Source: Women are Human
UK — . A 55-year-old male former teacher who self-identifies as “female” was allowed to walk free after being found in possession of images depicting the abuse of small children, including some that fall under the “most serious” category.
On 21 February 2019, police conducted an unannounced check at the Castleford home of Dr Beth Hannay, who was born Andrew Lynley Ward, to verify his compliance with a 2012 sexual harm prevention order. Police discovered two internet-accessing devices in the home, a violation of the order, and the computers were seized.
Forensic searches of an iPad Air and Toshiba laptop produced 17 indecent images of children. The images found included one depiction of graphic sexual offenses against a girl between the ages of three and five, and four other images also classified into the “most serious” category.
Dr Hannay had been using a private browser and a software cleaner to disguise his online activity.
Dr Hannay pleaded guilty to three counts of Making Indecent Images and Breach Of A Sexual Harm Prevention Order. In mitigating arguments, Dr Hannay said through solicitor Joanne Shepherd that he has sought counseling since his arrest. He insisted the downloads were just an addiction, and he did not receive sexual gratification from the images.
Judge Mushtaq Khokhar noted that Dr Hannay was “not owning the blame.” However, the judge determined that a treatment program would be more effective than a custodial sentence. Judge Khokhar ordered Dr Hannay to complete an accredited sexual offending program and 35-day rehabilitation activity requirement as part of a three-year community order. Dr Hannay must also sign the sex offender register for five years. The judge warned Dr Hannay that further offending would be punished with a minimum of two years in prison.
Dr Hannay was a teacher at the Canon Slade School in Bradshaw when he first ran afoul of the law. In 2011, a laptop at his home was found to contain instructions manuals on how to sexually abuse children, thousands of indecent images of children and images depicting extreme sexual abuses against animals. In 2012, Dr Hannay pleaded guilty at Bolton Crown Court to the crimes of Making And Possessing Indecent Images Of Children, Possessing Extreme Pornographic Images, Possessing Prohibited Images and nine other offenses. Dr Hannay was imprisoned for 12 months in 2012, and a sexual harm prevention order was imposed against him. He was released from teaching duties at the time.
