Lie detector helps jail '˜dangerous' Hemel Hempstead paedophile Alan Connolly

A man has been jailed for six years for a number of sex offences against two children including a boy aged under 13.

Alan Connolly, 33, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault on the boy, one count of taking indecent photographs of a child and three counts of making indecent images of children.

Connolly, who appeared at Luton Crown Court yesterday, was arrested for downloading indecent images in September before admitting to further offences following a voluntary polygraph test, commonly known as a lie detector.

He has been ordered to register as a sex offender as well as abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) indefinitely.

Detective Sergeant Michael Birch, who was the Senior Investigating Officer, said: “Connolly is a dangerous individual and a risk to children. His predatory behaviour has had a profound effect on his victims and their families so I hope this sentence is of some comfort to them.

“This case is a perfect example of how valuable polygraphs can be in securing disclosures from suspects.

“Although it is not evidential, it greatly assists in assessing the risk factor of suspects to vulnerable children.”