Latest Offenders Birmingham

Description

This is the face of a paedophile pensioner every parent should know as he is now a free man. Brian Topliss has been released from prison after serving half of his decade-long sentence.

The now 81-year-old was jailed for ten years in November 2019 after a series of sickening child sex offences. The sex offender befriended his victims, luring them into his Alum Rock home to play computer games.

Topliss, who was sentenced when he was 76, also offered to take the children to 'parks or swimming'. Instead, he repeatedly abused one boy and regularly invited others into his home.

In November last year, he was released from prison having served five of the ten years. Now it's thought he's living in Walsall following his release. The Ministry of Justice stressed he - as well as any prisoner released on license - would be subject to strict conditions. This would range from curfews to exclusion zones and include the threat of being returned to prison if breached.

"Anyone released from prison faces strict conditions while on licence, such as curfews and exclusion zones, and can be returned to custody if they breach them," a Prison Service spokesperson said.

Topliss was freed on November 18 last year, five years on from his sentence at Birmingham Crown Court - where his offending was branded a "gross abuse and a breach of trust." Judge Sarah Buckingham said at the time: "You are a man who, for many years, has had and acted upon a sexual interest in children."

The pensioner groomed boys and filmed them performing sexual acts at his home. His offending only ended when one victim told a social worker and nurse of their abuse and police became involved.

As police raided his home, officers found Topliss had also stored and catalogued around 15,000 indecent images for his own sexual gratification. One of his victims, a man now in his 30's, was "befriended" by Topliss when he gave him swimming and diving lessons.

"He groomed him and treated him as his favourite," prosecutor Steven Bailey had told Birmingham Crown Court. He then went on to abuse the boy repeatedly and "went further" when he realised he could get away with it.

The sex offender also invited a number of other boys to his home on a regular basis. There. he would show them pornography, give them drugs, sweets and get them to perform sexual acts, the court heard. Topliss recorded what went on and police later recovered 173 still images and three videos.

Mr Bailey went on: "Over a period of about 13 years he took, made and consumed images. He only stopped when the police became involved. They show a household where there were no sexual boundaries. 'It is my house and my rules' seem to have been his thought process."

He said Topliss had also tried to conceal what he had done by "burying" indecent images in a video which was ostensibly holiday footage. Included in the images that Topliss had downloaded were four extreme pictures of extreme pornography involving animals.

Topliss, who lived in Maitland Road before his prison term, had admitted four charges of gross indecency with a child, seven of taking indecent images of a child, three counts of possessing indecent photographs of a child and one count of possessing extreme pornography.

"Topliss befriended his victims by offering his home as a place to play computer games, or by taking them to parks or swimming. But he had a hidden agenda and abused those who trusted him in the most deviant way," Det Con Julia Griffin, from the West Midlands Police public protection unit, said after the case.

"No one can underestimate the effect sexual abuse can have on a child as they grow into adulthood and I can only praise the bravery of those who relived their experiences by coming forward. I am pleased that Topliss pleaded guilty and spared his victims the ordeal of a trial. I hope the sentence gives them some comfort."

Description

Christopher Cooper, 36, of Portland Road, Birmingham (previously of Leamington) has been jailed after he exchanged sexually explicit communications with a teenage girl while he was subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Cooper was arrested by officers from Warwickshire Police Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU) on the day he was released from prison where he was serving time for breaching the SHPO which was put in place when he was previously convicted of child sex offences. The SHPO prohibited him from making contact with anyone he believed to be under the age of 16.

While he was in prison detectives found evidence that he had exchanged the messages with the girl in 2022. Cooper claimed to be 18 while the victim had made clear early on in the exchanges that she was only 14.

Cooper was jailed for three years and four months at Warwick Crown Court last week having pleaded guilty to four counts of breaching a SHPO and one count of inciting a girl aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity. He will serve a further six years on licence. If he breaches the terms of this licence he can be returned to prison.

Detective Constable Matt Collins from the SOMU said: “The sentence reflects the danger Cooper poses to children. It also demonstrates the power of the SHPOs in allowing us to monitor the behaviour of sex offenders and shows how seriously the courts treat offenders who breach them.

“This case also shows the dangers of social media and how it is important for parents to be aware of what their child is doing online.

Description

A dangerous offender has been jailed for four years after a string of sexual offences against women in a Warwickshire town. Paul Sanders was convicted of a series of sexual offences against women in Leamington Spa in the space of 24 hours.

Police described Sanders, 36, as a "very dangerous man" after he was sentenced. He was convicted on September 23 at Warwick Crown Court of the offences, which he carried out on April 6.

Warwickshire Police said Sanders in just 24 hours sexually assaulted a woman, attempted to sexually assault a woman and tried to force entry to a house with the intent to commit a sexual offence. The force praised the courage of the victims in the case that helped secure a conviction.

A Warwickshire Police spokesperson said: "A dangerous offender has been jailed after being convicted of a series of sexual offences against women in Leamington. On April 6 2024, Paul Sanders sexually assaulted a woman, attempted to sexually assault a woman and attempted to force entry to a house with the intent to commit a sexual offence.

"The 36-year-old was jailed for four years last week. He will serve another three years on licence following his release. He was also ordered to sign the sex offender’s register for life.

"At Warwick Crown Court last week Sanders, of no fixed abode, was jailed after pleading guilty to sexual assault, attempted sexual assault and knowingly trespassing on premises with intent to commit a relevant sexual offence."

Det Sgt James Stone-Fewings, a sexual offence investigator from Warwickshire Police, said: “The courage shown by all the victims in this case must be commended. Thanks to their continued support we have been able to ensure a very dangerous man is no longer on the streets.”

Description

A 'predatory' Birmingham school worker sexually abused a pupil in his office, upskirted girls and secretly recorded women.

Steven Hanna was the pastoral lead with responsibility for safeguarding children but committed the 'grossest breach of trust' over a four-year period until his arrest in 2023.

The 41-year-old groomed students with chocolates and filmed them under the table with his phone. He also covertly filmed one girl whose bra was visible after her shirt became wet.

After being arrested police recovered disturbing images on his phone which showed children as young as seven being abused. Hanna, of Glascote Grove, Shard End, admitted a string of offences and was sentenced to seven years at Birmingham Crown Court this morning, Wednesday, September 18.

A 'predatory' Birmingham school worker sexually abused a pupil in his office, upskirted girls and secretly recorded women. Steven Hanna was the pastoral lead with responsibility for safeguarding children but committed the 'grossest breach of trust' over a four-year period until his arrest in 2023.

The 41-year-old groomed students with chocolates and filmed them under the table with his phone. He also covertly filmed one girl whose bra was visible after her shirt became wet.

After being arrested police recovered disturbing images on his phone which showed children as young as seven being abused. Hanna, of Glascote Grove, Shard End, admitted a string of offences and was sentenced to seven years at Birmingham Crown Court this morning, Wednesday, September 18.

Appearing on a video link from HMP Birmingham he sat with his head in his hands as his punishment was delivered. After the case was opened earlier this week he told the court: "I just want to apologise. I'm very remorseful. I can't put into great words..."

In a statement the headteacher of the academy, which cannot be identified for legal reasons, said the whole school community would be reeling from the impact of Hanna's betrayal for a long time to come. The most serious incident occurred when Hanna invited a 12-year-old girl into his office on the pretext of signing her leavers shirt.

He pressed his penis up against her back causing the girl to demand he unlock the door otherwise she would scream. Hanna let her go but later told her not to tell anyone about the incident.

The victim reported the attack to the police and Hanna was suspended but a decision was taken that there was 'no reasonable prospect of conviction' at the time, and he was allowed to return to work. Meanwhile the girl was accused of being a liar and bullied by fellow pupils.

In a statement she said she felt 'scared, alone' and 'angry'. She added: "People liked Mr Hanna and didn't want to believe me. Before it happened I liked him.

"There was no result from reporting to the police. I felt they had all been proved right. It was easier for everyone to think I lied."

But the case was re-visited when a further accusation was made against Hanna in 2023. At that stage his phone was seized and found to contain upskirting videos as well as further indecent images of children.

Prosecutor Antonie Muller said: "It was children in school uniforms. He was filming them under the table in their skirt. The defendant was the pastoral manager.

"This meant having regular meetings with children. One part of his role, deeply ironically, was safeguarding those children."

Some of the upskirting victims recalled that Hanna offered them chocolates in his office. One victim said it was 'weird' that he would speak to her 'all day' while other teachers encouraged her to return to class.

She also described an incident where Hanna made a sexual remark about a McDonald's milkshake she was drinking. There were also three adult victims of his perverted actions.

One woman had shown him nude photos of herself on her phone, not realising Hanna was recording her at the time. Another woman, who had previously turned his advances down, was filmed under the table while a third female admitted exposing her breasts to Hanna but did not know he was recording on his phone.

She said: "I feel violated that he recorded me. It's an outrageous betrayal of trust. It has completely blown me away he has been so predatory and been convicted of such serious offences given how he presented and engaged with people."

The school headteacher stated the impact of Hanna's actions 'can't be overstated' and that the 'sense of betrayal in the school was palpable'. He revealed that it had a knock-on effect on pupil attendance and some struggled to gain qualifications while many required counselling.

The head also described how students became suspicious of other male staff and that numerous meetings and assemblies had to be held over the allegations surrounding Hanna. He stated the school's reputation had been 'severely damaged' and rebuilding it was an 'exhausting process'.

The headteacher added: "The ripples of betrayal and distrust have been far-reaching, influencing not only the school but families connected to it. The harm caused has reverberated through the lives of countless people leaving a lasting impact that will continue to be felt for years to come."

Hanna pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges relating to voyeurism, attempted voyeurism, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, possession of indecent images and possession of extreme pornography.

Jas Mann, defending, said: "This case is extremely sad. He worked hard to achieve his status and led a thoroughly decent and positive life until he started to engage in this criminality. It is truly a fall from grace as far as he is concerned."

He stated Hanna's time in custody on remand had been 'painful'. Mr Mann continued: "He's genuinely remorseful. He is truthful (in the pre-sentence report) when he described the guilt and embarrassment of being in prison and feeling like a failure. He has been reflective and introspective."

The barrister concluded that Hanna was 'thoroughly ashamed', adding that his best mitigation was that he had the 'courage and good sense' to plead guilty. The defendant was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, restraining order and sex offender notification requirements.

Judge Heidi Kubik KC told him: "The particular factors that give rise for concern are of course the grossest breach of trust. There was evidence of some grooming and manipulation of some of the children. The sheer number of separate victims, both children and adults and the period over which your offending had clearly become an established pattern of behaviour."

Description

A man from Birmingham has been jailed for 21 years for rapes against a woman and historic rape and sexual abuse of two children.

Marcus Newton’s vile offending came to light after his three brave victims came forward.

The 27-year-old, from Aston, was jailed at Wolverhampton Crown Court on July 26 following a trial.

As well as being jailed for 21 years he was placed on the sex offenders register for life.

He was found guilty of two charges of raping a child under 13, one charge of sexually assaulting a child under 13 and three charges of rape.

Newton’s sexual offending was brought to light when one of his brave victims contacted us to say that he had been raped by Newton.

He told us how Newton’s actions had a massive impact on his mental health and he was having suicidal thoughts. He told us the offending took place when he was a young boy.

As a result of the first victim contacting us two more victims also came forward. One was a woman who said she had been raped by Newton back in 2018 and 2019.

Another woman also came forward to say she had been raped by him over a period of four years while she was still a child. We analysed footage on her phone which included messages and pictures sent by him to corroborate her story.

Description

A man has been jailed for sexually assaulting a teenager and woman in the Aston and Perry Barr area of Birmingham this year.

Irtiza Abbas of Lozells Road, Birmingham pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a schoolgirl and a university student after compelling CCTV evidence showed him selecting and following his victims.

Both victims have bravely allowed us to tell their story and show CCTV in the hope that anyone else who feels they've been a victim and hasn’t come forward to do so.

On the afternoon of Tuesday 16 January, the 25-year-old hung around the area near to Aston University and followed a woman who was walking on her own.

He followed the 22-year-old along Dartmouth Middleway for a while to make sure she was definitely on her own and that there was no other person in the street and then grabbed her and assaulted her.

And on Tuesday 16 April he followed a 15-year-old schoolgirl as she walked home in the Perry Barr area.

CCTV shows him following her closely along a street and looking around to make sure he was alone.

Only when he was sure that there was no-one else around, he grabbed the girl and assaulted her.

The 15-year-old bravely rang her father who was luckily driving nearby. They drove around the area and spotted Abbas, but following a tussle, Abbas escaped and fled the scene.

Officers painstakingly pieced CCTV together linking the assaults and a suspect was identified.

Abbas was arrested from his address in Lozells on 22 April and clothing matching the description in the

CCTV was recovered. Although he didn't admit his guilt in interview, he knew the evidence against him was so compelling that he pleaded guilty at court. 

He was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court to two years in jail.

The investigating officer, Detective Inspector Joe Davenport, said: "We strongly believe due to the nature of the offences that Abbas may have committed more offences.

"CCTV has shown him lingering on the streets and carefully selecting his victims. He would follow them to make sure they were on their own before he struck.

"Although he's pleaded guilty to two offences there's a real time line gap and we have really strong suspicions that he may have offended again and again.

"Thanks to the support of the victims and their bravery and our teams’ efforts in tracing every single piece of CCTV that we could, we've managed to take a serial offender and a potentially dangerous man, whose offences were deliberate, methodical and repeated, off the streets of Birmingham.

"If anyone feels that something similar has happened to them and that they've not come forward before, we'd ask them to reconsider. Please contact me or one of my team and we promise that we will take your account seriously."

We are committed to identifying individuals who pose the highest risk of harm to women and girls, and actively managing them to prevent or reduce offending.

We are encouraging any more victims to come forward by contacting us by calling 101 or visiting our Live Chat function on our website and quoting crime number 20/412643/24.

Victims of sexual assault receive life-time anonymity.

Description

A child sex offender who groomed a schoolgirl has been jailed. Police were so worried about Ray Trewern that officers launched an investigation without the victim making a formal complaint.

He met the 12-year-old victim online but the 35-year-old quickly arranged to see her in person. Trewern, of Park Corner, Birmingham, bought the girl gifts and took her shopping.

During one meeting, he sexually assaulted her by kissing her. West Mercia Police said "such was the concern about Trewern", that an investigation was progressed on an evidence-led basis, without the victim providing a formal complaint. He was jailed for two years and three months at Worcester Crown Court on May 16.

Trewern pleaded guilty to sexual communications with a child, meeting a female child under the age of 16 following sexual grooming, sexual assault of a female child under 13 and possession of indecent photographs of a child. He was also made the subject of a ten-year sexual harm prevention order and handed an indefinite restraining order.

Trewyn groomed the girl between October and December 2021. Following the sentencing, Det Const Tarryn Schimmel said: "Trewern’s grooming was such that his victim genuinely believed he had her best intentions at heart when in fact his deception was for his own perverse gain.

"The victim and her family have had to wait a long time to see justice being done and I commend them for their patience and dignity in waiting for this matter to finally be resolved. I hope the sentence helps put some closure on this awful time for them.”

Description

This is the face of a paedophile who preyed on a schoolgirl in a vile attempt to sexually abuse her as she walked to school. Predator Daniel Ralph grabbed the youngster as she made her way to school through an alleyway.

She was on her own when the 'dangerous' sex offender, 31, pounced on her from behind. He then put her in a 'chokehold' as she battled to get free.

The young girl bit Ralph's hand, forcing him to loosen his grip and run away. A court heard how the pervert even 'went equipped', wearing a jacket with unused condoms in his pocket.

Ralph has since been locked up for his terrifying ambush. Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how the girl was walking through the alleyway just before 7.30am on February 16 last year.

CCTV footage recorded Ralph leaving his home at 7.29am and reaching the nearby alleyway a minute later. He was donning a face covering and gloves as he walked past the girl in the opposite direction

But he then turned and grabbed her from behind. Prosecutor Dylan Wagg said the defendant 'gripped tightly' as he put one hand around the victim's neck and another around her mouth.

The girl screamed and bit his hand, with Ralph rushing home. He changed his clothes and was seen leaving his home again at 7.52am.

Ralph walked in a different direction to the alleyway, the court heard. A concerned passer-by noticed the 'distressed' schoolgirl - who had a cut lip - and called police.

The girl later told officers she had spotted Ralph 'loitering' in the alleyway as she walked to school just days before his cruel attack on her. The convict was arrested at home a few hours later.

Officers seized a number of pairs of gloves and balaclavas, a Rambo knife, a zombie knife and a black quilted jacket with unused condoms in the pocket. The court heard how Ralph previously sexually assaulted a schoolgirl in 'strikingly similar' circumstances.

He also sneaked into a woman's bedroom naked, leaving her fearing she would be raped. Stephen Hamblett, defending, said 'remorseful' Ralph had a 'number of difficulties' when he was younger - including being the victim of a sexual assault.

Sentencing, Judge John Butterfield KC described Ralph as a dangerous offender posing a 'significant risk of causing serious harm' to the public. Ralph admitted assault by beating, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence and breach of sexual harm prevention order.

He was handed an extended sentence of nine years and 10 months. It means he must serve two-thirds of his jail term of five years and 10 months before being released and will be subject to an extended licence period of four years.

Description

A sex offender has been jailed for 14 years for abusing two girls and a woman.

Nicholas Lumsden, of Birmingham, was found guilty of committing numerous offences in Kent, including indecent assault, sexual assault and sexual activity with a child.

Police say evidence the 40-year-old had carried out historic attacks on children in Ashford surfaced while investigating allegations he sexually assaulted a woman in Dover in 2019.

Lumsden, of Selcroft Avenue, denied the charges but, following a recent trial at Maidstone Crown Court, was convicted of a string of offences, including indecent assault, sexual assault of a child and sexual activity with a child.

He was brought back before the same court on Wednesday April 17 and jailed for 14 years.

He was ordered to serve an extra five years on licence following that term and made the subject of a 25-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Description

An online predator who pretended to be a 12-year-old girl to encourage other young people to share indecent images has been jailed.

We discovered Dominic Woodcock had used a fake profile on various social media channels to befriend young girls between 2021 and 2023.

He claimed to be involved in a gymnastics club and encouraged girls - mainly aged between 10 and 12 - to pursue such a career.

However, once a rapport was established Woodcock would request indecent images of the girls and threatened to expose them on social media if they refused.

After being alerted to his depraved behaviour we quickly identified and arrested Woodcock from Erdington.  We seized his phone and found concerning images and messages.

The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images and engaging children into sexual activity.

He was jailed for four years and eight months at Birmingham Crown Court last Wednesday (3 April) and put on the sex offenders register for life.

Description

A city pensioner has been jailed for historic sex offences in which he abused a young boy over a period of four years. Colin Hall, 79, from Birmingham carried out the abuse in the 1980s.

Detectives investigated Hall when the survivor came forward in 2018 to speak to the force's Rape and Sexual Violence Project, a service providing support to those who have been subjected to sexual violence in Birmingham and Solihull.

Specially trained officers then started an investigation into the allegations. West Midlands Police said that Hall admitted to seven counts of indecent assaults between 1984 and 1988 at an earlier hearing.

He was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on April 2. Following sentencing, detectives spoke of how they carried out a video interview with Hall's victim after he initially reported allegations.

The force said the details provided were crucial in securing a conviction against Hall. The victim said he met Hall when he was a young boy and he introduced him to his dogs.

They would then take the dogs for walks. He said Hall started buying him gifts and alcohol, leading him to believe Hall was a friend who treated him as an adult.

After around a year, Hall started to subject him to sexual encounters and told him to not to tell anyone or else they would get in trouble. This continued for around four years said police.

Colin Hall was jailed for 16 years at Birmingham Crown Court on April 2. Following sentencing, Detective Constable Donna Kenny, said: “Hall groomed a young boy and led him to believe they were friends, building up a strong rapport with him before manipulating him and subjecting him to several incidents of sexual abuse.

Description

A man has been jailed for six years for attempting to rape a woman in Salford.

34-year-old Sediq Ali from Birmingham was found guilty of attempted rape and sentenced on Monday (March 18) at Minshull Street Crown Court.

Officers were called to an address in Salford on October 30 2020, following an incident which had happened hours earlier. Ali had threatened the woman before subjecting her to an attempted rape.

Following an investigation, Ali was subsequently arrested and charged with the offence.

In addition to his sentence, he will also be required to sign the sex offenders register and be subject to a restraining order.

Description

A magnet fishing YouTuber has been jailed after carrying out a string of vile child sexual offences. Karl Ball used social media to groom a 14-year-old girl before giving her a 'special cake' which he performed a sex act over, the court heard.

The 35-year-old ex-soldier used sexualised language and sent various messages referring to sexual intercourse and what he would do to the child. He also sent sexually explicit photos and encouraged the victim to send naked photos of herself, although she refused to send him any explicit photos, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

The CPS said that when he met the child, Ball, touched her inappropriately and sexually assaulted her before giving her what he called a "special cake." The victim ate some of the cake when she got home but found it tasted strange and when she told the defendant, he admitted what he had done.

The victim felt disgusted by this and put the cake in the bin. His offending came to light after the victims parents saw the messages on her phone and reported the matter to the police.

The police found Balls DNA on the "special cake" after remnants of it were retrieved from the bin and forensically analysed. Ball pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child, two counts of sexual assault on a female and two counts of causing or inciting a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity. It followed a hearing at Dudley Magistrates Court in May last year.

Ball, from Simmons Drive, Quinton, who ran a YouTube channel about magnet fishing, was sentenced to 32 months imprisonment at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday, Wednesday, February 28. He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for a decade, and a restraining order for 10 years barring him from contacting the child and her family.

Speaking after the case, Cagin Husnu, of the CPS, said: The crimes committed by Karl Ball in this case are abhorrent." He added 'the fact that his offending culminated in him giving her a special cake is simply repulsive'.

His statement continued: "No one in our society, let alone children, should be treated in such a degrading manner and it is our aim to ensure that we work collaboratively with the police to ensure that offenders are held accountable for their crimes.

It comes after Ball admitted possessing a prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate. He was proud to show off a "loaded shotgun he had pulled out of a canal in Birmingham" to his magnet fishing mates. But his discovery backfired on him when he was reported to the police by one of them after failing to hand it in. He was sentenced to two years suspended for two years and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work in November 2022.

Description

Arcadian sex attacker Albert Okyere fled to the Netherlands after raping one woman and sexually assaulting her friend

This is the first picture of a predator who raped a stranger and sexually assaulted her friend after a night out at The Arcadian. 'Dangerous' Dutch national Albert Okyere fled to his homeland after launching his horrific attack on two drunk women.

The 37-year-old fugitive was eventually extradited to the UK and has now been locked up nine years after his horrendous sex crimes. A court heard how the dad - whose partner remains 'supportive' of him - tricked the women into believing he was a 'nice stranger' who was simply offering them a lift home.

But before he dropped them home, he pulled over into a dark industrial site 'in the middle of nowhere' - with the 'true nature of his intention' said to have suddenly 'dawned' on one of the women. He then launched his cruel attack on both women before dropping them home in an attempt to 'pass off the incident as consensual'.

Okyere was convicted of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault following an eight-day trial last December. The I.T. professional - of Ash-Lea Drive, Donnington, Telford - was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday (Thursday, February 1).

Sentencing, Judge John Butterfield KC described Okyere as a dangerous offender and handed him a 14-year extended sentence. It means he must serve at least two-thirds of his 12-year jail term and will be subject to an extended licence period of two years once released.

Okyere will also remain on the sex offenders indefinitely. Birmingham Crown Court heard how the rapist had been on a night out at The Arcadian in November 2015.

He offered his 'heavily intoxicated' victims - who had also been out that night - a lift home before driving to the scene of the crime. The sex offender was even 'grinning' as one of his 'emotionally distressed' victims was forced to give in to his sick demands.

The defendant went on to usher one of the victims outside before locking the car door behind him. He continued his onslaught, raping her as her friend remained trapped inside the vehicle.

Judge Butterfield said 'sober' Okyere was 'bigger and stronger' than his victims. Okyere - who has previous convictions for voyeurism and battery - did not show a 'shred of contrition', with his behaviour said to be 'predatory from the outset'.

Description

This is the face of a paedophile school worker who was described as a 'victim' due his taboo secret. Ismail Adewumi groomed and sexually attacked a 13-year-old boy at a time when his family were trying to find him a wife.

The 26-year-old from Holte Road, Sparkbrook was jailed for two years and eight months after admitting two counts of sexual activity with a boy and one count of sexual communication with a child. The victim was not a pupil at Redstone Academy in Balsall Heath where Adewumi worked in administration.

The school immediately suspended him and contacted the police when they became aware of a sick video of him on the toilet that he had sent the boy. But as Adewumi was sentenced earlier this month Birmingham Crown Court was told he was a 'victim of circumstances' himself due to the difficulties of being homosexual in his community.

Lynette McLement, defending, revealed he would not even speak to a male barrister about the case. She said: "Things could be seen to reach crisis point in 2020. It was then the need to marry him off became pressing and it was clear and apparent his mother, with other family members, took the decision to find him a wife.

"This of course was in-effect pressure brought to bear on a young man unable to talk about the reason for not wishing to do so. He had not had the ability to talk to anybody about any sexual feelings. It was something he said 'nobody did'.

"He had never had a girlfriend - he wasn't allowed. No discussion about sexual leanings. The first person he spoke to who took a light-hearted attitude and joked about sex was this young man."

Ms McLement argued Adewumi was attracted to the boy because he was male, not because of his age, adding that sexuality was a 'taboo topic' in the defendant's community. She said: "Rather than a predator this man was a victim of circumstances, as so many others are who come to the court, where their own sexual identity is denied them. This is very much that situation."

Messages between Adewumi and the boy escalated from 'banter' about the PlayStaton to 'troubling' exchanges which included a reference to phone sex. At one point he told the victim he would 'strip you in the street and tie you to a lamppost'.

Adewumi referred to the boy as 'darling' and 'babes' as well as sent inappropriate videos of himself. The grooming behaviour culminated on a night they were together when he repeatedly groped the boy during a two-hour ordeal. The victim subsequently reported the attack to someone else who informed the school.

Sadaat Rasool, headteacher at Redstone Academy, told Birmingham Live: "Suspicious behaviour was brought to our attention so we immediately followed safeguarding guidelines, suspended the employee and made appropriate contact with relevant agencies including the police and the DBS. Safeguarding in the school is of upmost importance and we ensure all staff are trained and up-to-date with how to identify and raise concerns."

Judge Roderick Henderson, sentencing Adewumi, said: "I don't at all underestimate the difficulty you found in your community but the core of this case and what makes it so serious is he was so much younger than you. You were a full adult. You knew this nine-years-younger-than-you boy was in a completely different category and you did, no doubt in the confused state you were in, exploit him and caused real damage."

Description

A MECHANIC has been jailed after cops caught him raping a schoolgirl in a seaside car park.

Niall O'Sullivan, 28, has now been locked up for 10 years after the horror sex attack in Brighton in May.

The monster - who was 15 years the girl's senior - was caught in the act after the youngster's pals frantically called 999.

East Sussex's Lewes Crown Court heard how O'Sullivan had groomed the 12-year-old after they met online.

The pair spoke on Snapchat and WhatsApp for months before the then-27-year-old drove from Birmingham to Brighton to meet her.

Tim Forster, prosecuting, told the court the girl was in her school uniform the first time they met.

He added: “She was clearly under 16 by a significant margin.”

The pair had met on three occasions until O'Sullivan raped her in his car.

On that horror day, the young girl had told her mum she was seeing her friends.

And while she did meet her pals, it was them who called the cops on O'Sullivan.

Police were scrambled to the car park in Brighton Marina at about 2pm on Sunday May 7.

Jailing O’Sullivan, Judge Christine Laing, said: “You drove all the way down from Birmingham just to have sex with this child.”

The victim told police O’Sullivan became angry with her when she tried to speak with or go out with other friends.

Kevin Light, defending, said: “He knows what he did was wrong.

"He has mentioned throughout that he did not know how young she was although he admits that he knew she was under-age.”

Judge Laing, the Honorary Recorder of Brighton and Hove, said: “Sexual abuse of young children often gives them a life sentence. None of us knows the impact that it will have on (the victim) as she grows up.

“The law is there to protect children … and that’s why the sentences are as severe as they are.

“You knew full well you shouldn’t have been doing what you were doing. You drove all the way down from Birmingham just to have sex with this child.

“It would have been very obvious that she was very young and somewhat naïve.

“You didn’t even bother forking out for a hotel for this child but just had sex with her in your car. You knew full well that if you took her into a hotel, you would very likely have been challenged.”

You drove all the way down from Birmingham just to have sex with this child.

The Judge locked O'Sullivan up for nine years and four months, and made him the subject of a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely.

The judge also recommended that the two friends who called the police should receive a £200 award from the High Sheriff of East Sussex.

Detective Constable Stewart Cameron, from Sussex Police, said: “This was a highly distressing case which has had a lasting impact on the vulnerable young victim.

“O’Sullivan knew what he was doing was wrong and had no choice but to plead guilty when confronted with the evidence.

“His behaviour was brazen, often taking the victim to public locations in daylight in order to commit the appalling offences.

“This case demonstrates our determination to catch offenders and to get justice for vulnerable victims. We are pleased that a dangerous sex offender is now off our streets.”

Description

A man has been jailed for sexually assaulting a teenager while she waited at a bus stop in Birmingham.

Nazakat Hussain, of no fixed address, denied the allegation but was found guilty of sexual assault by touching and was jailed for six months yesterday (Tuesday, November 14).

The court heard that in August this year, the 15-year-old girl was waiting to board a bus in Bordesley Green with her younger sister when Hussain assaulted her. The girl immediately told the bus driver who called the police and the 44-year-old was swiftly arrested.

Mark Heffernan, Chief Operating and Safety Officer for National Express, said: “Hundreds of thousands of journeys are made safely on our buses every single day and incidents of sexual assault are rare, however we will not tolerate anybody who does not respect the right that everybody has to travel safely, without fear of assault or intimidation.

“Thanks to our driver’s immediate actions to help protect these young girls and the quick work of the police, this man’s arrest and subsequent sentencing sends a clear message that we continue to work closely together to prosecute offenders and make sure that they are brought to justice.”

Inspector Lee Davies from the Safer Travel Police team, said: "We would like to commend the girl for having the bravery to come forward. Her quick actions ensured that Hussain was quickly arrested. 

"Everyone should be able to use public transport across the West Midlands safely and we take offences of this kind very seriously. Hussain showed no remorse and the judge handed out a jail term after he said that he considered the act to be one of a deliberate nature.

"In addition to serving the prison term, Hussain must also notify police of his residence for a period of seven years after his release. He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same period of time, restricting any unsupervised access with children under the age of 16."

Description

A rapist who lured a woman to an address on the pretence of renting out a room has been jailed, after she feared he would hurt her with a machete.

Naveed Hussain persuaded the woman to visit the property in Handsworth, Birmingham, before subjecting her to a horrific ordeal last November.

The 33-year-old locked the woman in a room with him, showed her a machete which she feared he would use, before repeatedly raping her.

After fleeing the area she came across a passer-by who could she was distressed and called for paramedics, who in turn contacted West Midlands Police.

The woman bravely recalled what happened and gave a strong description which led officers to arrest Hussain in Handsworth shortly afterwards.

He was found with a knife in his trousers and a subsequent search of the house resulted in the discovery of the machete.

Hussain, of Alexandra Road in Handsworth, was convicted of rape and possession of a weapon following a trial.

He was sentenced to 15 years in jail and ordered to be put on the sex offender's register for life at Birmingham Crown Court last Tuesday (October 10).

Description

A stranger rapist who kidnapped a woman and sexually attacked her in some nearby bushes has been jailed for life after being branded a 'danger' to the public. Mustafa Hakim preyed upon the victim on the Bourne Brook Walkway in Selly Oak just before 8.45am on July 28 last year.

He put his hand over the screaming woman's mouth and then strangled her, warning he would kill her if she carried on making a noise. Hakim then picked the victim up and carried her to some bushes where he pulled down her trousers and raped her.

Following a trial earlier this year the 30-year-old from Rickyard Piece, Quinton, was found guilty of kidnap, rape, strangulation, assault by penetration and theft. The case has since been delayed for a psychiatric report but at Birmingham Crown Court today he was sentenced to life with a minimum of 13 years and four months in custody, minus the days he has spent on remand.

Hakim bizarrely protested that it was 'not fair' he had been sentenced without his legal team, which he disposed of before his trial and represented himself. He maintained his innocence and made disturbing comments about the fact the victim had not attended the hearing. The court heard she has since become a 'recluse' and moved out of Birmingham to the countryside.

Hakim carried out the sickening attack a month after he had been released from prison for an offence of affray and two days after he had been caught looking over a cubicle in the ladies' toilet at Snow Hill railway station. He had been prowling the area in Selly Oak on a bicycle before sneaking up behind the woman on the Bourne Brook Walkway and carrying her away.

Judge Simon Drew Kc said: "It is clear to me you had been looking for a victim for some time. You chose a location not covered by CCTV. You laid in wait and then you attacked her."

Hakim snatched the woman's phone but she managed to call her boyfriend from her smartwatch, which resulted in him hearing the ordeal. The victim managed to struggle free and ran to a nearby resident who called police.

Hakim, who initially picked up a stick, fled the scene, changed his clothes and got on a bus to Acocks Green before being arrested. In a statement the victim said she had been left 'scared to be alone at any time whether in the day or the night' adding that Hakim had 'completely taken away my independence'.

It took her weeks to tell her friends what had happened to her and now described herself as a 'recluse' that 'doesn't socialise at all'. She added: "What this man has done to me. I'm not the same person anymore. I'm not me."

Hakim has 23 convictions for 43 offences including making threats with a knife, shoplifting and affray. Asked if he wanted to say anything he replied: "My legal team ain't turned up and that. I don't think that's fair."

He then went on a rant about the victim adding: "She knows she's lying you get me? If she was telling the truth and it meant that much to her she would turn up every day. All I know is it wasn't me, you get me?"

The trial heard that DNA taken from the victim was a 'billion to one times more likely' to have come from Hakim than anyone else, while she had picked him out in a identification procedure. CCTV caught him loitering at the scene prior to the attack and cell site analysis showed that he had the victim's phone afterwards.

Judge Drew told him that he had 'explained the risks' of representing himself prior to trial and reminded the defendant 'that's what you chose to do'.

He acknowledged Hakim had been assessed as suffering from 'delusional disorder' and was likely 'harbouring paranoid delusions' at the time of the offence. Judge Drew concluded he was a 'dangerous offender' after taking into consideration the nature of the rape offence, the fact he had still not taken responsibility, his behaviour in the train station cubicle two days prior, his criminal record and mental health.

He said: "Going forward I can see no obvious time in the future where you will not present a significant risk and substantial risk to members of the public."

Hakim began remonstrating again after the sentence was announced and asked to speak to his solicitors, to which Judge Drew replied: "You know you don't have any."

He will remain on the sex offender's register for the rest of his life.

Description

A sex offender who raped a young girl in Birmingham has been jailed for 18 years.

Daniel Guest carried out a sickening series of attacks against the girl over five years. Guest told the girl – who was under 16 - on a number of occasions not to say anything about the abuse, telling her no-one would believe her. Thankfully, she bravely came forward and reported him, resulting in his arrest.

When interviewed by officers, Guest even tried to blame the girl for making up stories and looking for attention. Despite this, a strong case was built against Guest, and he was convicted in May of rape of a child, sexual assault against a child and causing or inciting sexual activity with a child. Guest, from Birmingham, was sentenced on 2 August and will also be on the sex offenders register for life.

‘We are committed to investigating and convicting sexual predators who abuse young children’

Detective Sergeant Nicky Simms, from the Complex Child Abuse Investigation team, said: "I would like to commend the victim in having the courage to report this matter to the police, and to relive the horror of this abuse.

"I hope this conviction shows that West Midlands Police are committed to investigating and convicting sexual predators who abuse young children, and I would encourage anyone who has been the victim of any such offences to come forward.

“We have specialist officers who will support you through every step of the investigation and criminal justice process. We also have links with a number of partner agencies who can support and offer you the opportunity to have your voice heard and not silenced by your abuser.

"By coming forward, you could not only get justice for yourself, you can also be a part of protecting other people who may become victims of this kind of abuse."

Description

A former police officer has been jailed for more than seven years for sexual offences against a vulnerable 13-year-old girl he met online.

Haider Siddique, 22, was arrested after a bus driver spotted him acting inappropriately in March last year.

He had joined West Midlands Police in 2021 as a student officer and the force called his offences "sickening".

The NSPCC said his "targeted grooming and sexual abuse of a vulnerable girl was a terrible breach of trust".

It added: "Having undertaken training to become a police officer, Siddique should have known the devastating impact child sexual abuse can have on the victims."

It also commended the bus driver for speaking up.

At Birmingham Crown Court in January, Siddique pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual activity with a child, and resigned while in custody.

The force said an expedited misconduct hearing was held in private after his guilty plea and he would have been dismissed if he had not resigned.

It also said he had never been deployed in an operational role.

Deputy Chief Constable Scott Green said: "This was a sickening criminal act by a former student officer and I know his fellow officers will be repulsed by his behaviour."

As well as his prison sentence, Siddique will be on the Sex Offender Register for life.

He is also subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order banning him from internet contact with anyone under 16 and barring any unsupervised contact with anyone under 16, unless their parents are aware of the offences.

Description

A sick sex offender squirted semen and fake semen onto women in a series of horrifying assaults.

Willbert Mukori, from Birmingham, targeted lone “young-looking women” wearing athletic clothing to fulfil his "disturbing sexual perversion".

Police say he then sprayed fake seamen from a burger sauce bottle onto their buttocks in public and in broad daylight – in one case he used his own semen.

The force branded his crimes as “methodical and premeditated” as he gained a “sexual thrill from praying on strangers.

Some of the women were targeted by Mukori, of Elswick Grove, Kingstanding multiple times.

Judge Paul Farrer KC, branded him a "predatory sex offender" as he sentenced him to four and a half years in jail - and added him to the sex offenders register for life.

Mukori will also face a four-year licence extension and a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard how lone victims - nine of whom were students - were singled out, followed and sprayed; leaving them embarrassed, scared and in one case, fearing rape, as reported by Birmingham Live.

Two of the student victims "felt compelled to move out of Birmingham" as they were so scared after their assaults, the court was told.

Mukori previously admitted 16 sexual assaults on women - 13 in Lancaster Circus, Birmingham, two in Selly Oak and one in Chesterfield seven years ago.

He was rumbled when police were able to trace his DNA back to his first crime in 2016, in Derbyshire - where he decanted and used his own sperm.

Years after the initial offence, between 2021 and 2022, he created a replica semen and began targeting women in Birmingham.

Dominic Wallis, prosecuting said one victim was "frightened she was going to be raped" as she realised she was being stalked.

When some of the women clocked him stalking them, Mukori would bend down and pretend to 'scratch his ankle' or 'tie his shoe', the court heard.

"This defendant has a very disturbing sexual perversion," Mr Wallis added.

Defending, Graham Henson told the court Mukori - a former carer - "obviously does need help".

He said: "He is a young man, he has - apart from a conviction for failing to pay a rail fare - an unblemished record. He pleaded guilty.

"His family and friends are present in court today. They are bewildered by his behaviour. It may well be that the defendant is bewildered to an extent by his behaviour, but he does need help."

Judge Paul Farrer KC said: "Many of your victims suffered significant and enduring harm,".

He told Mukori the crimes "enabled you to get an erection and thereafter you would masturbate." It was said to be the only way he could "achieve sexual gratification".

Sentencing, he told him: "You are a predatory sexual offender who targeted lone women...whatever your motivation, this is entrenched behaviour."

Judge Farrer praised West Midlands Police for their work on the complex investigation. Police strongly believe Mukori could have committed more offences. Appealing for further victims to come forward, the force launched a public portal to report crimes.

Description

A 'dangerous' sex predator who pretended to be a taxi driver hunted for lone women outside Birmingham nightclubs - and only grew bolder after he was first arrested. Thasawar Iqbal is now staring down the barrel of the next 17 years in prison after he kidnapped and attacked two women.

The 41-year-old was arrested and bailed after sexually assaulting a vulnerable female in December 2021. But that did not deter him and his depraved behaviour escalated to a new level when he struck upon another lone victim in July 22, who he would go on to rape multiple times in a pub car park. The attacks were both preplanned and opportunistic, West Midlands Police said.

Today, the force welcomed the fact the 'predatory' sex beast was off the streets. Judge Francis Laird concluded Iqbal was a 'dangerous' offender who posed a risk of causing further harm to the public and handed him an extended five-year licence period on top of his jail term.

Sentencing him at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, May 26, he said: "I am sure, firstly, on both occasions you were driving in the city centre of Birmingham looking for vulnerable women. Secondly, your intent was to pose as a taxi driver in order to trick them into your car. Thirdly, in relation to your kidnap of the first victim your intention was to carry out a serious sexual offence."

Iqbal had 'never previously committed a sex offence' and his own defence barrister Colin McCarraher accepted he did not know what triggered his depraved actions, which he denied at a trial. The seemingly 'normal' married man approached the first victim who was rowing with her boyfriend.

Iqbal drove her away under the ruse he was a private hire driver, and then consumed alcohol and cocaine during the journey. He kissed the woman and suggested they should have sex and film it. But she managed to escape when he stopped to buy more drugs.

While under investigation for that he struck a second time. He persuaded a lone woman walking along the A34 to let him give her a lift, which she accepted after initially refusing. But Iqbal proceeded to drive her to a pub car park where he raped her multiple times.

He only drove her home when she agreed to take his mobile phone number. Birmingham Crown Court heard both women suffered 'terrifying ordeals' and felt guilty for finding themselves in a position to be targeted.

Det Con Soniya Ram, from West Midlands Police Public Protection Unit, said: "Iqbal is a predatory sexual offender. Although an opportunist his actions were persistent and pre-planned, posing as a taxi driver to pick up young vulnerable women, driving them to locations of his choice and sexually abusing them. He put both women through such fear and sexual violence, completely disregarding the fact he was already being investigated when he committed further offences in July last year.

“The women endured traumatic ordeals but bravely came forward to recount what happened to them to help us apprehend him. With the help of the Crown Prosecution Service we remanded him in custody from July 2022 to prevent others becoming victims. Iqbal’s conviction is testament to both women’s courageous actions and, thankfully, he is now off the streets and will be behind bars for a long time.”

Iqbal, of Birchdale Road, Erdington, was found guilty of two counts of kidnap with intent to commit a sexual offence, two counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, two counts of sexual assault and one offence of assault by penetration.

Description

A rapist took advantage of a woman as she slept in a hotel room and she woke up to find him having sex with her without consent. He later claimed he had drunk alcohol for the first time the night before due to his religion.

Umer Sajjad, 24, raped a woman at the Village Hotel in Cardiff in 2019 while she was asleep having drunk a large amount of alcohol. When she woke up the victim found the defendant having sex with her and when she asked him what he was doing he stopped and apologised.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday heard Sajjad had been on a night out in Cardiff city centre on October 6 before returning to the hotel room with the victim. It was agreed the defendant could sleep on the floor but in the morning he got into the bed and took advantage of the victim while she was asleep.

Sajjad claimed he'd drunk alcohol for the first time on that night due to his religion and had not drunk much but believed this may have disinhibited him. While in bed with the victim he pulled items of her clothing down and penetrated her vagina without consent.

In his sentencing remarks Recorder Dyfed Thomas said: "She was asleep, could not have consented, and did not consent." Upon being confronted by the victim after she woke up the defendant stopped and she went to the bathroom.. The victim later told a friend about what had happened and the police were called.

Sajjad, of Gillott Road, Birmingham, was arrested and denied the offence but he was found guilty of rape by a jury following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court this year. The court heard he was of previous good character.

In a victim personal statement read out to the court the victim said: "The day I was raped destroyed me in so many ways and I don't think I will ever understand... He ruined my life by lying and pretending I would have consented. How could I when I was asleep? He's ruined my life and my children's lives as they will never get the old me back. I'll never understand why he did this to me....

"He violated me in the worst way possible... I still cry as though it happened yesterday. I felt violated and will never forget what happened no matter how much support I get.... I feel like I died inside after being raped. Every day is a constant struggle but I owe it to myself and my family to come out the other end now justice has been served."

Defence barrister Stephen Tettey said his client lacked maturity after choosing to "engage" with the victim in her level of intoxication. He said the defendant was of previous good character and there had been no further incidents since this offence.

Recorder Thomas said: "You committed this offence by taking advantage of a young woman while she was asleep and may have been feeling the effects of the night before with substances and drink having been consumed. She was clearly asleep...

"There is no-one to blame for this offence but you. You took advantage of a young woman as she slept and raped her.... You simply saw an opportunity to take advantage for your own selfish sexual gratification."

Sajjad was sentenced to six years and six months imprisonment and will serve two-thirds of the sentence before he will be released on licence. He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely.

Description

This is the first picture of a city paedophile who 'tried to meet a seven-year-old child for sex'. Richard Davies has been jailed after sending a series of indecent images of children.

The 42-year-old, from Erdington, spent weeks chatting online to a person he believed was a fellow sex offender. He sent explicit and graphic messages which described his sexual interest in kids.

He communicated on various social media platforms and tried to set up a meeting where he would have sex with a young girl. Police said this included the possibility of meeting at a car park in Sutton Coldfield.

He also sent a series of indecent images of children ranging from category A - the most extreme type of abuse - to class B and CC, police said. The force said they had identified and arrested Davies in January 2021.

The investigation was carried out by West Midlands Police along with the assistance of the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit. Davies answered no comment in interview and denied he had a sexual interest in children or that he had arranged to meet a child.

He pleaded not guilty to the offences between September 2020 and January 2021, but was convicted by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court on April 18. He was sentenced to seven-years and six-months in prison. He will also be on the Sex Offenders Register and is banned from working with children as well as being subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Lisa Jackson, form the force's Priority and Vulnerabilities Team, said: "This was an excellent piece of work by all the officers involved, putting away a highly dangerous offender. The messages Davies sent were some of the most horrific we have encountered and included a number of appalling images of child abuse.

"Davies tried to claim he was not guilty throughout the case, but we were able to put together a strong case to secure a conviction."

Description

A Snapchat groomer who used the social media app to abduct a vulnerable schoolgirl has been jailed.

Brandon Mason, 19, admitted child abduction and making 55 indecent images of his victim.

A judge said he "groomed" the girl to send him sexualised images and encouraged her to run away from her home in Flintshire, north Wales.

Mason, of Austrey Grove, Birmingham, was jailed for four-and-a-half years.

On Tuesday, Caernarfon Crown Court heard Mason made contact with the pre-teen schoolgirl - who cannot be named - over the popular smartphone app Snapchat.

After convincing her to meet him, they both caught a train and made a 100-mile trip together from north Wales to Birmingham. They were found when police stopped a bus in the English city in September 2022.

Patrick Williamson, defending, said Mason had no previous convictions, but did have a "sad and depressing" history involving mental health issues.

Judge Nicola Saffman told Mason: "You got into her head so much, she being an extremely vulnerable child. You manipulated her."

She said it had taken many months to start to repair the damage done to the girl. The victim was "enthralled" by Mason, the judge said, and didn't disclose to police everything which occurred.

The judge said Mason incited the victim to take indecent images and had even encouraged her to harm herself.

Mason was handed restraining and sexual harm prevention orders, which will last indefinitely.

Description

A sex offender caught out trying to sexually groom a 13-year-old girl over the internet was slammed by a judge for reusing to admit he was attracted to children. Steven Ogilvie struck up a conversation with a young profile on the Chat Avenue site and talked about being naked in the shower as well as going to a nudist beach.

But in fact he was talking to an undercover police officer. The 55-year-old, from Chester Road North, Sutton Coldfield, admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child but was spared a prison sentence, partly because it happened in 2018 and he had not repeated the behaviour since. At Birmingham Crown Court he was sentenced to a three-year community order.

Ogilvie had told probation officers he was not attracted to children and had not intended to speak to a child. But Judge Richard Bond told him: "I totally reject what you say, of course you are attracted to children what else were you doing?

"Adults mainly go onto such websites for one reason alone; to attain some form of sexual satisfaction talking to underage children. You probably can't even admit to yourself you are attracted to children but when you hear the circumstances of this case you clearly are."

Ogilvie had started talking to the decoy profile on January 9, 2018. Oliver Wellings, prosecuting, said of the Chat Avenue website: "It is a chat facility for teenagers looking for online conversations. It is not just the target audience but also predatory paedophiles who congregate on such sites."

Ogilvie began asking the 'girl' about her background before he switched the topic to dating and 'phone sex'. He made jokes about being old enough to be her father before suggesting they should shower naked together and go to a nudist beach.

Mr Wellings added: "It would appear at that point, by this stage it had been going on for some days, the defendant got cold feet and became concerned. He began asking her for photos trying to establish whether she was real."

He told the court Ogilvie had previously been caught out by so-called paedophile-hunters for almost identical behaviour before the offence was created in law. Ben Close, defending, emphasised the latest offence spanned three days and happened five years ago. He said: "It is encouraging to see in the pre-sentence report he has remained faithful to his plea.

"He describes a challenging time in his life involving a separation, loneliness, mental health difficulties. The picture painted is an all-too-familiar one of someone who spent too much time at home on their computer seeking an outlet and falling back into abusing the internet in the way he did."

Ogilvie must be assed for a sexual offenders' treatment programme, complete 60 days of rehabilitation activity and adhere to police notification requirements for five years. Judge Bond told him: "It is you who turns the conversation away from innocuous matters. It becomes highly sexualised at your instigation.

"When you say you are not attracted to children, why are you talking about being in the shower with a 13-year-old girl? That's because that's what you wanted in your dreams."

Description

50-year-old Corey Anderson was sentenced on Friday, March 10, at Ipswich Crown Court to six years and 10 months in prison.

Anderson first met the victim online in 2018 and continued to communicate with her online until the summer of 2020 when he arranged to meet her.

She was aged 15 at the time.

He met the victim in Suffolk before taking her back to his home address in the West Midlands.

Police located Anderson and the victim in a vehicle after the teenager had been reported missing by her family who had raised concerns that she was with Anderson.

He was arrested, brought back to Suffolk and taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre for questioning and subsequently charged.

At a hearing in February, Anderson was found guilty by a jury of sexual activity with a child, meeting a child following a sexual grooming, sexual communication with a child and child abduction.

 
In addition to his sentence, Anderson, of Castle Street in Tipton, was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Detective Constable Sam Chandler said: “The defendant in this case poses a significant risk to children.

“Throughout the trial he insisted his motivations were purely honourable, in that he was concerned for the welfare of the child to whom he was not related.

"However, the evidence in this case proved that he had been in communication with the vulnerable child since she was 12 years old and that he had groomed her over a three-year period, before abducting her and sexually assaulting her at his home, all for his own sexual gratification.

“The sentence sends a clear message to other potential perpetrators of child sex abuse; this kind of offending will not be tolerated, and Suffolk Constabulary will investigate all such matters carefully and thoroughly in order to bring these perpetrators to justice and to protect the most vulnerable within our society.

 
“The victim in this case and her family have shown immense courage and strength in telling their story, engaging with the police investigation and the ensuing trial and I hope in time the victim can heal from the harm that was inflicted upon her at such a young age.

“The sentence today reinforces why we do this job, to protect the vulnerable.”

Description

A convicted sex offender arranged to meet a 14-year-old boy at a train station in Birmingham after sending him naked photos. But the teenager turned out to be a "decoy" created by a paedophile hunters group.

Joshua Purser, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said a member of a paedophile vigilante group set up a fake profile on a gay dating app of a 14-year-old boy and on September 24 last year the decoy started to receive messages from Simon Burrin. In the first exchange the 'teenager' told the defendant his age and that he was "checking the app out" but the defendant responded by asking him for his phone number and saying his name was Simon.

The conversations then moved on to Whatsapp with Burrin sending naked pictures of himself to the decoy. During the conversations the defendant said he would like to undress the teenager and suggested they could meet and stay at a hotel in Winchester.

A convicted sex offender arranged to meet a 14-year-old boy at a train station in Birmingham after sending him naked photos. But the teenager turned out to be a "decoy" created by a paedophile hunters group.

Joshua Purser, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said a member of a paedophile vigilante group set up a fake profile on a gay dating app of a 14-year-old boy and on September 24 last year the decoy started to receive messages from Simon Burrin. In the first exchange the 'teenager' told the defendant his age and that he was "checking the app out" but the defendant responded by asking him for his phone number and saying his name was Simon.

The conversations then moved on to Whatsapp with Burrin sending naked pictures of himself to the decoy. During the conversations the defendant said he would like to undress the teenager and suggested they could meet and stay at a hotel in Winchester.

Burrin was interviewed and said that it was "wrong to speak to kids again" and that he needed help. The court heard that he had a number of previous convictions and in June 2020 was sentenced to two years and four months after he had allowed a 14-year-old boy, he had met on a gay dating site, to stay with him.

Burrin, 42, of Court Lane, Erdington, who had previously admitted attempted sexual communication with a child, attempting to meet a child and breach of a sexual harm prevention order, was jailed for four years and eight months.

Judge Simon Drew KC said: "It seems to me that your principle purpose of making contact with that child was to engage in sexual activity." He described his behaviour as "extremely dangerous" and extended the period he would remain on licence by four years.

Amrisha Parathalingam, defending, said: "He wants to address this sort of behaviour. His biggest problem is the internet."

Description

A dangerous pervert who sexually assaulted a woman in a ladies' toilet claimed he was in there because he identified as female.

Ian Bullock, 39, subjected his victim to a 'vile' attack after loitering in the toilets at busy Birmingham New Street station.

The woman, who was on her way to work last March, said she thought it was odd when she spotted Bullock in the loo – but assumed he worked at the station because of a high-visibility jacket he was wearing.

As she washed her hands, Bullock made a 'beeline for her', British Transport Police said. He bent down next to her as if he was going to pick something up before launching the 'pre-meditated' attack.

The woman challenged Bullock who afterwards 'casually' walked out of the toilets before sitting down and removing the high-vis jacket he had been wearing. She carried on watching him as he put on a beanie hat in an attempt to disguise himself – before reporting what had happened to station staff.

BTP officers were called and officers arrested Bullock. When interviewed, Bullock tried to claim the reason he was in the toilets was he now identified as female, police said. Sources last night suggested it was an 'off the cuff remark' and stressed Bullock was treated as a man throughout proceedings.

He was convicted of sexual assault at Birmingham and Solihull Magistrates' Court in December. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to sign the sex offender's register for ten years. He also was handed a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which bars him from entering or loitering outside women's toilets, and wearing any type of high-vis jacket other than for a lawful employment purpose.

Detective Inspector Ian Wright said: 'Bullock is a dangerous individual who deliberately changed his clothing in order to loiter in the female toilets undetected and launch this vile, pre-meditated assault on the victim in a space she had every right to feel safe in.

'I would like to commend the bravery of the victim, who faced with an unimaginably awful situation and reported what had happened – meaning officers were able to arrive quickly and arrest him at the scene.

'Bullock deserves every day of the prison sentence he's been handed.'

Controversy over sex offenders identifying as female has grown following the conviction of transgender rapist Isla Bryson, who was initially placed in a women's prison after being convicted of two attacks.

Bryson was taken to Cornton Vale prison – Scotland's only all-women jail – before being moved to a men's prison following public outcry.

The issue was raised in the Commons yesterday by Alba Party MP Neale Hanvey. Mr Hanvey said the case and others have 'illustrated the danger and naivety of self-ID'. He added that latest figures for England and Wales show that 97 of the 230 transgender prisoners in England and Wales are being held for sexual offences.

The Government said transgender women held in women's prisons in England and Wales have committed no assaults or sexual assaults since reforms were introduced in 2019. In October 2022, further reforms required that transgender prisoners with male genitalia should no longer be held in women's jails.