Tashan Gallagher, 31, attacked a six-month-old baby girl and sexually assaulted a two-year-old baby boy, posting the horrific footage on the encrypted social media app Telegram. Sentencing Gallagher to 15 years imprisonment at Bolton Crown Court, Judge Timothy Stead said the “breach of trust had been in the vilest possible manner”.
The judge added: “Choosing words to describe the nature of this vile offending are wholly inadequate.” Gallagher was also given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and was made to sign the sex offenders register for life.In 2017 Gallagher filmed his attacks on the children four times and uploaded them to Telegram. He did so because he wanted to join a private paedophile discussion group which had a condition new members must post brand new abuse images.
In October last year American intelligence services shared information with the National Crime Agency. The intelligence related to video files being shared on Dropbox and Gallagher was arrested within 24 hours. Officers searched his house and found the pair of Nike Air Max trainers he wore in one of the abuse videos and the mobile phone he used to record and upload the footage. Further research of social media showed Gallagher wearing the training shoes.
During his interview in custody, Gallagher said he had been looking at indecent images of children online for around two-and-a-half years. He denied having a sexual interest in children and said he did it because he got gratification from engaging with other men who did. Graham Ellis, who was in charge of the investigation said: “Tashan Gallagher has been convicted of some truly incomprehensible, horrific crimes. “His escalation of offending is very frightening; going from viewing abuse images to sexually abusing children, recording it and posting it online so he could join a private group.
“These forums incite offenders to increase their offending and are at the epicentre of online child sexual abuse. “Gallagher represents where law enforcement needs to be, targeting the highest risk, most dangerous offenders using covert and specialist capabilities as required.
“The NCA will continue to work with our partners, at home and abroad, to ensure those who abuse children are brought to justice.” Gallagher, of Leigh, Greater Manchester, admitted one charge of rape, four counts of sexual assault, five charges of making indecent photographs, two counts of distributing an indecent image of a child and two counts of possession of indecent images.
