LOUTH MAN JAMES HAGGAN SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND EXTREME IMAGES IN LINCOLN

In a serious case brought before Lincoln Crown Court, James Haggan, a 58-year-old resident of St James View in Louth, was found guilty of possessing a vast collection of indecent images of children, along with extreme pornography. The investigation was initiated after police received a credible tip-off leading to a raid on Haggan’s residence. During the operation, law enforcement officers seized his computer equipment and uncovered a disturbing cache of over 2,700 indecent images, including 81 videos depicting children as young as six years old.

Prosecutor Edna Leonard detailed the severity of the material found, emphasizing that the images involved very young children, and also revealed the presence of 1,311 videos classified as extreme pornography. These videos depicted acts of bestiality involving various animals, including dogs and horses, highlighting the disturbing nature of the content.

When questioned by police, Haggan admitted to the offences, confessing that his interest in pornography had begun some years prior. He stated, “I had an interest in pornography and it started from there,” indicating a troubling pattern of behavior.

Haggan pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children, covering the period from April 2011 to May 2016. Additionally, he admitted to possessing extreme pornography, which included explicit videos involving animals. The court heard that these offences spanned several years, reflecting a prolonged period of illegal activity.

In sentencing, Recorder Paul Mann QC acknowledged Haggan’s background, noting his service in the Royal Air Force and periods spent abroad, which he suggested may have contributed to his state of mind. The judge stated, “For much of your adult life you have lived under pressure. You have spent much time abroad away from your family. You have served your country in the Royal Air Force. In more recent years, particularly when you have been abroad and isolated, you have allowed your mind to turn to pornography. You became desensitised to that and you started looking at material that was plainly unlawful.”

Haggan was sentenced to eight months in prison, but the sentence was suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to complete a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and was placed on the sex offenders’ register for a decade.

Earlier, in June 2017, Haggan appeared at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court where he admitted possessing a total of 2,769 indecent images, including 10 Category A, 22 Category B, and 2,737 Category C images, all between April 2011 and May 2016. He also pleaded guilty to possessing an extreme pornographic image depicting human-animal intercourse, which was explicitly realistic and involved animals such as horses and dogs. This offence was committed between January 2009 and May 2016.

Following his guilty plea, Haggan’s case was committed to Lincoln Crown Court for sentencing, where he remains on unconditional bail until the court sets a date for his hearing. He is also required to register with the police under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, with the duration of this registration to be determined once sentencing is finalized.