Latest Offenders

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A 45-year-old man has been jailed for sexually exploiting a teenage girl.

Trevor Scanlon of Briarwood Road, Ewloe, appeared for sentencing at Mold Crown Court on Thursday, 22 October.

He previously admitted a charge of causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child over several months.

Scanlon was jailed for two years and eight months and must register with the police as a sex offender for life.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order until further order.

Scanlon was reported to police when the victim’s parents found multiple payments totalling over £400 had been made by him to their daughter through an app.

He had been engaging in sexual conversations with the victim who was 16 at the time, requesting images in exchange for payment and sending disturbing messages of his wishes to sexually abuse her.

Speaking following sentencing, Detective Inspector Daniel George said:

“I commend the victim for her patience and her bravery throughout the investigation. It is hoped that the sentencing allows for some closure and supports her in moving forward with her life.

“Our message to those who target children for sexual exploitation is clear: we will investigate, we will pursue the evidence, and we will hold offenders to account.

"Tackling violence against women and girls remains a foremost priority for North Wales Police and we will continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe."

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Convicted Sex Offender Furqan Khalil Absconds from Court After Assaulting 14-Year-Old

A 28-year-old convicted sex offender has absconded from court after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl while trying to illegally sell her a vape.

Furqan Khalil, of Rishton Lane, Bolton, failed to appear at Chester Crown Court on Friday, October 9, where he was due to be sentenced. A jury had convicted him of one count of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a child at the end of a four-day trial on Thursday, August 27. He was acquitted of a similar offence alleged to have taken place moments earlier against the same girl.

Police have issued a mugshot and a warrant for his arrest. Jurors heard that Khalil touched the girl intimately without consent at Cheshire Mobile and E-Cigarettes on Market Way after offering to sell her a vape despite her age. She reported the incident immediately, leading to a Cheshire Police investigation and his charge.

Khalil had been on bail. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Cheshire Police on 101 or via the force website, quoting reference 26000837298.

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A rapist who subjected a highly vulnerable woman to almost four years of sexual abuse has been jailed.

The victim was attacked by Darren Wingrove on a number of occasions between January 2013 and December 2016 in Nottinghamshire.

Police began an investigation when the victim reported being raped by Wingrove to a paramedic.

Following an investigation by detectives, Wingrove, aged 53, now of Charles Street, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales, pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault.

At Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (16 October) he was jailed for a total of 14 years.

Wingrove was also made the subject of an indefinite restraining order to further protect the victim.

Detective Sergeant Alan Braisby, from Nottinghamshire Police's rape and serious sexual offences team, said:

"This was predatory and degrading sexual abuse targeting an extremely vulnerable woman.

"Wingrove is a bully who believed he could conceal his offending because of the victim's vulnerabilities. 

“She, by contrast, has been both brave and resilient during interviews with police and during court proceedings.

"This case has faced a number of unforeseen delays, but I hope after these years of turmoil in her life, this outcome in court will help her to rebuild her life.

“I also hope the sentencing of Wingrove will further encourage other victims of rape and sexual abuse to come forward and report offenders.

“Our experienced officers are here to support the victims of appalling crimes like this.

"I'd like to thank the officer in the case for her hard work, which has ultimately resulted in this outcome in court."

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A man has today been found guilty of murdering his stepdaughter, who he was sexually obsessed with.

Carla Georgescu (pictured below) was found dead in her student accommodation on her 20th birthday, after the defendant Nathan Owens had travelled from Hartlepool the night before to kill her.

Carla had her whole life ahead of her. She was described by a professional as ‘intelligent, gentle and articulate’. She was a student in Preston, studying Clinical Psychology at undergraduate, with plans for the future to take post-graduate studies in Romania. Carla had friends, in fact, she was meant to travel to Romania the day after she was found, with her friend to meet her boyfriend the first time.

Owens took all of that away from her.

The weekend before she was killed, Carla’s mum came to Preston to stay with her – they shopped together, went out for dinner and stayed in Carla’s halls. On the Sunday, Owens travelled from their home in Hartlepool to meet them and they went out for dinner to celebrate Carla’s upcoming birthday.

Unbeknownst to Carla or her mum, Owens had harboured a sexual obsession with her. He had doctored childhood photographs of her to make them indecent images, he had photographed her without her knowledge in their house, and he had filmed himself carrying out sexual acts, on occasion in Carla’s bedroom, and with an effigy.

At around 9pm on 1st February, Carla and her mum said goodbye. Neither of them knew that this would be the last time they saw each other.

In the early hours of 4th February, Owens travelled again to Preston. He didn’t tell Carla’s mum that he was leaving, or where he was going. She had gone to sleep thinking her daughter was safe.

Owens messaged Carla, pretending that he and her mum were coming to pick up a purse her mum had left behind – that was a lie.

Two and a half hours later, he parked in a side street, rather than his usual parking space at the halls of residence. He then covered his head with a blanket, and was let in to the halls by Carla, who still thought he was coming to pick up her mum’s purse.

The CCTV of Carla letting Owens in was the last time she was seen alive.

Owens followed Carla to her room where he subjected her to a violent and sexual assault and killed her. He then staged the scene to look like Carla had taken her own life.

When our officers attended the scene, this was the initial thought, but they quickly became concerned about something untoward at the scene, and further enquiries were conducted.

After killing Carla, Owens left her halls taking a different route, covering his face with a facemask, carrying bags filled with evidence and using Carla’s umbrella and wearing her shoes.

He returned home as though nothing had happened, disposing of the evidence on his route.

Officers attended Owens’ home to inform him and Carla’s mum of her death, and again on our behalf to ask Owens why he had been caught on CCTV at 4am in Carla’s halls. He lied to those officers saying he was there to pick his wife up after she had been visiting. She couldn’t catch him out in his lies as she was asleep upstairs at the time.

Owens was clearly worried he was going to be found out, as he began to make internet searches after the officers left, including ‘i think the police think im guilty’.

Our detectives soon returned to Owens’ address and arrested him on suspicion of Carla’s murder.

Owens (pictured below) was brought to custody, where he was interviewed. During those interviews all he said was a fleeting 

denial that he had anything to do with her death and had caused her no injury.

Following a consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Owens, 34, of no fixed abode, formerly of Hartlepool, was charged with Murder, assault causing grievous bodily harm and intentional strangulation. He was later charged with two counts of making an indecent photograph of a child and taking an indecent photograph of a child. Carla is the victim of all of these charges.

Owens pleaded not guilty to the murder, meaning that the evidence of his crimes, and of Carla’s final moments were played out in court. He chose not to give evidence in the trial, offering no explanation for his actions. Today, after hearing all of the evidence, and deliberating for for just over three hours, a jury convicted him of Carla’s murder. He previously admitted to the counts of making an indecent photograph of a child.

He will appear back in the dock tomorrow (23rd October) to be sentenced.

DI Pete Macdonald, of our Force Major Investigation Team said:

“Carla was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her, a life that was taken away by someone she should have been able to trust.

“Owens had a despicable, perverted sexual obsession with his stepdaughter, an obsession that ended with him killing her. He has now been brought to justice for his crimes.

“I thank the jury for returning a guilty verdict, as well as the prosecution counsel, Nicholas Lumley K.C, Adam Birkby, Barrister, my investigation team and the Crown Prosecution Service for all of their efforts to obtain justice for Carla.

“No verdict brings Carla back, but I hope that her mum and the rest of her loved ones can feel some sense of justice that the man responsible for taking her future away has been brought to justice.”

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We are reappealing for your help to find wanted man Kieran Harrison.

Harrison, 27, from Barnsley, is wanted under the Sexual Offences Act.

We first appealed for information about Harrison’s whereabouts in 2024 and we remain eager to trace him as we also have concerns for his safety.

Since our initial appeal we have continued to carry out multiple enquiries and checks to find him, but we need your help.

We want to hear from anyone who has seen or spoken to Harrison recently, or knows where he might be staying.

Harrison has links to Northampton and Lincolnshire.

If you see Harrison, please do not approach him, but instead call 999. If you have any other information about where he might be, you can contact us via our online live chat, our online portal or by calling 101. Please quote investigation number 14/150399/22 when you get in touch.

You can access our online portal here:  https://www.southyorkshire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

Alternatively, if you prefer not to give your personal details, you can stay anonymous and pass on what you know by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers.

Call their UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111 or complete a simple and secure anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org.

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Sami Aharroud, 74, has been jailed for 10 years for a rape committed more than 20 years ago.

His offence came to light when the victim bravely come forward in 2022.

Aharroud, from Splott, Cardiff, denied rape but was found guilty following a trial at Newport Crown Court  in July 2026.

He was sentenced at Merthyr Crown Court on October 12, 2026, to 10 years in prison with an additional three years extended license.

He continues to be subject a Restraining Order and Sexual Harm Prevention Order to further protect the victim.

Officer in the case, Detective Sergeant Stacey Bolton from South Wales Police, said:

“The victim has shown tremendous strength throughout the process, having lived with the impact of Aharroud’s actions for over twenty years before feeling ready to contact police.

“She then supported a protracted investigation and bravely, with the support of family, attended court where she read out a Victim Impact Statement.

“We hope the outcome gives some peace of mind that justice has finally been done, and she has our very best wishes as she continues to heal from this whole ordeal.

“This case is yet another example of why it is never too late for victims of sexual offences to come forward.”

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A man has been jailed for 12 years for a series of non-recent sexual and violent offences in Edinburgh.

Ian Whyte, 62, was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Wednesday, 21 October, 2026.

He has also been placed on the sex offenders register.

He had previously been found guilty of the offences, including rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and assault, at the same court on Wednesday, 2 September.

The offences were committed between December 1978 and May 1998, against victims aged from an infant to 15-years-old.

Following an extensive investigation, he was arrested and charged by officers.

Detective Inspector Steph Garnett said:

“This was a complex investigation and our thoughts are with the victims. I hope the sentence helps them to come to terms with the abuse they suffered.

“Whyte will now face the consequences of his despicable actions.

“Police Scotland takes all reports of sexual abuse seriously. Regardless of the passage of time, we will investigate and bring those responsible to justice.

“We remain committed to supporting victims of sexual crime and protecting children from harm and abuse.

“I would urge anyone who is a victim of abuse to speak to police in the knowledge you will be listened to, taken seriously and fully supported.”

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A man from Neath Port Talbot has been jailed after he was found guilty of rape.

44-year-old Damien Samuel, from Port Talbot, carried out the attack against a female victim in December 2022.

Samuel pleaded not guilty to one count of rape in March 2025, but was found guilty in September following a trial at Swansea Crown Court.

He has now been sentenced to eight years in prison. He has been handed a 20-year restraining order against the victim and will be on the sex offenders register for life. 

Detective Constable Ryan Blackburn said:

“Damien Samuel took advantage of his victim before asking her to keep quiet about what he had done – clear proof that he knew that his actions were illegal.

“The victim has shown tremendous bravery in quickly coming forward and reporting what Damien Samuel did to police. A thorough investigation has then taken place, which has resulted in a guilty verdict.

“To anyone else who has been a victim of a sexual offence – this case should be an encouraging example that reporting what happened to police will result in any perpetrator being brought to justice.”

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A child sex offender has been sentenced to 18 years in prison plus a further six years on extended licence after pleading guilty to 17 charges including rape.

Edward Howard, 34, of Warren Road, Torquay, appeared at Exeter Crown Court for sentence on Thursday 22 October, after pleading guilty at a hearing on Thursday 20 August.

Of the 17 charges, four were against the same victim - rape of a girl under 13, two counts of attempted assault by penetration of girl under 13, making an indecent photograph of a child.

He also pleaded guilty to:

Two counts of making an indecent photograph of a child – Category A

Two counts of making an indecent photograph of a child – Category B

Two counts of making an indecent photograph of a child – Category C

Three counts of distributing an indecent image of a child, one for Category A, one for Category B and one for Category C.

Possession of extreme pornography.

Three counts of sexual communication with a child.

Howard was first arrested in December 2025 when information was received that he had uploaded indecent images of children to the internet.

Further examination of his mobile phone revealed a large quantity of indecent images of children of each category.

Evidence was located on the device of sexual communications with three children.

It also contained images that he had taken himself of one victim.

The victim later disclosed that he had sexually assaulted her on more than one occasion.

Following the sentencing, officer in the case Detective Constable Ryan McGregor said:

“This was a complex and disturbing investigation led by the Devon and Cornwall Paedophile Online Investigation Team.

“It showcases the importance of building a strong case through tenacious work and providing as much evidence as possible to leave the offender little alternative other than to plead guilty.

“We would like to commend the incredible courage and strength of the victim in speaking out. She has been supported by her family and specially trained officers throughout and I do not underestimate the impact this has had on her. We hope this outcome will offer some comfort to the victim and her family.

“We welcome today’s sentence. We will never stop investigating such offences to safeguard children and protect the public from those who seek to hurt children. For those tempted to engage in this type of behaviour, our message is simple: we are watching you, you will be caught, and you can expect a knock at the door from us very soon.

“We also hope this sentence will provide reassurance to other victims of sexual offending to help give them the confidence to report to us. No matter who is involved or when it happened, we will do whatever is in our power to bring offenders to justice, protect and support survivors, and enable the truth to be uncovered about these terrible crimes.”

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A man has been jailed for breaching the requirements of a Sex Offenders Order.

Mebrahtom Abrha was sentenced to six months imprisonment on Monday 19 October after being found guilty of two counts of failing to comply with the requirements of a Sex Offenders Order following a four-day trial at Chester Crown Court.

Over the course of his trail, it was heard that Abrha, who is of Grace Road, Ellesmere Port, but is originally from Eritrea, had previously been handed a 15 year sentence in 2016 after he was convicted of rape.

As part of the sentence, the 36-year-old was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life, with the requirements that he must notify police of any banking accounts he had access to or registered for.

In April 2026, shortly after his release from prison, officers from the Sex Offenders Management Unit (SOMU) visited Abrha alongside probation teams.

As part of the visit, officers examined Abrha's devices and discovered that he had two online banking apps on his mobile phone. During a subsequent search, they also found two bank cards on his person.

Checking their management systems, it was found that Abrha had not disclosed to officers that he had opened for these accounts, a clear breach of his Sex Offenders Order.

Following his arrest, the 35-year-old would tell officers that he did not understand the terms of his order as English was his second language.

This was in spite of him having conversed with police and probation teams in fluent English, previously having the requirements of the order explained to him in depth by SOMU officers and him signing the document itself confirming that he understood what was required of him.

He also went on to say he thought that he needed to register bank accounts with officers once he had set them up, deposited money into them and been sent a banking card, claiming that he would have registered them given the chance.

Constable Jones, of the Sex Offender’s Management Unit, said:

“Abrha told police that, despite being handed court order that was to remain active for the remainder of his life, he had not actually read the terms and did not understand what was required of him to keep him out prison.

"He also attempted to justify his actions by claiming he did not know that his banking accounts were active until he had deposited any money into them and was sent a physical card.

“It was this clear breach, paired with the fact that he had only just begun the licence period of his sentence, that resulted in him being promptly arrested and returned to police custody and later charged.

“Sex Offenders Orders are put in place to keep members of the public safe from dangerous offenders, and we treat any breaches with the utmost seriousness and will always take immediate action.”

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A man has today, Wednesday 21 October, been jailed for eight-and-a-half years after being convicted of a rape in Liverpool.

On Saturday 23 November 2024 a woman reported she had been the victim of rape at a property in Toxteth.

Following enquiries, including a CCTV appeal, a man was arrested and charged and today Mohammed Benradi, 27, a Moroccan national, of Hatherley Street, London, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing.

Detective Constable Andrew Littler of our specialist Unity Team said:

“Benradi is behind bars where he belongs and I hope his sentence will give his victim a degree of closure and allow her to move on with her life.

“If you or someone you know has been the victim of a sexual offence, please be assured that we have specially trained officers to guide you through the process.”

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A children’s gymnastics coach who was found with more than 17,000 indecent images of children has been jailed.

Aaron Strachan was arrested on suspicion of making indecent images of children in August 2024 after police received information that the 26-year-old could have indecent material on his phone.

Officers found a total of 17,147 indecent images of children on the phone, mainly of young or pre-pubescent boys.

These included 6,080 category C images, 6,028 category B images and 5,039 category A images – the most severe.

Also found on the phone were 56 group chats from a messaging app where indecent images were requested and shared, including by Strachan.

In interview, Strachan, of Robertson Way, Sapley, Huntingdon, denied any knowledge of the indecent images found on his phone.

He claimed he had no idea how the material may have got there but then suggested he may have left his phone unlocked and that someone else could have accessed it at work – despite evidence that the images were downloaded, viewed and shared at various times of the day and night over several months.

However, on the day his trial was due to begin, Strachan pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of distributing an indecent image or video.

He was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday (16 October) where he was handed a total of three years and four months in prison.

He was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) for 20 years, to monitor any future offending, and was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Detective Constable Matthew Walshe, who investigated, said:

“Strachan was found with many indecent images of pre-pubescent boys, while working as a gymnastics coach teaching boys of a similar age.

“While none of the children in the indecent images on Strachan’s phone have been found to be children he knew or worked with, every one of those 17,147 images represents a child who was sexually abused or exploited.

“Strachan’s own safeguarding training will have taught him the horrific consequences such abuse carries for every child.

“Despite the weight of evidence and knowledge of his guilt, he pleaded not guilty to delay justice as long as possible before changing his plea at the beginning of the trial. He is a committed paedophile who is now facing the consequences of his actions, which includes never working with children again.”

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A Gillingham sex offender whose phone was searched the day he was released from prison has been jailed.

Officers made an unannounced visit to Ian Foreman’s home on The Willows on 1 July 2026 and reviewed his phone as part of a previously imposed Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The checks uncovered conversations in which the messaging platform’s ‘view once’ feature had been used multiple times, breaching a condition of his SHPO in which he can’t delete messages from his phone. He was charged with this breach on 5 August.

Second review

A further review of his mobile device took place during a scheduled meeting at Medway Police Station on Monday 18 August. Foreman, 40, admitted having met a woman for sexual activity, however no messages could be found between the two.

Enquiries showed the pair had been in communication for five days, identifying that he had deleted numerous messages.

Two more incidents of ‘one time view’ messages being used were also identified.

Foreman was consequently arrested and charged with two further breaches.

Court

He pleaded guilty to all three charges at Maidstone Crown Court in August, and appeared before the same court on Tuesday 13 October for sentencing.

Foreman was sentenced to 9 months’ imprisonment for the SHPO breaches with an additional year added for breaching a suspended sentence.

Investigating officer Police Constable Harriette Barraclough said:

‘Foreman wilfully disobeyed the restrictions that he was fully aware were in place through his SHPO.

‘These orders are in place to lower offenders’ risk to the public in general, and he has been rightly imprisoned for his persistent breaches of this safeguarding tool.

‘We hope this sentence will make him realise he cannot do as he pleases without suffering severe consequences as a result.’

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A man from Chesterton has been jailed after being found guilty of a number of sex offences committed while the victim was heavily sedated.

Following a four-day trial Benjamin Warner, 28, from Heath Street, Chesterton was found guilty of four counts of rape, assault by penetration, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and sexual assault.

Warner appeared at Liverpool Crown Court to on 20 October to be sentenced to 14 years in prison. He was also handed an indefinite restraining order in relation to the victim and required to sign the sex offenders register for life.

The incidents involved one woman in the Congleton area while she was heavily sedated and unable to consent.

DC Brett Oliver said:

“After refusing to provide his pin code for his seized mobile phone and also denying to interviewing officers that he had video recorded these offences, our Digital Forensics Unit were able to get into his mobile phone.

“Once in, I was able to find video recordings of him committing these heinous acts. Despite the evidence he refused to admit he had committed any crimes and refused to comment during his interview meaning we had to go to trial and the victim had to go through the ordeal of that.

“Thankfully the jury agreed with the evidence stacked against him and he is now facing a significant amount of time behind bars.

“I’d like to thank the victim for her bravery and hope that this conviction will help in some small way to her recovery from her horrific ordeal.”

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Vincent Maunder, 45, jailed for 12 months over SHPO breach

Registered sex offender Vincent Maunder has been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The 45-year-old, originally from Halifax, was found guilty at Isle of Wight Crown Court of using an internet-capable MSI Cyborg 15 laptop and deleting its browsing history on 2 April, in breach of restrictions imposed by Bradford Crown Court on 12 December 2024.

Maunder was arrested in Newport in April after an incident off Long Lane, charged, and remanded in custody. He had previously received suspended sentences for similar breaches before receiving a custodial sentence in December 2024. He had been released by April and travelled to the Isle of Wight.

He pleaded not guilty on 26 June but was convicted on 15 October. His Honour Judge Ashworth imposed the 12-month term, with time spent on remand to be taken into account for his release date.