Hastings pervert jailed for string of child sex crimes in Bexhill

Alan Haldane, now of Priory Avenue, Hastings, but previously of Amherst Road, Bexhill, appeared at Hove Crown Court on Thursday (April 7) having previously admitted 16 offences: six of sexual assault on girls under 13; one of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child; one of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity; two of taking 300 indecent still photographs of a child; two of taking indecent moving images of a child; three of making indecent images of children; one of voyeurism by recording a private act, by covert video recording of young people using the shower in his bathroom. The victims of the sexual offences - the image taking offences, the sexual assaults and the sexual activity - were three girls and the incidents happened over a prolonged period up until Haldane’s arrest. The young people who were victims of the voyeurism were all young students, from mainland Europe, who were hosted at his home address while studying at language schools in Hastings and Bexhill. The 62-year-old builder will be a registered sex offender for life. He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) severely restricting his access to children and computers until further court order. The prosecution followed an intelligence-led investigation by the Sussex Police Paedophile On-Line Investigation Team (POLIT) into indecent images uploaded to the internet. A warrant was executed and Haldane was arrested at Amherst Road in July 2015. POLIT Investigator Dave Sharpe said: “When we first arrested Haldane we had only the evidence of one indecent image which he tried to explain away as having been acquired accidentally. “However after conducting a full examination of his computers, all the other evidence emerged. After re-arrest, and having had this evidence put to him, Haldane admitted the offences. “Clearly he had systematically abused the girls over a period of years for his own sexual gratification, and had similarly exploited the young students by placing a covert recording device in his bathroom, strategically placed with the aim of recording them in the shower. “It was possible to work out from these recordings that there were at least 12-15 students, though not their identities. “We believe there would have been many more. Haldane acted as a host family at the Bexhill address from 2005 to 2015 and we believe students were being placed there for most if not all of that period. “However there were no complaints lodged by the students and I am certain that none of the students had any idea what was happening. The language schools concerned have been contacted. “This was an appalling catalogue of abuse over many years, but Haldane has now finally faced justice.” * Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. 1) Make our website your homepage at www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/ 2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hastingsobserver 3) Follow us on Twitter @HastingsObs 4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out! The Hastings Observer - always the first with your local news. Be part of it.