Latest Offenders

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A 21-year-old Newhaven man has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison for multiple child sex offences.

At Lewes Crown Court on Monday (17 August), Samuel Carragher, of Acacia Road, pleaded guilty to 33 counts .

They included causing or inciting a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity, causing or inciting a child to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity, paying for sexual services of a child, sexual communication with a child, threaten to share a photograph or film of a person in an intimate state, threatening to share intimate photographs or film, causing a child to watch a sexual act, sending a photograph or film of genitals, distributing indecent photographs of a child and making indecent photographs of children.

Carragher’s crimes took place between 2022 and 2025 and involved 14 girls aged between 12 and 15.

An investigation was launched in June 2025, after Sussex Police were alerted to suspicious online activity. He was arrested on 26 June 2025, and a number of devices were seized from his address.

These revealed a myriad of online child sexual exploitation against numerous young girls around the country.  Many of the offences involved instructing and inciting the children to engage in sexual acts, and offering payment for the images.  Carragher then distributed these images to other children and to other adult men.

Carragher was sentenced to 10 years and six months in custody, plus a three-year extended licence period.

Detective Constable Ana Wellfare, from the Online Child Abuse Team, said:

“Carragher’s actions were appalling and involved a large number of children. The impact his behaviour had on his young victims cannot be underestimated.

“Such crimes cause lasting harm and have no place in our society.

“Carragher will now spend a significant period behind bars, where he can no longer pose any threat to children or the wider public.

“We take all reports of abuse extremely seriously. If you believe you may be a victim, or know someone who might be, please come forward. We will listen, and we will support you.”

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Clive Siddall jailed more than 40 years after raping and sexually abusing two young girls

A survivor of sexual abuse has spoken out after her abuser was jailed more than four decades later. In the early 1980s, Clive Siddall (born 03/05/1945), formerly of Oxted, raped one young girl and sexually abused another. Both victims knew him and long believed he would never face justice. He has now been imprisoned for those crimes.

In their victim impact statements, the women described the lasting harm. One said: “I had my life mapped out. I dreamt of joining the RAF and becoming a nurse.” She never returned to school after the abuse. “I was no longer able to concentrate and learning seemed pointless, as my future felt destroyed.” She added that the abuse left her life lacking “purpose, direction, and control.”

The other stated: “The feeling of having nobody to turn to or rely on has pushed me into making reckless decisions in my life.” Both struggled with mental health and turned to alcohol and drugs to cope. They described lasting difficulties forming relationships. One said: “I’m not sure I know what love is” and “I have built walls around me to protect myself from being hurt, but these walls also mean that nobody can get in.”

Both carried guilt into adulthood, fearing they had failed to stop Siddall from abusing others and blaming themselves for years.

In 2022, one victim disclosed the abuse to a medical professional, who reported it to police. Siddall denied the allegations when interviewed, responding “not true” and “no way.” He was charged in April 2024 with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault on a girl under 16, and four counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14.

A jury at Kingston Crown Court found him guilty of all six offences after a trial in March. On 14 July at Guildford Crown Court, Siddall was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment: 10 years for rape and two years for indecent assault (consecutive), plus a concurrent total of three years and three months for the remaining four indecent assault counts.

Investigating officer DC Fiona Clare said:

“Clive Siddall was in a position of trust in his victims’ lives, and he exploited this in the worst possible way. It is possible that he will now spend the remainder of his life in prison.

“Although this will not give the two survivors back the years of trauma they’ve lived through, I hope it brings them some relief to know that he is no longer able to hurt them or anyone else.

“Their courage is the reason Siddall is behind bars, and I hope that they can use this result as the starting point for the rest of their lives.”

If you have been a victim of sexual offences, it is never too late to report. Advice, information and a confidential online reporting form are available on our website. Every report is taken seriously.

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Mark Whitton jailed for 40 months over vast child abuse material haul

Mark Whitton, a 56-year-old from Land Street in Elgin, Moray, has been sentenced to 40 months in prison after police found more than 40,000 indecent images of children and over 12 days’ worth of child abuse videos at his home.

Whitton appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court on Tuesday 18 August, where Sheriff Ian Cruickshank imposed the sentence (discounted for a guilty plea and backdated to July). He was also made subject to a seven-year sexual harm prevention order restricting his internet access and contact with children, and will remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Officers executed a search warrant at his address in October 2025. Whitton told them: “everything is over for me.” He admitted having three hard drives containing images of children. In total, investigators recovered 41,077 images of child sexual abuse and 2,316 videos whose combined runtime exceeded 302 hours (more than 12 days). Material included infants as young as one year old.

A further 418 images and 985 videos of extreme pornography were found, with a total runtime of more than 511 hours (over 21 days). Much of this material depicted bestiality.

Fiscal depute Emily Hood told the court that a laptop belonging to Whitton contained 152 inaccessible images, including AI-generated pictures of boys and girls aged between one and 14. The images showed children engaged in sexual activity with adults and other children, graded as 24 Category A (the most serious), 23 Category B and 105 Category C.

Analysis of the hard drives revealed thousands more images and videos across Categories A, B and C, including accessible and inaccessible files of children aged from three to 14. One hard drive alone held more than 16,000 inaccessible images and hundreds of videos of child abuse, plus extreme pornography involving animals. Another contained nearly 1,000 accessible videos of children “engaging in sexual posing,” while a third held over 19,000 accessible images and more than 1,000 videos of child sexual abuse material, again alongside bestiality content. Ms Hood described some of the extreme material as “of women engaging activity with animals, mostly dogs.”

Whitton is now listed on our sex offenders database.

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Timothy O'Sullivan jailed for sex offender registration breach

Timothy O'Sullivan, 46, of Caerphilly (now of no fixed abode), has been sentenced to 12 weeks’ imprisonment after admitting he failed to comply with sex offender notification requirements.

O’Sullivan, a registered sex offender subject to a notification order under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, did not register at a police station by midnight on 4 August, as required by his seven-day registration obligations.

He appeared at Newport Magistrates’ Court and entered guilty pleas to the breach and to possessing cannabis in Cardiff on 8 August 2026.

The court noted the offence was committed during the operational period of a suspended sentence and cited a “flagrant disregard for court orders” in deciding to impose an immediate custodial term. Magistrates said the sentence would have been 18 weeks but for the guilty plea. O’Sullivan was also ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs.

No separate penalty was imposed for the cannabis offence, though the drug was ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.

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A registered sex offender from Gillingham has been jailed for failing to comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

In 2025, Jack Stevens was convicted of making indecent images of children and became subject to strict conditions on his conduct.

A 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) was put in place which included stringent restrictions around his use of the internet including using or possessing any electronic device capable of accessing the internet.

Visit

On 14 January 2026, investigators made a regular visit to Stevens’ home address and asked him if he had additional devices that they were unaware of.

He denied having anything which hadn’t been declared.

A search of the property by Police Dog Oakley located a Samsung tablet which had been wrapped in a curtain and hidden behind the bed.

The device was then seized and an indecent image, along with a prohibited image of a child was found.

Arrest

Stevens was arrested for breaching a SHPO due to owning this device and using alias names on social media.

Stevens, 23, of Grange Road, Gillingham, was charged on 15 January and remanded in custody.

He pleaded guilty to the offence at Maidstone Crown Court and on Thursday 13 August, Stevens was sentenced to 3 years and 2 months’ imprisonment.

He will also continue to be subject to a further 10 year SHPO.

Investigating officer, Police Constable Leona Valsler said:

‘As a force we do everything within our powers to ensure offenders like Stevens face justice.

‘PD Oakley was able to provide invaluable support during a search of Stevens' house and enabled us to safeguard children and convict a high risk registered offender.’

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A rapist who threatened to kill his victim after assaulting her in a secluded area of Tunbridge Wells has been jailed.

Kent Police received a report on 18 October 2025 that the teenager had been assaulted by an unknown man near Mount Ephraim Road.

Officers attended and obtained a report from the victim. She bravely retraced her movements to identify the location of the offence.

Details about the suspect were also provided including that he had approached the victim whilst riding a bike and told her his name was 'Rocco'.

Extensive enquiries took place, including a review of CCTV footage, which identified a suspect.

On 20 October, Rocco Minafra of Judd Road in Tonbridge was arrested. The 47 year old, who is an Italian national, was later charged with rape, 3 counts of sexual assault and threats to kill.

Minafra denied the charges but was convicted on 16 June 2026 following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court. He was sentenced at the same court on Tuesday 18 August 2026 to 10 years and 9 months' imprisonment. He was also issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting 15 years.

Detective Charlene Brent said:

'This was a terrifying and distressing ordeal for the victim who was assaulted by a stranger.

'I'd like to commend her bravery in reporting the offence, despite Minafra's threats towards her, and supporting the investigation. She provided key details to help identify the suspect and even went back to the scene with officers so they could find the exact location, which would have been especially hard for her.

'Despite Minafra trying to deny the offences, the diligent work from the investigation team proved he was lying. I hope the victim can find some form of closure knowing he is behind bars.'

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Kyle Thompson jailed for sexual assaults on two women

Kyle Thompson, 40, of Coniston Avenue, Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire, has been jailed after sexually assaulting two women in quick succession.

He appeared at Preston Crown Court charged with three counts of sexual assault on a female and one count of intentional strangulation. The offences took place on 21 February while Thompson was heavily intoxicated.

Thompson arrived at a property and, despite being told to leave, removed his trousers and tried to kiss the first victim. Judge Robert Altham said: “She says you tried to grab her face, and you used such force that you nearly broke her glasses.”

After she escaped, Thompson forced his way in, sexually assaulted a second woman and told her he was a registered sex offender.

Of the impact on the second victim, Judge Altham said: “The effect has been profound. She describes feeling frightened, shocked and sickened during the sexual assaults, and as a result she suffered fear and anxiety and felt it has impacted her health and everyday activities. It has had an impact on her confidence, well-being, and sense of security.”

Rachel Woods, mitigating, said Thompson pleaded guilty, has not drunk alcohol or taken drugs since the incidents, and is now on better terms with his family. She told the court: “He only has himself to blame; he is his own worst enemy. He has been grateful for the period of time in custody to become devoid of drink and drugs; in many ways, his incarceration has brought him and his family back together.”

Thompson was sentenced to four years and eight months, including an additional two months for breaching a suspended sentence.

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Jailed for four and a half years at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 4 August 2026 for one count of sexual communication with a child, three counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act and one count of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

Gurpreet Singh, 25, of Wolverhampton, was jailed after telling an undercover officer he “loved” schoolboys. He was caught in a police sting after messaging what he believed was a 14-year-old gay boy online.

Over weeks of conversations, Singh asked “shall we meet and have fun?”, admitted “I like youngsters”, sent explicit videos and suggested a hotel meeting. When told the decoy’s age he replied “I love under-18 boys” and, after the profile claimed inexperience, boasted “I have experience with virgins”.

Judge Jonathan Gosling described Singh as “gently grooming his target” but expressed “doubts that he would have had the gall to carry it through”.

Singh was also made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and must remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

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A prolific sexual offender is now behind bars thanks to the diligence, hard-work, and professionalism of specialist sexual abuse investigators.

In May, 21 year-old Nathan Behrens admitted eight child sexual offences including attempted rape, sexual assault, possessing of indecent images of a child.

The offences took place between 2022 and 2025 and involved a child as young as four.

Specialist officers who investigate child sexual abuse carefully, sensitively, and meticulously built a case against him.

They spoke to and supported the victims to take their accounts

As part of the investigation they identified that Behrens had searched for child pornography on the internet.

At Chelmsford Crown Court on 15 May, Behrens, of Julien Court Road, Braintree, admitted:

• Attempted rape
• Three counts of sexual assault
• Assault by penetration
• Possession or making of indecent images of children
• Engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child
• Casing a child to watch an image of sexual activity

At the same court on Friday 14 August he was jailed for 16 years with a further eight years on extended licence.

Detective Constable Kai Ishaq said:

“Nathan Behrens poses a significant risk to children. His actions have caused a great deal of harm to those affected and that can have a long-lasting effect.

“I want to pay tribute to the victims and their families in this case for the courage they have shown and thank them for trusting us to secure justice for them.

“Due to the meticulous investigation and the evidence we were able to build up against Behrens he has been left with no option but to admit his crimes and will now spend the foreseeable future behind bars.”

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A man who groomed a teenage girl and raped her has been jailed for 19 years.

George Scott, 39, pressured the victim for non-recent sexual activity in East Sussex.

The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has described how the abuse has had a “devastating and lifelong impact”.

Scott, of Beacon Road, Crowborough, was found guilty of 11 offences after trial, and appeared before Lewes Crown Court on 31 July.

He was sentenced to 19 years in prison, and must serve an extra two years on licence when released as part of an extended sentence.

It means he must serve at least two thirds of the sentence before he can be considered for parole, and could still be recalled to prison to serve the remainder of the sentence for an extra two years.

The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 25 years, which will restrict Scott’s unsupervised contact with children and access to computers or mobile phones without permission.

He was put on the sex offenders register indefinitely, and the court also imposed a restraining order not to contact the victim which will last until a further order is made.

The court was told how the non-recent offences related to Scott’s activities as a golf instructor. He groomed the victim, a girl under the age of 16, to commit sexual offences.

These included eight counts of sexual assault by penetration, one count of intentionally causing a girl under 16 to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity, one count of causing a girl under 16 to watch a third person engaging in sexual activity, and one count of being an adult in a position of trust who sexually touched a girl under the age of 18 on multiple occasions.

In her victim impact statement, the victim, who has a right to legal anonymity for life, said:

“I continue to fight everyday against the memories I wish I could forget.

“This has had a devastating and lifelong impact. I have lived with the consequences with flashbacks and intrusive memories. I often felt blamed and shamed for something that was never my fault.”

Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Mors Lambert said:

“I commend the courage of the victim for coming forward and reporting her experience to Sussex Police in this highly distressing case.

“It is clear that Scott groomed the victim and abused her in the most appalling way. She should have been able to trust him in his role, but he abused that trust by committing sexual offences over a two-year period.

“This was a complex investigation and we take reports of rape and serious sexual assaults extremely seriously. We were determined to get justice for the victim in this case.

“Scott is now serving a significant custodial sentence which reflects the severity of his offences as well as the profound impact it has had upon the victim.

“I would continue to encourage all victims of sexual offences to report their experiences to the police.”

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A man has been jailed for 19 years for multiple sex offences against a vulnerable young child, leaving her with ‘trauma for life’.

Trevor New-Watts, 57, of George Pope Close, Norwich, was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court on Friday (14 August 2026). He had previously denied committing his crimes but following a nine-day trial in July was found guilty of two counts of rape of a child, four counts of sexual assault of a child and two counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. 

Police launched an investigation on 6 December 2022 after receiving a call from a relative of the victim, a vulnerable young girl who had disclosed multiple offences against her. The girl had used drawings to explain where she had been touched and what had happened to her. All offences took place between August 2021 and December 2022.

Officers arrested New-Watts the same day and seized his mobile phone - further devices were also seized from his home address. Searches were found on his phone asking how long DNA evidence would last on his body. When New-Watts was questioned by police, he gave a 'no-comment' interview.

A relative of the victim said New-Watts had ‘stolen’ the girl's childhood, adding she'd been ‘left with physical, emotional, and psychological injury and trauma’.

In court Judge Mark Dennis described New-Watts' offending as 'wicked'. He sentenced him to 19-years in prison and issued him with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, an indefinite restraining order against the victim and placed him on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life. 

Following sentencing Detective Constable Tabitha Goodrum said:

“It took a great deal of bravery for this victim to talk about what happened to her especially at such a young age. What New-Watts did caused a great deal of trauma and continues to have a profound impact on the victim and their family’s life.

“Not only did New-Watts refuse to accept responsibility for what he has done, he has put the victim and their family through the ordeal of a trial. We would like to say thank you to them for coming forward to police and hope that the fact he is now behind bars will help, at least in some way, to seeing justice done.”

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A sex offender from Dover who was convicted of multiple offences against a child victim has been jailed for 12 years.

Barry Milburn, 46, pleaded guilty to numerous sexual assaults, including 2 counts of rape, before Canterbury Crown Court.

Investigation
Milburn’s crimes came to light after the child made a disclosure to friends in December 2024. Trusted adults were alerted and a report was made to Kent Police, leading to Milburn’s arrest the same day.

An investigation was immediately launched, involving specialist detectives from the force, which established that Milburn had offended on several occasions.

Extensive enquiries were completed and complex evidence analysed, resulting in charges brought against Milburn in March 2026.

Jailed
He admitted carrying out 9 sexual offences on the young victim and, on Friday 14 August 2026, was sentenced at the same court.

In addition to his jail term, Milburn, formerly of Athol Terrace in Dover, will be required to serve one year on licence when he is released. He will be subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and to notification requirements of the sex offender register for life.

Investigating officer, PC Ollie Stevens, said:

‘The courage shown by the young victim in this case cannot be overstated.

'As soon as the disclosure was made, our specialist officers acted swiftly to safeguard the child and begin a detailed investigation – which, in cases such as this one, can involve extensive enquiries over many months. Officers will painstakingly examine evidence from multiple sources to build the strongest possible case, while supporting vulnerable victims through the criminal justice process.

‘This resulted in a significant number of charges being authorised and a custodial sentence for Milburn, with measures put in place to prevent him offending in the future.

'We remain committed to protecting vulnerable people and will continue to work tirelessly to bring offenders before the courts to be held accountable for their actions.'

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Burhan Din jailed for 14 years after grooming and raping teenage girl

Burhan Din, 30, of no fixed abode, has been jailed for 14 years after being convicted at Bradford Crown Court of two counts of rape, four offences of sexual activity with a child and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Din contacted the girl via social media and began a campaign of abuse during which he recorded himself having sex with her on his mobile phone. He was 12 years older than the victim and knew from an early stage that she was a child. The rapes occurred at his Bradford flat after he got her drunk.

Sentencing him, Recorder Jason Pitter KC said: “In very simple terms you deliberately and cynically groomed her.” The judge noted the case highlighted the dangers posed to young people by online predators.

In a statement read to the court, the victim said her life had been “nothing but hell” since Din first contacted her. She described feeling scared and powerless, but said coming forward took great courage and she was glad to finally have her voice heard. She called herself “a survivor, not a victim” and said she was no longer the broken girl she once felt she had become.

Recorder Pitter praised her:

“She has very bravely read her impact statement to speak her truth and take back her power. She is a credit to herself.”

Din continues to deny the sexual offences despite the jury’s guilty verdicts. He also admitted possessing a machete and a small quantity of cannabis.

He will remain on the sex offenders register for life and be subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the rape of a girl under the age of 13 in West Sussex.

David Niblett, 42, committed the offences between January 2014 and December 2015. The victim was between six and eight years old at the time. 

The girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has been supported by specially trained officers.

The incidents were reported to Sussex Police after the victim confided in a family member, who made the report to police. 

Niblett fled to Spain after becoming aware that the allegations had been brought to police attention in 2015. 

He was arrested in Spain on 30 December 2025 after the circulation of an Interpol Red Notice and was subsequently extradited back to the UK. The arrests and extradition involved joint working between Interpol, the National Crime Agency’s extradition team and Spanish Authorities. 

Niblett, of Uxbridge Road, Uxbridge, appeared at Portsmouth Court on 15 June 2026 where he pled guilty to two counts of rape of a girl under the age of 13.

At Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday, 14 August, Niblett was sentenced to a total of 15 years’ imprisonment and an extra year on licence. He was also made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

DC Jacob Parkin from the Public Protection Team in West Sussex said:

“Niblett carried out heinous crimes that breached the trust of his victim.

“She showed tremendous bravery and courage throughout the investigation.

“We take all reports of rape and sexual assault seriously and encourage victims to report their experience to police.

“We were determined to get justice for the victim and ensure Niblett was held accountable for his actions.”

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A former headteacher of a school in the West Midlands has pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children.

Russell Bond, aged 41, from Walsall, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates on August 6 where he pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing indecent images. He was arrested at his home on 22 October last year.

Bond, who is now a registered sex offender and will be closely monitored, will appear back at court at a later date for sentencing.

We are aware that this matter has been the subject of speculation within the local community and across social media.

We can confirm the offences were unconnected to the school where he had been in employment.