MICHAEL HOLLYWOOD FROM SPEKE ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SCANDAL

In April 2021, a disturbing case involving a man from Speke, Michael Hollywood, came to light when he was found in possession of highly disturbing videos depicting the abuse of young children. Hollywood, aged 49, was caught with a collection of indecent images and videos that showed children in nappies, some appearing distraught and crying, highlighting the severity and disturbing nature of the material.

Police officers, acting on intelligence, conducted a raid on Hollywood’s residence located on Heathgate Avenue in Speke on February 11 of the previous year. During the operation, they seized his mobile phone, which contained a significant number of illicit files. When questioned, Hollywood appeared to be overwhelmed by guilt, stating, “I can’t tell you why I’ve done what I’ve done, one thing leads to another.”

The authorities discovered a total of 115 files on his device, categorized into three levels of severity: 72 Category A images, which are considered the most serious and depict child rape, along with 27 Category B and 16 Category C images of indecent acts involving children. The files included 104 videos, all downloaded between February 7 and February 10, with 33 originating from Kik Messenger and the remaining 82 from the cloud storage platform Mega.

Hollywood, who previously had no criminal record, voluntarily cooperated with police during an interview on August 12. He admitted that the phone was indeed his and explained that he had started communicating with an adult woman via a dating app, engaging in sexual conversations and referring to her as “dirty.” He further revealed that their interactions moved to Kik Messenger, where he found himself in a group chat. During this chat, a link was posted to Mega, which he clicked, downloading a file containing indecent images. Hollywood acknowledged that he did not attempt to delete these files and that the images had been downloaded over a span of four days, although he could not explain why he did not remove them.

Legal proceedings revealed that Hollywood had no prior convictions. He pleaded guilty to three counts of downloading indecent images of children and one count of possessing such images. Prosecutor Zahra Baqri emphasized the gravity of the case, noting that some of the children depicted were very young and vulnerable, with at least one video showing a distressed child. The report did not specify the total number of files showing crying or distressed children but highlighted the disturbing nature of the content.

In sentencing, Recorder Ainsworth handed Hollywood a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to complete a 60-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, including participation in a sex offender treatment program. Hollywood was also instructed to register on the Sex Offenders Register and adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the next ten years, reflecting the serious concerns surrounding his actions and the potential risk to the community.