In 2020, the Offender Database recorded that 50-year-old Angela Allen—one of the country’s most notorious child abusers—was released from prison after serving ten years of an indeterminate sentence. Allen, of Nine Acre Gardens, Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, was jailed in 2009 after admitting four counts of sexual assault of a child and the distribution of indecent images. It was reported that the investigation established Allen was a central figure in a global paedophile ring orchestrated by IT consultant Colin Blanchard, whom she met via a Facebook dating application.
The investigation established that Allen, while living in Bulwell and having attended schools in Aspley, was manipulated by Blanchard into sexually assaulting young children. The prosecution reported that she sent regular text messages to Blanchard, which included explicit invitations to rape a child, and began sharing images of her abuse in April 2009. Nottinghamshire Police described her behaviour as “sinister” and “truly evil,” noting that she had seriously breached the trust placed in her as a parent to satisfy her own needs for a relationship with Blanchard, whom she never met in person.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Allen’s offending was driven by social isolation, low self-esteem, and a history of substance misuse, including the excessive use of alcohol and illicit drugs. The investigation established that during her ten years in custody, Allen undertook accredited programmes to address her decision-making and specific “sex offending for women” courses. The Parole Board for England and Wales ultimately concluded that her progress in prison and the development of “constructive relationships” with supervisors rendered her suitable for release under a robust management plan.
Judge-led proceedings and the subsequent Parole Board hearing on 18 December 2019 resulted in the decision to release Allen into designated accommodation in February 2020. For her actions in Bulwell and her involvement with the Blanchard ring—which also included Plymouth nursery worker Vanessa George—Allen remains subject to lifetime notification requirements. The board noted that her release is governed by “very strict limitations,” including exclusion zones to prevent contact with victims and mandatory polygraph testing to monitor her compliance.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in Nottinghamshire and the national registry, the status of Angela Allen as of April 8, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: RELEASED (Served 10 years of an indeterminate sentence; released February 2020; currently on life licence).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active for life.
- Supervision Status: Subject to intensive community supervision, including mandatory polygraph (lie detector) testing.
- Licence Conditions: Includes a specified curfew, electronic technology restrictions, and strict exclusion zones.
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barring List (Indefinite ban on working with children or vulnerable adults).
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Sexual assault of a child x4; Distribution of indecent images).
- Judicial Oversight: Monitored by the National Probation Service; originally investigated by Nottinghamshire Police.
- Criminal Record: Member of the Colin Blanchard paedophile ring; Abused children and shared images for digital validation; Issued invitations for child rape via text.
- Origin: Nine Acre Gardens, Bulwell, Nottinghamshire.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Allen is managed as a high-risk registered sex offender within the community. Due to the nature of her conduct—specifically her “calculated betrayal” of her parental duty and her participation in an organised abuse network—her management is a primary focus for the Nottinghamshire Police Public Protection Unit. Authorities state that her licence conditions are among the most restrictive possible, designed to prevent any unsupervised access to the internet or proximity to minors, given her history of using social media to facilitate extreme sexual violence.
As a registered sex offender for life, the 50-year-old’s details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that any breach of her residence requirements, failure to attend supervision, or unauthorized contact with children will result in an immediate return to prison. Her case serves as a permanent reminder of the 2009 Blanchard investigation, and any movement she makes in Bulwell or elsewhere is subject to the highest tier of statutory monitoring to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from a woman who demonstrated a “truly evil” capacity for child exploitation.
QUESTION – Given that the offender was released after serving ten years for “inviting the rape of a child,” do you believe that “Indeterminate Sentences” should have a mandatory minimum of 25 years before any possibility of a Parole Board review?
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on reporting a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.