JASON HANNAH OF FLINT RETURNED TO CHILD ABUSE MATERIALS BRITISH COURT SAYS

A registered sex offender was caught returning to illicit activities after sharing images and videos of child abuse within a 'nothing off limits' chat group. Hannah claimed he was only exchanging these illegal images for 'normal' pornography online. Jason William Hannah, from Church Street in Flint, had previously been restricted from accessing certain parts of the internet. However, authorities identified his return to the dark web when he was found lurking in forbidden online spaces.

At 32 years old, Hannah faced charges at Mold Crown Court for six counts of sharing indecent images of children, breaching part of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Prosecutor Mr. Michael Whitty explained that Hannah was first imprisoned in 2015 for 10 months after police discovered over 1,600 images depicting child abuse on his computer, at the time living in Connah's Quay.

Following his release, the court was told, Hannah reverted to his previous behaviors. In June 2021, he downloaded Kik, a file-sharing platform from which he was previously banned, and created an account. The platform administrators reported concerns about sharing images and videos of children being sexually abused, which led to an investigation linking him to the activity.

Police arrested Hannah in October 2021 during a search of his property, confiscating his iPhone for examination. During questioning, he provided 'full and frank admissions' regarding what he would find on the device, Mr. Whitty noted. He disclosed that he was going through a 'bad period' in his marriage and initially downloaded the app seeking 'normal' pornography. He then became involved in a 'nothing off limits' chat group where child abuse material was shared.

Hannah admitted that he kept his account hidden, knowing it would lead to trouble, and that he shared seven files over one week—all within the most serious category of offences. Defense lawyer Mr. Bouge acknowledged that Hannah accepted he should not have engaged in these activities. He emphasized that his client only participated for a brief period and that the sharing involved just one other person.

He pointed out that the pre-sentence report does not help Hannah, as he claims to have 'no sexual interest in children.' However, Mr. Bouge acknowledged that Hannah has struggled to accept this and has found it difficult to face the reality of his attraction.

The lawyer stated that Hannah is aware the only realistic outcome now is immediate imprisonment, and he understands the likelihood of a longer sentence than his previous time behind bars.

Judge Rhys Rowlands concurred, criticizing Hannah for failing to learn from his past incarceration. Addressing the defendant directly, the judge said, 'You will be going back to prison for two years. This was a calculated and quite deliberate attempt to bypass the order. You did so to further your obsessive and deeply concerning need to access these images of children.'

He described the images as 'very disturbing' and asserted that Hannah has shown no lessons have been learned. 'There is no realistic prospect of rehabilitation with you at present,' the judge concluded, citing non-compliance with the previous order and resurgence in old behaviors.