In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Alan Clutterbuck, then 38, of Greenings Court, Orford, Warrington, Cheshire, was handed a community order despite possessing “vile” images of babies as young as six months old. On Friday, 21 June 2019, Clutterbuck appeared at Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possession.
The investigation established that during a raid on his home in 2017, police discovered a PlayStation 3 hard drive containing 61 “vicious” images of children. These included ten Category A images of two-year-olds and 14 Category B images of babies aged six to 12 months. The prosecution reported that Clutterbuck “vilely” confessed to police: “I am sexually attracted to children, and when I walk down the street I am looking at children.” Digital forensics also uncovered “vigorous” dark web search terms and the use of privacy software to hide “despicable” files.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
Judge Gary Woodhall emphasised that the chronology of the case was “unusual,” as the “vile” images found in 2017 were actually downloaded before Clutterbuck’s 2009 conviction for 21 sexual offences. The court reported that Clutterbuck had already served 30 months for those crimes and a further 16 months in 2014 for breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO). The judge emphasised that, while the defendant’s “deviant” and “reprehensible” interests were ongoing, he had to consider whether the original 2009 sentence would have differed had these 61 images been known at the time.
The prosecution emphasised that Clutterbuck was still frequenting “vicious” dark web communities and chatrooms dedicated to child abuse in 2017. The judge emphasised that a community order focused on rehabilitation was the most effective way to protect the public, given the complicated legal history of the “vile” material. For his crimes in Warrington, the court determined that Clutterbuck required long-term supervision and specialised treatment to manage his “vicious” and persistent attraction to minors.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Alan Clutterbuck was handed:
- Community Order: A three-year community order.
- Unpaid Work: 120 hours of community service.
- Rehabilitation: A 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
- Treatment: Mandatory completion of the Horizon treatment programme.
- SHPO: A Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were activated for life (following his prior convictions).
Monitoring and Public Protection
Clutterbuck is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Cheshire Constabulary and the Probation Service. Due to his “vile” and “vicious” history of repeat offending and his admission of ongoing attraction to children, his management remains under the highest level of scrutiny by the Public Protection Unit.
As a lifetime member of the Sex Offenders Register, Clutterbuck must comply with mandatory notification requirements regarding his residence in Greenings Court, Orford. Authorities state that his “vile” digital history and dark web use necessitate strict, lifelong oversight via his SHPO. Any breach of his registration conditions, his community order, or his lifelong court orders will result in his immediate arrest and return to Liverpool Crown Court.
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