Search results for Berkshire

Record details

ONE of Britain's most respected pilots and a former Red Arrows ace has admitted possessing indecent images of children.

Andrew Cubin MBE, 59, who now lives in Windsor, appeared at Swindon Magistrates Court - which heard he has now changed his name to Andrew Lloyd.

He pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing indecent images of a child - including 48 in the most serious category.

During a 20-year career in the Royal Air Force, when he was known as Andy Cubes Cubin, he flew in the Red Arrows.

Prosecutor Keith Ballinger said Wiltshire Police launched an investigation after they received information relating to an IP address being used to upload images to the internet.

"The IP address was found to belong to an address in Malmesbury", he said.

Adding: "Officers attended the address on 17 February last year and arrested Mr Lloyd."

Speaking at the case on Tuesday Mr Ballinger said the defendant told the officers "you can take my laptop, I used that", before stating "I have removed all the images".

Various items were seized from the property in Kings Meadow, Crudwell, near Malmesbury, Wilts., including the laptop.

Forensic analysis revealed a number of indecent images of children - some were pictures and others were videos.

The court heard that 48 Category A images were found - all of which involve children engaging in penetrative sexual activity.

39 Category B images - which show non-penetrative sexual activity with a child - were discovered, and ten Category C images were also found.

He made full admissions In an interview in custody, the court heard.

In 2016 he told how and his wife battled in vain to save their tragic 14-year-old daughter who suddenly died on a sleepover.

Mr Ballinger said in interview Lloyd made reference to his daughter.

Though, defence solicitor Nicholas Wragg interjected, stating: "Is that really necessary?" - resulting in the prosecutor not continuing his summary of the custody interview.

Lloyd, now of Wood Close, Windsor, was told he must register as a sex offender at Bracknell Police Station within 72 hours.

Magistrates committed the case to Swindon Crown Court for sentence on 6 May. A pre-sentence report was ordered.

"You'll be committed to Swindon Crown Court for sentencing. These offences are so serious you need a greater punishment that we can give", the chair of the bench remarked.

Lloyd was released on unconditional bail.

He flew in the Red Arrows as Red 6, who leads the synchro pairing.

Before qualifying as a fast jet instructor, he flew Jaguars and Hawks.

The pilot boasts about having completed more than 500 display flights across the UK, where after he would meet and greet the public.

Since leaving the RAF in 2002, he has worked for some of the world's biggest airlines as a Captain, flying the Airbus A321, A320 and A319.

Lloyd also flies stunt planes for a company.

Outside of aviation, Lloyd describes himself as having an "infused a passion for photography".

On his profile, he claims to have a commercial and wedding photography business and teaches photography workshops in Wiltshire.

Record details

A former Maidstone teacher found guilty of sexually abusing a child has been jailed for six years.

Carly Dear, of Braemore Close, Thatcham, met the victim and carried out the abuse during her time working as a PE teacher at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls more than 15 years ago.

When the victim was in her teens, Dear started to have private conversations with her in the changing rooms, offering her sweets and giving her lifts home.

Eventually Dear’s behaviour escalated and became sexual, touching the girl before taking her to Dear’s then-address in Whitstable, or a hotel, where she would abuse the victim.

Dear continued to regularly contact and abuse the victim grooming her and insisting the activity was normal.

Dear was arrested by Kent Police after the victim reported the abuse in 2018, leading to an investigation into the non-recent offences, and resulting in the 46-year-old being charged.

Following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court in October 2021, Dear was found guilty of inciting sexual activity by a person in a position of trust, four counts relating to indecent assault, and one count of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.

The jury found her not guilty of one count of sexual assault.

She was sentenced last Friday (January 13) to six years in prison.

She will also be put on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Hannah Crittenden said: "Carly Dear took advantage of a child for her own selfish desire and the victim’s memories of growing up will be affected by what Dear has done.

"I hope the victim recognises that she was extremely brave in speaking up but did the right thing by doing so.

"I hope that she will now focus on the future, unafraid and knowing that she was believed and Dear is facing the consequences of her own illegal actions."

Record details

Record details

A WINDSOR man will serve 21 years behind bars after being found guilty of sexually abusing two children between 15 and 30 years ago.

Trevor Smith, formerly of Dedworth Road, Windsor, was convicted of indecently assaulting a girl and raping a boy following a trial in March.

The 56-year-old, who appeared in the dock at Reading Crown Court this morning, was labelled as dangerous by Judge Edward Burgess.

The court heard how Smiths sexual abuse began when he was asked to babysit the girl when she was aged around four-years-old.

She was indecently assaulted by him on this occasion and at least three other occasions up until she was around eight-years-old, the court heard.

He told her that if she were to say anything about the abuse, he would put disgusting photos of her in newspapers.

A statement from the woman who was sexually abused by Smith read: He abused me at such a young age, which has affected me in so many ways.

I had so much potential but I lost confidence because I was consumed by what he did to me.

I feel very angry that he took my childhood away from me.

As a teenager I felt excluded and disregarded. I believe this all stemmed from what he did to me at such a young age.

The second survivor, a man who was raped and sexually assaulted by Smith from around the ages of 8 and 12, said he has suffered from effects including bed-wetting, insomnia, night terrors and stomach disorders in the years since the abuse.

Reading Crown Court heard how the boy was groomed with sweets and snacks and shown porn by Smith.

The mans statement read: What he did to me has affected parts of my life from my school years to my present adult life.

I felt trapped, I was not able to deal with what he did to me. I was made to feel unworthy and felt depressed and suicidal.

I continue to have flashbacks and memory problems. I can still smell him.

I feel like I will always have this darkness over me.

Defending, Rachel Darby said Smith was not in good health following a stroke which left him unable to use his left arm two months ago.

She said: This will not be an easy prison sentence for him to serve.

Sentencing, Judge Edward Burgess slammed Smith for pleading not guilty and forcing a trial, saying he had caused his survivors additional trauma by forcing them to tell of their experiences again.

He scolded Smith for the grave ways he systematically abused the boy, which included rape and sexual assault.

Your abuse of him tragically became part of his formative life, Judge Burgess said.

The effects have been profound and life changing.

There is no doubt you have caused him severe psychological harm.

Addressing Smith about his abuse of the girl, Judge Burgess said his offending had caused her severe distress.

He sentenced Smith to 21 years in prison after he was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault, three counts of indecent assault of a male, two counts of rape, sexual assault of a child under 13 and rape of a child under 13.

Smith, who appeared at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday, May 19, will serve half this sentence before being eligible for parole.

Record details

Record details

A public school rowing coach who posed as a 16-year-old girl to sexually manipulate 32 teenage boys was jailed for six years today.

Andrew Cook, 30, was convicted of 37 sexual offences involving dozens of boys aged between 13 and 17 at south west London's £20,000-per-year Hampton School.

Cook, of Newbury, Berkshire, tricked the boys into getting naked on camera making 'pic for pic' requests while posing as a 16-year-old girl, under the name Anne Jones.

The teacher targeted a string of adolescent boys over the course of nine years.

Victims recalled feeling 'embarrassed', 'awful' and 'physically sick' when they discovered Anne Jones was in fact their rowing coach, who they trusted and regarded as a friend.

Cook was sentenced at Guilford Crown Court today where he came face to face with one of his victims, while others attended virtually. 

The ex-rowing coach was also banned from working with children and will be placed on the sexual offenders register.

Judge Alexia Durran said: 'You were in a position of trust to many of the teenage victims.

'They said you were someone they trusted, someone who helped them when they were bullied, someone who had betrayed their trust. Some feel it has impacted their academic studies.' 

Surrey Police's Paedophile Online Investigation Team launched their probe in April 2018 after being alerted by the school and found Cook had been offending since June 2011. 

During his nine-year period of abuse, Cook invited victims to a game of truth and dare online and asked them to trade 'pic for pic'.

On one occasion, he pretended to be his female cousin while talking to a boy online who he sent photos of a topless female and asked for nude pictures in return. 

The ex rowing coach pleaded guilty to 37 counts of grooming the boys to pose naked for him and to possessing 53 indecent images of children.

He denied charges related to three further boys which were not tried and will remain on file. 

The rowing coach was sacked from the 450-year-old independent school two years ago after an internal disciplinary inquiry prompted by student complaints. 

Hampton School expressed its 'deep regret' after the shamed former rowing coach was jailed.

A spokesperson said: 'We have been deeply saddened by this matter, which runs completely counter to the values of our School.

'The welfare of our pupils is always our highest priority. As soon as we became aware of concerns in spring term 2018, we immediately informed all relevant authorities.

'Mr Cook was suspended from the School and subsequently dismissed with immediate effect following an internal disciplinary investigation.

'Since then we have worked closely with Surrey Police and partner agencies to assist with their ongoing inquiries and provide all possible support, both to them and to the victims.

'We are grateful to all those who have helped bring this matter to justice, not least of course those whose courage in coming forward provided invaluable assistance to the investigation.

'We express our deep regret to those affected and offer our continued support.'

Record details

Record details

Record details

A paedophile who lured three young girls into his bedroom and sexually abused them has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years.

Michael Griffin, 42, (pictured right) was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Friday after being found guilty of six counts of sexual assault on a child under 13 and two counts of possessing indecent images of children.

Outside the court a relative of one of the girls, who cannot be named, spoke of her relief.

She told the Evening Post: “No sentence will ever be long enough, but I feel relieved justice has finally been done for these children.

“He (Griffin) has been locked up and won’t be able to harm other children and put them through the suffering our family has been through.

Speaking about how the girls had been coping, she added: “They get very sad and tearful. I am worried about the long term effects but hopefully we can all get our lives back together.

“What he did to these children was horrendous. The devil comes in many disguises. I thought he was a nice person but got it all so badly wrong.”

The court had heard Griffin befriended the girls in Spencers Wood in the autumn of 2004 when they were aged between three and nine.

During the year he abused them as they watched television and played on a computer in his bedroom.

In one sinister game he would wrap them up in his duvet and reach up and touch them sexually.

The computer was later seized by police and found to contain more than 200 indecent images and video clips of children including penetrative sex between an adult and child.

Griffin told the court he had worked voluntarily as an administrator for an adult chatroom and became intrigued by child pornography following the Gary Glitter case.

Passing sentence, Judge Stanley Spence described Griffin as “a dangerous paedophile” who carried out a “despicable act” and was a serious risk to the public.

He said: “You forced all these girls to come into court and give evidence and subject them to being called liars reducing them to tears.”

Referring to the child pornography found on Griffin’s computer, he added: “I completely reject your ridiculous suggestion of research – you did it because you have an unhealthy interest in young girls.”

Griffin, of Pear Tree Lane, Newbury, was ordered never to be alone with a child under 16, including relatives, without parental presence.

He was also told never to contact the abused girls, and was barred from residing in or visiting Spencers Wood until his victims reached 16 years of age.

Griffin was further banned from any communication with a child including through the internet and working with children. He was placed on the sexual offenders’ register indefinitely.

After his sentence DC Jayne Payne, child protection officer at Thames Valley Police, said: “This sentence really reflects justice for these three delightful little girls. They came forward and gave evidence in court, which in itself is traumatic, but told the truth and the jury made the correct verdict.”