‘My life’s over’: Boston paedophile’s words after officers raided his home and found child porn images
A man who downloaded hundreds of child porn images has been jailed at Lincoln Crown Court. Alan McConville was already under the threat of a suspended jail sentence for a previous offences when police raided his then home in the village of Algakirk. Phil Howes, prosecuting, said that when officers arrived at the property McConville…
Lincoln Crown Court inside Lincoln Castle. Photo: File/Lincolnshire Reporter
A man who downloaded hundreds of child porn images has been jailed at Lincoln Crown Court.
Alan McConville was already under the threat of a suspended jail sentence for a previous offences when police raided his then home in the village of Algakirk.
Phil Howes, prosecuting, said that when officers arrived at the property McConville put his head in his hands and said: “That’s it. My life’s over now.”
Mr Howes added: “He made full and frank admissions and said he needed help.
“When he was interviewed he said was a self-destructive person. He said his relationship had been falling apart and he resorted to looking at adult pornography and then went on to child pornography.
“He said he felt sick, worried and guilty as hell.”
Mr Howes said that 874 indecent images of children were found on computer equipment seized from the home of McConville.
The images included eight videos which had a total footage of over two hours.
McConville, 41, now living at Hinton Court, Fenside Road, Boston, admitted three charges of making an indecent photograph of a child.
He also admitted breach of a suspended jail sentence imposed for assault.
He was jailed for a total of 12 months, placed on the sex offenders’ register and given a five year sexual harm prevention order.
Michael Cranmer-Brown, in mitigation, said that since his arrest McConville had been thrown out by his wife and after a period of time spent living in his car he is now in a bedsit.
“He had been in a relationship with his wife for 20 years but their relationship had gone slowly downhill. For 10 years or so it had not been worthy of the name.
“In those circumstances he sought some sexual gratification in the internet and strayed into this child pornography.
“He doesn’t have a sexual interest in children. He says the whole thing has been a nightmare. It was a terrible mistake. He is extremely remorseful.”
“He would say that at the time he was under a great deal of stress and was profoundly depressed.”
Judge Michael Heath, passing sentence, told McConville: “The only sentences that I can pass for these offences are custodial sentences.
“I have considered carefully whether I can properly suspend the sentences but I cannot.”
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A local man was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and dangerous driving after two pedestrians were injured in a collision with a car and three parked vehicles in Skegness.
Lincolnshire Police officers attended the scene after the collision between a blue Citroen Berlingo, the parked vehicles, and a man and a woman, who are both in their 60s, on Winthorpe Avenue shortly before 7pm on Friday, April 16.
The two pedestrians suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital. However, their injuries are not thought to be life threatening.
A 63-year-old local man, who was driving the Berlingo, was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and dangerous driving. He has since been released under investigation.
Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage and anyone with information should contact them on 101 or via email at [email protected] quoting incident number 389 of April 16.
Few people attended the second Kill the Bill protest in Lincoln on Saturday, as Extinction Rebellion activists stood alone on the High Street to campaign against a proposed policing bill that could make many protests illegal.
Activists from Extinction Rebellion Lincolnshire gathered at Speakers’ Corner to oppose plans for the latest Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which could curtail protesting rights if passed through parliament.
Extinction Rebellion were the main representatives at the protest. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Under the proposed bill, police officers will be given greater powers to put a stop to any protests, as well as determining start and finish times for them, and controlling noise levels.
A few stopped to talk with the protestors, but most just went about their day walking down Lincoln High Street in the first weekend that non-essential shops and beer gardens reopened.
The Lincolnite spoke to one of the rebels at the protest, to find out the reasons behind the march.
They said: “This draconian bill cannot go ahead, it needs to be taken apart and re-evaluted completely.
“People have been walking past us shaking their heads, but they don’t realise that it’s their freedom we are fighting for.”
The Lincolnite photographer Steve Smailes captured some pictures from the protest.
Signs were put up by the works at Speakers’ Corner on Lincoln High Street. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
A 19-year-old man is in hospital with serious injuries after a crash on the A52 on Friday evening.
The single-vehicle crash, involving a white Suzuki Splash, happened in the westbound lane of the A52 between Barrowby and Sedgebrook at around 7.20pm on Friday, April 16.
The driver of the car is now in hospital after suffering serious injuries, and police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
Officers believe the driver had travelled from Grantham on the A52 at Barrowby before the crash.
Anyone who has dashcam footage or saw the vehicle before the incident is being asked to call 101, quoting incident 420 of April 16.
Alternatively, you can email [email protected], using the same reference in the subject box.
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