ALAN MACADIE AND PAUL MACADIE SHOCK STOCKTON WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the Stockton community, a grandfather and his son have been found guilty of possessing and creating indecent images of children, including some of pre-school age. The case was heard at Teesside Crown Court, revealing the disturbing extent of their activities and the surprising circumstances surrounding their offenses.

Alan Macadie, aged 56, a former employee of Stockton Borough Council, was found to have accumulated a staggering total of 932 photographs depicting child pornography on his home computer. Some of these images were particularly disturbing, featuring very young children, even pre-school age, in sexually explicit scenarios. The court was told that Macadie was unaware that his son, Paul Macadie, aged 32, was also engaged in similar illegal activities at the same time, secretly downloading indecent images of children while confined to his bedroom in the family home located on Auckland Way, Stockton.

Prosecutor Shaun Dodds explained that Macadie’s wife, who is a registered childminder, had no knowledge of her husband’s or son’s illicit activities. The court heard that the father’s involvement extended beyond mere possession; he had also sent an email to a 14-year-old boy in the United States after viewing a naked picture of him online. Additionally, Macadie had visited numerous sex-related websites, including those that depicted incest scenes, further illustrating the disturbing nature of his online behavior.

The police investigation was initiated in November 2002 when authorities, acting as part of the FBI-led Operation Ore, raided the Macadie family home. The operation was triggered by information indicating that Paul Macadie had subscribed to a website offering child pornography. During the raid, officers arrested Paul and began a search of the property. It was during this search that police noticed Alan Macadie acting suspiciously. When questioned, Alan claimed he was deleting some 'naturist images' that he found embarrassing. However, the officers soon discovered the truth.

Further inspection revealed that Alan was actively destroying evidence, including seven computer files he was attempting to delete with a pair of scissors. Police also found 117 disks hidden in a bag and an additional 110 printed images stored in the garage, all of which contained indecent photographs of children. The evidence painted a clear picture of a serious and ongoing criminal activity involving both father and son, albeit operating independently of each other, as argued by their defense lawyer, Stephen Ashurst.

Mr. Ashurst emphasized that there was no evidence to suggest collaboration between the two, describing their actions as coincidental and separate. He also highlighted the personal toll the case had taken on Alan Macadie, noting the considerable distress caused by the publicity and the lengthy legal process.

Despite his defense’s plea for leniency, Judge George Moorhouse made it clear that the message needed to be unequivocal: child pornography offenders must face imprisonment. Alan Macadie pleaded guilty to 14 charges related to making and possessing indecent images of children and was sentenced to 15 months in prison. Meanwhile, Paul Macadie, who admitted to 17 charges, received a three-year community punishment order, reflecting the court’s stance on such heinous crimes.