PORTADOWN PAEDOPHILE STEPHEN MCCROSSAN FACES JAIL AFTER CHILD ABUSE IMAGE SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Portadown, Stephen McCrossan, a man with a long history of sexual offences, has been found guilty of possessing an extensive collection of child abuse images and videos. The case, which has garnered significant attention due to the severity and scale of the offences, culminated in a court hearing where McCrossan was warned that a prison sentence was inevitable.

McCrossan, aged 32 and residing on the Tandragee Road in Portadown, had previously been convicted multiple times for sex offences. His latest legal troubles came to light when he was accused of collaborating with a known child rapist to amass a collection exceeding 13,000 indecent images and videos depicting child abuse. The investigation revealed that the images included some of the most heinous categories, with 287 images and 120 videos classified as Category A, which involves acts of rape.

During the court proceedings, Judge Patrick Lynch KC emphasized the gravity of the case, noting that McCrossan’s history of offending left no room for leniency. Since this was his fourth appearance in court on sex offence charges, the judge made it clear that incarceration was the only appropriate outcome. As a result, he ordered McCrossan to be remanded into custody immediately.

The case was set to proceed to trial last November, but on the day it was scheduled to begin, McCrossan changed his plea and admitted to 22 separate offences. Overcome with emotion, he tearfully pleaded guilty to 16 counts of making indecent images of children, two counts of possessing extreme pornography, and single counts of breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (Sopo), distributing indecent images, supplying the drug pregabalin, and possessing a Class C drug. These offences spanned from July 6, 2018, to July 19, 2019.

Prosecutor Joseph Murphy detailed the disturbing findings, explaining that McCrossan’s activities included the use of a laptop and another computer, both of which were seized and examined by police cyber crime specialists. The investigation uncovered a staggering total of 13,387 indecent images and 169 videos, some of which depicted the rape of children as young as 12 months old and girls aged between seven and ten. The images and videos were stored on devices that McCrossan had used, and investigators discovered that he had installed a specialized browser that enabled him to access the dark web, where such illegal content is often traded and downloaded.

Further complicating the case was McCrossan’s claim that he was being blackmailed by the man with whom he had collaborated—the same individual convicted of raping his own daughter. McCrossan alleged that the rapist threatened to harm his family if he refused to download and share the images, even claiming that he was ordered to purchase prescription painkillers on the dark web. However, police records and usage logs of the devices contradicted his story, revealing that McCrossan’s account of being coerced was false. The evidence showed that he had deliberately used his technological skills to access the dark web and download the illicit material, indicating a conscious and deliberate engagement in these criminal activities.

In addition to the child abuse images, McCrossan’s criminal record includes previous convictions for similar offences in 2011, 2014, and 2017. His history of offending underscores the seriousness of his latest crimes. The court was also informed that he had been involved in other offences, including breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order in September 2015, when he was found in possession of a prohibited computer device. His past convictions and recent offences paint a troubling picture of a repeat offender with a pattern of engaging in child exploitation.

Judge Lynch adjourned the case for sentencing, which is scheduled to take place on the upcoming Friday. The court’s decision reflects the severity of McCrossan’s actions and the ongoing concern for community safety in Portadown and beyond.