A FORMER child protection worker who lives in Carlisle has been put on the Sex Offender Register after a judge heard disturbing evidence of his desire to abuse youngsters. 

Graeme Kellett, 44, must have his name on the Register despite him not having been prosecuted for any sex offence.

The city’s Rickergate court heard he was investigated by Police Scotland over allegations that he accessed indecent child images online and had spoken on WhatsApp to a contact about wanting to abuse children.

One was just four years old. 

Kellett’s background came to light during a Cumbria Police application to the court to make him subject to a stringent "sexual risk order," which senior officers regard as necessary to protect children.

The application was made under civil law before District Judge John Temperley, who accepted that the order is necessary.

It places draconian restrictions of Kellett, allowing police to control his access to young people, his use of the internet and even compelling him to take lie detector tests if police deem it necessary.

Flouting the order could lead to his arrest and even a jail term.

Outlining the background to the application, Cumbria Police barrister Lujzka Halsall-Fischel set out evidence of the respondent’s sexual interest in children which dated back to the period between to 2016 and 2018.

She said police in Scotland had raided Kellett’s then home and seized his internet enabled devices in July 2021.

His phone had yielded evidence of links to websites showing child abuse images, including some which were categorised as Category A, the most serious kind in legal terms.

There was also evidence of Kellett having WhatsApp conversations in which he expressed a desire to sexually abuse children, with him admitting he did not know if he would be “able to resist” were he to get that opportunity.

In November last year, Police Scotland had decided to take no further action over the material because of difficulties with the investigation.

A Cumbria Police detective who gave evidence during the application hearing said that she felt the decision not to prosecute was "technical," and linked to a problem with attributing the phone involved to Kellett's address.

Miss Halsall-Fischel said: “He continues to pose a risk to children; sexual interest in children to this extent simply does not disappear. It is only today he has accepted that they [the images] were on his device.

“He accepts he has done acts of a sexual nature… He was on an independent panel that would hear social work cases and would make recommendations on safeguarding young children.”

There was evidence, said the barrister, that the respondent had committed a sexual act while reading about children as young as four.

Miss Halsall-Fischel continued: “There is a real risk that he will work with children again; and if he does, there is a real risk of harm to children.”

Kellett, of Glaramara Drive, Carlisle, now has a job supplying organisations – including technical colleges – with PPE (personal protective equipment) and this could involve contact with students, the court heard.

Chris Toms, for Kellett, who opposed the order, said there was no evidence of the respondent showing further sexual interest in children since 2018.

The lawyer suggested that the order was not necessary because Kellett knew that the police regarded him as a “person of concern” and that he would therefore be “watched.”

“He hasn’t done anything wrong for the last six years," continued Mr Toms.

“If he went to work with children, he would be subjected to an enhanced CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check. But he is unlikely to be allowed to work in that capacity again.”

Responding to that point, Miss Halsall-Fischel said she was not certain that even and enhanced records check would reveal that Kellett had been under investigation for the indecent images.

District Judge Temperley approved the police application, imposing an order that will last for five years.

He said: “I am satisfied that the order is necessary to protect children from the respondent and the following factors are relevant. One, the extreme nature of the images and what I have seen and read.

“Two, the evidence of a clear demonstration of a sexual interest on the part of Mr Kellett in children of various ages, from four to 15; that interest will not have suddenly stopped and gone away.

“Three, Mr Kellett has expressed a desire to sexually abuse children. And four, the images were still accessible on his phone three years later in 2021.”

During his voluntary police interview, Kellett failed to accept wrongdoing, claiming he could not recall any of it; nor did he seek help to reduce the risk he poses.

The judge accepted that the order was “onerous” and would interfere with Kellett’s daily life. “But that is a reflection of the level of risk,” said District Judge Temperley.

He said the evidence showed a “pattern of behaviour” over a considerable period of time. Judge Temperley noted Kellett’s role in child protection, making recommendations on their safeguarding.

“Therefore I am persuaded that this order is necessary,” he added.

As a result of the ruling - made on the balance or probabilities - Kellett must sign the national Sex Offender Register. This also will be for five years.

What Kellett’s Sexual Risk Order prohibits

  • Any unsupervised contact or communication with a child – unless that child’s guardian is aware of the order and only with approval from social services.
  • Using the internet to contact any child.
  • Using any internet device which does not retain the history of its internet use.
  • Using any software that automatically deletes messages.
  • Doing any job or voluntary work that involves the presence of children.

Kellet, who was told he must pay the £567 legal costs of the police application to the court, must also make himself available for lie-detector tests, provided he has been given seven days notice.

* Stop It Now is run by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a UK-wide charity dedicated solely to preventing child sexual abuse. It offers help to anyone with concerns about child sexual abuse and its prevention.

It also operates a confidential helpline 0808 1000 900.

* The News & Star asked Police Scotland to confirm what professional role Kellett was performing while he served on an "independent panel" offering child protection and safeguarding advice on "social work cases," but a spokesman said this information could not be provided "due to data protection."

* A press spokesman for the Scottish Government also declined to comment, stating that further information about Kellett's child protection role in Scotland could not be provided. The spokesman did, however, provide websites links about child protection procedures in general terms north of the border.