ANDREW MCLEISH'S SHOCKING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE IN ALFRETON AND SHEFFIELD

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Alfreton and Sheffield, Andrew McLeish, a 53-year-old former senior operating theatre practitioner at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, was found to possess an extensive collection of indecent images of children. The investigation revealed that McLeish had been engaging in this illicit activity for several years, accessing highly disturbing material through specialized software that allowed him to browse the web anonymously.

His arrest took place in March of the previous year when police executed a search warrant at his residence in Higham, Alfreton. At the time, McLeish was at his workplace, but his wife and two children were present at the home. During the raid, officers seized multiple hard drives and computer equipment from a workshop on the property. The examination of these devices uncovered over 1,100 images depicting children, many classified as Category A, which is considered the most severe level of abuse material. Additionally, police found several videos containing similarly distressing content.

Further investigation into the family computer was hampered by a hardware fault, which limited the recoverable data to only five percent. Despite this limitation, authorities managed to identify an additional 45 indecent images of children and another video. The images included children as young as six months to 12 months old, depicted in various sexual contexts, with some involving highly disturbing and distressing acts, including abuse of animals and explicit scenes involving children.

When questioned by police, McLeish chose not to comment or provide any explanation for his actions. However, during his court appearance, he pleaded guilty to four charges related to the possession and creation of indecent images of children and extreme pornography. His defense lawyer, William Bennett, acknowledged that McLeish recognized the illegality of his conduct and expressed that he was suffering from depression and family problems at the time, which contributed to his behavior.

It was also revealed that since his arrest, McLeish’s marriage had ended, and he had lost his job. He is currently living with his parents in Essex. The court sentenced him to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to undergo 12 months of probation supervision. Additionally, he was required to attend a specialized Internet sexual offending program. McLeish was also placed on the sex offenders’ register and subjected to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. This order restricts his access to any computer material that could facilitate internet access unless it is fully traceable and can be examined. Breaching this order could result in a five-year prison sentence, underscoring the seriousness of his offenses and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.