ANDREW MCMULLEN FROM BIRKENHEAD JAILED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING POLICE OFFICER IN LIVERPOOL
In a disturbing case that highlights the ongoing dangers of online predation, Andrew McMullen, a 53-year-old man from Birkenhead, was sentenced to prison after engaging in a series of heinous sexual acts and communications with what he believed was a young girl.The incident unfolded during a 19-minute Skype broadcast, where McMullen performed a sexual act that was captured and viewed by a police officer posing as a minor.
According to court proceedings, the events began in May of this year when McMullen initiated contact on a chat platform called ChatiW.
He used the username “Year8off” and employed a profile picture of a teenage girl to lure potential victims.
The police officer, operating under the alias “Izzy,” was logged into the chat site and received a message from a user named “Wirral xx,” who was later identified as McMullen.
Prosecutor Nardeen Nemat explained that shortly after the initial contact, McMullen sent a message saying “watch me,” to which “Izzy” responded with a polite refusal.
Undeterred, McMullen continued to send explicit messages, including requests for “Izzy” to watch him perform sexual acts and to send nude photographs.
Despite “Izzy” informing him that she was only 12 years old, McMullen persisted in his attempts to engage her in sexual communication.
He eventually added “Izzy” on Skype, where he sent a nude image of himself and a video clip of himself performing a sexual act.
The police officer, still posing as “Izzy,” then broadcasted a webcam session in which McMullen performed a sexual act for nearly 20 minutes.
Before ending the chat, McMullen instructed “Izzy” to delete the conversation to avoid detection.
Following this disturbing incident, McMullen continued to message the account in the days that followed.
His actions did not go unnoticed for long, as police arrested him at his residence on Old Greasby Road.
During the search, officers seized his phone, which was later found to contain 272 indecent images of children, including 157 classified as the most serious Category A images.
McMullen pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including possession of indecent images, inciting a child to engage in sexual communication, and encouraging a child to watch sexual acts.
His sentencing took place at Liverpool Crown Court, where Judge Gary Woodhall emphasized the severity of his actions.
The judge remarked that while McMullen was speaking to a police decoy, his conduct had a profoundly damaging impact on real children, warning that such offenses have devastating consequences.
Judge Woodhall stated, “That is why this offending is so serious.
Had this been a daughter, your daughter, who had been exposed to this with someone else, it would have had a devastating impact.” As a result, Andrew McMullen was sentenced to two years and seven months in prison, reflecting the gravity of his crimes and the threat posed by online sexual predators from Birkenhead and beyond.
