PETER TAYLOR AND KEELI BURLINGHAM'S HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE IN DUKINFIELD

In January 2020, a disturbing case emerged involving a couple from Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, who were convicted of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of young girls. The pair, Peter Taylor and Keeli Burlingham, both aged 33, engaged in a series of sickening acts that shocked the local community and drew widespread condemnation.

According to court proceedings, Taylor and Burlingham had a disturbing pattern of molesting children and sharing explicit images and videos of their abuse via WhatsApp. Their depraved activities began after Taylor, who worked as an auto electrician, asked Burlingham to dress as a schoolgirl for a sexual role play, which marked the start of their escalating misconduct.

One particularly shocking incident involved Burlingham, a cafe worker, taking photographs of herself molesting a young girl and sending these images to Taylor while he was on a road trip in the United States celebrating his birthday. In another instance, Taylor was caught taking photographs of an 11-year-old girl in a swimming pool changing room, touching her over her bikini bottoms. These acts exemplify the depth of their depravity and the extent to which they exploited vulnerable children.

The couple, who claimed to be in a 'low ebb' following their respective marriages' breakdowns, also harbored plans to sexually abuse a five-year-old boy they knew. Their criminal activities extended beyond direct abuse; they downloaded over 5,000 indecent images of children from the internet, including 1,044 in the most serious Category A classification, highlighting their obsession with child exploitation.

Both Burlingham and Taylor faced multiple charges, including arranging or facilitating child sex offenses, sexual assault of a child under 13, taking and making indecent photographs of children, and encouraging sex offenses. Burlingham was additionally convicted of assault and distributing indecent images. The court sentenced Taylor to 15 years in prison and Burlingham to 11 years. Furthermore, both offenders were ordered to register as sex offenders and remain under a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Prosecutors described Taylor as the 'prime mover' in the criminal enterprise, manipulating Burlingham into participating in these vile acts. Evidence from chat logs revealed Taylor's obsession with a girl aged 11, whom he sought to sexually abuse, and his efforts to manipulate Burlingham into assisting him. The logs also detailed plans for sexual activity involving other children, including references to giving children sleeping tablets, indicating a disturbing level of premeditation and intent.

The case also uncovered Taylor's attempt to manipulate Burlingham while he was in the US, seeking indecent images of a friend's daughter and encouraging her to commit acts of abuse. Burlingham, under Taylor's influence, sexually assaulted the girl and sent images of the assault to Taylor in the US. The police investigation revealed that Taylor had boasted about sexually assaulting the girl without her knowledge, further illustrating his predatory behavior.

During the sentencing at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, the mother of the five-year-old boy expressed her heartbreak and betrayal. She described Burlingham as a friend she trusted, now seen as a monster, and conveyed her anguish over the betrayal, emphasizing that her primary concern was the safety of her child and other children. She stated, 'I see her as two people — the previous friend and a monster. I struggle to trust anyone now. The betrayal from Keeli hurts the most. I have never been so angry in my life, and I don’t think I can get over this or let this lie. The only solace I have is that they are in prison and my child and other children are now safe.'

The court heard that Taylor and Burlingham met on a dating website in 2016 after both had ended their marriages. Prosecutor Michael Scholes highlighted that throughout their relationship, they downloaded numerous indecent images of children for their own sexual gratification. Taylor, in particular, was identified as the 'prime mover,' actively seeking out and obtaining such images, while Burlingham also derived sexual stimulation from viewing them.

Further evidence revealed that the couple was babysitting a three-year-old girl when Taylor began molesting her at Burlingham’s behest, filming the assault on a mobile phone. Their obsession extended to a second girl, aged 11, who was targeted after Taylor became 'obsessed' with her. Chat logs demonstrated Taylor's sexual obsession with the girl and his manipulation of Burlingham to assist in obtaining images of her, including still and moving pictures, often without the child's knowledge.

Police investigations uncovered that Taylor had boasted about sexually assaulting the girl while touching her over her bikini bottoms at a swimming pool. The chat logs also revealed plans for further abuse, including discussions about a sleepover involving other children and references to giving children sleeping tablets, indicating a sinister intent to facilitate abuse.

In August 2017, Taylor was on a 'road trip' in the US celebrating his birthday, during which he continued to manipulate Burlingham to obtain indecent images of a friend's daughter. Burlingham, while caring for the girl, sexually assaulted her and sent images of the assault to Taylor. The investigation also revealed Taylor's attempts to manipulate Burlingham into engaging in sexual acts with a boy, although these plans never materialized.

Taylor was arrested in April 2019 and admitted to downloading indecent images. He claimed he was seeking help and had 'seen the error of his ways,' but prosecutors argued he was deceiving police to avoid further investigation. Judge Mark Savill sentenced Taylor to 15 years and Burlingham to 11 years, emphasizing the heinous nature of their crimes and the profound impact on their victims. The judge condemned their actions as 'base and vile,' involving the most precious members of society—children—and expressed concern for the lifelong trauma inflicted on their victims and their families.