JASON LEONARD OF HASLINGDEN: REGIONAL DANGEROUS SEX OFFENDER FIGHTS RESTRICTIONS ON INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

In August 2018, a disturbing case involving Jason Leonard, a registered sex offender from Haslingden, drew significant attention from law enforcement and the judiciary due to the severity of his intentions and the perceived danger he posed to the community.

During a court hearing, police officials described Leonard as ‘one of the most dangerous’ offenders in the region, emphasizing the gravity of his criminal history and his explicit desire to travel abroad to engage in illegal sexual activities. The court was informed that Leonard, aged 37 at the time, openly expressed his wish to visit countries where the age of consent is lower, with the aim of forming sexual relationships with minors. This brazen admission was met with concern from authorities, who highlighted the potential risk his plans posed to vulnerable children.

According to police testimony, Leonard had confided in them that his ‘ideal’ partner would be between 12 and 14 years old. The court heard that Leonard believed the legal restrictions and societal treatment of paedophiles in the UK were unjust, comparing his situation to the persecution faced by homosexuals four decades earlier. He claimed that society’s stance on paedophilia would eventually change, and he expressed a desire to relocate to other European countries such as the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Italy, which he believed had lower age of consent laws.

Despite his candidness, Leonard’s appeal to relax restrictions on his international travel was unsuccessful. The court ruled that he could only travel abroad with written permission from a police chief constable, a measure designed to mitigate the risk he posed. This decision followed Leonard’s previous convictions and ongoing monitoring measures. In 2013, Leonard was sentenced to 32 months in prison after being found in possession of 251 indecent images of children, which he had downloaded and shared online. As part of his sentence, he was subject to a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) aimed at controlling his internet activity.

However, Lancashire Police later deemed the SOPO insufficient to manage Leonard’s risk effectively. Consequently, magistrates issued a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) in April of that year, imposing stricter restrictions. The SHPO explicitly forbids Leonard, who is a benefit claimant, from having any unsupervised contact with children under 16 without explicit parental or social services approval. It also restricts his ability to travel outside the UK without prior written consent from the chief constable of his area of residence.

Leonard challenged the new order, claiming it was ‘completely disproportionate,’ and appealed to Burnley Crown Court to have the SHPO revoked. During the hearing, Detective Constable Andrew Ashworth, who oversees over 90 registered sex offenders in Lancashire, described Leonard as ‘one of the most dangerous offenders I have met’ and emphasized his ‘exceptional risk.’

DC Ashworth revealed that Leonard is ‘unique’ in his candid acknowledgment of his paedophilic tendencies, which he has openly discussed with authorities. The officer stated, “Mr Leonard is unique. In the 10 years performing this role I have never met a sexual offender who quite openly acknowledges his paedophilic tendencies. He is exceptional and has been risked as such.”

Furthermore, Leonard has expressed his belief that society is persecuting paedophiles, similar to the persecution faced by homosexuals decades ago. He has spoken about relocating to European countries like the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Italy, citing their lower age of consent laws, which he believes would allow him to pursue his desires legally.

During the appeal, it was also revealed that Leonard consumes ‘very child-oriented’ adult pornography, often featuring models dressed as cheerleaders or in school uniforms. When questioned about the age at which sexual activity becomes inappropriate, Leonard reportedly responded, ‘if a child is old enough to talk, it’s old enough to have sex.’ He declined to comment when asked about his views on rape.

DC Ashworth added that Leonard acknowledged his close relationship with his mother as a factor restraining his sexual preferences. He indicated that once his mother, who is in her 80s, passes away, Leonard intends to seek children abroad. The court was told that the only significant influence in his life at present is his mother’s presence.

Judge Sara Dodd dismissed Leonard’s appeal, describing him as ‘deeply disturbed’ with an ‘alarming attitude to paedophilia,’ and upheld the restrictions imposed by the SHPO. The judge’s decision underscores the serious concerns about Leonard’s potential threat to society and the importance of ongoing supervision and restrictions to prevent harm.

In a related context, Leonard’s criminal history dates back to December 2014, when a senior judge condemned legislative limitations that prevented him from receiving a harsher sentence. Judge Andrew Woolman criticized the laws for restricting judicial discretion, especially after Leonard breached his licence conditions shortly after being released from prison.

Leonard, then 33, had been released early from a 32-month sentence for child abuse image offences. Just weeks after his release, he defied his Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by accessing the internet, which led to his re-arrest and return to custody. The judge expressed frustration over the legal framework, stating, “This was a very, very deliberate breach of the SOPO and if I had the powers, I would undoubtedly have made this sentence consecutive to the current sentence.”

He was sentenced to an additional eight months for breaching the order, which was to run concurrently with his original sentence. Judge Woolman lamented the loss of judicial power, noting that the current legal system limited his ability to impose a more appropriate punishment. He emphasized that Leonard’s dangerousness was evident, stating, “He is clearly a dangerous sex offender. There is no question about that.”

Leonard’s criminal activities include the distribution of indecent images of children, with police uncovering hundreds of such images during a raid on his home in January 2012. He had intended to take his case to trial to present his ‘distorted’ views on sex but ultimately pleaded guilty to charges of distributing indecent photographs of children and making such images between August 2011 and January 2012.

He was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely, banned from working with children, and subjected to an indefinite sexual offences prevention order. The order prohibited him from using devices capable of internet access unless they retained and displayed browsing history for police inspection. Leonard’s history also includes the possession of a hidden encrypted hard drive buried in a plant pot, which police discovered during a welfare check in October of that year. The hard drive was believed to contain evidence, but analysis was ongoing, and Leonard claimed it was intended for downloading mainstream movies and TV shows.

Throughout his criminal career, Leonard has demonstrated a pattern of engaging with illegal material and attempting to circumvent restrictions. His case continues to serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in managing high-risk offenders and the importance of legislative tools to protect the public from individuals like him.