MICHAEL GLOVER FROM GILLINGHAM CAUGHT WITH CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES AFTER CHANGING NAME AND MOVING IN WITH MOTHER
In a disturbing case that highlights the ongoing threat posed by convicted sex offenders, Michael Joslin, who later adopted the name Mike Glover, was found to have committed serious breaches of his legal restrictions and was caught with a large collection of indecent images of children.The incident unfolded in Gillingham, where Joslin moved in with a woman who was the mother of two young children, after having previously been convicted of similar offences.
Back in April 2018, Joslin, aged 42 at the time, had already been subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) following convictions in 2013 and 2015 for offences of a sexual nature.
Despite these legal restrictions, he changed his name by deed poll to Mike Glover and continued to live a seemingly normal life, which included using a new driving licence and bank cards under his new identity.
His breaches of the SHPO were numerous; he failed to inform police of his name change and other significant changes in his circumstances, which constituted multiple violations of the order.
In the summer of the previous year, Joslin moved into a residence in Gillingham with a woman who had children aged nine and five.
During this period, he was entrusted with caring for the children while their mother was hospitalized for operations.
Court proceedings revealed that Joslin looked after the children and even bathed them, raising serious concerns about his access to vulnerable minors.
Prosecutor Trevor Wright explained that the woman was aware of Joslin’s criminal past and his status on the sex offenders’ register.
When she questioned him about his registration, Joslin claimed it was related to debts and issues with his ex-wife, who was reportedly being unkind to him.
She made it clear that if he was on the register, he could not be around her children, especially given his criminal history and supervision by the probation service.
Authorities conducted a search of Joslin’s electronic devices, seizing two laptops and a mobile phone.
The investigation uncovered a disturbing collection of indecent images: 351 images at the highest level of severity, 538 in the next category, and 187 in the lowest category.
These images depicted children in explicit situations, some of them very young, alongside extreme images involving animals.
Joslin’s criminal record includes a four-month jail sentence in 2013 for similar offences, followed by a one-year sentence at Maidstone Crown Court in the same year.
In 2015, he was sentenced to 16 months in prison for further offences.
Despite these previous convictions, he continued to offend, which led to his latest arrest and subsequent prosecution.
During the court proceedings, Joslin’s legal representative argued that his name change was not intended to conceal his past but was instead motivated by a desire to dissociate from his father, who had died while Joslin was in custody.
However, the court found his actions and possession of indecent images to be profoundly serious.
At Maidstone Crown Court, Deputy Judge Warwick McKinnon sentenced Joslin to three years in prison.
The judge emphasized that Joslin was fully aware of his obligations under the SHPO and that his living arrangements with a woman who had young children made the case particularly grave.
The judge also pointed out that police found highly disturbing images on Joslin’s devices, including very young children and extreme content involving animals.
As a result of his conviction, Joslin’s name will remain on the sex offenders’ register, and he is permanently barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.
The case underscores the importance of vigilance and strict enforcement of restrictions on offenders to protect the community from further harm.
