ALLAN BOARDMAN FROM RAINHILL AND ST HELENS SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In August 2020, authorities uncovered disturbing evidence linking Allan Boardman, a married man from Rainhill, St Helens, to the possession and distribution of indecent images of children. The investigation was initiated after police received intelligence suggesting that such illicit material was accessible at his family home on Amanda Road, Rainhill.

Police officers executed a search warrant at the residence on April 11 of the previous year. At the time, Boardman was present along with his stepson. During the officers' visit, they explained the purpose of their inquiry and inquired whether the pair had any knowledge of the existence of such material. Both initially denied any awareness. However, when questioned about the use of peer-to-peer file-sharing software, Boardman admitted, “Yes, I have,” indicating prior exposure to such content.

Subsequently, the investigation took a significant turn when Boardman's wife disclosed to police on June 13 that she and her husband had separated. She also revealed that her husband had confessed to her that he had been viewing child sexual abuse images. This confession prompted further examination of the family’s computer, which ultimately uncovered a disturbing cache of indecent images.

Analysis of the device revealed the presence of 24 indecent images, including six classified as Category A—the most severe, depicting rape—featuring girls aged between eight and thirteen. Additionally, there were six Category B images showing girls aged seven to ten, and twelve Category C images of very young girls aged two to six. The computer also contained 65 files of extreme pornography, along with search terms such as “pre-teen” and “incest,” indicating a disturbing interest in illegal material.

In an interview conducted on December 12, Boardman admitted that he was no longer residing at the family home due to his behavior. He claimed that his interest in the images was driven by a desire to understand what motivates a sexual abuser to target someone they know, rather than any sexual attraction himself. He denied being sexually aroused or attracted to children, asserting that he was disgusted by the images. When asked about his reasons for downloading the material, he stated that he was curious and found it “humorous,” and he was unaware that possessing such images was illegal.

During the police interview, Boardman also stated that he did not “feel anything” when viewing the files and insisted he posed no risk to children. Despite these claims, the evidence was clear, and he was charged with multiple offenses. He pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing such images, along with possessing extreme pornographic material.

In sentencing, Judge Byrne handed down a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. The judge also imposed a 40-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, a three-month home curfew from 6 pm to 6 am daily, and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of his computer. Furthermore, Boardman was ordered to register as a sex offender and to adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the next ten years, reflecting the seriousness of his offenses and the ongoing risk posed to the community.