Johannesburg – East Rand car salesman, Warren Troy Knoop, who was convicted for over 800 charges which included child rape, exploitation, sexual assault and child pornography on Friday, told the Johannesburg High Court that he wanted to help catch other sex offenders.
Judge Cassim Moosa allowed Knoop to address the court on Friday. Janette Heizen-Du Toit, for Knoop called him to the stand to testify.
"Nothing that I've done I'd condone anyone doing. This has been a cry for help, I can't take back what I have done and the lives I've affected. I'm pleading for help," Knoop said.
"I have experienced and witnessed despicable and horrendous things while I have been incarcerated. In future allow me to assist with catching people with an addiction like mine."
Knoop said that while in prison he found God and had been rehabilitated. He told the women he dated that he did not date them because they had children and that he was sorry for what he did.
One of the women indicated in a negative manner that he was not forgiven. "I stopped because I knew she was getting older and would say something," he said.
Knoop said he pleaded guilty "to save everyone's time." Knoop said that he needed psychological assistance to help him recover from what he had done.
Earlier, Moosa notified Knoop that there was a process that needed to be followed as he had acknowledged and admitted to the charges he was facing. "Do you understand the charges you are facing? How do you plead to these charges?"
Moosa asked. Knoop responded saying, "Yes, I plead guilty."
Prosecutor Riana Williams read the indictment which states the various charges Knoop was guilty of into the court record.
The 40-year-old was found on a chat website where he was distributing child pornography. Homelands Security in the United States of America (USA) notified South African authorities, which then located and identified him via the cellphone network account he was using.
The various charges Knoop was facing include 82 charges of using a child to create pornography, 85 charges of creating child pornography, 35 charges of rape, eight charges of sexual assault, 25 charges of competing a child for self-masturbation, 33 charges of exposure to genitals, one charge of sexual grooming, 97 charges of distribution of child pornography, and 501 charges of possession of child pornography.
Knoop's victims were his then girlfriend's child and the child's friend who would visit their home.
The public gallery was filled with Democratic Alliance members from the East Rand, family members of the witnesses as well as members of the Women and Men Against Children Abuse organisation.
The East Rand car salesman stood in the dock facing down, with a necklace that had a cross pendent on it around his neck.
Williams told the court that the minimum sentence for some of the charges against Knoop was life imprisonment. "The accused [Knoop] has no legal defence for his actions."
Knoop conducted the sexual offences on his victims from 2011 to 2015, in the East of Johannesburg and some in Mpumalanga.
Knoop asked the court to consider his personal circumstances, which included the fact that he was a first time offender, he was sodomised as a child and suffered from depression.
Williams read that Knoop was remorseful and acknowledged that he had committed a crime but was a serial rapist.
"The accused [Knoop] was a father figure to his victim and abused her trust," Williams said.
One of Knoop's victims who was 12-years-old when the offence where filmed, tried to commit suicide following the incidents and refused to discuss the matter with a therapist. She said she remembered waking up almost 12 times on various occasions, with Knoop sexually assaulting her.
"There are no compelling circumstances to justify the accused not getting life imprisonment," Williams said.
Knoop cried as Williams read out the various recommended sentences for the charges he was facing.
"I believe that forgiveness is for yourself. I do forgive him but will never forget what his done," a parent of one of the children said.
Another parent who's child was sexually assaulted by Knoop said: "I don't accept his apology he knew he was harming people I can't forgive him. I hope he goes to jail for the rest of his life so he can't hurt anyone else. I can never forgive him for my child cutting her wrists with glass."
Court adjourned to Monday for sentencing.
African News Agency