Latest Offenders

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Following a through Thames Valley Police investigation, a man has been sentenced for rape in Banbury. 

Sam Augustus Layne (pictured below), aged 41, of Gleneagle Road, Lambeth, London was found guilty by a majority jury of one count of rape of an adult female following a four-day trial at Oxford Crown Court on 30 April 2026. 

At the same court on Wednesday (10/6), Layne was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, given an indefinite restraining order to the victim and given a sexual harm prevention order for fifteen years. 

At around 19.20pm on 17 February 2023, Northamptonshire Police received a report from a friend of the victim, a woman aged in her twenties at the time of the offence, that she had been raped on 15 February. 

Following a night out in Banbury on 14 February 2023, Layne, who knew the victim, had invited her back to his home address to continue socialising until the victim eventually fell asleep. Layne then proceeded to rape her. 

Layne was arrested on 18 February 2023 and subsequently charged on 26 April 2024. 

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Sarah Osborne of the North Oxfordshire Criminal Investigation Department said:

“I commend the victim for her bravery in coming forward and for her strength throughout the criminal justice process. Reporting such an offence can be incredibly difficult, and her courage should not be underestimated. 

“The victim fell asleep fully clothed in the presence of a man she trusted to keep her safe. Sam Layne chose to exploit that trust, raping her while she was asleep, vulnerable, and unable to give consent. 

“This was a serious and profound violation of her trust, her dignity, and her sense of safety. I am pleased that Sam Layne has now been held accountable for his actions. This conviction reflects the seriousness of the offence and the harm caused. 

“I hope this outcome sends a clear message that offences of this nature will be thoroughly investigated and pursued. Thames Valley Police remains committed to supporting victims and tackling violence against women and girls.” 

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Christopher Dixon Jailed for Planning Child Sex Abuse and Breaching SHPO

A 68-year-old registered sex offender from Doncaster has been jailed for nine years and four months after pleading guilty to arranging the sexual abuse of two young girls and breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

In September 2025, the Internet Sex Offences Team received intelligence that Christopher Dixon was using social media to plan the abuse of two young girls. He believed he was communicating with an accomplice, but was actually talking to an undercover officer using a decoy account.

A warrant was executed at Dixons home on Short Road, Intake. He was arrested and found in possession of several undeclared electronic devices, in breach of his SHPO.

Dixon pleaded guilty to one count of arranging or facilitating a child sex offence and five counts of breaching a SHPO. He was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on 12 June.

Detective Constable Becky Straw of the ISOT said:

Dixon is a dangerous individual who showed no care or afterthought for the girls he believed would be abused for his own selfish, depraved gratification.

This result not only shows our commitment to protecting young people online, but also ensures a predator, who was using the internet to facilitate his own disturbing desires, will no longer be able to cause harm to our communities.

If you have been a victim of online sexual offences or believe that a young family member may have been, please get in touch. We will listen to you and there is support available to you throughout the process.

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Repeat Sex Offender Conor Hodgkins Jailed for Portsmouth Sexual Assault

A 35-year-old repeat sex offender who claimed asking an unknown woman for oral sex and aggressively grabbing her did not amount to sexual assault has been sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Conor Hodgkins, of no fixed abode and currently held at HMP Winchester, was found guilty of sexual assault at the Isle of Wight Crown Court on 12 June 2026. He appeared via video link.

The court heard that on 7 July 2025 at around 5.30pm, Hodgkins targeted a woman on Winston Churchill Avenue in Portsmouth. He followed her, made sexual noises, then grabbed her shoulders aggressively and said: “I want to f**k you.”

The woman was left frightened and tried to fight him off. Passing motorists stopped to assist her. Hodgkins fled the scene.

Hodgkins has 42 previous convictions for 90 offences, including a sexual assault in 2015, and had breached court restrictions on three occasions. His last known address was in Southsea.

Representing himself, Hodgkins denied the offence and accused the prosecutor of lying. He told the court the woman was wearing a short skirt and that he asked her for oral sex after she “looked his way”, but she did not answer and carried on walking. He admitted being under the influence of drugs but claimed he only put his arm around her and did not grab her shoulders.

Hodgkins said: “I just want to put it all past me now. I have been in jail for 12 months. I have never stalked anyone in my life.”

He also denied his 2015 conviction, claiming he had merely “pushed a woman by the chest” who was “harassing” him.

Judge David Melville rejected Hodgkins’ account and sentenced him to 15 months’ imprisonment. However, due to time already served on remand since July 2025, the judge stated Hodgkins had “almost certainly served his sentence already” and is expected to be released shortly.

A 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) was imposed. Hodgkins must not approach unknown women, engage in sexual activity in public, or behave in a way that could cause harassment, alarm or distress.

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A Rotherham man has been jailed for child sex offences after he was caught by an undercover officer.
 
Anthony Barker, 52, of Grove Road, thought he was speaking to an accomplice when he planned to sexually assault a young girl, but was actually communicating with an undercover officer with a decoy account.
 
Barker believed his would-be victim was nine years old, and he intentionally arranged to sexually assault them during his online communication with the decoy account between 5 and 22 January 2026.
 
Thankfully, the profile that Barker was communicating with online was an account run by an undercover officer within the Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) with the aim of catching those who intend to abuse children before they have the chance to act.
 
The ROCU team passed the evidence from their communication with Barker to our officers and Barker was arrested on suspicion of sexual offences on 22 January.
 
Following a search of his address and examination of his mobile phone, he was charged with arranging to commit an offence of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, possession of an indecent image of a child, and making indecent images of children.
 
Barker pleaded not guilty to the offences, but was found guilty of each charge following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday 5 June.
 
He was sentenced the same day to seven years imprisonment and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Investigations Officer Hannah Goodwin, the officer in charge of the case, said:

“Barker’s offending is incredibly disturbing, and through collaborative working with the ROCU we gathered crucial evidence that helped to see him jailed.
 
“The Internet Sex Offences Team worked hard to build a case against Barker, and despite him pleading not guilty, his disgusting digital footprint spoke for itself and he was found guilty.
 
“We remain committed to protecting young people online and we will continue our work to bring online predators to justice before they can put their sick plans into action.”

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Detectives have praised a woman for the immense courage she showed in giving evidence after being raped and tortured, leading to her attacker being sentenced to 34 years.

Gagandeep Singh, 34, (19.11.91), of Heathfield Road, Wandsworth was found guilty in February of two counts of rape, false imprisonment, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and kidnap following a trial at Isleworth Crown Court.

Singh appeared at the same court today – Friday, 12 June. He will serve a 34-year sentence, comprising 28 years in custody followed by a 6-year extended licence period, and will not be considered for parole until he has served at least 18 years (two-thirds of the custodial term) and the extended licence, after which he will be deported with no right of re-entry.

The court heard how the victim – a 24-year-old woman – became suspicious when she was asked to deliver a suitcase containing unknown items from Thailand back to the UK in June 2024.

She refused and when she arrived back at Birmingham Airport, she was put into a car and driven to London by masked men. She was taken to a house in Hanwell where she was subjected to prolonged torture, including by Singh, who would go on to rape her on two occasions.

Understandably traumatised by the experience, she was initially reluctant to tell the police the full truth of what had happened. Supported by her mum and by the patience and consistent engagement shown by specialist Met officers, she slowly and bravely built the confidence to pursue justice at her own pace.

Detective Constable Seetara Abdul, from the North West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, who led the investigation said:

“The brutality of what the victim in this case faced is unimaginable. She has shown immense bravery in coming forward and helping us ensure her attacker faces justice. The cruel level of control left her fearing for her life. Threats were made to try and silence her, but the support of her mum and the diligent care shown by the officers investigating her case meant we were able to apprehend and charge an extremely dangerous individual.

“We know how difficult and daunting it can be for women who have been the victim of this sort of traumatising attack to come forward and share the amount of information required to secure a successful conviction. In this case, a team of supportive female officers focused on prioritising engagement that moved at the victim’s pace, allowing her the time to begin to trust the officers and giving her the space to tell her story.

“We want to thank her for that trust and for the patience, bravery and determination she has shown throughout this investigation and the trial that followed. Her courage in the face of such awful crimes is a testament to her hugely impressive strength and resilience.”

After being subjected to more than a day of torture including being punched in the face, beaten, stripped, whipped, burnt and raped, the victim was released by her captors. She was threatened and warned not to tell anyone what had happened.

In the hours after her release, she bravely told her mum that she had been the victim of an attack but could not bring herself to disclose the full extent of her ordeal. Her mum made an initial third party report to the police but the victim did not feel able to take it further.

It would be around six more weeks before the victim would feel strong enough, supported by her mum and officers, to provide a full account.

Crucially, the clothing she had been wearing when she was kidnapped had been kept aside at her home so it could be sent for forensic examination. This was submitted for examination by DC Abdul and it revealed a one in a million positive DNA match for Singh who by that point was in prison on remand for an unrelated offence.

He was arrested and interviewed. He answered no comment to all questions but the evidence against him, not least the DNA match and the victim’s testimony, was enough to secure charges.

The victim of Singh’s crimes has bravely released a statement:

“I never wanted to contact the police. It felt daunting. I was left thinking that if I did, I could be putting myself and the people around me in danger.

“It was my mum who never gave up. She believed going to the police was the right thing to do. She kept my clothes as evidence and saved all of my doctor’s notes. She said she couldn’t rest knowing they could be doing this to other people.

“At the time, I felt a deep sense of shame. I have always been someone who stands firm in my decisions, with a strong sense of self, and I didn’t want to lose that.

“My friends and family supported me throughout everything. They made sure I never lost the strength to keep going, and for that I am truly grateful.

“To anyone who has experienced abuse, sexual or otherwise, please remember this: we are not the ones who should carry shame. We survive, and we go on to live again.”

The victim's mother, who continued to push for justice, said:

“Firstly, I would like to thank the Metropolitan police, namely DC Seetara Abdul, PC Grace Wilson and PC Destoni Peters for the support and commitment, as well as the CPS, Chloe from the Havens and everyone else who has helped and worked hard to ensure that justice is served so that my daughter can have closure.

“When I contacted the Metropolitan Police, they responded with professionalism and sensitivity and reassured me that I could report this too as a third-party. Despite my daughter initially not wishing to proceed. They took my concerns seriously and continued to investigate due to the seriousness of the offences.

“As a family, we are grateful for all the support provided. Their actions have given us a sense of closure, and we are reassured that a dangerous individual has now been removed from the streets.”

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A man has been jailed for 14 years at Portsmouth Crown Court today (Friday 12 June), following a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary investigation into three rape and non-recent child sex-offences in Portsmouth and Havant.

In late 2023, weeks before he turned 18-years-old, Dameon Etherington, of Greetham Street in Portsmouth, raped a 14-year-old girl who he had met online.

Etherington raped her again on a second occasion in January 2024. Both incidents took place in Portsmouth.

In late 2025, we received a report that Etherington had restrained and raped a woman in her 20s at knifepoint in Havant.

Following an investigation by the Operation Amberstone team, Etherington, now 20-years-old, was subsequently arrested and charged.

After initially denying the offences, Etherington changed his plea on the first day of his trial and pled guilty to the following:

• Rape
• Two counts of rape of a female aged 13/14/15

He appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court for sentencing today, and was jailed for 14 years, with an additional 4 years on extended licence.

He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and was handed a 15-year sexual harm prevention order.

Officer in the Case, Detective Sergeant Hollie Shelton of the Major Crime Support team said:

“Today’s sentence is very welcome and a much-deserved punishment for the crimes Etherington has committed.

“Etherington specifically targeted and exploited vulnerable girls and women, subjecting them to violent rapes for his own gratification.

“His actions have had a profound and lasting impact on both victims; one who had not long turned 14 at the time of the incidents, and the other who is in her 20s, but has her own vulnerabilities that he took advantage of.

“Their brave Victim Impact Statements highlighted the damage that Etherington caused to many aspects of their lives and I hope they take solace in the fact that he is now aware of this and has not been able to continue living his life without consequences.

“No sentence will ever truly be able to bring justice to the victims of such an awful crime, but I hope knowing this dangerous man in now behind bars will give them the starting point to move forward in their lives.

“I would also like to thank both victims for their tremendous courage in reporting these hugely traumatic incidents to us. Their continued support throughout the investigation and court process has been invaluable in helping us secure this result today.”

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Detectives from our specialist Child Criminal and Sexual Exploitation Team (CCSET) are welcoming the sentencing of a Walton man to seven years and one month in prison for multiple sexual offences.

Dylan Matthews, 20, of Elmcroft Close, pleaded guilty to 53 charges against 37 victims.

Matthews was initially arrested in 2024 following an allegation of online sexual offences against a girl under 16, who he targeted via Snapchat and Whatsapp. Following an extensive investigation, further victims were identified who Matthews had targeted using similar methods, and he admitted the following offences:

• One count of causing a child to engage in sexual activity
• One count of threatening to disclose private sexual images with intent
• Two counts of sexual activity with a child
• Six counts of causing or inciting sexual activity with a child
• 37 counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child
• Two counts of making indecent images of children – Class B
• Three counts of making indecent images of children – Class C
• One count of malicious communications 

Matthews was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today, Friday 12 June. He will also be subject of Sex offender notification for life.

In excerpts from Victim Personal Statements, parents of two of Matthews’ victims discuss the impact of his crimes:

“As a parent it is extremely painful to watch your child try to understand and process something so inappropriate and harmful, when she should have been focussing on growing up, learning and enjoying her childhood, not coping with emotional consequences of someone else’s actions. 

“This crime has changed how my child views the world. Trust, once given freely, must now be built slowly and carefully. The psychological effects of this crime are not temporary… healing does not erase the harm that has been done.

“This was not a harmless interaction, this is calculated exploitation that leaves lasting trauma. My child deserved safety, protection and respect, instead she was manipulated and harmed.”

“Our daughter has been deeply affected by what happened. She has experienced anxiety, loss of trust, and a heightened sense of vulnerability. Situations that once felt normal now cause her distress, and her confidence in interacting with others, particularly online, has been shaken. This has had a lasting psychological impact on her day-to-day life.

“We feel that are sense of security has been taken away and replaced with constant concern and self-doubt. We hope the court understands the lasting impact this has had… on our entire family. What has happened cannot simply be undone. It has changed how our daughter sees the world and how we, as her parents, are able to support her growing independence.”

Speaking after the sentencing, investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Amie Jones from CCSET, said:

“Matthews has been proven to be a prolific, calculated and dangerous offender, who caused extreme harm to his victims through coercion and abuse. We hope that today’s outcome provides a measure of comfort as they continue their recovery, and some reassurance that Matthews will be in custody for a significant length of time.

“As the investigation progressed, we were able to identify more of his victims. I want to take this opportunity to praise each of them and their families for their courage and strength in helping with our enquiries. We do not take for granted how difficult it can be to speak about being a victim of sexual abuse, and to provide evidence to police.

“Be assured that in all such investigations, our specialist team is here to support victims with sensitivity and compassion, every step of the way, from the initial report through to court proceedings. I would continue to urge anyone who is a victim of any form of sexual abuse to please report this to police, or through our partner agencies.

“We take all such reports extremely seriously, and in addition, work with partner organisations such as Victim care Support Service and RASA who are there to support victims of this crime.”

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A 70-year-old man from Accrington man has been given a life sentence for raping and sexually assaulting two vulnerable women. 

Shah Nawaz (pictured) targeted his victims after befriending them.

The women didn’t know one another and were preyed upon by Nawaz on different occasions.

Nawaz had a history of sexual offending, with him jailed in 1982 for rape and then for sexual offences in 1988 – both his victims in those cases being teenagers.

When sentenced at Preston Crown Court on Wednesday (10th June), Nawaz was described by Judge Robert Altham as being an ‘extremely dangerous, predatory sexual offender.'

The judge passed a life sentence, with Nawaz ordered to serve a minimum of 13 years and 362 days in prison before he is eligible to apply for parole.

One of his victims was a woman in her 20s who had learning difficulties, Nawaz raping and sexually assaulting her in his car.

The second victim was aged in her 40s and she too had learning difficulties.

Nawaz, formerly of Gloucester Avenue, Accrington, committed offences against her at his home and where she lived.

Initially, Nawaz denied the offences and was due to go on trial at Burnley Crown Court.

His two victims both gave evidence and were cross-examined, after which Nawaz pleaded guilty to six charges of rape, six charges of sexual assault and two charges of assault by penetration.

DC David Richardson of the East Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team, said:

“The victims have been incredibly brave in coming forward and going through the investigation and court process.

“Nawaz’s offending has spanned five decades, and the sentence imposed by the judge will ensure that he cannot target vulnerable people in Accrington again.

“If you have been a victim of crime, please report it to us by contacting 101 and we will support you and investigate.”

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Joshua Camplin Jailed for Seven Years After Child Sex Sting

Gwent Police have released the photograph of convicted paedophile Joshua Camplin, 33, of Chepstow Road, Newport, following his conviction at Cardiff Crown Court.

Camplin, a former travelling fairground worker and convicted sex offender, was jailed for 12 months in 2019 for possessing indecent images of children. A 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) was imposed at that time.

In the current case, Camplin was duped by an undercover police officer posing as a 14-year-old boy named “Oliver” on the dating site Fab Boys. The conversations later moved to email. He believed he was communicating with an underage schoolboy and arranged to meet him for sex at Newport bus station.

Prosecutor Kathryn Lane told the court:  
“After finding out that ‘Oliver’ was 14, he started soliciting images from him. The defendant asked to see pictures of his sexy a***.”  

She added: “The defendant encouraged him to travel to Newport so that they could have oral sex.”

Camplin had sent the undercover officer a photograph of his penis. After the decoy said he was on his way but failed to appear at the bus station, police arrested Camplin outside Newport train station.

He admitted attempting to arrange/facilitate the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order. The offences took place between 26 January and 3 March. He had breached the existing SHPO by using the pseudonym James Brown.

The court heard there had been an “escalation in the defendant’s offending” and he has an “entrenched sexual interest in children”. He was assessed as posing a “high risk of harm to children”.

Mitigation presented by Darren Bishop included that Camplin is the primary carer for his disabled partner and that he entered guilty pleas.

Recorder Simon Hughes sentenced Camplin to seven years’ imprisonment.

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Rab MacDonald Jailed for Historic Child Sexual Abuse

A 75-year-old man from Parbold has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing a young girl in the 1990s.

Rab MacDonald, of Broadmead, Parbold, was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault at Preston Crown Court on 20 April following a trial. He had been charged with 12 counts after the victim reported the offences to police in 2023. The abuse occurred mainly in the Parbold and Skelmersdale area.

MacDonald was sentenced to seven years’ custody on 8 June.

Sgt Rebecca Pugh of Skelmersdale Police said:

“MacDonald has been brought to justice for the terrible acts he committed against a young girl some years ago.

“She has had to live with what he did to her for a long time, and even after she had the courage to report him, he still made her relive that experience through a trial.

“I can’t speak highly enough of the victim, and how she has conducted herself through proceedings.

"I thank her for her courage in coming forward and telling us about MacDonald and his crimes - I don’t doubt that her support has helped us bring him to justice.

"I hope she can now begin to move forward with her life knowing MacDonald has been brought to justice.

“If you are a victim of any sexual offence reading this today, I want you to know that we will listen to what you have to say, we will investigate appropriately, and we will do all we can to get you justice.”

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A man who raped a vulnerable young woman he met in a Nottinghamshire Park has been jailed.

Sheraz Malik, now aged 28, met the girl on Sutton Lawn, Sutton-in-Ashfield, on the evening of Sunday 29 June 2025.

The victim, who was 18 at the time of the attack, was attacked after she was introduced by a friend to Malik and a group of other older men.

Birmingham Crown Court heard last year how she was first raped by another member of the group, before being led by Malik to a secluded area and raped for a second time.

Malik, a Pakistani national, was identified after the arrest of an initial suspect and was later traced to an address in Newcastle.

After his arrest on 18 July Malik gave no comment answers in two subsequent police interviews including when challenged about damning DNA evidence linking him to the victim.

During his trial he claimed to have had consensual sex with the victim.

The jury, however, rejected his account and in January this year convicted him of two counts of rape. He was cleared of a third count of rape.

Malik appeared at the same venue today (Thursday 11 June ) and was given an extended 14 year sentence - 10 years in custody and four on extended licence. 

Detective Inspector Nicole Milner said:

“This remains a complex and demanding investigation, and one that continues to be a priority for Nottinghamshire Police as we pursue our enquiries to locate and arrest a further suspect.

“Above all, my thoughts are with the victim, whose courage, resilience and bravery have been evident throughout both the investigation and the criminal justice process.

“Sheraz Malik has today received a significant custodial sentence, reflecting the seriousness of his offending and the profound impact of his actions on the victim.

“I hope this sentence brings the victim a sense of justice and reassurance that Malik no longer poses a threat to our community.”

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A man from Halifax has been jailed for 12 years for the serious physical and sexual abuse of a woman.

Neil Allsopp aged 48 of Ash Tree Road, Mixenden admitted to assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, sexual assault by penetration and intentional strangulation.

On Monday 8 June he was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court to 12 years; he was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register.  

The court heard how the victim suffered numerous fractured ribs, a fractured spine, a fractured sternum, and how bleach was poured over her.

In a victim personal statement read in court the victim said:

“The attack left me with physical, emotional, and mental affects. I constantly feel judged by what happened and if anyone says anything about what happened, I tell them that I survived; but I am not sure how.”

PC Alice Dalton of Calderdale District Police said:

“We welcome the significant sentence of Allsopp. He deserves to be in jail for a very long time.

“The victim has shown immense courage and bravery in reporting these crimes to us.

“West Yorkshire Police take all reports of this nature seriously and will thoroughly investigate to get justice for victims.”

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A man has been jailed for nearly five years after sexually assaulting a child and exposing himself in a charity shop.

Christoffer Thorkelsen, aged 30, was visiting Hertfordshire from Norway with family when the incidents took place last year.

At around 1.50pm on Wednesday 15 October, Thorkelsen exposed his penis to a member of the public inside the Isabel Hospice shop on Haldens in Welwyn Garden City.

A couple of days prior, the court heard how Thorkelsen also sexually assaulted a child under the age of seven in the county.

After reports were made to the police, Thorkelsen tried to flee the country before he was intercepted on the plane by police officers at Gatwick Airport.

Thorkelsen was arrested, charged and pleaded guilty to both offences.

At St Albans Crown Court last Friday (5 June), Thorkelsen was jailed for four-and-half years for sexual assault and a further five months for indecent exposure, to be served consecutively. He will be deported upon his release from prison.

Detective Sergeant Katie Stevens, from the Joint Child Protection Investigation Team, said:

“Thorkelsen is a dangerous and predatory offender and there is no doubt the world is safer with him behind bars.

“Thorkelsen committed these serious offences from the first day he arrived in the UK, and then attempted to flee the country when he knew police were investigating.

“I’d like to praise both victims for their bravery in reporting his crimes, and thankfully they were spared the ordeal of having to go through a criminal trial.”

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“You're not alone.”

These are the words of a woman to other victims and survivors after the man who violently raped her was jailed.

“If something like this has happened to you, simply report it to law enforcement,” she added. “I had very mixed feelings about the case, but the care and support I received was something I'll never regret.

“I felt cared for. I was offered psychological help, I was in constant contact with the police, they called me and asked about my well-being, and during the trial, I was guaranteed complete anonymity. It was a very difficult trial to prove, but the police gathered irrefutable evidence in this case.”

Tapiwanashe Sibanda was jailed for nearly 10 years at St Albans Crown Court on Friday 5 June after being found guilty at a trial last November.

The court had heard how he had invited a female sex worker to a street away from his home in Hatfield in August 2020.

After dark he took her to a secluded area of Ellenbrook Park. There he violently and repeatedly raped her, threatening her with a concealed weapon, before robbing her of her mobile phone.

The woman fled from the scene and was seen distressed and running away by a passerby who stopped to help her, and who also alerted the police.

Sibanda, now aged 27, formerly of Richards Street, Hatfield, was traced and arrested and in interview he said the sex had been consensual.

Detectives from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Sexual Offences Investigation Team investigated the case. Officers also pursued and secured a Sexual Risk Order against Sibanda in order, placing restrictions on his contact with women.

They built a case against Sibanda, and working with partners including Independent Sexual Violence Advisors, who provide independent support to victims and survivors, they earned the confidence of the woman to the point where she felt comfortable to support the investigation.

He was sentenced to nine years and 10 months in prison for rape, robbery and multiple breaches of the risk order. He was also given a sexual harm prevention order meaning he will be monitored by police on his release from prison, and he will be on the sex offenders register for life.

In sentencing Judge Andrew Johnson said the impact of Sibanda’s offending was “immense” and that he posed risk of “causing serious harm to women”.

He also commended the professionalism of the police investigation saying:

“The response of the police, demonstrates that the authorities will properly investigate allegations of rape whoever they are made by.”

DC Jon Holmes, investigating, said:

“My first thoughts are with the victim, who endured a terrible ordeal no one should face. With support from specialist officers, she saw this case through, and I commend her courage and determination to achieve justice and help keep our communities safe.

“I am also grateful to the member of the public who assisted her and to those who supported police enquiries.

“I encourage victims, particularly of sexual offences and within the sex worker community, to come forward to Hertfordshire’s specially trained officers. We will listen, take you seriously, offer support, and ensure your wishes remain central throughout the investigation to hold those who abuse or commit violence against others to account for their actions.

“Sexual offending is always a very serious crime. Any person considering or taking part in such activity can expect the police to investigate professionally and relentlessly to bring offenders to justice.”

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A sex offender has been sentenced to three and a half years, with an additional three on extended licence after he was convicted of making over 800 indecent photographs of children.

Daryl Stokes, 46, was already being managed by the Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders (MOSOVO) team following his conviction in March 2019 of making indecent images and pseudo images of children. During an unannounced visit from the team in August 2025, officers suspected him of committing further offences and he was arrested and recalled to prison.

This led to a more details investigation, following which Stokes was later charged and then convicted of making 409 category A indecent photographs of a child, making 117 category B indecent photographs of a child, making 294 category C indecent photographs of a child and two breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Stokes will now remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Detective Constable Jordan Pascoe, who investigated Stokes, said:

“The offences committed by Stokes were horrific and involved the degradation and humiliation of children. There are real children behind these images, who have suffered terrible abuse, that will have life lasting impacts upon them. They were the worst images I have had to view as a detective, and I am pleased this has been reflected in the sentencing handed to him.”

Temporary Detective Inspector Kayleigh Wilson, of MOSOVO said:

“This case highlights the proactive work conducted by the MOSOVO unit to identify offending.

“This case highlights the proactive work conducted by the MOSOVO unit to identify offending.

“DC Pascoe conducted a diligent and thorough investigation to ensure that Stokes was brought to justice for his offending. It was a difficult case due to the extent of abuse, but the dedication of the officers in the MOSOVO team made sure that a solid case was put forward for Stokes’ conviction to prevent him from further abuse.”