Latest Offenders Crawley

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A paedophile destroyed the life of a young girl he molested.

Robert Hird, 35, targeted the girl who was under 13 on two separate occasions in Crawley.

The first instance was when she was just seven years old, while the second happened in his van this year.

Judge Jeremy Gold KC said Hirds actions had left a catastrophic impact on the girl's life.

Hird cowered with his head down in the dock as details were read out of the "terrifying" ordeal he subjected her to.

A statement read out on behalf of the girls mother said she was constantly reminded of the incidents and her attendance had dropped at school.

Ryan Richter, prosecuting, said: There has been a significant change in her behaviour. I can only describe her as destroyed by it, she is barely sleeping anymore. She gets flashbacks of going past the place he took her.

Before the incident, she was very sociable, she was always going out with friends. She tried to go out with friends after the incident but thought she saw him and froze in fear, she does not go out anymore. She is constantly reminded of it.

Her brain is in complete turmoil, she has started having angry outbursts. It has changed everything about her life and personality. Her quality of life has been sucked out of her. She is so sad constantly.

The girl wrote in a victim impact statement read out in court that she has flashbacks and her main emotion now is anger and being moody.

Andrew Forsyth, defending, said Hird struggled with alcohol and cocaine addiction.

Hird, of no fixed address, had nine convictions for 16 different offences which were mostly low-level violent crimes.

Judge Gold sentenced Hird to seven years in prison, although this was reduced to four years and eight months due to his early guilty plea. Hird will also serve six years on licence and will be a registered sex offender for life.

For the first offence, Hird was given a two-year sentence to run concurrently. He pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl under 13.

Judge Gold said: I am prepared to accept that you are disgusted by your behaviour. I hope you have some understanding of the catastrophic impact it has had on this girl. It must have been an absolutely terrifying experience.

Hird was sentenced on Monday, April 29.

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Crawley man William Mousdell has been jailed for almost three years after being found with thousands of indecent images of children.

Mousdell, 49, of Beeches Crescent in Crawley, was arrested at his home on 14 December, 2022, after police linked his address to the uploading of indecent images of children to the internet.

Several devices were seized and found to contain thousands of indecent images of children, including hundreds of the most serious, Category A, moving and still images.

Some of the images were non-sexual pictures of children known to him, which had been edited to appear to show sexual and violent acts.

Mousdell was subsequently charged with, and convicted of, three counts of making or possessing indecent images of children.

At Lewes Crown Court on 28 March, 2024, Mousdell was jailed for 31 months, given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register and given multiple Restraining Orders.

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A paedophile found in possession of cocaine tried to hide a mobile phone from police who attended his address in Crawley.

Jonathan Price downloaded multiple indecent images onto his phones.

He was initially arrested, and strict bail conditions were imposed so digital forensic work could be completed. But while on bail he continued to download and distribute sexual images of children.

The 35-year-old also downloaded extreme pornographic images. When officers went to arrest him again for new offences, he tried to hide a mobile phone and resisted arrest.

At interview he claimed that the phones belonged to friends, despite evidence which showed his direct use of the devices.

Police were able to also show how he had attempted to engage in sexual communication with children online.

Price, formerly a motor mechanic of an address in the Tilgate area of Crawley, eventually pleaded guilty to all 16 offences and at Lewes Crown Court on March 28 he was sentenced to four and half years in prison.

The court was told how Price was first arrested in December 2022, and found to be in possession of indecent images of children, extreme pornography, and cocaine.

While on bail for those offences, officers received further information that he was continuing to view and distribute paedophilic images of children.

So Price was arrested again in August 2023 and remanded to prison pending court proceedings.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Sophie Alderson said: “Price was initially arrested and strict bail conditions were imposed while digital forensic work was undertaken.

"But he continued to possess and download appalling images of child sexual abuse. When officers arrested him on the second occasion, he was found intoxicated on cocaine and he fought to prevent officers from seizing his new mobile phone.

"In his interviews, he concocted bizarre claims about the devices that he was clearly using. He blamed fictitious acquaintances and claimed he was being threatened to hold onto devices for other paedophiles.

"Our evidence showed he had downloaded indecent images and also showed his personal use of the phones, which included having his personal contacts saved as well as having access to his own personal accounts.

"Possession of and downloading indecent images causes huge harm to those shown in the images and downloading them continues the appalling trade in these indecent images. This case shows we are determined to prevent these offences and to stop offenders from causing further harm to children.”

In total, Price was convicted of six counts of distributing indecent images of a children of all categories, two counts of possession of extreme pornographic images depicting sex with animals, three counts of making indecent images of children, three counts of attempting to communicate with children under the age of 16 for sexual gratification, and two counts of possession of cocaine.

The Sexual Harm Prevention Order forbids Price from owning electronic devices, mobile phones and computer devices without police permission. He is not allowed to have a social media account except in his own name and with prior police permission, and he is not allowed to use social media apps which use live streaming. Any computer equipment must have monitoring software installed and passwords and usernames must be given to the police before he can access them.

The order also requires him to inform parents and guardians of children before he is allowed to be in contact with them. He is now also a registered sex offender.

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A man who sexually abused a young boy in the 1980s and moved to Sweden has been jailed after an international investigation spanning 13 years.

Glenn Langrish, aka Glenn Stephens, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with another three to be spent on licence, at Hove Crown Court on Friday (2 February) for multiple child sex offences.

Langrish, 74, worked at a lawnmower repair shop in Crawley called ReeEven Hire during the 1980s.

In 1983, Langrish began communicating with a 10-year-old boy called Stephen Lewsey over a shortwave radio.

Eventually the pair arranged to meet, and Stephen began working regular weekends at the hire shop with Langrish.

Over the next several years, Langrish sexually assaulted Stephen every time he worked at the shop and when he was giving him a lift home.

The abuse stopped in 1989 when Langrish was jailed for unrelated child sex offences. On his release in 1994, he moved to Sweden and changed his name to Glenn Stephens.

Stephen, who is now 51, reported the abuse to Sussex Police in 2011 and an international search began for Langrish.

In 2016, Interpol discovered he was living in Vendelso, Sweden, with Swedish citizenship. He was interviewed by Swedish police, but as a Swedish citizen was protected from extradition back to the United Kingdom.

An international warrant was issued for his arrest should he leave Sweden and, in May 2023, Sussex Police were alerted by the National Crime Agency that Langrish was in Poland.

He was brought back from Poland by the Metropolitan Police’s extradition team on 5 July, 2023, and taken into custody at Heathrow Airport the same day.

Langrish was subsequently charged with four counts of indecency with a child and four counts of indecent assault on a child

He was found guilty on all counts at Chichester Crown Court.

At Hove Crown Court on Friday, 2 February, he was told he must serve a minimum of nine years and eight months of his custodial sentence before he is eligible for parole.

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A gardener who raped two girls has been jailed for 16 years.

John Gosling’s “appalling abuse” on the two girls included raping them as well as other sexual abuse.

Gosling, from Grange Close in Three Bridges, was convicted for 11 offences at Lewes Crown Court on September 14.

The offences, which dated in the late 2000s and late 2010s, included raping a girl under the age of 13 and raping a girl between the ages of 13 and 15.

The court was told how the victims, who are not known to each other, came forward and disclosed the sexual abuse they had been subjected to.

Gosling was told he will have to serve a minimum of ten and a half years before he can be considered for parole.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was also imposed, which restricts his access to children, and he will be a registered sex offender for life.

His 11 convictions included assaulting a girl under the age of 13 by penetration, two counts of assaulting a girl aged 13 to 15 by penetration, and charges of attempting to engage girls aged 13 to 15 in both penetrative and non-penetrative sexual activity.

Detective Constable Angela Harvey from the Brighton Safeguarding Investigations Unit, said: “Gosling committed appalling abuse which has had a lasting impact on the lives of the two girls involved.

“I would like to praise them for the courage they showed to come forward and report their experiences to the police.

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A predator who raped a teenage girl after she had been assaulted has been jailed.

Sol Barrett took a girl, who had been assaulted in a separate incident, back to his own home and raped her.

The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she woke up at Barrett’s address the next morning and did not know who he was.

She sustained injuries from a separate assault the previous night on June 17, 2022, which were so serious that she had to attend hospital.

However, upon finding her, Barrett, 24, from Halley Close, Crawley, took her back to his address where he committed the rape.

Six months later, the mother of another girl, who also cannot be identified for legal reasons, reported concerns that her daughter was being groomed by Barrett on social messaging app Snapchat.

Barrett had lied about his age in messages exchanged on the platform, while the victim had informed him of her age.

Appearing in Lewes Crown Court on August 7, he pleaded guilty and has been jailed for seven years and two months for rape and six months for three counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a child.

The sentences are consecutive and will be on licence for a total of 14 years.

Barrett will also be a registered sex offender for life and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 15 years.

Speaking after the case, investigating officer Detective Sergeant Ellen Jones said: “The victims in this case showed tremendous courage to come forward and report what had happened. They received support from specifically trained officers.

“Barrett is a predator who targeted young teenage girls, but thanks to the strength of the victims and from our thorough investigation he had no choice other than to plead guilty in the face of the evidence against him.

“This case demonstrates our determination to get justice for victims and ensure that a dangerous offender is behind bars.”

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A sex offender who pretended to be a police officer and kidnapped a girl has been convicted.

David Young, 33, wore a high-vis jacket and used a fake police badge to lure a 14-year-old to a secluded area in Crawley in October 2021.

After searching the girls bag, coat and blazer, Young let her leave - but after being spotted the next day he was found with latex gloves, lubricant and a packet of condoms.

Following a trial at Lewes Crown Court, Young was found guilty of committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence.

Jayne Cioffi, senior crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: This was clearly a traumatic experience for a young girl on her way to school.

David Young went to great lengths to make himself look to the untrained eye like a police officer, so that he could lure a child away for his own depraved needs.

A convicted sexual offender, he was already prohibited by law from approaching any children, such was the danger he was considered to pose to them.

We understand the trauma felt by the victim and commend her bravery in supporting this prosecution. I hope this guilty verdict provides some comfort to her and her family.

Following the incident, the girl and her mother alerted the police and later spotted the man on his bike the next day.

Young later was involved in a collision with a car but continued to cycle up the road before disposing of the gloves, lubricant and condoms.

After he was arrested, police linked the condoms and lubricant to Young via DNA evidence and also found plastic handcuffs and a stab vest.

He also had LED light on his bike which looked similar to a police siren.

Young previously pleaded guilty to kidnapping and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. The order was imposed after he was found guilty of rape and other sexual offences in 2012.

He is due to be sentenced on May 12 at a court yet to be determined.

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Roger Robinson, 69, of Beachy Road, Crawley, was sentenced on Monday after he was found guilty in April of 14 counts of rape and four counts of indecent assault against the five or six year old.

The crimes were committed over many years in his home and in vehicles parked in secluded places around the Crawley area.

Her Honour judge Shani Barnes described Robinsons crimes as a campaign of rape that represented the grossest breach of trust.

She described the former transport driver as a predator who enjoyed the power he had over the girl.

Robinson was sentenced to a 22-year sentence, including 18 years in prison and four years on an extended-licence period.

The judge added the four extra years on his licence after concluding he passed a legal test of dangerousness which is a sentencing option reserved for the most serious offenders.

It means Robinson is not entitled to be released half way through his custodial sentence, and instead will serve a minimum of two-thirds of the sentence in prison before he can be considered eligible for parole.

The judge also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which restricts Robinsons access to children when he is released.

The jury returned a not guilty verdict on one count of rape at the trial in April.

Detective constable Dani Flude of the West Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit said: "The victim in this case went through a traumatic experience over several years, as Robinson systematically groomed and exploited her for his own sexual gratification.

"His offending continued into adulthood. We sensitively investigated this case and arrested Robinson, and it became clear that he had assaulted her on many occasions over many years, both at his home and in vehicles parked in secluded areas in the Crawley area.

"I applaud her bravery in coming forward and supporting us through a lengthy investigation, and finally giving evidence in front of a jury.

"We recognise how traumatic this experience has been and we worked with her to ensure her access to advice and support from specialist officers and independent agencies.

"This case demonstrates once again that justice can be achieved many years after offences have taken place."

If you or anyone you know has been subject to sexual offences you can contact the police at any time and arrange to talk in confidence to experienced investigators.

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A MAN has been jailed for attempting to sexually assault a woman in her 70s.

Kaspars Grikis has been a registered sex offender for five years since sexually assaulting four women in a supermarket in Crawley in 2020.

The 38-year-old admitted the attempted sexual touching of the elderly woman near his home on July 22 this year.

Crawley Magistrates Court heard that he had approached the woman, who he didnt know, and tried to engage her in conversation. He then touched and attempted to kiss her.

She resisted and police were informed.

Grikis, of Clappers Gate, Crawley, was given a 12-month prison sentence and will be on the sex offenders' register for another five years.

He was also given a restraining order to last until further notice, prohibiting him from any contact with the woman.

Police Constable Mat Wyatt said: "Grikis has already been a registered sex offender for five years following his conviction in June 2020 for sexual assaults on four women at a supermarket in Crawley.

The new five-year requirement imposed on August 2 will make him subject to our supervision for a total of ten years from 2020.

"When the incident was reported in July we took prompt action to protect the victim by ensuring this persistent offender was brought back before the court, who have now given him the maximum custodial sentence for this offending, taking him off the streets, and imposing further restrictions on his conduct."

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A vile predator who posed as a police officer to rape two women has been jailed for 14 years.

Pawel Pazola, 51, used an imitation gun to threaten the Brazilian women - both in their 20s - with deportation and arrest.

A court heard the pervert arranged sexual services with both victims via an escort website but, after threatening them, he forced both into "sexual acts that went beyond their agreement".

But both sex workers showed great "bravery and courage" to report the offences and, through phone work, Met Police were able to identify Pazola and arrest him, His home address and car were searched.

He was locked up for 14 years on Friday at Wood Green Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of two counts of rape, one count of robbery, one count of impersonating a police officer and one count of possession of an imitation firearm.

The court heard Pazola met the first victim at a flat in Camden, north London, in August last year.

He forced her to engage in sexual acts that went beyond their agreement, Met Police said.

The woman later posted about the ordeal on a WhatsApp group chat for other Brazilian sex workers, where another member of the group said she had a similar experience, just two weeks after the initial north London attack.

Pazola again arranged to meet with a woman, this time at a property in Westminster, central London.

He forced her into sexual acts she hadn't consented to.

During both attacks, the defendant claimed to a police officer, produced a fake police badge and replica handgun, and also stole back money he had paid to the victims for their services.

The yob also stole further money from the second victim.

Pazola, of Crawley, West Sussex, was later arrested on Sunday August 30, 2020.

Detective Sergeant Sam Lockstone, who led the investigation, said: "Pazola is a highly dangerous predator who sought to take advantage of the victims’ perceived vulnerabilities for his own gratification and monetary gain.

"I would like to praise the victims for showing such bravery and courage throughout this investigation and during the trial. I am especially pleased that our supportive response to the first victim encouraged the second victim to come forward.

“The Met’s response to sex work has not changed; our priority remains addressing vulnerability and exploitation linked to on-street, off-street and online sex work.

“Our approach is not to criminalise the sex workers involved but to safeguard and support them, and build mutual trust and confidence to encourage the sharing of information to improve safety.

"I hope that this sentence demonstrates the Met’s commitment to tackling crimes against sex workers, and violence against women and girls in whatever form it may take."

A spokesperson from the charity Rehab UK, said: "The survivor faced multiple barriers in disclosing the crimes committed against her; fear of facing stigma and prejudice around whether she’d be believed, mistrust in figures of authority, a language barrier and concern surrounding her immigration status.

“Our role as an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor was to provide practical, confidential and compassionate support to help her overcome those barriers.

"She was able to find a way through difficulties and uncertainty, explore her options, and access opportunities to pursue criminal justice.

"Both women showed remarkable courage and resilience to report and follow the criminal justice process."

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A TEENAGER has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison for sex offences against children as young as 11.

Oliver Sturman, 19, formerly of Knighton Close, Crawley, committed offences including incitement to sexual activity and making and possession of indecent images of children.

Sturman pleaded guilty to seven offences of inciting an 11-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity and one offence of causing a child to watch a sexual act on a webcam.

He also pleaded guilty to four similar offences in relation to another girl aged 12, both of whom live outside Sussex.

A guilty plea was also entered for ten offences of taking and possessing indecent images of other girls using a webcam.

He was also sentenced after admitting sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl and causing/inciting the same victim to have sexual activity by penetration.

Detective Constable Chris Smith, of the paedophile online investigation team (POLIT) of Sussex Police, said: It became clear that he had for some time been systematically approaching teenage girls online and coercing them into performing indecent acts for his enjoyment and sexual gratification, threatening to tell their friends if they refused to co-operate.

However this behaviour came to our notice, and we moved swiftly to arrest him and put a stop to his vicious and unpleasant activities.

After his arrest and bail in May last year, Sturman moved to Newton Road in Southampton.

While living in Hampshire he also incited girls under 16 to engage in sexual activity. He pleaded guilty to the offence in court.

His victims were all contacted online and received indecent messages aimed or sent with the intention of facilitating sexual activity.

Sturman appeared at Southampton Crown Court on January 9 and was sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment, with a further four and a half years to be served on extended release licence.

He was also required to register as a sex offender for life and was given a Sexual Offence Prevention Order (SOPO) for 12 years severely restricting his access to young girls and computers.

He also admitted sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl, and causing/inciting the same victim to have sexual activity by penetration.

Both offences were committed in Nottinghamshire, while he was on bail after he had moved to Southampton.

DC Smith added: When we arrested him and seized his computer we found evidence of all the other offending.

This case serves as a further reminder to parents and teenage children that great care needs to be taken in making contacts online.

For more information on keeping young people safe online, visit sussex.police.uk and search computers and the internet.