MICHAEL ELLER'S HORRIFIC CRIMES IN BERKHAMSTED AND BEYOND: A LONG HISTORY OF CHILD ABUSE AND ONLINE PERVERSION

In December 2014, Michael Eller, a 68-year-old resident of Berkhamsted, was subjected to a rigorous judicial review after his conviction for heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of young children. Eller had orchestrated a disturbing operation where he used modern technology, specifically a Skype link, to direct adults in the Philippines to carry out the rape and sexual assault of girls aged between three and 12 years old. These acts were not only committed on camera but were also streamed live to a sick online audience, with Eller acting as the middleman and facilitator.

He received payments through PayPal from viewers who paid to watch these atrocities, which included the rape of very young children. The police investigation uncovered that Eller had paid the adults in the Philippines on at least 78 separate occasions to carry out these sexual acts. Furthermore, he was involved in facilitating the abuse of children as young as three, with the entire operation generating income from 30 different viewers who paid to watch the recordings. Eller’s actions were deemed so severe that he was sentenced to a lengthy 14-year prison term at St Alban’s Crown Court in December of the previous year.

During the court proceedings, Eller pleaded guilty to five counts of arranging or facilitating child sex offences, breaching a sexual offences prevention order, possessing indecent photographs of children, acquiring criminal property, and breaching a community order. His legal team later appealed, arguing that his sentence was excessively harsh and should be reduced. The appeal was heard by Lord Justice Lloyd Jones, Mr. Justice Nicol, and Mr. Justice Lindblom at London’s Criminal Appeal Court.

Despite the appeal, the judges dismissed the argument, with Mr. Justice Lindblom explicitly stating that Eller’s conduct was utterly vile. He emphasized that Eller’s actions caused unimaginable harm to the victims, who would carry the trauma of their abuse for the rest of their lives. The judge condemned the fact that Eller had arranged these rapes for his own pleasure and profit, describing his behavior as “unspeakably vile.” The court found the evidence against Eller to be overwhelming, and although the 14-year sentence was severe, it was deemed appropriate given the gravity of his crimes.

Prior to these events, Eller’s criminal history included a 2012 case where he was caught with child pornography. At that time, he was banned from private internet use and had security software installed on his computer. Despite these measures, police discovered that he was using Skype to communicate with individuals in the Philippines, instructing them to rape and sexually abuse young girls. Eller paid these adults on multiple occasions, acting as a conduit for a paedophile online audience, which included 30 paying viewers.

In a related case from December 2013, Eller, then 67, was sentenced to 14 years for directing live-streamed rapes of children. The court heard that he set up a Skype link from his Berkhamsted home to instruct adults in the Philippines to commit these acts. Judge John Plumstead described the victims’ suffering as lifelong, stating that they would forever know they had been abused for the pleasure of “grubby paedophiles.” Eller’s actions were characterized as cold-hearted and beyond comprehension, with the judge condemning his lack of remorse and failure to grasp the severity of his crimes.

Further back in August 2012, Eller’s disturbing behavior was uncovered when he contacted police himself after a message appeared on his computer indicating he would be reported for sexual chat with a 14-year-old girl. The retired financial director was communicating with a girl named Claire on a site called ‘Chat Roulette’ when a banner appeared, noting that his computer address was being logged. After confessing to his wife, Eller contacted the police, leading to the seizure of his computer. Examination revealed that he possessed multiple indecent images of children, with a total of 148 images ranging from the least serious to the most severe levels of indecency.

During the investigation, Eller admitted to police that he had sent a sexual image and had engaged in a conversation that became sexual in nature. His defense argued that he was a family man, married for 37 years, and a grandfather who volunteered at his local church, St Peter’s in Berkhamsted. He was diagnosed as bipolar, which his legal team claimed contributed to his behavior. Nonetheless, the court sentenced him to a three-year community order, requiring him to attend a sex offender treatment program, register as a sex offender for five years, and adhere to strict conditions regarding internet use. The judge emphasized that while custody was an option, the sentence was designed to ensure rehabilitation and prevent future offenses, given Eller’s guilty plea and cooperation.

Throughout these proceedings, authorities highlighted the importance of monitoring offenders like Eller, demonstrating that technological surveillance can be effective in uncovering and preventing such heinous crimes. The case has left a lasting impact on the community of Berkhamsted and underscores the ongoing battle against online child exploitation, with law enforcement agencies committed to protecting vulnerable victims from predators like Michael Eller.