PAUL MCKEE AND SHOCKING CHILD SEX ABUSE IN MERSEYSIDE AND THAILAND
A man who once captivated audiences across Merseyside and beyond as a magician and children's entertainer has been revealed as a convicted paedophile responsible for horrific abuse spanning nearly a quarter of a century.Paul McKee, 57, who used the stage name "Professor Paulos," was known for his performances at various venues and events, including television appearances featuring celebrities and private parties attended by Liverpool FC football legends.
His seemingly charming public persona masked a dark and disturbing history of child sexual offences.
McKee's bizarre lifestyle featured a 'Neverland Ranch-style' home, where he kept exotic animals such as monkeys, meerkats, a pig, and sugar gliders, creating an environment reminiscent of Michael Jackson's famous residence.
He allowed young children to freely visit his property, encouraging them to come and go as they pleased.
Reports indicated that he permitted children to drink and smoke on his premises from a very young age, further highlighting the unsettling atmosphere he cultivated.
Originally from Wallasey Village, Wirral, and lacking a fixed address at the time of his arrest, McKee had spent a significant period living abroad in Thailand.
During his years overseas, he worked as a primary school teacher and was married with a young daughter.
Despite his outward career as a performer and educator, McKee’s true nature was exposed when child sex offences he committed in Merseyside and Thailand came to light.
The criminal proceedings detailed that McKee's predatory behaviour began in the mid-1980s and continued into the late 2000s.
Several of his victims, some as young as toddlers, endured intense and prolonged abuse, which included recordings made discreetly with a camcorder.
Prosecutors characterized him as a “serial abuser of children,” capable of extreme violence and degradation, with some of the abuse described as vicious, brutal, and designed to humiliate and emasculate his victims.
The details of his crimes were so graphic that they could not be published.
The allegations surfaced publicly in 2017 after victims courageously came forward.
Their accounts painted a horrific picture of abuse, with some victims describing how McKee treated them like “sex slaves” from as early as age two.
The investigation revealed that his offending was not only sustained but also intertwined with his professional life, which included performances at the Floral Pavilion Theatre in New Brighton, Greenacres Animal Park in Deeside, and Robin Hood Caravan Park in Rhyl.
It was reported that he even performed for notable figures, including former Liverpool FC stars, and appeared during community events such as Christmas light switch-ons.
The court was told that McKee’s lifestyle included frequent interactions with children, who could freely access his home and were allowed to drink and smoke.
His back garden housed a pig, and his exotic animals added an unsettling layer to his already disturbing profile.
Following his arrest in Thailand in September 2022—where he was located and detained by the Royal Thai Police—the authorities extradited McKee back to the UK to face justice.
During the legal proceedings, he maintained evasive responses regarding his activities in Thailand, despite evidence pointing to his intention to remain in contact with children in various capacities.
McKee, who was initially a first-time offender, was tried on multiple counts of child sexual offences, including rape and sexual assault.
After a lengthy trial, he was found guilty of 13 counts but cleared of two.
The court heard that he was highly manipulative, controlling, and at times physically violent, engaging in a prolonged campaign of sexual abuse against seven women who bravely testified against him.
His actions were described as a systematic and heinous catalogue of sexual violence.
During sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court, Judge David Swinnerton condemned McKee’s actions, stating, “You created an environment in the house where children wanted to come.
You had animals— a pig, monkeys.
Children were allowed to come and go.
In their teens, they were permitted to drink and smoke.” Judge Swinnerton sentenced McKee to a prison term of 30 years, with the requirement that he serve at least two-thirds before being eligible for parole.
Additionally, he was given a four-year extended licence period.
The judge emphasized the defendant’s lack of remorse, indicating that McKee showed no signs of shame or guilt, merely acting on his own sexual desires without regard for the suffering he caused.
Throughout the trial, victims displayed extraordinary resilience.
One woman, overwhelmed with emotion, left the courtroom crying and expressed her fury, saying, “I’m going to pay someone to kill him, I want the f***ing b****** dead.” Detective Constable Graeme Beacall, commenting after sentencing, highlighted the severity and duration of McKee’s crimes, noting the investigation commenced in 2017 and that McKee’s extradition completed in September 2022 after initial detainment in Thailand.
He praised the victims for their bravery and stated, “This case has proven that time and distance are no barriers to justice, and we will do everything within our power to bring offenders like McKee to account.”
