Latest Offenders

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A manhunt is underway for rapist Jonas Amogbokpa, 55, who fled midway through his trial at Woolwich Crown Court.

Amogbokpa kidnapped and raped a stranger in his car after spotting her walking home in Lewisham in August 2024.

He gave evidence on Wednesday, February 11, but failed to return the next day, telling his lawyer he was ill. Police found his door open at his home address, but he was gone.

Convicted in his absence of rape and kidnapping with intent to commit a sexual offence, he was not on remand. The judge issued an arrest warrant, describing him as a danger to the public. Efforts to trace him continue after three weeks.

A source said: “He clearly felt the evidence didn’t go well for him. He didn’t come to court the next day, telling his lawyer he was ill.”

Another source added:

“He had not been held on remand and so was able to escape justice. The judge has said he is a danger to the public due to his crimes. 

“So far, he has not been apprehended. I think it is important that the public are made aware of this criminal who is now back on the streets of south London hiding out somewhere.”

A Met Police spokesperson said:

“Police enquiries to locate him are ongoing. 

“Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”

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Man jailed for 10 years for raping 15-year-old girl on family holiday in West Wales caravan

Leon Kidner, 34, of Castell Toch Caravan Park, Pendine, Carmarthenshire, was convicted at Swansea Crown Court of two counts of sexual assault by penetration and one count of rape.

The attack happened in a caravan on the site while the girl was on holiday with her family. Kidner had given her cannabis and knew she had been drinking alcohol. In the early hours he sexually assaulted and raped her; forensic examination later showed he had ejaculated inside her.

He lied to police and the jury, claiming the sex was consensual and had been initiated by the 15-year-old. The jury rejected his account.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the girl said the rape left her feeling “violated” and “like something was taken away from me”.

She added: 

“I struggle to sleep and suffer with nightmares… my schoolwork has suffered… I couldn’t really talk to anyone about what happened as nobody truly understands what I have been through… It has impacted all aspects of my life – my relationships with others, my education, my well-being, and how I see myself. I feel hollow and unstable. Every day feels like a struggle to feel normal again.”

Kidner has 34 previous convictions for 71 offences, including violence and robbery, but none of a sexual nature.

In mitigation, Lowri Wyn Morgan said her client was “deeply sorry” and accepted he faced a lengthy sentence. She told the court he had a troubled childhood, had been passed between family members, left school at 14, and that drink and drugs had dominated his adult life. He was now waiting to join the 12-Step addiction programme.

Judge Geraint Walters told Kidner the jury had rejected his account and that he now accepted his guilt. The judge said the “wickedness” of such offending “leaves a life-long scar” on victims and leaves them feeling violated.

Kidner was jailed for 10 years. He will remain on the sex offender register for life and was made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

After sentencing, investigating officer Detective Constable Katie Rees of Dyfed-Powys Police said:

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the victim in this case who showed profound courage from the very outset of the investigation, despite her young age.

“The victim showed immense strength, character and resilience… It is thanks to her bravery that Leon Kidner will now spend a significant period in prison.

“I welcome the sentence passed today, which highlights the seriousness of the offences. While it cannot undo the harm caused, it will hopefully provide the victim with a degree of closure.”

Description

A child sex offender tried and failed to arrange a house viewing at the home of a schoolboy he was stalking.

Shane York caused great distress to the boy and his family by targeting him in a series of increasingly concerning ways.

The 32-year-old’s campaign of stalking lasted several months and began with him repeatedly following the child home from school.

This became a regular occurrence, with York also taking photos of the boy – who he didn’t know – whenever he saw him, while keeping a log of the sightings on his phone. 

York’s behaviour would eventually escalate to an even more dangerous level when he discovered his victim’s family were planning to move house.

At that point, he made numerous attempts to book a viewing, before then writing two letters to the estate agents pretending to be from the family.

Both letters saw York instruct the realtors to cancel the sale, take the house off the market, and to not contact them – the ‘homeowners’ – again.

The strange behaviour was ultimately discovered when the real family queried what was going on and were shown the letters they’d supposedly sent.

York was identified as the perpetrator soon after, at which point it was discovered he’d also tried and failed to get a job at the boy’s school.

His campaign of stalking in Nottingham all happened between February and July last year, when he was arrested by police.

In the investigation that followed however, it was revealed that York’s stalking offences only scratched the surface of the paedophile’s depravity.

A series of indecent photos of children that York had taken himself were discovered inside his home. None of these images were of the child he'd been stalking.

This evidence enabled detectives to prove that the predator had sexually abused a young child on two separate occasions in 2023 and 2024.  

Searches of York’s home also led to the discovery of more than 1,700 indecent images and videos of children on his devices.

Further prohibited pictures of children and extreme pornographic images of animals were also found.

Faced with the mounting evidence detectives had gathered, York pleaded guilty to the ten separate charges he faced.

These included two counts of sexual assault on a child, one count of stalking involving serious alarm or distress, and two counts of taking indecent photographs of children.  

York, previously of Squires Avenue, Bulwell, appeared before Nottingham Crown Court to be sentenced on 2 March.

Having been labelled "dangerous" by the judge at the hearing, he was duly issued with an extended prison sentence of nine years.

York will serve six years in custody, before then spending the remaining three years of his sentence on licence after that.

He was also made the subject of restraining orders, banning him from contacting his victims until further order, while a sexual harm prevention order was also granted against him until further order. 

Detective Constable Stacey Lamb, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Shane York developed a dangerous infatuation with a child and spent several months stalking him in a range of deeply concerning ways.

"His stalking showed persistence and planning, while his behaviour was highly manipulative.

“York’s actions – not to mention his attempts to get a job at the boy’s school – caused understandable distress to his victims and prompted an investigation that uncovered the truth of his depravity.

“The seriousness of York’s crimes really can’t be emphasised enough, while the danger he poses to children is clear for everyone to see.

“We’re pleased to see his sentence reflect the serious nature of his offending.

"That might not have been possible without the young victim finding the courage to tell his parents what had happened, with his bravery ultimately helping stop York's offending before it escalated even further."

Description

Lee Milne, 39, was convicted of sexually assaulting two boys aged 10 or 11 in Forfar between July and August 2024, a year after the death of his wife Kimberly Milne. He was sentenced to three years’ supervision, placed on the sex offenders register for three years, and banned from any contact with children under 16.

The 39-year-old was found guilty on Monday, 2 March, 2026 of culpable homicide and domestic abuse offences following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

His wife, Kimberly Bruce or Milne, 28, died after she fell from an overpass and was struck by a vehicle on the A90 Kingsway West on Thursday, 27 July, 2023.

An extensive police investigation found that in the hours leading up to her death, Milne had acted aggressively at various other locations in Dundee towards Kimberly.

This included driving erratically when she was in a car with him, shouting at her and seizing hold of her which put her in a significant state of fear and alarm.

Milne was also found guilty of a number of domestic abuse offences committed against Kimberly between January 2022 and July 2023.

Detective Chief Inspector Craig Kelly said:

“Our thoughts are with Kimberly’s family and friends following this verdict. They have dealt with her tragic loss with great dignity and hopefully this outcome will provide a degree of closure.

“This was an extremely complex investigation and involved very close work with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to ensure that Lee Milne has been held accountable for causing the death of Kimberly.

“Our investigation found that his behaviour in the time leading up to Kimberly’s death was truly shocking and placed his partner in such fear that she took a course of action to get away from him which led to her death.

“She was very clearly terrified of him on that night. It is a tragedy that she lost her life as a consequence.

“Our investigation also uncovered a series of domestic offences against Kimberly over an extended period of time, exposing him as a cruel, manipulative and violent man.

“Our officers are determined to ensure women and girls live free from violence and abuse. We are relentless in our focus on tackling domestic abuse. It will not be tolerated, and perpetrators will be held accountable.”

Milne is due to be sentenced on Friday, 10 April.

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A man has been jailed after creating thousands of indecent images of children, some of which were shared in WhatsApp groups with more than 20,000 members.

Andrew Moseley first became a person of interest for Derbyshire police following a referral from the National Crime Agency (NCA), whereby he had been communicating with a 14-year-old boy who had uploaded explicit images of himself to the internet.

Moseley, of Speechley Drove (correct spelling), Borough Fen, Peterborough was arrested in July 2023 at his former address in Church Gresley and his devices were seized.

During an examination of his devices, it was found that he had been participating in 36 WhatsApp group chats about the sexual abuse of children.

These chats discussed the sharing of indecent images and videos of children.

The chats had a total of 24,042 members from 141 countries across the world.

Some of the material on Moseley’s devices dated back to 2009, showing that he had been involved in discussing and inciting the sexual abuse of children and making and sharing images of abuse for 15 years.

Moseley was charged in March this year, and admitted the following offences:

• Causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity
• Making indecent images of children - Category A
• Making indecent images of children - Category B
• Making indecent images of category children – Category C
• Distributing a Category A indecent image of a child (x2 counts)
• Distributing three Category B images of children
• Conspiracy to distribute indecent images of children
• Possessing indecent images of children
• Possessing prohibited images of children
• Possessing images of extreme pornography
• Attempting to incite the sexual exploitation of a child
• Conspiracy to incite a child under 16 to engage in a penetrative sexual activity

The 60-year-old appeared at Derby Crown Court on Friday 27 February, and was handed a 15-year jail term by a judge. This sentence was reduced to a period of 10 years, in respect of Moseley’s guilty plea.

Moseley was also given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a Deprivation of Rights Order in respect of the devices that were seized from him during the police investigation.

Detective Constable, Heather Rogers, officer in the case said:

“This was an extremely complex case that it would have been impossible to unravel without the referral from the NCA and the painstaking work of our digital forensics’ colleagues, who extracted and downloaded the material from Moseley’s devices.

“The sheer magnitude and reach of Moseley’s offending – which spanned over 140 countries – is horrifying.

“While this sentence cannot undo the lasting harm that has been caused to the many child victims in this case, it does mean a massive disruption in the sharing of child sexual abuse material across Moseley’s worldwide network.

“The prevention of further such material being shared and Moseley being put safely behind bars, makes our online spaces that little bit safer.”

Detective Chief Inspector, Jim Carver, who is Derbyshire’s force lead for Child Sexual Exploitation added:

“Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is a far-reaching crime that can have a life-long impact on victims and their families.

“No child should have to suffer in this way, and we take all reports of this nature extremely seriously.

“We are committed to investigating reports of CSE and will do all that we can to root out offenders and bring them to justice.

“To anyone engaging in this type of criminal activity – I hope that the details of this case prove that it is only a matter of time until you are caught.”

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A child rapist who bragged about his offending online has been jailed for nearly three decades.

Ryan Bird believed he was talking to a fellow paedophile online when he told them he had raped two young children.

Bird also sent them several images he had taken of himself abusing the children.

Durham Constabulary were alerted to the conversation, and officers were immediately sent to Bird’s Ferryhill home where he was arrested and taken into police custody.

An investigation was launched, and the full scale of Bird’s horrific offending uncovered.

The 30-year-old’s devices, including mobile phones and games consoles, were seized and analysed by specialist officers from the force’s Digital Forensic Unit (DFU), who found he had created 885 indecent images of children.

Of these, 275 were classed as category A images – the most serious. There were also 362 category B images, and 248 category C images.

Bird was charged with a multitude of offences, including six counts of rape, six counts of taking indecent images of children, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, attempted rape, engaging in sexual activity with a child, sexual touching, and possession of prohibited images of children.

In interview, he repeatedly denied any offending and claimed he was innocent.

However, he later admitted the offences at court and appeared at Durham Crown Court yesterday (March 2) for sentencing where he was handed a 35-year sentence, comprising of 27 years in prison, with eight years on extended licence.

Passing sentence, Judge Jo Kidd said it was the most grotesque set of facts in a case she has ever had to read and that he poses a significant risk of serious harm, particularly to young children.

He was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the sex offender register, both indefinitely.

Indefinite restraining orders were also put in place to prevent Bird from making any contact with the children.

Detective Chief Inspector Mel Sutherland, from Durham Constabulary, led the investigation. He said:

“The monstrous offences committed by Ryan Bird against these children are the worst I have ever seen in my 22-year career in policing.

“The investigation has been extremely challenging and traumatic for all involved. However, the professionalism and skill of the team, in particular, OIC Detective Constable Gary Tinkler, and their never-ending pursuit of justice for the children has been truly humbling.

He added: “It is extremely hard to comprehend how anyone could treat young children as nothing more than objects for their gratification.

“I’d like to commend the bravery and courage of the children who have been instrumental in ensuring Bird is brought to justice for his crimes.

“While they may be too young to fully understand right now, I hope this sentence will bring them comfort in the long term and allows them to go on and live the lives they deserve, free from abuse and harm.”

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A 55-year-old man has been jailed for 21 years after he was found guilty of five child sex offences.

Between 2015 and 2021, Mark Darren Mingard abused two children.

The offences came to light when one of the children told a friend and that friend bravely set off a chain of events which would go on to expose Mingard’s crimes and lead to his arrest.

Following an investigation, Mingard was subsequently charged with four counts of raping a child under 13 and one count of sexually assaulting a child under 13.

He was found guilty of the charges following a six-day trial which ended at Northampton Crown Court on January 19 and returned to the same court last week (February 27) where he was sentenced to 21 years in prison.

Lead investigator – Detective Constable Laura Beeby, said:

“I am so proud of the children involved in this case for the courage they have shown in telling us their stories and helping us put a sexual predator behind bars.

“Although no sentence will ever erase what happened to them, I hope the conclusion of this case provides them and their families with some closure and a sense of justice.

“If you have been a victim of sexual abuse, please come forward and tell us. We will believe you and we will do everything we can to put the offender behind bars.”

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A man has been jailed for 33 years for 17 counts of serious sexual offences, committed against two people in Bordon and Southsea between 2012 - 2023.

Michael Lovelace, 49, of Tallis Gardens in Basingstoke previously appeared at Winchester Crown Court on 16 December 2025, where he was found guilty by a jury of the following:

• Five counts of causing / inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity – no penetration
• Assault of a child under 13 by penetration
• Two counts of Sexual Assault a girl under 13 by touching
• Two counts of Offender 18 or over cause a child under 13 to watch / look at an image of sexual activity
• Rape of a child under 13
• Six counts of Rape

The abuse was first reported to police in March 2023 and an investigation was launched by Hampshire and Isle of wight Constabulary’s Amberstone Investigations Team.

Lovelace appeared again at the same court on Monday 2 March, where he was sentenced to 33 years imprisonment with an extended licence for eight years. He has also been handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

Police Staff Investigator Karen Slade of the Major Crime Team North (formerly of the Amberstone Team) said:

“I am very pleased with this result and to see Lovelace jailed for a considerable length of time for his abhorrent actions.

“Whilst no sentence will ever atone for the suffering that Lovelace has caused, I am glad that we have been able to bring some form of justice to the victims. I hope that this can help them begin to rebuild their lives, knowing that he is now behind bars as he deserves to be.

“I would like to thank the victims for their courage, resilience and support throughout this investigation, which has enabled us to get this result.

“We want to encourage anyone who has been affected by child sexual abuse to please report this to us. We take all reports of this nature extremely seriously and promise you that we will work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.”

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A man who preyed on three young girls has been jailed after being found guilty of sexual abuse.

Russel Thornton sexually assaulted the girls on separate occasions between 2014 and 2020, with one of his victims being just 13 at the time.

The abuse was reported to police in 2021, and Thornton was subsequently interviewed and summonsed to court.

The 38-year-old denied engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15, causing or inciting a girl age 13-15 to engage in sexual activity, and three counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl age 13-15.

He was found guilty of the above charges at trial in November 2025.

In poignant victim impact statements, which were read out in court, the young women now in their twenties, explained the lasting impact of Thornton’s offending.

All three women alluded to the trauma that Thornton’s abuse caused them as children, a trauma that continues to affect them deeply years after the abuse stopped.

They also spoke about being forced to relive painful memories of what happened to them as a result of the court process, with Thornton refusing to admit what he had done resulting in them being put through the ordeal of a trial.

Thornton, of Back Sitwell Street, Derby, was sentenced at hearing at Derby Crown Court on 26 February 2026.

A judge handed him nine year sentence, a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered him to register with police for life.

Detective Constable Tracey Cass, Officer in the case, said:

“This has been a long road for the survivors in this case, and I would like to thank the three women for their bravery and stoicism throughout.

“I would also like to encourage others who have been affected by such offending, now or in the past, to report it to us if you feel able.

“This case shows we can and do get results, and for survivors it is not just about a prison sentence. It is also the opportunity to speak out in court and tell their story – while a perpetrator is held publicly accountable.”

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A rapist has been jailed for 16 years at Bradford Crown Court.

Mohammed Umar Khan, 42, of Oakland Avenue, Manchester, smirked as he appeared via video link from HMP Leeds. He was convicted after trial of rape and false imprisonment.

Sentencing him, Her Honour Judge Kirstie Watson said Khan had neither acknowledged his guilt nor accepted he had done anything wrong.

“That is a reflection of a man who puts himself above all others,” she told him.

She described his behaviour as “bizarre”, adding: “There was an incident where … you dressed yourself up as a woman to spy on her.”

The judge praised the victim’s bravery in coming forward.

In her statement, the victim called Khan a “hunter” and said she had been left with persistent fear, anxiety and sadness. She suffered sleepless nights, was constantly vigilant, and her “mind and body went numb”. Her sense of safety was “deeply shaken” and she added: “My spark was ripped away from me. I am not who I used to be.”

The court heard Khan had three previous convictions for six offences, including controlling and coercive behaviour and battery.

Mitigating, Erin Kitson-Parker conceded the “very, very serious offences” but argued there was no significant planning. Judge Watson rejected this, finding there had been significant planning.

Khan must serve two-thirds of his sentence before release on licence and will register as a sex offender for life.

Description

A paedophile who showed no remorse for six years of sexual abuse he inflicted on a young girl has been jailed for 22 years.

In 2020, Lancashire Constabulary received a report from a now-adult woman that Kenneth Paisley, 68, of Chatsworth Square, Carlisle, had raped and abused her as a child. The abuse lasted around six years and resulted in her becoming pregnant while still a child.

Paisley was arrested and bailed. After DNA testing confirmed he was the biological father of the victim’s child, he was re-arrested and provided a prepared statement accepting paternity but blaming the victim, claiming she had instigated consensual sex.

Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, he was charged with 13 counts of rape, indecent assault and three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl.

Paisley pleaded not guilty, but a jury convicted him of all 13 counts of rape.

He was sentenced earlier this month to 22 years in prison and ordered to sign the sex offenders register.

DC Cathryn Whitworth, of Lancashire Constabulary, said:

“Firstly, I want to talk about the victim.

"She was incredibly brave in coming forward and telling us about what happened to her.

"In her Victim Personal Statement, she told the court that Paisley stole her childhood.

“Despite this, she gathered the courage to come forward and tell the court details of abuse she suffered.

"I do not doubt that that strength and courage assisted in bringing Paisley to justice.

“Paisley is a paedophile who abused a girl for his own sordid sexual interests. He showed no remorse and blamed the victim.

"He is a despicable man, and I am relieved he has been brought to justice.

“Paisley has received a significant sentence for his crimes, and I hope the knowledge that the victim has been listened to and believed and that Paisley is now serving a significant custodial sentence brings the victim some sense of justice, and she can begin to move forward with her life.”

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A sex offender banned from contacting a woman he threatened to rape told her she looked “mint” after spotting her on social media, a court heard.

Luke Boyce, 25, from Darlington, was subject to a sexual harm prevention order after previously telling the woman he wanted “to rape” her and attempting to kiss her on the lips. He had also been convicted of sexually assaulting another woman. The order protected the target of his “sexual obsession”.

When the victim noticed him viewing her social media, she asked a friend to tell him to stop. Boyce then phoned her and said: “I think you look mint”. She immediately ended the call.

He was arrested for breaching the order. Police found four bags of cannabis at his home on Emmanuel Close, Darlington.

Boyce admitted two breaches of the sexual harm prevention order and possessing a class B drug.

In a victim statement, she said she was now too frightened to be home alone. Defence lawyer Paul Green argued “there was no evidence the threat was likely to be carried out”, but Judge Jonathan Carroll disagreed.

Speaking to Boyce via video link from Holme House prison, the judge said: “You have developed a frightening sexual obsession for this woman. I cannot imagine the state of fear in a woman’s mind after being told by someone that he intends to rape her. I cannot imagine a more emotionally debilitating event. You have a past history of sexual offending. You are sexually obsessed.”

The judge noted a probation report described Boyce as “high risk” with supervision plans for release.

Boyce was jailed for 40 months (half to be served in custody) and made subject to a lifelong restraining order banning contact with the victim.

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A man who groomed a teenage girl and had sex with her despite knowing she was underage has been jailed for seven years.

Shahzad Hussain, 27, of Browsholme Street, Keighley, will serve a further two years on licence after Bradford Crown Court ruled he posed a serious risk to the public. He must register as a sex offender for life and is subject to a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Hussain arranged to meet the girl via social media, lied about his age to hide the gap, and had sex with her on two occasions. He was convicted of six sexual offences, including two counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child, after a trial last November.

The victim’s father said the effects were “devastating and ongoing”, causing a “marked change in her confidence and personality” and leaving her with “persistent fear and anxiety, disturbed sleep and panic attacks”.

In mitigation, Hussain accepted the jury’s verdict and apologised to the victim and her family. His barrister, John Batchelor, said he recognised “the gravity of his offending”. He was previously of good character.

Sentencing him, Recorder Richard Paige said: “This was deliberate sexual activity with a child arranged through online contact.

“Between the two occasions you were expressly warned that [the victim was underage] and despite that warning you proceeded to meet her again to commit further sexual offences.

“That makes the second occasion more serious than the first.”

He imposed the extended sentence “to reflect dangerousness and the significant risk to members of the public of serious harm”, adding: “I am satisfied that you do pose such a significant risk … and that an extended sentence is necessary for public protection.”

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A Perthshire mum has spoken of her five-year nightmare at the hands of rapist and abuser Jack Bruce, warning he remains a danger to women if freed.

The 30-year-old was jailed for 11 years last week after being convicted of four rapes, one attempted rape, one sexual assault and four domestic abuse offences against three women over an eight-year period between 2015 and 2023.

One survivor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said:

“He made me think I was crazy and that all this abuse was in my head and nobody would believe me.”

The 32-year-old met Bruce on a works night out in 2016. He was convicted of two rapes against her and multiple abusive and controlling offences, including isolating her from family and friends.

“He is manipulative. He makes you think he is a nice person but he isn’t,” she said. “I hope that he gets the help in prison that he needs to make important changes in his life. So no other women get affected by this.

“I don’t think he will take the help because in his eyes he has done no wrong. He should not be set free until it is safe to do.”

She recalled the relationship starting well before turning violent.

“At first everything was hunky dory. We were out all the time and there were no red flags. Then one time he choked me and I told him I did not like that and that is when the issues started.

“From there I became 100 percent trapped in the relationship. One time he locked me in the house and barricaded the door and would not let me leave when I was pregnant. By this time he had alienated all my friends and family. I was a very outgoing young girl who was living life who became a shell of a woman.”

The tipping point came when her young daughter stood in front of her during one of Bruce’s rages and said:

“Stop.”

Passing sentence, Lady Ross told Bruce:

“This was a sustained campaign of brutal and degrading sexual abuse. You have caused your victims to suffer from continuing and lasting psychological harm.

“You continue to deny wrongdoing. You blame your victims – you believe your victims have somehow conspired against you. You do this to deflect attention from your situation.”

The judge ordered two years’ supervision on release and placed Bruce on the sex offenders register for life, adding: “It will be very important for you to engage with the work that will be needed to help you address your behaviour and the problems that you obviously have in your attitude towards women.”

Description

A man has been convicted of multiple child sex offences today (Monday 2 March).

Christopher Shepherd, 43, of Spondon, Derbyshire, was found guilty by a jury at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court of one count of rape of a girl under 13, one count of sexual assault of a girl under 13 and one count of meeting a girl under 16 following grooming.

During the trial, Shepherd pleaded guilty to three counts of making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child.

Our investigation found that Shepherd had been speaking to a number of girls online between 2021 and 2022. He would send and receive indecent images in the conversations with the victims.

He arranged to meet one of the victims. He picked her up in his car and raped her.

After Shepherd’s offending was reported to us in 2022, we arrested him. Officers from our child protection team worked tirelessly to support the survivors and to build the evidence against him.

Based on the strength of this evidence, and the bravery of the survivors, Shepherd was found guilty in court today.

He has been remanded ahead of his sentencing date at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday 20 April.

Detective Inspector Adam Goodger, from our child protection team, said:

“I’m pleased that we have been able to achieve this conviction today and make sure that Shepherd was not able to escape his offending.

“We are determined to take robust action against those responsible for these offences in Staffordshire and to seek the toughest possible punishment in court.”