YAN MING CHAN FROM RUNCORN SENTENCED FOR MASSIVE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY COLLECTION IN WARRINGTON

In a significant case that highlights the ongoing battle against online child exploitation, Yan Ming Chan, a 25-year-old resident of Poplar Close in Runcorn, has been sentenced to prison for possessing an extensive collection of child pornography. The arrest took place in June of the previous year when authorities uncovered a staggering total of 27,152 indecent images stored on his personal laptop computer.

Among these images, approximately 1,000 were classified as of an extreme nature, indicating the severity of the content involved. The police investigation revealed that Chan had deliberately downloaded and stored these illicit images, which depict the abuse of children, for his own gratification. His actions came to light after a thorough search of his residence, leading to his immediate arrest and subsequent charges.

Chan, a national of Hong Kong, has been living intermittently in England since he was 18 years old. He was also married to a British woman for three years; however, this marriage ended following the revelation of his criminal activities. During his court appearance at Warrington Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to 17 charges related to child pornography possession.

Judge David Hale presided over the case and sentenced Chan to 15 months in prison. In his remarks, the judge emphasized the gravity of the offense, stating, “No-one could look at those images without realising that children were being abused for the pleasure of those who watched it, and you deliberately watched it, deliberately put it on CDs, and obviously had considerable interest in this matter.” The judge further described the offense as being at the upper end of the seriousness scale for such crimes.

In addition to his prison sentence, Chan was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for a period of ten years, reflecting the long-term implications of his actions and the ongoing monitoring required for individuals convicted of such offenses.

Detective Constable Stuart McIntosh, a member of Cheshire Police’s paedophile unit, commented on the case, saying, “It was a very sound decision, and we appreciate the fact it was a prompt guilty plea. This sends a clear message to anyone involved in this kind of activity that the courts do not look kindly upon it.”

In a related case, another individual, Barrie Parsons, aged 54 and residing on Baguley Avenue in Widnes, was also brought before Warrington Crown Court. Parsons received a community order and was mandated to sign the sex offenders’ register for seven years after admitting to downloading 679 indecent images of children from the internet. This case underscores the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat online child exploitation and hold offenders accountable.