RYAN HAWKINS FROM SOUTHPORT SENTENCED FOR CHILD RAPE AND ABUSE IN LIVERPOOL

In February 2022, a disturbing case involving Ryan Hawkins, a resident of Southport, came to light as authorities uncovered his heinous crimes against children. Hawkins, aged 30, was found to have committed serious sexual offenses, including the rape of one child and the molestation of another, acts which he later described as a 'horrible f***ing mistake.'

The court heard that Hawkins engaged in online activities where he shared graphic and disturbing content related to his abuse. Under the username ‘bigladuk6’, he posted a sickening photograph of one of his victims alongside a man he believed to be another offender on the chat platform Kik Messenger. This revelation was part of the evidence that led to his arrest. Additionally, Hawkins hoarded two videos depicting himself raping a young girl, along with four explicit images of a baby, all stored on his mobile device.

His boastful attitude and statements about his intentions to reoffend prompted police to take action. It was during an undercover operation that Hawkins was caught talking to an officer posing as a fellow offender, which confirmed his dangerous nature. The severity of his crimes was recognized in court, leading to his initial sentencing of 12 years in prison, with an extended five-year license period upon release. At Liverpool Crown Court on December 17, Hawkins pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including rape, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of making indecent images of a child, and one count of distributing such images.

However, the case was later referred to the Solicitor General’s office by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which deemed the original sentence to be 'unduly lenient.' The Solicitor General, Alex Chalk QC MP, agreed with this assessment and requested a review by the Court of Appeal. On February 22, the judges at the Court of Appeal in London concluded that Hawkins’ sentence was indeed insufficient given the gravity of his offenses.

The court emphasized that the rape involved 'extreme harm' and was characterized by multiple culpability factors, placing it within the most serious category under sentencing guidelines. An additional significant uplift was applied to one of the sexual assault sentences due to its aggravating features and the seriousness of the offending. Despite this, the sentences for other offenses would run concurrently with the primary rape sentence.

Based on the evidence and the severity of the crimes, the judges determined that an appropriate starting point for Hawkins’ sentence should be 22 years in prison. Due to his early guilty pleas, he was entitled to a reduction of one-third, resulting in a final sentence of 14 years and eight months, along with the five-year extended license period. This means Hawkins must serve at least two-thirds of his custodial term before being eligible for parole, and he will only be released if the Parole Board deems him no longer a risk.

The increase in sentence means Hawkins will now serve a minimum of nine years and seven months behind bars, rather than the original eight years. The court previously heard that Hawkins had attempted to exchange indecent images with an officer from the National Crime Agency and had sent a Category C photo of one of his victims, claiming he had raped her. Prosecutor Ben Jones stated that Hawkins claimed he had not progressed far in attempting to abuse another child but had plans to reoffend against his initial victim. Hawkins also boasted about engaging in extreme sexual activities with children during chats.

Police investigations revealed that the children involved were too young for interviews, and medical examinations did not show injuries, leaving uncertainty about whether Hawkins’ claims were mere 'boasting.' Hawkins was arrested at his home, where his mobile phone was seized. The device contained videos and images confirming his abuse, including the 28-second Category A rape video.

During police interviews, Hawkins initially denied any abuse, claiming his online chats about child abuse on Kik Messenger were just 'fantasy.' However, after further disclosures from the victims and the recovery of the video evidence, he admitted to sexually abusing and raping the first child. He claimed that the assault was unplanned and that he never intended to rape the victim, though he acknowledged filming the act. He also admitted to sexually assaulting his second victim by rubbing himself against her but insisted he did not rape her.

When asked about his sexual interest in children, Hawkins responded that he did not think he had one and expressed remorse, stating, 'I’ve made a horrible f***ing mistake,' and that he needed help to understand what was happening to him. The court’s decision to increase his sentence reflects the serious nature of his crimes and the need for justice for his victims.