PATRICK LENNON OF MERSEYSIDE JAILED FOR SEVEN YEARS FOR ENCOURAGING CHILD RAPE

In October 2010, a court sentenced Patrick Lennon, a 59-year-old former deputy headteacher from Warwick Avenue, Crosby, Merseyside, to seven years in prison for encouraging a man to rape a three-year-old child while he watched the assault via webcam.

Lennon, who was employed at Greenbank High School in Southport and was regarded as a respected member of society, pleaded guilty to encouraging Joseph Hawley, 38, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, to carry out the rape in November 2008. He also admitted to possessing 15 indecent and pornographic images of children, as well as six images depicting extreme material.

Hawley, who admitted to raping the child on three occasions and committing additional offences including three assaults, was found to have abused the child starting at age two. He received a sentence of an indeterminate length, with a minimum term of eight years before eligibility for parole.

Judge Mark Brown at Liverpool Crown Court described Lennon’s conduct as deviant and depraved, highlighting the severity of Hawley’s abuse as "beyond comprehension." He remarked that Lennon failed to understand the gravity of his actions, stating it was "quite remarkable that you don’t appreciate the violation." The court noted Hawley’s manipulative and controlling personality, characterized by a lack of empathy.

Another defendant, Philip Skitt, 54, from Wigan, also watched Hawley’s assaults via webcam and encouraged him. Skitt was sentenced to eight years in prison. His wife, a childminder, was mentioned; although no children under her care were reported harmed, her role was noted as a concern for their parents.

The judge clarified that there was no evidence to suggest any children at Greenbank School had been harmed. Lennon, a married man and father of two, was described as someone who had compartmentalized his double life, maintaining an outward appearance of respectability while secretly engaging in criminal activities. His ability to conceal his misconduct demonstrated significant skill, organization, and deviousness.

Lennon was arrested after authorities in Canada investigated chatrooms involved in child exploitation. During the investigation, a link was established to Lennon in Liverpool, leading to his arrest in September 2009. Police examined his computer, uncovering over 500 indecent images—including four of child abuse and 42 of bestiality.

In interviews conducted on March 23, Lennon admitted to posing as a 14-year-old girl named Paula Jones online, using the alias "Stargazer" in chats with Hawley and Skitt, both of whom knew his true identity. When questioned about the chat logs related to the child’s rape, Lennon dismissed the conversation as mere fantasy.

The court learned that Hawley and Skitt were friends who met Lennon via the internet. Police searches at Skitt's residence uncovered images of a naked child dancing, filmed using a hidden camera. Additionally, a spy camera was discovered, capable of downloading images to any computer in the house.

Judge Brown emphasized that while no children at Greenbank School appeared harmed, Lennon’s life was meticulously compartmentalized, hiding his illicit activities behind a facade of respectability, illustrating his skill and intent to conceal his wrongdoing.