JOHN CONNELL FROM SPEKE SENT BACK TO JAIL FOR INTERNET SEARCH VIOLATION

In June 2016, John Connell, a man with a troubling criminal history, was once again behind bars after attempting to conceal his online activity related to searches for young children. Connell, aged 61, had previously served a four-year sentence in 2010 for possessing and distributing thousands of indecent images of minors. Despite his claims of trying to turn over a new leaf and his assertion that he no longer harbored inappropriate thoughts about children he encountered in the streets, his actions suggested otherwise.

Following his release in 2012, Connell insisted he was making efforts to reform. However, his recent conduct indicated a blatant disregard for the restrictions placed upon him. He was sentenced to an additional 16 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to breaching a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). This court order was designed to severely limit his internet usage and explicitly prohibit him from deleting or hiding his search history, especially searches related to minors.

During a court hearing at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, it was revealed that Connell’s behavior demonstrated a clear intention to evade detection. The court was told that he had been searching for images of children before taking steps to erase his tracks. Prosecutor Michael Cain explained that police officers had visited Connell’s residence on Harefield Road in Speke on January 14 of the previous year to verify his compliance with the court order.

Cain recounted that officers found a laptop in front of where Connell had been sitting, which was powered on at the time of their visit. Connell claimed he had been using the device to update his music collection, specifically his CD database. When officers requested to examine his internet history, Connell appeared visibly nervous. Upon inspection, they discovered that the search history had been wiped clean, with an option selected to delete it automatically. Further forensic analysis of the laptop was unable to recover any of the deleted searches.

Connell explained that he had been attempting to remove a virus, and that his anti-virus software had inadvertently deleted his browsing history. However, during police interviews, he later admitted that he had been searching for images of children. Initially, he claimed he was looking for pictures of young models aged between 13 and 15, who were clothed, and that he found them visually appealing and believed such searches were legal. But he eventually confessed that his searches were indeed for images of young children.

Scott Phillips, representing Connell, argued that his client was trying to eliminate a virus from his computer, which led to the deletion of his search history. He acknowledged that this was a serious mistake. The defense also highlighted Connell’s health issues, including depression, arthritis, and diabetes, suggesting these conditions should be considered. Nonetheless, the magistrates did not accept these mitigating factors and described Connell’s breach of the court order as a “flagrant disregard” for the law. As a result, they sentenced him to serve time in prison, reaffirming the court’s stance on such violations and the importance of safeguarding children from potential harm.