In 2018, the Offender Database recorded that 44-year-old Joanne Foster and 43-year-old Gary Keenan were jailed for a series of sexual offences and outraging public decency. Foster—a former NHS clerical worker from Percyvale Street, Macclesfield—and Keenan, a former soldier recently of Altrincham, were arrested in April 2017 following a police raid on their shared home. It was reported that the investigation uncovered hundreds of indecent images of children alongside evidence of illegal sexual activity performed in public spaces, including Heaton Park, Manchester.
The investigation established that devices belonging to both defendants contained a vast library of illicit material. Greater Manchester Police reported that Keenan’s phone held 159 Category A, 231 Category B, and 536 Category C indecent images of children, while Foster pleaded guilty to possessing 103 such images across all categories. The prosecution reported that Foster also engaged in high-risk sexual activity at the encouragement of Keenan, who referred to her as his “product” and photographed her exposing herself in a white dress in Heaton Park.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the pair attempted to shift the blame onto one another during police interviews, with Foster claiming the former soldier had downloaded the images onto her phone. Chester Crown Court heard that one recovered image showed Foster with “paedo s***” written on her body, illustrating the depraved nature of their shared interests. The investigation established that Foster, who had previously been a public campaigner for tougher sentencing following the death of a former partner, had led a double life involving “sick” digital material and public indecency.
Judge Patrick Thompson presided over the sentencing, noting the severity of the digital material which included extreme pornographic animations. For her actions in Macclesfield and Manchester, Foster was jailed for 15 months, while Keenan received a sentence of two and a half years. The judge noted that the transition from a justice campaigner and NHS worker to a convicted sex offender reflected a “staggering” fall, necessitating immediate custodial terms for both individuals to reflect public disgust.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in England, the status of the offenders as of April 3, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: SENTENCED 2018 (Custodial terms completed).
- Sex Offenders Register: Both Foster and Keenan were placed on the register upon conviction.
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Possession of indecent images of children; Outraging public decency; Possession of extreme pornography).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Chester Crown Court; investigated by Greater Manchester Police and Cheshire Constabulary.
- Criminal Records:
- Joanne Foster: Indecent images (Categories A, B, C); Outraging public decency (2 counts).
- Gary Keenan: 926+ indecent images; 463 extreme pornographic images; 13 prohibited animations.
- Origin: Macclesfield, Cheshire; Altrincham, Greater Manchester.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Foster and Keenan are managed as registered sex offenders within their respective areas of Cheshire and Greater Manchester. Due to the nature of their conduct, which involved the distribution of “Category A” images and the performance of sexual acts in a busy public park, their management remains a focus for local public protection units. Authorities state that the combination of digital child abuse material and a complete disregard for public decency makes their monitoring a priority for MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements).
As convicted sex offenders, their details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that their notification requirements include strict updates on residency and international travel. Any failure to comply with these rules, or any further reports of public indecency in Heaton Park or Macclesfield, will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from their demonstrated pattern of illegal and “high risk” sexual behaviour.
QUESTION – Given that the female offender used her previous status as a “justice campaigner” to potentially deflect suspicion, do you believe that individuals in prominent public-facing or charitable roles should be subject to more frequent, unannounced digital forensic audits if they are under investigation?
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