John Alan Palmer

A successful businessman from Abergele, Conwy, has been sentenced to two years in prison following the discovery of a large collection of child sex abuse images on his electronic devices. John Alan Palmer, 49, who built a global manufacturing company with a £30 million turnover, was arrested in dramatic circumstances after leading police on high-speed car chases across mid Wales and Shropshire.

The case came to light in July when officers raided Palmer's home, prompted by an alert from an online child protection agency. During the search, police uncovered more than 400 indecent images of children, with nine classified at the most serious level of abuse. Additionally, emails were found in which Palmer claimed personal involvement in abuse, though the prosecution described these as 'fantasies that he was playing in a game of one-upmanship'. Palmer admitted 18 charges of possessing and distributing indecent pictures of children, alongside charges of dangerous driving.

At Mold Crown Court, Judge Niclas Parry addressed Palmer directly, stating: 'You now understand that what you were viewing for your own sexual gratification was actually happening to young children.' The judge highlighted Palmer's unhealthy interest in young girls and extreme abuse, leading to a two-year custodial sentence. Palmer was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years and subjected to a 10-year sexual offences prevention order.

The arrest itself was fraught with tension. Palmer evaded capture initially by initiating two high-speed pursuits. The first chase, in the Llandrindod Wells area of Powys, was abandoned due to concerns for public safety. A second pursuit occurred on the Oswestry by-pass, ending only when a stinger device deflated his tyres. As officers approached, Palmer began cutting himself with a craft knife, necessitating the use of a Taser to subdue him.

Defending Palmer, Richard Thomas noted the devastating personal consequences: Palmer had lost his 30-year business empire, his wife had divorced him, and his daughter no longer spoke to him. Despite his professional travels to America, Canada, and Europe, Palmer's actions have led to his downfall, as reported by BBC News in coverage of the sentencing at Mold Crown Court.