WILLIAM MEEHAN FROM KIRKBY ARRESTED IN PRESTON FOR ATTEMPTED CHILD SEX OFFENSES AND POSSESSION OF EXTREME PORNOGRAPHY

In October 2021, a disturbing case unfolded involving William Meehan, a pensioner from Kirkby, who was caught attempting to commit a serious sexual offense against a 12-year-old girl. Meehan, aged 75 at the time, had traveled from his home in Kirkby to a leisure centre in Preston with the apparent intent of engaging in illegal activities with a minor. He carried with him a bottle of Blue WKD and a Viagra tablet, which he allegedly planned to use in his attempt to assault the young girl.

According to reports, Meehan had arranged to meet a girl named "Jess" at the Preston swimming pool. The communication was conducted through online chat platforms, where Meehan falsely claimed to be a 35-year-old man and referred to Jess as his "girlfriend." During their conversations, he expressed a desire to make love to her while her mother was away, revealing his intentions clearly. Unbeknownst to him, Jess was an undercover police officer, and when he arrived at the leisure centre, authorities swiftly arrested him.

At the time of his court appearance at Liverpool Crown Court, William Meehan appeared visibly frail, using two crutches, an oxygen mask, and a hearing aid loop. He was identified as a resident of Cawthorne Avenue, Southdene, Kirkby, and was known online by several aliases, including "Scouser2020" on Chat Avenue, "BillyKirkby" on Kik Messenger, and "Billy Meehan" on Skype. Prosecutor Kenneth Grant highlighted that police investigations into Meehan’s online activity revealed a disturbing pattern of sexual interest in young girls.

It was established that Meehan initiated contact with Jess on January 15 of the previous year via Chat Avenue. During their exchanges, he falsely claimed to be 35 years old and boasted about speaking with other girls across England, aged between 11 and 19. He warned Jess that he could be imprisoned for communicating with a 13-year-old, to which she responded that she was only 12. Their conversations then moved to Kik Messenger, where Meehan continued to express his intentions. He admitted to having previously spoken with a 12-year-old girl from Wigan who wanted sex in exchange for money, although he did not pursue that further.

Prosecutors revealed that Meehan, a widower, claimed he had not engaged in sexual activity for some time. He also stated that he could easily travel to Preston to meet Jess and bring her back to his home. During the chats, he reassured her that he had had a vasectomy, so there was no risk of pregnancy. Meehan, who worked as a mechanic and drove a Ford Focus, provided Jess with his phone number to continue their conversations via WhatsApp and later on Skype. On January 16, he referred to Jess as his "lovely girlfriend" and mentioned bringing a bottle of Blue WKD to help her relax, expressing his desire to "make love" to her rather than just have sex.

The following week, Meehan confirmed his seriousness about the meeting, stating he had already purchased the Blue WKD and would meet her after her mother dropped her off. On January 23, he drove to the Preston leisure centre, planning to meet Jess at the vending machines, but was arrested in the car park before the encounter could take place. Police seized his iPhone, the Blue WKD, a bottle opener, a glass, and a Viagra tablet from his vehicle. A subsequent search of his home uncovered a laptop containing 22 extreme pornography files, including bestiality.

During police interviews, Meehan claimed he intended to bring Jess home to "fondle" her, but when confronted with chat logs, he expressed frustration, saying, "She dropped the hook and reeled me in." He also admitted to wanting to keep her mother from discovering their plans, fearing she might alert the authorities. Meehan faced charges of two counts of attempted sexual communication with a child and possession of extreme pornographic material. He initially denied attempting to facilitate a child sex offense but pleaded guilty two weeks before his trial, on a basis rejected by the prosecution. His plea was based on the claim that he did not intend to engage in penetrative sexual intercourse, a claim that was ultimately dismissed after a Newton Hearing, a legal procedure to resolve disputed facts.

As a result, William Meehan was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and to adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years, reflecting the severity of his actions and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.