DANIEL MCKINLAY FROM BROMBOROUGH AND CONNAH'S QUAY SENTENCED FOR SEX OFFENCES INVOLVING TEENAGERS IN WIRRAL AND FLINTSHIRE

In a series of disturbing incidents spanning several years, Daniel McKinlay, a young man from Bromborough and Connah's Quay, has been convicted and sentenced for multiple serious offences involving underage girls. The court proceedings revealed a pattern of grooming, sexual misconduct, and violations of court orders, highlighting the dangers posed by individuals with unhealthy interests in minors.

In April 2019, McKinlay was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after a Liverpool Crown Court trial. The case centered around his inappropriate interactions with a 14-year-old girl, whom he initially misled about his age. The girl, who had posted a photograph on Instagram, was contacted by McKinlay after he commented on her picture. They arranged to meet in Birkenhead Park in December 2017, where McKinlay falsely claimed to be 16 years old, although he was actually three years older. Upon meeting, they went back to his flat, where they engaged in sexual activity. The girl later became suspicious about his true age, especially after he admitted he was older than he initially claimed. Her concerns grew when she confided in a school assistant that she was involved with an 18-year-old named Dan, prompting her mother to notify the police. McKinlay admitted responsibility during police interviews.

Further court records showed that McKinlay had a prior conviction from June 2016, when he received an 18-month detention sentence for inciting two girls, aged 12 and 15, to engage in sexual acts during video calls. He had also exposed their breasts and encouraged them to touch themselves. As part of his sentence, he was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years, requiring him to inform authorities of any change of address or travel plans abroad. Despite this, in December of the same year, he traveled to Ireland to stay with relatives without registering his whereabouts, only leaving a text message on a police officer’s phone. He attended a voluntary police meeting about this breach in January 2018, where he apologized. However, two days later, he was arrested at his home, where a search uncovered cocaine, which he admitted was for personal use.

At 21 years old, McKinlay pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including failing to comply with notification requirements, possessing cocaine, meeting a child following sexual grooming, engaging in sexual activity with a child, and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Judge David Aubrey, QC, emphasized the severity of McKinlay’s actions, stating that despite his relatively young age, he exhibited an unhealthy obsession with young children. The judge expressed concern about the ongoing risk he posed and ordered him to be registered on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Earlier, in July 2016, McKinlay, then aged 15, was jailed for 18 months after grooming and blackmailing two girls, aged 12 and 14, in Connah’s Quay. He had convinced one girl to send him a photograph of herself wearing a bra and later contacted her three years afterward, demanding more images and threatening to post her pictures online if she refused. The victim bravely shared their conversation on social media, exposing McKinlay’s coercive tactics. Additionally, McKinlay targeted a 14-year-old girl, engaging in Snapchat and FaceTime communications. During one encounter, he asked her to expose her breast and touch herself, which she did, but became concerned when she heard clicking sounds, suspecting he was taking screenshots. He continued to pressure her for more images, threatening to post her pictures online if she did not comply. McKinlay was arrested on December 4 and admitted to threatening to share images but claimed he did not possess any. No images were found on his phone.

Throughout the proceedings, McKinlay’s defense argued that he had shown remorse and was naive about the seriousness of his actions. Nonetheless, Judge Parry condemned his targeting of vulnerable girls, noting that his grooming behavior was deliberate and calculated. The court highlighted the importance of deterrence in such cases, especially given the prevalence of online grooming in the modern age. As part of his sentence, McKinlay was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years, with restrictions on contact with children under 16 unless parental consent was given. He was also prohibited from using certain internet storage software and was required to maintain his search history to prevent further misconduct.