Latest Offenders

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A man has been jailed for more than a decade for the rape and coercive control of a woman in Stafford.

Kamljit Sahota, aged 48, of Cannock, was handed a 10-year-and-two-month jail term at Stafford Crown Court on Friday (11 September) after admitting two counts of rape, engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour, as well as making threats to destroy or damage property.

The offences took place from July to October last year.

Sahota had initially denied the offences, but after being presented with evidence from the survivor, changed his plea in court.

Along with his prison sentence, Sahota was also ordered to check in with police indefinitely upon his release and made subject to an ongoing restraining order.

He was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £228.

Speaking following sentencing, Detective Constable Andrea Chidgey, of our rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO) team, said:

“Sahota deliberately and callously intimidated and overpowered every aspect of the survivor’s life.

“He deliberately inflicted a great deal of harm with no thought for his actions, believing that he was immune from the consequences.

“I’d like to commend the survivor in this case who showed exceptional courage in coming forward and trusting us with her disclosures on what she went through.

“I hope she is able to continue her journey to recovery and hope this case shows how we are determined to support survivors of abuse and bring perpetrators to justice.”

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A West Yorkshire Police staff member has been sentenced after trying to arrange sexual activity with a child.

Christopher Thompson, 33, who was working in Regional Scientific Support Services at the time of his arrest, was found guilty following a trial at Kingston-upon-Hull Crown Court in July of two counts of making indecent photographs of a child, one count of sending communication conveying a threatening message and one count of intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an either way offence. The either way offence was trying to arrange sexual activity with a child under 13.

He appeared at Great Grimsby Crown Court yesterday where he was given an extended custodial sentence of six years. He has also been also added to the Sex Offenders Register for life and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and indefinite restraining orders in relation to the two victims.

The investigation by West Yorkshire Police's Professional Standards Directorate looked into messages sent by Thompson to two women in January 2024. The day after the first report, Thompson was identified, arrested and suspended from duty.

On his arrest, a number of devices were also seized from Thompson and indecent images of children were found on them.

Detective Chief Superintendent Tanya Wilkins, Head of West Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Directorate, said:

“This police staff member has been involved in some really concerning behaviour online and as part of this has tried to arrange sexual activity with a child.

“We acted swiftly on the information that was provided to us and on identifying that the suspect was a police staff member ensured he was immediately arrested and suspended from duty.

“Following the conclusion of this court case, we will now be arranging misconduct proceedings with a view to him being barred from working in any further role within policing.”

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A man has been jailed for various sexual offences following a South Wales Police investigation.

Adam Chard, 22 from Bridgend was sentenced to three years in prison and given a restraining order following his conviction. He’s also been placed indefinitely on the Sex Offenders Register.

The sentencing took place on Friday August 21 at Cardiff Crown Court, where Chard pleaded guilty to 14 counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, three counts of possessing indecent images of Cat A B and C, one count of sexual communication with a child and one count of engaging in coercive/ controlling behaviour.

The officer dealing with the case said:

“This sentence sends a hugely positive message to victims of sexual abuse that they will be believed, their attackers will be identified, and they will be brought to justice.

We cannot praise the victim enough for the bravery she has shown to tell police what happened to her and secure justice against a despicable man – and that is before even mentioning Adam Chard’s part in the offending”

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A man has been sentenced for child sex offences after a complex police investigation.

David Richardson, 31, has been sentenced after he sent sexually explicit images and videos to someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy.

However, what Richardson didn’t know was he was actually speaking to an officer from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) carrying out a police investigation.

Following his arrest on July 17 at his home address in Denton Burn, Richardson was charged with attempt to cause a child to watch images of sexual activity and attempt to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Today (Wednesday), he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court for sentencing having pleaded guilty to all charges at an earlier date.

Richardson was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for two years, a 10-year sex offender notification requirement and a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Speaking after the sentencing, NEROCU Detective Constable Lee Robertson, said:

“This is just the latest investigation which has seen a dangerous predator have their day in court.

“Our work will not stop and we will continue to work to tackle online child abuse and sexual exploitation and would urge anyone who has been a victim of this type of offending, or has concerns about someone’s behaviour, to come forward and talk to police.”

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An 82-year-old man has been jailed for 19 years after being convicted of raping and sexually abusing three young girls in West Berkshire in the 1960s and 1970s.

David Fisher, of Halifax Place, Thatcham, was sentenced at Reading Crown Court yesterday (21/9) after a jury found him guilty of 12 historic sexual offences against three victims who were children at the time, following a trial this summer.

The court heard that Fisher, who worked for the former Berkshire County Council and lived in Hampstead Norreys when the offences were committed, subjected the girls to repeated sexual abuse over a six-year period. The victims were aged just 10 and 11 when the abuse began.

The offences were reported decades later after one of the victims saw Fisher on a bus.

A Thames Valley Police investigation subsequently identified two further victims and uncovered a sustained pattern of offending between 1966 and 1972.

During the trial, jurors heard how Fisher would persuade the children to get into his car before driving them to secluded woodland areas across West Berkshire, where he sexually abused them. This included areas near Hampstead Norreys, Thatcham, Bucklebury, Yattendon, Frilsham, Stanford Dingley, Hermitage and Aldworth.

Fisher was found guilty of:

• Six counts of rape
• One count of attempted rape
• Four counts of indecency with a child
• One count of indecent assault

He was convicted of five counts of rape, that occurred on at least 50 occasions, in connection with victim one.

Fisher was convicted of three counts of indecently assaulting victim two.

In relation to victim three, he was convicted of one count of attempted rape on at least 10 occasions, one count of indecent assault on at least 10 occasions, one count of indecency with a child on at least 10 occasions and one count of rape.

Sentencing Fisher to 19 years’ imprisonment, Judge Rachel Drake praised the courage and resilience shown by the victims in coming forward.

Investigating Officer, Detective Constable Alex Lister, of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said:

“David Fisher committed appalling offences against three young girls over a number of years, abusing their trust and causing harm that has remained with them for decades.

“I would like to commend the victims for their courage in coming forward and bravery throughout the investigation and trial. They have ensured that Fisher has finally been held accountable for his actions.

“This case shows that no matter how much time has passed, we will listen to victims, investigate reports thoroughly and do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.”

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A man from Bridgend has been jailed after carrying out a sexual offence against his victim.

21-year-old Daffydd Piper, from Bridgend, changed his plea from not guilty to guilty of one count of rape when he appeared before Cardiff Crown Court on Friday July 24.

During his sentence hearing on Monday September 21 at Cardiff Crown Court Piper was sentenced to three years and five months in prison. He was also given a five-year restraining order.

Detective constable Lucy Weaver said:

“The bravery it takes to come forward and reporting offences like these not to be underestimated.

“We hope that this sentence will go some way in helping the victim rebuild her life and heal from the awful events that took place.

“An extensive amount of work went into this investigation which we believe gave Piper no option other than to plead guilty and therefore prevented the victim from having to give evidence in court.”

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Two child sexual predators have been jailed – after arranging to travel overseas to abuse children. 

Carl Simmons, 51, and Kevin Smith, 42, are now behind bars after they were caught making arrangements to carry out sexual abuse of young children overseas – even booking flights and preparing for travel.

Thankfully, officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) and Durham Police’s Online Child Abuse Investigation Team took immediate action and arrested both males preventing them from travelling abroad.

In October last year, Simmons and Smith both made an arrangement online to sexually abuse and rape children overseas. 

They both used sexually explicit language and Simmons even sent sexual images of himself.

However, what they didn’t realise was they were actually speaking to a police officer who was quickly closing in on the evil pair through their investigation.

Simmons and Smith were both arrested in October 2025 and subsequently charged with arranging the commission of a child sex offence and later pleaded guilty.

Today (Monday) they appeared at Teesside Crown Court and Simmons, of Tilery Close, Bowburn, Durham, and Smith, of Grangefield Road, Stockton-on-Tees, were both sentenced to six years imprisonment, a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and an indefinite Sex Offender Registration.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Georgina Lewis, said:

“Both Simmons and Smith made their vile desires very clear, and their actions demonstrated the lengths they would go and the money they would pay to sexually abuse children.

“They’ll now face the consequences of their actions thanks to the hard work of officers.”

“We would urge anyone who has been a victim of this type of offending, or has concerns about someone’s behaviour, to come forward and talk to police – support is available and you can help safeguard other vulnerable children.”

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A ‘manipulative offender’ who groomed a young girl before subjecting her to serious sexual abuse has been jailed for more than 20 years.

James Groves, 51, of Little Stoke, South Gloucestershire, was sentenced to 20 years and six months for several offences at Bristol Crown Court on Friday (18 September).

A jury found Groves, who also goes by the name of April, unanimously guilty of 19 separate non-recent offences against their victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, including nine counts of rape, and was convicted following a trial at the same court on Friday 5 June.

Groves will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for an indefinite period.

The offences were reported after Groves was arrested for inappropriate communication with a child, and the victim then went on to disclose that she had been sexually abused and raped by Groves over a number of years. Groves was further arrested for those offences while they were in custody.

A thorough investigation was then carried out, and specialist support services were put in place for the victim, with Groves then being charged on 18 October last year.

The full list of offences Groves was convicted of:

• Four counts of the rape of a child (contrary to section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003)
• Four counts of sexual assault against a child.
• Two counts of assault of a child by penetration.
• Five counts of rape (contrary to section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003)
• Two counts of assault by penetration.
• One count of the possession of indecent photographs of a child.
• Attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.
• Carrying out acts intended to pervert the course of public justice.

Groves’ victim explained the impact the offending had on her in a statement which was read in court:

“I felt that because Groves groomed me, I did not realise how serious what was going on was. They built up a relationship with me, and, in my head, I did not feel like it was enough for me to contact the police.

“People have said to me that I am not the bright, bubbly girl I once was, and I am just a shell of my former self. I don’t remember chunks of my childhood because of what Groves did, and this is because of the trauma I have been through.

“I have lost my childhood because of what they did, and I will never get it back.”

DC Ben Perrett, from our Criminal Investigations Department (CID), said:

“This has been an extremely distressing case involving the sustained abuse of a vulnerable young girl, who was targeted and manipulated by the offender over several years.

“Groves’ actions demonstrate a calculated pattern of grooming designed to gain trust and exert control. I would like to commend the victim for her exceptional bravery in coming forward and supporting the investigation.

“Her courage has been instrumental in securing this conviction and preventing further harm. I hope this result sends a clear message that we take offences of this nature extremely seriously. We will work tirelessly to protect vulnerable individuals and bring those responsible to justice.”

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A man has been given a nine-year sentence for sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a young girl. 

Kyle Tyson was 17 when he committed the offences against the girl – someone he knew - at a wake following a funeral in Preston in May 2022.

His actions had a profound effect on his victim who was only 12 at the time.

In a Victim Personal Statement read to the court at Tyson’s sentencing hearing, the girl said:

“I was a child who should have been able to enjoy life, focus on school and spend time with friends and feel safe within my own family.

“Instead, I was left carrying trauma that I was far too young to comprehend.

“The assault had a serious effect on my mental health. I developed severe anxiety, which became so overwhelming that I could not go to school.

“Eventually, I stopped going because I found it so difficult to cope.

“While other children my age were able to continue their education and enjoy their teenage years, I was struggling with the consequences of what had happened to me and at the time, I felt like I had no one to turn to. There was no one who could help, so I carried this burden myself for what seemed like forever.

“Having to report the abuse and go through the criminal justice process has been difficult.

“Speaking about what happened has forced me to relive some of the most painful experiences of my life. Knowing that I would have to give evidence and talk about this has caused me anxiety and distress.

“There have been times when I have felt overwhelmed by the process, but I knew it was important to tell the truth. I should never have been put in a position where I had to choose between staying silent and reliving my trauma in order to seek justice.”

Tyson, 20, formerly of Hillside Crescent, Chorley, was found guilty by a jury of attempted rape of a child under 13 and of sexual assault after a trial in June.

Appearing at Preston Crown Court Sessions House last Friday, he was given a nine-year sentence, comprising six years custody and three years on extended licence.

Tyson was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and made subject of a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Det Con Nikki Houghton of Lancashire Police, said:

“This was an horrendous and traumatic ordeal for the young victim.

“I hope that Kyle Tyson being convicted of these serious offences and given a significant custodial sentence brings her a sense of justice.

“If you have been the victim of a sexual offence, please report it. Lancashire Police will listen to you, support you and investigate in order to put offenders before the courts.”

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A man from Crewe has been jailed for online child sexual offences.

Rory Need appeared at Chester Crown Court on Monday 21 September where he was sentenced to six years and six months.

The 37-year-old, of Rimsdale Close, Wistaston, was earlier found guilty of possessing indecent images of children, making indecent images of children, distributing indecent images of children, causing a child to look at images of sexual activity, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and engaging in sexual communication with a child, following a three-day trial.

Cheshire Police arrested Need in March 2024 after officers received information from Dyfed-Powys Police relating to a Snapchat account which had been engaging in sexual communications with a 9-year-old girl. The account was linked to Need.

His devices were seized and several of indecent images of children were recovered.

Need was ultimately charged with multiple offences.

On top of his custodial sentence, he must sign the Sex Offender Register indefinitely and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Constable Faye Taylor said:

“Need is clearly a danger to children and has rightly been handed a prison sentence that reflects the severity of his crimes.

“He was well aware that his victim was underage, and as a 37-year-old man he knew what he was doing was wrong, but despite this he continued to cause significant harm.

“Through the use of social media, he specifically targeted a 9-year-old girl, plying her with sexualised messages and indecent images in order to fulfil his own sexual desires.

“Thankfully, as a result of the evidence we gathered, he has now been held accountable for his actions and will no longer be able to pose a threat to other children.”

Description

The court had heard how the teen was walking home through Boston town centre at around 9.15pm on Monday 16 March 2025 when she had a sense that someone was following behind her.

After following her some distance, Savage caught up with the teen and struck up a conversation. He then demanded she handed over her phone stating that there was purportedly something he needed to access on her device. Her phone battery had died, and so he insisted he needed to take her to use a charger ‘at his place’.

The victim felt something sharp against her waist as he was demanding the phone, which she feared might have been a knife. He walked the young girl around the town against her will, towards the church and the former B&M shop. He then walked her towards The Range and gave her a can of beer.

The girl was perceptive enough to pay attention to the route taken and remember it which later proved invaluable. She then described being taken into a property where she was forcibly made to engage in oral sex with the predator, which he recorded on his mobile phone. He then walked the girl back to the part of town where he had accosted her, but he had kept her mobile phone back at his residence.

The incident was reported to police at just after midnight on 17 March. Thanks to the level of information provided by the astute young girl, and diligent digital investigative work to identify the location of the girl’s phone, Savage was swiftly located and arrested at 1.45am at a property on Marsh Lane, Boston. He was remanded into prison where he has remained until trial.

The officer in charge of this case, DC Charlotte Howitt praised the courage and maturity displayed by the victim. She said: 

“The resilience and bravery displayed by this young victim throughout an incredibly harrowing investigation and court process have been truly remarkable. Her willingness to place her trust in the criminal justice system and her determination to see the case through, despite having to recount details of this traumatic experience on numerous occasions, have been instrumental in securing this outcome. She remained resolute throughout, and she should be incredibly proud of the strength she has shown.

“Together, with the victim’s bravery and the relentless efforts of the officers involved, we have ensured that a dangerous individual has been held accountable for his actions. I hope this outcome gives the victim some measure of closure and demonstrates our commitment to pursuing offenders and supporting victims every step of the way.”

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Aadel Nassrallah, 39, jailed for 18 years in absence after fleeing to Syria

Aadel Nassrallah, formerly of Elswick, Newcastle, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison in his absence after a jury at Newcastle Crown Court convicted him of offences including rape and attempted rape.

Nassrallah absconded to Syria before trial. Recorder Mark Giuliani said he had “voluntarily absented himself from the jurisdiction” and added: “I am aware he has returned to Syria.” The court heard he had spent time on remand before being granted bail.

The judge described Nassrallah as a serious sexual offender who was reportedly “trying to emulate what he had seen in pornographic movies” when he raped the victim.

In a statement read to the court, the woman said Nassrallah “took the joy” out of her life. She said no-one could go through what she had without it “destroying their mental health” and added: “I lost the ability to be me.”

A warrant has been issued. Nassrallah will be detained and imprisoned if he returns to the UK or is extradited. He must also sign the sex offender register for life.

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A man from Stoke-on-Trent has been jailed for more than a decade for a string of sexual offences, including raping a woman and sending explicit videos to a girl in Staffordshire.

Dylan Jepson, 22, has been sentenced to 10-years-and-11-months in prison, with a three-year extended licence period, after he was found guilty of rape of a woman. He also admitted a number of offences at three earlier hearings, including nine counts of sexual communication with a child, two counts of causing a child to watch a sex act, three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, one count of attempt sexual communication with a child, two counts of attempting to cause a child to watch a sex act, one count of sending indecent images to cause alarm, distress or humiliation, two counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possession of extreme pornography.

In February 2022, Jepson approached a woman in Tunstall and raped her.

When the incident was reported to us, we went looking for Jepson and arrested him. We examined his phone, which contained a number of indecent images of children and extreme pornographic images.

In October 2024, we recieved a report by a parent to advise she had found messages of a sexual nature on her daughter's mobile phone from a man. Jepson was arrested and interviewed, before being released on bail. 

Then, in August last year, Jepson added a girl on Snapchat and repeatedly asked her to send explicit photos of herself. He also sent her videos of him masturbating. At this point he was arrested and remanded into custody whilst enquiries continued. Further victims were then identified from downloads of his devices. 

He did this all knowing the victim’s ages.

Jepson was brought in for questioning and charged with the offences, which he later admitted in court. He was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Thursday (17 September).

He was also put on the Sex Offenders Register for life and served with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Constable Angela Maxfield, from our child protection team, and Sergeant Emily Raybould, from our police online investigations team (POLIT), worked on the cases. Sgt Raybould said:

“Jepson was prolific in his offending and has rightfully been brought to justice for his catalogue of heinous crimes.

“I hope this sentence provides some form of comfort to the victims in these cases, and I hope it demonstrates that we are working tirelessly to act against sex offenders robustly in Staffordshire.”

Description

A 41-year-old man from Ipswich has been jailed after being found guilty of seven child sex offences.

Adriaan Spenkelink, formerly of Bulwer Road in Ipswich, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court today (Friday 18 September) where he was handed an extended licence totalling 18 years, made up of 17 years’ imprisonment and a further year on licence.

Extended sentences are handed to those who are convicted of serious violent or sexual offences, where an additional period of post-release supervision is required to protect the public.

He had previously denied the charges against him but was found guilty by a jury following a five-day trial of the following:

• attempted rape
• two counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity
• two counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act
• two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13

The charges relate to two girls, both aged under 13 years at the time of offending, who were not known to each other.

In addition to his sentence, Spenkelink was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register and was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 25 years

Detective Sergeant Katie Leckie, who was the officer in charge of the case, said:

“I would like to thank the victims for their courage in coming forward and reporting these offences. It is because of their bravery that Spenkelink’s predatory behaviour was exposed.

“By denying the charges against him, he forced the victims to relive their experiences through a trial and demonstrated a blatant disregard for the impact of his actions.

“While today’s sentence cannot undo the trauma suffered by the victims, I hope that it provides them with a sense of justice and helps them to move forward, knowing that Spenkelink is behind bars and can no longer be a danger to children.

“We remain committed to working tirelessly to advocate on behalf of victims, ensuring that those who abuse positions of trust, particularly those who exploit and harm vulnerable children, are held accountable. Addressing violence against women and girls remains a priority for Suffolk Constabulary, and we will continue to pursue offenders robustly.”

Description

Michael Burke, now aged 66, committed offences against three girls who at the time of the abuse were school-aged.

Offences against two of the victim-survivors occurred in the mid-to-late 1990s, with the most recent offending occurring within the last decade.  

An investigation was launched when Northumbria Police received reports from all three victim-survivors who disclosed offences ranging from sexual assault to allegations of rape.

In all of the reports, the victim-survivors described how Burke would overpower them – sometimes also assaulting them whilst they pretended to be asleep. 

Burke was arrested and questioned by officers but either denied the offences or consistently answered ‘no comment’ to the questions put to him.

However, following a complex investigation by Northumbria Police’s Safeguarding Department, Burke, of Framlington Place, Newcastle, was charged in connection with the abuse.

Burke continued to deny any wrongdoing throughout the court process, even absconding whilst on bail leading him to needing to be arrested. 

After standing trial at Newcastle Crown Court earlier this year in June, he was convicted of offences against all three victim-survivors.

The offences comprised of with five counts of sexual assault, two counts of rape and three counts of indecent assault – being that those offences occurred before the Sexual Offences Act was introduced in 2003

Following his conviction, he was remanded into custody.

Today (Friday), Burke returned to the same court where he was handed a 24-year prison sentence.

As part of that sentence, he will spend the rest of his life on the Sex Offenders’ Register and was handed a lifelong restraining order against all three victim-survivors. 

All three victim-survivors provided Victim Personal Statements (VPS) to be read to the court which detailed the lasting impact Burke’s offending has had on their lives.

One victim-survivor described how the offences had deeply affected her mental health causing her to attempt taking her own life and also leading to a diagnosis of PTSD.

She said:

“One of the worst and most long-lasting effects of what happened to me was the way it affected my understanding of consent, control and my ability to protect myself.

“The abuse did not simply remain in my childhood. It followed me into my teenage years and adulthood and influenced the way I behaved, the decisions I made and the way I viewed myself.

“For many years, I thought I had learned how to live with everything that happened. The trial changed that.

“Having to revisit that period of my life has brought back memories and emotions that I had spent years learning how to manage. I have experienced sleepless nights and a significant deterioration in my wellbeing.”

Another victim-survivor described how after the offences took place, she could see Burke was ‘a very evil man’.

“I can no longer sleep, I would stay awake all night, when I did eventually fall off, I would wake up soon after, I would see him in my dreams. I could never sleep as I thought he would get to me,”

She added:

“I do not have the life I wanted, this is down to him, I am messed up but want to get better and will continue to try.

“I hope this statement has shown the court how much Michael has changed my life, I wanted a normal life which I know I have not had, this is down to him.”

The third victim-survivor detailed how she attempted to cope with the offences at the time.

She said:

“The way I tried to deal with this was to just try and put it in the back of my head. I became so angry towards everyone, I was upset all the time, I also did not know who I could trust anymore.

“When we had the trial, I was scared, I felt we would not be believed and he would get away with it.

“I felt at times like giving up. Since the trial, I have had a lot of nightmares, I see his face, I wake up thinking he is on top of me. 

“In some of my nightmares I am back in court but I am alone and he is the only other person there. I am struggling to sleep and should go to the doctors to see if they can help me.”

She finished:

“I hate Michael Burke for what he has to me. I cannot put into words how much damage he has done. I have so much anger and hate towards him, he has caused that much damage we will never be the same again because of what he has done to us all.”

Leading the investigation was Detective Constable Colin Lether, of Northumbria Police.

Speaking after Burke’s sentencing hearing, he said:

“Despite how much time has passed between the initial offending and the most recent, it has become clear that Michael Burke is a paedophile with a sustained interest in young girls.

“It’s evident from the testimonies of the victim-survivors just how much Burke’s offending has and continues to affect them.”

Det Con Lether added:

“I am pleased that Burke’s horrific offending has finally come to light thanks to the bravery of these three women coming forward and allowing police to investigate.

“All three have finally had the chance to put their abuser before the courts and to seek justice – I hope they can now move forward in whatever way they may be able.”