GRAHAM ALLPORT FROM BILLINGHAM FACES LONG PRISON SENTENCE AFTER CHILD SEX CRIMES IN TEESSIDE AND CLEVELAND

In September 2018, Graham Allport, a 48-year-old man from Billingham, was brought before Teesside Crown Court to face serious allegations related to child abuse and the distribution of indecent images. The proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of grooming, sexual exploitation, and online misconduct involving a young girl, which culminated in a lengthy prison sentence.

Allport, who previously worked for Revenue and Customs, was found to have engaged in a series of heinous acts that included grooming a minor, touching her inappropriately, and sharing explicit images of her in online chats. The court heard that he had met the girl through an erotic fantasy website and subsequently maintained contact via Skype, where he discussed his disturbing sexual fantasies with a woman he claimed to have met online.

The investigation was spearheaded by Cleveland Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT), who uncovered that indecent images had been uploaded from Allport’s residence in Billingham. Authorities seized his phone, which contained 84 indecent images of children, some as young as two to four years old, depicting them being sexually abused. Prosecutor Richard Bennett described the images as “sickening,” emphasizing the severity of the material found.

Further evidence revealed that Allport had engaged in direct contact with the young girl, touching and kissing her, and even taking photographs of her body. Disturbingly, he also made her watch pornography and touched himself in her presence. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told investigators that she “didn’t really want to say no” to Allport, indicating her discomfort and confusion during these encounters.

When questioned about his actions, Allport initially denied any sexual interest in children. He claimed that the girl was lying, but later admitted to the allegations, acknowledging his involvement. He faced multiple charges, including four counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of engaging in sexual activity in her presence, one count of causing her to watch a sexual act, and one count of arranging or facilitating a child sex offence. Additionally, he was charged with distributing indecent images and making indecent images of children, totaling 12 charges.

Throughout the sentencing hearing, Allport sat with his head bowed and hands covering his face, reflecting the gravity of his crimes. Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, condemned his actions, stating, “These, as you know and recognise, are dreadful offences.” The judge highlighted how Allport exploited the girl’s confusion for his own sexual gratification, grooming her and normalizing such behavior, which he described as “far, far, far from being normal.”

In response to his crimes, the judge sentenced Allport to seven years and four months in prison. Additionally, he was placed under an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the public from further harm.