NI-born paedophile took his own life as he faced indecent image charges
A PAEDOPHILE from Northern Ireland took his own life as he faced the prospect of being jailed for a third time for downloading indecent images of children.
Christopher Gerard Gallagher (65) had been due to appear in court on three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, and for breaching the terms of the sex offenders’ register.
Police officers on a random visit to his home in West Shore Park, Walney, Cumbria, spotted that he’d installed file deletion software on his computer, in breach of a sexual offences prevention order.
Gallagher, who moved from Londonderry two years ago, took his life before his court appearance, an inquest on Wednesday at Barrow Town Hall was told.
On July 3, 2017 Detective Constable Daniel Chadwick and a colleague visited Gallagher’s home.
During the visit DC Chadwick examined Gallagher’s computer, noticing a desktop icon that he suspected was a piece of file deletion software.
The inquest heard one of the restrictions on Gallagher was that he was not to install any software that could delete files from his computer.
Gallagher was arrested on suspicion of breaching the conditions of his SOPO and bailed under investigation. It was not until five weeks later, following analysis of his computer’s hard drive, that indecent images of children were found.
On August 16 Gallagher was rearrested and charged. When interviewed, Gallagher is reported to have said “he would be responsible for anything that was on there (the computer)”.
On the same day Gallagher was bailed to appear before South Cumbria Magistrates Court on September 6, 2017.
On September 7 DC Chadwick was informed Gallagher had missed his day in court.
As he had already appeared before the courts on similar charges, this failure to attend was deemed unusual.
DC Chadwick said: “He seemed to be able to take it in his stride, but, he had realised his life was about to change.”
The officer then went to Gallagher’s home to investigate.
He said: “Around 10.30am the windows were shut, the curtains were shut, and you could not see in.
“A neighbour said she’d not seen him in a while.”
The door to the property was unlocked and upon entering the living room the body of Gallagher was found. He was dressed in a T-shirt and boxer shorts.
Evidence recovered from the scene included a sealed letter ex- to the families and friends of Mr Donohoe’s killers.
“The persons involved in this murder have no doubt received logistical and emotional support from their families and friends.
“I am speaking to you in particular, the families and friends of these people. Your mind will never have peace until you tell the truth about what happened to Adrian. It is never too late to do the right thing.”
Law enforcement around the world, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland, US plicitly stating if he was found, he did not want to be resuscitated.
A post-mortem revealed that, prior to his death, Gallagher had a high blood-alcohol level of more than three times the legal drink-driving limit.
Coroner Paul O’Donnell said: “The method with which he killed himself was clearly thought through and planned.
“This was not a spontaneous act by Mr Gallagher.
“He had sourced from somewhere a very explicit note stating that he intended to take his own life. The alcohol in his system he had imbibed as part of the process of killing himself, rather than causing him to take his own life, whether it was ‘Dutch courage’ or another phraseology.” agencies and European forces, have been assisting the Garda investigation, Mr Mangan said.
“The investigation has continued at pace, both locally and on an international basis.
“We will never cease in our efforts to bring accountability to those who murdered Adrian. We will never cease investigating in order to solve Adrian’s murder.”
Anyone with information has been asked to contact detectives at Dundalk Garda Station on 0429 388470 or confidentially on 1800 666111.
Ticking down: Doomsday Clock
❝ The curtains were shut, and you could not see in. A neighbour had not seen him in a while
THE Doomsday Clock has been moved to two minutes to midnight for the first time in 65 years.
The clock, which serves as a metaphor for global apocalypse, has been moved forward by 30 seconds by the clock’s keepers, the Bulletin Of The Atomic Scientists. The last occasion it was set to this time was in 1953, when the US took the decision to upgrade its nuclear arsenal with the hydrogen bomb.
The Bulletin’s Rachel Bronson said: “To call the world’s nuclear situation dire is to understate the danger and its immediacy.”
As well as tests by North Korea and Russia, she cited the “unpredictability” in President Donald Trump’s tweets as factors in the decision-making process. A SCHOOL caretaker from Co Antrim has pleaded guilty to making a sexual communication with a child and now has to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.
William Hunter (50), of Inver Heights, Larne, appeared at Ballymena Magistrates Court yesterday.
He admitted that between July 27 and September 21 last year “for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification”, the defendant “intentionally communicated with a person under 16”.
Hunter was present in the dock where he was represented by defence barrister Stephen Law.
Hunter was released on continuing bail of £500 until February for sentencing.