ANDREW HALSTED'S CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SCANDAL SHAKES BURNLEY COMMUNITY

In February 2011, a disturbing case emerged from Burnley involving a local man named Andrew Halsted, who was found to have downloaded and possessed explicit images of children, including infants. The case drew significant attention due to the nature of the material and the implications for the community.

Andrew Halsted, aged 29 and a father himself, was identified as having engaged in the illegal activity through online investigations. Authorities discovered that he had accessed a Croatian website, which led to a police raid on his residence in Burnley. During the search, law enforcement officials uncovered a large collection of illicit images and videos depicting minors, some of which were classified at the highest levels of severity. The evidence included hundreds of still photographs and numerous video clips, many featuring very young girls, some under the age of 13. Among the disturbing materials was an image of babies accompanied by detailed instructions on how to abuse young children, raising grave concerns about the potential risk to vulnerable victims.

At the court hearing held at Burnley's crown court, it was revealed that Halsted had admitted to 13 charges of making indecent images of children, with the offenses spanning from February 2008 to December 2009. The court was told that Halsted, who was employed as a computer worker, had no prior criminal record before this incident. The emotional impact of his actions was evident, as he was seen sobbing during the proceedings. The court also heard that social services had become involved in the care of his infant daughter, highlighting the serious repercussions of his criminal conduct on his family life.

Judge Jonathan Gibson addressed the court, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding children and the community. He acknowledged that Halsted's actions had crossed the threshold for custody but expressed a belief that rehabilitative measures could be effective. The judge stated, “It seems to me rehabilitative intervention is the appropriate order for me to make,” indicating a focus on reform rather than immediate imprisonment.

As part of his sentence, Halsted was placed under a three-year community order that includes supervision and mandatory participation in an internet sex offender programme. Additionally, he was issued a sex offences prevention order, which restricts his access to the internet and prohibits him from owning or using any device capable of internet access unless it is equipped with software to block access to child pornography. Halsted was also placed on the sex offenders' register for a period of five years.

Prosecutor Sarah Statham detailed the extent of the evidence, revealing that officers found three videos classified at level five, 35 videos and two still images at level four, 20 images at levels two and three, and a total of 297 still photographs at level one. Many of these images depicted young girls under the age of 13, and alarmingly, one image showed babies with instructions on how to abuse children, underscoring the severity of the case.

Philip Holden, representing Halsted, explained that following his arrest, social services had become involved in the care of his child. He stated, “As a result of his arrest, the social services has become involved in the care of his child. He tell me his girlfriend and daughter had to move out of the family home and move in with his girlfriend's parents,” highlighting the personal and familial upheaval caused by the case.