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A "predator" who sexually assaulted a hospital patient previously flashed a group of children before choking one girl until she passed out. Russell Jones was jailed yesterday after he drunkenly "loitered" in the grounds of Whiston Hospital "attempting to befriend female patients" before attacking a "vulnerable" wheelchair user.

The ECHO has revealed the 45-year-old's criminal record includes a horrifying attack in 2015, which began when he exposed himself to several teenagers in Warrington. He then approached one of the youngsters and "placed his lips on her neck", grabbed her breasts and "tickled her stomach and ribs".

When she responded by punching him in the face, Jones shockingly placed both of his hands around her neck, lifted her off the ground and strangled her until she was unconscious.

The assault only stopped when her friends intervened, punching him until he released her from his grip. He was jailed for two years as a result, while he also has another conviction for sexual assault from 2014.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday afternoon that the latest incident occurred in October last year amid a "breakdown in his relationship". Robert Wyn Jones, prosecuting, described how he "began loitering in the grounds of Whiston Hospital attempting to befriend female patients".

His victim, who was an inpatient at the time and using a wheelchair, was with her boyfriend and a friend by the entrance when Jones - formerly of Ratcliffe Place in Rainhill - approached them clutching a bottle of vodka. She was then taken back to her room, but subsequently "encountered the defendant on a number of occasions" throughout the day.

When her partner left in a taxi, the convicted sex offender "watched and waited" for him to leave before approaching her and attempting to push her back to her ward before a hospital volunteer intervened - at which point he "claimed to know her". She was later having a cigarette with the same friend when Jones began hassling them again and made an "inappropriate remark" to the latter, saying he "wouldn't mind having half an hour with her".

The "sexual predator" interrupted the prosecutor at this point to say "all of this is wrong". But Mr Wyn Jones continued and outlined how he then crouched down by the complainant, began stroking and touching her leg and "moving his hand upwards".

Jones was arrested at around midnight while still on the hospital site. He has a total of 40 previous convictions for 69 offences.

The victim bravely read out a statement to the court in which she outlined the impact of the incident upon her, including suffering a panic attack as she "believed he was following her" and experiencing nightmares. She added: "It happened in hospital, a place where I thought I was safe.

"I'm paranoid about people when they walk past me and what they might do to me as well. I don't want to be anywhere alone. I constantly think about this. What he did to me was terribly wrong.

"I want him to know I'm not scared of him and he can't treat me this way. I no longer have confidence when I go out and don't feel like myself anymore - I no longer trust anyone due to this incident."

Jones meanwhile responded callously by saying "I've got no interest in hearing her". Frank Dillon, defending, told the court that his client's mum has lung cancer and is "on borrowed time".

He added: "The defendant denied it and he continues to do so. He is, of course anxious, to be released as soon as possible and earn an honest living as he was doing for much of the time before his remand."

Jones added of his mum: "The woman brought me up single-handedly. My mother is my world and I'm not with her at this time."

Jones was found guilty of one count of sexual assault by a jury following a trial. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he was imprisoned for three-and-a-half years and handed a restraining order banning him from contacting his victim indefinitely.

Sentencing, Judge Garrett Byrne said: "Clearly, this sexual assault had a real adverse impact on her life. I find you to be highly dangerous.

"You present a significant risk to members of the public, particularly women. I have no doubt you see yourself as some kind of rough diamond, but you are in fact a sexual predator who demonstrates a complete inability to understand how your behaviour affects other people."

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A Sheffield man has been jailed after sexually abusing a child during their sleep.

Edem Sutton assaulted a boy while he fell asleep watching a film, Sheffield Crown Court heard. The 33-year-old South Yorkshire man groomed his victim for months by buying him gifts, taking him on bike rides, and speaking to him on social media.

He manipulated the victim into staying at his home in October 2019 before the sickening assault. The victim, who has anonymity for life, told officers that after the assault, Sutton sent messages warning him not to tell anyone what had happened.

Sutton, of Lupton Road, Sheffield, was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court. He appeared before the court again on Tuesday April 25 and was sentenced to six years and six months in prison. He was also placed on the sex offender’s register for 15 years.

Investigating Officer Detective Lindsey Fishwick said: "I would like to thank the victim for the bravery he has shown throughout this investigation. Sutton maintained his innocence throughout the trial and I am pleased that the jury saw through his lies.

"I hope the sentence handed out to Sutton today will help the victim as he moves forward with his life."

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An 'extremely dangerous' sexual offender has been caged after waging an eight-year reign of terror over two children. Alala Kesahit has been jailed for 20 YEARS following a police investigation into the offences across Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire.

For nearly a decade, evil Kesahit regularly abused and assaulted two children under the age of 16. He was also physically abusive to a woman, assaulting her and causing bruising to her face and a cut lip in 2017.

The historic offences were reported to Thames Valley Police on September 28, 2022, and Kesahit was arrested the following day. He was charged on September 30, 2022.

Detective Constable Sophie Holliss said: "These offences came to light thanks to the huge amount of bravery from Kesahit's victims to stand up to his offending behaviour. That they came forward to report these horrific crimes displayed tremendous courage, and I would like to personally thank them for putting their trust in the police to keep them safe and seek justice for them."

The 31-year-old pleaded guilty to 14 separate offences on December 21, 2022 and admitted to another offence on January 13, 2023, in two hearings at Oxford Crown Court. He pleaded guilty to five counts of rape of a child, eight counts of sexual assault by penetration, one count of sexual assault by touching, and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

His guilty pleas were accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service. A remaining seven not guilty pleas will lie on file.

Kesahit, from Oxford, was jailed for 20 years with a further four years on licence – a total sentence of 24 years at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday (April 27). He must also sign the sex offenders' register for life and was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and restraining order for life.

"Kesahit is an extremely dangerous offender and the sentence reflects this dangerousness," Det Con Holliss said. "I hope that the lengthy prison sentence he has been given provides the victims with some closure and the ability to move forward with their lives in the knowledge that they are now protected from him.

"I hope that this sentence shows the wider public that the police will take reports of this nature seriously, no matter what the passage of time, and that victims will be listened to and supported."

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A former security guard who raped three women has been jailed for eight years.

Dane O’Neill preyed on his victims including taking advantage of one while she was asleep in a hotel room.

The 22 year-old was also controlling and physically violent.

Jurors heard how a victim was told to cover with make up the horrible bruises he had inflicted.

O’Neill was today sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow.

He was earlier convicted of a total of 11 charges including seven counts of rape.

The crimes were committed between 2017 and 2021 mainly at different addresses in East Kilbride.

Lord Clark remarked O’Neill had tried to “blame” the victims for the more serious crimes.

The judge stated: “As has been made clear, you have not accepted that you committed any of the sexual offences.”

He added due to the “repeated nature” of what happened and O’Neill’s “lack of remorse” he presented a “high risk” of similar behaviour.

O’Neill will then be supervised for a further two years on his release.

Lord Clark imposed indefinite non-harassment orders banning him from approaching or contacting the women for an indefinite period.

O’Neill gave evidence during the trial and was quizzed by his lawyer Frances Connor.

She asked about the night he spent with one victim at a hotel in Glasgow in September 2020.

O’Neill said they returned there after dinner and drinks.

Prosecutors stated it was there he preyed on the woman while she was sleeping and, after she awoke, slapped his hand over her mouth and continued to force himself on her.

Miss Connor asked O’Neill: “Was there any sexual contact in the hotel room?”

He replied: “No.”

The defence advocate: “How did she seem in the morning?”

O’Neill: “Tired, but upbeat.”

O’Neill had previously assaulted this woman, accused her of cheating and used her bank card without her knowing. He also kept tabs on her social media.

The other two victims were also raped as well as being abused both physically and verbally.

A charge stated O’Neill did “instruct” one of them to “apply make up to her body to conceal bruising” caused by him.

Miss Connor told the sentencing hearing: “He has a family ready and waiting to support him.”

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A sex offender who’s banned from every library in Oxfordshire shouted that British justice ‘stinks’ after he was sent to the cells for losing his temper in court.

Later, Judge Michael Gledhill KC suggested it was ‘very concerning indeed’ that former music teacher Alan Roberts was said in a probation pre-sentence report to want to ‘volunteer in any capacity that makes access to young boys easier’.

“The authorities and the charities doing work in this area must be made absolutely clear that Alan Jack Roberts should not be involved in any way – directly or indirectly – he must not have an opportunity of going anywhere near young boys,” the judge said.

He added that there was a ‘huge danger allowing this man from becoming involved’ in a volunteering capacity with children.

However, 73-year-old Roberts was not in court to hear the judge’s words, having been sent to the cells at the start of the hearing when he repeatedly interrupted the prosecutor and judge.

He shouted that he could not hear with the judge was saying, that he had ‘no idea what is going on here today’, then in reply to a comment from the judge said: “Thanks very much if that’s your attitude.”

Roberts, who was later said to be suffering from extreme stress, suggested that he had told ‘them’ he should not be in court as he would struggle to keep his calm.

He said from behind the heavy glass of the dock: “If this is British justice it stinks; stinks.”

After being accompanied from the dock by a custody officer, Roberts’ muffled shouting could still be heard – including him repeating the word ‘bull***t’.

Prosecuting, Michael Speak told Oxford Crown Court on Monday (April 24) that Roberts was originally before the courts in the early 1980s when he was convicted and jailed for indecent assault.

He found himself back at the crown court in 2016 to be sentenced for using library computers to search for indecent images of children two years earlier.

In 2019, he was sentenced for breaching the sexual harm prevention order imposed in 2016 and designed to limit his unrestricted access to the internet.

On Monday, Mr Speak said digital devices seized when he was arrested for the 2019 matters were not analysed until 2021, when it was found he had a ‘small number’ of child sex abuse images in categories B and C.

The court heard he had software on his computer that enabled it ‘to be wiped’ and that staff at two Oxford libraries contacted police after seeing Roberts using library computers. The desktop computers do not save users’ internet history.

Both represented a breach of the 2016 sexual harm prevention order, Mr Speak said.

Roberts, whose address was given at his first hearing in the magistrates’ court as HMP Bullingdon, spent a day short of a year in prison on remand awaiting trial until he was bailed last summer.

He pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images and breaching his sexual harm prevention order.

Mitigating, Gordana Austin said Roberts had been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. Among his physical health complaints were sleep apnoea and problems with his blood pressure. He had been ‘extremely stressed’ about the court hearing.

A music teacher until his indecent assault conviction in the 1980s, he subsequently worked as a bus and coach driver, computer literacy trainer and piano tuner, Ms Austin said.

Judge Gledhill imposed a two year community order as an alternative to a prison sentence, saying it was ‘not in the public interest today to send him back to prison’.

Referring to the 12 months Roberts did on remand – the equivalent of a two year prison term – the judge said: “He has served his prison sentence or a great part of what would be appropriate in this case.”

He described Roberts, who it was said is banned from every public library in the county, as a 'menace to libraries' as a result of his unauthorised use of the facilities' computers.

As part of his community order, Roberts must do up to 60 rehabilitation activity requirement sessions with the probation service.

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A man has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for sexually assaulting two girls and several breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Blackpool police became aware in October 2022 that Thomas Thompson, 55, was working in a resort on a casual basis as a security officer and steward.

As a registered sex offender, Thompson was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and had to notify officers about his employment.

A delve into Thompson's life found that he had lied to the police on numerous occasions, having stated he was not working and had not revealed he was involved in an intimate relationship when in fact he was.

During the investigation, officers spoke to teenage girls who Thompson had invited to his home having initially come across as a good samaritan to help them.

He left Blackpool and went on the run to West Yorkshire as police investigated, however he was arrested in October 2022 and remanded in custody.

Thompson, of Ashton Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court to two counts of sexual assault against girls under the age of 18 and five breaches of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Det Con Jason Wainwright of Blackpool Police said: “Thompson had only been in the community since 2019. Over a period of time he lied to the police and breached the order which was in place.

“I would like to commend the bravery of the young girls in this investigation. It is important that vulnerable victims are aware of the support which the police and court system provide.

“This includes regular contact from the officer in the case throughout the investigation to when sentence is passed.”

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A serial rapist who preyed on young women and underaged girls during a campaign of terror spanning almost a decade was jailed for almost 30 years after a judge branded him a danger to all females.

Oliver Wolstenholme, 38, used scheming and manipulative conduct to lure victims into sex and even tried to blackmail one into having sex with him on his own wedding night.

The wannabe policeman - who enjoyed dressing up in uniform and kept a baton, an airsoft rifle and a Samurai sword at home - targeted many of the young women online before meeting them in person.

Wolstenholme, who is currently incarcerated at Wakefield maximum security jail in West Yorkshire, has already been assessed by probation workers as being one of Britain's most dangerous offenders. 

In one incident he raped three teenage girls one by one after taking them to a park to ply them with alcohol. 

Another victim took an overdose in a bid to kill herself due to being haunted by her ordeal.

A third was strangled until she lost consciousness before he allowed his dog to bite her stomach.

Police charged Wolstenholme after officers raided his home in Wythenshawe, Manchester, and found more than 1,500 indecent images on electronic devices which featured children as young as a few weeks or months old.

In his car, officers also found a kitchen knife, gloves, duct tape, a face mask, bolt croppers and a Fruit Shoot bottle containing a vodka-based drink he called a 'glitterbomb'. Further searches of his property uncovered a haul of nitrous oxide and female underwear.

It emerged one victim had reported Wolstenholme to police in 2014 but proceedings against him were dropped after she was too traumatised to testify against him.

At Bolton Crown Court, Wolstenholme - who has split up with his wife - admitted rape, assault and voyeurism charges relating to three women and was jailed for 29 years and nine months. 

He will have to serve at least 20 years in jail before being paroled and he will be on licence until the year 2060.

The latest victims came forward after he was jailed for 22 years in November 2021 after being convicted of rape, sexual activity with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, meeting a child after grooming, possession of indecent images and two counts of possessing offensive weapons relating to four other victims.

All the charges relate to events between 2012 and 2019. The latest 29-year and nine-month jail sentence will run concurrently to the 22 years he is currently serving. He was spared a life sentence.

Sentencing Wolstenholme, Judge Thomas Gilbart told him: 'This is a deeply troubling case. 

'You raped six victims and met a seventh after grooming. You used coercion and blackmail and threats with weapons. Your rapes almost became a systematic matter of routine. 

'I am satisfied you pose an ongoing risk of causing serious harm to others.'

The first victim, a college student, was attacked in 2012 when she was 16 after she met Wolstenholme via a gaming app.

He raped her when she visited his then home in Partington, Greater Manchester, and later sent her a text message: 'You want to be careful on your way home from college. Hopefully you don't get hit by a car.'

The second victim met Wolstenholme on a dating app in 2014 and they spoke online via Skype for a year before they met in person.

She was said to besotted with him but in one incident he shot her in the knee with his airsoft rifle and in another he strangled her until she lost consciousness before allowing his dog to bite her stomach.

He eventually raped her after booking them into a hotel before assaulting her with a sex aid. He also took secret video of her whilst she was naked on the bed and the then threatened to send it to her boss and post in on Facebook.

The third victim was sexually assaulted after she met Wolstenholme whilst he was engaged to be married and she shared an illicit kiss with him at a drunken house party.

Ben Lawrence, prosecuting, said: 'She said she was sorry and that it should not have happened but the next day he used it against her. 

'He said: "Oh well you want me to tell everyone what happened last night?" and said he wanted to sleep with her.

'He was aware she was vulnerable and concerned that she might lose her friends. He continued blackmailing her until she felt like she had no other option. 

'She thought he would stop once they did it and initially he thanked her and said it wouldn't happen again. 

'But he would continue to pursue her and if she said "no" he told her he would make her life "hell".'

Mr Lawrence added: 'She had bought some lingerie hoping to use it with her own sexual partner on Valentine's Day but the defendant saw and it and pestered her into wearing it for him.

'She refused at first but he ground her down and she wore the lingerie for him - but without her knowledge he had a hidden camera which filmed her. 

'He then considered he had even better material to blackmail her into having more sex with him.

'Whenever she said "no" he sent her the video, threatened to post it on social media and also threatened to send it to her mother. 

'He sent it to her the day before his wedding and made an unsuccessful attempt to pressure her to have sex with him on his wedding night. He continued to grind her down with requests for sex.'

Wolstenholme targeted three of his other victims aged between 14 and 15 after meeting them at Tesco in nearby Baguley. 

He offered one of the girls a cigarette and told her that he was a drug dealer, then lied about his age.

He drove all three of the girls to a quiet car park, where he plied them with drugs and booze before raping each of the girls one byone and threatening to leave them in 'the middle of nowhere' if they did not do what he asked.

One of the victims tried to kick Wolstenholme off her but he was too strong for her and raped her on the back seat of his car. 

Another was so drunk that she could not speak or move but was in tears as Wolstenholme raped her on the front passenger seat.

After Wolstenholme raped the third girl over the boot of the vehicle, he told the other girls that she was a 'sket'. 

He was arrested in December 2019 but after being bailed started to groom another 15-year-old girl on Snapchat whilst posing as a 17-year-old and using the name 'T-Dog'.

In messages, he told the girl that he was 'her man' and repeatedly called her 'babygal' but during a subsequent meeting in a park she managed to escape by getting a friend to call her, pretending to be her mum.

In victim impact statements one of the women said she now struggled with relationships and trusting any men. 

Another said: 'I tried to kill myself with an overdose. I suffer from PTSD and night terrors and have to take sedative medication otherwise I would wake up screaming and feel suicidal.' 

A third victim resorted to alcohol abuse and suffers from 'routine' panic attacks.

One of the teenage girls is said to often 'shut down' and is reluctant and scared to leave her family house.

Wolstenholme, who has 29 offences on his record, had been convicted of kidnap and possessing an offensive weapon in 2003 after seizing a woman at knifepoint in the street before trying to make her lie on the ground in a nearby garden. 

He only ran off when she struggled, screaming for help.

Defence counsel Neil Usher said: 'There is precious little by way of mitigation in his case. 

'Each of these cases are dreadful and the effects on victims is plain from their statements. 

'No issue is taken as to the assessment that he presents a very serious risk of serious sexual offending. He is a dangerous offender and will be no doubt for many years to come.'

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A paedophile Jack Bauer fan who had counter terrorism unit-style badges and followed children around in a car fitted with flashing blue lights has walked free from court.

Spencer Pledge had stab vests, handcuffs and badges despite being banned from owning anything which could make him look like a police officer.

The bin man was jailed in 2013 for 34 months after he followed young girls around in the car, filming them and himself.

Pledge, of Sackville Road, Broadwater, Worthing, admitted 18 offences including sexual activity in the presence of children and possessing hundreds of indecent images of children.

The 46-year-old had videos of himself carrying out indecent acts with girls in the background.

Police also found hundreds of indecent images of young children Pledge downloaded from the internet.

He admitted four offences of sexual activity in the presence of ten to 12-year-old girls, eight offences of making indecent photographs of children, five offences of having more than 900 indecent photographs of children and one offence of outraging public decency in the presence of three ten-year old children and two adult women.

As part of his sentence, Pledge was banned from having any emergency services kit.

Pledge was required to sign the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely on his release from prison.

He was also given an indefinite sexual offenders prevention order, later changed to the Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The order had nine conditions intended to prevent Pledge from having any access to children and to prevent any further offences being committed when he was released from prison.

But after his release, a search of his home found two stab vests, handcuffs, a radio and police insignias.

One of the stab vests had the Sussex Police crest and ID sewn into the inside.

He was arrested and at a trial at Lewes Crown Court Pledge told a jury he was a big fan of American crime drama 24 and had the Jack Bauer badges as part of his memorabilia collection. 

The sex offender claimed he needed the stab vests when he was pretending to be police for an Airsoft game, a type of paintball.

Jack Bauer, the character made famous by Kiefer Sutherland, is a fictional US counter terrorism officer.

Pledge breached Sexual Harm Prevention Orders barring him from having a camera in a vehicle and having police uniform.

When officers examined his phones during a routine home visit in 2019, they found an image of Pledge taken inside his bin lorry.

A further search uncovered the stab vests and other gear.

After he was jailed in 2013, Sussex Police Detective Constable Lindsey Van-Buiten said: “Pledge had acted in a most offensive and distressing way towards these young girls, who were very shaken by their experience.

“Some didn’t know quite how report it at the time but they and their families have given their full co-operation to this inquiry.

“Pledge’s offending was made even worse by his videoing of some of his acts and also by, separately, downloading indecent images of children from the internet, all for his own gratification.

“There is no evidence that he physically assaulted any children but we are relieved that his offending has been brought to a close.”

Following his conviction for breaching his SHPO, a spokesman for Sussex Police said: "Spencer Pledge is a committed offender, whose pattern of behaviour was spotted thanks to the vigilance of our officers in conducting random checks of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

"Sexual Harm Prevention Orders are aimed at limiting an offender's ability to cause harm and this is a prime example of their enforcement.

"Alongside our partner agencies will continue to use all tools at our disposal to catch perpetrators of sexual offences, put measures in place to limit their offending outside of the criminal justice system and respond swiftly to any breaches of these restrictions."

The jury found Pledge guilty of breaching the SHPO by having a camera in a vehicle and possessing police uniform.

Judge Stephen Mooney jailed Pledge for two years, suspended for two years and ordered him to do 200 hours unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation days.

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This is the first picture of a city paedophile who 'tried to meet a seven-year-old child for sex'. Richard Davies has been jailed after sending a series of indecent images of children.

The 42-year-old, from Erdington, spent weeks chatting online to a person he believed was a fellow sex offender. He sent explicit and graphic messages which described his sexual interest in kids.

He communicated on various social media platforms and tried to set up a meeting where he would have sex with a young girl. Police said this included the possibility of meeting at a car park in Sutton Coldfield.

He also sent a series of indecent images of children ranging from category A - the most extreme type of abuse - to class B and CC, police said. The force said they had identified and arrested Davies in January 2021.

The investigation was carried out by West Midlands Police along with the assistance of the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit. Davies answered no comment in interview and denied he had a sexual interest in children or that he had arranged to meet a child.

He pleaded not guilty to the offences between September 2020 and January 2021, but was convicted by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court on April 18. He was sentenced to seven-years and six-months in prison. He will also be on the Sex Offenders Register and is banned from working with children as well as being subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Lisa Jackson, form the force's Priority and Vulnerabilities Team, said: "This was an excellent piece of work by all the officers involved, putting away a highly dangerous offender. The messages Davies sent were some of the most horrific we have encountered and included a number of appalling images of child abuse.

"Davies tried to claim he was not guilty throughout the case, but we were able to put together a strong case to secure a conviction."

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A Chatham sex offender who conspired with a woman to sexually abuse young children has been jailed for eight and a half years.

Tristan Goodwin, 24, and Angel Fuller, 19, were both jaied today at Maidstone Crown Court, following sex offences committed against children over a two-year period.

The court heard how Goodwin committed sex offences with a child on at least three occasions after Fuller arranged for them to meet him between May 2021 and January 2022.

Later that year, Fuller took another child to meet Goodwin, who went on to rape them.

Fuller, of Churchill Avenue, Chatham, and Goodwin, of Edinburgh Road, Chatham, were both arrested on 24 May, and detectives found Goodwin had being paying Fuller to introduce him to child victims.

Officers also discovered he had groomed two children in 2020, after he made contact with them on social media.

Their investigations found he had persuaded them to send indecent images and then meet him, before he sexually assaulted them.

Goodwin was charged with raping a child, two counts of arranging the commission of a child sex offence, two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of paying for the sexual services of a child and possession of indecent images.

Fuller was charged with aiding and abetting the rape of a child and two counts of arranging the commission of a child sex offence.

Both pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court today and Goodwin was jailed for eight and a half years. He will serve a further four years on licence under the terms of an extended sentence.

Fuller was jailed for four and a half years.

Both offenders have also been made subject to sexual harm prevention orders and added to the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Grant Broad, said: “Goodwin and Fuller worked together to target young, vulnerable victims and their depraved actions will leave a lasting impact on the victims’ lives.

“I wish to commend the courage of these vulnerable victims in supporting this investigation and ensuring a dangerous predator has been held to account for his appalling actions.

“If anyone has been a victim of any sexual offence it is never too late to report this to the police. We will always treat any information with the upmost confidence and sensitivity.’

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A convicted rapist living in Leeds has been returned to jail after failing to tell police that he obtained a passport and travelled to Amsterdam.

Having been placed on the sex offenders register, Liam Palmer must notify police if he receives such documents, and must give at least seven days’ notice if he plans to go abroad. In 2017 he was convicted after a trial of raping a woman in the Bristol area, and received six years’ jail.

Appearing at Leeds Crown Court via video link from HMP Leeds this week, he admitted two counts of failing to comply with the notification requirements of his order.

Prosecutor Mark Thomas said in March, Palmer’s offender manager was notified by UK Border Force that Palmer had travelled to Amsterdam in June of last year from Manchester Airport. He was later told that Palmer had also acquired a new passport.

The 31-year-old was arrested earlier this month, but during his police interview largely gave no comments, although he did admit he was a registered sex offender.

Mitigating, Ian Cook said that Palmer, of Aston View, Bramley, had been released from prison in August 2020 and had been complying with probation.

He said his trip to Amsterdam was not for a holiday, but that his uncle had died in the Netherlands wanted to attend the funeral, but did not want to risk being refused permission if he informed police.

Mr Cook said: “In reality, he hoped he got away with it. There was no sinister attempt. It follows a long period of exemplary compliance and this was something that he had hoped would not rear its head. He now wants to get back to where he was.”

Judge Penelope Belcher told Palmer: “I’m dealing here with serious and deliberate breaches. You thought this was important and therefore you were going to travel. There’s no dispute it was deliberate and I take the view that this is long period of non-compliance.” She jailed him for 12 months.

Palmer had been jailed at Bristol Crown Court in August 2017 for raping a woman while she slept after a house party. The woman had gone to bed with another female friend only to wake later to find Palmer on top of her. He was jailed for six years.

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A high-risk convicted sex offender has been jailed for six-and-a-half years for raping two women.

Darren Napier, 33, attacked one of the women in Fort William in the Highlands and other in Kennoway, Fife.

A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh told Napier that he had likely caused his victims long-lasting trauma.

Lord Lake said Napier had a significant history of previous convictions, including for sexual offences.

The court heard that a background report on Napier said he did not accept responsibility for his actions and presented a high risk of sexual reoffending.

The judge said: "Because of the gravity of the crimes and your previous record a custodial sentence is the only appropriate disposal in your case."

He ordered that Napier be kept under supervision for a further four years and told him that if he breached licence conditions he could be returned to prison.

Napier had denied the rape charges at a trial at the High Court in Inverness, but was found guilty.

The first rape occurred between November 2018 and February 2019 at a house in Fort William.

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Stephen Powell, 42, from Eskdale, Skelmersdale, who changed his plea from not guilty to guilty, has been sentenced to a total of 40 months’ imprisonment for offences relating to assault and engaging in sexual communication with a child. He had intentionally attempted to communicate with a person under 16 for his own sexual gratification and was sentenced at Preston Crown Court last Wednesday (April 19).

On Saturday, September 10, Mr Powell intentionally attempted to communicate with Izzy, a person under 16. The court was told that Mr Powell "did not reasonably believe her to be 16 or over" and that communication was of a sexual nature.

He has also been placed on the Sex Offender Registration for an indefinite period, given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for an indefinite period, had a Restraining Order placed on him for five years. Two Samsung Phones and one iPhone have also been removed from his being.

The defendant was ordered to pay a Statutory Surcharge of £190.

Record details

A 24-year-old has been handed a life sentence for violently snatching a six-year-old girl and attempting to rape her in the nearby woods in Greater Manchester.

Lewis Jones subjected the child to 30 minutes of brutal abuse, Manchester Crown Court heard this week, and she was covered in blood, after she was kidnapped from a field in Droylsden, Tameside, where she was building a den with friends. The presiding Judge handed down a minimum 12-year sentence after concluding that, notwithstanding the horrific nature of Jones’ crimes, he still lacked “remorse”. Court reports suggested Jones had shown no emotion as he was sentenced. 

The attacker had been sitting on a bench near his victim and her friends last August, secretly taking pictures of their bottoms before he snatched the girl.

One of the children said she felt “uncomfortable” before Jones snatched her friend as he “kept smiling at her”. Earlier, he had spoken to the group and asked if he could help make the den. 

When they appeared distracted, Jones grabbed the six-year-old and pulled her into nearby woods, where she was subjected to a 30-minute assault. He threatened if she made a sound, she'd never see her parents again.

Jones’ semen was found on his victim's underwear. 

The girl said he'd put his hand on her throat and sexually assaulted her. Her top was covered in blood after Jones had put his fingers down her throat and knocked one of her teeth out. He'd also taken pictures of the girl during the attack.

Jones only let her go after he heard her family screaming her name as they began a desperate search of the area.

The alarm was raised by an 11-year-old who told her family what had happened.

Another girl playing nearby saw Jones carrying her with blood over her T–shirt.

She heard the man say: “You're okay, you're okay”. Later, she saw the girl alone on a footpath. She was screaming: “Help me, I've been kidnapped.” 

The paedophile fled the area on foot and returned to a hotel in Ancoats, where he was staying with his father. A few hours later, he shared explicit images of the incident with a former girlfriend. 

Greater Manchester Police issued CCTV images of Jones after the attack in a bid to track him down. The criminal’s father saw the images and took his son to the police station.

After he denied involvement when questioned by police, he later admitted to kidnap and two counts of assault by penetration.

The child's mother, in a victim impact statement, said she “couldn’t stop screaming” when she found out about the attack, adding she “could not believe someone had taken my little girl and assaulted her in such a horrific way.” 

Record details

An "extremely dangerous" paedophile who was found in possession of indecent images of children breached a court order by messaging young boys on Instagram. He also messaged boys asking for pictures.

Owen David, 30, of Barry, was previously sent to prison in 2020 after he attempted to meet a child following grooming and for possessing images of child abuse. As a result of these convictions he was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) which prevented him from having contact with children.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard David's electronic devices were regularly monitored by a probation worker. On June 6 last year the probation worker viewed the defendant's Instagram account which was found to be following 60 accounts belonging to young boys.

Prosecutor Jeffrey Jones said David had also sent a message to one boy which read "DM for pics", which was interpreted as a request for images. An offender manager obtained a password for the defendant's account and saw he was following an account for a 15-year-old boy but as he viewed these accounts they were being deleted.

David, now of HMP Parc, was arrested the following day and an Alcatel phone was seized. Two "borderline" images of children were discovered but the most concerning was an image of a boy between eight and 10 years old exposing his hip, which was considered a category C image.

David initially denied any wrongdoing but later pleaded guilty to breaching a SHPO and making an indecent image. The court heard David was sentenced to two years imprisonment in 2020 and a further 18 months imprisonment the same year. At the time of the current offence he was subject to a 10-year SHPO.

In mitigation Martha Smith-Higgins said her client had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and was "candid" about his sexual interest in children. She said he also told police about the indecent images and told them where they could find it on his device.

Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams said: "You have a terrible record in relation to child sexual offences. It's clear from everything I have heard about you – you are extremely dangerous. This is a serious breach of the SHPO."

David was sentenced to a total of three years and two months imprisonment. He was made subject to a new SHPO and sex offender notification requirements which will last for life.