MICHAEL SUMNER'S SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE PLOT UNVEILED IN WALTON AND LIVERPOOL COURT

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the Walton community and the wider Liverpool area, Michael Sumner, aged 35, has been found guilty of possessing and sharing a vast collection of child abuse images and videos, as well as engaging in online predatory behavior targeting young girls across the globe.

Back in September 2019, Sumner's criminal activities first came to light when authorities uncovered his involvement in the distribution of child rape videos. Despite previous convictions and court orders, he continued to indulge in these heinous acts, revealing a disturbing pattern of behavior that persisted over several years.

In 2013, Sumner was convicted after downloading nearly 1,500 images depicting child sexual abuse. His actions included using video chat platforms to coerce children into exposing themselves and performing sexual acts. As part of his sentence, he received an eight-month jail term, which was suspended for two years, along with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). Law enforcement officers from Liverpool frequently visited his residence on Wallace Street in Walton to ensure compliance with the court's restrictions. During these visits, Sumner consistently claimed that he only possessed a desktop computer and a PlayStation console, denying the existence of any other electronic devices.

However, police investigations later revealed that he had accumulated an even more extensive collection of illicit material—1,877 files stored across multiple devices, including a laptop, external hard drive, USB stick, SD card, and an iPhone. The severity of his offenses was further underscored by evidence that he had secretly filmed children playing outside his Walton home using his mobile phone, capturing footage without their knowledge.

On December 5 of the previous year, police raided Sumner’s residence and seized the electronic equipment. Prosecutor Sarah Holt detailed that Sumner admitted to sharing indecent images with paedophiles worldwide via messaging apps such as Kik Messenger and cloud storage services like Dropbox. He also confessed to searching for young children on VK, a Russian social media platform similar to Facebook, and engaging in online conversations with girls.

Sumner expressed a sense of helplessness, stating, “Well, I suppose I’ve got an addiction, something like that. I don’t know.” When questioned about his ability to stop, he replied, “Hopefully. Well, I tried. I went to a group in town, but it didn’t help.”

Authorities found that he possessed 585 Category A images and videos—classified as the most serious—along with 325 Category B and 952 Category C files. Some of the Category A images depicted young girls who appeared restrained and distressed, highlighting the disturbing nature of his collection. Additionally, police discovered 12 prohibited images and 11 extreme pornography files, including material involving animal abuse. Although he had shared two Category C images via Skype, he had deleted other files, and his desktop computer was found to be “clean” during the investigation, suggesting he kept certain materials for viewing or sharing at a later time.

Further evidence revealed that Sumner had covertly filmed children who were live streaming videos of themselves on social media platforms like OoVoo. Many of these recordings featured children unaware that they were being recorded, and police are still working to identify approximately 100 children captured in these videos. Among his most egregious offenses was the creation of indecent images of seven girls, all of whom appeared to be under 16 and notably young-looking. Their parents were contacted as part of the investigation.

The victims, aged between six and 15, were manipulated into exposing themselves, and in some cases, were coerced into posing, dancing, or performing sexual acts. Prosecutor Sarah Holt highlighted that Sumner had searched for the name and location of a 13-year-old girl on Google, indicating targeted online grooming efforts. Although he was not charged for the films he secretly recorded of children outside his house, the police considered these recordings “concerning.”

Further disturbing details emerged from Skype logs, which showed Sumner lying about his age or pretending to be a schoolboy to engage in sexual conversations with at least seven girls. His tactics included complimenting their appearance, professing love, and requesting nude photographs. When some victims ended conversations due to his rudeness or inappropriate behavior, he persisted in trying to re-establish contact.

He also discussed plans for a “double date” and expressed a desire to have sex with one girl, who referred to him as her boyfriend. The prosecutor described his responses as indicative of a “vulnerable and immature young girl who was uncomfortable with her appearance,” while noting that Sumner’s tone was manipulative and focused on sexual activity.

In some instances, he attempted to deceive victims by sending images of a boy or suggesting he wanted a threesome involving their girlfriends. At one point, he realized he was communicating with another paedophile and admitted to trading images. He boasted about creating fake Facebook profiles to groom girls and persuade them to strip for him, claiming that “this was easy as long as he didn’t act perverted, was nice, and gained their trust.”

While on bail, police visited his home again and found him appearing “nervous.” They also discovered a “clean” mobile phone hidden under his mattress, which he admitted to using for his illicit activities. Sumner ultimately pleaded guilty to 18 sexual offenses, including inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and to breaching his previous suspended sentence.

During sentencing, Judge Rachel Smith emphasized the profound distress caused to the victims and their families. She sentenced Sumner to six years and eight months in prison and ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely, ensuring strict monitoring of his activities moving forward.