Carnlough sex offender jailed for having dozens of indecent images of children
A convicted repeat sex offender who admitted having dozens of indecent images of children for more than five years was handed a two-year sentence on Thursday (April 30).
Ordering Michael McCollum to serve half the sentence in jail and the remainder under supervised licence conditions, Judge Sandra Crawford told the 27-year-old that, given his repeated offending, “it’s not surprising” he had been assessed as posing a high likelihood of reoffending.
The Antrim Crown Court judge added that with more than 50 previous convictions, all of them for sexual offending, committed over the last eight years, the reports made it clear that McCollum “is at risk of sexual offending recidivism”.
At an earlier hearing McCollum, in custody but who has an address at Curragh Hill in Carnlough, admitted four charges of making and possessing indecent images of children, two charges of having prohibited images of children and one of possessing extreme pornography, all committed between February 1, 2019 and July 16, 2024.
In an agreed statement of facts, prosecuting counsel Mark Farrell outlined to the court that a number of devices had been seized from McCollum, including a mobile phone which he had been allowed to have.
When that device was examined, police uncovered indecent material including more than 40 prohibited images, two in Category A, three in Category B and six in Category C.
The court heard that at the time of the seizure, McCollum was undergoing a 100-hour community service order for breaching the police Sex Offenders Register.
Lodging a plea in mitigation, solicitor advocate Paul Farrell conceded that McCollum’s record is an aggravating factor and that the defendant, “who has expressed shame and remorse”, is realistic and accepts that he will receive a jail sentence.
He told Judge Crawford that having been in custody since last July, McCollum has been trying to use his time constructively, and has attained enhanced prisoner status.
Mr Farrell said the latest offending came about because McCollum had been “experiencing urges” and instead of addressing those issues with his probation officer, he went looking for images on the dark web.
“He is an individual who is crying out for help,” the solicitor suggested, emphasising that McCollum “has shown insight” into the harm his offending causes and that “he wants to stop this cycle of behaviour.”
Thanking Mr Farrell for his “very comprehensive and able submissions”, Judge Crawford said while McCollum was entitled to credit for his guilty pleas, there were multiple aggravating features including the record of 58 convictions, all for sexual offending and breaching court orders.
“Clearly, the custody threshold is passed given the great harm suffered by the children who are abused,” said the judge.
Highlighting to McCollum that by seeking out and downloading the images, he had “contributed to this vile and depraved industry that exploits and abuses children”, she told him that if he had not admitted his guilt, the sentence would have been three years.
In addition to the two-year sentence, McCollum was made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for ten years and told that he will remain on the police Sex Offenders Register, for the same period.