JOSEPH HART FROM BOLTON AND HORWICH SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND INDECENT IMAGES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Bolton and Horwich, Joseph Hart, a 34-year-old primary school caretaker, has been found guilty of attempting to arrange a sexual encounter with a 12-year-old girl. The incident unfolded after Hart, who was employed at Chorley New Road Primary School, made contact with a notorious paedophile through text messages, aiming to pay £100 per hour for the girl to be sent to him for sex.

Hart's actions came to light in May 2012 when police raided his residence in Horwich. Authorities had intercepted messages sent to a known paedophile, Darren Leggett, who was later convicted in 2012 for filming himself abusing three young children. The texts revealed Hart's attempt to facilitate a child sex offence, which led to his immediate suspension from his role at the primary school. Bolton Council, his former employer, clarified that the charges against Hart did not relate to his employment or the school premises.

During the police investigation, officers discovered 61 indecent images of children on Hart’s computer. The court proceedings revealed that Hart, who has Asperger’s syndrome and an obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, initially claimed that his actions were part of an effort to trap the paedophile Darren Leggett. Hart stated he was trying to gather evidence against Leggett, who was jailed for his crimes in 2012. However, the jury rejected this explanation and convicted Hart of attempting to arrange a child sex offence.

In addition to the conviction for attempting to facilitate child abuse, Hart admitted to possessing six further counts related to indecent images of children prior to his trial, which took place in November. The court heard that Hart had made contact with Leggett via text message on February 6, 2012, after finding him on a website. The police arrested Leggett on February 10, 2012, seizing a phone that contained messages exchanged between February 6 and 9.

Judge Elliot Knopf sentenced Hart to a two-year prison term, suspended for two years, citing the case as “unique” and noting that the legal process was still in its early stages. The judge also remarked that Hart did not fully comprehend the gravity of his actions, highlighting the complexity of his mental health conditions. This case underscores the ongoing concerns about safeguarding children and the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts in tackling online and offline child exploitation.