ALAN GREAVES FROM COLNE SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN LANCASHIRE

In September 2013, authorities conducted a thorough raid on the residence of Alan Greaves in Colne, Lancashire, uncovering a disturbing collection of nearly 20,000 indecent images and videos depicting child abuse on his digital devices. The police action was part of an investigation into the possession of these illicit materials, which revealed a deeply troubling pattern of exploitation.

Forensic analysis of the seized images confirmed the severity of the content. Among the thousands of images, approximately 700 were classified as the most serious category, indicating explicit and severe abuse. An additional 872 images fell into the next level of severity, highlighting the disturbing nature of the material stored on Greaves' devices. Overall, the investigation uncovered a staggering total of 17,821 indecent images, along with 106 videos, painting a grim picture of the extent of his possession.

During the court proceedings at Burnley Crown Court, Greaves' defense, represented by Laura Barbour, attempted to justify his actions by claiming that he was conducting an investigation into the so-called 'Illuminati.' According to her, Greaves believed that this secretive group 'disseminates' such material, and that this belief was the reason for the images appearing on his computer. She emphasized that Greaves had no sexual interest in children, asserting that his possession of the images was linked to his supposed investigation rather than any personal predilection.

It was also revealed that Greaves, a father to children ranging in age from around 30 to just two years old, was serving as a full-time carer for his disabled sister. Despite these personal responsibilities, the court found the evidence of his possession of explicit images particularly troubling. Judge Simon Newell sentenced Greaves to 21 months in prison, noting the presence of sexually explicit images of young females, some as young as ten or even younger, which had accumulated over a period of three years.

Judge Newell expressed concern over the potential harm to the children depicted in the images, stating, 'If it was not for people viewing these images, there would be a chance these children would not be harmed.' The court also imposed a sexual harm prevention order on Greaves and mandated that he register as a sex offender for the next ten years. Additionally, he was prohibited from working with children in any capacity, reflecting the serious nature of his offenses and the potential risk posed to vulnerable individuals.