DESMOND BOYLAN'S CRIMINAL REIGN IN BLACKPOOL AND FLEETWOOD: DECADES OF OFFENSES AND COURT ORDERS
In a series of disturbing incidents spanning over three decades, Desmond Boylan, a man with a long history of sexual offenses against children, has been finally restrained by the courts in Blackpool and Fleetwood.His criminal activities, which date back to 1986, include a range of heinous acts such as indecent assault, public indecency, and inappropriate conduct towards minors, prompting ongoing concern from law enforcement authorities.
Boylan, now 48 years old and residing on Shannon Street in Blackpool, has been identified as a sexual predator whose actions have caused significant alarm within the community.
His offenses include the indecent assault of an 11-year-old girl, public exposure in front of groups of children aged from eight to 17, and a sexually motivated public order offense involving a four-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl.
Despite previous interventions, including the imposition of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), Boylan repeatedly breached these restrictions, raising fears that he remains a danger to the public.
Recent developments led authorities to take further action after discovering Boylan had become involved with a church congregation in Blackpool, situated near a pre-school nursery.
His participation in voluntary activities at the church, coupled with his request to distribute prizes to Girl Guides, raised suspicions about his intentions.
Consequently, Blackpool magistrates imposed a stringent 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) on Boylan, aiming to mitigate the risk he poses.
During the court proceedings, Rachel Fung, representing Lancashire Police, emphasized the severity of Boylan’s risk profile.
She explained that a specialist assessor had classified him as posing a “very high risk of sexual offending in the future,” underscoring the importance of the order in protecting vulnerable members of the community.
Ms.
Fung detailed Boylan’s extensive history of sexual misconduct, which includes multiple breaches of his previous SOPO, such as unsupervised contact with children at a YMCA open day while dressed in a ‘gremlin’ mask, handing out sticks of rock to young children, sending inappropriate messages to a 15-year-old girl via Facebook, and following a child to the toilet while working in a café.
Despite his criminal record, Boylan did not appear in court for the hearing, choosing not to enter the courtroom.
His legal representative, Martin Hillson, argued that the SHPO was a preventative measure rather than a punitive one, emphasizing that it was designed to protect the public from future offenses.
Hillson requested that the order be set for the minimum duration of five years, though the magistrates ultimately decided on a 10-year term.
The restrictions placed on Boylan are comprehensive.
They prohibit him from approaching or communicating with any individual under 18, except in cases of inadvertent contact.
The order also forbids him from having unsupervised contact with minors unless explicitly permitted by their parents or guardians, with the knowledge and approval of social services or police authorities.
Additionally, Boylan is barred from entering recreational areas or educational premises primarily intended for children under 16, including nurseries, primary schools, and secondary schools with sixth form facilities for students under 18.
Earlier, in October 2011, Boylan’s pattern of offending was further highlighted when he used Facebook to contact a teenage girl, despite being under a court order that prohibited him from unsupervised contact with minors.
The court heard that Boylan, then 43 and residing in Fleetwood on Poulton Road, had used a library computer to message the 15-year-old girl, who feared he would track her down because her Facebook profile contained her school details.
Boylan pleaded guilty to breaching his Sexual Offences Prevention Order (Sopo), which had been initially imposed in 2005 following his conviction for exposure.
His earlier offenses included exposing himself to children in Fleetwood’s Memorial Park, targeting an eight-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy, as well as a 16-year-old girl.
These acts prompted police to arrest him after matching his description with previous records.
The court sentenced him to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, along with a three-month curfew from 8 pm to 8 am.
The court also mandated a 10-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which prohibits him from approaching children.
In March of the same year, Boylan pleaded guilty to two counts of exposure, with one charge amended from a more serious allegation of committing sexual activity in front of a person under 13.
His actions, including exposing himself in public parks and attempting to contact minors via social media, have consistently demonstrated a pattern of predatory behavior.
The authorities remain vigilant, and the courts continue to impose strict measures to prevent further offenses, reflecting the community’s ongoing concern about Boylan’s potential to reoffend and the need for continued supervision and restrictions.
