PATRICK FRENCH FROM ACCRINGTON AND CLAYTON-LE-MOORS ESCAPES JAIL AFTER BEING CAUGHT WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
| Red Rose Database
Accrington Clayton-le-Moors Child Sexual Abuser
In a case that has shocked the local communities of Accrington and Clayton-le-Moors, Patrick French, a volunteer at a charity shop, was found to possess and download disturbing indecent images of children over a span of nine years. Despite the severity of the evidence against him, French managed to avoid immediate imprisonment, though he was handed a suspended sentence and other strict conditions by the court.
French, aged 46, was a volunteer at the Sense for the Blind shop located in Accrington, where he dedicated his time to helping others. However, during a police investigation, officers uncovered a disturbing collection of illicit material stored across multiple devices at his residence on Atlas Street in Clayton-le-Moors. The police executed a warrant at his home, leading to the discovery of images and videos on two hard drives, a laptop, and DVDs. The material included content involving children as young as eight years old, which the court described as 'disgusting' and highly disturbing.
At Burnley Crown Court, the prosecution outlined the gravity of the case. Patrick French faced multiple charges, including two counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing indecent images, and one count of possessing extreme pornographic material. French pleaded guilty to all charges. The court was informed that the police found 12 Category A images and videos—the most serious classification—along with three Category B images and three extreme pornographic videos. The forensic examination revealed that French had been downloading such material over a period extending back to 2008.
During police interviews, French claimed that he did not intentionally seek out or download the illicit content. Instead, he suggested that he might have 'recklessly' downloaded the material while accessing online games through file-sharing websites. However, evidence of targeted searches for indecent images of children was uncovered, contradicting his claims. Prosecutor Mercedeh Jabbari emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating that the police found specific searches related to child exploitation images, which indicated deliberate intent.
French’s background was also discussed during the hearing. He had been made redundant in 2005 following a back injury, which reportedly led to social isolation. Despite his volunteer work at the charity shop in Accrington and his role as a countryside ranger protecting wildlife, the court highlighted the gravity of his criminal behavior.
In sentencing, Recorder Fiona Ashworth expressed her condemnation of French’s actions. She stated, “That is regrettable but absolutely no excuse whatsoever for your conduct. I have read a description of the material. They are being abused in quite a horrible fashion. This is not a victimless crime. They have been recorded for the perverse pleasure of people like you.”
French was sentenced to nine months in jail, but the sentence was suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to complete 50 days of rehabilitation activities. The court also imposed a sexual harm prevention order and mandated that French sign the sex offenders register for a period of ten years, ensuring close monitoring of his activities moving forward.
French, aged 46, was a volunteer at the Sense for the Blind shop located in Accrington, where he dedicated his time to helping others. However, during a police investigation, officers uncovered a disturbing collection of illicit material stored across multiple devices at his residence on Atlas Street in Clayton-le-Moors. The police executed a warrant at his home, leading to the discovery of images and videos on two hard drives, a laptop, and DVDs. The material included content involving children as young as eight years old, which the court described as 'disgusting' and highly disturbing.
At Burnley Crown Court, the prosecution outlined the gravity of the case. Patrick French faced multiple charges, including two counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing indecent images, and one count of possessing extreme pornographic material. French pleaded guilty to all charges. The court was informed that the police found 12 Category A images and videos—the most serious classification—along with three Category B images and three extreme pornographic videos. The forensic examination revealed that French had been downloading such material over a period extending back to 2008.
During police interviews, French claimed that he did not intentionally seek out or download the illicit content. Instead, he suggested that he might have 'recklessly' downloaded the material while accessing online games through file-sharing websites. However, evidence of targeted searches for indecent images of children was uncovered, contradicting his claims. Prosecutor Mercedeh Jabbari emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating that the police found specific searches related to child exploitation images, which indicated deliberate intent.
French’s background was also discussed during the hearing. He had been made redundant in 2005 following a back injury, which reportedly led to social isolation. Despite his volunteer work at the charity shop in Accrington and his role as a countryside ranger protecting wildlife, the court highlighted the gravity of his criminal behavior.
In sentencing, Recorder Fiona Ashworth expressed her condemnation of French’s actions. She stated, “That is regrettable but absolutely no excuse whatsoever for your conduct. I have read a description of the material. They are being abused in quite a horrible fashion. This is not a victimless crime. They have been recorded for the perverse pleasure of people like you.”
French was sentenced to nine months in jail, but the sentence was suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to complete 50 days of rehabilitation activities. The court also imposed a sexual harm prevention order and mandated that French sign the sex offenders register for a period of ten years, ensuring close monitoring of his activities moving forward.