Latest Offenders

Description

A Huddersfield predator who claimed he was involved in a “loving” relationship with a teenage girl has been jailed.

Alexander Rowe, now 30, committed a number of sex offences against the youngster and has been put behind bars for five years.

Rowe, of Marsh, admitted having a sexual relationship with the victim when he was initially questioned by police, but denied the offences and was found guilty of inciting the girl to engage in sexual activity and sexual activity with her following a trial at Bradford Crown Court.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the girl said she had been prescribed anti-depressants and the offending had affected her day-to-day life. She said it had been difficult to put into words how it had affected her, but it was a lot to go through at her age.

Barrister Anastasis Tasou, for Rowe, said his client maintained what he had said in his evidence that this was a “loving and reciprocal relationship” with the complainant.

Mr Tasou told the court Rowe was a man of previous good character and a great many positive testimonials had been submitted on his behalf. He said: “This is his first and likely to be his only experience of custody."

Recorder Patrick Palmer said Rowe and the victim had exchanged messages on Snapchat and he had asked the teenager to send sexual pictures of herself. He told Rowe: “You of course pleaded not guilty to these matters. You had your trial before the jury and you were convicted of these offences.

"You do not have any extra punishment because you fought the case but there cannot be any credit for a guilty plea.”

Recorder Palmer imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention on Rowe and told him he would also have to register as a sex offender with the police.

Description

A Paignton man has been jailed for 12 years after admitting a string of sexual offences against children.

Craig Short, 53, of Woodland Mews, was sentenced at Exeter Crown Court on Tuesday (January 14) and made subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

Short’s crimes, which did not take place recently, involved a boy and a girl when they were aged between six and 15-years-old.

Short, who had previously pleaded guilty to indecency with a child, was charged with six counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and four counts of sexually assaulting a child.

In addition to the prison sentence, he was handed six years on extended licence, meaning he will serve the extra period in the community.

During the sentencing hearing, the court heard how Short sexually abused the male victim at a variety of locations and showed the boy pornographic videos.

The second victim in the case also described how she had been sexually abused as a child by him.

Short, who initially denied any wrongdoing when questioned by police, saying that the allegations against him were made up, later admitted his guilt.

Description

A "dangerous" paedophile who befriended young families to sexually abuse children has been jailed for 22 years.

Martin Woods, formerly of Hadleigh in Suffolk, was sentenced to the prison term and and given an extended licence period of six years that would follow his release.

The 46-year-old had abused an underage girl more than 10 years ago and has been found guilty of six offences.

Woods will serve his sentence at the same time as he serves an existing sentence he was handed in 2021 after he admitted sexually assaulting a different child.

He will remain on the sex offenders for life and is also the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Det Con Kate Hutson, from Suffolk Police, said: "Woods is a dangerous offender who has shown a pattern of behaviour in befriending young families in order to sexually abuse children."

Before his trial in December, Woods had been charged with

• three counts of attempted assault on a girl under 13 by penetration
• two counts of rape of a girl under 13
• one count of assault of a girl under 13 by touching

He was told he would not be eligible to be considered for release by the parole board until he had served 14 years and six months in prison.

'Great courage'

Det Con Hutson praised the "bravery" and "resilience" of Woods' victim.

"In a statement to the court, she described how difficult it was to talk about what had happened to her saying that the words were pushed in so far that she didn't know how to get them out," she added.

"She has shown great courage to report the crimes against her and in supporting the investigation throughout, culminating in her giving evidence at the trial.

"I hope that knowing Woods will serve at least 14 years and eight months before being eligible for parole will bring her some measure of closure."

Before his recent conviction, Woods was jailed in 2021 for rape and sexual assault of a child under 13 and five counts of taking or making indecent images of children.

Description

A man travelled from Germany to Norfolk with the intention of having sex with a young girl he met through an online children's game, a court has heard.

Michael Shablinger, 36, spent months grooming the 13-year-old victim - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - after finding her on the video game platform Roblox.

Norwich Crown Court heard Shablinger, who had told the victim he was 21, met up with her in a park in Hethersett. He spent five hours with her, until she was tracked down by her mother.

Oliver Haswell, prosecuting, said the victim has refused to say what happened between them during the hours she was missing while at the park.

But a picture of the pair kissing was later found on a "secret" phone given to her by Shablinger.

Mr Haswell said the meeting at the park followed months of "grooming", which had started in May 2023 when she was just 12.

At 11am on June 16 2024 the victim told her mother she was "going to take the dog for a walk" with a friend. 

But when she failed to return the parent got her son to look for his sister, while she tried almost 20 times over a two-hour period to call her daughter.

The mother then went out to try and look for the missing girl herself, and found her in a park with Shablinger.

The defendant, who said he had "only just met her", then left the area on a bus.

The victim then lied to her mother about what happened, prompting the concerned parent to contact police.

Once home the victim claimed she felt unwell and went to her room.

But the mother later found her daughter "hiding something in her bed", which turned out to be a "secret" mobile phone given to her by Shablinger when they met up.

Looking at the phone the woman saw part of a live chat between her daughter and the defendant in which he asked her "do you regret Sunday?" and she replied "no".

There were also messages containing requests from him for "further meetings", a picture of them kissing and telling her to "hide the phone" from her mum.

Police were contacted and given the phone. It was also found to contain conversations about the defendant seeking a passport for the victim in order that she could "leave the country to be with him".

Shablinger was arrested by Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport as he tried to board a plane to Munich on June 23.

Police seized his phone and found on it indecent images and videos of unidentified children, as well as indecent images of the victim.

Mr Haswell said analysis of his phone showed he had been chatting online with the victim for "some time" prior to them meeting up.

The prosecutor said "many" sexualised images and messages were exchanged between the two of them.

Mr Haswell said Shablinger encouraged and "instructed" the victim to commit sexual acts and recorded her as she did so.

He said the victim has refused to tell police what happened when she and Shablinger met and she even sent a message to him stating "be lucky, I lied to the police".

Shablinger, who was born in Austria but lives in Germany, appeared at court on Wednesday (January 9) after he admitted meeting a child following sexual grooming.

He also admitted sexual activity with a child and six offences of possession of more than 800 indecent images of children.

Three of those offences related to pictures and videos of the victim - including five category A, the most serious - and another three to unidentified children, including 346 category A.

Imposing an extended eight-and-a half-year extended sentence, made up of four and a half years in custody and four years on licence, Recorder Paul Garlick said it was a "very serious case".

Finding Shablinger to be a dangerous offender, he said there had been "deliberate targeting and grooming of a young girl" by the defendant whose intentions were "clear and sexual".

Ed Renvoize, mitigating, said the defendant accepted "this is an extremely serious case" but deserved full credit for his pleas to the offences.

He said Shablinger "was untruthful about his age" but insisted there was "no abduction or detention" in this case.

Shablinger was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and put on the sex offenders' register, both indefinitely.

He was also banned from contacting, or attempting  to contact, the victim directly or indirectly until further order.

Description

A man in his sixties who committed a series of sexual offences on a young girl is starting a lengthy prison sentence.

Alan Wilson committed the “utterly despicable” offences, some of which he filmed, over the course of a few days last year.

Durham Crown Court heard that the 63-year-old defendant, who is of previous good character, has been assessed as posing a high risk of causing harm to children, but a lower risk to other people.

Wilson, of Hatfield Road, Newton Aycliffe, was arrested and charged with a total of 19 counts after his actions came to light.

Appearing at a plea hearing at the court, in October, he admitted all the charges on the indictment.

These were nine counts of sexual assault, seven of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, two of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and one of possessing indecent images of a child.

The images were classified as 13 in the second most serious category, B, and three in the less severe section, C.

Following the plea hearing, Wilson was granted bail, including a condition that he should not have contact with any child, pending sentence.

He appeared back before the court to be sentenced this week (w/c January 6), following the preparation of a background report on him, by the Probation Service.

Robin Turton, representing Wilson, said the defendant recognises, “he has done wrong”, but he questioned the probation report assessment of him being considered a “high risk” of causing harm to children.

Mr Turton said given the length of time the defendant would spend in prison, “it’s an area that can be worked on.”

He said that none of the offences were “sustained”, albeit it was a pattern of offending over a few days.

Recorder Dafydd Enoch KC responded that it was, “difficult to imagine a worse example” of offending of that nature.

He told Mr Turton: “At the end of the day, your client has a sexual attraction to children.”

Mr Turton conceded: “It’s bad offending. I don’t want to suggest otherwise.

“I’m not suggesting this is anything other than serious.

“He knows he’s going to get a lengthy prison term.

“As bad as the offending is, it’s not penetrative offending.”

Addressing Wilson, Recorder Enoch told him they were, “despicable offences.”

The Recorder said: “It’s of great concern a man of your age and character should allow himself to succumb to systematic grooming and sexual assault on a young girl.

“Although there is no psychiatric assessment of the complainant, I have no doubt she will experience psychological consequences as a result of what you did, even if she did not understand what you were doing to her was wrong.”

Recorder Enoch imposed prison sentences totalling 12 years on the defendant.

He told him he must serve at least two-thirds of that sentence before being entitled to be released on licence.

Wilson was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order, prohibiting contact or approaches to the complainant, for life.

He is also subject of indefinite notification requirements and registration as a sex offender.

Description

This is the face of a child sex offender who a judge said seemed ‘completely determined’ to breach a court order designed to prevent further offending.

Adrian John Thomas was sentenced to three years in prison last month, for four breaches of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and one offence of failing to comply with notification requirements.

Thomas, 31, of no fixed abode, was issued a SHPO and notification order in 2017 following a ‘serious child sexual offence’.

The court heard that he had breached the order a total of 15 times, including the most recent offences.

Thomas had been released from prison in October 2023 and moved to an approved address in Swansea.

In January 2024 he had moved to Pembrokeshire and had moved in with his mother who lived in sheltered housing. However, he registered with the police as being of no fixed address, breaching the notification requirement of his order.

He then took over his mother's iPhone despite her protests, adding a PIN and facial recognition to the device and creating two Instagram accounts, a Gmail account and a Facebook account. All in breach of the terms of the SHPO.

The court heard that these actions had caused his mother to feel distressed and trapped.

Thomas admitted four breaches of the SHPO and one offence of failing to comply with the notification requirement and appeared for sentencing at Swansea Crown Court on December 19.

In his defence it was said that he had moved in with his mother as he had no alternative accommodation other than a tent.

He was regretful of his actions and had sought support for his mental health.

Judge His Honour Paul Thomas said: “You seem completely determined to breach the sexual harm prevention order you were made subject of following conviction for a serious child sexual offence.

“You lied to police about where you were living. You used your mother’s phone against her wishes despite her begging you not to do so. You were on licence from an earlier offence.

“You are 31 You have amassed a very bad record for offences of this type. You appear undeterrable in your refusal to abide by the sexual harm prevention order.”

He sentenced Thomas to a total of three years in prison.

Description

A university graduate who stalked, chased and stabbed a schoolgirl has been locked up for 38 years.

Recluse Ellis Dismore, 24, posted intimate photos of his online partner to social media, after the teen blocked him to end any further contact between them. Despite being in a relationship, which was mainly conducted over Snapchat, the two had had never met.

On Thursday, June 22, 2023, after days of sending his victim, and her family, voice notes threatening to stab the pupil in the heart - Dismore bought two steak knives from Wilko and waited for the teen in Middlesbrough.

The pupil thought she had been in a relationship with a teenage boy called "James Wilson" but in fact Dismore had set up fake profiles online and used other people's photos. But she recognised Dismore's voice as that of James - as he began shouting at her and chasing her on Premier Road.

Dismore approached his victim from behind. The girl ran, but Dismore stabbed her five times in the back and in the chest.

He continued to try and stab her when a passing motorist heard her screams, and told the teen to get in their car. The victim suffered horrific injuries - three puncture wounds to her left breast and a slash wound to her hand.

Teesside Crown Court has hard that Dismore's attack would "likely have been fatal" if the passing motorist hadn't stopped. Dismore was found guilty of the attempted murder after standing trial in December 2023.

He pleaded guilty to the possession of a bladed article, after CCTV showed him buying knives and using one of them to stab his victim.

He was also found guilty of:

• the possession of a knife in public
• inciting a child into sexual activity
• three charges of making an indecent photograph of a child
• five charges of distributing an indecent photograph of a child

Sentencing for the attempted murder was delayed, after police found evidence that Dismore had blackmailed and demanded intimate photos from other underage pupils. Forensic examination of his computer and phone, showed that the gaming-obsessed masters student had downloaded indecent images of children and that he had contacted eight other girls.

He messaged them - often using fake profiles - and groomed them, until they sent him naked photos of themselves. Dismore was under 16 himself, when he contacted his first two child victims.

He targeted school pupils who were young teens and as his offences continued over several years, he used fake photos to pretend he was a teenage boy himself. Dismore used social media profiles to bombard some of his victims with hateful messages and threats - whilst he played the good guy, and pretended to be concerned.

Dismore stood trial for a second time last year, over the charges relating to the eight more victims. He was found guilty of:

• Six charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity
• two charges of stalking causing fear of violence or serious harm/distress
• making indecent photographs of a child
• four counts of arranging the commission of a child sexual offence
• sending an indecent electronic communication with intent to cause stress or anxiety
• causing a child to watch a sexual act

He pleaded guilty to a second count of making indecent images of children. On Wednesday, the court heard statement from some of the victims.

The schoolgirl that Dismore tried to kill, said she had been "a normal, happy teenager" until she met 'James Wilson'. Dismore was jealous and controlling over the pupil, telling her she couldn't see friends and pressuring her to send indecent photographs of herself.

"I was so frightened of Dismore, or 'James,' I told a friend of mine what had been going on, and she told me to block him," she told the court. "I heard that he had sent indecent photos of me, that I had sent him. I was so embarrassed that people I know and strangers would see pictures of me."

The victim said: "Ellis Dismore tried to kill me. I replay that attack over and over again in my head. I'm scared to go out now."

Another victim said she felt that Dismore was "obsessed with me" and it had been "too awkward" to tell her parents that he kept sending her sexualised images. One girl said that Dismore put her "under so much pressure" she sent him naked photos of herself that he was demanding.

She never heard from him again, once she sent the photos. Another victim, who was 14 when she met Dismore online, talked about the threats he made to rape one of her friends.

In mitigation, Paul Abrahams told the court that a pre-sentence report by the probation service, found that Dismore presents a "very high risk of causing serious harm to the public." The defence barrister said that he could only make the points that Dismore has never received a prison sentence before; and that he has no previous convictions; and that he was a youth himself, when he targeted his first two victims.

'You turned nasty'

Judge Timothy Stead told Dismore: "Your offences spanned several years and culminated in the most serious offence of attempted murder. Starting when you were a teenager - you had few, if any, friends at all, but you had knowledge and skills with regard to the use of the internet.

"You used that knowledge with cunning to create identities. You posed as a young teenager and you indicated to victims that you were a friendly teenage boy of the same age. Your initial communications were friendly and innocuous.

"But you turned nasty. Very nasty indeed. You demanded indecent images were sent to you. You asked for sex with them. You disclosed images."

Speaking about the attack on June 22, he stated that Dismore approached his victim from behind. He continued: "You stabbed her repeatedly in the back. The victim can count herself very fortunate she wasn't murdered.

"It is to enormous credit that a stranger shouted at you, and gave time for your victim to get into her car. If it hadn't been for the actions of this woman, this would very likely be an offence of murder." The judge classified Dismore as a "dangerous offender."

Dismore, of Stoneyhurst Avenue, Acklam, in Middlesbrough, was handed an extended 43-year sentence - comprising of 38-years in prison and five years on licence. He was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order; and a restraining order prohibits him from contacting his nine victims indefinitely.

He will sign the sex offenders' register for the rest of his life. After the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Andrew Hamilton from Cleveland Police, gave a statement outside court describing Dismore as a "violent predator." Watch DS Hamilton here:

Debbie Breen from the Crime Prosecution Service, said: “Ellis Dismore is a dangerous and violent sexual predator who manipulated his young victims into sexual activity through fear and intimidation. It is clear that these were not idle threats, as Dismore went on to carry out a terrifying knife attack against one of his victims.

“Despite the horrific nature of his actions toward them, the evidence provided by the brave young victims in this case has been instrumental in helping the Crown Prosecution Service to build such a robust case against Dismore.

“We sincerely hope that the part they have each played in jailing such a dangerous man will bring them some measure of comfort.”

Description

A paedophile who was convicted of possessing indecent images of children absconded after he failed to keep probation services aware of his whereabouts. A judge told him he had been given a number of chances to avoid custody.

Rhys Jones, 31, was made subject to a community order at Cardiff Crown Court in 2022 after he was convicted of making indecent images of children. He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements, which required him to be monitored by the probation service.

A sentencing hearing on Wednesday heard Jones committed further offences by breaching the orders, and was sentenced to a suspended jail term of 18 months in February last year. He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work, 43m sessions of the Horizon programme, 55 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement, and a 90-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.

But the defendant went on to breach that order after leaving his accommodation at the Three Saint Hotel, in Llantrisant, but did not keep the authorities aware of his whereabouts. He absconded between September 27 and October 2, but was subsequently detained, arrested and remanded in custody.

The court heard the probation service no longer considered the suspended sentence order as workable and believed the defendant was a risk to children and of committing domestic violence against family members.

Jones, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and failure to surrender. In mitigation, Sol Hartley said his client "regrets his actions, but described his personal circumstances at the time as "chaotic".

Sentencing, Judge Paul Hobson said: "The court gave you a chance... You were given another chance." He sentenced Jones to 10 months imprisonment. Due to the time he has spent on remand, the defendant will be released from custody shortly.

Description

A man who admitted raping a 10-year-old child after grooming her into believing they were in a legitimate relationship has been jailed for six years.

Ryan Sutton, aged 24, met the girl on the messaging app Snapchat in March 2023, sharing messages and images.

Their contact then moved onto texting, phone calls and FaceTime video chats, leading the girl to believe Sutton was her boyfriend and was in love with her.

On April 23, 2023, Sutton travelled from his home in Worcestershire to meet the girl in Finedon.

They were later found together in woodland, prompting Sutton to run off. He was later arrested while trying to leave the area by car.

An investigation was launched by the Child Abuse Investigation Unit (CAIU) at Northamptonshire Police, amid concerns that Sutton had had sexual contact with the girl.

Condoms had been found in his bag at the time of his arrest, but the victim had not indicated any sexual abuse – it would take almost three months for her to bravely reveal to officers that Sutton had in fact raped and sexually assaulted her, disclosures which were backed up by forensic evidence.

Sutton went on to be charged with rape of a girl under 13, assault of a girl under 13 by touching, assault of a girl under 13 by penetration, engaging in sexual communication with a child, and being an adult meeting a girl under 16 following grooming.

On February 22, 2024, Sutton, of Astwood Road, Worcester, entered guilty pleas to the charges at court.

On Thursday, December 19, he appeared at Northampton Crown Court for sentencing, where he was jailed for six years, with a further year to be served on extended licence.

Sutton was also made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will remain on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Description

A CONVICTED paedophile has been locked up after police found he was still looking at child sex abuse images.

Police found that Viktor Smirnovs had a mobile phone hidden in his underwear that contained vile indecent images of children.

The 39-year-old was previously given a chance with a suspended sentence, but he did not heed the warning and is now incarcerated.

He was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court, where he was assisted by a Latvian interpreter, after admitting two counts each of breaching his sexual harm prevention order and failing to comply with his sex offender register requirements.

The court heard that Smirnovs was previously handed a 15-month jail term in November 2023, but this was suspended for two years.

He admitted having a 'dark side' after being caught with hundreds of vile indecent pictures and videos, but then could not be found after returning to Latvia.

On his eventual return however, officers discovered that he had downloaded even more of the depraved material, with images and videos being in excess of 800.

He was also handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and told he must sign the sex offender register – with both imposed to allow police to keep tabs on him to ensure he was not offending again.

As such, the sex offender management unit from Cheshire Police called in unannounced at his Watkin Street home on September 9, explained Derek Jones, prosecuting.

Smirnovs allowed them entry and officers asked him if he had any further devices other than those that he had registers, or anything to tell them.

The defendant said that he hadn’t, but officers decided to conduct a search of the property, notably the bedroom.

At that point, officers noticed that Smirnovs appeared to be hiding something down his trousers, the court heard, with a mobile phone found to be in his underpants.

The Google Pixel phone and its hard drive had not been registered with the police before – as he is required to do by the terms of his sexual harm prevention order.

Searches of the phone revealed references to a bank account and a Gmail email account linked to the defendant.

These too had not been registered with the police, this time as required through the terms of his sex offender register requirements.

Smirnovs was interviewed by officers and answered ‘no comment’ to each question put to him.

The items seized from his address were sent for a forensic examination, with the phone revealing the presence of indecent images of children.

Of the 216 images and videos found, 29 were graded as category A – the most severe forms of child sexual abuse involving rape – while 28 were category B and 162 were category C.

The offences subsequently placed Smirnovs in breach of the suspended sentence he was given in November 2023.

Judge Anil Murray, the same judge who previously passed the suspended sentence, felt there was no reason to make it unjust for him to activate the suspended sentence, with extra time added for the new offences.

As a result, Smirnovs was sentenced to 20 months in prison, to be served immediately.

The sexual harm prevention order and his sex offender register requirements are to continue as existing from the previous sentence.

At his previous sentencing hearing, it was said that Smirnovs had ‘found it difficult facing to why he had been looking at these images, a more sinister side to his personality’.

“He clearly has a deep-rooted problem for which he needs some form of rehabilitation,” his barrister, Paul Wood, told the court.

Description

A man confronted by paedophile hunters has admitted attempting to groom a teenage girl online.

Shaun Pardon, 54, believed he was chatting to a 13-year-old, but it was in fact a decoy account set up by adults to catch and hunt down online child sex offenders.

He was confronted at his home by members of the group, with video footage of the encounter then posted online. 

Norwich Magistrates’ Court was told he had begun messaging the profile in December 2023 stating “hello gorgeous” and had continued contacting it, despite being told the girl he was talking to was supposedly aged just 13.  

Sarah Fiddy, prosecuting, said in other messages he had asked: “Do you want to play a sex game?” 

He had sent an image of his penis, despite the decoy account talking about her day at school and saying that she needed to go to bed early. 

On other occasions he asked to see her naked.

Pardon, of Kingfisher Road in Sprowston, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child over a two week period between December 31, 2023 and January 19, 2024.

He also admitted possession of cannabis.

The footage of him being confronted by members of the online group sees him stating: “I’m only talking to that one. I talk to her now and again.” 

He denied knowing the age of the girl despite being confronted with evidence of various chats in which she talked about school, after-school clubs and made other references that made it clear just how young she supposedly was. 

Deputy District Judge Charlotte Hart ordered a pre-sentence report to consider all options including immediate custody. 

She told him: “I do not rule out committing you to the crown court to be sentenced but that is not my starting point. There is a very strong likelihood you will have to sign the sex offenders register.”  

He will be sentenced on February 20.

Description

An “emotionally-manipulative” sex predator, considered “highly dangerous” to young girls, particularly those using Snapchat, has been jailed for 20 years.

Mark Dodds, 38, received the extended sentence, of which he must serve at least two-thirds, after being convicted of a total of 60 offences involving ten girls, mostly in the UK, but some in the US.

It involved him grooming and then soliciting indecent images of the victims, who were mostly aged 12 to 13, but in one case was as young as nine.

He persuaded them to send him images of them performing sex acts on themselves, before threatening to distribute them to friends and family members unless further, more explicit photos, were sent to him.

The Crown Prosecution Service said, after the hearing, that over a ten-year period, Dodds used Snapchat - a messaging app - to incite numerous girls into carrying out sexual acts over live video calls and described Dodds as "a prolific sexual predator".

Newcastle Crown Court heard that when the victims failed to comply with his requests for more images, he followed up his threat to disclose them to family members and/or a circle of their friends.

He refused to curtail his activities despite an online confrontation with the mother of one victim, who he berated for swearing, while in another case he carried on his conduct despite being told the victim was feeling low after the death of her father.

The court heard he used pseudonyms online, making the young girls believe they were communication with teenage boys and in one case another teenage girl, using images obtained from another victim.

His offending was said to have had a profound psychological effect on his victims, one of whom stopped attending school out of shame, while others were left a pale shadow of their former selves.

Dodds, of Heather Grove, Spennymoor, was initially arrested in 2020 for activities dating back to about 2015, but, released “under investigation”, he continued a similar pattern of offending until police visited him again in November 2023, when his electronic devices were seen to be displaying indecent images of children.

Paul Cleasby, prosecuting, said Dodds struggled violently trying to prevent officers seizing his electronic devices and gaining access to his property.

He was subdued and several devices were seized.

But Mr Cleasby said the investigation was hampered and became protracted as the defendant refused to disclose passwords and then PIN numbers to some of the devices, prolonging inquiries before access was gained.

It revealed more evidence of serious online sexual abuse and blackmail of children in 2022 up to November 2023.

Investigators found that he organised the images and footage secured during his offending into folders bearing the names of the girls involved.

The defendant admitted most charges at a plea hearing in March last year, having indicated likely guilty pleas when he appeared before magistrates.

But he was found guilty of six counts, including five of sexual assault and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, following a trial at Durham Crown Court, in October.

Following preparation of psychological and background probation reports on the defendant, he appeared before trial judge, Recorder Tom Moran, for sentence today (Monday January 6).

Andrew Stranex, representing Dodds, told the court the defendant was aware he was facing a lengthy custodial sentence.

“He did accept substantially what the Crown alleged against him.

“What’s going to follow is a substantial custodial sentence which will punish him and ensure the public is protected from him during the period of incarceration.

“An important element of that will allow him to work, if he chooses to, to address the behaviour that brings him before the court.

“Whether he addresses what emerges out of this is a matter for him.”

Recorder Moran said the defendant was guilty of, “outrageous conduct” against children and displayed, “breathtaking arrogance”, in response to requests to desist his activities by his victims and members of their families.

He told Dodds he used “cunning and planning” to carry out his “controlling and emotionally manipulative” activities, but said he came across in his probation report as a “self-obsessed, self-pitying individual.”

The Recorder said the probation report author considered the defendant to pose, “a high risk of serious harm to children.”

He told Dodds: “I’m satisfied you are not just dangerous, you are highly dangerous.

“The risk includes direct contact offences and offences you may commit online.”

Recorder Moran told Dodds he must serve at least two-thirds of the 20-year total sentence and he will then be subject to six years’ extended licence period.

Dodds was also made subject of restrictions under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and registration as a sex offender, both for life.

A lifelong restraining order prohibits him from contacting or approaching the victim of his sexual assaults.

As he was being led from the dock to the court cells, the defendant was heard to shout: “Absolute f***ing joke, I didn’t do anything.”

Speaking after the hearing, Debbie Breen, head of the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RaSSO) unit at the Crown Prosecution Service North East, said over a ten-year period, Dodds used Snapchat to incite numerous girls, aged between eight and 15, into carrying out sexual acts over live video calls.

He then used covert recordings of these calls as leverage, blackmailing his victims into further acts by threatening to distribute the videos further if they failed to comply with his requests. 

When arrested, Dodds was also found to have amassed thousands of indecent images, which were recovered from multiple devices found at his home.

Ms Breen said: “Mark Dodds is a prolific sexual predator, who routinely manipulated young girls online for his own sexual gratification.

“Dodds spared little thought for the effect that his emotional and physical abuse would have on his victims, callously exploiting their fear and shame to compel them into repeated sexual acts.

“I would like to recognise the incredible bravery of the young victims involved in this case.

“Despite the significant abuse they have endured, the evidence they provided has greatly assisted the Crown Prosecution Service in building a very robust case against Dodds. 

“Each of them has played a part in bringing a prolific sexual predator to justice and we sincerely hope that their contribution to his significant sentence today can bring them a good measure of comfort.”

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A Worcestershire man who tried to facilitate sexual activity with a child was today (Monday 6 January) sentenced to 32 months at court and handed a lifetime sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Julian Davis, 62, from Stourport-on-Severn, was arrested on December 4, 2024, following an operation by officers from West Mercia Police’s Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team (OCSET).

Officers who arrested Davis at a location in Worcester found items in his vehicle such as cable ties, handcuffs, a whip, lubricant, amphetamine drugs, Viagra and baby wipes, as well as mobile phones which were seized and downloaded.

Davis was interviewed then charged on December 5 before he was bailed on December 6 with conditions including not to contact directly or indirectly anyone under the age of 18, ahead of today’s appearance at Worcester Crown Court.

He was found guilty of being an adult attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, possession of a controlled drug of Class B – amphetamine and arranging / facilitating commission of an offence of sexual activity with child/cause/incite child to engage in penetration.

Davis was sentenced to 32 months imprisonment, given a lifetime SHPO and ordered to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely, as well as to pay £150 costs.

Detective Constable Richard Britton, of West Mercia’s OCSET, said: “We carried out this operation on December 4 targeting Davis following intelligence work he was attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child.

“What we found in his car was alarming and showed his sickening intentions. Fortunately, on this occasion we were able to stop an offender before they could abuse a child.

“We were glad to get charges brought against Davis and this prison sentence imposed today. Upon his release, he will remain subject to a lifetime sexual harm prevention order and will remain on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.”

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A child sex offender left one of victims terrified after following her on social media just days after getting out of prison.

Leslie Crossan was locked up for 12 years in 2018 after being convicted of a series of offences of sexual assault of a child and sexual activity with a child in relation to four victims under the age of 16. As part of his sentence, he was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order banning him from contacting any of the victims.

Having served half of his sentence, the 64-year-old, of Kearsley Close, Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, was released from custody on licence on November 14 last year. Shortly after that, he reactivated one of his social media accounts.

On November 28, one of his victims looked at her phone and was horrified to see a notification telling her Crossan had followed her. David Robinson-Young, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: "She was shocked and panicked as a result of seeing the notification."

The victim said: "I fear he will make further attempts to contact me. I'm truly scared of this man and what he will do. He has only been out of prison three weeks and has already intimidated me."

Crossan was arrested and when his phone was examined it showed searches had been made for the victim and he had sent a message saying he was going to try to contact her. He pleaded guilty to breaching the sexual harm prevention order.

Mr Robinson-Young said: "This was a deliberate breach which caused her serious distress. It happened only two weeks after being released from prison."

The court heard Crossan has been recalled to prison to serve out the rest of his 12 year sentence. For the new offence, he was jailed for 15 months.

Assistant Judge Advocate General Edward Legard told him: "That must have been extremely unnerving and distressing for her. She was clearly shocked and panicked by what she had seen and read."

Nigel Hedley, defending, said "there was no malice" in Crossan's actions, adding: "He is truly apologetic. It's very possible he will remain in custody for the next six years on recall."

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A prolific offender found in possession of 90,000 images of child sexual abuse has been jailed for a decade. Daniel Tunney pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children and breaching his Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

An investigation was launched by Cheshire Police in September last year after they received intelligence that Tunney had been engaging with indecent images of children online. As a result, officers from the Online Child Abuse Investigation Team conducted a search at his home.

As part of his sex offender registration conditions, Tunney is required to notify police of any digital devices he owns or has access to. During the search of his address, Tunney was arrested, and officers seized three unregistered digital devices - a mobile phone, a hard drive, and a memory card.

Following a digital forensic analysis of his devices, officers discovered Tunney was in possession of thousands of images and videos displaying child abuse, these included at least 603 category A images, 240 category A videos, 735 category B images, 40 category B videos, 46,045 category C images, and 13 category C videos.

He was also found in possession of 104 images and 36 videos of extreme pornography. A further 72,659 images and videos remain uncategorised.

Tunney, 42, of Manor Way, Crewe, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Friday 3 January where he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

When interviewed, Tunney answered “no comment” to all questions, but was charged with the offences regardless due to the amount of evidence gathered against him. Tunney was left with no choice but to plead guilty.

Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Nathanael Johnston, said: “Tunney is a prolific sex offender who posed a significant risk to children. During our investigation, we found that he was in possession of more than 90,000 indecent images of child sexual abuse. Through the work of our officers, we were able to quickly bring him to justice and he is now facing the consequences of his actions behind bars.”

Detective Constable Meg Griffithes, of the Online Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “It is important to note that these crimes are not victimless, and as this case demonstrates, we are committed to pursuing and bringing to justice those who engage in online child sexual exploitation and play a part in the sexual abuse of children in Cheshire and beyond."