Sex offender whose case was described as 'one of the worst ever seen' is jailed again
A convicted sex offender whose case was described by police as “by far one of the worst ever seen” has been jailed for his latest offending.
Alun Cleary (39) from Main Street, Belleek, but remanded in custody since his arrest, admitted eight counts of making indecent imagery, five of breaching Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) and single counts of possessing both prohibited and extreme pornographic images.
Offending occurred between January 2023 and June 2025, while Cleary was on licence after serving a custodial sentence for similar offending.
The SOPO breaches consisted of accessing the social media app Telegram, deleting his internet history, unlawful use of a computer, using a remote storage facility and using an alias in communication.
When the case first reached court, a detective advised it be given priority status due to the “extremely disturbing content”.
Examination of Cleary’s phone found 8,800 Telegram groups and in excess of 55,000 communication chats.
There were many instances of him “speaking to like-minded people with videos and photographs exchanged.” She added: “It should be noted the officer leading the investigation has described this as by far one of the worst cases she has ever seen.”
Cleary admitted all charges at interview and when appeared before Dungannon Crown Court last month.
He returned yesterday for sentencing when Judge Brian Sherrard set out how both still and moving images were recovered from Cleary’s phone containing 250 in Category A (the highest) 227 in Category B, 186 in Category C, 24 prohibited images and 16 extreme pornographic images.
As part of monitoring police conducted a search of his phone and discovered the Telegram app was installed.
It transpired he had been accessing illegal images for around nine months, which was almost immediately after his release from custody, and throughout his participation in the Horizon Programme for sex offenders delivered through probation, completing this two weeks before his arrest.
When arrested he replied, “I don’t know why I do this. I’m sorry. I’ve let so many people down.”
Judge Sherrard said the descriptions of the child abusive images were “horrific” and there had been attempts to cover up use of the Telegram app. “One image showed a naked two-year-old child..the child was in obvious distress and was reaching out for help.”
He told Cleary: “You have some insight into your offending but have accessed assistance to address it.
"This has the appearance of addiction driven by sexual preoccupation and the use of imagery as a way to cope.
"You know well your behaviour is wrong, but lack self-control to manage it.”
Due to this Cleary was assessed as presenting a high risk of reoffending.
Judge Sherrard imposed a three-year prison sentence to be split equally between custody and on licence.
Cleary will also be subject to Sex Offender Registration and a SOPO for 10 years. A destruction order was granted in respect of the seized phone and imagery.