PAUL EMSLEY'S CRIMINAL REIGN IN ACCRINGTON AND PADIHAM: CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AND REPEATED OFFENSES
| Red Rose Database
Padiham Accrington Child Sexual Abuser
In April 2020, the criminal history of Paul Emsley, a man with a long-standing pattern of sexual offenses, took a disturbing turn when he was found in possession of child sexual abuse images on his mobile devices, just weeks after being released from his most recent imprisonment. Emsley's case highlights a troubling pattern of reoffending and the challenges faced by the justice system in curbing such behavior.
During a court hearing conducted via video link from Wymott Prison, 52-year-old Paul Emsley appeared before Preston Crown Court to admit to making a series of indecent images of children. The discovery was made when police officers from the sexual offender management unit seized two mobile phones from him on September 3. The officers had been monitoring Emsley's online activity as part of a sexual harm prevention order issued at Carlisle Crown Court in February 2019, which was designed to restrict his access to indecent material and prevent further offenses.
According to the prosecution, David Clark, Emsley's online behavior had been under surveillance, and during the police visit, Emsley appeared noticeably agitated. He requested to speak with the detective in a kitchen rather than his prison room, a request that was ultimately denied. When questioned about the presence of mobile phones, Emsley initially denied possessing any, despite the officers' persistence. It was then that the detective noticed a mobile device, which was subsequently seized. Emsley also claimed to have a second mobile phone and admitted that three indecent images of children were likely stored on the devices.
Following his arrest, Emsley was interviewed and confessed that he had purchased the phones at a flea market. He further revealed that he had obtained the three images of children through a WhatsApp connection. The police investigation later uncovered that the devices contained more than 24 additional indecent images of children than Emsley had initially suggested. These images were found on the phones after a thorough examination, revealing a disturbing collection that significantly exceeded the initial expectations.
Previously, Emsley's criminal record stretched back to 1999, when he was first jailed for three years after being convicted of indecent assault and buggery involving a young boy. His history of offending includes multiple convictions for failing to notify authorities of his address, possessing indecent images, and breaching sexual harm prevention orders. Notably, he was first imprisoned in 1999, and since then, he has served at least six prison sentences, including a 32-month term handed down in November 2019 for breaching a sexual harm prevention order related to the discovery of the phones.
In the latest case, Emsley, who was formerly based in Padiham and more recently residing on Lydia Street in Accrington, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing such images. His defense requested a pre-sentence report, arguing that if he were to receive a concurrent sentence with his ongoing imprisonment, there should be an investigation into the support and accommodation options available to him upon release. However, Judge Robert Altham rejected this request, and the sentencing was adjourned to be finalized before Judge Philip Parry, who previously handled the case in November.
In a related incident in November 2019, Emsley's pattern of offending was further highlighted when police, monitoring him as a registered sex offender, visited him at a bail hostel in Accrington. During this visit, Emsley was again found to be agitated and attempted to speak privately with the detective. The officers discovered a mobile phone, which Emsley claimed he had bought at a flea market, and he admitted to having obtained three indecent images of children via WhatsApp. His criminal record includes a history of offenses dating back to 1999, with convictions for indecent assault, buggery, and multiple breaches of sexual harm prevention orders.
Throughout his criminal career, Emsley's offenses have been persistent and severe. His previous convictions include a 45-month sentence in 1999, a two-and-a-half-year sentence in 2012 for downloading hundreds of child porn images, and fines for possession of a device capable of recording images. His latest offenses have prompted the court to consider the possibility of longer and more severe sentences unless he makes significant changes to his behavior. Judge Philip Parry emphasized that unless Emsley alters his ways, his jail terms are likely to increase in length, reflecting the seriousness of his repeated violations and the ongoing threat he poses to the community in Accrington and Padiham.
During a court hearing conducted via video link from Wymott Prison, 52-year-old Paul Emsley appeared before Preston Crown Court to admit to making a series of indecent images of children. The discovery was made when police officers from the sexual offender management unit seized two mobile phones from him on September 3. The officers had been monitoring Emsley's online activity as part of a sexual harm prevention order issued at Carlisle Crown Court in February 2019, which was designed to restrict his access to indecent material and prevent further offenses.
According to the prosecution, David Clark, Emsley's online behavior had been under surveillance, and during the police visit, Emsley appeared noticeably agitated. He requested to speak with the detective in a kitchen rather than his prison room, a request that was ultimately denied. When questioned about the presence of mobile phones, Emsley initially denied possessing any, despite the officers' persistence. It was then that the detective noticed a mobile device, which was subsequently seized. Emsley also claimed to have a second mobile phone and admitted that three indecent images of children were likely stored on the devices.
Following his arrest, Emsley was interviewed and confessed that he had purchased the phones at a flea market. He further revealed that he had obtained the three images of children through a WhatsApp connection. The police investigation later uncovered that the devices contained more than 24 additional indecent images of children than Emsley had initially suggested. These images were found on the phones after a thorough examination, revealing a disturbing collection that significantly exceeded the initial expectations.
Previously, Emsley's criminal record stretched back to 1999, when he was first jailed for three years after being convicted of indecent assault and buggery involving a young boy. His history of offending includes multiple convictions for failing to notify authorities of his address, possessing indecent images, and breaching sexual harm prevention orders. Notably, he was first imprisoned in 1999, and since then, he has served at least six prison sentences, including a 32-month term handed down in November 2019 for breaching a sexual harm prevention order related to the discovery of the phones.
In the latest case, Emsley, who was formerly based in Padiham and more recently residing on Lydia Street in Accrington, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing such images. His defense requested a pre-sentence report, arguing that if he were to receive a concurrent sentence with his ongoing imprisonment, there should be an investigation into the support and accommodation options available to him upon release. However, Judge Robert Altham rejected this request, and the sentencing was adjourned to be finalized before Judge Philip Parry, who previously handled the case in November.
In a related incident in November 2019, Emsley's pattern of offending was further highlighted when police, monitoring him as a registered sex offender, visited him at a bail hostel in Accrington. During this visit, Emsley was again found to be agitated and attempted to speak privately with the detective. The officers discovered a mobile phone, which Emsley claimed he had bought at a flea market, and he admitted to having obtained three indecent images of children via WhatsApp. His criminal record includes a history of offenses dating back to 1999, with convictions for indecent assault, buggery, and multiple breaches of sexual harm prevention orders.
Throughout his criminal career, Emsley's offenses have been persistent and severe. His previous convictions include a 45-month sentence in 1999, a two-and-a-half-year sentence in 2012 for downloading hundreds of child porn images, and fines for possession of a device capable of recording images. His latest offenses have prompted the court to consider the possibility of longer and more severe sentences unless he makes significant changes to his behavior. Judge Philip Parry emphasized that unless Emsley alters his ways, his jail terms are likely to increase in length, reflecting the seriousness of his repeated violations and the ongoing threat he poses to the community in Accrington and Padiham.