Latest Offenders

Description

The victim of a brutal attack by a predator colleague has been praised after he was jailed.
 
The woman courageously fought off Marcus Jones who followed her into the staff toilet at her workplace on Boxing Day last year and attacked her.
 
Despite Jones trying to strangle her, the victim managed to escape the toilet and raise the alarm.
 
Officers blue-lighted to the scene and arrested Jones who had made off from the shop, texting his girlfriend to say he’d lay in wait for the victim.
 
And despite giving a no comment interview, the 22-year-old was charged with false imprisonment, intentional strangulation, attempted sexual assault and assault by beating.
 
Jones, of Witton Park, Bishop Auckland, was due to go to trial after pleading not guilty to some of the charges but changed his pleas at Durham Crown Court and was sentenced to 45 months in prison on Friday (June 19). It was his first offence.
 
DC Hodgson, of South CID, said:

“The victim showed remarkable courage, quick thinking, and determination during an extremely distressing ordeal.
 
“Without her actions, the outcome could have been far more serious and her continued bravery in supporting the investigation has been instrumental in bringing Jones to justice.
 
“We remain committed to protecting the public from predators and pursuing those responsible for violence against women and girls so we hope this case helps victims feel reassured that any reports are taken seriously and will be treated with the utmost sensitivity.”
 
DC Hodgson added:

“Despite Jones being previously unknown to police, his behaviour posed a very serious risk to public safety so we are glad to see him behind bars and hope this gives the victim some comfort so she can start to rebuild her life.”

Description

A detective’s perseverance to get justice for teenage victims of grooming has resulted in a man being jailed

In 2021 Kieran Ridgway came to the attention of the force after a report was received from concerned parents of two teenage girls.

Ridgway used Snapchat to strike up a conversation with the girls under an alias.

He would ask random questions and when he received a response he continued the conversation, offering them alcohol if the children engaged in sexual acts with him.

That initial report in July 2021 was allocated to Detective Constable Stacey Swan from the force’s Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) team.

She was able to establish that the girls, who were 12 and 13 at the time, had met a man in a car park who said he would give them alcohol if they carried out a sexual act on him.

On this occasion no physical contact was made between the victims and they alerted their parents to the incident.

Those enquiries then led DC Swan to identify and arrest 29-year-old Ridgway in October 2021.

Through her diligent investigation she was able to identify further victims who had also been contacted in the same way.

Three girls, who were all under 16 when the offences occurred, reported being contacted by Ridgway on the social media platform and over time they all struck up a friendship with him.

He lied to them regarding his age and preyed on their vulnerability to entice them in.

Between June 2017 and February 2020 Ridgeway carried out sexual activity with all three of these victims. One of the victims truly believed she was in a relationship with him. However, he continued to contact underage girls.

During the investigation Ridgway was interviewed on two different dates and throughout he maintained that an unknown third person had set up a fake profile on Snapchat under the name ‘Josh Whitcombe’ using his details. He denied asking the children to engage in sexual acts with him, stating he bought the alcohol for them out of kindness.

After a trial in May, Ridgway of Coalville, was found guilty of five counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child, sexual activity with a child (non-penetrative), sexual communication with a child, meeting a child following grooming and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

On Friday (10 July) he was sentenced to nine years in prison and will be subject to a three-year extended licence period following his release. The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).  Ridgway has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

DC Stacey Swan said:

“This has been a complex investigation into repeated grooming and sexual offences against children carried out by the defendant.

“An initial report to police regarding two teenage girls being groomed and given alcohol by the defendant lead to the uncovering of a history of repeated behaviour, where the defendant has contacted teenagers, exploiting their age, vulnerabilities and locality to groom and commit sexual offences against them.

“Lying about his age, pretending to connect with shared troubles, before coercing the girls to engage in sexual activity, for his own gratification.

“The victims in this case have shown immense bravery in coming forward and discussing these awful experiences. I hope that they take some comfort that Kieran Ridgway has now been brought to justice for his crimes.”

Detective Chief Inspector Hazel Sandall is the force’s child safeguarding and exploitation lead. She said:

“Two of the three non-recent victims were very reluctant to provide any formal evidence.  DC Swan worked tirelessly, listening to them and supporting them to be able to give crucial evidence in the form of video interviews.

“Due to the delays in the legal process and distress this caused them, the victims were reluctant to stay engaged with the court process. DC Swan visited them personally on several occasions, offering them support and reassurance throughout, ensuring they remain invested in the trial.

“It’s down to the victims’ courage and DC Swan’s commitment to see justice served that has led to the successful outcome of this case.

“The child exploitation team is a specialist department equipped to deal with exploitation offences. The team works closely with partner agencies to ensure that victims of exploitation are listened to and supported throughout the investigation, and perpetrators are held to account and brought to justice.

“Throughout this investigation our social care partners were also a vital support in keeping the victims on board.

“All those involved in the investigation are expert practitioners who go above and beyond for the young people they support, we’re very proud to be a part of a multiagency approach which safeguards children.

“Ridgway contacted some of the victims through Snapchat where he groomed them with promises of alcohol in exchange for sexual acts. This is a timely reminder for parents and carers to check their child’s use of social media and that they are engaging with suitable persons.”

DC Swan added:

“Due to Ridgway’s offending and the way he conducted himself over many years, we believe there may be other victims of his crimes, who for whatever reason, have not reported what’s happened to them.”

Description

A 37-year-old man who was recently convicted of seven serious offences including rape, serious sexual assault, physical assaults, stalking, and coercive and controlling behaviour (CCB) has been jailed for 15 years plus an additional five years on licence.

Dean Dowson was convicted of the offences at the end of May this year, and at Teesside Crown Court on Friday he learned not only that he would spend a considerable amount of time in prison but that he will also be subject to a lifelong restraining order, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and that he will be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

The court heard how his female victim was subjected to a sustained pattern of physical, sexual and psychological abuse. This included repeated acts of rape, violent and degrading sexual assaults and this caused serious psychological harm.

The offending formed part of a wider course of coercive and controlling behaviour, through which Dowson exercised power and control over the victim by monitoring her movements via cameras as well as checking her social media.

Dowson also stalked and harassed the woman until he was arrested outside her home address.

Speaking after court Officer in the case Temporary Detective Constable Seymour said:

"This was a sustained and serious campaign of abuse involving sexual violence, physical violence, and coercive and controlling behaviour. The victim was subjected to repeated acts of abuse, including rape and other serious sexual offences.

“Dowson refused to accept responsibility for his actions and has shown no remorse, forcing the victim to endure a lengthy and difficult trial.

“I would like to commend the victim for her immense strength and courage in coming forward and supporting this investigation. The resilience she has demonstrated throughout the case has been remarkable, and the quality of her evidence was instrumental in securing these convictions.

“While no sentence can undo the harm and trauma caused, I believe the length of this sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences. I hope this outcome provides the victim with a sense of justice and enables her to move forward with her life.

“Finally, I want to remind anyone else who is suffering abuse of any kind, that help IS available and I urge you to come forward.  We have specially trained officers who will listen to you, who will believe you and who will support you – frequently supplemented by help from our expert local agencies."

Description

A convicted sex offender has been jailed after breaching his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Earlier this year, Joe Crawley, 23, of Woodford Close, Penhill, was convicted of multiple child sex offences including two counts of arranging/facilitating commission of a child sex offence and making and distributing indecent images of children.

In April, he received a suspended sentence and received a 10-year SHPO which came with a number of conditions.

On June 10th, less than two months after receiving his suspended sentence and SHPO, he was arrested for two counts of breaching his SHPO.

This related to Crawley’s use of an AI chat application and an anonymous online video chat platform, both which were against his SHPO unless he had informed supervising police officers or staff and received prior approval.

Today (10/07) at Swindon Crown Court, Crawley was jailed for 25 months.

PC Katie Owers from our MOSOVO team said:

“Crawley is a dangerous individual who knowingly and deliberately breached the conditions of his SHPO just months after they were put in place to protect the public.”

“I’m pleased the courts have taken this seriously and he now faces a custodial sentence.”

Description

A police officer has pleaded guilty following an investigation by our Anti-Corruption Unit.

Alex Trusler, 36, of Burntwood, has been convicted after admitting four counts of sexual assault on a female (women, not children) at Northampton Crown Court today (Friday 10 July). 

The offences took place in 2022 and 2023. Trusler, a response officer in Cannock, was suspended in September 2023, as soon as the allegations were reported. 

Deputy Chief Constable Caroline Marsh said:

“Alex Trusler’s actions are a fundamental betrayal of the standards every member of Staffordshire Police is expected to uphold.

“The moment these allegations were reported, he was suspended and a thorough investigation by our AntiCorruption Unit began.

“His guilty pleas reflect the seriousness of his behaviour, which has no place in policing.

“I want to acknowledge the courage of the victims in coming forward and reassure the public that we will always act decisively when we receive allegations of this nature.”

Trusler is due to be sentenced at Northampton Crown Court on 8 September.

He will also face misconduct proceedings.

Description

A man has been jailed after storing thousands of indecent images and videos of children on 21 devices and engaging in sexual communication with children spanning almost 20 years. Forensic analysis uncovered more than 19,000 images and 628 videos.

Douglas Bowyer, 67, of Chester Way, Boston, appeared before Lincolnshire Crown Court today (Friday 9 July), where he was sentenced to eight years in prison.

This highly complex case began on 26 October 2020 after we received information from a regional unit focused on identifying, safeguarding and supporting victims of child sexual abuse.

A user with the handle ‘Boy4GirlUK1’ had engaged in sexualised conversation with someone whom they believed to be a 13-year-old female child. This user also incited the child to commit sexual acts.

During the conversation, ‘Boy4GirlUK1’ said that they were a 19-year-old male from Lincolnshire, named Dan. The profile picture on the subject’s profile was a blonde-haired young male.

The user then provided the Snapchat account of ‘danny_boi5620’.  The conversation continued on to the Snapchat platform, with the user again being sexualised in the conversation and inciting the child to masturbate.

Specialist digital research was conducted to establish the identity of the person behind the profile.

On 10 November 2020, Police arrested Douglas Bowyer, then 61, at his home in Boston.

Bowyer was previously unknown to police, but in interview he gave a full and frank admission to the offences put to him. 

He admitted regularly talking to children online ‘for some time’ through the app ‘Chat Avenue’.  He said this sometimes progressed on to Snapchat.  He admitted posing as a 19-year-old called Danny, admitting to having spoken to around 50 children, referring to himself as ‘a stereotypical dirty old man’. 

Extensive forensic digital investigation

When Bowyer was arrested in October 2020, officers seized numerous computer towers, laptops, mobile phones, hard drives and discs for forensic examination. Owing to the number of exhibits seized from the address, 49 in total, a forensic strategy had to be put in place to triage and work through the devices in stages.

This meticulous forensic work uncovered the extent of his depravity, requiring the officer in charge of the case to view and grade over a million images, 19,000 images and 628 videos of which were classified as follows:

• Category A – 2,923 images, 256 videos
• Category B – 2,326 images, 79 videos
• Category C – 12,956 images, 279 videos
• Prohibited – 798 images
• Extreme – 1 image, 14 videos

In addition to the thousands of indecent images that were identified across the numerous devices, there were also hours’ worth of recorded live chats and online conversations. From this information it became immediately apparent that Bowyer had been having sexualised conversations with a large number of female children online for years. 

In the case of two children who were aged 13 and 15 at the time that have been identified by Police, Bowyer had online ‘relationships’ for several years with them. One child had even disclosed during an online chat that they had been receiving counselling for potential clinical depression, highlighting the extent of his exploitation. He not only targeted children because of their age and vulnerability but also sought to manipulate those experiencing mental health difficulties.

Extensive enquiries were conducted to try and identify all of the children in the images; however, it appears that Bowyer has been talking to children from all over the world for a significant period of time – the earliest dating back to 2002.

Despite extensive enquiries, only three victims have been officially identified. They are all now adults.

At a plea trial hearing in April 2026, Bowyer pleaded guilty to the following offences:

• Two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child
• Attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child
• Three counts of causing or inciting a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity – penetration
• Attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity – penetration
• Six counts of making indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child
• Possessing a prohibited image of a child
• Possessing extreme pornographic images / images portraying rape
• Possessing extreme pornographic image / images portraying an act of intercourse / oral sex with a dead / alive animal.

The officer in charge of this case, Detective Constable Nicola Paradowski of the Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT), said:

This has been a hugely complex and intensive investigation. The scale of Bowyer’s offending over nearly two decades, coupled with the volume of devices seized and the number of potential victims identified, meant investigators were faced with an immense amount of material requiring forensic examination. This amounted to thousands of hours of painstaking digital research to be able to present compelling and robust evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service.

I would like to thank the victims for the courage and determination they have shown in supporting this case and helping to bring this manipulative and prolific offender to justice. Their evidence has been instrumental in exposing the full extent of his offending and securing this conviction.

As part of his sentence, Bowyer was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and was issued a Sexual Harm Protection Order. 

Description

A senior detective has praised the courage shown by a rape victim after a man was jailed today (Friday 10 July).

Having been convicted of attempted murder, rape, sexual assault and robbery following a trial in April, Macauley Worden was sentenced to 34 years’ imprisonment when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court.

He attacked his victim on the canal towpath near Belton Road in Loughborough in the early hours of 30 August last year, pushing them to the ground and repeatedly punching them.

Twenty-eight-year-old Worden then raped and sexually assaulted the victim while attempting to strangle them. Following the incident, he made off from the scene with their phone and wallet.

On 3 September Worden, of no fixed abode, was found sleeping rough in a tent around a mile from where the incident occurred.

Today Worden was also placed on the sex offender register indefinitely and also made subject to an indefinite restraining order, prohibiting contact with the victim.

Detective Inspector Majid Zaveri, from Signal – our specialist rape and serious sexual assault team – was the senior investigating officer. He said:

“I hope the sentence passed today has provided the victim with a degree of closure which will allow them to move on with their life.

“The strength and courage they’ve shown throughout the investigation – and particularly during the court process – is testament to their character and determination to ensure that Worden was brought to justice for what was undoubtedly a violent and incomprehensible attack.”

Detective Constable Chris Fox, the officer in the case, added:

“We will always take a zero-tolerance approach to anyone committing sexual offences.

“Today’s sentence shows that the courts also take a similar approach and will ensure that those responsible are locked up for a significant amount of time, meaning that they cannot cause harm to our communities.

“I hope this outcome provides reassurance to the public and encourages anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence to come forward and seek justice.”

Description

A sex offender who abused a young girl in Margate has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Abuse

Kevin O’Toole repeatedly sexually abused a child, beginning in spring 2022. He gained the trust of his victim before eventually forcing her to perform sexual acts on him. The abuse continued for around a year before the victim disclosed the offences to an adult, who reported it to Kent Police the same evening in April 2023.

Interview

An investigation was immediately launched, and O’Toole was arrested. During his police interview O’Toole categorically denied ever touching his victim, even going as far as answering ‘no way in hell’ when posed questions about his abuse. The 46-year-old was released under strict conditional bail whilst the investigation continued.

Police in Lincoln, where O’Toole moved following his arrest, conducted a warrant on his address in June 2025 and discovered over 180 indecent images of children on his devices. He was arrested and investigated for these offences.

O’Toole, formerly of Canwick Road, Lincoln, was later charged with 7 sexual offences, including 3 for the indecent images discovered on his devices.

He pled not guilty, however, following a three-day trial in May 2026, a jury found him unanimously guilty on all counts at Canterbury Crown Court. On Thursday 9 July he was sentenced to 10 years in prison at the same court. He will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the rest of his life.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Michael Lord, said:

‘I firstly want to praise the courage of the victim in this case. The bravery she has shown in disclosing what happened to her and supporting our investigation across the years has been remarkable.

‘O’Toole took the opportunity to lie at every possible point in our investigation, denying his actions despite the overwhelming evidence against him. I welcome the sentence given by the court and hope it gives the victim and her family a sense of closure.’

Description

A 37 year old man from Holyhead who offered to supply Cocaine to a Child and was found with Indecent images on his digital devices has been jailed.

Joshua Krumstets of Porthdafarch Road appeared at Mold Crown Court on Wednesday 8th July 2026, where he pled guilty to Production of Cannabis, Offering to supply Class A drugs (Cocaine), and making indecent photographs of children, contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and 6 of the Protection of Children Act 1978 x 3.

Krumstets was sentenced to 22 months imprisonment. He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must register as a Sex Offender for the next 10 years.

Speaking after sentencing, Detective Constable Sarah Jones said:

“Krumstets viewed and possessed some disturbing images and videos of young children on his devices.

“He offered to supply a Child with drugs and has been caught twice now with a Cannabis grow at his property, and I welcome the Courts’ sentence.”

Description

A man who sexually assaulted a woman, attempted to derail the investigation into his offending from inside prison. 

Liam Hall (pictured) was remanded to HMP Preston in June last year after being charged with assaulting the woman in Bacup.

While on remand, he was further interviewed by police officers about sexual offences against the same victim.

Just half an hour after being interviewed, Hall contacted his mum Amanda Hall by prison phone.

He informed her of what had been put to him in interview and directed her to speak to witnesses in the case.

During subsequent phone calls over the following days, Hall and Amanda Hall discussed the witnesses, with Hall encouraging her to get them to withdraw their statements.

Amanda Hall also advised her son to ‘Lie his back out on the stand, the court will never prove you are lying’.

She was found to have made phone calls to two witnesses.

Enquiries also showed that Liam Hall sent multiple emails to the victim on a prisoner service email account, asking her to drop the charges.

Liam Hall, 29, of no fixed address, and Amanda Hall, 53, of Peel Lane, Heywood, appeared at Preston Crown Court for sentence today (10th July).

Both had been found guilty by a jury after a trial in May of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Liam Hall was further found guilty of sexual assault by penetration, assault causing actual bodily harm and perverting the course of justice.

He was jailed for five years, placed on the sex offenders register and made subject of a 10-year restraining order regarding his victim.

Amanda Hall was given a nine-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 140 hours community service.

Detective Constable Dan Healey of our East division Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team, said:

“Liam Hall assaulted and sexually assaulted his victim, then deliberately set about trying to interfere with the investigation into his offending.

“From inside prison where he had been remanded by the court, Hall plotted with his mum to contact witnesses and get them to withdraw their statements.

“What they did strikes at the heart of the justice system.
“The victim of Liam Hall’s offending showed a huge deal of bravery in reporting the offences and then giving evidence at the trial.

“Violence against women and girls will not be tolerated by Lancashire Police.

“If you have been a victim, please report it. You will be supported and we will thoroughly investigate in a bid to bring offenders to justice.”

Description

A man who raped and began sexually abusing a teenage boy in 2015 has been jailed.

Mark Watson was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years at Leicester Crown Court yesterday (Thursday 9 July).

The 55-year-old’s offending was brought to the attention of police in 2021 when the victim, who is now an adult, told a third-party what had happened between 2015 and 2018.

He told officers from our Child Abuse Investigation Unit (CAIU) that Watson had raped him on several occasions and forced him to engage in other sexual activity. He said Watson had also physically assaulted him during that time and regularly threatened him with violence.

On 2 March, at the same court, Watson was found guilty of two counts of rape and two counts of sexual activity with a child following a trial.

Watson, of Linford Street in the Belgrave area of Leicester, was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) until further notice, placed on the sex offender register for life and made subject to a restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim for life.

Detective Constable Aisling McPhillips, the investigating officer, said:

“I want to praise the victim in the case for his continued support and understanding from the moment the incident was reported in 2021 to the end of the court process.

“Without the information and accounts he was able to provide, Watson would not have been convicted and sentenced for what is without doubt, abuse that no person should ever have to go through.

“I hope this sentence provides him with a sense of closure and allows him to move on with his life.”

Description

A predator who posed as a taxi driver and picked up a vulnerable woman in Newcastle has been jailed – with help from dedicated officers intervening.

On Saturday, December 20, last year, a woman in her 20s had been enjoying a night out with friends in the Groat Market area of the city centre.

At around 2.20am the following day, she decided to book a taxi to head home but soon became separated from her friend when leaving the venue.

While looking for her driver outside, the woman was approached by a man she did not know, who spoke to her before picking her up from the floor and putting his arm around her.

The man – now known to be Kuldip Chahal – repeatedly directed and physically guided the woman through crowded streets for around ten minutes towards his white Volkswagen Golf parked on Fenkle Street.

The woman, who was alone at the time and intoxicated, was dragged and forced by the offender into his front passenger seat after being told he was taking her home.

However, Chahal was unaware he was already being observed as part of Operation Salus, which sees plain clothes and uniformed officers on duty to identify vulnerability in the night-time economy.

Working alongside officers monitoring city centre CCTV cameras in real time, the team on the ground swiftly stopped the vehicle before it could drive away.

The woman was immediately safeguarded after it was found she did not know Chahal by name, with quick-thinking officers arresting him on suspicion of kidnap.

Further enquiries by the investigating officer, working alongside neighbourhood policing colleagues, quickly established that Chahal was not a licensed taxi driver and had approached a number of other women in the city centre before targeting the victim-survivor.

The now 51-year-old, of Plessey Road, Blyth, was also captured on a trawl of CCTV footage physically picking up the victim from the ground, with the evidence gathered leading to him being charged with kidnap later that day.

Despite denying the offence, he was found guilty following a one-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court in May and remanded into custody.

Today (Thursday) he appeared before the same court where a judge handed him a seven-year prison term. He will also serve an extended licence period of three years.

Chahal was also made subject to a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

During the hearing, an impact statement was shared from the woman Chahal targeted, who said her “confidence, independence and sense of safety” had been significantly affected.

She said:

“Before this happened, I was a confident and sociable young woman who enjoyed spending time with my friends.

“I never imagined that something so frightening could happen to me whilst simply spending time with friends. What happened that night has changed me.”

She added:

“Since that night, I have struggled to feel safe in situations that I previously would not have thought twice about.

“The thing I struggle with most is knowing that I was vulnerable and that somebody chose to take advantage of that vulnerability.

“I was a young woman trying to get home after a night out with friends.

“Instead, I became the target of a man more than twice my age who saw my vulnerability and chose to exploit it.

“I was not seen as a person. I was seen as an opportunity.

“That is something I find incredibly difficult to come to terms with.”

The victim-survivor also spoke of her pain after missing milestones and celebrations with loved ones, as well as being unable to attend a close friend’s funeral during the criminal proceedings and instead being “forced to relive one of the worst experiences” of her life.

The woman, who suffers with anxiety and stress in the aftermath, said:

“What hurts most is that I no longer feel like the same person I was before this happened.

“I feel angry that somebody else’s choices have changed so much for me. I feel angry that I lost confidence in myself.

“I feel angry that I missed important moments with my friends because of the anxiety this has caused me. I feel angry that I now think twice about doing things that used to make me happy.”

Detective Constable Courtney Cran, who led the investigation in Newcastle’s CID, said:

“Firstly, I would like to commend the victim-survivor, who has shown immense bravery, resilience, and composure throughout the full investigation and the lengthy criminal proceedings that followed.

“Chahal is a predatory individual who deliberately targeted a lone, vulnerable young woman who was simply trying to get home safely after a night out with friends.

“He showed absolutely no regard for her welfare or the devastating impact his actions would have, repeatedly denying any wrongdoing and forcing her to relive her trauma during the trial.

“Working alongside neighbourhood policing colleagues and key partners, I was quickly able to unravel Chahal’s web of lies and present clear evidence of his intentions that evening.”

Detective Constable Cran added:

“Operation Salus exists to identify vulnerability, with officers on hand to intervene in any situations which appeared concerning or unsafe in the city centre.

“Thanks to the vigilance of officers that evening, who saw something was not quite right, they were quickly able to intervene and bring Chahal to a stop.

“The woman was safeguarded within minutes, after it became clear she had no idea who this man was and had been tricked and forced into his vehicle.

“This has been a terrifying ordeal for her, and while incidents of this nature remain rare, this case demonstrates exactly why proactive operations such as Operation Salus are so important. We regularly deploy tactics to identify anyone who is vulnerable, especially after a night out.

“While no result will ever take away the sheer impact of Chahal’s offending, I hope today’s outcome provides the victim-survivor with some sense of justice and allows her to begin moving forward now that he is set to spend a lengthy spell behind bars.

“As a Force, we’ll continue to take a proactive approach to keep people safe in our cities and towns, working together with partner agencies to crack down on suspicious activity such as fake and unlicensed taxi drivers.”

Description

A 25-year-old man from Lymington has been jailed for 24 years for child sex offences against two children, including the rape of a girl aged under 13.

Jimmy Fisher, of Efford way, Lymington, who pleaded guilty to the charges against him at Southampton Crown Court on Friday 15 May, was sentenced at the same court on Monday (6 July).

The offences took place between 2020 and 2025. As well as the time Fisher will now serve in prison, Fisher also been given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Additionally, he was handed a deprivation order for the devices seized from him and has been barred from ever working with children and vulnerable adults.

Fisher will only become eligible for a release on a six-year licence after serving 18 years in prison.

In addition to the above offence, Fisher was also sentenced for rape, attempted rape, sexual activity with a child and taking, making and possessing indecent photographs of a child.

PC Rhiannon Winstanley, of the Child Abuse Investigation Team, said:

“I would like to place on record my praise and admiration for the young victims in this case and the courage and determination they have shown throughout.

“While I know this result alone will never erase the memories of what happened to them, I truly hope it allows them, and their families, to move forward with their lives, safe in the knowledge that Fisher is now being punished for his crimes and can no longer harm any other innocent child.

“These were unimaginable crimes, but thanks to the bravery of the victims and their determination to see justice served, all children are now that much safer with him locked away.”

Directly addressing other victims of sex offences, PC Winstanley, said:

“We encourage other victims to come forward and speak to us. We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously and work hard to bring offenders to justice.

“This case should also be a very clear message to other offenders out there that we will always work tirelessly to ensure you are brought to justice for your crimes, no matter when they took place.”

Description

Keith Stobbart Jailed for Breaching SHPO by Failing to Report New Tablet.

Keith Stobbart, 68, has been sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment for breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) after buying a black Samsung tablet without notifying police.

Stobbart, who has seven convictions for 21 offences, is currently at HMP Holme House in Stockton. He was jailed for six years in 2008 for historic sexual offences and has previously breached SHPOs in 2015 and 2022. In 2022 he received a community order after sending a graphic sexual comment to a 14-year-old on TikTok. In 2024 he was jailed for 32 months for accessing indecent images of children and sexual communications with a child.

At Teesside Crown Court, prosecutor Imogen Eastham-Brown said an offender manager visited Stobbart on 6 June and asked him to produce all electronic devices. He handed over the tablet and claimed he had bought it on 1 June “to watch TV” while sleeping rough in his car. Examination of the device revealed search history from 23 and 29 May.

Stobbart told officers he had possessed the tablet for a couple of weeks but “hadn’t had time to do it” and found it “difficult to remember the prohibition.” He said he was “terribly sorry” and claimed he was recovering from cancer. No unlawful material was found on the tablet.

Judge Nathan Adams rejected the explanation, describing the breach as “deliberate” and stating he did not accept it as a reasonable excuse. Stobbart was already in custody on licence when sentenced.

Description

A child sex offender who taught at a boarding prep school in Canterbury has been convicted of non-recent crimes involving two young victims.

Dennis Fletcher, formerly of Magdalen Court in Broadstairs, pleaded guilty to the indecent assault of a boy at Junior King’s School between 1978 and 1982.

Fletcher, who was a resident boarding master, was convicted of a further indecent assault against a second boy at the same school during the same period, following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

Investigation

Specialist detectives from Kent Police launched an investigation after Fletcher’s offences were reported to them in 2020. A further victim was identified in 2022.

Extensive enquiries were completed, which involved gathering and processing complex evidence and multiple interviews with Fletcher under caution.

A case file was presented to the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2025 and Fletcher was later charged.

He admitted to one charge but pleaded not guilty to the second offence, for which a jury then found him guilty in a unanimous verdict.

Jailed

On Friday 3 July 2026, Fletcher was sentenced at the same court to 11 years and 9 months’ imprisonment.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Sarah Cullingham, said:

‘Fletcher abused his position of authority in the most appalling way imaginable, carrying out repulsive crimes against children for whom he should have provided nurture and care.

‘Thanks to the courage of the two victims, he is now rightly behind bars where he belongs.

‘This case highlights that it is never too late for victims of sexual abuse to come forward to us. We understand how difficult it can be to speak about crimes that took place many years ago, but we will treat every report seriously and sensitively.

‘We will listen to victims, support them throughout the investigative process and do everything in our power to build a case that brings offenders to justice, regardless of how much time has passed. Specialist services are available to help victims process what has happened to them, to provide practical and emotional assistance, and they will not have to face the journey alone.’