NSPCC blasts vile baby rapist and online deviant

Tashan Gallagher has been caged for a catalogue of crimes, some of the worst of which he uploaded onto a messaging app for fellow paedophiles' entertainment.

After the 31-year-old was told he will spend 14 years in prison and another year on licence, bosses of the National Crime Agency who brought him to justice themselves described his crimes as "horrific and incomprehensible."

He had appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge for sentence after pleading guilty to 14 charges of child rape, abuse and the making, possession and distribution of indecent images of children.

His vile crimes first came to light when the footage he filmed was spotted on the Russian-based app by Homeland Security Investigations in the US who notified the NCA.

After the hearing an NSPCC spokesperson said: “Gallagher’s horrendous catalogue of crimes against his victims shows how dangerous he is to children.

"The impact of the offences on his victims will be far-reaching and long term, and although he is subject to a 15-year sentence those children will face a lifetime of recovery.

“These offences illustrate what we always emphasise – that child abuse images are never a victimless crime.

"Not only did Gallagher abuse children, but he also helped fuel demand for a depraved industry that is destroying the lives of children in this country and around the world.”

Jailing him, Judge Timothy Stead said Gallagher’s “breach of trust had been in the vilest possible manner” and that “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 Russian-based messaging app 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.

Last October Homeland Security shared intelligence with the NCA which had stemmed from an industry report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The intelligence related to the video files being shared on Dropbox and Gallagher was arrested by the NCA within 24 hours.

Its officers searched his house and found the pair of Nike Air Max trainers he wore in one of the abuse videos and the mobile he used to record and upload the footage.

Further research of social media showed Gallagher wearing the training shoes.

Specially trained NCA officers from the Victim Identification Unit worked on the case and identified where the videos were created.

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 that he did it because he got gratification from engaging with other men who did.