Grant Allen

A 58-year-old man from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, faced the possibility of imprisonment after admitting to possessing an extreme pornographic video on his mobile phone, as reported by the Mansfield and Ashfield Chad on 12 November 2025.

Grant Allen, residing on Howard Road in Mansfield, was arrested on 20 June 2021 in connection with unrelated matters. During the arrest, police discovered a video on his phone depicting a woman engaging in sexual activity with a dog, according to Lucy Woodcock, the prosecuting counsel at Mansfield Magistrates' Court.

The court heard that the offence of possessing an extreme pornographic image carries a starting point of 12 months in custody, and a sexual harm prevention order would be imposed. Allen's defence solicitor explained that he had received the video in 2021, began watching it, realised its nature, and believed he had deleted it. However, the file transferred to his new phone during a data migration. There was no evidence that Allen had distributed the video or created it himself.

• Allen lost his job as a direct result of the offence and was subsequently reliant on benefits.
• He entered a prompt guilty plea, which the court acknowledged.
• The presiding magistrate noted the potential for a lengthy custodial sentence but indicated that custody might not be necessary in this instance.

The hearing took place at Mansfield Magistrates' Court on Rosemary Street. The case was adjourned pending a pre-sentence report from the probation service, with sentencing scheduled for 6 January 2026. Allen's admission marked the loss of his previously unblemished character.

This incident highlights the serious legal consequences under UK law for possessing extreme pornographic material, even if unintentionally retained, as outlined in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008.