A man harassed the family of a child who was a victim of a paedophile.
Conrad Simmons attempted to intimidate the victim's family while David Joseph McMullan was on trial for child sex offences against her , in Wirral. The 61-year-old, of Commons Road in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, pleaded guilty to two counts of witness intimidation at Liverpool Crown Court, on Monday, January 8.
He has been jailed for three years for turning up to the McMullan's victim's family home in Wirral. McMullan, 33, of Demesne View in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland was sentenced to 19 years in prison with an additional five years on licence in November 2022 – after pleading guilty on the first day of a scheduled trial to four counts of rape of a child under 16 at Liverpool Crown Court.
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During McMullan's trial, a court heard how he started speaking to the victim on Snapchat when she was aged 12. He told her that his name was Sean Maxwell, he was 16 and from London – when he was actually approaching his 30th birthday and lived in Northern Ireland.
McMullan spoke to the girl until she was 13 and then made multiple trips to Wirral to "check how easy it might be to take her to a hotel room without challenge". During one visit he gave her a substance which caused her to fall asleep, and she woke up to find him raping her. His crimes were uncovered when the girl reported the abuse to a member of staff at her school.
A court heard that Simmons had made a number of unsolicited phone calls to the family during the court case of McMullan in July and August 2022. He had also visited the family home in Wirral in September 2022, just before McMullan’s trial was about to commence.
The family reported it to police who traced the mobile number to Simmons as he had visited McMullan in prison on previous occasions. Simmons was also given lifetime restraining order not to contact the victim and her family.
In a statement read out in court, the mum of the victim said: “This case has had immeasurable impact on the whole family. We were prepared for the original case to be concluded in 2022 and as a mum, my priority was to make sure my children and I felt safe in the knowledge that David McMullan was sentenced for his vile crimes against my daughter, and we had the time and help to recover and heal from the terrible ordeal.
“The two defendants have ensured this has not been possible and know our address and went to such lengths to try and intimidate us which weighs heavy on my mind. I am constantly in fear.
The mum added: “I have suffered immensely and struggled coping with each individual issues my children have faced because of this crime. I have lived in fear of the defendants committing further offences. It has been hard, and attending the various appointments for my children as a result of what has happened has put a lot of strain on me. I am always anxious that the defendants are following us to commit further offences against us. They committed their offences believing themselves to be above the law, contacting me on my mobile and visiting our home to intimidate us.”
Detective Constable Jennifer Davies from Merseyside Police, who led the investigation, said: “This has been very traumatic for the victim and her family. They have been extremely brave throughout the judicial process, and especially having to go through this twice which has taken a huge toll on their lives.
“Judge Driver praised the family for their dignity shown throughout the court proceedings. He said Simmons' actions of witness intimidation was sophisticated and planned over a period of many months. His actions made the family feel threatened and caused insurmountable distress.
“This has been a long and complex investigation with the assistance of Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI), which highlights the importance of police forces work together across borders to bring criminals to justice. I would like to praise the victim and her family for their commitment and courage to seek justice, and I hope this brings closure for them to move on in their lives.”
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