No doubt they have been surprised indeed by the realisation that there is a darker side to you, one that stands in stark contrast to the positive references they have provided.
“While the custody threshold is plainly crossed in this case, I am required to consider the imposition guidelines and whether some alternative might be possible and, in fact, protect society in a way which is more effective than if I were to send you immediately to prison. Bearing in mind that you have no previous convictions and given the positive characteristics spoken of, I am willing, today, to suspend that prison term. The community requirements will be tough, but are designed to ensure you do not commit any offences in the future and to recognise that you have to be punished for this behaviour.”
Williams was also told to complete a building choices programme, a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 15 days, 200 hours of unpaid work and a three-month electronically monitored curfew from 9pm to 6am. He will be required to sign the sex offenders’ register for the next decade and was subjected to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.