JOHN LONG FROM LIVERPOOL SENTENCED AFTER BABY ABUSE CASE REINSTATED BY APPEAL COURT
In a case that has sparked widespread outrage and highlighted the severity of child abuse crimes, John Long, a 21-year-old man from Liverpool, has been sentenced to serve a 32-month prison term following an appeal that overturned a more lenient sentence.The case, which involves disturbing acts of sexual assault against very young children, has drawn significant attention from legal authorities and the public alike.
Long, residing on Larchwood Avenue in Maghull, was initially sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court in May to a detention period of 32 months.
However, the judge at that time, His Honour Brian Cummings QC, decided to impose a suspended sentence of 24 months instead, citing concerns about Long’s mental health and his diagnosis of ADHD.
This decision effectively allowed Long to avoid immediate imprisonment, a move that was met with strong criticism from the Attorney-General, Jeremy Wright QC, who argued that the sentence was far too lenient given the gravity of the offences.
Subsequently, the case was brought before the Court of Appeal in London, where three judges reviewed the sentencing.
They unanimously agreed that the original 32-month custodial sentence was appropriate and should be reinstated.
The court’s decision was based on evidence presented during the hearing, which included videos found on Long’s phone depicting him engaging in sexual activities with a sleeping baby in a pram.
These videos showed Long performing acts of a sexual nature while the child was unaware and asleep, a fact that underscored the heinous nature of his crimes.
Additionally, the court heard that Long had committed a similar assault on a four-year-old child, also while the victim was asleep.
The disturbing details of these offences were supported by the discovery of the videos on Long’s mobile device, which contained recordings of him performing sexual acts on the baby.
The court was told that Long’s phone stored multiple videos and images of a sexual nature involving children, further illustrating the extent of his offending.
Judge Cummings, who initially handed down the sentence, had expressed a degree of leniency, citing Long’s ADHD as a mitigating factor.
However, Lady Justice Sharp, delivering the judgment on behalf of the appellate panel, emphasized the gravity and repugnant nature of the crimes.
She stated, “The offences were of a particularly grave and repugnant kind.
The victims were young children, who were very vulnerable.
The abuse was recorded and kept on the offender’s mobile phone.” She further remarked that a significantly longer sentence could have been justified, but ultimately concluded that re-imposing the original 32-month sentence struck a fair balance between public interest and fairness to Long.
The judges’ decision was supported by the fact that Long’s actions involved recording and storing evidence of his abuse, which added to the severity of his crimes.
Following the court’s ruling, Jeremy Wright QC expressed satisfaction that Long would now serve his full custodial sentence.
He stated, “A suspended sentence did not reflect the very significant impact of Long’s offending on his victims and their families or the other aggravating features of these offences.
I welcome therefore the court’s conclusion that he should spend his sentence in prison.” Further details emerged during police investigations, which revealed that Long’s home was raided in October of the previous year.
Officers uncovered numerous recordings of Long’s abuse, along with thousands of images depicting child pornography and other illegal content stored on his computer.
Long had pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on a child under 13, as well as multiple charges related to child and extreme pornography.
In a separate but related case from May 2016, Long’s earlier sentence was also reduced after a judge reviewed his case under the “Slip Rule,” which allows for modifications within 56 days of the original sentencing.
Initially, he was sentenced to two years and eight months in a young offenders’ institution, but this was later reduced to a two-year suspended detention and training order, with additional supervision and requirements to attend sex offender programs.
The court found that Long had taken photographs of himself molesting a baby in a pram and a toddler, with the images stored on his devices, including thousands of indecent images of children and extreme content involving animals.
Throughout the proceedings, Long maintained that he did not understand his actions and claimed his mind was “messed up.” Despite his pleas, the court emphasized the seriousness of his offences, which involved recording and possessing highly illegal material, and ordered him to remain on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely and adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
The case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in addressing and prosecuting crimes involving child exploitation and abuse, especially when offenders attempt to minimize their culpability or seek leniency.
