BOOTLE AND FORMBY PAEDOPHILE CHRISTOPHER OLDLAND WALKS FREE AFTER POSSESSING KNIVES AND CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES

In June 2020, Christopher Oldland, a man with a disturbing criminal history involving child exploitation and possession of weapons, once again found himself in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court, facing serious allegations related to the possession of multiple blades and breach of court orders. Oldland, who has ties to both Bootle and Formby, was previously convicted of possessing nearly 600 indecent images of children, including some depicting victims as young as three years old, and served time for his offenses.

On this occasion, police officers on patrol around 5am stopped a Citroen C4 vehicle on Stanley Road in Bootle. The driver was identified as Christopher Oldland, who was accompanied by another male passenger seated in the front. The officers conducted a thorough search of the vehicle, uncovering a collection of dangerous and potentially lethal tools. In the glove compartment, they found a Workzone bladed multitool and a Swiss Army Knife. Additionally, in a bag located in the car’s trunk, they recovered a Trojan knife, an orange-handled Fiskers axe, a black-handled Moraknil knife, and another Swiss Army Knife. Oldland, who was then residing on Stanley Road in Bootle but previously lived on Greenloons Drive in Formby, was also found to be carrying a Gerber bladed multitool on his person.

Following his arrest, Oldland was taken to a police station where he was interviewed. During questioning, he claimed that he had received a phone call early that morning instructing him to pick up his male passenger. When shown the images of the weapons, Oldland admitted that all the items belonged to him and described them as tools. He insisted he did not see them as weapons but acknowledged ownership and stated he lacked a lawful reason for possessing them at that time.

Prosecutor Paul Blasbery highlighted that Oldland did not provide a valid justification for carrying the blades in the early hours of the morning, emphasizing that the presence of seven different tools with no work-related purpose was suspicious. Oldland pleaded guilty to seven counts of possessing a knife blade or sharp pointed article in a public place without lawful excuse, asserting that the tools were for work and that he had simply forgotten they were in his possession. The court accepted his explanation, noting that the tools could be considered work-related items and that his claim of forgetfulness was not challenged by the Crown.

Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, addressed the court, questioning whether Oldland’s actions could be justified if he was heading to work, to which the prosecution responded that there was no evidence supporting that. The judge pointed out that possessing such items at that time of night without a work purpose constituted a criminal offense. Despite the seriousness of the charges, Oldland was spared immediate imprisonment, with the judge opting for a suspended sentence. He was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid community work, along with an additional ten days of a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement. The judge explained that sending Oldland to prison would disrupt the progress he had made in his rehabilitation efforts and that allowing him to continue his community service was in the public’s best interest.

During the hearing, the court also considered Oldland’s previous conviction from January 2019, when he was caught with nearly 600 child abuse images. At that time, he was a volunteer at the 8th Formby Scout Group and held a managerial position at the SING Plus community centre in Seaforth. Oldland, then aged 54, claimed that he downloaded the images due to internet pop-ups, a claim dismissed by prosecutors who presented forensic evidence indicating he actively sought out such material. Police had acted on intelligence and raided the SING Plus Centre, seizing his mobile phones, which contained indecent images, including 104 Category A images depicting the rape of young girls, some as young as three.

The court was told that Oldland’s involvement with children was significant, yet there was no evidence of contact offenses. Nevertheless, he was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years, serve a 60-day rehabilitation program, and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. His previous sentence was suspended to allow him to seek help, but the court made it clear that any further offenses would likely result in jail time.

In summary, Christopher Oldland’s latest court appearance underscores a troubling pattern of behavior involving possession of dangerous weapons and breaches of court orders, despite his prior convictions related to child exploitation. His case continues to draw public concern, given his history and the serious nature of his offenses in both Bootle and Formby.