MICHAEL O’KELLY BANNED IN BASINGSTOKE: EX-PRIEST JAILED AGAIN FOR CHILD SEXUAL IMAGE OFFENCES

In November 2017, Michael Patrick O’Kelly, a man with a troubling history linked to child sexual abuse images, was sentenced to additional prison time after being found guilty of possessing indecent images of children. O’Kelly, aged 62 and residing on Gainsborough Road in Basingstoke, had previously served time for similar offences, making his latest conviction a stark reminder of his ongoing criminal behavior.

O’Kelly’s criminal record dates back to March 2002, when he was convicted of possessing approximately 18,000 indecent photographs of children. This conviction led to his suspension from church duties and a nine-month jail sentence. His actions also resulted in his placement on the sex offenders register, a measure that allowed police to conduct random spot searches. On December 1, 2016, during one such search, officers visited his residence and seized a mobile phone from him.

The court was informed that the phone contained a disturbing collection of images, including 62 photographs classified as Category A — the most severe classification — depicting particularly young children engaged in sexual acts. Additionally, there were 70 Category B images and 209 Category C images, all of children. The prosecution highlighted the disturbing nature of the Category A images, emphasizing the vulnerability of the children involved.

During the hearing, O’Kelly’s defense attorney, Adrienne Knight, argued that her client had been attempting to change his ways since his previous conviction. She stated, “This is the second time this has happened, however since Mr. O’Kelly’s previous conviction he has tried to change. He had done things on his computer to try and stop himself from looking at this type of material, but he lost control.” Knight also mentioned that O’Kelly had been open about his struggles, including visiting church and not hiding his problems from his employer or community. She emphasized his efforts to seek help from counselors, acknowledging his awareness of his addictive personality and his desire to reform.

Despite these arguments, Judge Keith Cutler sentenced O’Kelly to 15 months in prison. The judge remarked, “He is a man of high intelligence and he should know this is a crime and people suffer as a result. This type of material would not exist if people like you didn’t want to view it, it exploits children and subjects them to psychological issues.” The court also ordered O’Kelly to be on the sex offenders register for ten years and imposed an £85 victim surcharge. Judge Cutler concluded with a somber note, advising O’Kelly to “spend your time in thought and prayer, please ensure you do behave when you get released.”

O’Kelly’s criminal history also includes a previous conviction from May 2002, when he was jailed for nine months after pleading guilty to possessing 18,000 indecent photographs and computer images of children. At that time, he was the Dean of Reading and had admitted to making indecent pseudo-photographs of a child between June 1997 and October 2000. The court described the images as “disturbing, degrading and disgusting,” and O’Kelly was also subjected to a six-year supervision order, placed on the sex offenders register, and banned from working with children.

During police interviews, O’Kelly revealed that he had been running up internet bills of up to £1,500 a month, during which he downloaded images and visited chatrooms. He admitted that his private actions were a stark contrast to his public persona, describing his behavior as a “guilty secret” driven by an uncontrollable addiction. His arrest followed a raid at his home in Tilehurst, near Reading, conducted by Thames Valley Police and Customs and Excise officers. Prosecutor Neil Moore stated that at least 70% of the images found involved children engaged in sexual acts, though there was no evidence that O’Kelly had shared or passed on these images.

His defense attorney, Jennifer Edwards, highlighted O’Kelly’s cooperation with authorities, suggesting that he had been motivated to assist police investigations. Judge Stanley Spence, presiding over the case, acknowledged that O’Kelly had once been regarded as a good priest before his actions betrayed that reputation. The judge emphasized that his misconduct not only perpetuated the abuse but also contributed to the wider exploitation of children, reinforcing the gravity of his crimes.