Patrick Conlan - Repeat Sex Offender - Pedophile

"You committed this offence while you were out on bail for an offence in Lincoln with a five-year-old girl and you also have two other previous convictions."

A Convicted paedophile has pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images.

Patrick Conlan had already been charged with sexual assault on a five-year-old.

While out on bail awaiting his court case, his computer was found to contain two videos showing sexual acts with children, one of which was a category five – the highest category of indecency.

Conlan, of Holcombe Street, Normanton, claimed he was downloading adult pornography and the videos had come to him as pop-ups.

His barrister, Michael Cranmer-Brown, told the court his client had phoned the police to tell them the videos were on his computer and that he had not actively searched child pornography sites for them.

Police raided Conlan's house on July 9 and took away his computer before arresting him later that day. Derby Crown Court heard that Conlon, 42, had three previous convictions for sexual indecency, dating back to 2003.

These included indecent assault on a 14-year-old girl and offences against girls aged 11, five and seven.

Prosecuting barrister, James Allen, told the court: "On the day Conlon was arrested, he was interviewed by the police and admitted looking at pornography on a daily basis.

"He is already disqualified from working with children and the Crown request that his computer is taken away."

Conlon's barrister argued that if his computer was taken away, his client could simply buy another one.

But Judge John Burgess snapped back: "I have seen the videos – I am taking his computer away."

Judge Burgess told the court that in viewing the two video clips, each around 15 minutes long, he felt that the category four clip was "more distressing" than the more serious category five one.

Judge Burgess told Conlan: "You accept that these videos are on your hard drive and you kept them for your own sexual gratification.

"You committed this offence while you were out on bail for an offence in Lincoln with a five-year-old girl and you also have two other previous convictions.

"I have seen the videos and they are absolutely revolting.

"They show a child being utterly degraded.

"This evil market (for child pornography) exists because of people like you and children suffer harm because of you.

"You are contributing to this market."

Conlan had previously been sentenced to two years and nine months' imprisonment by Lincoln Crown Court for the assault on the five-year-old girl, an offence committed while he was living in Lincoln.

Judge Burgess sentenced Conlon to 14 months, to run consecutively, for the indecent images offence.

He will also be banned from using a computer capable of downloading files unless a police officer is with him.

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"
.........Sarah Tofte