MALCOLM HEARNE FROM BANBURY AND NEW QUAY JAILED FOR HORRIFIC SEX OFFENCES AND ANIMAL PORNOGRAPHY

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Banbury and New Quay, Malcolm Hearne, a man with a long history of sexual offenses, has been found guilty of possessing extreme and animal-related pornographic images. The case highlights a troubling pattern of criminal behavior that spans over a decade, involving multiple victims and a series of legal proceedings.

Malcolm Hearne, aged 76, who previously served time for sex offenses committed in 2006 and 2010, was once again at the center of a serious criminal investigation. His past convictions included sexual assaults on boys and girls, which led to him being required to register as a sex offender with the police. Despite these restrictions, authorities uncovered new evidence of his continued engagement with illegal material.

The investigation was initiated after a police officer visited Hearne’s residence in Glyn Padarn, where he was living at the time. During a routine check on August 18, 2014, the officer examined Hearne’s laptop computer. The search revealed searches for websites that contained highly disturbing content, prompting the officer to confiscate the device for further analysis. Experts later discovered that the computer contained 227 images depicting adults engaging in sexual acts with animals such as dogs and horses, a revelation that added a new layer of severity to Hearne’s criminal record.

When questioned by police, Hearne refused to answer questions directly. Instead, he provided a prepared statement claiming he did not believe there were any pornographic images on his computer. Nevertheless, he admitted to possessing five pieces of extreme pornography, which was enough to warrant further legal action. The court heard that Hearne’s actions demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law and the safety of others, especially considering his prior convictions and the restrictions placed upon him.

Judge Peter Heywood presided over the case and expressed his disapproval of Hearne’s continued engagement with such repulsive material. The judge described the images as “gross, totally disgusting,” emphasizing that Hearne’s behavior was a serious breach of societal norms and legal boundaries. Although the maximum sentence for the new offenses was two years, the judge acknowledged Hearne’s early guilty plea and the fact that he was a repeat offender. This meant that the court had to consider a reduced sentence, which would not allow him to participate in a sex offenders’ rehabilitation program.

In a decision that reflected a cautious approach, Judge Heywood sentenced Hearne to a three-year community order. Under this order, Hearne will be subject to supervision and will be required to undertake a course aimed at addressing his offending behavior. The judge indicated that he was taking a calculated risk, opting for community-based punishment rather than immediate imprisonment, in the hope that the intervention might prevent further offending.

Adding to the gravity of Hearne’s criminal history, it was revealed that he had previously been jailed for seven years in 2006 for molesting a young boy at his residence in New Quay, and for filming the assaults. Unbeknownst to the court at the time, Hearne had also sexually assaulted three girls and another boy years earlier. These additional offenses came to light during the recent proceedings, leading to a reassessment of his overall culpability.

Judge Christopher Vosper, who sentenced Hearne in 2010, expressed that he should have received a ten-year sentence at that time. However, due to the passage of time and the fact that the crimes predated certain legislation, the court could not impose an indeterminate sentence. Hearne had already served the custodial part of his original sentence but was arrested again while still in Usk prison for the outstanding offenses. Today, he admitted to nine counts of sexual assault on children under 13, with victims aged between five and twelve, assaulted between 1994 and 2001.

The court heard that Hearne lured young girls into an attic at Spencer House in New Quay, where he initially engaged them in innocent games before turning to sexual acts. One of the girls was subjected to a particularly disturbing assault involving an ornamental spoon. The sexual assault of a boy took place at a hotel in Banbury, where Hearne had been the owner for several years. Despite his initial refusal to answer questions, Hearne eventually gave a prepared statement denying all allegations, though he later admitted to nine of the 28 charges against him.

His legal representative, Richard Twomlow, urged the court to consider Hearne’s age, acknowledging that he would face additional jail time. The judge, however, noted that if the full extent of Hearne’s offenses had been known earlier, he would have been classified as a dangerous offender, warranting an indeterminate sentence to protect the public from further harm. Unfortunately, the law at the time did not permit the court to impose such a sentence for crimes committed before recent legislation.

In conclusion, Malcolm Hearne was sentenced to an additional three years in prison, to run concurrently with his previous sentence. He is already registered as a sex offender and is permanently barred from working with children, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the ongoing threat he poses to society.