JOSHUA BOYLE FROM CRAIGAVON SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS FOR CHILD IMAGE OFFENCES AND SEXTORTION IN CO ARMAGH

In a serious case that has shocked the community of Craigavon and the wider Co Armagh area, 21-year-old Joshua Boyle has been sentenced to two years in prison following a series of disturbing offences involving child exploitation and sextortion.

The sentencing took place at Craigavon Crown Court, where Judge Patrick Lynch KC addressed Boyle directly, condemning his actions as profoundly harmful. The judge stated, “That’s a terrible thing to do…. we do not know, and you would not have known, any of the possible deleterious effects that would have had.”

Judge Lynch ordered Boyle to serve nine months of his sentence in custody, with the remaining period under supervised licence conditions. The judge emphasized the serious consequences such activities can have on victims, noting, “It is in the knowledge of everyone in this courtroom that such activities have often had the most serious consequences for victims.”

Earlier in the proceedings, Boyle, who resides in Carnreagh, Craigavon, pleaded guilty to a total of 21 charges that spanned from March 5, 2020, to May 5, 2021. These charges included 13 counts of possessing indecent images of children, two counts of attempted sexual communication with a minor, as well as making and distributing indecent images and attempting to intimidate a young person.

Prosecutor Joseph Murphy detailed how police officers from the PSNI Child Internet Protection Unit executed a search warrant at Boyle’s residence on May 4, 2021. During the search, they seized two mobile phones, which upon forensic examination, revealed a disturbing collection of 44 files containing indecent images. These images were classified into three categories, with three photographs and 13 videos falling into the most heinous category, Level A. Mr. Murphy described how two videos, totaling six minutes, depicted a child being assaulted, highlighting the severity of the material found.

During police interviews, Boyle claimed ignorance about how the images appeared on his devices, asserting that he had no sexual interest in children. However, forensic analysis of one of the phones uncovered more disturbing evidence. It revealed that Boyle had been involved in a cross-Atlantic sextortion scheme, engaging in perverted chats with another young boy.

One of the victims, claiming to be a 13-year-old, had sent Boyle an explicit image of himself at Boyle’s request, and the two exchanged messages. Prosecutor Murphy explained that Boyle had also contacted a 15-year-old boy in America via social media. During a video chat, Boyle took a screenshot of the teenager and threatened to expose him unless he participated in further sexually explicit conversations. Although there was no evidence Boyle followed through on this threat, the prosecutor highlighted the serious psychological impact sextortion can have, noting that victims often suffer severe consequences, including suicidal thoughts.

Judge Lynch remarked that while the most serious aspect of Boyle’s crimes was the intimidation involved in sextortion, the possession of indecent images also contributed to a trail of victims. The judge emphasized that such images are not just past events but are part of ongoing harm, stating, “For every image there is a victim and the activities of the individuals who actually produce these images do so because there is a demand for them, a demand from people such as yourself and therefore you cannot dissociate yourself from the activity.”

In addition to his prison sentence, Boyle was subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order that will last for seven years. He is also required to sign the police sex offenders register for a period of ten years, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities and compliance with legal restrictions designed to protect the public from further harm.