Latest Offenders

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

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

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

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A teenage victim showed immense courage in coming forward to report online sex offences that led to the offender being jailed.

In November 2024, a 14-year-old girl began communicating with an unknown person on Snapchat who claimed to be a 17-year-old boy called Joshua.

The boy sent an image of a young male person and claimed it was him and he formed an online relationship with the victim.

The boy was later identified to be 21-year-old Cruz Buckley of Bridport.

Buckley sent indecent videos of himself to the victim and threatened her into performing indecent acts on video calls.

The defendant took screenshots without the victim’s consent and later shared them to her family.

The matter was reported to police and the account used by Buckley was traced to an address in Bridport.

He was arrested in March 2025 and his mobile phone was seized, which was examined and found to contain indecent images and videos of the victim.

Buckley pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child, sharing a photograph or film of a person in an intimate state intending to cause alarm, distress or humiliation, making indecent images of a child, blackmail and causing or inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.

He was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday 3 July 2026 to three years and three months in prison. He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 14 years.

Detective Inspector Andy Brix, of the Paedophile Online Investigation Team, said:

“Buckley formed a relationship with someone he knew was underage and exploited her to obtain indecent images and videos.

“This type of behaviour is absolutely appalling and has had a significant impact on the victim.

“She has shown immense bravery and courage in coming forward and reporting what happened and now Buckley is behind bars unable to prey upon other vulnerable victims.

“I would like to take this opportunity to remind parents of the dangers of online child abuse – speak to your children and make sure they know they can come to you for advice.”

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A sex offender who targeted lone women on late night trains has been jailed following a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation.

Sebastian Vernon, 45, and of Finborough Road, West London, was found guilty of two counts of Sexual Assault following a trial at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court.

He was sentenced to six months in prison on 1 July and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for seven years.

The court heard how, at around 11pm on 25 March 2025, Vernon boarded a Circle Line train at Ladbrook Grove heading towards King’s Cross station. Despite the carriage being empty he sat next to a young woman before sexually assaulting her while she was trapped in her seat.

In a bid to escape Vernon’s clutches, she pretended she was leaving the train but stayed on when she saw him disembark.

Just two weeks later, on 8 April, Vernon boarded a train from Stevenage to Hitchin just before midnight.

Again he sat next to a young woman in a virtually empty carriage and proceeded to engage her in small talk.

The woman immediately became suspicious of his behaviour and left her seat and moved towards the carriage doors.

When she looked around she realised that Vernon had followed her, and as she waited to leave the service he sexually assaulted her.

The women reported what happened through BTP’s discreet 61016 text-to-report service and its online reporting service and officers soon realised they were looking for the same person for both attacks.

Their detailed reports resulted in officers identifying Vernon and tracing him to a central London court where he was arrested as he emerged from a hearing for unrelated offences of assault, theft and possessing cannabis.

BTP Detective Constable Iryna Cuthbert said:

“Vernon is an opportunistic predator who prowled train carriages late at night seeking out women who were travelling alone before attacking them.

“I commend the bravery of the two women for reporting what happened and supporting our subsequent investigation which has resulted in another sex offender behind bars.

“Tackling sexual offending on the railway is a top priority for BTP and we encourage anyone who is victim of, or witness to, this crime type to report it to us by texting 61016.

“We take every report seriously and offenders like Vernon will be made to face justice.”

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A 65-year-old registered sex offender has been jailed for more than five years after he was found to be in possession of a significant number of indecent images and videos following an unannounced police visit to his home address.

Nicholas Raisen, of Aldringham, had been convicted in December 2017 of three counts of making indecent images of children. He was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months, and made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for 10 years.

Following his conviction, Raisen was being managed by the Public Protection Unit (PPU) at Suffolk Constabulary.

On 8 October 2025, PPU officers made an unannounced visit to Raisen’s home and asked him to hand over his mobile phone for examination, as per the conditions of his SHPO. He initially claimed he didn’t know where his phone was, before it was retrieved from a drawer in the bathroom.

The phone was reviewed by an officer who is an accredited image grader and the device was seized for further analysis by the Digital Forensics Unit and a specialist officer in the Internet Child Sex Abuse Investigation Team.

The teams found a significant quantity of child sexual abuse material downloaded on the device, as well as evidence that Raisen had distributed 23 category A images/videos, two category B images/videos and one prohibited video.

Raisen was arrested at his home address on 23 October 2025. A search of his address was conducted, and a number of devices were located and seized for analysis with further child sexual abuse material found on them. There was also evidence of graphic sexualised chats using encrypted apps.

Drug paraphernalia, including 12 bottles of poppers and a small grip seal bag with a trace of powder, were also seized.

Raisen was taken to Martlesham Police Investigation Centre for questioning and was subsequently charged.

He initially denied the charges against him but later pleaded guilty to making indecent images and videos of children, distributing indecent images of children, possession of extreme pornographic images, possession of prohibited images, possession of a controlled class A drug, namely methamphetamine, as well as the supply of methamphetamine.

Raisen appeared at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday, Tuesday 14 July, where he was sentenced to five years and four months’ imprisonment.

He was made subject of a revised SHPO for 10 years and ordered to sign the sex offender’s register for life.

Public Protection Constable Claire Bodmer said:

“This was one of the worst cases of indecent image possession and distribution that we have seen in Suffolk PPU.

“Nicholas Raisen has demonstrated that he has a predatory sexual interest in the abuse of children and his sentence reflects the risk he poses to the public.

“Downloading indecent imagery of children is not a victimless crime and Suffolk Constabulary is committed to using every legal and investigative tool available to prevent further harm and protect vulnerable children. Those who engage with this kind of content will face the full force of the law.

“The prohibitions imposed through Raisen’s new Sexual Harm Prevention Order will allow the police to monitor his online behaviour for 10 years following his release from prison.”

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Sheffield Man Jailed for 15 Years After Raping Girl Under 13

Shaun Ali, 41, formerly of Barnsley Road in Fir Vale, Sheffield, has been jailed for 15 years for raping a young girl under 13.

He was convicted of two counts of rape of a child after a trial at Sheffield Crown Court. The girl’s mother said Ali made threats and “underestimated” her daughter, who showed courage in coming forward. The abuse “took her childhood,” leading to police involvement, social workers and hospital visits.

Judge Anthony Dunne sentenced him on 10 July.

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Halifax Rapist Neil Burns Jailed for 11 Years

A 56-year-old Halifax man has been jailed for 11 years after being found guilty of rape at Bradford Crown Court.

Neil Burns, of Whitehill Drive, Illingworth, will also serve a four-year extended licence period on release. Judge Roger Thomas KC ruled that Burns poses a significant risk of causing serious harm in the future.

Burns had previous convictions dating back to the late 1980s, when he received terms of detention for indecent assault and grievous bodily harm. In 2003 he was jailed for a further indecent assault. An indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed on him in 2015.

In 2024 and 2025 Burns breached the order by using dating sites and failing to disclose electronic devices in his possession. He was also convicted of multiple breaches of the SHPO and common assault against a second woman.

Barrister Erin Kilson-Parker, representing Burns, said his previous convictions aggravated the rape offence.

Judge Thomas considered imposing a discretionary life sentence but decided against it. He noted that the victim personal statement described the “very profound effect” on the complainant.

Burns was made subject to two indefinite restraining orders prohibiting contact with either of the two female complainants. He must register as a sex offender with the police for life.

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Victim-survivors are encouraged to come forward after a man who groomed vulnerable young men over a period of more than 40 years was found guilty of non-recent sexual offences, following a meticulous investigation by the Met.

Detectives gathered accounts from victim-survivors to prove 77-year-old John Grant’s guilt. Grant – who had been a senior figure across churches and in local communities – had links with churches across the country, including in Muswell Hill Baptist Church in north London, and Billingham Baptist Church in Stockton-on-Tees, as well as several youth groups in north London.

Met investigators believe there may be a considerable number of other victims due to the nature of Grant’s offending and his lengthy association with the church as an influential member at multiple religious institutions.

John Grant, 77 (13.04.1949) of Colney Hatch Lane, Hornsey, was convicted at Wood Green Crown Court on Monday, 13 July.

He was found guilty of –

• three counts of sexual assault,
• six counts of indecent assault,
• two counts of causing another person to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity.

He will be sentenced at the same court on Friday, 11 September.

The offences relate to four victim-survivors and took place between 1970 and 2012 when Grant was associated with several churches across the country and youth groups in north London. He held various roles, including church deacon and youth group leader.

Detective Constable Liam Levy, who led the investigation, said:

“This is a deeply distressing case involving a number of non-recent sexual offences, and I would like to recognise the courage and bravery shown by the victim-survivors in coming forward and putting their trust in us.

“This conviction would not have been possible without their accounts that were provided in the early stages of the investigation, which helped identify the scale of Grant’s prolific offending across more than four decades. The victim-survivors were vulnerable young men who put their trust in Grant through his church association, and it is devastating they could be taken advantage of in this way.

“As this case demonstrates, the Met is firmly committed to investigating all reports of rape and sexual offences, even if they occurred many years ago. Any victim-survivor that comes forward will be treated with dignity, compassion and sensitivity at every step of the way.”

The investigation

Police first became aware of Grant’s offending in 2023 after a victim-survivor reported that he had been repeatedly sexually assaulted over a 30-year period. The abuse began in 1994 when the victim-survivor moved into a shared house with Grant. However, after two other people moved out of the address they shared, Grant began asking whether the victim-survivor wanted massages.

Despite rejecting these offers, the victim-survivor stated that he felt pressured into massages involving sexual touching. This continued until the victim moved out in 1998, but he returned to the address in 1999, where the abuse continued until 2012.

Following this disclosure, officers launched extensive enquiries to identify organisations and churches connected to Grant. These included Muswell Hill Baptist Church, Billingham Baptist Church and several youth groups in north London that Grant had previously run. Through these enquiries, detectives identified further victim-survivors.

Across all the complainants, there was a similar motive displayed by Grant where he groomed vulnerable young men through coercive control and behaviour, before sexually assaulting them.

The appeal

Due to the nature of this offending and the links to multiple churches, detectives are keen to encourage other potential victim-survivors to come forward.

In addition to Billingham and Muswell Hill churches, Grant was also a member of the Broomsknoll Church of Scotland in Airdrie between 1965 and 1970. He was also a member of Ward Green Baptist Church in Barnsley between 1973 and 1984.

The most senior role held by Grant was at Muswell Hill Baptist Church as Moderator for the London Baptist Association. This would see Grant stand in as a moderator for the other churches in the district and preach in local churches around Muswell Hill, which detectives believe may have resulted in contact with other potential victim-survivors.

The Met is committed to continually improving the support provided to victim-survivors, helping to build trust and confidence by listening, learning and taking action. This means putting victim-survivors at the centre of investigations, while maintaining a suspect-focused and context-led approach to achieving the best possible outcomes.

Anyone with information or wishing to report offences relating to Grant can call police on 101 quoting CAD3277/08JUL26. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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On Monday 13 July 2026 at Manchester Crown Square Court, Jovhan Pascoe (17/08/1986) of Moss Bank Road, Crumpsall, was sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 15 years, for the rape of a woman. 

He has a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in place.

On Wednesday 10 September 2025, officers were called to reports of a serious sexual assault at an address on St Chads Street, in Cheetham Hill, at around 3:30am. Pascoe was arrested on suspicion of rape and remanded into police custody. 

The survivor was supported by officers, and an investigation was immediately launched.

In an impact statement describing the traumatic effects the rape has had on her life, she said:

"I am writing this impact statement to explain the profound effect this crime has had on me. Since that night I haven’t slept properly. I have to sleep with a light and that's if I can get to sleep.

"Some nights I don’t sleep for days, because I’m terrified and nervous thinking someone going to walk in and hurt me again, the slightest noise makes me jump. Even the sound of a car revving outside, or if something falls on the floor and makes a bang, I get palpitations where my chest and heart start racing like having adrenaline rush, my anxiety levels go up. It can take me hours to calm myself down, but I manage it."

Throughout interview in police custody and the investigation, Pascoe denied the offence and made derogatory comments about the survivor. 

Whilst in court, Pascoe would interrupt the judge when he was speaking by whistling and clicking to get his attention.

On 13 March 2026, Pascoe was found guilty of rape by jury following a five-day trial at Manchester Crown Square Court. On 13 July 2026, he was jailed for life in prison, to serve a minimum of 15 years. 

Detective Constable Katie Geldard from City of Manchester CID said:

“I’d like to thank the brave victim for coming forward and reporting this horrendous crime to us, and for working with us throughout the course of the investigation.  

“Thanks to her courage, this dangerous sexual predator has been removed from the streets and put behind bars. I hope this sentence brings her a sense of justice as she rebuilds her life. 

“Anyone who may have been a victim of sexual assault can contact Greater Manchester Police at any time. We will provide support, conduct thorough investigations, and take firm action against offenders. 

"Your allegations will be taken seriously, and you will be treated with dignity and respect." 

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A taxi-driver who picked up a vulnerable woman and raped her in her own home has today received a 16-year sentence.

Khalafalla Yagoub (19/01/1980), of Burnett Avenue, Salford, was found guilty of rape last month, with his sentencing coming today (13 July) at Manchester Crown Court.

The court heard how on the evening of 28 November 2025, a 19-year-old woman was out in Manchester with her friends.

After leaving a bar at 3am the following morning, Yagoub picked the woman up in her taxi – though the woman was intoxicated, in a vulnerable state, and had not booked the taxi.

After taking her back to her home, Yagoub raped the woman. He had claimed in police interview that he had helped the woman and that it was consensual – stating that it was a ‘gift’ for driving her home.

This turned out to be a sinister lie.

In the days after, his victim reported feeling unwell, and soon received a call from Yagoub, not knowing who he was. Yagoub told the woman about their encounter, with the woman realising that she had been raped while in a vulnerable and intoxicated state, and with no recollection of what had taken place. While she had some images in her mind, she had believed them to be a dream.

She then bravely reported the incident to the police.

Officers attempted to track Yagoub and could not locate him, but soon found that he was due to travel on flight to Istanbul on 3 December. He was arrested at the airport before he could board and subsequently taken into custody.

Yagoub’s victim bravely gave evidence as part of the trial– with Yagoub seen to be laughing while she read this out. This was later acknowledged by the judge in his sentencing remarks.

In total, Yagoub received an 11-year custodial sentence with a five year extended licence. He will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and restraining order.

Detective Constable Oliver Smith, from Greater Manchester Police, said:

“Yagoub picked up a vulnerable woman and took advantage of her while she was in no fit state to consent. His actions were vile and I want to commend the woman for her bravery in coming forward – this work has been about ensuring justice for her.

“He spun a web of lies during his police interview, claiming various falsehoods about how he had helped her and that everything that happened was consensual. None of this was true.

“He is now behind bars where he belongs, and I hope that this result can bring some level of closure to his victim.”

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An Uber driver who raped a passenger at knifepoint has been jailed for 16 years – following the victim’s swift actions in reporting the offence.

Officers were able to locate and arrest Adam Daley an hour after the incident in December last year, after the woman he attacked immediately contacted police.

Her rapid reporting enabled officers to carry out some swift enquiries to identify the defendant’s car and to track its movements through CCTV and ANPR cameras.

Crucially, it also ensured vital forensic and digital evidence was preserved.

This evidence proved key in securing Daley’s conviction and following a trial last month he was found guilty of one count of rape, one count of sexual assault, one count of possession of a bladed article and one count of threats to kill.

On Friday (10 July), at Leicester Crown Court, the 33-year-old of Chester Close, Leicester, was sentenced to a total of 16 years’ imprisonment. He has also been subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) until further notice and a restraining order preventing him from contacting the victim.

At sentencing, he also pleaded guilty to two counts of making incident images of a child – evidence found by officers when his mobile phone was examined.

Specialist detectives from the force’s rape and serious sexual assault team, who investigated the incident, are now urging anyone else who could have been a victim of Daley’s to come forward.

Arresting Daley

The rape was reported to police shortly after 5.30am on Monday 29 December and had taken place in the back of Daley’s white Toyota Auris in a layby close to Soar Valley Way.

The victim, a woman in her 20s, and her friend had been outside a bar in Leicester city centre about to order an Uber when Daley pulled up alongside them. He offered to take them both home if they booked the trip through the app.

After dropping her friend home, Daley and the victim continued the journey to her address.

During the drive, Daley started making sexualised comments towards the victim and asking her inappropriate questions.

While heading out of the city, Daley then pulled over in a layby – claiming he needed to go to the toilet.

He then ordered the victim to move into the front of the car before before forcing her to perform oral sex on him by threatening her with a knife.

During this incident he has also pulled down the victim’s top and touched her breasts.

After pleading with Daley to stop, he left the woman in the layby and sped off. She immediately called 999 and an officer was dispatched to her.

Quick enquiries identified the registration of the vehicle and Daley as the insured driver.

Officers on shift in the force’s Roads Policing Team were put on alert and Daley was stopped at the junction of Vaughan Way and Great Central Street at 6.37am.

While officers were attempting to arrest Daley, he attempted to grab his phone and also to stamp on it - in a bid to destroy any evidence.

While in custody, detectives began carrying out extensive enquiries, including forensic examinations and reviewing CCTV and mobile phone data in order to track the defendant’s movements both before and after the attack.

Despite the victim’s DNA being found on his penis and underwear, Daley continued to deny the offence and claimed her DNA had transferred to him as she had drunk from a water bottle in the car, and he had later used the same bottle to wash his penis after urinating in the layby.

Following examination of his phone, detectives were able to establish Daley had driven past the victim while she was in the layby three times after the incident had taken place.

Detective Constable Matt Smith from Signal – the force’s dedicated rape and serious sexual assault team is the officer in the case.

He said:

“I want to commend the victim in this case during what has been an extremely difficult six months. Her actions that night and the strength and bravery she has shown during the investigation and trial has ensured a dangerous individual is now behind bars.

“Despite her deeply traumatic and distressing experience, that night she demonstrated exceptional presence of mind and was able to contact police immediately after Daley had driven off.

“Thanks to this, officers were able to act quickly to identify and locate the suspect in a very short space of time. This was crucial to our investigation and ensured not only key forensic evidence could still be detected but that he was apprehended before he attacked anyone else.

“Daley targeted a lone woman after she trusted him to get her home safely. Given his job as an Uber driver it is possible there could be more victims that have not come forward.

“We take reports of sexual assault very seriously and anyone who wishes to report offences will be spoken to by specialist officers in the team.”

At the time of his arrest, Daley also refused to provide a drugs wipe, so a blood sample was sent for testing and later came back as positive for cocaine.

He was charged and pleaded guilty to two counts of drug driving at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 1 April. He was banned from driving for 20 months, fined £200 and order to pay £85 court costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Senior Investigation Officer, Detective Inspector Majid Zaveri, said: “The courage of the victim and the professionalism and dedication of the response and investigation officers has led to this outcome.

“My thanks go to the victim who bravery and co-operation led to this quick arrest and allowed vital evidence to be secured. Thank you to the response officers for their quick actions and to the investigation team – including Detective Sergeants George White, Jon Davies and Detective Constables Matt Smith and Charlotte Worley – for their tireless work to ensure the defendant was brought before the courts.

“If you are a victim of a sexual offence, please know that we are here to listen to you, to help you and to support you. Please report to us or speak with someone you can trust.”

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Police in Hampshire and in America have been conducting investigations into a website where explicit images of women in Hampshire were uploaded, and a global paedophile ring marketed the sale of child sex abuse material.

US authorities have made a number of arrests and have seized more than 1 million indecent images of children as part of their investigation. Meanwhile, officers in Hampshire have prosecuted a man involved in uploading falsified intimate images of adult women.

Officers in Hampshire first became aware of the website in January 2024 after a woman reported that images of her from her wedding day, which had been doctored to make her appear either nude or wearing lingerie, had been uploaded to the site.

More than 100 images of the woman had been shared, and were accompanied by comments containing written fantasies about sexually abusing the woman.

Through enquiries, Hampshire police were able to identify the person responsible for uploading the images – 30-year-old Ethan Orchard of Highland Road in Southsea, who was known to the woman and even made her aware of the images being shared, but did not disclose to her that he was the person responsible.

Orchard also shared doctored images of two other women he knew, and continued to post horrific violent and sexual fantasies on the website about them.

In addition, Orchard encouraged others online to harass one of the victims. Fortunately she did not receive contact from anyone.

Orchard was arrested and later charged with three counts of sharing a photograph of a person in an intimate state for the purpose of sexual gratification, and one count of encouraging the commission of an either way offence and believing it will be committed.

He pleaded guilty to the offences on 11 May this year, and was jailed for three years and four months on Friday 10 July. He was also made subject to a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and was given an indefinite restraining order.

During enquiries into Orchard’s offending, investigating officer PC Steve Cann made contact with the FBI in February 2024 to make them aware of the website.

In November 2024, PC Cann became aware that the site domain had been seized by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Through liaison with the FDLE, Hampshire police were informed that Special Agents in America began investigating the site in July 2024, which was being used to advertise indecent images of children and make contact with buyers who wanted to buy child abuse material.

The FDLE’s cyber team then set about seizing the website domain and removing the website, and were able to seize 1.1million indecent images of children. Authorities were also able to identify more than 50 victims of child sex abuse spanning the United States, Canada, Australia and the UK.

Working with Homeland Security, FDLE identified 10 offenders comprised of two money mules based in the US, seven customers of child abuse material based in Florida, as well as Turkish resident Mehmet Bozuyuk who is alleged to have led the conspiracy by using stolen identities to facilitate the global sale and distribution of child sex abuse material.

Judicial proceedings remain ongoing in America, and a warrant is currently active for the arrest of Bozuyuk.

You can read more about the FDLE investigation here: https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/news/2025/april/fdle-ag-uthmeier-hsi-announce-international-csam-investigation-arrests

PC Steve Cann, of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, said:

“What happened to the women in Hampshire is truly shocking, and highlights the very frightening realities of how people like Orchard can exploit online spaces to cause serious harm.

“They were targeted, objectified, and left in constant fear for their safety because of what Orchard did.

“The most insidious part of this was the sheer scale of harm police were able to identify from this one website alone. Our counterparts in the US have conducted some incredible work to remove this website, along with more than a million indecent images of children, and have identified a global paedophile ring.

“It is truly horrifying to think that this kind of offending is carried out on such an enormous scale right under all of our noses on the internet.

“I want to commend the bravery of the three women in this case in coming forward, and their relentless commitment to supporting a very long and protracted investigation. They have played a crucial part in ensuring authorities could target offenders exploiting innocent people.

“The impact the offending has had on them is profound. One of the victims and her husband have had the memories of their wedding day completely tarnished and can no longer bear to look at the photographs from their special day. All of those affected have been betrayed in the most horrendous way, and I hope the action taken by police both locally and overseas goes some way in helping them recover from this ordeal.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DC Stacey Swan said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DC Swan added:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PC Katie Owers from our MOSOVO team said:

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

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

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

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

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

Deputy Chief Constable Caroline Marsh said:

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

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

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

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

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

He will also face misconduct proceedings.