MICHAEL CONLON AND SHOCKING CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN LEEDS AND LIVERPOOL
A notorious paedophile with a background as a former police officer from West Yorkshire has received a lengthy ten-year prison sentence after being convicted of attempting to meet an eight-year-old girl for sexual purposes.The judicial hearing underscored the serious danger that Conlon presents to children, with the judge emphasizing the gravity of his actions and the risk he poses.
Michael Conlon, 46, was taken into custody in November of the previous year after he traveled from his home in Leeds to Liverpool with the intent of meeting an undercover police operative who was posing as a fellow paedophile.
This covert operation was part of an undercover sting designed to catch individuals seeking to exploit children.
The incident was revealed during proceedings at Leeds Crown Court, where it was disclosed that the police officer had been interacting with Conlon through an internet chatroom.
In these online exchanges, the officer had been impersonating a father of two, attempting to lure Conlon into a trap.
The court heard that the police officer had disclosed details about having an eight-year-old daughter and a three-year-old son, which were later revealed to be part of the deception.
Conlon, who had previously worked for the West Yorkshire Police, was caught after exchanges on an encrypted messaging platform.
During these discussions, he expressed disturbing sexual interests in children, including messages referencing “dads who share” and past sexual activity with a 12-year-old girl.
Conlon also sent the officer a toy unicorn video, which he had purchased, and further communicated his intentions and desires.
In a shocking revelation, prosecutors stated that Conlon admitted to having previously engaged in sexual acts with a girl aged 12 but claimed he was no longer able to access children.
Despite this, his communications clearly indicated his intention to re-engage in such conduct.
The police investigation established that Conlon had planned to meet the officer in Liverpool to carry out his sinister intentions.
On November 20th, last year, Conlon traveled to Liverpool and met the undercover officer at a Costa coffee shop.
During their 25-minute encounter, the officer secretly recorded their conversation.
Conlon was arrested the very next day at his residence.
The police officers involved in the arrest had knocked on Conlon’s door for approximately five minutes, during which they suspected he was attempting to erase or tamper with digital evidence on his electronic devices.
Subsequent examinations of his devices disclosed scrambled chat logs, which hindered direct access to incriminating communications; however, related evidence was uncovered.
A toy unicorn matching the one shown in the video he had sent was recovered from Conlon’s living room, confirming his involvement.
Conlon, who resides at Newton Grove, Chapeltown, chose not to provide any comments during police interviews.
He subsequently pleaded guilty to charges related to arranging for or facilitating a child sex offence.
Conlon’s criminal history includes a previous conviction in 2009, when he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child, attempting to meet a girl under 16 after grooming her online, and possessing indecent photographs of children.
That earlier case led to the loss of his police career.
A probation report from that time highlighted the significant risk he posed to children.
During the latest hearing, his defense lawyer, Andrew Coleman, argued that Conlon’s guilty plea was made at an early stage and that his client is also battling mental health issues which require medication.
Despite these factors, the judge, Tom Bayliss QC, ordered a custodial sentence of six years, with at least two-thirds to be served in prison and the remaining four years on licence after release.
In delivering the judgment, Judge Bayliss expressed his concerns, stating, “The prison sentence which was imposed on the last occasion did not deter you, nor did the sexual harm prevention order.
You were prepared to abuse an eight-year-old child for your own sexual needs.
You were prepared to take risks.
You were prepared to act upon your own sexual impulses to sexually abuse a very young child.” This case follows Conlon’s documented history of sexual misconduct involving minors.
In 2009, he was exposed as a paedophile while still a serving police officer when a colleague posed as a 14-year-old girl online and uncovered Conlon’s inappropriate communications.
At that time, he was known to have contacted a profile called “Shelley 14” on the chat website FaceParty, demanding naked pictures and asking if she was a virgin.
Conlon also sought to meet a genuine 15-year-old girl for sexual activity.
When police raided his home in Swillington, they found 370 indecent images and videos involving young children, including girls as young as five, downloaded over a three-year period, which further illuminated the extent of his depravity.
This recent ruling confirms the disturbing pattern of Conlon’s predatory behavior and highlights the ongoing threat he poses to vulnerable children in Leeds and beyond.
His case remains a stark reminder of the dangers posed by individuals who abuse positions of authority or trust for illicit purposes.
