ROBERT QUINLAN'S SHAMEFUL CRIMES IN STRETFORD AND CHORLTON-CUM-HARDY

In April 2015, Robert Quinlan, a known sex offender residing on a boat along the Bridgewater Canal in Stretford, faced a significant legal setback as he failed in his attempt to overturn his recent imprisonment through an Appeal Court hearing.

Quinlan, aged 54 at the time, had previously been sentenced to nine months in prison at Warrington Crown Court back in 2008. His conviction stemmed from admitting to three counts of voyeurism and two counts of possessing indecent images of a child. The court found that Quinlan had installed video cameras with the intent to record a teenage girl, and he was also found in possession of low-level pornographic photographs of her.

As a registered sex offender, Quinlan was subject to strict notification requirements, which mandated him to regularly inform police authorities about his activities and whereabouts. However, in February of the previous year, he was brought back before the courts after failing to provide police with details of his bank accounts. This breach led to an additional eight-month jail sentence handed down at Manchester Crown Court.

During the appeal, Mr. Justice Nicol addressed the court, noting that Quinlan had a history of non-compliance with notification obligations, with previous sentences in 2009 and 2013 for similar breaches. Quinlan had traveled from his residence in Stretford to present his case, challenging both his conviction and the severity of his sentence before a panel comprising Lord Justice Jackson and Mr. Justice King.

In his defense, Quinlan claimed that he believed police already possessed all necessary information and explained that his life was in disarray at the time, having recently been released from prison. He also stated that his boat was being squatted by homeless individuals, forcing him to relocate his vessel to escape them. Despite these explanations, Mr. Justice Nicol dismissed his arguments as lacking reasonable grounds, describing his appeal as “hopeless.”

The judge further emphasized that Quinlan had previously failed to comply with notification requirements twice before, and his latest offense occurred just days after his release from prison for similar misconduct. Consequently, the court upheld his sentence, underscoring the seriousness of his repeated violations and the breach of trust involved.

Earlier, in October 2008, Quinlan, then aged 47 and residing in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, was sentenced at Warrington Crown Court for similar offenses. He had pleaded guilty to voyeurism and possessing indecent photographs of a 15-year-old girl. Quinlan had set up video cameras to record the teenager and was found with 54 images classified as level one and one image as level two, according to the categorization of child pornography.

He was arrested on August 31 of that year after the girl discovered one of the cameras and realized she was being recorded. Quinlan admitted to hiding the recording equipment and expressed infatuation with the girl, claiming he fantasized about her and masturbated over the images. During his court appearance, Quinlan refused legal representation and appeared visibly distressed.

In his defense, Quinlan argued that the incident involved no one else and that, despite the use of the word “child,” he believed the girl was developed as a woman. He also stated that he had been under investigation for 13 months with no additional findings. The court, however, was unpersuaded by his explanations and sentenced him to nine months in prison. The judge, Recorder Elgan Edwards, condemned his behavior as “disgusting” and emphasized that such conduct could not be tolerated.

Quinlan was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register and was disqualified from working with children, reflecting the serious nature of his offenses and the ongoing threat he posed to the community.