DAVID MALLARD OF BINGLEY CAUGHT IN ONLINE CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN LEEDS AND BRADFORD
| Red Rose Database
Bingley Child Sexual Abuser
In August 2020, a disturbing case emerged involving David Mallard, a man with a long-standing history as a school teacher and a police community support officer (PCSO) based in West Yorkshire. The incident unfolded when Mallard, who resided at The Crescent in Bingley, was found to have engaged in online conversations with what he believed was a 13-year-old girl, but was actually an undercover police officer. This revelation came after a police sting operation aimed at tackling online child sexual exploitation.
According to court reports, Mallard, aged 57 at the time, had been working with the Leeds North West Neighbourhood Policing Team. His actions took place in July 2019, during which he believed he was communicating with a young girl named Bella, who he thought was 13 years old. In reality, the police had set up a fake profile as part of an undercover investigation into online child abuse. The court heard that Mallard had been speaking to the officer for several days, during which he expressed his affection and desire to meet her in person.
During the online exchanges, Mallard told Bella that he loved her and described his intentions to pick her up in his convertible car. He also detailed the sexual acts he wished to perform, revealing a disturbing level of predatory behavior. The court was informed that Mallard used the Lycos chat platform to initiate contact with the fake profile, which was created by police to catch offenders. The conversations began around 2 a.m. on July 9, 2019, when Mallard contacted the profile, which he believed belonged to Bella.
In the course of their interactions, Mallard claimed to be a 17-year-old boy and provided a false name. He requested Skype details from the girl and sent her voice messages. Over the following days, between July 12 and July 20, Mallard continued to send non-sexual messages, but on July 23, he asked for her mobile number and engaged in further phone calls. During these calls, he falsely claimed to be 36 years old and reiterated his desire to meet her, even asking her to wear a short skirt. He explicitly discussed the sexual acts he wanted to carry out, indicating a clear intent to groom and exploit.
Police intervened on August 10, 2019, arresting and interviewing Mallard. During questioning, he admitted to attempting to cause a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity and to engaging in sexual communication with a minor. The court proceedings revealed that Mallard had worked as a full-time teacher and supply teacher across various secondary schools in West Yorkshire from 1992 until 2017, a fact that parents and the community would find deeply troubling.
Judge Richard Mansell QC sentenced Mallard to ten months in prison, emphasizing the gravity of his actions. The judge highlighted that Mallard had been employed as a police community support officer for approximately two years when he committed these offences. He also pointed out that Mallard’s behavior was a classic example of grooming, which involved manipulative and predatory conduct aimed at exploiting a vulnerable minor.
Furthermore, the court ordered that Mallard’s name be entered onto the sex offender register for ten years. He was also subjected to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order, which prohibits him from working with children or in any capacity that involves contact with minors. After the hearing, West Yorkshire Police confirmed that Mallard had been suspended from duty following his arrest in July 2019.
In a related case from Bradford Magistrates’ Court, Mallard pleaded guilty to two child sex offences. He admitted to attempting to incite a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity via the Lycos chat platform, specifically on July 23, 2019. The police investigation revealed that Mallard had tried to persuade the undercover officer, operating under the pseudonym Tinkerbellax06, to participate in sexualized chat and to meet for sexual acts. He also admitted to attempting to communicate sexually with the officer between July 6 and July 24, 2019, with the intent of obtaining sexual gratification.
District Judge Richard Clews noted that because Mallard was a serving PCSO at the time of the offences, it was appropriate for the case to be dealt with at Bradford Crown Court, where the potential maximum sentence exceeds six months. Mallard was granted bail to allow for pre-sentence reports to be prepared, which would help understand the factors leading to his offending. The judge warned that the fact he was on bail did not indicate the eventual severity of his sentence. Mallard’s legal representative, Miss Holly Clegg, described him as a man of previously good character, and his sentencing was scheduled for later in the month.
According to court reports, Mallard, aged 57 at the time, had been working with the Leeds North West Neighbourhood Policing Team. His actions took place in July 2019, during which he believed he was communicating with a young girl named Bella, who he thought was 13 years old. In reality, the police had set up a fake profile as part of an undercover investigation into online child abuse. The court heard that Mallard had been speaking to the officer for several days, during which he expressed his affection and desire to meet her in person.
During the online exchanges, Mallard told Bella that he loved her and described his intentions to pick her up in his convertible car. He also detailed the sexual acts he wished to perform, revealing a disturbing level of predatory behavior. The court was informed that Mallard used the Lycos chat platform to initiate contact with the fake profile, which was created by police to catch offenders. The conversations began around 2 a.m. on July 9, 2019, when Mallard contacted the profile, which he believed belonged to Bella.
In the course of their interactions, Mallard claimed to be a 17-year-old boy and provided a false name. He requested Skype details from the girl and sent her voice messages. Over the following days, between July 12 and July 20, Mallard continued to send non-sexual messages, but on July 23, he asked for her mobile number and engaged in further phone calls. During these calls, he falsely claimed to be 36 years old and reiterated his desire to meet her, even asking her to wear a short skirt. He explicitly discussed the sexual acts he wanted to carry out, indicating a clear intent to groom and exploit.
Police intervened on August 10, 2019, arresting and interviewing Mallard. During questioning, he admitted to attempting to cause a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity and to engaging in sexual communication with a minor. The court proceedings revealed that Mallard had worked as a full-time teacher and supply teacher across various secondary schools in West Yorkshire from 1992 until 2017, a fact that parents and the community would find deeply troubling.
Judge Richard Mansell QC sentenced Mallard to ten months in prison, emphasizing the gravity of his actions. The judge highlighted that Mallard had been employed as a police community support officer for approximately two years when he committed these offences. He also pointed out that Mallard’s behavior was a classic example of grooming, which involved manipulative and predatory conduct aimed at exploiting a vulnerable minor.
Furthermore, the court ordered that Mallard’s name be entered onto the sex offender register for ten years. He was also subjected to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order, which prohibits him from working with children or in any capacity that involves contact with minors. After the hearing, West Yorkshire Police confirmed that Mallard had been suspended from duty following his arrest in July 2019.
In a related case from Bradford Magistrates’ Court, Mallard pleaded guilty to two child sex offences. He admitted to attempting to incite a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity via the Lycos chat platform, specifically on July 23, 2019. The police investigation revealed that Mallard had tried to persuade the undercover officer, operating under the pseudonym Tinkerbellax06, to participate in sexualized chat and to meet for sexual acts. He also admitted to attempting to communicate sexually with the officer between July 6 and July 24, 2019, with the intent of obtaining sexual gratification.
District Judge Richard Clews noted that because Mallard was a serving PCSO at the time of the offences, it was appropriate for the case to be dealt with at Bradford Crown Court, where the potential maximum sentence exceeds six months. Mallard was granted bail to allow for pre-sentence reports to be prepared, which would help understand the factors leading to his offending. The judge warned that the fact he was on bail did not indicate the eventual severity of his sentence. Mallard’s legal representative, Miss Holly Clegg, described him as a man of previously good character, and his sentencing was scheduled for later in the month.