Second Team Katalyst youth worker sentenced for child abuse images

A SECOND youth worker from troubled performance centre Team Katalyst - which reopened under a new name - has admitted accessing child abuse images.
Jason O'HanlonJason O'Hanlon
Jason O'Hanlon

Jason O’Hanlon (24), of Beech Road, Wath, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court when he admitted one count of making indecent images of children.

The court heard O’Hanlon, who had been due to stand trial before pleading guilty, had been found with five category A videos - the most extreme level - between January and June last year.

Judge Peter Kelson QC gave O’Hanlon a two-year conditional discharge on Tuesday, telling him: “There are remarkably few images in this case.

“They were severe but extremely few in number.

“In these circumstances, I’ve got confidence we will never see each other again.

“A two-year conditional discharge might be lenient, but it keeps you under the control of the court for two years.

“If you breach that, you will be at risk of a prison sentence.”

The judge also handed O’Hanlon a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which means he will have to make the internet search history on any devices he owns available to an officer upon request.

O’Hanlon previously worked at Team Katalyst on Mangham Road, Parkgate, and states on his Linkedin professional profile that he worked for Rotherham Borough Council as a youth worker between 2011 and 2014, and as a boxing instructor for South Yorkshire Police between 2015 and 2016.

Team Katalyst rebranded as NovaCity Ltd in January after its former director, Richard Codd, pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children and one count of possessing extreme pornography involving an animal. He was given a 36-month community order.

An RMBC spokeswoman said the investigation into Team Katalyst was ongoing.

When the Advertiser contacted O’Hanlon for comment, he said he had been “left with no option but to plead guilty because of the evidence against him”.

When asked if he felt sorry for what he had done, he said: “I’ve got no answer to that,” and hung up.

A statement from NovaCity said “safeguarding was at the forefront of its operations” and standards were “managed externally by local councils”.

The company added that the incident did not involve NovaCity or its young members.

It took place at a residential address and concerned an ex member of staff of Team Katalyst,” the statement said, adding that NovaCity had “worked with police and safeguarding teams to ensure the safety of young people during the process.”