A paedophile who wanted to travel to countries with lower ages of consent has been banned from leaving the UK. Jason Leonard, 37, told police that ‘if a child is old enough to talk it’s old enough to have sex’ during interviews about his crimes. He was handed a sexual harm prevention order, banning him from leaving the UK without the consent of the chief constable. A detective revealed that Leonard had said his ideal partner would be aged between 12 and 14 and the only reason he was not acting on his desires was because of his elderly mother.
He previously said that paedophiles are being persecuted and treated like gay people ’40 years ago and Jews in the second world war’. He said he wanted to go abroad to avoid this persecution – his appeal was rejected. Leonard was jailed in 2013 for downloading pictures of children then sharing them online.
An initial order was deemed insufficient until a condition was added that he must have permission from a child’s parents or guardian if he wants to speak to children. He said it was ‘completely disproportionate’, but police disagreed.
‘Mr Leonard has expressed his desire to leave the country because he believes the police, judiciary and government in this country are persecuting paedophiles. He is very vocal and adamant about this persecution. ‘He believes that in the fullness of time paedophilia will be accepted in the same way that homosexuality is today.’
He added added: ‘[Leonard] has accepted that his mother, who he has a close connection with, is a factor in holding him back as to his sexual lifestyle. ‘He has indicated that when she dies, and she is an elderly woman in her 80s, he will go abroad to seek children. For me the only pro-social influence in his life at the moment is his mother and that’s purely because she is alive.’