Latest Offenders Bedford

Description

A teaching assistant has been found guilty of having sex with a 14-year-old pupil in a supermarket car park. The boy was a pupil at a school in Hoddesdon, in Hertfordshire, where Hannah Harris, now 23, worked. She tricked the boy's parents by claiming to be the mother of the boy's fictional girlfriend. However, she was caught in 2020 when the boy's older brother found out, and has been convicted of sexual activity with a child. Sentencing is next month. St Albans Crown Court heard Harris had contacted the boy's parents, telling them her name was Olivia, and that her teenage daughter Kayla was their son's girlfriend. In one text, Harris wrote: "Seems Kayla and [the boy] are getting on well, so I am happy to ferry them around." "The names Kayla and Olivia were fictions to hide the fact they were meeting up," prosecutor Simon Wilshire said. "The parents were in fact talking to Ms Harris, as that was the number they had been given for 'Olivia'."

'Duped'

When the victim's older brother found out about the relationship in January 2020, the boy admitted both Olivia and Kayla were fictitious. "When the parents became aware, they realised they had unwittingly facilitated the contact," Mr Wilshire said. "They had been duped by the boy into the belief he was seeing someone of his own age. "As a teaching assistant at his school, she [Harris] would have known his age - such activity is a criminal offence regardless of whether he believed himself to be a willing party." In a police interview, Harris said the first contact was initiated when the boy sent her an Instagram message. She said she replied and communication continued until she agreed to meet him outside school hours.

Custody 'inevitable'

Harris, from Harrier Mill, Henlow, in Bedfordshire, denied four charges of sexual activity with a child in December 2019 and January 2020. Three of the charges related to offences alleged to have taken place on Dunstable Downs and at her home, but she was cleared by a jury on those counts. However, she was found guilty of one count of having sex with the boy in a supermarket car park. Following the verdict, defence barrister Julia Flanagan said Harris was now in a stable relationship. She said there had been concerns for her mental health, but she had returned to working in IT, a job she held down before becoming a teaching assistant. Judge Caroline Wigin said: "The sentence is inevitably going to be custody." She bailed Harris and told her she must abide by a curfew between 19:00 and 07:00 GMT, and that she will also have to register as a sex offender. Sentencing is due on 9 March.

Description

A "repulsive" Bedford couple who sexually and mentally abused children have been jailed for 35 years.

Nicholas Harris, 54 and Clare Buttice, 41, were jailed for 23 years and 12 years respectively for abuse that was described as "degrading" in court.

Bedfordshire Police launched an investigation after the victims came forward to report their ordeal, which also included physical violence and abuse.

The couple will have to serve at least two-thirds of their sentence before they are considered for release, must register as sex offenders indefinitely, and are banned from having any contact with the victims.

Detective Constable Nina Bradbury, from Bedfordshire Police's Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) team, led the investigation.

She said: "This was a horrific series of crimes, in which children were exploited into performing acts for the offenders' sexual gratification.

"These offences have had a significant impact on the victims, and they will carry this trauma with them for the rest of their lives. I am pleased the courts have issued such a strong custodial sentence and that this repulsive pair will spend a long time behind bars.

"This case was a lengthy and complex investigation, and is just one of many which demonstrates our commitment to tackling offenders and keeping children safe."

DC Bradbury added: "Protecting children from this kind of sickening abuse is absolutely imperative - and work that needs our collective effort to succeed. Our specialist officers and partnership services will continue to work with and support the victims as they try to move on with their lives.

"But if you have concerns that a child is being neglected, exploited or abused, these concerns are too important not to share. We must all play our part in protecting children."

Description

A barrister who was prepared to travel across the country to sexually abuse what he believed to be teenage girls he met online has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail.

Guy Sims, aged 53, had been founded guilty of three counts of arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence by unanimous jury following a trial at Oxford Crown Court.

During September 2017, Sims talked online to two people who he believed were 13-year-old schoolgirls using social media platforms Mylol and Kik.

During this investigation, the victims were not real.

Posing as an 18-year-old and calling himself 'markbatx' and 'markviva', he made arrangements to meet one of the girls and travelled to Portsmouth with the intention of engaging in sexual activity her.

When he arrived, he was arrested by officers who found he had cider and a condom on his person, along with camouflage leaf netting in his car.

He had also made arrangements to meet another of the girls either on his way home or on the way to Portsmouth on the same day for sexual activity.

While under investigation, he engaged in conversation of a sexual nature with the third person he believed to be a 13-year-old school girl in 2019.

Now calling himself 'Yo Sarami' and 'Danny.dan,' he made arrangements to meet her in Oxford for sexual activity to take place.

Sims, from Bedford, was charged in connection with the offences in 2019.

The court heard Sims will be barred from working as a barrister.

The sentencing follows an investigation by specialist officers from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) spanning four years.

Detective Chief Inspector Philip Attwood, of SEROCU, said: "This is the conclusion of a case in which Sims engaged in conversation of a sexual nature and arranged to meet up with those who he believed to be three teenage girls with the intention of carrying out child sexual abuse.

"Sims, worked as a civil barrister, and should have recognised the consequences of this offending.

"He demonstrated that he was prepared to go to great lengths and travel across the country to Portsmouth, to Guildford and to Oxford, to engage in depraved sexual activity with children. He repeatedly engaged with the profiles of those he believed to be teenage girls online, and the threat he posed would have continued had it not been for the continued and dedicated efforts of those working for SEROCU.

"Law enforcement operates across the internet and we are committed to ensuring those who use this means of communicating with those they believe to be children to arrange sexual abuse are brought before the courts to face justice."

Description

A Bedford man who drove to the KFC car park at Kempston thinking he was meeting an 11-year-old girl for sex was jailed for for four-and-a-half years.

Ryan Massey arrived outside the takeaway in May of this year to find a group of paedophile hunters waiting for him and, after being confronted by them, the police were called and he was arrested.

The 28-year-old had been communicating online with four young girls at the time, who in fact turned out to be "decoys."

They didn't actually exist and their fake details had been posted on Facebook by four groups of online paedophile hunters. But Massey wasn't to know that.

After making contact with the girls, who were aged between 11 and 15, he would quickly turn the online chats to sex, sending them pictures of male and female genitalia and encouraging them to send him intimate photos of themselves.

What Massey didn't realise was the "girls" he knew as "Sammi" "Rosie" "Sky" and "Lilly" were in fact adult members of paedophilic hunter groups pretending to be children in order to catch perverts looking online for youngsters to groom and have sex with.

Massey, of Edward Road in Bedford, Bedfordshire, had gone to the car park on May 26 this year thinking he was meeting the 11-year-old girl, who he knew as "Sammi."

In a message he had sent to Sammi the day before, he had said: "When I see you we can have sex for the first time." After his arrest the police discovered he had been sending similar messages to the three other girls.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence concerning the decoy Sammi.

Massey further pleaded guilty to attempting to cause or incite a child under 13 to engage in penetrative sexual activity involving the same girl and attempted sexual communication with her.

He also admitted six other charges concerning his online contact with the three other girls in May of this year who were also decoys.

He admitted three further charges of attempting to incite or cause a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity and three charges of attempted sexual communication with a child. The court heard he had encouraged the girls to masturbate in messages he sent them.

Sentencing Massey, Judge Lynn Tayton told him that on making contact with the girl he had "immediately engaged in sexualised conversations with them."

She went on: "You invited them to engage in penetrative sexual activity and you sent photos of your private parts and invited them to send you photos of their private parts."

The judge said Massey had then progressed to asking to meet the girls for sex. Judge Tayton said she noted that when the "girls" had complained about what he was asking them to do, he had "pressed" them to continue.

As well as serving the four-and-a-half year jail sentence, Massey was told he would also be the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for an indefinite period, which would monitor and supervise his computer access and his activity online.

His name will also go on the sex offenders' register and he was told he would be barred from ever taking up employment which involved working with children.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of a mobile phone found on Massey when he was arrested.

Description

A Bedfordshire paedophile who sexually assaulted a young girl also downloaded thousands of disturbing child sex abuse images of children as young as eight years old.

Justin Sandilands, of Shefford, Bedfordshire, has been jailed for four years for sexual assault and downloading child sex abuse images onto his computer and other devices.

Police found the material after visiting Sandilands' home in September 2019.

Officers had gone to the address in Church Street, Shefford, after receiving information that he had been viewing the material.

Luton Crown Court heard that when the items seized were examined it was found Sandilands had 36 Category A images of young people - some as young as eight - being abused.

This is the level given to the very worst depraved material found online.

He also had 123 Category B images - the next most serious category - and thousands of Category C images.

Officers could see the search terms Sandilands had been using to seek out the sickening material on the internet, some of which included moving images of child sex abuse.

In court on Friday, August 13, he appeared for sentence having earlier pleaded guilty to sexual assault on a child, three offences of making indecent images of a child and one offence of possessing a prohibited image.

Judge Gary Lucy jailed him for a total of four years and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the devices on which the material had been found.

Sandilands was also told he would be made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order which will, once he is released, monitor his internet use.

Description

A "callous and selfish" Bedford man who pleaded guilty to having sex with a child has been jailed for five years.

Stuart Tomey, 36, committed a number of sexual offences against a teenage girl between April and November 2020.

He was arrested by Bedfordshire Police in December after the victim came forward to report on his actions.

Detectives praised the bravery of the teenage girl, who said in a victim statement: "The impact that this has had on me affects me every day.

"I really struggled with accepting that I was a victim and blamed myself for what happened, but as the time has gone on I learned that this was not my fault."

Tomey, of Rutland Road, Bedford, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child. He was sentenced on June 16 to 57 months for each offence, which will run concurrently.

He received a further three months for breaching his bail conditions, totalling five years in prison.

Detective Constable Rebecca Goodman, from Bedfordshire Police's Protecting Vulnerable People team, which investigated the offences, said: "Tomey's selfish and callous offending has resulted in him receiving a lengthy prison sentence."

She added: "Our force takes reports of sexual offences extremely seriously and we are committed to protecting vulnerable people in our county, and especially in cases which involve children.

"This comes after a second court case concluded this month and resulted in a lengthy prison sentence for child sex offences.

"Hopefully this will encourage further victims of such offences to come forward, no matter when it happened. We will believe you and investigate your report, and we will work with our partner agencies to find the right support for you."

In a statement, Bedfordshire Police said that victims of rape and sexual assault can receive support and guidance from the force and partner agencies, including the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), as well as support through the criminal investigation process.

Description

A 38-year-old 'dangerous predator' from Bedford attempted to meet someone he believed was a 12-year-old girl for sex.

After striking up a conversation on an instant messaging app Andrew Jeffery sent sexually explicit messages and images to the 'girl' and tried to persuade her to come to his house in Chillingham Green, Bedford.

Investigators became increasingly concerned after Jeffrey described how he could get her "high" on drinks and drugs and, two days later, police executed a warrant at his home address in Bedford, Bedfordshire.

While there on January 30, 2019, they seized a number of electronic devices and arrested him.

Jeffrey pleaded guilty to three counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and one count of attempting sexual communication with a child.

Following his guilty plea he was jailed for two and a half years.

Emma Shipton, investigation officer from Bedfordshire Police's Internet Child Abuse Investigation team, said: "Jeffrey is a dangerous predator and I'm pleased that he will now spend the next two-and-a-half years in prison.

"This case shows the importance of the work that our officers do in gathering vital evidence to arrest and charge these offenders in what can be a very difficult online space to enter.

"This time Jeffrey was speaking to our officers, but people who commit these types of offences online can often go on to abuse children in the offline world, which is why it is vital we investigate them thoroughly and put safeguarding measures in place."

She added: "It is important that we educate children on how they can protect themselves online. This includes not talking to anyone who they don't know in real life, not sharing any personal information, and keeping privacy settings as high as possible.

"We'd advise parents to have a conversation with their children about online safety, and make sure that they feel comfortable in speaking about anything they see online which makes them feel uncomfortable."

Description

The victim of a Bedfordshire paedophile has told of his "relief" after speaking out about the Bedfordshire paedophile who sexually abused him from when he was just 10 years old.

The victim said that before he spoke to police he was "writing off" his life.

Michael Fensom, now 78, of Coronation Road in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, starting abusing the victim in 2000.

The abuse stopped about five years later in the victim's mid-teens when he was attending middle school.

Telling how Fensom had sexually abused and indecently assaulted him, using excuses to get him on his own at his home, and on trips out, the victim said: "I've had to live for years knowing about it, keeping it a secret, writing off my life.

"Since the start of this whole thing with the police, it's not easier to live with, but it feels like there's more support there than you could ever imagine."

He added: "I didn't want to have that first conversation with a police officer, but when I did, it just felt good.

"For me to be able to come out and say it after a long time, that helps a lot, and with support, I think I'll be alright."

In September this year Fensom pleaded guilty to nine counts of indecent assault on a male and four counts of sexual activity with a child.

He pleaded not guilty to a further three charges of indecent assault on a male and two counts of sexual activity with a child, and these charges will lay on file.

He has also been placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Fensom was sentenced at Luton Crown on Tuesday (January 26) to nine years and six months in prison, with an extended 12 months licence period.

Fensom was first arrested in February 2018 after the victim found the courage to speak to police after confiding with his partner about the historical abuse.

After the predator denied the allegations an investigation into the abuse was launched.

Detective Constable Charlie Sermons, from Bedfordshire Police's Public Protection Unit, who investigated the case, said: "It took a lot of courage for this man to open up and admit what had happened to him as a child.

"Fensom was someone he trusted as a boy, and in return, he subjected him to repeated sexual abuse over several years. His victim, fearing he would never be believed, felt unable to tell anyone what was happening until many years later."

He added: "I want to thank the victim for finding the courage to open up and come forward, and I would also like to thank his partner for her support.

"I know that this sentence won't bring back those lost years, but I hope seeing Fensom jailed will give him some closure.

"It is never too late to report sexual offences, no matter when they happened, and this case shows that you will be believed, and we will do all we can to see an offender brought to justice."

Detective Inspector Martin Eaton said: "We know only too well that a victim may carry this burden for many years before they are ready to open up about what has happened.

"If you are experiencing, or have ever been subjected to, sexual abuse, please report it, don't carry this by yourself.

"Our specially trained officers, together with a network of partner agencies, are ready to listen, and can support and guide you through an investigation and beyond."

Description

A man from Kempston will be behind bars for three years after grooming a teenage girl and persuading her to send him indecent images of herself over a number of weeks.

Richard Downing, 41 of Hastings Road, Kempston, first contacted the young girl by email, pretending to be a boy around her own age.

He started a conversation with her, groomed her and then repeatedly asked her to send him indecent images.

Over the course of a month, Downing manipulating the victim into believing that they were in an online relationship so she would continue to send him images of herself.

Downing was arrested in April 2017 after the girl’s mother saw some of the messages and reported it to police.

The victim’s phone was seized and the email addresses used were traced back to Downing.

He was subsequently charged and pleaded guilty to one count of causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child, and four counts of possessing indecent images/pseudo-photographs of a child.

Last Thursday (19 March), Downing was handed a three-year custodial sentence at Luton Crown Court, as well as a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which has conditions he must adhere to upon his release.

Nicky Owen, Investigation Officer from Bedfordshire Police’s Internet Child Abuse Investigation team, said:

“I am pleased that Downing has received a custodial sentence and will spending the next three years locked away so he isn’t a danger to other young girls.

“He deliberately targeted this young girl on the pretence that he was the same age as her, and groomed her into believing they were in a relationship so she would send him provocative photos of herself.

“We continue to work hard to investigate these horrible sexual predators who think it is acceptable to sexually groom young children online.

“I want to stress that any child can become the victim of grooming, no matter their age, sex, ethnicity or background. If you think that this might be happening to you, or someone you know, then it’s important you speak out and tell someone you trust.”

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A man has been jailed for 23 years for what police have described as horrific sexual abuse over six years that began when his victim was just 12 years old.

Kevin Langford, 54, of no fixed address, was handed his prison sentence today (5 July) after he was convicted of 29 different charges at an earlier court hearing in May.

The abuse spanned a six-year period when he was living in Wootton.

He had already pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child and was found guilty of the other indictments, which included possessing and distributing indecent images of children, causing/inciting a child into prostitution/pornography and trafficking a person out of the UK for sexual exploitation.

The jury at Luton Crown Court heard how the abuse started when the victim was just 12 years old.

Langford regularly assaulted her and forced her into taking part in sexual activity with him.

As she got older, he made her pose for provocative photos, which he posted to an adult website claiming she was 18, and started taking her to hotels to engage in sexual activity with other men, including once trip overseas.

On one occasion one of the men even filmed her and Langford used this as a threat against her in case she told anyone.

In April 2017, the victim came forward and disclosed to police about the abuse that she has endured over the past six years.

As well as the 23-year jail sentence, Langford will be on licence for two years after he leaves prison.

Detective constable Jenny Bryce said: I am delighted that Langford has received such a substantial custodial sentence as he not only subjected his victim to years of sexual abuse, but he also exploited her in the most horrendous way by advertising her online to strangers.

I cant praise the bravery of the victim enough for coming forward and disclosing all of Langfords sickening actions. I hope this sentence can serve as some kind of closure for her so she can move on with her life.

Child sexual abuse is one of the most heinous crimes and it will never be tolerated in our county.

We are committed to tackling these sickening individuals and ensuring that they are made to pay for their actions.

Description

A man who sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl after she spurned him on Snapchat has been jailed for eight years and four months.

Aaron Irvine, 19, of Bedford, was dressed in black and carrying a "rape kit" when he went to the girl's home.

He was convicted at Luton Crown Court in July of sexual assault and trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence.

Judge Barbara Mensah said the assault in January was a "planned operation", calling him "a dangerous individual".

"It's quite clear you have developed an obsession for the girl. You had an obsession with her and you were infatuated with her," she said.

Irvine, of Thor Drive, had also admitted common assault and possessing a bladed article. He was cleared of attempted rape.

The court heard the day before Irvine's attack, he had sent the girl a Snapchat message asking if she had a boyfriend.

She said she was "out of a relationship" and he replied with "well, I'm known to be very good at making girls happy".

The girl "wasn't comfortable" with the response, she said.

The next day on 2 January he arrived at the girl's house in Bedfordshire armed with a hunting knife and carrying a bag containing rope, tape, a black utility belt, wet wipes and a change of clothing.

She described it as a "rape kit" and said she felt "revulsion, anger and fear" when he came to her home, where she was with a friend.

Once inside the property, Irvine began caressing the girls at knifepoint and sexually touched the girl who had rebuffed him.

When her friend kicked him in the groin, the girls escaped.

Irvine ran into nearby woods and changed clothing, but was arrested by police shortly afterwards.

Description

A paedophile has been jailed for eight and a half years after sexually abusing a little girl in Luton.

Ben Storey, 26, who until recently was residing at Marlborough Road, Banbury, was sentenced at Luton Crown Court today after being found guilty of four counts of sexual touching and two counts of assault by penetration in October.

Storey assaulted the young girl on a number of occasions over a period of time in 2016. He was arrested when the child told her mum about the abuse who then contacted the police.

DC Stephen Francis said: “Fortunately Storey’s victim disclosed her abuse to a trusted adult and as a result Storey has now been locked away and can no longer cause harm to others.

“I hope this sentence shows how seriously we take child sexual abuse. It will not be tolerated and we will do anything in our power to bring abhorrent offenders such as Storey to justice, while providing our support to victims and their families.

“We’re also continuing to work with our partners to educate both parents and children around the issue of child sexual abuse in order to help reduce the risk of it happening.”

Description

A 70-year-old serial sex offender will almost certainly die in prison after being jailed for 23 years for sexually abusing four young girls over a period spanning some three decades.

Pensioner Michael Grimes pleaded guilty to 17 counts of child abuse against four young girls.

The judge described his actions as ‘beyond normal human comprehension’ and said they were ‘vile, despicable, and perverted’.

Grimes, of Croft Green, Dunstable, was sentenced at Luton Crown Court on Friday.

As well as the sentence, he was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

He was caught after police received information that an IP address linked to his home was being used to download indecent images of young children.

Police then raided his home and they found devices containing more than 4,600 indecent images of children and babies, including almost 1,000 of the most severe category.

During their investigations, four women came forward to claim they had been sexually abused by Grimes.

The abuse spanned over a period of some 30 years.

Description

A man has been jailed for 11 years after admitting grooming an 11-year-old girl and making indecent images of children.

Alastair Hodge, 28, of Condor Boulevard, Shortstown, was sentenced at Luton Crown Court today (Thursday) after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and two separate charges of causing and inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Hodge was arrested after the victim’s parent discovered messages of a sexual nature sent by him to the child, in which he groomed her and encouraged her to send him indecent images of herself.

Officers from Bedfordshire Police then executed a search warrant at Hodge’s home and seized a number of phones and computer devices. Digital forensics officers carried out examinations on the items and found multiple indecent images of several children.

Investigation Officer Amanda Dickson, from the Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team (ICAIT), said: “Hodge’s computer devices contained images from the most severe category of child sexual abuse and there is no doubt that he is a dangerous sexual predator, so I am pleased he has received such a lengthy sentence for these sickening crimes.

“He took advantage of a young girl, grooming her via messaging apps and intentionally inciting her to engage in sexual activity, as well as encouraging her to send indecent images of herself to him which he added to his sickening collection.

“Online child sex abuse is not victimless – it causes severe harm to the children involved and is likely to have a lasting impact on them. We absolutely will not tolerate this and we are committed to tackling those responsible and bringing them to justice so that they cannot inflict their abuse on anyone else.”

Description

A paedophile has been handed a two-year jail sentence for grooming a girl he believed was 12.

Craig Hall, of High Road in Sandy, was jailed at Luton Crown Court yesterday after being found guilty of three counts of attempting to incite a child under the age of 13 to engage in a sexual act.

The pervert struck up an online conversation with someone he believed to be 12 years old, and sent her sexually explicit messages as well as trying to persuade her to carry out a sexual act on him in exchange for money.

But Hall was shocked to find he was being duped and was in fact talking to a 17-year-old teenager – who reported him to Bedfordshire Police.

Investigating officer Nicky Owen, from the Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team at the force, said: “Hall believed she was only 12 years old, and thinking she was of such a young age spurred him on even more in his attempts to engage in sexual activity.

“Behaviour such as this is completely unacceptable and it’s only right and proper that we thoroughly investigate sexual predators such as Hall, in order to ensure that they are made to pay the price for their actions.”

The convicted paedophile has also been placed on the Sex Offender Register for 10 years and has received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.