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A man has been jailed for 13 years after Greater Manchester Police’s Cold Case Unit linked him to the indecent assault and attempted rape of a 74yearold woman in Stockport from more than 30 years ago.

The conviction follows a renewed cold case investigation and advances in forensic science that allowed evidence from 1992 to be reexamined.

Aron Traynor, 56, of London Road, Stockport, was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court on Friday 8 May 2026 for the violent indecent assault and attempted rape of a woman in 1992.

The victim, who has since passed away, was attacked by a stranger while walking near her home. Despite extensive forensic work at the time, no suspect was identified.

The case remained under active review. In 2005, the Cold Case Unit commissioned further forensic analysis, producing a nearcomplete DNA profile that was added to the National DNA Database, but no match was found at that time.

A breakthrough came when a DNA sample taken from Traynor following an unrelated arrest for drink-driving in August 2023 matched the profile developed by the Cold Case Unit, finally bringing longawaited justice for the victim’s family.

 In October 2023, the Cold Case Unit was formally notified of the match, and Traynor was arrested shortly afterwards.

A fiveday jury trial in March 2026 found him guilty on both charges.

Detective Chief Inspector Cheryl Hughes said:

“Time is quite simply no barrier to justice.

“Today’s sentencing shows that we never close investigations into serious violent or sexual offences. DNA is crucial, but it’s the painstaking work of our officers - revisiting evidence, tracing witnesses, and rebuilding the investigative picture - that ultimately brings offenders to justice.

“Offenders should be in no doubt that forensic science continues to advance, and every interaction they have with the criminal justice system increases the chance of their crimes being uncovered.

“I’d like to thank the victim’s family for their support and cooperation in this case. Although the victim sadly has not lived to see justice served, I hope this sentence gives her family a sense of peace that the offender has been held accountable.”

A statement from the victim’s son was read in court, describing the devastating and lasting impact the attack had on his mother’s confidence, independence and wellbeing. He said the assault changed her life profoundly and affected the whole family.

GMP remains committed to tackling violence against women and girls and ensuring perpetrators are brought to justice — no matter how much time has passed.

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Superdry co-founder James Holder, 54, has been convicted of raping a woman.

A 54-year-old man from Cheltenham has been jailed for eight years for raping a woman in her home.

James Holder, of Cheltenham, was found guilty by a jury at Gloucester Crown Court last week of raping the woman in 2022.

He appeared via video link for the sentencing at Bristol Crown Court yesterday (Thursday 7 May).

The court had heard that Holder had gone back to the woman’s flat following a night out on 6 May 2022.

He had been sleeping in her bed while she slept in her living room, but he awoke in the night and attempted to get her to join him. When she refused, he then pulled her to the bed and raped her.

In a Victim Personal Statement, which the victim read to the court, she said:

“Four years to the day since you chose to take what was never yours: my choice, my dignity, my body. Four years since you raped me. I will not soften that word to make it easier for you or anyone else to hear; it belongs to the truth of your actions.

“I am still here, still standing, still reclaiming every part of myself you tried to take. The weight of what happened should be yours to carry, not mine.

“What you did to me did not end that day. It has followed me into my relationships, into the way I try to trust, into moments where connection should feel safe but doesn't. It has cast shadows where there should only be light. I have struggled to see the good in myself; at times I fail to recognise the value I bring.

“The pain and distress of reliving the rape throughout the trial was a stark reminder of the anguish I have been through. It forced me to revisit something I have been trying to rebuild from, again and again. But it also showed the strength it has taken to get to where I am today, and the strength it continues to take as I work towards finding peace with what you did to me.”

Recorder David Chidgey sentenced Holder to eight years in prison, of which he must serve at least two-thirds.

He was also ordered to pay £5,000 towards prosecution costs and a victim surcharge, which has yet to be calculated.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Elle MacLeod who had led the investigation for the Rape & Serious Sexual Offences team (RASSO), said:

“Holder took advantage of a woman in her own home, exploiting her vulnerability, and violating her privacy by committing one of the most devastating offences imaginable against her.

“I would like to commend the survivor in this case for her bravery in coming forward to the Police, her commitment to the investigation, and the way that she fearlessly gave evidence in front of a jury.

"The strength and courage she has shown throughout this process is remarkable; she has not only fought to achieve justice for herself, but she has potentially prevented other individuals becoming victims of sexual violence committed by Holder.

“Although no sentence will undo the damage done by Holder on that night, I hope it goes some way to delivering justice for her.

“I also hope it demonstrates that sexual violence will not be tolerated – no one is above the law, and regardless of your status, wealth, or power, you will be held accountable for your actions.

“I urge anyone who has suffered sexual violence to come forward. I do not underestimate how difficult it can be to report rape and sexual assault to the police, but we have a dedicated team of detectives within Gloucestershire Constabulary who tirelessly investigate these types of offences.

"We work alongside a specialist team of lawyers at the Crown Prosecution Service, and together we are committed to securing justice for victims and survivors of sexual abuse.

“If pursuing an investigation through the criminal justice system is not something you wish to do, please be reassured that support is available regardless. The Survivor Pathway is an online resource about sexual violence support services in the South West.

“Finally, to quote from the Victim Personal Statement of the survivor in this case, for anyone who has experienced such violence: your voice matters. Never let fear silence you.”

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A Stevenage man has been jailed after pleading guilty at court to stalking offences and sexual communication with children.

Paul Parker, aged 48, of Baron Court, appeared at St Albans Crown Court on Friday 24 April where he was sentenced to a total of four years having previously pleaded guilty to:

• Stalking causing serious alarm or distress (32 months)
• Breach of Stalking Protection Order between 3 December 2025 and 12 December 2025 (7 months).
• Two counts of sexual communication with a child between June 2023 and May 2024 (9 months for each count to run concurrently)

The court heard how for around three years, Parker bombarded a woman – who was an acquaintance over 20 years his junior – with thousands of phone calls and text messages while pretending to be someone else, despite the victim asking him to leave her alone.

Menacing texts would describe the victim’s location and clothing, implying that he was following and watching her even when she was at home.

On one occasion the defendant was caught by the victim loitering outside her home at 1am.

While being investigated for the offence of stalking, the courts imposed a Stalking Protection Order which stated Parker must not own, possess or control more than one mobile communication device and that he had to inform police, within three days, of changes to any of the following: telephone number, serial number, IMEI number make and model of any communication device.

When police searched his address in March 2026, they discovered a mobile phone hidden in the loft which he had used to send messages to multiple people. By doing so, he had breached the conditions of the order.

Separate charges involving different victims saw Parker also charged with two counts of sexual communication with a child that occurred between June 2023 and May 2024.

The court heard how Parker had left his phone number in a public toilet in Stevenage, when it was discovered by two young girls who called it. The girls, who were both aged 12, told Parker they were 15, but instead of ceasing contact once he had this information, he bombarded them with phone calls and text messages, most often in the middle of the night.

Stevenage CID Detective Constable Hannah Lambden said:

“The defendant repeatedly asked the children to meet him for sex, which thankfully they never did, but he continued to send obscene messages. We are in no doubt that a dangerous man has been taken off the streets.

“Parker’s actions had a profound impact on the stalking victim’s life; she moved house, changed her phone number, altered the routes she walked, stopped accessing support services and seeing family members – all to avoid being contacted by Parker and out of fear of what he would do if he followed her when she was alone and they came face to face.

“We would like to praise all the victims for their bravery in supporting these investigations which have resulted in Parker’s imprisonment.”

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The 46-year-old of Wordsworth Crescent, Chester, had previously been found guilty of sexual assault and two counts of assault by penetration.

He had also earlier pleaded guilty to intentional suffocation and two counts of assault in connection with an unrelated matter.

The court heard how Griffiths attended a birthday party at an address in Blacon in November 2023.

During the evening, Griffith’s began making sexual comments to the victim, an 18-year-old girl, and touched her inappropriately.

The victim fell asleep at the address later that night and awoke to find Griffiths sexually assaulting her.

The incident was reported to Cheshire Constabulary the next day and Griffiths was subsequently arrested and charged.

Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Steve Popplestone said:

“During questioning, Griffiths denied any involvement and tried to undermine the victim’s account, claiming the allegations against him were simply a fabrication.

“He has shown no remorse for his actions throughout this investigation and even made the victim relive her trauma by way of a trial.

“In spite of this, he was rightfully found guilty by a jury thanks to the substantial casefile of evidence gathered against him – which included forensic analysis showing Griffiths’ DNA to be present on the victim’s underwear.”

In addition to his prison sentence, Griffiths was handed a 15-year restraining order and also ordered to sign the sex offender’s register.

DI Popplestone added:

“I would like to thank the victim for her bravery in coming forward and speaking about what happened to her.

“No-one should have to go through what she has been through, and I hope the conclusion of this court process will help to bring her some sense of closure. Although nothing will make her forget what this despicable man did, her evidence and courage has meant Griffiths is now behind bars for a significant length of time, where he can no longer pose a danger to women.

“We will continue to do all we can to tackle any incident of violence against women and take all reports of such crimes extremely seriously and will investigate thoroughly to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”

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A man who raped a stranger as she slept on his sofa after a party has been jailed for five years and nine months.

Michael Burns, 56, of South Shields, took the woman back to his flat to collect tobacco to take to a gathering they had both attended. Newcastle Crown Court heard she dozed off on the sofa and woke to find him raping her.

Prosecutor Emma Dowling said the woman did not know Burns but thought he seemed “ok” and had no concerns. She recalled him offering her a sealed can of Coke before she fell asleep.

“She believes she must have fallen asleep because the next thing she can remember is waking up and the defendant was having sex with her,” Miss Dowling said. “She shoved him off and managed to get out of the flat.”

Burns initially told police “she must have done something to him” after his DNA was found on her underwear. The 56-year-old, who has 44 previous offences including causing death by dangerous driving in 1994, later admitted rape.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she lost her confidence, became paranoid and struggled to eat or sleep. She added it was something she would “never really get over”.

Judge Stephen Earl told Burns:

“Rape is a horrific offence, it is an offence which has consequences far beyond the actual act. You committed one of the most horrific offences you can commit against a woman as a man.”

The judge imposed lifelong sex offender registration and a restraining order.

Defence lawyer Claire Anderson said Burns is an alcoholic with mental and physical health problems and plans to move away after his release.

In a letter to the judge, Burns wrote he was “really, really sorry” and wanted to “sincerely apologise” to the victim.

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A 48-year-old man who called himself “Paedo Daddy” while exchanging sexualised messages with an undercover officer posing as a 12-year-old girl has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Phillip Norris, of Ashlar Road in Waterloo, spent months chatting to the decoy on the social media sites Chatiw and Teleguard between July and October 2024. He told her he would travel more than 200 miles to meet, saying it would be “worth travelling that distance to meet someone like her” and urging her to keep their chats “secret from her mum”.

Liverpool Crown Court heard he used the username “Paedo Daddy”. Prosecutor Iain Criddle told the court: “The defendant, perhaps foolishly, used the name ‘Paedo Daddy’, which, frankly, was always going to alert the authorities to his activities.”

Norris sent explicit messages, telling the ‘girl’ he was “getting horny talking to her”, asking her to perform oral sex, suggesting they “f***” and carry out further sexual acts in the shower. He also sent an explicit picture and video and asked her to send the same.

He was arrested on 10 October 2024. Devices seized from his home contained 125 indecent images of children, including 44 in the most serious Category A, plus four computer-generated images of child sexual abuse and one extreme pornographic image involving bestiality.

Norris had already been banned from contact with children and ordered to notify police of his address and not stay at a property with a child for more than 12 hours. He breached both conditions by staying at his partner’s home on at least seven occasions between 5 and 17 March this year while her six-year-old daughter was present, and by picking the girl up from and dropping her off at school. His partner ended the relationship immediately upon learning of his obligations, the court was told.

He pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communications with a child, attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity, possession of indecent images of children, three counts of making indecent images, possession of prohibited images of children, possession of an extreme pornographic image, and two counts of failing to comply with notification requirements.

Defence barrister John Dove said Norris fully accepted responsibility and was struggling with depression after a difficult divorce and substantial debt. He had no previous convictions and had worked for years as a business intelligence analyst. He had been on remand for seven weeks, was employed on his prison wing, and had enrolled on a personal development course.

Sentencing, Judge Stuart Driver KC said:

“You were left alone, at times, with a six-year-old girl. You slept in the home of her and her mother. You took her to and from school.

“It is clearly a very risky situation to be done by a man like you, who gave yourself the internet nickname ‘Paedo Daddy’, who downloaded and no doubt enjoyed films of children being raped and communicated sexually with someone who you believed to be a 12-year-old child… The sexual conversation went on for months and was highly sexual.

“In mitigation, you are of previous good character. References speak highly of you. You have got a good employment record and are making progress in custody… I find that you are a danger to children. The pre-sentence report says that you present a high risk of serious harm… The combination of three types of offending here means that appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody.”

Norris, who appeared via video link from HMP Liverpool with his head bowed and wiping away tears at times, was also made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and must notify as a sex offender for life.

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A man has been jailed for 19 years after he was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting an elderly woman.  

Neville Hattersley, 57, was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court on Wednesday (6 May) for offences he carried out when he was a delivery driver in Calderdale.   

Hattersley, of Pasture Road in Baildon, was convicted following a trial earlier this year.  

He was sentenced for the rape and a total of 11 sexual assaults which involved four adult women in total.  

Superintendent Allan Raw, on behalf of the Calderdale Adult Protection Team, said:  

“We welcome the sentencing of Hattersley for multiple sexual offences.

“These included an appalling offence in which he took advantage of and raped an extremely vulnerable elderly woman who was in no position at all to defend herself from him.

“He without doubt poses a danger to others and I hope his victims and their families can take some comfort from seeing him jailed.

“We continue to urge all victims of sexual offending or those who have information about offences to come forwards to allow us to investigate and seek justice for them.

“All reports are investigated by specially trained safeguarding detectives who will be able to signpost victims to any support services they may need.”

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A man has been jailed for 12 months after sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl who entered his Nelson shop to buy chocolate.

Naeem Akram, 36, formerly of Chapel House Road, locked the door of Chapel House Grocers and assaulted the teenager as she made her way home from school in November 2023.

She escaped, returned home and reported the incident to police. Akram was arrested, charged and pleaded guilty to sexual assault.

He was sentenced yesterday (Wednesday, May 6) at Preston Crown Court.

In a victim personal statement, the girl said the assault had “completely changed her life” and left her scared and needing counselling.

Detective Constable Heather Kerr, of the police’s child protection team, said:

“Akram preyed on a vulnerable teenager for his own sexual gratification, and his actions have had a profound effect on his victim.

“She has shown a great deal of bravery by coming forward and reporting what happened to her and in going through the criminal justice process – that is never easy.

“We take all reports of sexual offences extremely seriously, we will listen to victims, and we will thoroughly investigate them in order to bring offenders to justice.”

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A 65-year-old paedophile who indecently assaulted a girl in the 1990s has been jailed for 11 years.

Lloyd Burgess, of Sheep Street, Devizes, appeared at Winchester Crown Court on March 17 and pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault committed between October 1995 and October 1998. He was sentenced at the same court on May 1.

Wiltshire Police received a report in 2021 that Burgess had sexually assaulted the girl, who was around 11 years old at the time. He was arrested, charged and later pleaded guilty.

As well as the jail term, Burgess was given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign the Sex Offenders Register.

Det Con Nicky Cross said:

“I’d like to take this opportunity to praise the victim in this case for her bravery in reporting her ordeal to police all these years later.

"In doing so, she has enabled us to conduct an investigation into Burgess’ offending and ensure he was put before the courts.

“This case should serve as an example to anyone who may have experienced this kind of ordeal that it is crucial you report this to police, regardless of how much time has since passed.

"We will always take reports of this nature seriously and will leave no stone unturned in investigating offenders like Burgess.”

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A man who was found guilty of numerous offences of indecent assault against children has been sentenced to 21 years in prison following a hearing at Guildford Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday, 5 May).

John Maddox, 83 (DOB: 01/01/1943), of Farnham, was found guilty of 20 offences involving seven victims aged between eight and 15 at the time, including 19 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted buggery on 18 February 2026 following a trial at Guildford Crown Court. These offences took place between 1972 and 2004.

Maddox had already pleaded guilty to six counts of indecent assault between 1982 and 1999 relating to three victims aged between nine and 12 at the time at a hearing on 7 June 2024.

An investigation was launched in 2020 after two adults came forward to report non-recent allegations of sexual abuse which occurred when they were children. 

Maddox ran a dance school called ‘Gardenia School of Dance’, and he had made contact with the victims when they were children through family relations or the dance school. A significant number of the offences occurred at Maddox’s home address and involved both male and female children.

Following further enquiries, Maddox was arrested at his home address in September 2020. His house was searched, and various items were seized.

Maddox admitted to sexually abusing a number of children during initial interview. Further victims were identified as the investigation progressed, and a second police interview was conducted in June 2022, where he made several admissions to further abuse, but also denied several other allegations.

In November 2022, Maddox was arrested a final time in relation to additional allegations which had been made against him. During his third police interview under caution, he answered “no comment” to all questions. Maddox was charged via postal requisition in January 2024.

Six of Maddox’s victims were willing to share extracts from their victim impact statements, detailing the long-term effect this abuse has had on their lives:

“He was the adult. He was the teacher. He was the one entrusted with our care and safety. Instead of protecting us, he abused the trust placed in him and used his position of authority to harm the very children he was meant to guide and protect.”

“My childhood and innocence were taken away from me in a time and place where I was meant to be safe. There's no way to completely forget the very embedded emotional and physical trauma caused by John. The sexual abuse I suffered is now a part of me, no matter whether I want it to be or not.”

“Before this, I loved dancing, but that has now been tainted. There are certain songs that I cannot listen to without being reminded of him and what happened. I have thought about joining adult dance groups again, but the idea of dancing with a male instructor now makes me feel uncomfortable and puts me off completely.”

“I have not danced since, despite wanting to, because the thought of physical contact causes significant anxiety and discomfort. I am more wary around men and lack confidence in telling them when a touch or look is inappropriate.”

“I felt unclean and had low self-worth. Building close friendships was difficult, never feeling safe to explain what I'd been through. I also started to drink heavily from 18 and it has had a severe impact on my health and mental wellbeing, but I am now getting on with my life and I have closed that whole chapter.”

“I try to live everyday with an open heart, and with trust, but what happened to me does make it extremely hard. John does not have remorse. If he did, we wouldn’t even be here. One selfish, cruel man, has altered the lives of so many, for so long.”

Detective Sergeant Brendan Roberts, who investigated the case, said:

“John Maddox was a sexual predator who preyed on children, he manipulated and took advantage of situations to sexually abuse his victims, through family connections or the dance school he ran.

I would like to praise the victims for their courage in coming forward and giving evidence to help ensure that Maddox is behind bars where he belongs.”

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A man who preyed on young children in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s has been jailed.

Kenneth Shaw admitted the crimes and was sentenced to six years in prison on Friday 1 May after appearing at Liverpool Crown Court.

Shaw, 64, of Northway, Orford, Warrington pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14, two counts of gross indecency with a boy under the age of 14, one count of gross indecency with a girl under the age of 14, and two counts of indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14.

In February 2024, one of the victims in this case made a report of non-recent sexual abuse which had been committed by Shaw when the victim was approximately 10 years old.

A further three victims also reported similar incidents which had happened to them, all when they were children. The offences were committed in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Shaw was questioned in relation to the offences and later charged.

Detective Inspector Jo Morgan said:

“Shaw committed some atrocious crimes against four young victims, the impact of which stayed with them throughout their childhoods and adult lives.

“I hope the conclusion of this court case will help to bring them closure over something which they have been carrying the weight of all these years.

“Shaw must have thought he had got away with what he had done, but as this case shows, it is never too late to report offences to us, as the victims did once they felt they were ready to.

“Please rest assured, you will be listened to, and we will investigate every report thoroughly. You can report through our website or by calling 101.”

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A man who failed to tell two women he had sexual relationships with that he was a convicted sex offender has been locked up.

Dean Harrison also failed to declare the relationships, or that he had been staying in the Cleethorpes area on a regular basis, to authorties, despite having to do so as part of his sex offenders’ register requirement.

The 55-year-old was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) in October 2023 and started breaching it the following year, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Ian West, prosecuting, said Harrison was required to give the name, address and date of birth of any female he was starting a relationship with within 24 hours.

He said the first complainant called the police to raise concerns that he had not contacted her since returning to County Durham after leaving her home in Cleethorpes.

The second woman met Harrison through TikTok before starting to message each other on WhatsApp and they became a couple quickly and remained in a sexual relationship for several months.

The court heard how the defendant had 37 convictions for 103 offences on his record including a nine-year sentence for sexual offences.

Harrison, of Croquet Gardens, Stanley, pleaded guilty to two breaches of the SHPO between October 2024 and August last year, and breaching the terms of his notification requirement order between October 2024 and February 2025.

Christopher Morrison, mitigating, said his client had spent nine months on remand following his guilty pleas being entered and there had been no contact with any children.

He added: “The granting of the restraining orders may serve to temper any long-term damage that the women may have suffered emotionally through this.”

Judge Aisha Wadoodi sentenced Harrison to two years and three months and made subject of two five-year restraining orders to protect his victims.

She said: “It was clear what the terms of the SHPO were but you completely ignored those orders, disregarded them, and started a relationship with both of these women.

“Not informing them in any way of your history or notifying your offender manager what you were up to.”

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A man has been jailed after sexually abusing a child and purchasing indecent images of children.

Ian Isherwood, of Shipton Street, Bolton, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday 27 April where he was sentenced to 15 years.

The 43-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children (categories A, B and C), possession of a category C image of a child, and assisting the commission of an offence.

Isherwood had also been found guilty of sexual activity with a child under 13, inciting sexual activity with a girl under 13, inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child under 13.

The offences occurred in the Warrington area.

Cheshire Police arrested Isherwood in March 2024 after officers received information relating to a PayPal account which had been used to purchase indecent images of children. This account was linked to Isherwood.

His devices were seized and hundreds of indecent images of children were recovered. An image of a girl was also uncovered, who was identified and safeguarded. She stated she had been sexually abused by Isherwood when she was around eight-10 years old.

Isherwood was ultimately charged with multiple offences.

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

DC Briony Shirley said:

“Isherwood is clearly a danger to children and has quite rightly been handed a significant prison sentence to reflect the severity of his crimes.

“Being in possession of indecent images of children is never a victimless crime, and on this occasion, officers identified and subsequently safeguarded a girl who Isherwood had previously abused.  

“The fact that he had then continued to look at images of children following this shows that he had absolutely no regard for anything other than satisfying his twisted and perverted sexual desires.

“I hope the victim in this case has been able to get some closure over what happened to her, knowing that Isherwood is locked up where he cannot do this to anyone else.”

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Detectives have praised a brave victim for her support in bringing a violent sexual offender to justice.

Chad Antony Martin Smedburg, aged 36 and of Ringwood, was sentenced to 10 years in prison – with an extended licence period of a further two years – for repeated violent assaults and rape involving the same female victim.

The defendant’s abuse spanned a period of several months, with his victim subjected to repeated assaults and he also had sex with her despite her making it clear she did not consent.

The victim reported the offending to police and was supported by officers and an independent sexual violence advisor (ISVA) as detectives from Dorset County CID carried out a detailed investigation and the matter went through the court process.

Following the offences, the defendant was brought under the supervision of Dorset Police’s High Harm Unit, which monitors the highest risk VAWG offenders in the county.

Smedburg subsequently entered guilty pleas to an offence of rape and three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, as well as breaching a suspended sentence order and unrelated driving matters and possession of class A and class B drugs.

He was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Wednesday 6 May 2026.

Investigations Officer Flo Winstanley, of Dorset County CID, said:

“First and foremost I want to praise the victim for the courage she has shown initially to come forward and report this despicable abuse and then for her support throughout the investigation and court process.

“I hope the bravery she has shown encourages other victims of violent and sexual abuse to come forward in the knowledge that they will be supported and we will do all we can to bring perpetrators to justice.

“With the victim’s support and our comprehensive investigation, we were able to hold Chad Smedburg to account for his violent sexual behaviour.”

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A 65-year-old man from Gosport has been jailed for fifteen years and handed an extended license period of a further five years after being found guilty of multiple sexual offences against a child that took place between 2021 and 2024 at an address in the town.

Stephen Street of Aspengrove was found guilty at Portsmouth Crown Court following a nine-day trial of the following offences against a girl who was aged under 10 at the time:

• Seven counts of sexual assault of a girl under the age of 13.
• One count of sexual assault by penetration of a girl under the age of 13.
• One count of causing or inciting sexual activity with a girl under the age of 13.
• One count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.
• One count of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

At Portsmouth Crown Court on 19 January Street had also admitted:

• Six offences of making/possession of indecent images of children.
• One offence of possession of extreme pornographic images.

He was sentenced today (Wednesday 6 May) at the same court where he was also made subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and restraining order.

Investigating Officer, DC David Sloan from the specialist Eastern Area Child Abuse Investigation Team, said:

“The Judge in this case, HHJ Newton-Price KC, categorised Street as a “dangerous offender” who had "abused, damaged and corrupted" the victim and that he "exploited her” solely for his own pleasure. He went on to say that the sentence and extended license period reflected the very high risk of Street causing serious and enduring harm - physical and psychological - to other young girls.

“I want to commend the victim in this case for her courage shown throughout this process and telling us what happened during her three-year ordeal. Her bravery has brought Street to justice and resulted in a significant custodial sentence”.