JOHN CONNELL FROM CHILDWALL JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN LIVERPOOL

In a recent and disturbing case, John Connell, a resident of Childwall, has been sentenced to prison after being found guilty of possessing a vast collection of illegal and highly disturbing images involving children. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat child exploitation and the serious consequences faced by offenders.

In November 2019, Connell was convicted and subsequently sentenced to four years in prison for possessing nearly 8,000 indecent images, including photographs depicting children as young as three in distressing and painful situations. The images also included animal pornography and prohibited images of children, further emphasizing the severity of his offenses.

The investigation was initiated after the FBI tipped off Merseyside Police, leading to a thorough search of Connell’s residence. Authorities uncovered an overwhelming number of illicit images, with the count exceeding 70,000 at one point, forcing them to cease counting due to the sheer volume. Connell was previously convicted in 2010 for trading videos of babies being raped and collecting a repulsive collection of child abuse material, which resulted in a five-year prison sentence. Following that, he was required to sign the Sex Offenders Register and adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for life.

Despite these measures, Connell’s criminal behavior persisted. In 2016, he was returned to prison after attempting to search for photographs of schoolchildren online and trying to conceal his activities. The police visited his home in Belle Vale on January 24 of the current year to verify his compliance with the SHPO. During this visit, Connell handed over a tablet device to an officer, claiming he had been “really good lately” and that there would be nothing of concern on the device.

However, authorities discovered that between November 3, 2018, and January 24, 2019, Connell had downloaded 925 images classified as Category A—the most serious category of child abuse images. In addition, he possessed 1,336 Category B images and 5,705 Category C images, totaling nearly 8,000 illicit files. Further searches revealed that he also possessed 1,195 images of animal pornography and 593 prohibited images of children. The most disturbing aspect of the case was that one of the images depicted a child as young as three, and another was described as showing a child in pain.

At the time of his latest arrest, Connell was living without a fixed address. His history of offending dates back to the early 2000s when he lived near Childwall Valley Primary School, the area where he first came under police scrutiny. Connell claimed that he had attempted to “sort his life out” and insisted that he no longer engaged in viewing or mentally undressing children in the street after his release from prison in 2012. Nevertheless, his repeated breaches of court orders and possession of illegal images demonstrated ongoing criminal behavior.

He was scheduled to attend a sex offenders treatment program as part of his community order, but this was partially revoked due to his ill health. His defense team highlighted his medical conditions, including type two diabetes, heart attacks, arthritis, lymphoma in his knees, and depression. Stella Hayden, his lawyer, stated that Connell had become homeless recently and was suffering from “considerable ill health.” She also mentioned that he had provided a “candid account” to the Probation Service and expressed remorse for his actions, acknowledging some insight into the harm caused by his offending.

Judge Stuart Driver, QC, presided over the case and noted that sentencing guidelines suggested a starting point of one year in jail, with a typical range of one to three years. The judge emphasized that Connell’s previous convictions and the large number of images, including those of a three-year-old child, significantly aggravated the case. The judge remarked that the severity of the offenses was so grave that it warranted a sentence beyond the usual guideline range.

However, the judge also considered Connell’s serious health issues, which made surgical intervention for his heart condition too risky and consequently reduced his life expectancy. Acknowledging these mitigating factors, Judge Driver sentenced Connell to two years in prison, giving credit for his guilty pleas and ongoing health problems. The sentence reflects the gravity of his crimes while taking into account his medical condition and the circumstances of his case.