MICHAEL ALLEN FROM REDDITCH SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES AND GROOMING

In September 2008, a disturbing case unfolded at Worcester Crown Court involving Michael Allen, a 42-year-old man from Redditch, who was convicted of a series of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse and exploitation of young girls. Allen was sentenced to a lengthy term of 14 years in prison after being found guilty of multiple serious offenses, including 37 counts of rape, indecent assault, and the possession and distribution of child pornography.

The court heard that Allen had systematically lured young girls into his home, where he engaged in grooming behaviors that included offering gifts, clothing, and cash to gain their trust. He would invite victims to spend the night at his residence, initially establishing a false sense of affection through hugs and presents. Allen’s manipulative tactics extended to telling the girls that he loved them, but the court emphasized that this was not genuine affection; rather, it was part of a monstrous perversion designed to facilitate his sexual exploitation of minors.

Prosecutor Patrick Thomas QC detailed how Allen’s actions were a gross breach of trust, with the court describing his conduct as a grotesque abuse of innocence. The judge, Judge Andrew Geddes, condemned Allen’s behavior, stating, “You are sexually attracted to young girls and do not hesitate to use them for your own gratification. The sexual grooming took place to permit conduct of this kind without protest. You suffer from a high degree of self-delusion.”

Allen’s criminal record included not only sexual offenses but also the downloading of indecent images from the internet, which ranged from child pornography to videos classified as among the most perverse. Police investigations uncovered a cache of 17 indecent videos, all downloaded from the internet, alongside explicit images that depicted the worst forms of child exploitation.

The court was told that Allen’s crimes spanned over a decade, from 1996 to 2007, during which he invited girls aged between nine and twelve to stay overnight at his home. The victims, many of whom were present in the courtroom’s public gallery during sentencing, suffered profound psychological trauma. Some of the girls have developed deep-seated mental health issues, with the court acknowledging that some may never fully recover from the abuse they endured.

Allen’s arrest came in June of the previous year, following complaints from two victims. One of the victims was so overwhelmed by the trauma that she broke down in hysterics during police interviews. During the proceedings, Allen wrote a letter indicating his intention to appeal against his convictions, including the charges of rape and other offenses.

Defense counsel Richard Benson QC argued that Allen did not feel that the jury had fully understood his case and maintained that he only admitted to minor acts of touching outside and inside underwear, denying any penetration. Benson also revealed that Allen’s motivations for wanting to go to prison were twofold: he wished to avoid witnessing his declining health due to diabetes and heart disease, and he sought to avenge the murder of his mother-in-law, which had caused significant distress to his partner, known as Dix. The defense highlighted that Allen had no prior convictions and had not behaved improperly towards his own children, although he was now estranged from his family.

Furthermore, Allen had a history of depression, including a suicide attempt in 2005 through an overdose of prescribed medication. Despite a psychiatric report suggesting he might attempt self-harm again, Allen rejected this conclusion, asserting that he did not wish to live but had no intention of taking his own life. He claimed that his actions were calculated and clinical, intended to secure a prison sentence, and emphasized that he had no sexual attraction towards children.

Judge Andrew Geddes sentenced Allen to 14 years in prison, ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register for life, and imposed a sexual offences prevention order that prohibits him from having any future contact with children under the age of 16. The court’s decision was met with visible emotion from the victims and their families, many of whom watched from the public gallery, recognizing the gravity of Allen’s crimes and the lasting impact on those affected.