ALAN MARTIN FROM ARNOLD AND GRANTHAM SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE AND INTERNET OFFENSES

In a chilling case that has shocked the local communities of Arnold and Grantham, Alan Martin, a man with a disturbing history, was sentenced to 16 years in prison after being found guilty of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of a young girl. The offences, which spanned over two years from January 2011 to December 2012, included multiple counts of rape and sexual assault, alongside the possession and distribution of thousands of indecent images of children.

Martin, aged 28 and formerly residing in Grantham before moving to Church Lane, Arnold, was a former police cadet. His background made the case even more disturbing, given his previous association with law enforcement training. The court heard that Martin had committed a series of appalling acts against an eight-year-old girl, which he recorded on his own devices. The footage and photographs he created depicted graphic sexual acts, including rape, and were stored on his computer, revealing the full extent of his depravity.

The investigation was triggered when Martin began trading explicit images of the girl with other paedophiles he met online. Prosecutor Mark Knowles explained that Martin’s files included the girl’s name, which helped authorities trace her and her family to a small village near Grantham. When police examined Martin’s computer, they uncovered a horrifying collection of evidence: over 170 photographs of the victim, along with thousands of other indecent images of children. The material included explicit videos and photographs, some depicting sexual acts and rape, which painted a disturbing picture of Martin’s actions.

During the court proceedings, Mr. Knowles emphasized the severity of the case, stating, “A significant number of images of the girl and the defendant engaging in sexual activity were discovered.” The evidence was overwhelming, leading to Martin’s admission of guilt on multiple charges, including three counts of rape and six counts of sexual assault. He also pleaded guilty to possessing 14,091 indecent images of children, as well as charges related to making, taking, and distributing such images.

Judge Michael Heath did not hold back in condemning Martin’s actions, describing him as a danger to young girls. He stated, “Your abuse of this little girl was appalling. You knew what you were doing. You knew that it was wrong but you carried on anyway. It is plain that you groomed her from when she was five years of age. You engaged in a variety of sexual acts with her and you filmed sexual activity. What harm you have caused to this little girl heaven only knows. It may not reveal itself until much later in her life. I hope and pray that it isn’t such that is sometimes the case but we will not know for several years.”

He further warned that Martin posed a high risk of re-offending and labeled him as dangerous. As part of his sentence, Martin was ordered to serve 16 years in prison, with a parole license requirement until 2027. Additionally, he was placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and banned from working with children.

Defense lawyer Chris Milligan highlighted Martin’s struggles, revealing that he suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, which affected his communication skills. Milligan explained, “He didn’t achieve at school. He spent some time as a police cadet. When he went into work he was caring for people who had dementia. His social circle of peers of his own age was non-existent. To some extent at the time he knew what he was doing was wrong but he carried on anyway. He was looking at it through the eyes of someone who has a condition which means he does not function as others do. He is sorry for what he has done to this young girl although his insight and full understanding of what he has done is limited.”

The police investigation was carried out by Lincolnshire Police’s Internet Child Abuse Team (ICAT). Officers executed a warrant at Martin’s residence in Grantham, seized his computer equipment, and identified two vulnerable children who were subsequently safeguarded. Detective Sergeant Vicki Midgley from ICAT expressed her condemnation of the crimes, stating, “As Judge Heath said, these offences were appalling by any standards and they demonstrated a grave breach of trust. We hope this demonstrates that Lincolnshire Police’s Internet Child Abuse Team (ICAT) not only investigates online child abuse offences, but also leaves no stone unturned in terms of unearthing any possible contact offending. We are incredibly pleased with today’s sentencing and we hope this enables the family to in some way move forward with their lives.”