THOMAS MCLEAN FROM KIRKBY JAILED FOR PREDATORY SEX OFFENCES AGAINST GIRLS OVER 30 YEARS IN LIVERPOOL

In a harrowing case that has shocked the community of Liverpool, Thomas McLean, aged 57 and a resident of Kirkby, has been sentenced to over nine years in prison for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed over a span of three decades. The court heard that McLean’s predatory behavior began in the 1980s, with one of his earliest victims being only six years old at the time.

During the proceedings at Liverpool Crown Court, it was revealed that McLean was able to ingratiate himself into local groups, which allowed him to gain the trust of young girls and take them on trips to various local attractions. These included visits to beaches in Southport and Morecambe, outings to Gulliver’s World theme park, trips to a nearby fishing pond, and even visits to a garage where he was employed. His manipulative tactics and grooming behaviors created a false sense of security for his victims, making his crimes even more insidious.

Neil Bisarya, the prosecutor, described how one girl, whom McLean had abused from the ages of six to eleven, viewed him as a “surrogate father” and sought to please him. Tragically, this relationship was marred by sexual abuse and attempted rape. The young girl confided in investigators that the abuse happened “so many times,” and she later struggled with her mental health, attempting suicide twice as a result of her trauma.

Evidence presented in court detailed McLean’s disturbing methods of manipulation. He encouraged the girls to participate in a “kissing game,” and coerced them into removing their dresses in his presence. Court documents also described how he would wade into the sea with the children while they splashed each other, further blurring boundaries and exploiting their innocence.

McLean pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including sexual assault and attempted rape of one girl, as well as sexual assault of two others. One particularly disturbing incident involved him sneaking into a girl’s bed, claiming he was cold, before touching her stomach and moving “farther down.”

His offending did not cease in childhood. The court heard that McLean later persuaded at least five young girls, aged between eight and ten, to pose naked or semi-naked in a makeshift photographic studio he had set up. The families of these victims were visibly distressed as court read out the details of the photographs and the poses he instructed the children to make.

The investigation uncovered McLean’s secret collection of indecent images after his computer was “cleaned,” which led to police involvement. It was during this investigation that his true nature was exposed, revealing a pattern of predatory behavior that spanned decades.

Further complicating his criminal record, McLean was involved in a violent incident in a Kirkby car park, where he ran over the person who had reported him, apparently seeking revenge. He was already serving time in prison when he admitted to the sex offenses.

One victim shared the profound impact McLean’s cruelty had on her life, stating, “Due to the stress and trauma, I have not reached my full potential in life. I always wanted to be a mother but I feel that will not be an option to me due to my negativity towards men. He has damaged me and my role in life. We are a good family and he has broken us to pieces.”

In a similar vein, a mother expressed her horror, saying, “It is every parent’s worst nightmare.”

Defending McLean, Brendan Carville acknowledged his client’s remorse but accepted that he would be classified as a dangerous offender. Judge Andrew Hatton sentenced McLean to 9½ years in prison, with an extended license period of four years. The judge emphasized the severity of McLean’s conduct, stating, “This is a course of conduct of 30 years of offending. Thirty years of offending against multiple victims, all of them young. All of them entitled to look to you for protection but instead they found abuse.”

He further described McLean as a “sinister predatory paedophile” who had maintained a facade of decency while secretly committing heinous acts. The judge ordered that McLean be subject to license conditions until past his seventieth birthday, expressing hope that by then, he would no longer pose a danger to young girls.