Man who intimidated family in child sex case and left mum 'living in fear' is jailed

A mum lives "constantly in fear" after a man repeatedly called her family following a child sex offence conviction.

Conrad Simmons, 61, was jailed this week after attempting to intimidate a witness connected to the case of jailed paedophile David Joseph McMullan, whose offences took place in Wirral.

McMullan, 33, was sentenced to 19 year in prison after a trial at Liverpool Crown Court in November 2020, where he pleaded guilty to four counts of rape of a child under the age of 16.

As the trial of McMullan went on, Simmons, of Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, made a series of unsolicited phone calls to the family in July and August 2022, and had even visited the family home in Wirral in September 2022 before the trial commenced.

The family reported the incidents to the police, who traced the mobile number to Simmons as he had visited McMullan in prison previously.

At a trial last month Simmons pleaded guilty to two counts of witness intimidation. Liverpool Crown Court heard from the mother of the victim and the "immeasurable impact" the two cases had on their family.

She said: "We were prepared for the original case to be concluded in 2022 and as a mum, my priority was to make sure my children and I felt safe in the knowledge that David McMullan was sentenced for his vile crimes against my daughter, and we had the time and help to recover and heal from the terrible ordeal.

“The two defendants have ensured this has not been possible and know our address and went to such lengths to try and intimidate us which weighs heavy on my mind. I am constantly in fear."

She added: “I have suffered immensely and struggled coping with each individual issues of my children have faced because of this crime. I have had lived in fear of the defendants committing further offences. It has been hard, and attending the various appointments for my children as a result of what has happened has put a lot of strain on me. I am always anxious that the defendants are following us to commit further offences against us.

“They committed their offences believing themselves to be above the law, contacting me on my mobile and visiting our home to intimidate us.”

Simmons was sentenced to three years in jail this week, and was also given a lifetime restraining order preventing him from contacting the family.

DC Jennifer Davies from Merseyside Police, who led the investigation, said: “This has been very traumatic for the victim and her family. They have been extremely brave throughout the judicial process, and especially having to go through this twice which has taken a huge toll on their lives.

“Judge Driver praised the family for their dignity shown throughout the court proceedings. He said Simmons actions of witness intimidation was sophisticated and planned over a period of many months. His actions made the family feel threatened and caused insurmountable distress.

“This has been a long and complex investigation with the assistance of Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI), which highlights the importance of police forces work together across borders to bring criminals to justice.

“I would like to praise the victim and her family for their commitment and courage to seek justice, and I hope this brings closure for them to move on in their lives.”