Latest Offenders Bedford

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A man who sexually manipulated two young girls across the country has today (Friday, 23 January 2026), been sentenced to a total of eight years behind bars, and will be required to be on licence for an additional three years.

He is also to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely, and handed a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Luke Williamson, 34-years-old, of Bunyan Road in Kempston, Bedfordshire, appeared at Hull Crown Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to 20 child sex offences at a previous court hearing

Williamson sent thousands of messages, including videos and voice calls, through multiple social media channels to two teenage girls all under 16-years-old, living in West Midlands and Hertfordshire, leading them to believe he was in love with them and manipulating them into doing what he wanted for his own perverse sexual gain.

Williamson was charged in July 2025 and pleaded guilty in October 2025 to 12 counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence, three counts of sexual communications with a child, three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act and taking indecent photographs of a child.

Leading the extensive investigation into the scale of Williamson’s offending was Detective Inspector Cat Slaughter from our Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, who said:

“Williamson is a very calculated and manipulative man who preyed on vulnerable girls and in essence, groomed them with his methods being the same each time.

“He would first ask the girls how old they were and once he knew they were underage he continued with messaging them inappropriately.  Once they were overwhelmed by his interest, he progressed on to asking them for favours which included sending photographs of their legs and feet.

“He went on to initiate a phone or video call with the girls.  If they were reluctant or refused, he offered them money, alcohol, or vapes in a devious scheme to coerce them into doing what he wanted.  He then took the next step, persuading them to meet him in person which enabled him to continue his sexual offending against them.”

The investigation commenced when Williamson’s phone was seized in May this year as part of another investigation and examined by our Digital Forensics Unit who uncovered the messages, images and videos he had been sending.

It was established during the investigation that Williamson drove significant distances across the country to meet the girls, and location tracking data analysed from his phone showed that he would wait for hours in his car to execute his plan.

On one occasion, he went to such lengths that he meticulously planned and implemented entering one of the girl’s houses whilst her family members slept to engage in sexual activity with her.

Williamson was arrested in July this year and whilst he first refused to admit involvement in any of the allegations put to him, due to the amount of significant evidence and strong case built by the detectives, he entered a guilty plea at a Pre Trial Plea Hearing in October 2025.

DI Slaughter continued:

“Even whilst on remand for a previous investigation Williamson continued to write letters to one of the girls, making false promises, and further led her to believe that he was in love with her.

“When someone has been sexually manipulated, groomed or abused, people sometimes do not want to fully engage with an investigation, as was the situation with this case, and I want to acknowledge how incredibly difficult it is and that we completely understand and respect the girls’ decision.

“We believed that Williamson was a danger to young girls, and we continued to gather as much evidence as we could to build a strong case against him.  

“Before the Judge passed her sentence today, she said that Williamson is a high risk offender and a serious risk to teenage girls, I hope the result at court today demonstrates our commitment to prosecuting offenders like Williamson and I hope it provides some reassurance to anyone who has been or is a victim of any type of sexual offence. It is never your fault, you will be believed, and we will do all we can to hold those responsible to account.

“I would urge anyone who reads this court result about Williamson’s offending and is affected by it, or if it causes you concern, please come forward and report via our dedicated Major Incident Public Portal quoting log 72 of 17 November 2025.”

Jessica Randell, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Yorkshire and Humberside, added:

"Luke Williamson repeatedly targeted and groomed young girls, before subjecting them to appalling degradation. He treated his victims as sexual objects to be used and discarded, showing a complete disregard for their dignity and wellbeing in doing so.

“To build this case, we dissected thousands of text messages between Williamson and his victims. This allowed us to build a comprehensive picture of the extent of his offending and ultimately secure guilty pleas to 20 counts of child sexual abuse.  

“Working closely with Humberside Police, we have been able to ensure that Williamson is rightfully imprisoned for his crimes and cannot subject any more victims to his disturbing patterns of behaviour. The CPS is determined to tackle child sexual abuse in all its forms and to help stop the devastating impact of these crimes on victims.”

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A man who travelled to Swindon with the intention of sexually abusing a child has today been jailed (23/1).

Mark Bellas, 54, from Harebell Gardens, Houghton Regis, Dunstable, Bedfordshire was arrested in Swindon in October last year having travelled from his home address. He thought he was meeting a girl under the age of 13 who he was intending to sexually abuse. Instead, he was met by officers from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).  

At the time of his arrest, Bellas was on bail for distributing indecent images of children following an investigation by Bedfordshire Police. 

Today, at Swindon Crown Court, he was sentenced to 12 years with a five-year extended licence, given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be required to be on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely. 

Bellas pleaded guilty to two counts of arranging orfacilitatingthe commission of a child sex offence,attemptingto cause or incite the sexual exploitation of a child and five counts of distributing indecent images of children. He has been remanded in custody since his arrest by SWROCU last year. 

DI Dave Wells from SWROCU said:

“Due to the strength of the evidence gathered by the police, Bellas had no option but to plead guilty. He is a dangerous individual who preys upon children to fulfil his sexual desires, and I welcome the sentence handed down to him today. 

“Specially trained officers are all across the internet rooting out and prosecuting individuals’ intent upon sexually abusing and exploiting children. We worked in collaboration with our colleagues at the Metropolitan Police and the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) to bring Bellas to justice.”

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A Bedford man has been jailed for grooming a girl into sexual activity in exchange for money and drugs.

Robert Brookes, 37, gave the victim cocaine and cannabis on a regular basis before offering to pay her cash if she engaged in sexual activity with him. 

He also befriended a friend of the victim over social media and attempted to groom her in the same way.

Brookes came to our attention when a relative of the victim saw the messages that he had sent to her.

After a lengthy investigation, Brookes was found guilty of two counts of causing/inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, two counts of supplying a Class A drug and two counts of offering to supply cocaine.

He was sentenced today (Wednesday) at Luton Crown Court to six years and three months.

Detective Constable David Widdicombe from our Protecting Vulnerable People team said:

“Brookes is a vile individual who took advantage of a young girl in the worst possible way, so I am pleased he has received a custodial sentence.

“The victim was very brave telling us what happened, and I hope she is now able to move on from this chapter in her life.

“Combatting violence against women and girls is a huge focus in policing. We are working tirelessly to put abusers behind bars and this case should serve as a warning to other perpetrators that we will do whatever it takes to bring a case to court and get justice for victims.

“Sadly, we are seeing an increase in reports of grooming – these predators build a relationship with the victim either in person or online to gain their trust before taking advantage of them.

“Grooming can happen both in person and online, often by a stranger, but it can also be someone your child knows. It can be difficult to tell if your child is being groomed – the signs aren't always obvious and may be hidden  - therefore we are encouraging parents or carers to familiarise themselves with some of the signs to look out for and to talk to their children and let them know they can come to you if something happens to them that doesn’t feel right.”

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A registered sex offender has been sentenced to more than 20 years’ jail for raping a child and making her film indecent videos for him.

Jamie Thacker, aged 34, who has been previously convicted of possessing indecent images of children, had messaged the victim via WhatsApp and given her instructions to film indecent videos of herself.

The videos were discovered by a family member of the victim, and further disclosures were made that she had been previously raped by Thacker.

Thacker, who previously lived in Everton, near Biggleswade, pleaded guilty to 10 different counts, including rape, assault by penetration, and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and breaching his sexual harm prevention order.

He was sentenced at Huntington Crown Court last Thursday (17/10) to 21 years in prison with a further five years on licence due to the danger he poses.

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A former Bedfordshire Police officer who targeted vulnerable teenage girls over social media for sexual gratification has been jailed for over three years today (Wednesday 16 October).

Elliot Wright, aged 29 from Henlow, Bedfordshire, was working as an officer in the collaborated Roads Policing Unit when he arranged to meet a teenage girl who was at risk after finishing a shift on 21 March this year.

The girl, from Hertfordshire, was subject to a deprivation of liberty order for her own safety. Staff at her care home contacted police when they saw her getting into a car, and officers were able to track down Wright’s vehicle near his home in Bedfordshire a short time later and arrested him.

The victim told officers Wright had asked her to delete his messages before he was stopped. Following his arrest by Hertfordshire Constabulary officers, detectives traced potential further victims on his social media including a 16-year-old girl who he had paid in return for sexual images.

An investigation into Wright, led by Hertfordshire Constabulary, showed he had been aware she was vulnerable and often needed money to buy food. He offered her £3 on one occasion for images.

He was soon charged and was immediately suspended by Bedfordshire Police at the time of his arrest. He had his vetting removed and was dismissed from the force in July.

Wright pleaded guilty to three counts of inciting the sexual exploitation of a child, arranging the sexual exploitation of a child, abduction of a child in care, paying for the sexual services of a child and perverting the course of justice. A further charge of misconduct in a public office, which he denied, was ordered to lay on his file.

He was sentenced by a High Court judge to a total of 42 months at St Albans Crown Court, and will serve half his sentence in prison and the second half on licence. Wright was also granted an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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A Bedford man who groomed a 13-year-old boy on Snapchat and drove to Worthing to rape him has been jailed.

Thomas Crabtree, 35, of Sundew Close in Bedford, was sentenced to serve ten years in prison, followed by six years on licence, when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court on 12 September.

He will also be placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Detective Chief Inspector Carrie Williams said: “Thomas Crabtree is a predator who, thanks to the bravery of this young boy, is now safely behind bars.

“He manipulated and took advantage of the boy, who suffered an unimaginable ordeal over several  hours. The boy was incredibly courageous in helping bring his attacker to justice and ensure he poses no further risk to anyone.

“I would like to thank him and his family for their determination.”

Crabtree contacted the boy on Snapchat, using the name Will, and repeatedly sent him sexually explicit images.

He arranged to meet his victim in Worthing on 3 April, 2024. He picked him up in his car, drove him to a remote area near Goring Gap in Worthing and raped him.

Crabtree then drove the boy around in his car in silence, before dropping him off in Worthing and returning to Bedford.

The victim was subjected to an ordeal lasting several hours.

Snapchat data showed Crabtree blocked the victim and deleted all the messages between them, before attempting to make contact again the following month.

The victim reported to police and he and his family were given specialist support that continued throughout the court process.

Crabtree was identified through the Snapchat account and arrested.

He was subsequently charged with two charges of rape; assault by penetration; causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity; sexual communication with a child; causing a child to watch a sexual act; meeting a child following sexual grooming; and abducting a child.

He pleaded guilty to all counts and was remanded in custody when he appeared at Hove Crown Court on Wednesday 10 July.

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A man from Leighton Buzzard, who was branded a dangerous offender, has been jailed for sexually abusing a child over a five-year period.

Peter Cutler, 62, will now spend the next 14 years in prison, plus an additional seven years on licence, after pleading guilty to 22 offences relating to child sexual abuse.

The abuse spanned over five years, until the child, who is now a teenager, opened up to a trusted adult. Together they reported it to police and were able to work with specialist officers.

Subsequently, Cutler was arrested, however whilst he was out on police bail, he admitted to family members that he had sexually abused a child. When he was asked to explain himself, he claimed he didn’t know what he was doing.

Cutler, of Heath Road, Leighton Buzzard, was sentenced on Thursday (18 July) after pleading guilty to the following:

• Seven counts of assaulting a child by penetration
• Six counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child
• Five counts of sexual assault of a child
• Two counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child,
• Two counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act 

He will serve 14 years in prison, with an extended licence period of seven years on his release, due to his dangerousness.

Cutler will also have to adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a Restraining Order, with notification requirements for life.

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A Bedford man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after he was found guilty of sexually abusing two children two decades apart.

Brian Watts, 79, was in his 40s when he sexually abused a young boy in the early 1990s, after inviting him over to his home to play on his games console.

The victim kept the abuse to himself for a long time but decided to report it to police in 2020 after realising how much it was affecting his mental health.

Another victim had disclosed that Watts had been sexually abusing her since she was six or seven. She was a teenager when she disclosed this to a trusted adult in 2019, who then reported it to the police.

An investigation was launched by Bedfordshire Police’s Protecting Vulnerable People team and Watts was arrested and interviewed but denied sexually abusing either child.

After an 11-day trial at Luton Crown Court, Watts of Kimble Drive, Bedford, was jailed on Friday (19 July) for 13 years after being found guilty of the following:

• Four counts of indecent assault of a male
• Four counts of indecency with a child
• Three counts of sexual assault of a child
• He will also be the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order on his release

In an impact statement, each victim described how the abuse has had a huge impact on their lives.

“I’ve carried this secret, the shame, sadness and anger with myself for too long and I don’t know the person I could have been if this hadn’t happened.”

“It’s hard to explain but I still struggle with physical touch from anyone. I am just not comfortable in my own skin, and this is because of him and what he did to me.”

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A 67-year-old man who was once on the FBI’s most wanted list has been convicted of a child sex offence in Kettering.

James Hemphill, previously of Houghton Conquest, Bedford, was on the American law enforcement’s most wanted list for ten years after he pleaded guilty to a child sex offence in America in 1994 but fled to Scotland before he could be sentenced.

After evading the FBI for ten years, he was finally arrested in 2004, returned to America and jailed. But in April 2008, he was deported back to the United Kingdom where he has been living ever since.

At the end of 2022, he was living in Kettering and offended again, contacting a teenage girl and asking her if she wanted him to buy her some underwear.

He also asked her if she wanted adult toys and if she wanted them to share a bed.

The girl in question bravely confided in a family member and Hemphill’s offending was reported to Northamptonshire Police.

He was arrested and subsequently charged with one count of causing/inciting a girl aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity and one count of failing to comply with the notification requirements of being on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

Following a trial which ended at Northampton Crown Court on Monday, June 18, he was convicted on both counts.

He will return to the same court in September to be sentenced.

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A "predatory" rapist cleared of attacking a teenage girl in 2006 has been jailed after evidence was obtained using new forensic techniques.

Donald Kargbo-Reffell was sentenced to 19 years at Luton Crown Court after being found guilty of the rape on a 14-year-old in Bedford.

He was originally arrested 18 years ago - and forensic evidence was taken - but the techniques at the time meant there was not sufficient evidence to charge him.

The 55-year-old, from Princes Street, Bedford, was already serving a 12-year sentence for another Bedford rape in 1999 which was also solved using improved scientific techniques in 2018.

'Destroyed my mental and physical health'

The case was reopened as part of Operation Painter, a major crime unit investigation into non-recent sex offences.

Kargbo-Reffell convinced the victim to go with him to a friend’s flat, then plied her with alcohol and raped her.

The judge praised the victim for her courage and in a statement read to the court, she said: "His actions have had a massive impact on my life, he has destroyed my mental and physical health.

"Destroying my reputation, the trust I have in other people, relations with family members and partners, stealing the last part of my childhood which I should have been allowed to enjoy as a young teenager, turning into an adult", she added.

Det Supt Emma Pitts said it was a "predatory and calculated attack".

“He knew exactly what he was doing, targeting a vulnerable girl and believing that he had got away with it.

“The way we respond has really progressed in the time since this attack both in terms of improved technology and how we approach this sort of sexual abuse."

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A former school child protection officer who sexually abused his pupils has been jailed.

Alexander Charles Ralls, 47, was found guilty of over 40 non-recent sexual offences at Bradford Crown Court.

The court heard he had carried out the offences while working at York public school Queen Ethelburga's.

Ralls, of Hazel Mead in Bedfordshire, was jailed for 16 years on Monday, and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

During a six-week trial at Bradford Crown Court, it was heard how, over a four-year period, Ralls used his position of trust to exploit his victims in the UK and on school trips abroad.

He was suspended from teaching and subsequently dismissed in 2015 following a disclosure made by a former student, according to the school.

'Sickening actions'

North Yorkshire Police said Ralls posed as a person with medical knowledge who told his victims to remove their clothes to examine them and then molested them.

Ralls was found guilty of 31 charges of sexual assault, 10 charges of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and two charges of assault by penetration.

Investigating officer Det Con Suzanne Hall said Ralls had used his position of trust to "coerce and influence".

Det Con Hall added: "The extent of his offending was staggering and the fact that he continued to use the same excuse of providing medical care to carry out his sickening actions, shows his utter arrogance towards and contempt of his victims."

A spokesperson for Queen Ethelburga's said "significant improvements in safeguarding practices" had been made since then.

The spokesperson said the school wanted to express their "heartfelt sorrow and regret" to the victims.

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A man who groped a woman at a Trowbridge pub has avoided a prison sentence.

Joshua Reid appeared before Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on Monday (11 September), having pleaded guilty to sexual assault at a hearing in June.

The 26-year-old defendant, who failed to attend the court for sentencing on 24 July, also admitted a charge of failing to surrender.

At a previous hearing, prosecutor Victoria Hill said that he slapped the buttocks of a woman and groped her breasts in a pub garden in Trowbridge in the summer of 2022.

The magistrates imposed an onerous three-year community order, which has the requirement to attend 20 rehabilitation activity days with the probation service.

Reid must also complete 12 days of mental health treatment with Turning Point and complete a 34-day sex offender programme.

The was told to pay the victim £600 compensation and was slapped with a restraining order – prohibiting contact with the woman for one year. He will also register as a sex offender for fives years.

Reid, of Milton Cottages, off New Road in Bromham, near Devizes, was slapped with a £50 fine for the failing to surrender offence.

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An "arrogant, narcissistic and self-obsessed" rapist who violently attacked two men he met through the dating app Grindr has been jailed.

Dr Mohammed Altaher, 38, attacked the two men at his home in Bedford in August and September 2019.

Altaher, of Cardington Road, was found guilty at an earlier hearing of two counts of rape and one of sexual assault by penetration.

He was jailed for 10 years at St Albans Crown Court.

Prosecutor Nigel Ogborne said both victims had withdrawn consent but Altaher "carried on regardless", raping them in an "aggressive manner".

One victim was given the drug MCAT before being subjected to sexual aggression, including rape.

He said the experience left him behaving "like a zombie."

The second victim was grabbed, kissed and pushed onto a bed by Altaher immediately after arriving at his home and was then raped.

In his victim statement he said the rape had a "significant impact" on his mental health and well-being.

"I was confident, healthy and outgoing and I now rely on medication," the court heard.

Andrew Cohen, defending, said Altaher had a "level of neuro-diversity that meant he did not understand or take signals from other people."

He said Altaher, who has a doctorate, was an expert in AI.

Recorder Andrew Johnson said the two men had gone to Altaher's home for consensual sex which would have occurred if the defendant had acted differently.

"But your approach to both of those encounters was to treat both of your victims as objects with whom you could do what you wished, when you wished, as you wished," he said.

The judge described Altaher as "arrogant", "narcissistic" and "very self-obsessed"

Altaher, who is appealing against his conviction, will be put on the sex offenders register for life and will also face extra probation monitoring for five years after he is released.

Det Con Kevin Cheese of Hertfordshire police said: "There is undoubtedly under-reporting in regards to male victims of sexual violence and I want to thank both survivors in this case for coming forward and getting a dangerous predator like Altaher off the streets."

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A man from Leighton Buzzard has been jailed after he groomed a teenage girl online and arranged to meet her at a hotel for sex.

Ronjohn Bhowmick, 60, used Facebook to befriend someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, chatting to her about school and homework before moving the conversations to a more sexual nature via texts and WhatsApp.

He then arranged to meet the girl and booked a hotel with the intention of having sex with her.

When he was arrested at his home address, he claimed that “he was just being silly and sending messages.”

Bhowmick, of Miletree Court, Leighton Buzzard, was sentenced to three years in prison yesterday (Wednesday) at Luton Crown Court after pleading guilty to attempting to meet a girl under 16 years of age following grooming.

He will also have to adhere to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order upon release.

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A man who followed a woman down an alleyway after she left a bar and then raped her has been jailed.

Loui Cadman, 25, filmed the woman on his mobile phone before attacking her in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, on 20 November.

He was given an extended sentence of 12 years and three months by Luton Crown Court.

Overseeing the hearing, Judge Rebecca Herbert told Cadman: "Your behaviour was predatory."

CCTV footage revealed Cadman followed the woman down an alleyway from Lake Street towards Duncombe Drive after she left a nearby bar at about 01:30 BST.

The court was told the woman had become separated from her friends that night and had lost her mobile phone.

After the attack, the woman reported what had happened to door staff at a nearby pub, which was reported to Bedfordshire Police.

Cadman was found near the scene and arrested.

Secret filming

When officers examined his phone, the intimate footage he had shot of the woman was discovered. They also found other video clips Cadman had secretly shot of young women.

The court was told since the attack the woman could no longer socialise or sleep and had suffered panic attacks.

Judge Herbert said: "I have no doubt you were walking the streets hoping to come across a vulnerable female who was very much the worse for drink."

Cadman, of Meadow Way, Leighton Buzzard, was found guilty of rape earlier this year. He had pleaded guilty to three counts of voyeurism, possession of indecent images and possession of cannabis.

He was told by the judge the extended prison sentence comprised of nine years and three months in custody and a period on licence of three years.

Det Sgt Shona Birkby, from Bedfordshire Police's rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO) team, said: "All the evidence shows Cadman had deliberately preyed on what he viewed as a vulnerable woman."

Ms Birkby commended the bar staff for helping the woman.

She said: "We all have a responsibility to help tackle male violence against women and girls.

"And their actions in supporting her and reporting what had happened to us has played a big part in this outcome."