Latest Offenders

Description

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.”

Description

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.”

Description

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.”

Description

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.”

Description

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.”

Description

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.

Description

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.”

Description

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.”

Description

Ryan Bird, from Redcar, raped the child on 1 June 2025 and engaged in sexual activity with her between 18 September 2025 and 18 November 2025.

The 24-year-old exchanged messages on Facebook messenger and Snapchat with the girl detailing how they ‘love’ and ‘miss’ each other and want ‘hugs’.

On Monday 22 December Bird pleaded guilty to rape and engaging in sexual activity with a girl and was remanded in custody.

He appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday 17 February to be sentenced to 10 years and six months with one year additional on licence.

The court granted an indefinite restraining order to protect the victim from Bird and he was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and placed on the sex offenders register.

During the hearing, the court heard how on Monday 17 November 2025 police were called to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

What followed was interviews with the child, her family and other witnesses along with specialist work from the force’s digital forensics unit.

Following this, detectives from Cleveland Police’s child abuse and vulnerable adults team arrested Bird on Tuesday 18 November and he was taken to police custody.

After he was questioned, he was charged on Wednesday 19 November and remanded in custody.

Detective Constable Elliot Shute, from Cleveland Police’s protecting vulnerable people unit, said:

“Bird took advantage of a young child for his own sexual gratification without a thought for the physical and mental abuse that it would bring to her.

“I want to take this opportunity to praise the girl for her bravery in disclosing what had happened to her and that Bird was the offender as well as providing evidence throughout the investigation and court process.

“It goes without saying that what Bird did will have a huge impact on her and her family. I hope knowing he is now in prison will provide some comfort.”

Description

Brighton man Philip Smith has been convicted of raping a woman at knifepoint in the city centre.

At around 3.30am on Saturday, 9 August, 2025, police received a third-party report that a woman had just been raped by a stranger in Bartholomew Square.

She said the man had threatened her with a knife and raped her on a public bench.

The victim – a 31-year-old woman - was able to contact a friend nearby, who rushed to the scene and disturbed the attacker.

An emergency call came into Sussex Police with a description of the suspect and, 45 minutes later, Philip Smith was arrested at the entrance of Quadrophenia Alley in Little East Street.

Smith matched the victim’s description and was found to be in possession of multiple knives, including one that matched the victim’s account, as well as Class A drugs.

The 28-year-old, of no fixed address, was arrested and taken into custody.

While in custody, Smith exposed himself to two women inside Brighton Custody Centre.

He was subsequently charged with two counts of rape, two counts of indecent exposure and one count each of being in possession of a Class A drug, and possession of a bladed article in a public place. He was remanded in custody.

At the time of the offence, Smith was on court bail awaiting sentencing for the sexual assault of a woman in Brighton on 5 August, 2025.

He denied the two rape charges, but pleaded guilty to all other offences. Following a trial at Lewes Crown Court a jury found him guilty of both counts of rape on Thursday (26 February).

Smith has been remanded in custody to be sentenced at Hove Trial Centre on Thursday, 25 June. 

Detective Constable Rachel Cutts said:

“Philip Smith subjected this woman to a horrific ordeal in the city centre, in an area where she had every right to feel safe.

“Thanks to her quick-thinking to seek help, the prompt action of her friend and the rapid response of our officers, a dangerous offender has been brought to justice.

“I would like to commend all of the victims impacted by Smith's offending for supporting this investigation through extremely challenging circumstances.

“We will continue to work hard alongside our partners to protect women and girls in Brighton and Hove, while ensuring victims are supported and offenders brought to justice should the worst happen.”

Description

A delivery driver from Manchester has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in Northwich.

Rana Jahangir was found guilty of one count of sexual assault following a trial at Chester Crown Court which concluded on Friday 27 February 2026.

The 25-year-old of Collington Close, Manchester has been jailed for two years and four months. He has also been ordered to sign the sex offenders register for ten years and handed a restraining order which prevents him from contacting the victim.

The court heard how on Tuesday 2 September 2025, Jahangir delivered food to an address on Shipbrook Road in Rudheath.

After handing over the food, he went on to grab the woman from behind and started hugging and kissing her.

The assault continued for over a minute, despite repeated requests for him to stop.

The victim initially chose not to report the matter to police but instead made a complaint to the delivery company.

However, after speaking to friends, she later contacted police on Wednesday 3 September and Jahangir was arrested.

Following his arrests, Jahangir denied sexually assaulting the victim and claimed that it was consensual.

However, unbeknown to him, part of the incident had been recorded on a mobile phone, and he was subsequently charged with one count of sexual assault.

Following the guilty verdict, Detective Constable Sarah Ollier, said:

“During questioning Jahangir denied sexually assaulting the victim, instead claiming that it was consensual.

“Even when we presented him with the mobile phone footage, he continued to deny the allegations, claiming that the victim had set him up.

“Thankfully, the jury saw through his lies, and he has been held accountable for his actions.

“I welcome the sentenced handed to Jahangir and I hope that it provides some reassurance to the victim.

“We will continue to do all we can to tackle any incident of violence against women and take all reports of such crimes extremely seriously and will investigate thoroughly to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”

Description

Detectives have praised a child’s bravery in helping put the man who sexually abused her behind bars.

Forty-year-old David Macquarrie was responsible for committing a series of sex offences against an underage girl.

The campaign of abuse took place in August and September last year, with Macquarrie initially grooming his victim online.

He was fully aware of the girl’s age when they started talking but still engaged her in conversations of a sexual nature anyway.

This ultimately culminated in the paedophile persuading the child to meet with him at his address on multiple occasions.

Macquarrie subjected her to repeated sexual abuse during each of the meetings.

Around the same time this was happening, Macquarrie was also engaging in conversations of a sexual nature with another ‘girl’ online.

Unbeknownst to the predator, however, he was on that occasion interacting with a decoy account set up by an online child activist group.

Macquarrie was arrested soon after that, at which point the true extent of his crimes became apparent.

That was possible thanks to the girl he’d sexually abused finding the strength to come forward and report what happened to the police.

Macquarrie, of Scrooby Close, Harworth, was duly charged with a series of child sex offences – all of which he pleaded guilty to.

These included seven counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child and three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Macquarrie also admitted to both engaging and attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.

He was jailed for six-and-a-half years and placed on the sex offenders’ register for life during an appearance at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday (26 February).

Macquarrie was also made the subject of a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim for the next 10 years, while he was handed a sexual harm prevention order for a period of 15 years too.

Detective Constable Ellie Talbot, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“First and foremost, I want to highlight and commend the courage shown by the young victim in disclosing what happened to her.

“That can’t have been an easy thing to do, with the immense bravery she demonstrated ensuring Macquarrie’s depravity was revealed and his disgusting actions didn’t go unpunished.

“Macquarrie knew full well that his victim was underage and yet continued to pursue her anyway – firstly grooming her online before then sexually abusing her.

“This happened on more than one occasion, with the 40-year-old’s abuse taking place at the same time he was trying to target what he thought was another child.

“We’re pleased to see he has now been sent to prison.”

Description

A 25-year-old man has been jailed today for 10 years for raping a woman he had been harassing during a night out in Southampton.

Musafar Hotak began following a woman, who had been on a night out with friends, in the city centre, paying her unwanted attention.

A court heard on Tuesday 12 July, 2022, he approached the 24-year-old woman, who was trying to find her partner. He told her he knew her partner, and offered to help reunite them.

Instead, he led her to his own address, where he went on to ignore her repeated pleas for him to stop and sexually assaulted and raped her. She eventually managed to push him away and flee the property.

In a statement to the court, the victim described how her life had been “destroyed in ways she never thought possible, something me shattered.” She spoke of living “in fear, shame, silence, and unbearable pain that I still can’t fully describe. I was left feeling broken, empty, and terrified of the world around me.” She told the court “I had lost every piece of myself, and it felt like there was no way back. I felt like a stranger in my own skin,” adding that “before this, I was full of life.” but following the attack “it’s exhausting to live in constant fear.” She said the impact “has left scars on every part of my life. I’ve been surviving it every day since.”

When the victim reported the attack to police, an investigation was launched, with support for her from specialist officers.

As part of this investigation, forensic samples were taken at the time the offence was reported. However, Hotak had left the country and was not able to be arrested until he returned to the UK in 2024.

Hotak, an Afghan national who lived in Mount Pleasant Road, Southampton, had denied raping the woman, but was found guilty following a trial at Southampton Crown Court last month.

Today, at the same court, he has been jailed for 10 years.

Along with his time in behind bars Hotak will put on the Sex Offenders Register for life and is subject to a restraining order. 

Detective constable Laura Cook, the officer leading the investigation said:

“We are pleased to see Hotak behind bars for what he has done.

"Reducing violence against women and girls is a priority for us, and this case shows our determination to pursue offenders and protect victims.

"This has been a long and incredibly difficult journey for the victim, and her courage in coming forward and supporting the investigation has been truly commendable.

“I also want to recognise the dedication of the wider investigations team, whose hard work and professionalism throughout this case helped ensure that a dangerous offender has been brought to justice.

“I hope today’s outcome brings the victim some sense of closure after everything she has endured.”