A former Oxford University scientist has been jailed after pleading guilty to charges of sexual assault on a toddler and the possession of 20,000 images of child pornography.
Andrew Lintern, 55, pleaded guilty to 31 charges at Southwark Crown Court on Monday. These included an indecent assault on a 17-month infant, taking sexualised photographs of his victims and distributing the images.
Lintern, who used to work as a chemistry researcher at Oxford, was caught by the London Metropolitan Police’s Paedophile Unit while posing as a 9-year-old girl on an online messenger service.
Lintern contacted someone he believed to be a 13-year old girl, who was, in fact, an undercover police officer. Police arrested Lintern after he arranged to meet the “13-year-old.”
The former chemist is suspected to have indulged in paedophilic activities for the last 10 years. He has been found to collect stories describing the rape and murder of children. He also wore nappies while at home.
Detective sergeant Jason Tunn from the Met’s Paedophile Unit said, “certainly by 2002 he was abusing children hands-on… He is a dangerous sexual predator on children.”
Judge Geoffrey Rivlin QC said that the evidence raised “concerns about [Lintern’s] state of mind.” He considered him to be “a significant threat to the public.”
He told Lintern, “taken all in all, the charges you have pleaded guilty to amount to such a great catalogue of offences involving child abuse that it is difficult to grasp the scale of your offending.
“And it is just as difficult to grasp what has prompted a man like yourself to become steeped in activities involving the serious exploitation of children and the literally immeasurable harm that was done to them.”
Lintern was given an Indeterminate Public Protection sentence, with the minimum jail time of three-and-a-half years. He will only be freed if the release is approved by the parole board or the Secretary of State, and will otherwise face an indeterminate sentence.
Jason Tunn commented, “the probation officer that assessed him, the judge and the psychologist agreed that the risk of re-offending is high and the fact that he’s been given an indeterminate sentence reflects that.”
Some have found the sentence to be insufficient. A second-year medic from Christ Church said, “three and a half years minimum is a disgustingly short sentence for someone who basically was planning to rape a thirteen year old girl. Even if he doesn’t get out that soon, that the minimum was set so low really trivialises rape and that is going to put women and children at risk.”
Rosanna McBeath, OUSU VP for welfare, commented, “I’m shocked and disgusted to hear about this case. It is upsetting to hear that someone who was once part of the Oxford community committed such heinous actions. If anyone at the University was affected by this, I would urge them to seek support.”
A first year CAAH student commented, “that’s really disturbing. It’s scary that there are people around like that. You think of Oxford as a safe place and put your trust in the people who work here… this news comes and it makes you feel sick.”
A third-year Magdalen student added, “it’s horrifying to think that this pervert ever had a connection with a teaching institution; even more horrifying that the institution is the same one I go to. The man was clearly messed up.”
The University refused to comment on whether Lintern could have posed a threat to students and staff during his career at Oxford.
A National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children spokesperson noted, “we must not forget the fact that behind many abusive images are real children. Receiving or downloading abusive images of children perpetuates its production and reinforces the cycle of sexual exploitation.”
