SOUTHPORT PAEDOPHILE GRAHAM HANDLON CAUGHT IN SHOCKING ONLINE SEXUAL OFFENSES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Southport, Graham Handlon, a 49-year-old man, was exposed for engaging in heinous online conversations and sharing explicit material involving children. The incident unfolded when Handlon believed he was communicating with another individual who shared his perverted interests, but in reality, he was speaking with an undercover police officer.

Handlon, a father of two from Park Crescent in Southport, revealed during the covert operation that he had purchased a disposable pay-as-you-go mobile phone specifically for his illicit activities. He openly boasted about his lack of limits and his involvement in all kinds of depraved acts, claiming, “There’s no limits with me. I’m just a dirty c***, I’m just into everything. Everything and anything what goes. You know what I mean?”

Records from Liverpool Crown Court indicate that Handlon had previously been convicted in January 2020 for possessing a collection of child rape images, for which he received a two-year community order. Additionally, he was subjected to a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) to restrict his access to material and activities related to child exploitation.

On November 30, 2020, Handlon initiated contact with the undercover officer via the web forum ChatIW, using the profile name “Bipedlknforbiped” and stating, “Hi m 47 peD north west no limits.” The officer noted that the profile appeared to be an attempt to connect with other individuals interested in similar illicit activities, possibly indicating a bisexual pedophile seeking like-minded partners.

During their online exchanges, Handlon sent the officer numerous indecent images and videos, claiming to have committed sexual acts with a girl when she was just two years old. He further boasted about possessing hundreds of such images and videos, and in a disturbing line of conversation, asked whether the officer had any photos of his own 11-year-old daughter, who the officer pretended to have sexually abused. Handlon’s response was chilling: “I understand that bud, I’m 100% paedo bud,” and he continued to send more images, adding, “I have vids too.”

He also revealed that he used a secondary, unregistered mobile phone—referred to as a ‘burner’—specifically for his illicit activities, and exchanged contact details for messaging apps like Telegram. During the conversation, Handlon expressed an interest in sharing a ten-minute video involving a mother, father, and their young daughter, further illustrating his depravity.

In the course of their online dialogue, Handlon sent three videos depicting child rape and a video of himself performing a sex act. Police, tracking his phone, later identified CCTV footage of him purchasing a top-up voucher at the Spar convenience store on Roe Lane in Southport on November 7, 2020.

Subsequently, law enforcement officers executed a raid on his residence on January 25, 2021. Handlon handed over a mobile phone and a laptop but refused to produce his Alba mobile, which was later discovered hidden inside a plastic bag in his letterbox. Despite his denials and a no-comment interview with police, forensic analysis confirmed his DNA on the battery, SIM card, and storage card of the Alba phone, matching the number used during his online chat.

The police investigation uncovered a staggering amount of illegal material on his devices, including 1,408 Category A images—those depicting the most severe forms of child sexual abuse—along with 1,463 Category B and 797 Category C indecent images. Additionally, 80 extreme pornography images involving animals were found. His cloud storage account had been accessed over 3,000 times, indicating extensive activity.

Further examination revealed that Handlon shared 126 indecent files with other paedophiles via WhatsApp under the username “Big Little” and on Wickr as “UKMember123,” between November 2020 and January 2021. When questioned again, he admitted ownership of the phone and acknowledged downloading the illegal files, claiming an addiction to pornography since childhood and stating he had sought help through various courses and literature. However, he denied ever sexually abusing a child.

During the court proceedings, the judge, Recorder Harris, described the offences as “vile” and emphasized that they represent a grave violation and exploitation of young children. Handlon was convicted of three counts of downloading, three counts of distributing, and one count of possessing indecent images of children, along with possessing extreme pornography and breaching his existing SHPO.

He was sentenced to three years and ten months in prison, with a new 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed. Additionally, he was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life, marking a significant step in safeguarding the community from further harm.