Paedophile ring leader Colin Blanchard is coming soon to a location near you. Granting Rochdale a rare two-day parole hearing, the ringleader of a well-known paedophile group that “lured” Venessa George into mistreating infants and toddlers expects he will be released.
The Parole Board gave 53-year-old Colin Blanchard of Rochdale extra time to personally plead his case to the three-person panel on May 29 and 31.
2011 saw him sentenced indeterminately on counts of sex abuse; he was also informed he would serve a minimum of nine years. Colin Blanchard has currently spent 12 years in prison overall.
At Little Ted’s nursery in Efford, Plymouth, the paedophile had persuaded nursery worker George to mistreat 64 babies and toddlers under her care.
She showed Colin Blanchard films of her attacks, and she spent seven years in prison until being released in September 2019.
Colin Blanchard had been scheduled for a one-day private hearing on February 8th, but it was found that the complexity and sensitivity of the appeal caused it to be postponed at the last minute.
Giving the hearing an additional day was decided upon to enable the panel to thoroughly interview Colin Blanchard, who will present evidence via a video link from a closed jail.
Extra time allocated to the hearing has been encouraging for him since he thinks his behaviour in jail and the number of courses he has completed to handle his sex offending indicate he has a fair chance of being approved for release on license.
A source said: “He feels a two-day hearing will help his cause as the extra time will allow him to explain in depth all the strides he believes he has taken and his good behaviour in jail.”
Colin Blanchard believes the Parole Board has no rational basis for turning down his application for licence release. He will say he poses no more public threat.
Former IT specialist Blanchard was sentenced indeterminately in 2011 for counts of sex abuse and informed he would serve at least nine years. The pervert has so spent an extra three years behind bars.
Right now, the businessman is housed at Category C HMP Wymott, close to Leyland, Lancaster, with specialist facilities for sex offenders. It is reported to have made a lot of new friends there.
Reflecting the high profile of the case, which made national headlines following Colin Blanchard’s description at his trial as a perverted “svengali” who persuaded many women to abuse children for his pleasure, the new parole hearing next month follows several past adjournments.
Colin Blanchard was labelled as a ‘Svengali’ figure at the core of one of the most disgusting paedophile rings this country has ever seen during his 2011 sentencing at Bristol Crown Court.
Colin Blanchard convinced a series of middle-aged Facebook users he came across to mistreat youngsters to satisfy their sexuality.
Angela Allen and Tracey Lyons, who were imprisoned for their involvement in the ring, have already been released.
Police only discovered their actions when Colin Blanchard neglected to switch off his personal email account, and his business colleague saw pictures of child abuse in the Manchester company.
‘Colin Blanchard is the common link between all these ladies,’ Greater Manchester Police Detective Constable Andy Pilling said during sentencing.
Nobody should, however, be under the mistaken belief that they were somehow compelled to mistreat children; they freely participated.
According to a Parole Board spokesman, Colin Blanchard’s parole review is planned for May 2024, and an oral hearing has been noted.
Decisions on parole boards only consider what risk a prisoner could pose to the public upon release and whether that risk is controllable in the community.
‘A panel will investigate the damage done and the effects the crime has had on the victims in addition to closely reviewing a vast spectrum of information, including specifics of the initial crime and any indications of behaviour modification.
Members review and absorb hundreds of pages of data and reports leading up to an oral hearing.
Then presented during the court is evidence from witnesses, including psychologists, psychiatrists, probationary officials monitoring the criminal in jail, and the victim’s personal testimony.
Then, throughout the hearing—often lasting a whole day or more—the prisoner and witnesses are extensively questioned.
Reviewing parole calls for excellent care and thoroughness. Our first concern is public protection.
Families of the many child victims will be able to express their opinions on Blanchard’s possible release in impact statements to experts.
George brutally refused to provide authorities with the identities of every one of her victims, causing families to live in ‘hell’ for ten years.
2020 saw Colin Blanchard’s last appeal turned down.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.