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Greenock Man Jailed for Raping Sleeping Woman

Francis O'Neill has been sentenced to five years and nine months in prison after being convicted of raping a woman while she slept.

On 19 July 2023, he arrived at a property in Greenock and repeatedly refused requests to leave. The woman later went to bed and, wary of him, switched on the recording function on her phone. The recording captured the attack and was played to the jury at the High Court in Glasgow. O'Neill was found guilty of rape while the victim was incapable of consent. He maintained his innocence.

Sentencing him, Judge Alasdair MacFadyen said:

"The recording supported her evidence that you entered her bed and had sex with her while she was asleep and incapable of consent. You used her unconscious body for your sexual gratification."

Detective Inspector Chris Driscoll said:

"O'Neill subjected a woman to a horrific attack, causing lasting trauma. Police Scotland remains committed to tackling sexual and violent crimes and bringing those responsible to justice. I'd encourage anyone who has been a victim of such crimes to come forward and report it to us."

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A 39-year-old man has been jailed for the rape of a teenage girl.

Razul Magdalaga, of High Street in Leiston, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday 10 November where he was sentenced to a total of eight years' and six months imprisonment.

He had admitted to the charge or rape and sexual assault at a previous hearing.

The sentencing follows an incident which occurred at Magdalaga's house, after he invited the victim – who was known to him – for a meal with him and another person.

The victim, who was aged in her mid-teens at the time of the incident, was encouraged to stay the night in the spare room. It was there that Magdalaga proceeded to rape her.

The victim contacted a friend and was collected from the address in the early hours of the next morning, when she reported the incident first to friends and family.

In addition to his sentence, Magdalaga was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

DC Stephanie White from the Safeguarding and Investigations Unit, who was the officer in charge of the case, said:

"Magdalaga took advantage of a young girl, who was more than half his age at the time of the offence.

"He deliberately tried to gain her trust by inviting her to socialise at his house but continued to provide her with alcohol before taking advantage of her.

"This demonstrates clear predatory behaviour towards a vulnerable teenage girl, and I would like to commend the victim's bravery in coming forward and supporting this prosecution.

"Suffolk Constabulary is committed to supporting victims of sexual assault and bringing offenders to justice."

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A 'despicable' man who sexually abused a child over the period of a year has been sentenced to 14 years behind bars after he was convicted of rape, eight counts of assault by penetration, and sexual assault following a seven-day trial that concluded at Hull Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday, 11 November 2026). 

William Perkins, 30-years-old of Keyingham in East Yorkshire was charged with rape, fifteen counts of sexual assault by penetration, and sexual assault in June 2026.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier court hearing to eight counts of assault by penetration but forced proceedings to trial by denying the charges of rape of a girl between 13- and 15-years-old, and sexual assault, and a trial was set where he was found guilty by a jury on all other counts. Following his sentencing, Perkins was also ordered to remain on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Perkins came to the attention of officers after we received a report that that a child had disclosed a series of sexual abuse that they had been subjected to by him.

Following the report Perkins was swiftly arrested and interviewed. He denied all allegations of rape throughout the investigation but admitted to the allegations of sexual assault by penetration of a child.

Leading the investigation, Detective Sergeant Addison Lloyd said:

"I would like to start by highlighting the remarkable unwavering courage and bravery demonstrated by the child in this case; her commendable behaviour is in stark contrast to the despicable crimes that Perkins has committed.

"Perkins was a teacher in a school at the time of the abuse; he held a position of trust and whilst none of his offending happened in the workplace he still violated this through his despicable actions.

"Remarkably Perkins admitted to some child sexual offences but denied a sexual interest in children along with the allegations of rape.

"His refusal to admit what he had done, led to the case being forced to trial, and this selfish act only extended the suffering for the child that he abused. I am incredibly grateful for all her and her families' efforts, as without their vital evidence we would not have been able to bring Perkins in front of the courts.

"We take all reports of sexual offences extremely seriously and we will continue to seek justice for those who have suffered at the hands of predators like Perkins.

"Our specialist trained officers work closely with partnering and support agencies across the region to support victims and survivors, as well as prevent and bring justice to perpetrators of sexual crimes of any nature.

"When ready, we urge victims to come forward and tell someone, report these crimes to the police and we will do everything we can to hold those accountable."

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Detectives have praised a rape survivor's strength in helping to lock up her abuser.

Jayden Thorpe subjected the woman to a catalogue of abuse throughout 2024 and 2025.

The victim was raped and strangled by Thorpe in separate incidents during this period.

He was also responsible for a campaign of controlling and coercive behaviour against the same woman.

This took place over a sustained amount of time, with Thorpe's abuse leaving the woman fearing serious violence.

The 25-year-old would eventually be arrested for his offending, after the woman found the courage to tell the police.

Thorpe – unsuccessfully – then attempted to stop the investigation by putting pressure on the woman to withdraw her statement.

His actions meant Thorpe was charged with numerous offences in February.

These included rape, intentional strangulation, engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour, and perverting the course of justice.

Thorpe denied each offence, which prompted the need for a Nottingham Crown Court trial that ended in August.

When a jury found him guilty on each count, a sentencing date of Tuesday 10 November was set at the same court.

Thorpe, of Kirklington Road, Rainworth, was duly sentenced to eight years in prison.

He was also made the subject of a restraining order banning him from contacting the woman in any way. This will last until further order.

Detective Constable Abbie Rowson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

"Jayden Thorpe was responsible for a catalogue of horrible abuse against the same woman.

"As well as raping her – a truly horrific offence on its own – he physically and emotionally abused her too.

"His actions took place over a sustained period, with his victim left fearing she would be subjected to serious violence throughout.

 "It is to her absolute credit then that she found the courage to tell the police what Thorpe had done, so that we could take action.

"That bravery has been unwavering in the months since and in the resulting trial, which thankfully ensured justice was served.

"Unlike her, Thorpe's cowardice shone through, with his consistent denial of the truth ensuring the woman had to relive the details of what happened in court.

"We hope news of Thorpe's sentence empowers more survivors to report abuse to the police. As this case shows, we will listen and do everything in our power to get you justice."

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A man is behind bars thanks to work by our specialist team who monitor and manage the risk posed by registered sexual offenders.

Officers had installed specialist monitoring software on the devices of Jetfire Allen as part of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order he was made a subject of following his conviction for indecent images and extreme pornography offences in February 2021.

The software allows remote monitoring of devices and detects any activity which might breach court-imposed restrictions and if the user was viewing illegal content.

The management of this activity is done by our Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders team (MOSOVO) who monitor sexual offenders in the community and manage the risk they pose to the public.

On 7 September this year the team were notified by the software that there was material Allen, 29, of Amwell Court, Waltham Abbey, had looked at that they needed to review.

They established he had viewed images of child sexual abuse, include of children as young as two, on the social media platform X.

He was arrested the same day and later charged with two counts of making indecent images of children.

At Chelmsford Crown Court on 6 November, Allen admitted the offences and was sentenced to 13 months in prison.

His existing Sexual Harm Prevention Order was extended to 10 years from the date of sentencing and he is subject to notification requirements for 10 years.

PC Craig Urch, from MOSOVO, said:

"MOSOVO is in place to ensure that registered sex offenders are not able to re-offend and put the public at risk.

"The software we were able to install on Allen's devices is just one tool available to us to monitor a registered sex offender's activity and act swiftly where they have broken the law or breached an order in place against them.

"In this case we were able to act on the same day the offending was identified, arrest him and put him before the court where he was left with no option but admit to what he had done.

"I know the public may be nervous knowing there may be registered sex offenders living in their communities but I hope it provides some reassurance knowing our team is there to protect them."

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A former East Sussex high school teacher has been jailed for raping and sexually assaulting a pupil at his school.

In 2021, Sussex Police received intelligence that Steven Hardie, a former teacher at Bexhill High School had groomed and sexually abused pupils while working at the school.

Hardie, 65, of Woodsgate Park in Bexhill, was a science teacher at the school – now called Mulberry Academy Bexhill – between 1991 and 2007, when he was dismissed after receiving a police caution for grooming a female pupil. This conviction relates to a different victim.

Following the receipt of intelligence in 2021, police seized Hardie's electronic devices and found sexual messages between himself and a pupil at the school during his tenure.

Now a woman in her 30s, the victim was contacted by police and disclosed sexual abuse by Hardie starting when she was 15 years old, and reported being raped by him on two occasions after she had left the school.

Hardie was arrested and charged with two counts of rape, four counts of indecent assault and three counts of indecency with a child.

Following a trial at Lewes Crown Court concluding on Tuesday, 25 Augus, Hardie was found guilty of all but one count of indecency with a child.

At Brighton Crown Court on Monday, 26 October, Hardie was jailed for nine years and nine months, given a restraining order against his victims and given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Constable Rebecca Wilde said:

"The impacts of Hardie's crimes will last a lifetime, which makes the strength and courage shown by the victim all the more remarkable.

"I would once again like to thank her for trusting us with her report and supporting this investigation. Without her, Hardie would not have been brought to justice.

"My thanks also extend to the school, who have fully supported this investigation.

"If you are a victim of sexual offending, no matter how long ago, please report it to us. We will support you, and we will do everything we can to get you the justice you deserve."

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North Yorkshire Police's Online Child Abuse Team (OCAT) has secured justice against a now former soldier from Middlesbrough.

Adam David Bonner, 19, was sentenced at York Crown Court today (Wednesday 11 November 2026) to three years and four months in a Young Offender Institution having pleaded guilty to 11 offences back in July.

These included:

• making and distributing indecent images of children in categories A, B and C
• engaging and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child
• possessing a prohibited image of a child
• attempting to cause a girl aged under 13 to engage in sexual activity
• attempting to cause a child under 13 to look at an image of sexual activity
• possessing an extreme pornographic image involving an animal

Bonner's offending first came to the attention of the OCAT in March 2025 when a computer he was suspected to be using to download hundreds of indecent images of children was traced to his previous army barracks in Devon.

Following enquiries to establish his identity, he was arrested at Catterick Garrison the following month on 16 April.

OCAT detectives, with assistance from the Digital Forensics team, were able to prove a catalogue of offending which spanned the country where Bonner had been stationed with the army.

This included Dorset, in Scotland, and his hometown of Middlesbrough.

As well as the custodial sentence, Bonner has also been placed on the Register of Sex Offenders, barred from working with children and vulnerable adults, and handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Sergeant Graeme Bevington, from the Online Child Abuse Team, said:

"We were able to seize numerous digital devices in Bonner's army quarters which all linked back to him.

"From the point of his arrest, we were able to quickly establish that he had a large amount of child sexual abuse material in his possession along with extreme images involving a child and another involving an animal.

"We were also able to prove his efforts to engage in sexual communication with children and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

"His offending is truly reprehensible, and we are glad that Bonner is now behind bars for a significant period of time. 

"Crucially, he will be subject to robust public protection measures for the rest of his life."

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A Malvern man who facilitated the rape of a child under 13 in Yorkshire was sentenced to a total of 20 years last Monday (2 November).

David Hough, 40, of Regency Road, was found guilty of three counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, one count of making indecent photographs of children, and one count of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court.

Hough (pictured) was given 14 years in prison for each of the arranging/facilitating offences to run concurrently with each other, plus an extension period of six years on licence added to it by the judge.

He was further given an indefinite SHPO and told to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

His offences relate to two crimes in Yorkshire in July this year whereby Hough the facilitation of a child sex offence referred to two offences where he arranged for another person to rape and sexually assault a child under the age of 13 and one offence where he had arranged to rape a child under the age of 13 himself.

Hough was also in breach of an SHPO served to him in 2020 because he had failed to register a mobile phone with police.

Detective Constable Joanne Bowen-Jones, from West Mercia's Public Protection Unit, said:

"We are pleased to put this paedophile behind bars for a long time which will protect other potential victims from his depraved behaviour.

"Hough arranged for the rape of a child under 13 and was arranging similar for himself before he was caught by police, using a phone he was not permitted to have.

"We hope this result shows predators like him cannot get away with criminal sexual activity like this and it will warn others the police will come for you, and you too could be sent to prison."

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Jacob Kelly, 32, jailed for six years for rape

Jacob Kelly, 32, of Cliffield Road, Swinton, has been sentenced to six years in prison at Sheffield Crown Court after being found guilty of raping a woman over the age of 16.

He was also ordered onto the sex offenders' register indefinitely and given a barring order in connection with the offence.

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A man has been sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester following two separate incidents involving vulnerable victims in Manchester in 2025.

Frank Scott (12/01/1978) of no fixed abode has been sentenced to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of rape.

In June 2025, Scott approached a woman in the Gay Village area of Manchester, who was alone and separated from a friend. After offering her drugs and leading her to a secluded area, Scott subjected her to a prolonged and violent sexual assault. He also threatened her and prevented her from leaving whilst she was attempting to seek help. The victim thankfully managed to get free, where members of the public came to her assistance and Scott was arrested.

In her statement to the court following sentencing, the survivor said:

"Whenever I think back to what happened on that night I go through different emotions. I go from feeling confused as to how someone could do what he did, to feeling completely numb, to being in tears on the sofa unable to move.

"I've struggled so much with trying to understand my emotions and coming to terms with what's happened to me.

"How am I meant to carry on like everything is normal when he's done what he has to me?"

In November 2025, Scott went on to commit a further rape in Sackville Gardens. The victim reported that Scott gave him an unknown substance, impairing his awareness, and raped him.

Scott denied both offences in police interview, claiming any sexual activity was consensual. However, the strength of the evidence led to him pleading guilty at court to two counts of rape relating to the female survivor and one count relating to the male survivor.

The second survivor also read a statement to court, in which he said:

"Since he has done this to me I have developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I sometimes feel like I can smell Frank and it takes me back to that moment in the park and I feel sick and I have been physically sick on a number of occasions. I am constantly on edge now, if I hear a door slam or any loud noise it makes me jump in way that I would never have done before.

"Frank Scott is a dangerous person, he is dangerous to society and society's most vulnerable people.

"I will now have to live with the consequences of his actions for the rest of my life and other victims will as well."

DC Coles from our Central Challenger Team said:

"These offences demonstrate a pattern of predatory behaviour, with Scott targeting vulnerable individuals and exploiting situations where victims were isolated or under the influence.

"I'd like to thank both victims for their bravery in coming forward and supporting this investigation all the way through. I know how hard it will have been throughout the proceedings, but their continued strength has allowed us to keep Scott behind bars.

"Their evidence was crucial to securing these convictions and ensuring a dangerous offender has been brought to justice"

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Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, a man has been jailed for a sexual assault by penetration in Bracknell.

The judge sentenced Amardip 'Amo' Dhariwal to eight years in prison at Reading Crown Court on Thursday (5/11).

An 11-person jury unanimously found the 55-year-old man, of Derley Road, Southall, guilty of one count of sexual assault by penetration at the same court on 1 September, following a nine-day trial.

In May 2022, Dhariwal, who worked for British Airways as an in-flight cabin crew lead at the time, invited a colleague, a woman in her twenties, to his home in Bracknell.

After spending the evening socialising together, the victim fell asleep on the sofa and awoke the following morning to find that Dhariwal was sexually touching her without her consent.

Fearing how Dhariwal might react if confronted, the victim did not alert him that she was awake during the assault. 

When Dhariwal stopped and went upstairs the victim fled the house, calling a friend for help, before reporting the crime to the police.

Dhariwal was charged by postal requisition on 9 May 2024.

Dhariwal's first trial at the same court in May last year ended in a hung jury, leading to a retrial.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Clare Hickman said:

"This sentence reflects the seriousness of the offender's actions and is a positive outcome following the investigation.

"I would like to commend the victim for her courage and resilience throughout the criminal justice process.

"We take reports of sexual offences extremely seriously and will always seek to support victims and bring those responsible to justice."

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A Southampton man has been jailed for a number of child sex offences against a teenage girl.

Paul Frost, aged 38 and of Mercury Close, was previously charged with two counts of voyeurism, one count of attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child, and five counts of sexual activity with a child.

The offences occurred between 25 July 2024 and 17 August 2025 when Frost inappropriately touched the girl on a number of occasions, and on one occasion attempted to kiss her.

Appearing at Southampton Crown Court on 28 September this year, he admitted all 8 offences.

Frost appeared at the same court for sentencing on 9 November, where he was handed a sentence of four years imprisonment.

DC Lucier, from the Child Abuse Investigation Team (CAIT) said:

"Frost consistently and repeatedly abused this child for his own sexual gratification.

"Offending of this nature is utterly appalling and can have a devastating and lifelong impact on those affected.

"I would like to personally commend the victim for her bravery in coming forward but also through the process of the investigation. It's due to her courage that his offending was able to be disrupted and further offences prevented.

"We want others who have been abused to know that we take this extremely seriously and will do everything in our power to safeguard you and bring offenders to justice.

"CAIT are a dedicated and specially trained team of officers and staff committed to investigating child abuse and providing support to those affected."

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A man has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment following a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary investigation into child sex offences in Waterlooville.

Michael Albery, 36, of Rodney Way, Waterlooville appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday 30 October, where he was sentenced for the following offences:

• Rape of a girl under 13
• Two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13

Albery pleaded not guilty to the offences, which were committed against two victims in Waterlooville between 2021 and 2023.

However, on Monday 14th September, following a seven-day trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, he was found guilty by a jury.

He has been sentenced to serve 14 years imprisonment, with a further year on extended licence when released, and has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

Detective Constable Simon Hitchcock from the Eastern Child Abuse Investigations Team said: 

"I am pleased to see Albery put behind bars for the horrific offences he has committed.

"Whilst no sentence will ever return the victims to the lives they led before encountering this predator, I hope that knowing he is behind bars helps them, and their families, to begin to rebuild.  

"I would like to thank the young victims and their families for their support throughout this investigation, and to commend them for their bravery, which has been key to us securing this result.

"We want to encourage anyone who has been affected by child sexual abuse to please report this too us. We will take your report seriously and work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice."

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A man has been sentenced for the attempted rape and sexual assaults on a woman in Shoreham.

Michael Schuchard was found guilty by a jury at Lewes Crown Court last week.

He met the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, at a pub in Shoreham.

The 63-year-old took the victim back to his van where he attempted to rape her, and sexually assaulted her.

The victim could not recall how she had got to the van, and woke up inside the van before later reporting the incident to the NHS.

It was reported to the police, who launched an investigation and arrested Schuchard. The victim received support from specially-trained officers.

At Lewes Crown Court on 5 November, Schuchard was sentenced for attempted rape, and two counts of sexual assault by penetration. He was acquitted at trial of one count of rape.

He was jailed for eight and a half years, and will be a registered sex offender for life.

The court heard how the incident happened between 22 and 23 May this year.

The victim was not able to consent to sexual activity, but Schuchard, of no fixed address, forced himself upon her inside his van after leaving a pub in Shoreham.

She described the ongoing nightmares and trauma as a result of the incident, and said giving evidence in the trial has also added to the traumatic experience.

Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Tia Grove said:

"This was a horrifying ordeal for the victim, who reported the experience to health professionals.

"I would like to commend her for her courage to report what happened to the police and to give evidence in court.

"We were determined to get justice for the victim in this case, and Schuchard is now serving a significant custodial sentence."

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A former Worcester councillor has been sentenced to nine years after being found guilty of rape and two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm on Thursday (5 November).

Shawaz Ditta, 31, of Bath Road, Worcester was dealt with at Worcester Crown Court for the offences that took place in 2022.

Ditta's survivor reported his offending to police in early 2023 and an investigation was launched by West Mercia Police's Protecting People Unit (PPU).

The woman told officers how he had assaulted her several times by throwing metal tongs at her head and by burning a knife on the hob and pressing it against her leg. She reported to us that he had raped her too.

HHJ Andrew Lockhart sentenced Ditta (pictured) to nine years for rape on Thursday. Concurrent sentences of two years and six months were imposed respectively for the two assaults, making it a total sentence of nine years.

A 10-year restraining order was also granted to protect the victim, he was placed on the sex offenders' register for life and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £288.

Charges of controlling and coercive behaviour, along with a further offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, were ordered to lie on file.

Detective Constable Lydia Burrows of West Mercia Police's PPU South said:

"Ditta is a violent sexual predator who belongs behind bars.

"His conviction will hopefully give his survivor some closure and the opportunity to move forward with her life now.

"Ditta was formerly a city councillor, so this result shows that nobody is above the law, regardless of status in society.

"We would like to commend the survivor for having the courage to come forward and report this to police and hope it will encourage others to do the same.

"We will always take you seriously and treat you with empathy and respect as we seek to get justice against the perpetrators of such awful offences."