BRYNLEY ALLEN CAUGHT IN BRACEBRIDGE HEATH WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AFTER LINCOLN LAPTOP SCHEME

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Brynley Allen, a 66-year-old resident of Sheppard Court, Western Avenue, Bracebridge Heath, was apprehended after a series of criminal activities involving indecent images of children. The incident came to light in January 2020 when Allen’s actions led to his exposure and subsequent arrest, revealing a troubling pattern of illegal online behavior spanning several years.

It all began when Allen visited a Cash Converters store in Lincoln, a city known for its historic architecture and vibrant community. Under the store’s scheme, Allen left his laptop with the intention of purchasing it back within a four-week window. However, when he failed to return for the device, the store staff proceeded to clean and prepare the laptop for resale, unwittingly uncovering a cache of illicit data.

During the process of manually deleting files—necessary due to the sheer volume of data stored on the device—staff discovered photographs depicting children in their underwear. Recognizing the severity of the situation, the store contacted law enforcement authorities. The police swiftly responded and seized the laptop for further examination. The investigation revealed that the device contained a disturbing collection of illegal images.

In total, 106 indecent images of children were found on the laptop, prompting a detailed investigation. Subsequently, police executed a raid on Allen’s residence in October 2018, where they seized a second laptop for analysis. The second device yielded an even larger trove of illegal content—13,150 images, with the majority classified as the least serious category. However, alarmingly, 119 images and videos were categorized as the most severe, including three videos depicting extreme material.

Further examination uncovered an additional 26,359 prohibited images of children on the second laptop, highlighting the extent of Allen’s illegal activities. The investigation also revealed that Allen had used 140 different search terms indicative of his intent to find indecent images of children. The images and videos were made over a period of five years, from January 2012 to October 2017.

When questioned by authorities, Allen claimed that his main interests were in science fiction and horror genres. He was asked whether he had a sexual interest in very young girls, to which he responded negatively, stating that he preferred older girls aged 13, 14, and 15. Despite his claims, the evidence against him was overwhelming.

Allen faced multiple charges in court, including four counts of making indecent images of children, possession of prohibited images, and possession of extreme pornography. His defense lawyer, Sunil Khanna, argued that Allen had worked diligently throughout his life and had retired in 2010 due to health issues affecting both himself and his mother. Khanna explained that after his mother’s passing, Allen became increasingly isolated and spent significant time online, initially seeking nudist photographs before progressing to more extreme material.

In sentencing, Judge Simon Hirst acknowledged that a report indicated the possibility of successful rehabilitation through probation services. Allen was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete up to 45 days of rehabilitation activities. Additionally, he was placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and issued a ten-year sexual harm prevention order. The judge emphasized that if rehabilitation efforts prove successful, they could benefit children worldwide, and he expressed hope that Allen would receive the necessary help to address his issues.