JOSEPH HART AND SHOCKING CHILD SEX OFFENCE IN BOLTON AND HORWICH
A primary school caretaker from Bolton, who is also a married father of three children, has faced severe legal repercussions and the breakdown of his family following his involvement in a disturbing attempt to arrange a sexual encounter with a 12-year-old girl.The legal case unfolded after police intercepts revealed his disturbing intentions.
In May 2012, law enforcement officers conducted a raid on Joseph Hart's home in Horwich, a suburb of Bolton.
The police action followed the interception of text messages sent by Hart, which outlined plans to pay a notorious paedophile, Darren Leggett, £100 per hour for the company of the young girl.
The messages revealed a deliberate attempt on Hart's part to facilitate a child sex offence.
Following his arrest, Hart was immediately suspended from his position at Chorley New Road Primary School by Bolton Council.
The council issued a statement clarifying that the criminal charges were not related to his employment or his duties at the school.
Despite this, Hart faced serious criminal charges that ultimately led to his conviction.
Legal proceedings in Bolton Crown Court revealed that police found a disturbing collection of 61 indecent images of children on Hart’s computer at the time of his arrest.
Hart, who was 34 years old at the time, has Asperger's syndrome and exhibits obsessive-compulsive traits, which he claimed contributed to his actions.
Initially, Hart claimed that his involvement with the case was an attempt to trap Darren Leggett, a known paedophile, but this defence was dismissed by the jury.
During the trial, Hart admitted to six additional charges relating to the possession of indecent images of children, which were brought before the court in November.
The jury found him guilty of arranging a child sex offence, dismissing his earlier explanation.
In sentencing proceedings, Judge Elliot Knopf handed down a custodial sentence that was suspended for two years.
The judge described Hart’s case as “unique” and explained that the circumstances were complex.
Judge Knopf commented that Hart, suffering from Asperger’s syndrome with obsessive-compulsive characteristics, did not fully grasp the potential consequences of his actions.
The judge noted that, although Hart was in contact with Leggett via text messages starting on February 6, 2012—after discovering Leggett on a website—the interactions did not result in a concrete plan or specific location for the offence.
Police had arrested Leggett on February 10 after seizing a phone containing messages exchanged with Hart.
At the time of his arrest, Hart arrived at court prepared for imprisonment, carrying a suitcase and appearing visibly distressed.
His lawyer, Vanessa Thompson, emphasized that Hart had been married and had raised three children but had since separated from his wife after his arrest.
She stated, “He is never going to work for the council again and never will he work in the capacity he was before.” The judge further elaborated on Hart’s mental health condition, stating, “Your case is different and complex and in many respects unique.
You are someone who suffers from Asperger's and the result of it would appear to be an obsessive compulsive personality, and you do not understand the outcome of your actions.” He added that the engagement with Leggett was only in its preliminary stages, with little concrete planning, and that there was no evidence Hart tried to pursue further information or contact after Leggett was out of the picture.
In response to the case, Bolton Council confirmed that Hart was immediately suspended following his arrest and reiterated that none of the charges pertained to his employment or work environment.
Hart received a two-year prison sentence, suspended for the same duration, for the child sex offence arrangement.
He was also given a concurrent nine-month sentence for possessing six indecent images of children.
Moreover, Hart was placed on the sex offenders register for ten years and was subject to a five-year sexual offences prevention order.
Darren Leggett, the convicted paedophile from Kent, was sentenced to an indefinite jail term in June 2012.
Leggett, convicted on 31 counts of child sex abuse, is expected to serve at least until 2019, after which he must demonstrate that he is no longer a threat before any potential release.
This disturbing case highlights the ongoing issues of child exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts across Bolton, Horwich, and beyond.
