John Richard Copley Tesseyman

John Richard Copley Tesseyman, a 73-year-old resident of Ingleton near Lancaster, has been imprisoned for his involvement in child sexual abuse material originating from the Philippines. As part of a targeted investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA), Tesseyman was identified for making multiple payments to a Filipino family known to facilitate the sexual abuse of children.

Between March and October 2017, Tesseyman transferred approximately £2,700 across 53 payments to payees in the Philippines. These funds were directly linked to the commissioning of child abuse. During his visit to the Philippines, he was detained on suspicion of child sexual abuse offences by officers from the National Bureau of Investigation. Although released and allowed to return to the UK, he was arrested several weeks later by NCA officers at his home in Ingleton, Carnforth.

Upon arrest, NCA officers seized Tesseyman's computers, which contained over 70 indecent images of children, categorised A to C, with category A representing the most severe material. Among these were images of a Filipino child subjected to abuse. His internet search history further revealed a strong sexual preoccupation with young children, including graphic descriptions of child sexual abuse.

Tesseyman faced charges on four counts of making indecent photographs of children. On 24 November 2023, he appeared in court and was sentenced to 13 months' imprisonment. Additionally, he was made subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and registered as a sex offender. He is also prohibited from travelling to several countries, including the Philippines, for five years.

The Filipino couple who facilitated the abuse depicted in some of the images have been charged with offences related to the sexual exploitation of children. One of them has been convicted and is serving a 15-year prison term in Manila.

Daniel Waywell, Senior Investigating Officer at the NCA, commented: 'The Philippines remains a key focus of our work to prevent child sexual abuse by UK nationals, and we have cultivated a close working relationship with partners in the area to combat these crimes. The investigation into John Tesseyman was the result of a concerted effort from NCA officers and our colleagues overseas, demonstrating our resolve to pursue and bring to justice individuals who pose a sexual threat to children.' This case underscores the NCA's ongoing international collaboration to tackle child sexual exploitation.