Latest Offenders Bristol

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A Lawrence Weston man took sick souvenir snaps of himself sexually abusing a boy, a court heard.

Matthew Moseley abused the horrified teenager, who told his family what happened.

Police brought in found the warped mementos on Moseley's phone.

There were also some 200 photos of children in various states of undress which, though not deemed illegal, were said to be 'indicative' of his offending.

Moseley, 26, of Brookthorpe Avenue, pleaded guilty to two charges of having sexual activity with a child and one charge of making an indecent photograph of a child.

Judge Euan Ambrose jailed him for three years.

He told Moseley: "The consequences have had a profound affect upon (the boy) and his family, and on your own family."

Moseley was handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to stop him from re-offending against children.

He was told to sign as a sex offender for life.

Fiona Elder, prosecuting, told Bristol Crown Court Moseley grabbed the boy and kissed him before groping his private parts and pushing himself against him.

The upset lad told his family and police tracked the abuser down.

Moseley told officers: "I f****d up."

Forensic analysis revealed the boy's DNA on Moseley's hands.

And analysis of Moseley's phone showed he had taken three photos of him groping the boy's private parts previously.

When interviewed Moseley made no comment to police.

Charley Pattison, defending, said: "He accepts he did what he did.

"He feels horrible about it.

"He feels remorse for it.

"If there is a custodial sentence it will not be long enough for him to receive the rehabilitative work which he so desperately needs.

"There has to be punishment, but that punishment can be achieved through unpaid work."

Acting Detective Sergeant Mike Coleman said: “Matthew Moseley is truly depraved.

“Not only did he prey on a vulnerable teenage boy when he was totally defenceless but he even took photos of himself carrying out the horrendous abuse.

“His victim has demonstrated tremendous bravery and I hope the result gives him a sense of closure.

“His family have also shown great resilience and I’d like to thank them for the support they’ve shown throughout the investigation and court process.”

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A Fishponds man who twice forced himself on a woman has been jailed.

Ghulam Mustapha would not take "no" for an answer and had sex with her against her will.

Bristol Crown Court heard she suffered both physical pain and psychological trauma as a result.

Mustapha 48, of Cherrytree Crescent, denied wrongdoing but a jury convicted him of two charges of rape.

Judge Euan Ambrose jailed him for 13 years.

He told Mustapha: "She has suffered severe psychological harm, as her victim personal statement made clear, and significant physical harm in the form of ongoing pain."

Mustapaha was handed an indefinite restraining order to have no contact with the complainant.

He was ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Jennifer Tallentire, prosecuting, read the complainant's statement in which she said the rapes had left her suffering night sweats and flashbacks.

'I can't stop thinking about what happened'

The woman said it was likely she would have to live with severe pelvis pain and, she had been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

She stated: "I can't stop thinking about what happened.

"The court process has made it all worse.

"It has really knocked my confidence, I am paranoid I'm being followed and I'm worried someone will hurt me.

"I get scared of everything."

Michael Haynes, defending, told the court: "What we are really talking about at the end of the day is totality."

Investigating police officer DC James Claridge said: “Mustapha put his own sexual desires above the welfare of his victim, forcing himself on her.

“As well as the physical pain he caused, he also inflicted significant emotional trauma on her which she is still coming to terms with.

“We continue to provide her with access to specialist support services and hope today’s sentence brings her some comfort.”

He added “I’d like to commend Mustapha’s victim for the courage she’s shown throughout the criminal justice process – all police officers fully appreciate it can be often difficult for victims of sexual offences to report them and to give evidence at court and she has been extremely brave in doing so.”

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A Bristol-based member of the Salvation Army and former National Crime Agency employee has been jailed after being convicted of having sex with a schoolgirl.

James Bryant "moulded and manipulated" the youngster from when she was aged 13, Bristol Crown Court was told.

It was claimed he persuaded her to send him photos of her private parts he told her to touch herself when he phoned her.

They went on to have sex on numerous occasions, in Bristol and in a hotel, and on one occasion together with a adult woman, a jury heard.

Bryant, 40, of Charter House Close in Nailsea, denied three charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He denied 12 charges of sexual activity with a child but admitted three sexual activity with a child charges.

He also denied sexual assault of a woman by touching her bottom.

After 12 hours' deliberation a jury convicted him of all counts barring one charge of causing or inciting a chilld to engage in sexual activity, three of sexual activity with a child and the sexual assault.

The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Peter Blair QC jailed Bryant for ten years.

He was told to register as a sex offender indefinitely, was barred from working with children and was handed a 16-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to stop him re-offending.

At Bryant's trial David Sapiecha, prosecuting, said Bryant worked for the NCA and was a "rising" member of a Salvation Army branch.

Mr Sapiecha told the court: "The prosecution says the defendant was feeding his own sexual appetite and using a girl for that puropse, a girl too young, to achieve his own sexual desires.

"He manipulated and moulded the victim into his own sex toy, willing to do what he wanted, and he did so in the context of a gross breach of trust."

Mr Sapiecha told the court: "She said at the time she thought she loved him.

"She thought that he loved her.

"She was clearly impressionable.

"He was in control., she was much less robust than somebody of an adult age."

On one occasion Bryant and the girl engaged in a sexual threesome with a woman, the court heard.

The prosecutor told the jury Bryant's case was that the girl and woman spontaneosly engaged in sexual behaviour and he joined in on the spur of the moment.

Matters were reported to police after the girl told her mum and sister what had been going on, the court heard.

Bryant denied a charge that he touched a woman's bottom around New Year's Eve in 2011.

A spokesperson for the NSPCC in the South West said: “This is an awful case where a child was victim to a campaign of sexual abuse.

“Bryant manipulated and exploited a young teenage girl for his own sexual gratification and it is right he now faces justice for his crimes.

“The victim has shown huge courage in coming forward and it is crucial she now receives the appropriate support.”

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A youngster left troubled after being molested by a Thornbury man found courage, with maturity, to report his abuser.

And as a result that abuser is now in prison.

The boy was aged 10 or 11 when Jeremy Farrow sexually abused him, Bristol Crown Court heard.

After Farrow told him not to say anything the child said nothing, but after some years he emailed his mum describing what Farrow had subjected him to.

Police were called in and Farrow was arrested.

Farrow, 53, of Castle Court, pleaded guilty to: causing a child aged under-13 to engage in sexual activity; engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child aged under-16 and breach of a Sexual Offence Prevention Order. (SOPO)

The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Peter Blair QC jailed him for seven-and-a-half years.

The judge told him: "You told him to keep quiet and that's what he did until it all became too much.

"You have caused severe, psychological harm to that young man."

Farrow was barred from working with children and was told to comply with sex offender notification, indefinitely.

James Tucker, prosecuting via video link, said the boy changed from being "bright and diligent" to a cannabis smoker whose academic work declined.

There came a time when he emailed his mum, describing how Farrow abused him.

The court heard Farrow committed a sex act in front of the boy, and got the boy to carry out a sex act on him.

As a result the complainant found relationships difficult and acted improperly at school, the court heard.

But as years passed he came to realise the abuse and its toll on him and no longer kept it bottled.

Tabitha Macfarlane, defending, said her client had his own issues to deal with, including a catastrophic brain injury.

She told the court Farrow, who has breached his SOPO on several occasions, wanted to make a fresh start in jail and hoped to take courses including a sex offender programme.

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A Downend man convicted of sexually assaulting one woman and stalking another was jailed. A jury found Aaron Gent guilty of two sex offences but he admitted other charges.

In total the 30-year-old, of Maggs Close, was convicted of stalking, causing criminal damage, harassment and two sexual assaults. Judge William Hart jailed him for 20 months.

The judge told him: "The offending indicates wholly inappropriate behaviour by you to both these women. Women should not be expected to tolerate it. Those who offend in this way should expect custodial sentences."

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Former Ministry of Defence worker moaned on a sick dark web chat room that lockdown stopped him looking at schoolchildren on his way to work.

Phillip Nutt complained on ‘PedoPub’ that working from home stopped his walks past schools and hindered his access to kids.

The 53-year-old used his IT skills to find, download and hide child abuse images picked up on the dark web, including rape and torture videos of babies.

In one chat with another ‘PedoPub’ user, Nutt described how he gained children's trust and concealed the disturbing content he accessed.

He said: “I have everything secured and no one can see unless I leave it unlocked by accident.

“I have a false camera storage as well so if someone asks to see my photos it shows normal people photos. The good ones are hidden.”

In another chatroom conversation, Nutt discussed his frustration with the lack of access to children during lockdown.

He wrote: “I usually walk past a school on the way to work and I can’t even do that!”

Nutt added: “I am of the view that you have to be so careful and disguise your true self….Any little ones around me I treat as friends and gain their confidence.”

When police raided his home in Horfield, Bristol, officers found nearly 300 indecent images and videos on his phone and computers.

Cops also discovered cloud-based accounts overseas that hosted 18,641 files across 445 folders, where Nutt allowed videos to be accessed by other paedophiles.

One folder labelled ‘Incest’ contained hundreds of indecent videos of children, some in the most serious category, police said.

Some of the videos lasted up to two hours and showed the torture and rape of babies and young children, the National Crime Agency said.

Digital forensic analysis found Nutt regularly went onto the dark web and had a secure image storage facility on his phone disguised as a calculator.

He was careful to hide his tracks and described having ‘a scare’ when pictures accidentally transferred onto his main hard drive, the NCA said.

NCA officers arrested Nutt at a holiday home in Cornwall last year.

At Bristol Crown Court yesterday (Thurs), Nutt was jailed for 16 months after pleading guilty to possessing, making and distributing indecent images at an earlier hearing.

Derek Evans, NCA senior investigating officer, said Nutt used sophisticated methods to hide his crimes.

He added: “The conviction of Nutt serves as a warning to all - that we will work with partners across the globe to safeguard children and bring offenders before the court.

“This investigation identified the horrendous rape of babies and very young children, which was being distributed by Nutt, who attempted to conceal his methods through sophisticated means and his knowledge of IT systems.

“For as long as the demand for this material remains in depraved people like Nutt, it will continue to be supplied.

“This investigation has broken part of that cycle and the NCA have succeeded in disrupting someone who posed a significant threat to children.”

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A man who attacked a vulnerable woman after she confided in him about being sexually abused as a child has had his sentence increased.

Michael Smith, 26, from Bitton in South Gloucestershire, raped the victim following a party in August 2017.

Earlier in the evening she had told him she was very anxious about having sexual intercourse because of her experiences as a child, but he removed her clothing while she was asleep and attacked her.

When the victim threatened to report him, Smith made a false allegation to the police that she was harassing him, despite apologising for the incident in previous text messages to her.

Smith, who was employed by Bristol Ambulance Service, admitted to colleagues he had raped the woman and they also reported the incident to the police.

Police found four extreme pornographic images on his phone – one of which Smith had disseminated to his friends via WhatsApp.

Smith eventually pleaded guilty to one count of rape and four counts of possession of extreme pornography at Bristol

Sentencing judge Julian Lambert took into consideration Smith’s age, his good character and his pleas of guilty, as well as the current problems in the prison system caused by the pandemic.

But Attorney General Suella Braverman argued at the High Court that Smith had been treated too leniently considering the impact of the offence on the victim.

During the appeal the court heard the victim was left feeling worthless and dirty, and even three years on from the attack could not contemplate having a relationship with a man.

Ms Braverman said the starting point should have been eight years, before both mitigation and the mandatory reduction in sentence due to guilty pleas were taken into account.

She also argued his four-month sentence for the extreme images should not run concurrently to Smith’s sentence for rape, as the offences were unrelated to the attack.

Increasing Smith’s sentence for rape to five years and three months, Lady Justice Macur said: “This sentence should not have been reduced below the bottom of the range before the discount was applied.”

She added that the extreme images were a “separate category of offending” that call for consecutive sentencing, but reduced the sentence to three months to run concurrently on each count.

It brings Smith’s total sentence to one of five years and six months.

Smith appeared at the hearing via video link, but could be seen with his head in his hands at the end of the ruling.

The Attorney General said after the hearing: “Smith’s repulsive actions, and the extent to which he lied to cover up his guilt, were truly shocking and caused severe harm to the victim.

“I am pleased I was able to personally present this case and I welcome his sentence being increased.”

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A Bristol man thought he was persistently pestering girls aged 12 for sex.

But in reality Adam Pugh, of Seneca Street in St George, was making lewd suggestions to adults, either paedophile hunters or undercover police.

Pugh - who has developmental delay akin to mild learning difficulties - was also found to have downloaded and shared indecent images of children.

Bristol Crown Court heard that, since his offending emerged, he has given himself a self-imposed ban from the internet.

The 37-year-old pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child, two charges of arranging or facilitating a child sex offence and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.

Judge Euan Ambrose handed him an eight-year extended sentence comprising of four years' custody and four years' extended licence.

He told Pugh: "I am quite satisfied you are dangerous.

"This was persistent offending, undeterred by your arrest.

"You had no way of knowing those you were speaking to were not real children.

"You pose a significant risk of serious harm to children."

Pugh was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to stop his reoffending.

James Haskell, prosecuting, said in June 2019 Pugh chatted online to a girl who told him she was 12, and his conversation became increasingly sexualised.

The 'child' was in fact a member of paedophile hunter group Innocent Voices.

Later in the same month Pugh chatted online to another 'child' aged 12 who was also an adult hunter, discussed sex with her, talked about meeting up and sent her a photo of his private parts.

The hunter group then confronted Pugh, police arrested him and he was released pending further investigation.

But the court heard that, once released, Pugh was at it again - this time chatting to another 'child' aged 12 who turned out to be an undercover police officer.

This time he sent the supposed youngster a video of himself engaging in a sex act.

He also talked about meeting her after lockdown to have sex.

During the course of a police investigation it was discovered Pugh had downloaded and distributed child abuse images, which he admitted and asked the court to take into consideration.

Susan Cavender, defending, said: "He has given up all internet access.

"He now has a Nokia with no internet.

"He asks me to assure you of his genuine remorse.

"He has mild to moderate learning difficulties.

"He has made appalling mistakes."

The court heard Pugh, who has limited experience of travel from Bristol, never intended to meet the 'youngsters' and talk of such amounted to fantasy.

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A man convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in Bristol city centre has been jailed.

A judge concluded that Ian Ochieng, a paranoid schizophrenic, targeted two women three days apart in June 2019.

He took his first victim to a secluded spot and forced himself on her in an assault lasting some 30 minutes.

And he approached his second, equally vulnerable victim and touched her inappropriately, Bristol Crown Court heard.

Ochieng, 27, of Saltmarsh Drive in Lawrence Weston, denied wrongdoing.

But a jury convicted him of rape and sexual assault by penetration.

Judge William Hart handed him a 16-year extended sentence, comprising of 12 years' custody and four years' extended licence.

Ochieng has to serve two-thirds of the custodial term before the parole board considers his fitness for release.

The judge told him: "I regard you as a dangerous, predatory individual and a threat to women."

Ochieng was barred from working with vulnerable adults and children and ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

A jury heard the first victim left her friends and was in Horsefair when Ochieng took her behind Poundland and raped her.

In interview she said: "All I remember is that it really hurt and then I ended up running off and I was trying to put my clothes back on, but I couldn’t because it was raining."

As she walked home in a state of partial undress she encountered four friends who came to her aid, the court heard.

They called an ambulance and she ultimately gave an account of being sexually assaulted.

An examination at the Bridge noted injuries and DNA matched the profile of Ochieng.

Three days later Ochieng approached a second woman who either passed out or fell asleep outside a Bristol nightclub.

The jury heard he put his hand in her underwear and groped her.

Sarah Regan, prosecuting, read an impact statement from the first complainant, who outlined the serious anxiety and relationship difficulties she suffered as a result of her ordeal and asked: "I'd like to know what right this person thought he had to take me off the street and rape me?"

The second complainant pondered: "I ask myself if he was attracted by drunken women; I did not lead him on at all."

Miss Regan said other woman had reported sexual assaults by Ochieng - but he was either acquitted of wrongdoing or matters were not pursued.

Jennifer Tallentire, defending, said her client is a paranoid schizophrenic, who had undergone mental health treatment, and whose sexual inhibition is less prevalent when he is well.

She told the court in June 2019 his mental health deteriorated, however.

Miss Tallentire said that during that time he was suffering from "paranoid feelings" which included fears someone was going to shoot him and a belief he had a GPS device in his stomach.

She conceded that her client was smoking cannabis when he assaulted the second complainant.

Acting Detective Inspector Mark Newbury said: “In 22 years of policing I think this is one of the most important convictions I have been involved in.

“Ian Ochieng is every woman’s worst nightmare. He’s an extremely dangerous individual and the public are without doubt much safer with him behind bars.

“He actively searched the streets of Bristol looking for women to target before subjecting them to quite horrific ordeals.

“Both victims demonstrated immense bravery and courage in giving evidence at court and I’d like to thank them for helping us to ensure Ochieng no longer poses a threat to others.

“I’d also like to praise the work of my team in securing this conviction. Their determination and commitment to obtain justice for both victims was truly outstanding and they are a credit to the police force and the communities they work so hard to protect.”

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An Akela at a scout group was rumbled for sexual assault - after a child in the group put their hand down their mum's trousers.

When the mum asked her child not to do it they asked: "Why, that's what Akela does to me?"

It transpired Stephen Boulton, a respected member of the Scouting Association for decades, had been advised about inappropriate touching.

But, after that, on two occasions he put his hand down the trousers of two children and touched their bare backsides.

Boulton, 72, of Brislington, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault of a child aged under-13.

Judge Euan Ambrose jailed him for 28 months.

He told Boulton: "You had previously been warned about your behaviour regarding a different child. Your actions had a significant impact on each child. Only immediate imprisonment constitutes appropriate punishment."

Boulton was handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to stop his re-offending.

He was ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years and was barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.

Anjali Gohil, prosecuting via video link, told Bristol Crown Court the first complainant disclosed what Boulton had done and their parents contacted police.

Boulton was arrested, interviewed and initially denied wrongdoing.

Police then discovered Boulton received "words of advice" from the Scouts' safeguarding team after a previous incident, but did not face charges.

And it emerged another youngster disclosed Boulton put his hand down their trousers, touched their bottom and said: "You like that, don't you?"

When Boulton was interviewed again he made a prepared statement in which he denied any sexual intent.

The father of the first complainant made a statement in which he said the abuse had impacted on the child and their family, and Boulton had breached their trust.

But he ended his statement by saying: "We are incredibly proud of our wonderful, brave [child]."

The mother of the second complainant stated: "I feel disturbed, upset and sickened.

"It feels horrible someone has abused [my child].

"I actually want to attack the man; I wouldn't do this."

The mum said she regretted that did not have the strength to go to police before they came to her.

The complainant wrote a note in which they said: "I hope to get justice so I can forget about it.

"I don't want more children to go through what I have."

Emma Martin, defending, said her client acknowledged the hurt of his wrongful actions and was remorseful.

She said: "If he could turn the clock back and undo the hurt he would do in an instant."

She added that Boulton was involved in the Scouting Association for very many decades and very many people spoke highly of him.

A Scouting Association spokesman said: "The safety of all our members is our number one priority. It is at the heart of our decision-making.

"We carry out stringent vetting of all adults who work with young people and work together with statutory agencies to share relevant information to ensure the safeguarding of young people.

"Bolton was suspended from Scouting as soon as we were aware of the allegations made against him and we cooperated fully with the police during their investigations.

"We are aware of a concern raised about Bolton’s behaviour prior to this case.

"We reported these concerns to the relevant authorities when they occurred.

"Following the advice of the statutory authorities we investigated these concerns and required Boulton undergo further safeguarding training.

"Bolton’s betrayed the trust put in him by young people and parents and there is no place for him in the Scout Movement.

"It is right that Boulton has been sentenced for his crimes.

"Boulton was permanently excluded from Scouting and will never volunteer with us again. We will learn from this experience and redouble our efforts to keep young people safe.”

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A man who raped a teenage girl after following her off a bus has been jailed for nine years.

Michael Murray, 29, attacked the girl in Stapleton Road in the Easton area of Bristol on 9 January.

He pleaded guilty to rape and a separate charge of common assault when he appeared via video-link at Bristol Crown Court on 7 April.

Murray, of no fixed address, will serve nine years in jail and six years on an extended licence.

Avon and Somerset Police said his victim gave a detailed description of her attacker so they were able to track him down on CCTV footage in the area at the time of the assault.

Murray was handed a concurrent four-month prison sentence for the common assault on a second victim, who he hit with a cigarette lighter after she rebuffed his advances.

He was also given an indefinite restraining orders in relation to both victims and he will remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Det Sgt Stuart Toms said Murray posed "a significant risk to women and in particular, to teenage girls and it's reassuring to know he will now be locked up for a lengthy period of time".

"Sexual assaults by strangers are rare in Avon and Somerset but when they do happen we do everything we can to identify offenders and bring them to justice," he said.

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Bristol man jailed for taking photos of himself sexually abusing boys

Martin Berry is starting a hefty jail term after admitting a plethora of child sexual assaults and child exploitation charges

A Bristol Man took indecent photos of boys and pictured himself sexually abusing them.

Martin Berry regularly had the children at he and his partner's home for games and sleepovers, Bristol Crown Court heard.

Unbeknown to parents who trusted him, he was a convicted paedophile who sexually exploited the youngsters for his own perverted ends.

Berry, 58, now said to be of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to multiple sexual assault and attempted sexual assault as well as causing the sexual exploitation of a child.

Today (February 12, 2020) he also pleaded guilty to a further charge of causing the sexual exploitation of a child, two charges of voyeurism and possessing indecent images of a child.

The recorder Mr Adam Vaitilingam QC handed him a 12-year prison sentence with four years' extended licence.

He told Berry: "You are a sophisticated sex offender with previous convictions and a caution for sex offences.

"You identified families with young children.

"You manipulated parents into trusting you.

"You manipulated children into trusting you too.

"This was a gross breach of trust which the parents and children placed in you."

Berry was handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to stop him re-offending and his electronic devices were forfeited.

Fiona Elder, prosecuting, said Berry sexually abused three boys aged between five and 11.

As well as touching their private parts Berry was found to have photos on his phone in which he captured his indecent acts or photographed the boys in semi-clad or naked poses.

One lad was asleep when Berry abused him, the court heard.

When police forensically examined his phone they found videos and stills of unknown youngsters aged between five and 12 being sexually abused, which he accessed via the dark web.

Tabitha Macfarlane, defending, said as a child her client was sent to a "boarding school for maladjusted boys" where he took comfort from sexual behaviour with other pupils.

He then joined the Army aged 16.

She said Berry had stated: "I'm utterly horrified as to what I've done"

"I sincerely apologize to all the boys and their families.

"I'm willing to enter therapy if offered."

Miss Macfarlane described her client's health as "chronically bad", having suffered an amputated leg following severe osteoarthritis.

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A Henbury man convicted of molesting two teenage girls has been jailed. Roger Loney, 45, of Satchfield Close, denied abusing the youngsters but was convicted after a trial.

A jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting one girl and three sexual assaults on a second. Judge James Patrick jailed him for three years. The judge barred him from working with children and vulnerable adults and ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Sam Jones, prosecuting, told Bristol Crown Court Loney was found guilty of inappropriately touching both victims. Both gave impact statements saying how the abuse left them scared and traumatised.

One said: "The trauma left me feeling like an alien, like I forgot to be a normal individual...I felt very fragile and concerned. I've stopped any form of getting to know men.

"It didn't leave a bit of my life untouched. I hope the defendant can learn from this and not make the same mistake."

Derek Perry, defending, said his client - a man of previous good character - remains in denial about the offences. Mr Perry said Jamaican national Loney had felt "trapped, isolated and lonely" after coming to the UK.

The court heard his father died in October last year, and a mix of Covid and the court case prevented Loney from attending his funeral. Loney has not seen his elderly mum in Jamaica for some two years, Mr Perry said.

Police officer in the case, DC Mike Coleman, said: "The victims in this case have shown a great deal of bravery during this investigation and trial. I hope that the sentence given to Loney today will bring them some closure.

"Offending such as this is taken very seriously by the police and we will always seek to bring justice for the victims."

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A victim of child sexual abuse bravely told a court how his life has been decimated as a result.

He said being molested at the hands of Christopher Lawrence caused him trust issues, ruined relationships and prompted him to seek solace in obsessive behaviour.

He told Bristol Crown Court: "I've realised how much the abuse affected me and how much it changed my life."

Lawrence, 72, of Orchard Square in Redfield, Bristol, pleaded guilty to nine historical charges of indecent assault on a male.

The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Peter Blair QC jailed him for 10 years at a sentencing hearing today (Wednesday, January 12).

The judge told Lawrence: "I have taken account of the victim personal statement which [was] bravely read out, explaining the impact he has faced throughout his life as a result of sexual offences on him when he was aged five to 12.

"The impact has been severe, prolonged harm."

Kannan Siva, prosecuting, told the court Lawrence repeatedly sexually abused the victim by touching his private parts.

Though the victim confided, aged 15, to his family that Lawrence abused him, at that time he did not wish to make a complaint to police.

But the court heard in 2019 he did report the abuse - but Lawrence made no comment.

'I gave the image of a happy child'

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court: "It had a huge impact on my life.

"As a child I was determined to be very strong.

"I didn't want to tell anyone.

"I gave the image of a happy child but I was not happy inside."

He described how the abuse prompted him to seek comfort in obsessive behaviour, which went on to ruin both relationships and his finances.

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"Why was he released twice? It baffles me as to how that could be allowed to happen"

A man has been jailed after being caught trying to target underage children online.

Simon Wilkinson exhibited a persistent, perverted aim to chat sexually with under-age girls and have intimacy with them, Bristol Crown Court heard.

However, he was inadvertently speaking to 'paedophile hunters' posing as children.

But after initially being arrested he was released under investigation twice and re-offended twice before finally being brought to book with a third arrest.

Wilkinson, 40, of High Street in Staple Hill, pleaded guilty to three charges of attempting sexual communication with a child and three charges of attempting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He also admitted possessing and making indecent images of children.

Judge Julian Lambert jailed him for 16 months.

He told the court: "Why was he released twice? It baffles me as to how that could be allowed to happen.

"It is terribly worrying for the public."

Wilkinson was handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, banning him from unchecked internet use or contact with children.

He was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

Richard Posner, prosecuting, said Wilkinson was initially snared when he made lewd suggestions to "Clare aged 14", who turned out to be a paedophile hunter from the group Safeguarding The Innocent.

When Wilkinson's telephone was analysed it was found he had deleted three child abuse photos in the Category C lowest level of concern.

Mr Posner said: "He was released under investigation.

"He returned to a similar pattern of offences of a similar nature."

The court heard Wilkinson then chatted sexually online with "Megan, 15" - who turned out to be the same paedophile hunter who caught him the first time.

Mr Posner said: "Police were informed again.

"He was arrested again and in interview, he again made no comment.

"He was released again pending further investigation."

After being released Wilkinson resumed lewd chats with "Megan, 15" and was reported again and arrested a final, third time.

A telephone in his possession then had 23 deleted child abuse images, 11 of which were in the Category A highest level of concern.

Mr Posner told the judge the police's primary focus had been on any other victims being exploited, in a protracted investigation which included interrogation of devices.

Clare Fear, defending, said her "lonely" client had done some thinking on remand and aimed to do all he could to "put himself right".