PETER HOGAN FROM KINGSTANDING JAILED FOR CHILD INDECENCY IMAGES IN BIRMINGHAM

In a disturbing case that has shocked the Birmingham community, Peter Hogan, a 62-year-old resident of Kingstanding, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after admitting to possessing a vast collection of indecent images of children. Hogan, who previously served as a police officer in the West Midlands Police force for nearly three decades, was arrested in October 2016 following an extensive investigation into his online activities.

Hogan’s employment history with the police included roles as a driver for the force, and he was also a school governor at the time of his arrest. His dual roles in law enforcement and education made the allegations even more alarming to the public and authorities alike. The arrest was carried out by officers from the force’s online child sexual exploitation team, who seized multiple electronic devices from Hogan’s residence in Kingstanding.

Forensic analysis of Hogan’s laptop and mobile phones revealed a horrifying collection of over 3,965 indecent images and 209 videos depicting children. The images were classified according to an internationally recognized police scale, with 243 images and 91 videos falling into the most disturbing category, Category A. This category includes the most severe and explicit material involving children. The investigation also uncovered 213 images and 76 videos in Category B, along with a staggering 3,510 images and 42 videos in Category C, which is considered less severe but still highly disturbing. The youngest children depicted in these images are believed to be as young as six years old.

Hogan’s background as a police officer spanned 28 years in Birmingham before he retired in October 2009. After his retirement, he was employed as a civilian staff driver for the force but was dismissed following his arrest and subsequent charges. The case was brought before Birmingham Crown Court, where Hogan admitted to three separate offences of making indecent images between 2009 and 2016. The court proceedings revealed the extent of his illegal collection and the disturbing nature of the material involved.

In a related incident in March 2017, Hogan’s involvement in possessing indecent images was further highlighted when he was found to have accumulated over 4,000 such images, including some of children as young as six. This revelation came shortly after Hogan was praised by Baskerville School in Harborne for his efforts in helping pupils stay safe online. Despite this commendation, Hogan’s criminal activities cast a dark shadow over his reputation. The school’s headteacher, Rosemary Adams, issued a statement reassuring parents that there was no evidence of any inappropriate contact between Hogan and children at the school, emphasizing that the images did not involve students from Baskerville.

Following his arrest in October, Hogan resigned from his position as chairman of the school’s governing body. The school community was informed of the situation through official letters, and the school took steps to address parental concerns. Birmingham Magistrates Court heard detailed evidence from detectives, including the seizure of electronic devices containing the illicit material. Prosecutor Charlotte Gessey explained that the severity of the case warranted a transfer to Birmingham Crown Court for sentencing, given the large volume of images and videos, the young age of some victims, and the attempts to conceal the material using various applications.

As part of the legal process, magistrates ordered a pre-sentence report on Hogan and set conditions for his conditional bail. These conditions include residence at his home address, restrictions on unsupervised contact with minors, limitations on internet use, and prohibitions on employment or voluntary work involving children under 18. Hogan is scheduled to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on March 30 for sentencing, where the full extent of his crimes will be addressed, and appropriate penalties will be determined.