Latest Offenders Bristol

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A rapist has received a prison sentence of almost 10 years after being convicted after a trial.

Thomas Osbourne, who also goes by the name Solomon Osbourne, was found guilty by majority verdict of two counts of rape against a woman committed earlier this year.

A nine-and-a-half year prison sentence was handed down to the 33-year-old from St George at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 27 September.

Any victim of a sexual offence is entitled by law to be kept anonymous. The victim in this case prepared a statement, which was read in court, in which she said she now feels scared of all men.

She said: “In terms of how this has impacted me and how I live my life, I am struggling with how to put it into words and find this very difficult. I’m not the same person I used to be since.

“This has also caused me to completely isolate myself from my family and friends, because I don’t want to talk or even think about everything that happened.

“He has completely ruined my trust in anyone and in particular men.

“I now feel scared of all men. I always used to try to see the good in people and feel as though that has been taken from me.

“Now, I always worry about what someone’s intentions would be and if the same things are going to happen again.”

Osbourne will be added to the sex offender’s register indefinitely, and his criminal record shared with the Disclosure and Barring Service.

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A MAN from South Gloucestershire has been jailed after sexually abusing three girls.

Robert Ponter, of Longwell Green, pleaded guilty at Bristol Crown Court to three counts of rape of a girl aged under 16.

His victims were aged between 11 and 15 at the time of the offences.

He also admitted three indecent assault charges – two related to one 14-year-old girl and one to another girl of the same age.

The assaults took place in the Bristol area between 1998 and 2007.

In addition to his custodial sentence, Ponter was issued with an indefinite restraining order banning him from ever contacting his victims again.

He was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order and will be registered as a sex offender indefinitely.

Avon and Somerset Police received reports about Ponter in 2007 and 2008.

Investigations were carried out but at the time there was 'insufficient evidence' to charge him with any offences, police say. 

Detectives received a third report in 2021 and subsequently reapproached victims who’d previously reported Ponter’s abuse.

In July 2024, following the conclusion of this investigation, he was charged with sexually abusing all three victims.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Lucy Heaps said: “Robert Ponter took advantage of three girls over many years, exploiting their young age to carry out his vile crimes.

“All three of his victims have demonstrated great courage by reporting what happened to them and by providing evidence which resulted in Ponter pleading guilty to all the offences during his first appearance at court.

“They continue to have access to specialist support services and I hope the fact he has been jailed for 14 years gives them a sense of closure.”

She added: “No investigation is ever closed and if new information or supporting evidence comes to light, such as in this case when we received the most recent report, we will revisit inquiries and do everything we can to get justice for victims.

“If you have been affected by this inquiry please do contact us, we can provide access to support and look into any reports you want to make.”

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A 48-year-old man who committed sexual abuse offences against a child has been jailed for more than eight years.

Sean Begley, of Monsdale Road in Bristol, admitted ten offences, including sexual assault of a child and making indecent images of children, and was sentenced to eight years and eight months at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday (June 25).

He will also have to sign onto the Sex Offenders Register for the rest of his life and is also subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The victim of the offences first disclosed the abuse in April 2024 and this was then reported to the police.

In a victim impact statement, a family member on behalf of the victim said the trauma would be with her “for the rest of her life” and they “can never forgive him for that”.

Description

A man has been sentenced to four years in prison for offences involving images of children.

Christopher Cefyn James, 34, of Trym Leaze, Bristol, was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life when he was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday.

He admitted one count of voyeurism, two counts of making indecent photographs of children and two counts of distributing indecent photographs of children.

James, who will spend one year on extended licence after his release, was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £120.

The court heard the offences were committed between 2014 and 2023

Description

A 20-year-old man from Bristol has been jailed for 18 years for rape and other sexual offences committed against five girls, all aged under 18.

Curtis Otley, of Showering Road, Stockwood, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court yesterday (10 January), having been found guilty in September of 12 offences, including rape, attempted rape and sexual activity with a child, committed between 2020 and 2023.

Otley’s victims, whose bravery has been praised by officers, said his crimes had had a long-term effect on them.

In a victim statement read out in court, one of the girls said: “I was worried that people wouldn’t believe me and until I heard the verdict this remained a constant worry, hanging over my head – even though I knew that what I was saying had happened.

“I would say that at my age, most kids don’t go through this stress and are free to enjoy their lives and have fun. I feel like Curtis has taken a large part of this away from me.”

Another said: “I don’t trust anyone at all anymore.  I am quite reserved with male friends and find it difficult to let my guard down.”

And, speaking on behalf of her daughter, the mother of another of his victims said: “I have talked to her about future relationships with boys and men, when she’s older and she said she’s not interested, she feels that boys and men can’t be trusted.”

The investigation was led by the Operation Topaz team which is dedicated to investigating child sexual exploitation and has been supporting the victims.

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A 61-year-old man has been jailed for five years and four months after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting another man.

John Soul, of Ship Lane, Redcliffe, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday.

The victim is believed to have been drugged by Soul after becoming separated from his friends on a night out in the city.

Police said Soul was a "predator" who sought out a "vulnerable" victim.

The court was told the victim, who was in his early 20s, had been on a night out on 19 November, 2021.

He could not recall anything else until the following day, when he woke up and realised he had been sexually assaulted.

The two men were not known to each other, and Mr Soul was identified through forensic evidence.

'Horribly traumatic'

In a personal statement read to the court, the victim said: "Telling my parents was really difficult. This is not the sort of thing you anticipate having to tell [them] and during this I cried, which was the first time I have cried in a long time.

"As a tall, young, heterosexual male, this has made me feel particularly vulnerable and, in fact, that itself was probably worse than the incident itself. It has really knocked my confidence and self-esteem," he continued.

"It has been a horribly traumatic incident, I myself feel quite mentally strong but even I have been traumatised by the whole incident.

"This is all due to the actions of another person who takes advantage of individuals when they are vulnerable."

'He is a predator'

Soul was charged in May 2022 and pleaded guilty in February.

Det Sgt Amy Hewitt from Avon and Somerset Police said: "The victim in this case has been extremely brave in coming forward to police.

"He put aside his own concerns and wanted to make sure no one else was hurt by Soul and to keep others safe.

"Soul is a predator who sought out an individual who was alone and vulnerable and took advantage of that."

Alongside his custodial sentence, Soul will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be on the Sex Offenders' Register once he is released from prison.

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A murderer and serial sex attacker dubbed 'the Clifton Rapist' is back behind bars after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman whilst out on licence. Ronald Evans, now 82, is Britain's longest serving prisoner having been jailed for a string of rapes in Bristol between 1977 and 1979.

He had previously served 11 years for the murder and rape of a woman in 1963. He was released from jail under a lifetime licence in 2018 but has been on remand since his arrest and will be sentenced later this week after his conviction for molesting a woman at her home.

He was convicted at Harrow Crown Court, sitting at Hendon Magistrates of one count of sexual assault in a majority verdict of 11 to one. Appearing emotionless as the jury returned their verdicts after more than five hours deliberation he was cleared of two other counts of sex assault against a different woman

The jury in his week long retrial had been told of his previous sexual offences but his conviction for the horrific rape and murder of 21-year-old shop worker Kathleen Heathcote in 1963 was not disclosed to them. Evans admitted killing Heathcote in the Nottingham area after police found some of the victims possessions in his home.

He spent 11 years in prison before being released on a life license in 1975 and reoffending with the string of rapes on Clifton's downs in Bristol. Evans, dressed in a beige cardigan over his grey prison tracksuit and using a crutch to help him walk, told his trial he felt remorse for his previous offences but had been nothing but kind to his two latest alleged victims.

He denied three counts of sexual assault made by two separate women whom he met at a community centre in London, saying he was a reformed man who had changed his ways. Both women became tearful whilst giving their evidence in court.

The jury were told he had nine previous convictions - eight of indecent assault and one of rape - against women dating back to between 1977 and 1979. Evans terrorised the Clifton and Durdham Downs for around 20 months in the late 70s; targeting young women aged between 18 and 33 in sex attacks down dark alleyways of the city.

A honey-trap operation codenamed Argus was eventually enacted by police at the beginning of 1979 to ensnare Evans, with 11 brave young female officers acting as bait for the elusive criminal over a period of 11 weeks. Evans trial heard he was released from prison - after a total of 57 years inside - in November 2018.

The jury heard Evans began volunteering at a community centre and that, despite his old age, had maintained his inappropriate sexual desires.

After analysing his mobile phone, officers also found searches to Pornhub and sexualised conversations with friends. Why is this relevant? Ms Sales asked the jury in her opening. Well, the Crown say it is relevant because Mr Evans is a leopard that cannot change its spots.

Despite his age, he was and remains a sexual predator. The court heard Evans developed relationships with women at the local community centre; woman Ms Sales suggested were targeted by Evans as being vulnerable.

One of his alleged victims, whom Evans was cleared of assaulting told the court he told her: You can trust me; all these ladies love me. I am not trying to get in your knickers Not yet, anyway.

But the second woman who he was convicted of assaulting said he had introduced himself to her as a touchy-feely person. The court heard the second woman he targeted was lonely and wanted to make friends in the area when she befriended Evans, having again met him at the community centre.

In July last year, the woman agreed to go for a meal at a local pub with Evans, and later went back to his home with him. Evans told her he was getting spam emails with nude women on them, and began showing these emails to the increasingly uncomfortable woman.

He then began to touch her on the sofa, before she told him she wanted to go home. Hugging her as she was leaving, he grabbed her right buttock and said: Ooo can I touch your bum?.

The court heard the woman felt shocked and violated by Evans actions and messaged him the following day to say she was upset about what he had done. During a phone call later in the day, Evans said, This kind of talk will get me in trouble, before hanging up.

Ms Sales told the court Evans had targeted both women due to their physical disabilities and mental health issues. There were women with serious mental health issues that [went] to that [community] centre, she said.

That is where you went, to target them. On his previous sex convictions from Bristol, she added: They were all committed against women alone at night time.

Being a man in your 80s, you realised you had to change your tactics. You went to the community centre and seized your opportunity. A lot of people would think that a man in his 80s wouldnt have sexual desires, but its clear you maintained yours over the years.

You identified an opportunity. You are not a young man chasing women in their 30s anymore, you are an elderly man chasing vulnerable women. Are your sexual desires so out of control you cant control yourself?

You would like to think that, Evans quipped back to Ms Sales, before saying he had forgot what he had said moments earlier. Following his arrest in August last year, Evans answered no comment to all questions put to him in police interview.

You have been interviewed many times in your life, Ms Sales continued. You are not new to the criminal justice system; you know how it works, you are a clever man.

The reason the questions were not answered was because you had not made up a story yet. Evans, who became increasingly frustrated with Ms Sales whilst giving evidence, insisted hed treated the two complainants with nothing but kindness, and even suggested one may have brought the charges against him after becoming angry that he had ended their friendship.

However, lawyers said that no matter the result, whether he was cleared or convicted of the fresh sexual allegations, Evans would always have been returned to jail because he had breached the conditions of his licence. Sentencing is due to take place Thursday, November 16.

Her Honour Judge Francis told the jury: Thank you for your time and consideration. We know we are asking a lot from you and you are stepping outside your comfort zone.

But without you, the jury, the criminal justice system would not work. You ensure people have a fair trial.

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A young girl molested by a devout churchgoer told police her abuser left her feeling “super sad and mad”.

Canterbury Crown Court heard Kenneth Marr befriended and groomed the child before taking advantage of her on two occasions.

Now, the agricultural worker is starting a six-and-a-half year jail term, having been found guilty of two offences of assault by penetration by majority verdicts of 10 to two.

Prosecutor Daniel Stevenson told the jury Marr, who met his victim in Ashford, claimed the girl had been "encouraged by others" to make up the allegations.

But the prosecutor said the 62-year-old had "an unhealthy sexual interest" in the youngster and "took the opportunity" to molest her. His DNA was also found in her underwear.

When spoken to by police, the child used a drawing to explain how she had been inappropriately touched and told officers Marr had "done something wrong", the court heard.

"She said that what he did to her made her feel super sad and mad," said Mr Stevenson.

When told that Marr had denied her accusations, she maintained he "was wrong", the jury was told.

"The Crown say that her response to the defendant's case was emphatic and clear, and that is because she is a truthful witness," added the prosecutor.

As well as denying the two offences of assault by penetration, Marr, of Weston Road, Congresbury, Bristol, also denied one of sexual assault and was acquitted by the same jury of that charge.

John Barker, defending, told the court that having spent many years working "in the fields" in Spain, Marr came back to the UK and was helped by the Church.

But on imposing an extended sentence of six-and-a-half years' imprisonment with a further one year added to any licence period, Judge Simon Taylor KC told him that he should have "taken the hand of Christian friendship offered and grown as a consequence".

He added: "It wasn't a one-off offence and something you had endeavoured to do through grooming, pretending to care and pretending to be a friend."

On his release from prison Marr will have to sign on the sex offender register indefinitely and will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

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A man exposed his genitals to schoolgirls and women in the street and from his own home as they walked past. He also filmed women while they were undressing in a changing room and of schoolgirls' reactions as he showed them his penis.

Jordan Scaffe, 28, formerly of Llantrisant, exposed himself on a number of occasions to victims including underage girls. He was confronted by a girl's aunty on one occasion, as he exposed his genitals through his shorts.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday heard Scaffe first exposed himself to a woman from a window of his then home in Belvoir Court on April 3. The victim said the defendant was naked and his penis erect. She looked away in shock but when she looked back she could see him bending over and looking directly at her. He then placed his hands on his hips and turned sideways to show his genitals.

On May 1, two 14-year-old schoolgirls and another girl were walking along the street when they saw Scaffe leaning back and placing his genitals on the outside of his shorts. The girls walked away but the defendant followed them for 20 yards. One of the girls called her mother and her aunty who lived nearby came to confront the offender.

She approached Scaffe and took a photograph of him, before saying "Is there any reason why you're exposing yourself in public?" He responded: "I'm not in a public place." When asked why he had flashed her niece, he said: "I didn't know it was out."

The defendant was later identified and arrested by police, who also seized his mobile phone. On the phone were videos stored in a folder entitled "secret". One of the films showed Scaffe filming himself standing in front of the window with an erect penis. He then filmed two girls under the age of 16 as they walked past his house. Prosecutor Peter Donison said the defendant continued to masturbate in clear view of the girls.

Photographs were also found on the phone of three different women in a changing room, who were unknowingly photographed while they were in a state of undress, some wearing underwear and some naked.

Scaffe, now of Pump Square, Bristol, pleaded guilty to six counts of exposure and three counts of voyeurism. The court heard he was of previous good character.

In a victim personal statement, the aunty who confronted the defendant said: "I fear the defendant will travel to my area and seek revenge for me reporting the matter. I feel afraid to walk on that road and will take a more indirect route... I am frightened by any noises I hear and it has affected my daily life."

In mitigation, Adam Sharp said his client wished to apologise to the victims in the case and felt "ashamed and remorseful". He described the defendant as a "dedicated family man" who developed depression after the death of his father at a young age. The barrister said Scaffe and his partner were under pressure due to his children's ill health, and "sought sanctuary" in using porn and steroids. He said his client had maintained employment and a stable home life until his arrest.

Sentencing, Judge Paul Hobson said: "This represents a huge invasion of privacy of the women you targeted. They are entitled to feel safe in changing rooms and feel safe without their privacy being invaded by people like you... You exposed yourself to women and girls, and did this for your own sexual gratification. It was not a one off but persistent behaviour by you over a period of time."

Scaffe was sentenced to a total of 14 months imprisonment. He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, sex offender notification requirements and a restraining order, all to run for 10 years. A deprivation order was made in respect of the seized phone.

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A perverted biology teacher who used to work at a north Bristol school kissed and groped young female pupils in secret lunchtime meetings, a court heard. And decades on at the age of 86, he has been jailed.

Offences were alleged against Graham Digby-Rogers in February last year, Bristol Crown Court heard. Instead of a trial Digby-Rogers, of Stokefield Close in Thornbury, pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting three girls aged 13 or under.

Judge Euan Ambrose jailed him for six years and four months. He told the pensioner: "Your offences will have had a significant impact on each of them. It is said a prison sentence will be harder for you than for a younger man and I accept that."

Digby-Rogers was told to notify himself on the sex offender's register indefinitely. He should be released half way through the prison term.

James Tucker, prosecuting, said Digby-Rogers sat one youngster on a desk, stroked her hand and kissed her on her mouth. Mr Tucker told the court: "Her friend would join her and the defendant in the office at lunchtime."

The court heard Digby-Rogers touched one of the girl's genitals, which she found "disgusting", and rubbed his private parts against hers.

Digby-Rogers also sexually abused a third girl, Mr Tucker said, rubbing himself against her and committing a sex act on her thigh. The abuse left the youngster frightened, the court heard.

Robert Morgan-Jones, defending, said: "He's actively coming to terms with the offending during the pre-sentence report. They will have had a significant effect on the lives of the three victims and I do not suggest anything else."

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A stalker who subjected a teenage girl to a "determined campaign of psychological abuse" has been jailed. Marcus Horn became obsessed with the youngster, a court heard, messaging her to ask for sex and sending her links to porn sites.

Though he was reported to police Horn was released on police bail, only to plague his victim again. The 49-year-old, of Ivywell Road in Bristol, pleaded guilty to stalking, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two charges of having sexual communication with a child.

Judge Julian Lambert handed him an 11-year extended sentence, comprising seven years' custody and four years of extended licence. Horn, who the judge classified as a dangerous offender, was told to register as a sex offender indefinitely and was banned from all contact with the victim and other named parties indefinitely.

The judge told Horn: "This was a determined campaign of psychological abuse. Your conduct is chillingly careless of her age and feelings. Suffering caused is of a high magnitude."

Anjali Gohil, prosecuting, told Bristol Crown Court Horn messaged the child with a lewd request and sent her sexual images with the words "that's you soon". Police called in found Horn had indecent images on his phone, upon which he had put the girl's name.

Horn was released under investigation. But he contacted the girl again and left her messages in which he appeared to be performing a sex act on himself.

The victim made an impact statement in which she said the messages scared her and she couldn't understand Horn's conduct, which made her very angry. She said that, as a result of the abuse, she was unable to relax and felt anxious all the time.

She stated: "I always feel I am being watched when I close my eyes. I was always worried more messages would come through."

Ehsanul Oarith, defending, said: "There is no possible justification for what he's done. He does not suggest that he's innocent.

"He is not seeking to minimise what he has done or shift blame. There are underlying issues for distorted thinking."

Mr Oarith said his client had experienced trauma in his life including physical injury. He said Horn was a non-dependant cocaine user with a difficult mental health history.

Mr Oarith told the court: "He can address substance misuse and mental health issues, as well, to make sure when he comes out he a better man than when he went in. He will be on a very tight leash when he comes out."

Description

A dangerous 'sexual predator' has been jailed for 20 years for raping a teenager and a young woman.

Leon Austin, 31, raped the woman multiple times in August 2022 near Bristol and was arrested the next day.

While on bail, Austin, of no fixed address, was charged with raping a 17-year-old in 2018 in Gloucestershire.

The victim of the most recent attack said she still had days "crippled by an overwhelming fear to do anything, leave my room, have a shower or eat".

In August 2022, Austin gave a woman in her 20s a lift and made sexual advances to her during the journey, which she declined.

Austin stopped at a remote barn where he raped the woman. After the attack, she ran away and Austin drove from the scene.

The victim managed to flag down a passing motorist, called the police and Austin was arrested a couple of days later.

'Scared and intimidated'

The woman told Bristol Crown Court: "There have been times that I have to go to my mum because I am concerned what I might do to myself."

She said she had struggled to sleep or return to work because of the trauma caused.

"My friends struggle to understand what happened, they don't want to be around me because I am not my usually happy self. I am often difficult to be around," she said.

"My relationship and outlook on men in general has completely changed. I am so scared and intimidated of any man," she added.

The victim of the 2018 attack, now in her 20s, said she thought Austin was going to kill her.

She said: "I was in the middle of nowhere. Nowhere to go or anyone to turn to.

"I thought 'this is it' that night and have continued thinking that afterwards."

Austin pleaded guilty in January to five counts of rape - two relating to 2018 and three to 2022 - and one count of attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle with intent to commit rape.

Officer in the case DC Carl Spicer said: "Austin is sexual predator who targeted younger vulnerable and alone females, providing them with drink or drugs. He then ignored their wishes when they did not consent to sex."

"Both women have shown incredible levels of bravery and courage to report what happened to them and they should feel proud that by doing so has meant a dangerous man is behind bars."

Austin will need to serve five years on licence upon release.

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A tearful mum told a court she wished the "monster" who subjected her young daughter to a hideous campaign of rape, which he filmed, would stay behind bars for life. The mum gave her emotional impact statement at the sentencing of Steve Sutton today, (March 23, 2023), which moved everyone including the judge.

Sutton, 60, an electrical engineer from Knowle, had been of previous good character but came to the attention of police for downloading images of child sexual abuse. He ultimately pleaded guilty to 30 offences including rape of a child. They included:

• Five counts of rape of a child
• Twelve counts of sexual assaulting a child under 13 by penetration
• Five counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity
• One of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child
• Three of taking indecent photographs of a child
• Three of making indecent photographs of a child
• One count of possessing extreme pornographic images

The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Peter Blair KC jailed him for life with a minimum 13 years. He told Sutton: "You were committing unspeakable crimes against her." The judge commended police for their investigation, especially DC Fiona Currey and PC Rosie Murrell.

Sutton was handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to stop further offending. He was also told to register as a sex offender for life and was barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.

Ian Fenny, prosecuting, told Bristol Crown Court Sutton sexually abused the little girl, when she was aged five to six, for some eight months. He not only subjected her to severe sexual assaults, he also filmed hours of abuse in which he was violent and tied the child up. Police trawled through the heinous footage to compile a comprehensive catalogue of evidence against him.

The victim's mum sat behind a screen as she gave her impact statement, with Sutton using a hearing loop in the dock. She described him as a "monster who robbed her child of her innocence".

Fighting back emotion, she said: "When the officers told me, the words to me felt surreal. I was numb. Life will never be the same again and it feels overwhelming.

"My child will never be care-free and running wild again. I hope that with years of support, we may get better. I will do everything I can to make sure [we] are okay, but it should never have happened.

"He has destroyed my family. He has broken us all in different ways. He has changed her life, changed her future and given her trauma that will affect her for the rest of her life.

"He is a danger to any child and to society. He doesn't deserve to be free. But I want Sutton to know, he won't break us forever. We will get stronger; we will get better."

She added: "I wish I could have protected her from the monster who was abusing her."

Giles Nelson, defending, said his mitigation focused on Sutton's prompt guilty plea as opposed to taking the case to trial. He said: "It is a very disturbing case, there is no argument regarding the context of the sentencing guidelines."

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Lexi-Rose Crawford has been convicted of committing a rape with "her penis", the court's formal indictment said.

A predator who identifies as transgender has been found guilty of raping a friend with "her penis" only a few weeks after being freed from prison for child sex offences. Lexi-Rose Crawford, a biological male who now identifies as a woman, was previously given a four-year prison sentence for having sex with an underage girl after meeting the minor online. The 24-year-old, who started using feminine pronouns after being released from prison in January 2019, raped a vulnerable friend a few weeks later.

Crawford originally complained of having "blackouts" and claimed to have no memory of the sexual assaults at Bristol Crown Court on March 10.

In less than two hours of deliberation, the jury found Crawford guilty of rape and sexual assault despite the defendant claiming to have no knowledge of the attack. For legal reasons, Crawford's victim cannot be identified but is well known to be exceptionally defenceless.

The woman described how Crawford tried to get her to lay next to her before pinning her down and assaulting her.

The victim said in court: "[Crawford] wanted me to lie down next to [her] and then tried to start … cuddling me, which I don’t feel comfortable with anyway. And then she started removing my clothes, which I didn’t want."

The formal indictment used in court said that "her penis" was used during the rape.

Despite the victim's repeated protests, Crawford removed her clothing and raped her.

Asked why she didn’t fight back, she said: "What could I have done without using physical contact to stop [her]? And then that could have been me in the wrong by using physical contact to stop [her]."

In response to Crawford's claimed lapse of memory, Prosecutor David Scutt pointed out that there was no medical evidence to support this claim, and called it a "convenient excuse."

Mr Scutt added: "It appears you can remember the good stuff, but you cannot remember the bad stuff. Are you pretending that you can't remember?"

Crawford denied the allegation, saying: "No."

But the prosecutor pressed again, asking: "What I'm going to suggest is this – that you did those things and you know you did. Agree or disagree?” - to which, Crawford replied: “Disagree."

Crawford was released on conditional bail following the guilty verdict and will be sentenced on May 10. Throughout the four-day trial, Crawford was referred to with feminine pronouns and was addressed as "Miss" by lawyers and Judge Michael Longman.

Crawford was previously convicted of raping a teenage girl in 2017 after grooming her.

If Crawford is sentenced to prison, it is expected that the rapist will be placed in a men's prison due to recent prison policy reforms in the UK regarding the treatment of certain transgender convicts.

The Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service announced new guidelines for housing male prisoners who claim to be women on February 27, with an updated framework saying: "Transgender women offenders no longer housed in women’s prisons if they have male genitalia or have committed sex crimes."

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A 45 year old former nursery worker who denied having any memory of being placed on the sex offenders register 20 years ago has been convicted of molesting a four year old Gloucester girl while baby-sitting her.

Gloucester Crown Court heard last week that the child's mother was shocked when her daughter told her how Jamie White had abused her - and then horrified to learn that he had been cautioned by police in the past for similar offending.

The Gloucester woman had trusted White, whom she knew, and was unaware he had been on the Sex Offender Register for five years for indecent assault of a nine year old girl in 2003.

White had also been accused of a similar offence in 1995 when he was working for a childrens nursery, the court was told.

White, now of Atlas Close, Speedwell, Bristol, denied sexual assault of the four year old girl when he was baby-sitting her and a sibling on Feb 20th 2020 in Gloucester.

But he was convicted last Thursday (Feb 23) and bailed to await sentence in April.

The jury of eleven - nine men and two women - saw the four year old girl describe in a video-recorded interview how White had licked her on the genitals while baby-sitting.

The jury heard that White and his partner had babysat the children several times.

Prosecutor Christopher Smyth said: “White arrived at the woman’s house by himself at 1.30pm on Feb 20th 2020 and she told him that she would be back at around 7pm. This was the first time he had babysat the children on his own.

“When the mother arrived home everything seemed normal and the children were playing happily together. White left the house at 8.25pm that evening and the mother took the children upstairs to bed.

“The mother asked her daughter if she had a good day and she replied 'Yes…and no.' Her mother queried this and the young girl said that Jamie had hit her in the face with a cloth.

“She quizzed her daughter, asking if this was while they were playing? She replied 'maybe'. The little girl then said ‘Jamie licked my vulva,’ a word she had been taught about the anatomy of her body.

“The mother was horrified by this and asked if she was telling the truth and she added that people could get into trouble for saying things like that. The girl said it was true.

"The mother then texted White saying that he’d left his scarf behind and added that her daughter had been telling her 'some pretty serious stuff.'

“He replied ‘What stuff?'in a bid to get more information. The mother did not respond.

The following morning White contacted the woman and said ‘I know I have done nothing.’ He added ‘If I am being accused of something, I have the right to know.’

The woman told White that he and his partner would not be babysitting the children again as their trust was gone

I’m not accusing you of anything, yet, but I want the full story,” she said.

When White was giving evidence, the judge, Recorder Anthony Hawks, asked him “If you hadn’t said anything inappropriate or done anything untoward, what do you think you were being accused of?”

White replied: “I don’t know, that’s why I kept asking. I didn’t think it was anything sexual.”

The jury heard that White told the mother he had been checked by the Disclosure and Barring Service and that he was clear.

The jury were told that because White had previously been placed on the sex offenders register for five years in 2003 that would have been flagged up but the mother would not have known this.

The mother contacted social services about her daughter's allegations and while she was on hold to them on the phone the four-year-old told her ‘Jamie told me not to tell anyone, but I'm telling you because I am a good girl’.

“Having reported the incident to the safeguarding team, the police become involved and the young girl was interviewed by trained offers the following day," said Mr Smyth.

While White was being cross examined by Mr Smyth during his evidence he denied that he had ever appeared at the court before.

He was repeatedly asked by the prosecutor if he did not remember accepting a police caution in January 2003 after admitting a charge of indecently assaulting a nine-year-old girl.

The case had not gone to trial because the girl's father had been reluctant to put her through the ordeal of giving evidence, the prosecutor said.

Mr Smyth also pointed out to Smyth that on the same day he had accepted the caution he had been jailed for 18 months for attempting to obtain pecuniary advantage by deception by trying to get a job at a local children’s nursery.

“This would have been a significant day in your life,” Mr Smyth said.

The jury also heard about the suspicions that social services had while White was working for another nursery in Gloucester in 1995 and had allegedly molested a four-year-old girl.

However, the police and the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to take the case to court because the girl was so young and it would be an ordeal for her to give evidence in court.

White told the police in his interview that he had played with the children and said that when she had run upstairs to the bedroom he had tickled the four-year-old and that he hadn’t licked her at all.

He was asked, ‘Are you attracted to children?’ White replied, ‘No’. ‘

Asked if fantasised over young girls he denied that he did and added ‘I’ve always got on with children. I’m not sexually interested in young girls, I am not interested in children in anyway.’

“What’s your sexual orientation?" he was asked. " A beautiful 25-year-old blonde haired girl,” he replied.

White told the jury he was annoyed when the Gloucester mother told him she did not want him to baby sit for her daughter any more and added: “I didn’t know what I was being accused of. I thought that was the end of it.

“The first thing I knew about the sexual allegations is when the police knocked my door.

“I didn’t say anything to the girl that she should not tell anybody about what happened because nothing happened. I didn’t lick her when she was naked or over or under her clothing, not even inadvertently.”

Pina Silvio, defending White, asked him about receiving a caution in 2003 for a sexual allegation on a nine-year-old girl.

“I was working at a snooker club in Gloucester and got to know a particular family with young children very well. I ending looking after them on several occasions. It was a baby-sitting situation at their home when the allegations happened. I denied the sexual allegations but I accepted the caution. I don’t even remember being in this court before,” he said.

The judge pointed out to White that he couldn’t have been given a caution, unless he had admitted the offence. White said he had done nothing wrong and claimed that he had been acquitted.

White continued to deny to the lawyers that he had been in Gloucester Crown Court before.

Ms Silvio told White: “This is a matter of record. You had to sign the sex offenders’ register for five years."

The jury took just one hour and 20 minutes to reach their guilty verdict. White will be sentenced on April 5 and he was released on unconditional bail.

Following his conviction White was placed on the sex offenders register and the length of his registration will be clarified when he is sentenced.