Latest Offenders Chester

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24 year old Thomas Cooper of Tame Street, Denton, was sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to 3 years and 9 months imprisonment, as well as being subject to a 10 year sexual harm prevention order and his name on the sex offender register for life,

The court heard how in December 2021, Cooper had been communicating online with a girl that he had contacted after adding her on the social media platform SnapChat.

After grooming the victim online, he made arrangements to meet the girl and subsequently engaged in sexual activity with her on two separate occasions.

These incidents were later discovered by the victims family who alerted police.

On the 31st January this year, Cooper was arrested in the Ashton-Under-Lyne area and taken into police custody. In his interview, he blamed the victim for forcing him to engage in sexual activity against his will on both occasions.

During the investigation, detectives were able to obtain enough evidence which lead to Cooper eventually pleading guilty to the offences.

Detective Constable Mike Allen, of GMPs Tameside district complex safeguarding team, said: Cooper is clearly a predator prying on children for his own sexual pleasure.

Sexual offences often have a long lasting impact on victims and Greater Manchester Police is committed to preventing this harm. I would, therefore, like to use this opportunity to encourage any young person who is being contacted by an adult or whos aware of an adult inappropriately contacting a young person, to report it to an appropriate adult or agency so they can be safeguarded and supported and the suspect can be identified.

I hope this result today warns offenders that this behaviour will not be tolerated in Greater Manchester and that authorities here are committed to ensuring they face justice.

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A man from Middleton, has been jailed for 8 years after an investigation into online child sexual offences after appearing at Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday, 3 May 2022.

Denis Atkinson, of Millbeck Road, pleading guilty to the following offences:

1x count of attempting to meet a child under the age of 16.

4x counts of attempting to sexually communicate with a child.

1x count of attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in penetrative sexual activity.

1x count of possessing an image of extreme pornography.

1x count of possessing 5x prohibited images of children.

3x count of distributing category A,B and C indecent images of children.

3x count of making a total of 4,035 indecent images of children ranging from category A-C.

He is being placed on the sex offender register for life and being subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

On the 14th June 2019, police received intelligence from the USA based 'National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children' (NCMEC) who stated that in November 2018, a user on the 'Kik.com' messaging app using the name 'denismufc93' posted an indecent photograph of a child, which was intercepted by the NCMEC before being passed to the UK based National Crime Agency.

Further enquiries established that the mobile phone connected to the Kik account was registered in the name of Atkinson at his home address in Middleton.

Shortly after this discovery, Atkinson began to communicate online with the decoy profile of a 12 year old girl which was controlled by law enforcement. He messaged the profile using the name 'Warren' with a profile photo of a male in his late teens. Atkinson informed the child profile that he was 18-years-old and did not react to the child profile informing Atkinson that she was 12.

Conversation of a general nature took place before Atkinson eventually started to turn the conversation to be more sexualised, asking the child profile 'so are we dating' and asking if they could meet in Cardiff, suggesting that the profile bring along a friend that he could speak to beforehand to get to know them.

Over the following month, Atkinson became persistent in asking the child profile for pictures, again regularly asking if they were now dating and stating that he loved her and wanted to have sex when they met.

Atkinson's behaviour continued to escalate by asking the child profile sexualised questions asking about her sexual history and what sexual acts she would perform on him.

Atkinson was reminded on a number of occasions that the child profile was 12-years-old and in foster care.

In July 2020, Atkinson told the child profile that he would arrange to stay in a hotel with her with further sexual comments being made by Atkinson. On the 7th August 2020,

Atkinson sent a number of messages to the child profile, in which he confirmed that he was due to set off to the arranged location where they would meet, at which point the child profile explained that they were unable to meet him. Atkinson stated ' We will have to meet some other time'.

Numerous chat logs seized by police as evidence showed that Atkinson had a clear interest in underage girls and on Wednesday 2nd December 2020, officers from GMPs Online Child Abuse Investigation Team attended Atkinson's address and arrested him before he was subsequently charged with the offences.

A number of mobile phone devices were seized from Atkinson's home address and upon examination, thousands of indecent images of children were found including around 836 categorised as 'Class A', the most serious category of images. Atkinson also attempted to sexually communicate with a large number of underage children using several different messages apps, adopting numerous fake male and female personas.

In police interview Atkinson commented 'I can't remember' and 'It wasnt me I must have been hacked' to the questions presented to him, before then stating 'everything is true, you dont need to go through it anymore'.

Detective Inspector Suzanne Keenaghan, of GMPS Online Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: "Atkinson is very clearly a danger to children. His messages to who he thought was a 12-year-old girl, together with his clear intentions to meet a child and the images that he possessed, to satisfy his depraved sexual desires is utterly deplorable

"Child Sexual Exploitation takes place in many forms and in this case Atkinson engaged in online communications with what he believed were young children, not sparing any thought for the lasting damage his actions could have.

I am pleased with the sentence he has received, which has been as a result of a thorough investigation working with the National Crime Agency. Our team work tirelessly to bring these people to justice and we will continue to do so."

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A man from Wigan who sent sexually-motivated messages over a sustained period to a girl nearly four decades younger than him has been jailed for 14 years after key evidence from his survivor.

The victim - now aged 16-years-old - has been praised by investigators after helping to bravely report to us Michael Dennett (54) and then support our probe into his year of offending against her between 2017 and 2018 when she was aged just 12-13.

Manchester Crown Court heard how Dennett, of Poolstock Lane, started messaging the girl after the breakdown of his relationship and began to embark on a persistent campaign of sexually-motivated offending; sending her indecent images and asking her to send them in return.

Dennett's offending was also physical as the victim spoke of wanting him to 'leave her alone' when he would try to hug and kiss her, but she helplessly 'felt like she couldnt say no' as he also would inappropriately touch her.

It was reported to police initially after her mum had found sexualised messages on her phone from Dennett before subsequent disclosures came from the victim around sexual assaults.

Dennett was initially arrested for the communication in November 2018 and then subsequently interviewed in February and November 2019 as enquiries continued and forensic evidence was collated.

When we first interviewed Dennett in November 2018, he refused to provide comment when asked about some of the messages we had seen he'd been sending to the victim.

As enquiries by our Wigan Child Sexual Exploitation team continued, the victim reported a new allegation prompting us to arrest Dennett for a second time where he didnt admit any offences and suggested that the victim had been 'put up to this'.

Due to the detail of evidence the victim was able to provide us, we were able to charge Dennett with nine offences - including three counts of sexual assault of a child, one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, four counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of sexual communication with a child.

He was found guilty after a trial in February 2020 of the communication offence, before being convicted of the remainder of the offences in a re-trial earlier this month.

Yesterday (Thursday 28 April) Dennett was sentenced to serve 14 years in prison and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.

The survivor of Dennett's abuse has received ongoing specialist support throughout the case and we have praised her for the evidence she was able to provide to us and the courts to help bring her offender to justice.

Police Constable Vicki Flemming, from our Wigan Child Sexual Exploitation team, said: "I want to firstly pay tribute to the survivor of this campaign of sexual abuse for their bravery in not only helping to report this incident to us, but for also having the courage to give evidence in court that was key to the success of this case.

"Michael Dennett's offending was predatory and repulsive and it's clear that he was a clear danger to this child and deserves his place behind bars for a number of years to come.

"We are committed to bringing to justice any sex offenders - especially those who target children as a way of gratifying their own depraved and perverted desires - and I want any victim of such abuse to know that we are here to listen to your concerns and to take thorough and robust action to bring offenders to justice."

Greater Manchester is nationally recognised as a model of good practice in terms of support services available to victims.

If you or someone you know has been raped or sexually assaulted, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police, or a support agency so you can get the help and support available.

Saint Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Manchester provides a comprehensive and co-ordinated response to men, women and children who live or have been sexually assaulted within Greater Manchester. They offer forensic medical examinations, practical and emotional support as well as a counselling service for all ages. Services are available on a 24-hour basis and can be accessed by calling 0161 276 6515.

Greater Manchester Rape Crisis is a confidential information, support and counselling service run by women for women over 18 who have been raped or sexually abused at any time in their lives. Call on 0161 273 4500 or email [email protected]

Survivors Manchester provides specialist trauma informed support to boys and men in Greater Manchester who have experienced sexual abuse, rape or sexual exploitation. Call 0161 236 2182.

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A man who sexually abused a young girl in Cheshire in the 1990s has been jailed. Gerard King, of Bury, previously lived in the Wilmslow area and Chester Crown Court heard how he systematically abused the victim for three years.

The victim had previously reported the offences to professional agencies on several occasions. But she had 'never received the support' to take the case further - but eventually came forward again to police in 2020.

A detective constable at Cheshire Police stated that King put her through 'horrifying' experiences. King also made the victim recall the events during a 'distressing' trial.

Detective Constable Lee Ferris, who led the investigation said: Firstly, I would like to recognise the bravery and determination that the victim has shown throughout this investigation. She had previously reported the offences, on several occasions, to numerous professional agencies, but had never built up the courage or received the support she needed to take the case further.

When she came forward to police in 2020 we provided her with the specialist help and support she need to ensure that she was able to tell her story. What King put her through was truly horrifying, he systematically abused her over a three year period in order to fulfil his own sexual gratification.

Not only that, but he also made her endure a trial and recount what he had done, which was extremely distressing. But thanks to her courage, he is now facing the consequences of his actions.

"The sentence handed to King reflects the severity of his crime and I hope that his conviction will encourage other victims to come forward. As this case demonstrates, we treat all reports of historic sexual offences seriously and we will always do our best to ensure offenders are brought to justice.

King was found guilty of one count of rape of a child and seven counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 following a five day trial at Chester Crown Court, which concluded on Monday (April 25).

The 59-year-old returned to court the following day (April 26) where he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, plus one year on extended licence. King was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely.

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A perverted pensioner has been jailed for 17 years for his horrific sexual abuse of a young boy and girl more than 30 years ago.

Paedophile Peter Byrne violently raped both his victims on multiple occasions and Judge Andrew Hatton imposed an extended licence period on top of his jail sentence after concluding that the 76-year-old was a dangerous offender.

Former Calderdale man Byrne was first convicted of indecently assaulting girls under 14 back in 1970 when he was 25 and he also admitted further sexual abuse offences in the late 1980s.

In 2016 at the age of 69 Byrne, now of Townsgate Way, Irlam, Manchester, travelled 150 miles to have sex with an eight-year-old girl only to find out he had been talking to an undercover police officer.

Byrne was jailed for 30 months for that offence, but his court case prompted two more of his victims to contact the police and last month he was convicted of a series of serious sexual offences against them dating back to the 1980s and early 1990s.

Byrne was jailed today for offences of rape, buggery and indecent assault and his own barrister David Hall said the pensioner would be a frail old man when he becomes eligible for release after serving two-thirds of his 17-year jail term.

Judge Hatton said the victims impact statements made harrowing reading and by putting them through a trial Byrne had continued abusing them by requiring them to be cross-examined.

Both of them have been significantly impacted by your offending, he told Byrne via a video link to HMP Leeds.

Both of them clearly found the experience of giving evidence in their own ways very difficult.

The court heard that Byrne plied the young girl with alcohol and also recorded some of the abuse using a camera.

He said Byrne had used violence of a gross nature against both complainants, who must not be identified for legal reasons, and they had both suffered a severe psychological impact.

Byrne is already subject to a lifelong notification requirement as a sex offender as a result of his previous crimes.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Lindsay said: I would like to thank the victims for their bravery in coming forward and reporting these matters.

Because of this, Byrne has got the sentence that he deserves. This case shows that, despite the passage of time, people like Peter Byrne can be brought to justice and I would urge anyone who has suffered in a similar way to come forward and to report the matter to us.

We have dedicated safeguarding officers here in Calderdale who are able to support you, will believe you and will take your reports seriously.

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A pervert asked what he believed was a 13-year-old girl to ring him for a sick phone call, but didn't realise he was actually speaking to an undercover cop. Paul Barrett has been jailed for two years after failing to convince a jury that he thought that the account he was speaking to was an adult 'role playing'.

Barrett, who was 40-years-old at the time of the offence, used an online chat room to speak with a profile called 'Sasha' between January and February 2019, Bolton Crown Court heard. Despite the account telling Barrett that she was 13-years-old and in school, he turned the conversation sexual.

In the first conversation, Barrett asked if she liked getting kissed and also asked if she wanted to perform sexual acts on him. The following day he asked the account questions about her school uniform and detailed sexual acts that he wanted to perform on her.

Sickeningly, Barrett then sent a message with his phone number and asked if he could speak with the girl directly so he could 'hear her orgasm'. The undercover police officer operating the account rang the number twice but Barrett did not answer.

Barrett, of Nearcroft Road, Wythenshawe, was arrested in March 2019 but denied the offences in interview and subsequently pleaded not guilty to a string of crimes under the Sexual Offences Act. Following a trial, a jury found him guilty of sexual communication and three counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

Defence barrister Helen Longworth told the court that Barrett has a 'supportive' family, including a partner and two step sons. She said that at the time of the offence, he was going through 'family difficulties' and 'stress' at work.

Ms Longworth also said that Barrett, now 43, has no previous convictions and cited the long delay between the arrest and case going to trial. She added: "Imprisonment will affect him but also have a significant impact on his family who clearly rely upon him."

Judge Tom Gilbart jailed Barrett for two years. He said: "I find it utterly mind boggling to consider how a father could act in this way to a person he thought was a 13-year-old child."

"These were extremely serious offences in which you sought to engage a child in sexual activity of the most serious kind. It was predatory behaviour by you."

Barrett will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the next 10 years. He will also have to sign the Sex Offender Register for the same length of time.

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A man who blackmailed a girl after he groomed her into sending him naked selfies during an abuse ordeal has been jailed. Retired tool maker Barry Doyle, 71, warned the vulnerable child he would share the pictures with others unless she submitted to further sexual demands - telling her: ''You have to behave.''

Doyle, from Stretford, had become obsessed with the girl and would take her out on trips in his car without her parents knowing. He also took her on shopping errands to the Trafford Centre, a court heard.

Greater Manchester Police arrested Doyle after discovering he had given her six mobile phones and on occasions used them to film himself molesting her. Officers seized a sex doll from his property plus a bag containing pairs of young girl's underwear.

It emerged he had a previous conviction from 1981 for indecent assault after he gave another girl money to strip before he attacked her. His latest victim was said to be 'extremely reluctant' to disclose details of her ordeal and was left suffering from severe bouts of embarrassment and anxiety.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Doyle admitted 14 charges including sexual assault; inciting a child to engage in sexual activity; child abduction; and making and possessing indecent images. Following his release from jail, he will be on licence until 2032 under the terms of an extended sentence after the judge branded him a 'dangerous offender'.

David Bentley, prosecuting, said: ''He engaged in grooming behaviour towards her. He gave her mobile phones to entice her into having communications with him and he controlled her behaviour.

"She was given six phones and he would send messages some of which were affectionate and loving, such as addressing her as 'babe'. He said he loved her and he asked what colour knickers she wore.

''Her use of the phones was not unconditional. If the defendant suggested doing something to which she didn't acquiesce he would inform her that she had to return the phone to him. Arrangements would be made for her to return the phone back to him but he would then give it back to her and this happened on many occasions.''

The offences emerged after one of the victim's friends told her parents she was frequently being driven around in Doyle's car. The victim's father then saw his daughter in the car with Doyle and challenged him about what he was doing.

She was said to be anxious and crying and police were informed. It emerged Doyle would often call the girl to pick her up in his car and once collected her from school. Three pairs of girls' knickers were found in his vehicle.

Officers later seized various phones and inquiries found Doyle had told the girl to repeatedly pose naked for him during online chats.

Mr Bentley added: ''She said she sent pictures of herself to him at his instigation and she said she replied to him about 20 times. Specific naked poses were found on four devices. She said she was doing these poses for the defendant.

''She also disclosed that he threatened to show the pictures to others if she didn't behave. She suffered embarrassment and anxiety and what happened caused to her lose concentration during lessons at school although she has improved since his arrest.''

Doyle later denied wrongdoing in police interview and falsely tried to claim some of the images were of the sex doll.

In mitigation, defence counsel David Toal said: ''He will never involve himself in this kind of behaviour again. He recognises what he has done.''

Doyle was also made subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register. He was banned from contacting the girl under the terms of a restraining order.

Jailing Doyle for jailed for seven and a half years, Judge Tina Landale told him: ''You took advantage of social ties to exploit a vulnerable girl and took multiple opportunities to be alone with her. You groomed her and you got what you wanted from her using gifts or with punishment by taking those gifts back.

''What you wanted was sexual contact and sexual pictures and movies of her. You took her out in your car... and repeatedly caused her to pose naked for photos.

''You used those photographs to blackmail her in addition to using these images for your own depraved enjoyment. If she didn't behave as you wanted, you threatened to show the pictures to others.

''A report says you pose a high risk of causing serious harm to children and I have reached the conclusion you are a dangerous offender. You committed these offences persistently and there is a pattern of sexual offending spanning several months.

''You have a clearly developed sexual interest in children - you have little genuine empathy, regret or insight into what you did.''

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A convicted paedophile is back behind bars after he was caught engaging in online chats about child abuse weeks after his release from jail. Brett Harriss, 28, had been locked up for 27 months after he ignored a court order and used an Xbox to trawl the internet for child pornography.

After serving a year of his sentence, the former McDonald's worker moved into a hostel. But just three months later, he was found in the illegal possession of a phone and tablet whilst he used to secretly communicate with other paedophiles.

It emerged he had used the devices to download more squalid material over a period of six weeks and to communicate on forums with what he called 'like minded individuals' via the encrypted social media app Telegram.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Harriss, from Bredbury, Stockport, who appeared via video link from Berwyn jail in Wrexham, North Wales, was sent back to jail for another 30 months after he admitted five charges of breaching the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and making an indecent image of a child.

He admitted a sexual attraction towards children but blamed his behaviour on him being 'entirely isolated' due to being disowned by his adoptive parents. Harriss had originally been locked up in 2017 for 32 months and was barred from using the internet after he distributed child pornography to other online predators.

He was released in 2019 but he was arrested again that December after he secretly acquired the games console to go online and trawl for more squalid images of youngsters - some aged as young as two.

Police carrying out a routine check on Harriss discovered he had stored a library of 981 sick images on an iPad and filed them in folders labelled 'rape', 'younger', 'dad and daughter' and 'sibling'.

The latest offences were discovered last year when Harriss was released in January 2021 and he moved into a hostel. Police had already carried out a series of routine inspections in which he insisted he had no electronic devices to use the internet.

But the truth emerged on April 29 last year when officers searched his room during an unannounced visit. Prosecutor Miss Sophie Kenny said: ''He produced a Huawei tablet device and when asked if he had any other devices produced an internet enabled Alcatel mobile phone.

''He told officers there were Japanese style cartoons of child sex abuse and other indecent images on the tablet. He said he had been using the Telegram app to speak to what he called 'like minded individuals' who would forward him onto forums where he could discuss child sex abuse.

''Both items were seized and sent for investigation. The tablet was found to have Google auto fill records with entries including 'club paedo', 'prison bus paedo' and 'extreme pead' which had been searched over the previous two months.

''Two images were also found which were judged to be a female aged between nine and 12 and the tablet was found to have a cloud storage account and an encrypted SD card was recovered.

''Harriss was interviewed and made full admissions saying the pictures had been downloaded using the Telegram app and said he was sexually attracted to children. These were very deliberate and serious breaches of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order. There was an obvious persistence in his behaviour.''

In mitigation, defence barrister, Miss Kay Driver, said her client had previously enrolled on a 'Horizon' programme for convicted sex offenders but said it was 'not effective'.

She added: ''He is motivated to address his offending behaviour and to lead a lawful life - he does not want to be in the position he finds himself in now. He was fostered at a very young age, his biological father having died in 1995. His mother died when he was 19.

''Since the 2017 offences both his adoptive parents have disowned him and he is found himself entirely isolated. He has resorted to his offending behaviour online to look for company. He wants out of that situation.''

Sentencing, the judge Mr Recorder Ciaran Rankin told Harriss: "Your rather disrupted youth and background give you no excuse whatsoever for the behaviour you undertook. You have described yourself as an idiot but much stronger words to describe you could be employed. This is repeat offending.''

Harriss will also be made subject to a new Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will sign the Sex Offender Register for an indefinite period. He can only use an electronic device to access the internet if it has 'risk management software' installed and managed by police.

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A TRAINEE teacher Googled if it was natural for him to be attracted to 14-year-old girls, a court heard.

Hector Moyes, 28, admitted he had been a bit silly to police officers after they found ten videos of the most serious Category A, involving the sexual abuse of children, on two electronic devices.

Ipswich Crown Court heard on Tuesday how officers examined an Apple MacBook and an iPhone during a search warrant executed at Moyes address in Fingringhoe Road, Langenhoe, Colchester in June 2021.

But Adam Squibbs, mitigating, told the court his clients offences between January and February of last year came during a mental breakdown.

Having seized the two electronic devices last June, police officers arrested Moyes after finding he had used the internet to access indecent images of children.

A number of indecent images depicting girls as young as ten-years-old being sexually abused were found on the MacBook.

On the iPhone, officers discovered vast swathes of pornography had been downloaded on messenger platform Kik.

Examinations of Moyes internet history showed he had Googled if it was natural for a man in his twenties to be attracted to 14-year-old girls.

Matthew Bagnall, prosecuting, highlighted this was during a period where the defendant was a trainee music teacher at a secondary school.

But Mr Squibbs said Moyes, who is a church organist, had a mental breakdown which resulted in a brief and destructive pornography addiction.

He said his client entered a mental health crisis following the death of his grandmother and the revelation his father had vascular dementia.

Sentencing him to six months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, Judge Emma Peters said most people dont turn to the misery of child pornography when having a breakdown.

She added by fuelling the trade of cruel and disgusting abuse of children, Moyes had lost his teaching career.

Moyes admitted possession of ten Category A videos, as well as four images and one video at Category B and eight images and three videos at Category C.

He was ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work, given a 40 day rehabilitation requirement and a sexual harm prevention order for seven years. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for the same period.

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This is the controlling rapist who held a woman hostage for weeks and tortured her with needles. Neil Cauchi is starting a 19 year jail sentence for the horrific crimes he committed against the woman.

Over the course of nearly two months she was falsely imprisoned in a house in Salford, where he raped her and subjected her to cruel and terrifying attacks. After an argument, Cauchi, 33, tied her to a bed before he began slapping, punching and hitting her legs with a 'heavy object'. She had been tied up so long that her hands turned purple.

Knowing she had a phobia of needles, he also jabbed her legs with hypodermic needles which he had used to administer steroids. At one point he threatened to stick a needle in her eye.

While she was falsely imprisoned, Cauchi raped and sexually assaulted her. She was no longer tied up but was too scared to leave the house in Eccles due to threats he made.

The woman was eventually rescued from her ordeal. Cauchi, of no fixed address, was found guilty of two counts of rape, two counts of false imprisonment, one count of causing actual bodily harm and one count of sexual assault after a trial.

The judge said Cauchi had 'effectively tortured' his victim with the needles, and he had 'held her hostage' for weeks. He admitted witness intimidation in relation to another woman, who had accused him of 'abuse'.

Cauchi bombarded the woman with up to 200 calls a day over a seven day period telling her to retract her statement, which she later did. At his sentencing hearing Cauchi read a letter to the court, saying he was 'deeply sorry' and 'ashamed' of his behaviour.

"I am disgusted with myself," he said. "May God help me find peace." His barrister said Cauchi is now a 'quite different person' now after becoming clean of drugs.

Cauchi will serve two-thirds of his 19 year sentence in prison.

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A TAMESIDE pensioner looks set to spend the rest of his life in prison after a campaign of sexual offences lasting 32 years.

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A Winchester man who was caught with more than 70 indecent images of teenage boys on his phone has been spared jail because his low IQ meant he wasnt able to understand what was happening.

Scott Fletcher-Wells, 25, was instead handed a three-year community order by the judge, who cited his potential vulnerability in prison as a reason for sparing him a stint behind bars.

Hampshire Police were first alerted to Fletcher-Wells after an indecent picture of a teenage boy was uploaded to an Instagram account dubbed Little.Gays in June 2020.

After matching the phone number and IP address linked to the account with Fletcher-Wells, police visited his shared flat in Staple Gardens and found him locked in his bedroom, where officers seized an iPhone 6, Samsung phone and a USB adaptor.

A search of the Samsung phone revealed three indecent images of children under Category A, eleven under Category B and 60 under Category C. The court heard the images were mostly of teenage boys but did feature the odd image of a girl.

He refused to comment while being interviewed by police but did hand over the pin to the phone, where among the pornographic images they also found selfies of Fletcher-Wells and his family.

The court heard from the prosecution that he was previously known to police and was cautioned for two sexual offences, which included possessing indecent images of children, between the ages of 12 and 14.

He subsequently spent a lot of his teenage years in foster care, with his defence barrister, Chloe Jay, remarking that his case worker believed he was himself abused as a child - something Fletcher-Wells said he didnt have any memory of.

Speaking on behalf of Fletcher-Wells, she said: He was very keen to admit what he has done and entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity. He wants to work with probation and is very alive to the fact that his behaviour must change, and that there is a lot of work to be done.

Sentencing Fletcher-Wells on Wednesday, April 13, judge Susan Evans QC said she was conscious of his low IQ and the fact he attended a special educational needs school when he was younger.

A psychiatric report submitted to the court also indicated it is likely he be autistic, which she said could make him potentially extremely vulnerable in custody.

She added: Although you had images in your possession which fall under Category A, the number of images you had was very few, and the ages of the children involved were older than the court usually sees.

I am more concerned about the fact you were cautioned when you were 14 for a similar offence, which should have been the signal that this sort of behaviour is not acceptable.

What you need to understand is the children in these photographs are real, they are victims who are being harmed, exploited and emotionally damaged by the people making them. By downloading these pictures, you are the market which drives this sort of abuse.

Fletcher-Wells was handed a three-year community order and told he must attend a sexual harm prevention course of the courts choosing.

Hell also have to engage in 45 days of rehabilitation activity and pay a fine of 100 within 28 days.

A deprivation order was made for the destruction of the phone, with Fletcher-Wells, who was allowed to remain seated during the sentencing, told he was barred from using devices including a mobile phone or computer for a period of five years, with the exclusion of work-related activity. His name has been added to the sex offenders register.

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An "obsessed" paedophile who forced his victims to eat raw meat from pigs' heads has been released from prison. Colin Cooper was jailed for 18 years in July 2011 but is free after serving just over ten years. Today the father of one of his victims said: "When I had the phone call from the Probation Board I wanted to scream. My daughter is safe, but there are other children out there who are not. In my opinion he should never be released."

Cooper, who is now 72, - formerly known, as Alan Makinson - would force his victims to eat raw meat from pigs' heads when they tried to avoid his clutches. Manchester Crown Court heard his homes in Hattersley and Wythenshawe were a "magnet for children' - who is was 'utterly obsessed' with molesting in bizarre ways.

Youngsters with learning difficulties were lured into playing in his garden and plied with treats before being forced perform sex acts on with each other and him. He tried to buy their silence with trinkets and small amounts of cash. When they attempted to escape he would lock them in rooms, block their way with his pet Alsatians, and make them eat the meat he fed them as punishment.

Cooper, of Sylvester Close, Hattersley, was jailed for 18 years at Manchester Crown Court in 2011 after being found guilty of abusing eight youngsters between 1984 and 2002, at addresses in Wythenshawe and Tameside, at an earlier trial. He had been jailed for just three years in 1986 after admitting a string of child sex crimes, including rape. He changed his name, moved address, and continued to prey on vulnerable youngsters.

The father of the victim, who was one of the eight youngsters he abused between 1984 and 2002, said: "In a way she has suffered far more than him over the last ten years. She has had four years of therapy, and has had mental health issues which has led to dropping out of school, self harming, trying to take her own life and becoming homeless for a while. She had to give evidence at the trial by video."

"I did ask the Probation Board for Cooper's new name and address but they would not give it me. There words were 'he has rights and we have to protect him'. I am not the kind of person who would be a vigilante, I just want to protect my daughter. Her first words when she knew he was out were 'he will do it again'.

"My daughter is surviving, but it is a slow process. She is scared to go out at the moment, now that he has been released. He is a serial offender and should not be out."

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson confirmed today that Cooper had been released under licence.

At court in 2011, Alaric Bassano, prosecuting, told the sentencing hearing how his victims 'were plagued by flashbacks, had battled feelings of depression and guilt, struggled to trust others, and had their chances spoilt by disrupted education. One told police, 'my life has been miserable., while another said, he has wrecked my life.

Cooper was arrested in March 2009 after a man, in his thirties, told police how he had abused 25 years earlier, and the police investigation unearthed the other victims, who had been suffering in silence. After his sentencing Detective Constable Grace Hulse, of the South Manchester Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: "It is only down to the bravery of his victims that we are able to put this man where he belongs behind bars. I believe today's sentence demonstrates that we take allegations of sexual abuse extremely seriously and will investigate thoroughly, no matter how long ago the offences occurred."

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A transgender father of two awaiting gender reassignment surgery has been jailed in a male prison for three years after being exposed as a paedophile.

Britnee Aitken, 47, will have her treatment delayed after two girls said she molested them ten years ago when she identified as a truck recovery driver called Marcus.

One of the victims, then six, said she targeted them under the guise of offering to play board games.

They said she poked her genitals through a letter box when they knocked at the front door.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Aitken appeared in the dock wearing a low cut woman's blouse and sporting makeup and long red hair.

She was referred to as 'she' and 'her' during the hearing that saw her convicted of three charges of sexual assault and one of exposure.

She was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for life. She denied any wrongdoing. The Ministry of Justice told MailOnline she will go to a men's prison.

The sexual offences occurred after Aitken, from Rochdale, went public about a bizarre legal battle over a 30 fine imposed by police in 2008 for playing her Riverdance CD too loudly inside her car.

Identifying at the time as Marcus she had refused to pay the fine, and in the months after she was pestered by demand letters and received six visits from bailiffs to her home and the debt eventually rose to 270 because of administration costs.

She said the bailiffs demanded entry at 7.30am and shouted threats through the letterbox while she was inside with her then girlfriend and their two sons.

In 2008 a judge quashed the fine on appeal. The court heard the offences against the girls occurred between July and September 2012 when they visited his home.

Mr Ben Berkson prosecuting said: 'The defendant was then known as Marcus Aitken and the girls were five or six years old at the time.'

In a statement one of the victims said: 'I suffer flashbacks due to the abuse and I get angry when I contemplate and think about what this person did to me.

'What happened has affected my ability to form and maintain relationships with friends and family and the abuse has caused me to struggle with anxiety and anger management. I am concerned about these things will impact my life going forward.'

itken who was charged in 2020 had no previous convictions but had accepted a caution in 2012 for having an illicit 'upskirt' video of another little girl aged seven.

In mitigation defence counsel Adam Roxborough said: 'These offences occurred over a short period ten years ago and there is no suggestion of any repeat offending since.

'During that time Miss Aitken has maintained a good work ethic as a recovery truck driver and led a decent life.

'She has fragile mental health and given her sexuality, she has suffered abuse on a regular basis. It is for her a daily issue.

'That, she hopes, would come to an end to an extent when she is able to have gender reassignment surgery and her plans for that were moving ahead for this year. Of course any custodial sentence would put that progress back considerably.

'She has to be punished but the question is whether that punishment should effectively cause such damage to her notwithstanding the damage she has caused to others.

'She still does not recognised her guilt but a sentence of imprisonment could be suspended. It must be a difficult life for her to lead at the moment..'

Sentencing Judge John Edwards told Aitken: 'I bear in mind the difficulties you may encounter in a custodial environment but this offending was sustained, predatory and very distressing for these girls.

'It has had a significant emotional impact on one of them, she being vulnerable and impressionable courtesy of her age.

'You presented as an almost avuncular figure, happy on the surface to indulge those children with games, when your true motives were more sinister.

'You crossed a very clear boundary in order to indulge your attractions. Your caution plainly displays an interest in young children.'

Aitken was also ordered to abide by a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will bar her from 'loitering' near schools or children's play areas.

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A man who groomed a teenage girl by plying her with alcohol has been jailed. Jordan Robinson, 21, met the girl at the park before he began inviting her and her friends back to a flat in Manchester.

He plied them with alcohol, namely vodka, Minshull Street Crown Court heard. The girl, 13, then began visiting the flat alone where Robinson continued giving her alcohol with the intent to commit a sexual offence.

Following a trial, he was found guilty of being an adult meeting a child following grooming, and was acquitted of an offence of rape and supplying cannabis. On Thursday (March 17) he was jailed for two years.

The court heard that the girl was having problems at home when she met Robinson, then 19, in the park. He befriended her and the group she was with and invited them back to a flat in Manchester, which he had essentially moved into in Autumn 2019.

The flat operated as a free house for the children in that it gave them a space to congregate away from parental eyes and to drink alcohol, prosecutor Jon Close said. The victim drank vodka that was provided by the defendant and was attending the address 2-3 times per week initially with her other friends, but then, at his invitation, she began to visit alone again 2-3 times per week.

Robinson continued providing her with alcohol to the extent that she needed a period of hours to sober up before she went home due to her being in a heavy state of intoxication. By virtue of the jurys verdict, Robinson intended to commit a sexual offence.

During the trial, jurors heard evidence of a friend finding the girl intoxicated or having consumed cannabis, in Robinsons company and in a state of undress. In a victim personal statement, the girl said that her life had been ruined and everything had been taken from her'. She said she was shaken up and said that her childhood had been taken away from her.

Robinson was said to have no previous convictions. Mitigating, Mark Fireman said that although his client was 19, he was a young 19 and had problems of his own. He perhaps wasnt behaving in a manner a 19-year-old would behave, he said.

He was diagnosed with ADHD, and is somebody with particular difficulties. He chose to spend lots of his time with people younger than himself. Mr Fireman added that his client started drinking alcohol and was perhaps not used to it.

Sentencing, Recorder Michael Hayton QC said: You chose to associate with them, on the conviction of the jury, for the purpose that it was for some sexual gratification of some sort in the future. Whatever rights and wrongs, your behaviour had an enormous impact on a young girl.

It is very clear she will be scarred by your actions for many years to come, perhaps throughout her life. What you were doing with these young girls was attempting to engage in sexual gratification in the future.

Having heard your evidence, it is quite clear you are capable of manipulating the facts and circumstances. You suggested you were offering friendship and care to those who came to the flat in their early teens, who were plied with drink by you. I feel I am not able to do anything other than impose a sentence of immediate imprisonment.

Robinson, of Haddon Green, was jailed for two years, made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years, and must sign onto the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.