March 2007

Library porn pervert is jailed

A COURT heard how a paedophile brazenly used a Wirral library’s computers to download child porn.

And Paul Flynn began doing so shortly after being freed from prison for similar offences.

“You showed determination and persistence to do it come what may,” said Judge Denis Clark.

He ordered that 31-year-old Flynn serve two years outstanding from his earlier sentence and imposed a further 12 months to run consecutively for the new offences.

Judge Clark also made an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning Flynn from using any computer in any library in the country.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that after his release from prison on November 8, Flynn began regularly using the internet at Birkenhead Library.

Initially the librarian, Pauline Black, who keeps an eye on people using the computers, paid no particular attention to him but on January 29 one of her colleagues noticed he had some form of pornographic images on his screen.

“He was told to leave and did so. He returned the following day and began using a computer again but because of what had happened his internet usage was monitored. A master computer was used to ‘eavesdrop’ on what was being looked at,” said Hannah Squire, prosecuting.

“He was using an internet chat room in which he was saying he was a 13-year-old boy and was conversing with another boy about sexual activities.”

Flynn, of Bridge Street, Birkenhead, was arrested and said, “Yes, I know there are images. I need help. I have just come out of prison for the same thing. They are on my internet site.”

When interviewed he said initially after being released on licence he had been using the internet for legitimate purposes but in January started downloading indecent images of children.

Flynn pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images and one of possessing them. The court heard he was jailed for two and a half years in August, 2005, for downloading almost 2,000 indecent images, some of which were described by a judge as among the worst he had seen. He also has a previous conviction for indecently assaulting a seven-year-old boy. Lloyd Morgan, defending, said that while in prison Flynn, who was himself abused when a young boy, had made excellent progress on the sex offenders programme and this initially appeared to be continuing after his release.