PATRICK MAUGHAN ON THE RUN AFTER CHILD INDECENCY CHARGES IN CROOK, DURHAM
| Red Rose Database
Crook Child Sexual Abuser
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the small town of Crook in County Durham, Patrick Maughan, a 55-year-old man from Helmington Row, has become the subject of a police manhunt following serious allegations related to child exploitation and indecent material. The events leading up to his current status as a fugitive are rooted in a high-profile trial at Durham Crown Court, where Maughan was accused of multiple serious offences involving indecent images of children and extreme pornography.
Initially, Maughan appeared in court earlier this week, attending the first three days of proceedings. However, he failed to appear for the final day, prompting authorities to issue a warrant for his arrest. The police are actively seeking him, and efforts to locate him are ongoing. The warrant was issued after the jury delivered a verdict in his absence, which has added a layer of complexity to the case.
The charges against Maughan were extensive. He faced 16 counts of making indecent images of a child, possession of 713 such images, and possession of extreme pornography, which included 54 images depicting sexual acts involving animals. Additionally, he was accused of two counts of acts intended to pervert the course of justice, related to threatening messages sent through a third party to his former partner after their relationship ended in November 2013. The alleged offences spanned from June 2010 to December 2013, with police investigations revealing the presence of incriminating material on four different computer devices seized from his home on Church Street during visits in June and December 2012.
Prosecutor Joanne Kidd highlighted that the browsing history on Maughan’s computers indicated a disturbing pattern of searches for similar material, with a particular focus on young girls in a sleeping, naked state. Many of these searches were attributed to the alias ‘Paddy,’ but investigators also found evidence of searches under the name of a female relative. Maughan’s defense argued that other individuals had access to his computers, claiming that visitors to his home could have been responsible for the material found. Despite this, he was unable to provide a convincing explanation for the presence of the images or why others might have used his devices to access such content.
On Wednesday, March 18, Maughan gave evidence in his own defense, but unexpectedly, he was absent when the court proceedings resumed on Thursday, March 19. The judge, Judge Simon Hickey, along with the prosecution and defense counsel, agreed to proceed with the case in his absence. The jury was then tasked with deliberating on the evidence presented. After less than 90 minutes, they returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on 19 of the 20 charges, acquitting him of one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Following the guilty verdicts, and with Maughan still missing, Judge Hickey issued a bench warrant for his immediate arrest. A police spokesperson from Durham confirmed that, as of Friday, March 20, 24 hours after the warrant was issued, Maughan remained at large. The authorities have stated that their search for him will continue over the weekend, emphasizing the seriousness of the case and the importance of bringing him into custody to face justice.
Initially, Maughan appeared in court earlier this week, attending the first three days of proceedings. However, he failed to appear for the final day, prompting authorities to issue a warrant for his arrest. The police are actively seeking him, and efforts to locate him are ongoing. The warrant was issued after the jury delivered a verdict in his absence, which has added a layer of complexity to the case.
The charges against Maughan were extensive. He faced 16 counts of making indecent images of a child, possession of 713 such images, and possession of extreme pornography, which included 54 images depicting sexual acts involving animals. Additionally, he was accused of two counts of acts intended to pervert the course of justice, related to threatening messages sent through a third party to his former partner after their relationship ended in November 2013. The alleged offences spanned from June 2010 to December 2013, with police investigations revealing the presence of incriminating material on four different computer devices seized from his home on Church Street during visits in June and December 2012.
Prosecutor Joanne Kidd highlighted that the browsing history on Maughan’s computers indicated a disturbing pattern of searches for similar material, with a particular focus on young girls in a sleeping, naked state. Many of these searches were attributed to the alias ‘Paddy,’ but investigators also found evidence of searches under the name of a female relative. Maughan’s defense argued that other individuals had access to his computers, claiming that visitors to his home could have been responsible for the material found. Despite this, he was unable to provide a convincing explanation for the presence of the images or why others might have used his devices to access such content.
On Wednesday, March 18, Maughan gave evidence in his own defense, but unexpectedly, he was absent when the court proceedings resumed on Thursday, March 19. The judge, Judge Simon Hickey, along with the prosecution and defense counsel, agreed to proceed with the case in his absence. The jury was then tasked with deliberating on the evidence presented. After less than 90 minutes, they returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on 19 of the 20 charges, acquitting him of one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Following the guilty verdicts, and with Maughan still missing, Judge Hickey issued a bench warrant for his immediate arrest. A police spokesperson from Durham confirmed that, as of Friday, March 20, 24 hours after the warrant was issued, Maughan remained at large. The authorities have stated that their search for him will continue over the weekend, emphasizing the seriousness of the case and the importance of bringing him into custody to face justice.