Latest Offenders Derby

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David Twiname, 74, of Wingfield Road, Alfreton was charged with 28 sexual offences, including multiple rape charges, many of which relate to children under the age of 16. The first of the offences date back to the 1970s.

He appeared at Derby Crown Court in September 2021 after denying 10 counts of rape, five of which related to a child under the age of 16, and five counts of indecent assault.

Twiname was bailed pending a trial and a jury found him guilty on all counts in February 2022.

He had previously admitted several other offences including the indecent assault of another child under the age of 16, extreme animal pornography and sexual offences with a dog – the most recent of which happened in 2019.

He was sentenced to 31 years’ imprisonment at court today (Thursday 13 October).

Twiname’s wife, Judith Button, 59, was handed a two-year sentence suspended for a period of 21 months and given rehabilitation and community service orders.

Button, also of Wingfield Road, Alfreton had previously admitted charges of two sexual offences relating to children dating back thirty years and two charges relating to sex with a dog, between 1987 and 2004.

A second woman, Antoinette Holroyd, 78, of Alfreton Road, Underwood had also admitted indecently assaulting a boy under 16 and received a 21-month sentence suspended for a period of 21 months, and a rehabilitation order.

Both Button and Holroyd have been added to the sex offenders register for a period of 10 years.

Detective Sergeant, Dan Saunby said:

“The was an extremely complex case which spanned decades and impacted the lives of all those affected, some of whom were just children at the time of the offences.

“I would like to thank the survivors involved for their bravery and stoicism over the last few years, and whilst nothing can ever undo the harm that Twiname, Button and Holdroyd caused – I really do hope that today’s sentencing will allow them to move forward with their lives.

“Twiname is not only a paedophile, he is also a master manipulator who encouraged others to partake in his depraved fantasies. In denying several of the charges he prolonged the suffering of those he abused by forcing them to endure a trial. Thankfully the jury saw through his web of lies and found him guilty.

“To anyone reading this who may have also suffered sexual assault or abuse, whether now or in the past, please do speak to someone. There is help available, whether you wish to involve the police or not.

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A former canoe instructor from North West Leicestershire has today (Friday) been found guilty of non-recent indecency offences on young boys.

Michael James Hudson worked as a canoe instructor in North West Leicestershire between from the 1970s into the 2010s.

In 2020 the force received a report from man reporting he had been indecently assaulted on a number of occasions by Hudson when he was a teenager.

That investigation then led officers to contact another victim, who did report the offences against him to a third party in 2017 however wasn’t able to support the investigation at the time.

Following contact from officers he too agreed to support the case and provide evidence against Hudson.

After a lengthy investigation Hudson was charged with 10 counts of indecent assault on boys under the age of 16.

Today 81-year-old Hudson of Sycamore Drive, Moira, admitted his involvement in all the offences and was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison. 

Detective Sergeant Anna Blockley from the force’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit (CAIU), said: “We are pleased Hudson has now been found guilty of the offences.

“This was in no way easy for the victims and has been a deeply traumatic time for them.  I applaud their courage in coming forward.  I hope this outcome will now help them move on with their lives and reassure them that their concerns were taken seriously, no matter how long ago the offences occurred.

“Hudson was an instructor at various canoe clubs in North West Leicestershire between the 1970s and 2010s.  We strongly believe there may be other victims of Hudson out there who for whatever reason haven’t come forward and reported the offences. 

“If this is you then we encourage you to come forward.  Please be assured your report will be dealt with by specialist officers who will support and guide you throughout the process.”

The Child Abuse Investigation Unit historic crimes team deal with all non-recent reports where the offences have occurred against children.  A dedicated team of officers help and support victims, and also liaise with partner agencies to ensure that support continues even after the case has been dealt with.

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A Derbyshire pensioner and registered sex offender who paid to live stream the sexual abuse of children has been jailed.

David Stevenson, 70, from Chaddesden, was arrested by National Crime Agency officers in May 2020 after an investigation revealed he paid individuals in the Philippines and Ghana to carry out child sexual abuse.

These included a 32-year-old Filipino woman who was arrested in February 2020 for the production and possession of indecent images of two children, aged six months and 10 years.

She advertised live streamed abuse online and was linked to a video showing a prepubescent girl performing sex acts.

NCA investigators seized three devices after arresting Stevenson, and established that he’d made more than 200 payments totalling £5,500 between February 2018 and May 2020.

When interviewed, he claimed he had only been engaging with adult women - predominantly in the Philippines but also in Africa – and denied any interaction with children.

He was released under investigation while the devices were forensically examined.

Officers found 71 indecent images of children (IIOC) in categories A-C (A being the most severe), with evidence Stevenson had searched for terms such as ‘nude Filipino schoolgirls’ and ‘young petite sweeties’. He had also visited sites called ‘teen sex galleries’, ‘young teen strip’ and ‘African teen’.

Stevenson also made sexually explicit comments about young girls during a chat with another user on a messaging service.

In a further interview, he admitted regularly forwarding money via international transfer to women in the Philippines and that he had been in an online relationship with a woman there for the past 17 months.

He admitted paying the 32-year-old Filipino woman, who he described as a sex worker, but denied viewing any child sexual abuse material.

He also admitted using the search terms but claimed that the sites were largely fantasy, and implied that many of them contained images of adults purporting to be children.

In January 2018 Stevenson was convicted of engaging in sexual communication with a child, for which he was also given a seven-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a six-year Sex Offender Notification Requirement.

There is evidence that he deleted files from one of the devices examined by NCA investigators following his arrest in 2020, which was a breach of the SHPO.

Stevenson was charged with six counts of making IIOC, one count of possessing IIOC and one count of breaching his SHPO. He pleaded guilty to all the charges at Derby Magistrates’ Court on 28 April this year, and was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment and given a seven-year SHPO at Derby Crown Court today (26 September).

NCA Operations Manager Graham Ellis said: “Stevenson was under the illusion that he could sit at home and view abuse of children thousands of miles away, for his own pleasure, without fear of being caught.

“Those engaged in live-streaming child sexual abuse are exploiting vulnerable victims, and present a grave risk to children wherever they are.

“The Philippines remains a hub for this type of offending. The NCA works closely with law enforcement partners there to identify and pursue those responsible for facilitating abuse, and to protect victims.”

The NCA collaborates with the Philippine Internet Crimes Against Children Centre to help combat this type of offending.

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A university student from Derbyshire violently raped a woman and left her fearing she would die at his hands. Derby Crown Court heard how Matthew Brown head-butted, punched and then choked the victim unconscious as he sexually and physically attacked her.

The 27-year-old then denied what he had done, which forced the brave victim to come to court and relive her ordeal by giving evidence in the witness box. But after hearing both sides of the story the jury found the Ashbourne man guilty of three counts of rape.

Jailing him for 16 years, Recorder Jason Macadam said: “You violently attacked and sexually assaulted (the victim) in a number of ways. The jury were sure the account given by the victim was a true account - that violence was meted out when you carried out this sex attack.

“(In your pre-sentence report) you still sought to minimise your assault, accepting that sexual activity took place and that (during it) you were violent towards your victim.

“Mr Wilson (his barrister) tells me that you feel awful about what you did but you could have spared the victim the ordeal (of giving evidence). You did not, you had a trial and during it you ran an entirely different account which did not accept culpability for the crime you committed.“(The victim's) account of what happened was horrific. She said you raped her in a number of ways and during it you assaulted, headbutted and punched her.

“She said you choked her to the point of unconsciousness, she said she believed she would not escape and that you would kill her. I have described her as stoical and she has to be congratulated that this has not had greater consequences on her.

“I found you to be quite deliberately dishonest when you gave your account to the jury. You present a threat of risk or harm to females.”

A trial earlier this year was told that the rape took place at a house in Derbyshire. Prosecutor Jonathan Dee said during it the victim was raped in a number of ways and also assaulted while she was being sexually attacked.

He said: “It was a prolonged and sustained incident and there was violence. She (the victim) is not present in court but I have spoken to her family (who were in court) and they tell me she is getting on with her life but she is understandably very concerned about being alone at night.”

Having heard all of the evidence a jury found Brown, of Shirley Common, Shirley, guilty of three counts of rape.

Roger Wilson, mitigating, said his client “has hope of rehabilitation” when he is released from his prison sentence.

He said: “He was a university student at the time, he was studying medicine and pharmacology at the University of Nottingham. He feels awful about what he did, he regrets it and feels bad about his behaviour. The victim is obviously getting on with her life and he hopes she has not been scarred hugely by this.”

The 16-year sentence is made up of 12 years plus a four-year extended licence. It means Brown will be eligible to apply for parole two thirds of the way through the custodial element - that is to say eight years into his sentence. He was also handed a lifetime sexual harm prevention order and will be on the sex offender register for life.

To protect the anonymity of the victim, comments have been disabled on this story.

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This Derby pervert groomed an autistic underage girl, telling her he would marry her and promising to buy her a ring, just so she would send him explicit photographs of herself. Derby Crown Court heard how Grant Woodcock kept the pictures she sent in a folder called 'Princess" while she called him 'Daddy" in the messages they exchanged.

The 26-year-old, of Alvaston, also sent the teenager a disgusting image of himself over the internet and told her "yum, I love it" when she messaged him a photograph of her naked breasts. And when she asked him "pants on or off?" before sending another image, he replied "off".

Jailing him for two-and-a-half years, Judge Robert Egbuna highlighted some of the messages Woodcock and the teen exchanged. He said: "She asked you how old you were and you said 23. She told you she was 15 and asked you 'why do you like them young? and you replied 'I just do'.

"You called her 'Princess and she called you 'Daddy'. She told a friend at school she had a boyfriend who was 23 and sent you (explicit) images which you put in a file called 'Princess'. She asked you 'pants on or off' and you replied 'off'.

"She asked about you getting married and you replied that you would and she sent you photographs of engagement rings. You did not love or care for her you were in a settled relationship you had no intention of ending.

"She told you she was 'needy' and all of these messages are you toying with her emotions. In my view the messages are consistent with you grooming a child, the whole intention was was to entice her to send you explicit photos."

Sarah Slater, prosecuting, said the offences date back to May and June, 2019. She said the defendant and the victim befriended each other over a social media gaming site and began exchanging messages.

The prosecutor said these soon turned sexual and he asked her to send him sexual images of herself, which she did. Miss Slater said: "Derbyshire police were informed by Scottish police after statements were made by the girl's father and two friends that she (the victim) had disclosed she was talking to men online.

"She said pictures were exchanged, she sent pictures of her breasts and then he asked her to send him a picture of her touching herself. He spoke about them meeting up, he wanted her to come and meet him but she refused and said he could come up to see her and they could have sex in his car.

"He talked about them getting married and having children. He was arrested on August 23, 2019 and he said he had not been in conversation with the victim.

"His phone was seized and images were downloaded which showed seven that were confirmed to be of the victim. In one message she asks him to buy her an engagement ring and he says he will get her one.

"She tells him she is going for a shower and she sent him a photo of her feet. He told her he wants one of 'further up'."

Woodcock, of Coverdale Walk, pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He has no previous convictions.

Miss Slater read out part of a victim impact statement made by the girl. In it she said: "It is three years since the incidents, it was hard talking about it then and it is still hard talking about it now.

"I can't write all the ways this has affected me otherwise I would write a novel. I have horrific nightmares and wake in pain and crying most nights.

"Everyone in my (school) year found out and I was bullied and even seeing the name 'Grant' was upsetting. I don't think anyone really understood what I was going through."

Almas Ben-Aribia, mitigating, said her client has a partner and young son. She said: "He regrets his poor choices, he has worked as a doorman where he assisted the police and more recently he was working for JCB. He wants to set up his own business as a DJ performing at weddings and nightclubs.

"He is described in his references as 'loving, caring and supportive' and his best friend describes him as 'a soft loveable giant'. The stigma attached to this kind of offence cannot be understated."

As well as the jail sentence, Judge Egbuna handed Woodcock a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and made him sign on the sex offender register for life.

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A man who groped a woman and told her "I want to feel your f***y up" was found looking dishevelled and asking strangers for food at East Midlands Airport in the early hours of the morning. Abubaker Mubiru had only been bailed at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court hours before he was spotted in the departure lounge on Tuesday (August 16).

On that earlier occasion he had pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a total stranger when she was on a night out with friends in Derby city centre. The 27-year-old's sentencing date had been set for later this month and the defendant was released from custody.

But the same court was told that within hours he had broken his bail conditions. Peter Bettany, prosecuting, said: "He was released on bail and he was simply not wanted at his previous accommodation.

"And at 3.45am (on Tuesday, August 16), officers at East Midlands Airport were called over to the passenger departure board because somebody, this defendant, was acting in a strange way. This defendant was found asleep on a bench in the hall looking dishevelled having been asking people for food.

"He was not travelling (anywhere), gave his details to an officer and said he was wanted for breach of bail and so was arrested." Solicitor Nick Wenden, who just the day before had represented Mubira at his previous hearing, told the court: "He has refused to speak to me and the mental health team at all."

District Judge Andrew Meaching asked Mubiru: "I dealt with you yesterday and now you don't want to speak to him (Mr Wenden)?" The defendant replied: "Yeah."

The judge said: "The situation I find myself in is whether to put you into custody until the end of August (when Mubiru is due to be sentenced)." Mubiru replied: "No, thank you."

Judge Meachin said: "Would you like me to keep you in prison?" He replied: "No, thank you."

The judge asked: "Would you like to speak to your solicitor now?" The defendant said: "Yes please."

But after being given the opportunity to speak to Mr Wenden, the judge decided to remand Mubiru into custody. Monday's earlier hearing was told how on the evening of the offence, Mubiru walked over to the victim and told her "I want to feel your f***y up" before grabbing her crotch.

Freddie Sail, prosecuting, said the sexual offence took place in Friar Gate on May 28, this year. He said the victim was out with two friends and as they were walking down the street they saw Mubiru urinating against the wall of a public house. The prosecutor said: "The defendant then came over to the group and said to the victim 'I want to feel your f***y up' and used his left hand to touch her intimate area and squeezed it. She did not consent to him touching her intimate area and used some expletives and said she was going to call the police.

"He responded by getting in the face of one of her friends puffing his chest out. He was still urinating on the floor as he walked in her direction making the girls feel very uncomfortable and made a grab towards one of the friend's intimate areas." Mr Sail said the police arrived and arrested Mubira and took him into custody. He said: "There was one significant comment he made to the police when he asked them if there was any CCTV of the incident. When he was told there wasn't he said he was not going to say anything."

Mubira, of no fixed address but who is currently being housed by the local authority at a hotel in Derby city centre, pleaded guilty to sexual assault. The hearing was told he has seven previous convictions for 12 offences but nothing of a sexual nature. Mr Wenden, mitigating on Monday, said between the offence in May and this week's court hearing, his client had spent time in a secure unit having been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

He said: "He has nothing of a similar nature (on his criminal record) and it is quite out of character for him. He was drunk at the time and that is what caused him to act in this way and there has been no repeat of this kind of behaviour since."

Judge Meachin told the defendant he must sign on the sex offender register, the length of which will be determined at the sentencing hearing on August 31.

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A Derbyshire dad-of-two took his "flirtatious" behaviour too far when he sexually assaulted a colleague at the factory where they worked together. Derby Crown Court heard how Stuart Smith told the victim "I would do anything to get alone with you" before grabbing their hand and forcing it against his groin.

The 43-year-old then told them not to tell anyone "as we will both get into trouble". Handing him a three-month jail term, suspended for two years, Recorder Jason Macadam said: "Let's make no odds about it, you have worked in this industry for a long time, but it has never been acceptable to do what you did. In the old days you might have been quite rightly punched in the face and told where to go by some victim who might react that way.

"But all will be shocked and outraged and unchecked, your attitude would pose a sexual threat and it needs addressing."

Caroline Bradley, prosecuting said at the time of the offending Smith and the victim worked together at Loscoe Chilled Foods Ltd, in Heanor Road, Heanor, which calls itself one of the UKs largest manufacturers of meat products. She said the defendant became "flirtatious" with the complainant, telling them how attractive they looked and on one occasion pulling the victim towards himself and giving them a hug.

The prosecutor said: "(The victim) complained to their manager about his flirtatious behaviour. On one day he asked them to borrow a fob to gain access to a room telling them 'I will do anything to get alone with you' and they challenged him.

"He followed (the victim) out of the office asking if they were naughty, grabbing their hand and putting it against his (private parts). He then grabbed it himself and said 'look at this' then later saying 'you are not going to tell anyone are you because both of us will get into trouble'."

Mrs Bradley said the victim reported what had happened to their manager and an investigation began. She read out a victim impact statement in which the complainant told how they "felt sick and distressed and uncomfortable".

Smith, of Pear Tree Avenue, Ripley and who has no previous convictions of any kind, pleaded guilty to sexual assault against the victim, whose identity is protected by law. Sonal Ahya, mitigating, said her client has a partner of 16 years and they have two young children together.

She said at the time of the offence he was going through "a particularly difficult time in his life". Miss Ahya said: "In his pre-sentence report he tells how it was 'a factory thing' and 'banter'.

"His work is old school and (he) displayed attitudes that were incredibly outdated. He lost his job for 24 years because of this arrest and these proceedings."

As part of the suspended sentence, Recorder Macadam ordered Smith to attend a 43-day accredited program to address his offending. He also ordered him to attend 55 rehabilitation sessions with the probation service, to pay 250 prosecution costs and placed him on the sex offender register for seven years.

Derbyshire Live has contacted Loscoe Chilled Foods Ltd and is awaiting a response.

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Maxwell Shelbourne approached the woman in the early hours

A young man who sexually assaulted and tried to rape a woman as she was walking home in Langley Mill has been jailed. Maxwell Shelbourne, approached the woman in the early hours of Sunday, January 16 as she was walking along Cromford Road.

He stopped her and asked for a cigarette, then tried to hug and kiss her and despite her saying no, insisted he walked her home. He then tried to kiss her again, and despite the victim struggling, he sexually assaulted and tried to rape her.

A court heard they continued to struggle, and the woman managed to run home. She reported what happened to her the following day and Shelbourne was identified following a public appeal.

The 22-year-old was charged and remanded into custody after appearing at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court on in January. A trial took place at Derby Crown Court, and Shelbourne was jailed for five and a half years following sentencing on Friday, June 24.

Shelbourne, formerly of Alfreton Road, Underwood, Nottinghamshire, will also be on the sex offender register for life. He is also the subject of an indefinite restraining order to prevent him from contacting the victim.

Police praise victim's courage

Detective Constable Danielle Lynch of Derbyshire Police's Public Protection Unit was the officer in charge of the case. She said: Firstly Id like to thank the strength of the victim showed in coming forward and reporting this horrendous crime against her.

"She has shown incredible courage throughout the investigation and court process. We would also like to thank members of the public who supported this investigation by coming forward as part of our appeal as they really helped us to bring this man to justice.

DC Lynch added: I hope this case will give others who have survived sexual offences the confidence to report incidents like these, knowing that we will listen and investigate professionally and sensitively. We are working with partners to ensure we are making Derbyshire a safe place for everyone and have specially trained officers who, alongside organisations including Derbyshire based SV2, support victims of sexual violence, and can provide advice and ongoing support.

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A Derbyshire pervert has lost his home, wife and job after he "used and abused" an underage girl for sex over a two-year period and threatened to kill her if she spoke out. A graphic and detailed account of Michael Scott's abuse was given to the court by prosecutors.

Scott, 48, began abusing the girl after they started speaking on social media. A friend of the victim then noticed naked pictures on her phone exchanged between the two. Videos and pictures of Scott, of no fixed abode, abusing the girl were then also found on his phone.

His actions, committed in the Derby area, were described in court as "debasing and disgusting." Scott has now been jailed for six years, his first time in prison, is barred from having any contact with females under the age of 18 and is on the sex offenders register and subject to a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely.

Henry James, prosecuting, told Derby Crown Court on Tuesday, June 7: "He showered her with gifts out of a depraved and sexual interest. She was confused. She knew it was wrong. Mr Scott systematically used her as a thing that he could maul and foul."

Mr James said that the gifts included a laptop and the victim later detailed to police a "catalogue of foul and depraved" acts committed by Scott. Scans of Scott's mobile phone also showed internet searches of whether iMessages could be used as evidence in court.

In a short victim personal statement, read out by Mr James, the victim said: "At the time of when this happened I felt scared and worried. He said he would kill me. I did not feel safe. I feel like I'm dealing well with what happened."

Scott, who had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two counts of having sex with an underage girl on March 23. Pleas of not guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images were accepted by the prosecution and were instead considered an aggravating feature of the offences.

James Varley, defending, said that Scott had been granted time by a different judge to get his affairs in order including putting his narrowboat home into storage and handing his notice in with his employers. Mr Varley said his wife had also left him as a consequence of his offending.

He said: "This is a man who is now 48, who stands to lose his good name. He has worked all his life. He will lose his livelihood as his plant operating licences will lapse and when he is released he will have to start from scratch again.

"He has had to spend the last few weeks explaining to his family what has happened and what the consequences will be. In a more eloquent testament to the man he is, his family have come along to support him. I am not suggesting that they have forgiven him but they have come along to show him some love. He is a man who has a lot of good about him.

"He has acted in the last few weeks with a great deal of integrity and realism. What I submit to the court is genuine remorse."

Sentencing Scott to concurrent six-year sentences on both charges, Judge Shaun Smith QC said: "You showered her with gifts and attention and over a two-year period you proceeded to develop a relationship with her and you abused her in a particularly significant and unimaginable way. To use the words of the prosecutor, you systematically used and abused her.

"You recorded some of what happened and while they no longer form any charges, they aggravate your position. Your phone had images showing you abusing her. What you did must be unimaginable to any normal human being.

"The whole thing was debasing and disgusting and it was at your hands, a 48-year-old adult. Your desires clearly got the better of you because up to then you were of good character. You had a good name which you have now lost, someone with a livelihood which you have now lost, someone with a home which you have now lost."

Scott will serve half of his sentence in custody before being released on licence. He must both sign the sex offender register and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely, and is barred from contact of any sort with females under the age of 18 and from contacting the victim directly or indirectly.

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A "dirty old man" from Derbyshire who keeps getting caught with sick child abuse images of underage boys told police "I just can't stop it - like an alcoholic".

Derby Crown Court heard how pensioner Michael Brewer-Taylor's latest offence saw police find more than 100 horrific images and films on his laptop. The 72-year-old also had cleaning software on his computer which he would use to delete his browsing history.

And the defendant's sentencing hearing was told he had been carrying out similar offences for around two decades.

Jailing him for 32 months, Recorder Adrian Reynolds said: "There are young kids being forced into sexual activity that they either don't understand or don't consent to for the gratification of a dirty old man like you. What am I supposed to do with someone like you?

"You have been doing this for 20-odd years now and I have read a thoroughly written report about you and in it you come across as a totally deceitful man.

"You turn up for the meetings and say the right things but behind this you don't change at all. It gives me no pleasure at all to send someone of your age to prison but you have given me no choice whatsoever."

Leanne Summers, prosecuting, said Brewer-Taylor has been supervised by experts since being released from his last prison sentence for possessing indecent images of children.

She said two police officers arrived unannounced at his home in Heanor on June 23, 2020, and while one of them spoke to him the other checked his computer.

The prosecutor said: "The officer noticed on the home screen mentions of 'boy' and 'teen' and when he clicked on them that led them to indecent images. There were 36 of (the most serious) category A, 94 category B and 67 category C.

"There were also Google searches that suggested he had been looking for child sex pornography."

Miss Summers said also on the computer was cleaning software which would be capable of erasing the user's browsing history which the defendant was not allowed to have as part of a previously-imposed sexual harm prevention order.

She said in his interview he denied having any illegal material and instead suggested the images were legal and that those pictured were aged 18 and over.

The prosecutor said that in 2013 Brewer-Taylor was arrested and convicted of having indecent images of children.

Miss Summers said: "When asked about those images he told the police 'I just can't stop it - like an alcoholic'."

The defendant, of Buxton Avenue, pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images of children and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

Roger Wilson, mitigating, said his client's husband is in jail, but he did not say what for, and that he is due to be released from prison next year.

He said: "He had a good career, paid his mortgage off, lives alone, living like a hermit and happy in his own company. He is extremely terrified at his age of a prison sentence. A stand-alone suspended sentence would be like the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head."

As well as the jail sentence, Recorder Reynolds handed Brewer-Taylor a fresh lifetime sexual harm prevention order. He will also be on the sex offender register for life.

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A pensioner from Derbyshire has been jailed for five years for committing sexual offences against three young girls. The youngest of his victims was just 11 years old at the time. Patrick Costello, of Sun Street in Woodville, appeared in Derby Crown Court charged with 13 offences, of which he denied 10, forcing victims to give evidence and relive their ordeals.

The 68-year-old was found guilty by a jury of all ten charges which included several counts of gross indecency with a girl under 16, sexual activity with a child aged 13-17 and voyeurism. The court heard how Costello repeatedly committed acts of gross indecency over the bodies of two young victims whilst they were asleep.

He also filmed one of the girls showering and watched whilst she changed in her bedroom. Costello's voyeurism continued when another girl became an adult and he watched her in the shower. Costell had previously admitted to making indecent images of a child, one count of voyeurism and possessing extreme animal pornography.

The pensioner was sentenced at Derby Crown Court on 18 May and, in addition to the prison term, was handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a notification requirement for when he has served the custodial sentence.

Detective Staff Investigator Lindsey Scribbins, who led on the case said: I am so proud of the courageous and dignified way in which the three (now) women affected by Costellos crimes have conducted themselves during this investigation and subsequent trial.

Costellos behaviour was truly abhorrent. His offending was predatory, pre-meditated, and repeated, against three young girls when they were at their most vulnerable. My message for anyone out there who has been affected by sexual abuse or violence of any kind whether now or in the past is please come and speak to the police about what happened to you.

The survivors, in this case, came forward in recent years, despite the onset of this offending happening in the 90s. This shows that even cases of non-recent sexual abuse can result in a conviction. If you feel able, please report what happened to you -- we will listen, we will support you, and we will not judge.

Costello's first offence dates back to 1992 with the most recent being in 2016.

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A Derbyshire dad who was found to have thousands indecent images and videos on his laptop sobbed in court as he was labelled a "hardened paedophile" by a judge. James Conquest's home in Lumsdale Crescent, Matlock, was searched three times by police and despite being on bail during the latter two searches, police found more images every time, including some involving children as young as three.

The restaurant supervisor lied to police by saying that he had been sent the images at random and deleted them immediately as he did not have a sexual interest in children. When he was found to have sent images to another paedophile, 33-year-old Conquest told police that he was trying to "educate" the other offender and that he was on the dark web to try and help people.

But this story was dismissed as "nonsense" by a judge as the father-of-one appeared at Derby Crown Court on Wednesday, February 13 to be sentenced for 12 separate offences committed over the past three years. Alongside the thousands of indecent images of children, he was also found to have extreme pornographic images involving humans and animals on his phone and laptop.

Sentencing Conquest, Recorder Jason MacAdam said: "You are a hardened paedophile who will blame everybody but yourself for offending of this type. I conclude that passing my public duty in sentencing you means only an immediate custodial sentence can be passed. There can be no question that that is appropriate for this sort of persistent and maintained serial offending.

"You claimed to go on to sites to educate people. I dismiss this as nonsense. You are a paedophile. You get pleasure from looking at images and films of various children. You are very obviously sexually attracted to children.

"Your mitigation matters little in light of the evil you have done in your life, by accessing this sort of disgusting, vile material and so encouraging the industry of sexual abuse of children for profit. I have to accept that your offending thus far is for non-contact offences.

"I very much fear that there is a danger that you would go on and commit contact offences. That is the natural progression for somebody like you and you shake your head, but with somebody like you, who can't stop committing non-contact offences, it would be perfectly proper for me to say that I can't predict whether the intervention of the probation service in prison will work to stop you committing further or more serious offences."

Anthony Cheung, prosecuting, told the court that police searched Conquest's home on December 12, 2019, and seized a Samsung phone. The device was found to have a 848 category A images, the most serious category, 869 category B images and 4,107 category C images, including over 200 videos across the three categories and alongside 12 prohibited and 42 extreme images.

When police searched his home again on September 27, 2021 - while Conquest was on bail - police found another 524 images on a laptop and discovered that he had distributed 36 of the sick images to other paedophiles. While awaiting sentencing for nine counts related to the two searches, officers then looked at his phone on March 3 of this year and found another 29 indecent images, which he said he had as he knew police would look and he wanted to, according to the judge, "speed the process up".

Benn Robinson, mitigating, did not contest the facts of the case but said that his client was of previous positive good character and was responsible for looking after his elderly mother at home, who has terminal cancer. He said that the isolation caused by this, as well as no longer being able to see his young son, created a "perfect storm" for his offending.

He said: "His mother has suffered with various health difficulties for a great number of years and in more recent times this has escalated. When contact with his son stopped, at around the same time his own father left his mother.

"Mr Conquest then went to live with his mother who has various health difficulties, so he shouldered all the financial responsibility. In his spare time he had to physically support her by putting food on the table, collecting medications and such.

"It is perhaps not difficult to see how isolating that sort of existence can be. Less than 12 months later we know he has been downloading this sort of images. The elephant in the room is that it persisted after he was arrested.

"They are not contact offences. He directly has not caused the children in these images any serious harm. There is no suggestion he was trying to contact children himself."

Mr Robinson's pleas for a suspended sentence were rejected by the judge, who sentenced Conquest to concurrent 45-month sentences for counts of making indecent category A images of children, distributing indecent category A images and possessing extreme pornographic images.

He was given concurrent 12-month sentences for a second count of making indecent category A images, two counts of both making indecent category B and making category C images, and single counts possessing prohibited images of children, distributing category B and distributing category C images.

He was given a 24-month sentence, also concurrent, for a third count of making indecent category A images of children. Conquest will be on the Sex Offenders Register and the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely and his devices will be destroyed. He will serve half of his 45-month total prison sentence in custody, with any time spent on remand to be taken off. He must also pay a 170 victim surcharge.

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A young pervert found with almost 2,000 sick child abuse images admitted to police he'd had a sexual interest in them since the age of 12. Derby Crown Court heard how police raided the Derbyshire home of Alexander Mellors and seized a number of electronic devices.

On them were images and films of the most serious category which typically show adults abusing young victims in the most disturbing way. The 23-year-old, who the court was told has no friends or social circle, shook in fear in the dock this week as he was spared an immediate term of imprisonment.

Handing him a three-year community order, Judge Shaun Smith QC said: "What you did was bad and the reason it was bad is because the children you were looking at in these pictures are real children being abused by men. And if people continue looking at them then the people can think they can carry on doing it.

"I don't wish to embarrass (you) but (you) have got no friends and (you've) had peer group issues throughout (your) life and (you) have effectively and metaphorically locked (yourself) in (your) bedroom. You present as a pathetic character and I don't mean that in a horrible way.

"I mean you have suffered and as a result of that now you feel the only thing you can do is to go on your computer and, to quote you, 'go down this rabbit hole' and carrying on looking."

Kevin Jones, prosecuting, said police raided the Sandiacre home of Mellors on December 3, last year. He said: "Police officers had information there may be someone downloading indecent images of children and so they executed a warrant.

"Seized was a USB stick, an Apple phone, a PC power, an Xbox and an HP laptop and within them were found a number of indecent images of children. In total there were 304 x category A images (the most serious) and 25 movies; 332 category B images and seven films; 999 category C images and seven movies and 191 prohibited images (of children).

"Mr Mellors was interviewed and he was quite candid. He said he had a sexual interest in children but had only downloaded the prohibited images. He said he'd had such an interest since the age of 12. He is a man of good character."

Mellors, of Victoria Road, pleaded guilty to possession of prohibited images of children and three counts of possessing indecent images of children. His mother and father were in the public gallery to support their son.

Addressing his defence barrister, Joe Harvey, Judge Smith said: "I am not sending him to prison, if I do it will be a short sentence and he will get absolutely no assistance."

Joe Harvey, mitigating, replied: "It is assistance he is absolutely desperate for, he is a young man that presents as younger than his age."

As part of the community order, Mellors will have to attend 30 rehabilitation sessions and a 42-day sex offender rehabilitation programme. He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work and was handed a five-year sexual harm prevention order.

The defendant will be on the sex offender register, also for five years. Judge Smith said: "You don't want to go to prison do you?"

A visibly upset Mellors replied from the dock: "No."

Judge Smith said: "Of course you don't, keep out of trouble, stop looking at these images and you won't. Don't cause your parents any more hassle."

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A child rapist handed himself in to police just days after being released from prison as he does not feel safe on the streets of Derby. Derby Crown Court heard how Christopher Sweeney repeatedly does this so he can be sent back to prison where he has spent most of the past two decades.

The 41-year-old dad-of-five's sentencing hearing was told how he "feels forgotten about by society" but a judge told him he needs to seek help that is available from the authorities himself. When he told police to arrest him in the city earlier this year it was his 16th breach of the terms of being on the sex offender register.

Jailing him for 18 months, Recorder Justin Wigoder said: "A long time ago now, back in 2003, you were convicted of a serious offence, were sent to prison and was placed on the sex offender register for life. It was thought you posed a risk and so it was important the authorities should know where you lived.

"Effectively since then, and particularly in recent times, you have quite deliberately flouted that requirement and every time you do it, you get sent back to prison and the sentences, unsurprisingly, tend to get longer and longer. You got released from that last sentence and you quite deliberately did not tell anyone an address and equally quite deliberately, went to the police station and told them to arrest you.

"There are people that will help you but you have to want to seek help, otherwise you will keep going back to prison for longer and longer because you deliberately flout a court order. It is up to you, you can try to seek help, move away from the area, somewhere you are not concerned about showing your face. Otherwise your future is going to look very bleak."

In 2003, Sweeney was jailed for raping a boy under the age of 16. As part of being on the sex offender register he must tell the police where he is living within three days of being released from any prison term.

Caroline Sellars, prosecuting this week, said the defendant was let out of jail on January 24 of this year. She said five days later he turned up at St Mary's Wharf police station, in Chester Green, throwing stones at the windows and kicking shutters, asking to be arrested. Miss Sellars said officers went outside and did precisely that.

Sweeney, formerly of Burton Road, Derby and currently of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to his 16th breach of the notification requirements of the order. Samuel Lowne, mitigating, said his client has five sons who he has "little contact with" and that the defendant turned to alcohol in his teenage years after witnessing his grandfather die from a heart attack.

He said: "He tells me he does not feel safe outside prison and that ultimately he feels forgotten about by society. He gets released, finds himself homeless and feels like he des not get any help.

"He says his face is plastered across the newspapers and he does not feel safe, particularly in Derby. He wants to move away from the area and get on with the rest of his life."

Recorder Wigoder said: "There is assistance for him to find accommodation on release. The facilities are there, he just does not take advantage of them."

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He was tricked and trapped by online vigilantes

This Derby paedophile tried to meet an underage girl he groomed online but he had been lured into a trap by self-styled paedophile hunters and was arrested. Derby Crown Court heard how Jason Yeomans began messaging what he thought was under 16s just weeks after being released halfway through a 10-year jail sentence for previous child sex offences.

In them he asked about what underwear they were wearing and if they'd had any sexual experiences. But the sick 34-year-old pervert was snared when one of the decoy girls reported him to Derbyshire police.

Handing him a five-year sentence, Judge Shaun Smith QC said: "I have to assess if you pose a risk to the public and I have absolutely no doubt that you do. Your (probation service) offender manager report concludes that you pose a risk in relation to children under the age of 16 and there is no doubt you have a sexual interest in children.

"Hopefully that will be addresses while you are in custody. You suffered significant trauma in 2007 as a result of your partner being killed and that sent you into a downward spiral including you resorting to looking at pornography. You sought solace in young people and that was completely and utterly inappropriate."

Sarah Slater, prosecuting, said Yeomans was handed a long prison sentence in 2016 for child sex offences and was released from custody in September of last year. She said he was sent to live at a bail hostel in Bass Street, off Ashbourne Road, and within a matter of weeks was contacting young children online through one of his two mobile phones.

Miss Slater said he was told by one girl she was aged nine and he replied saying he was aged 12. But the prosecutor said that girl was really an adult posing as a young girl. She said he began talking online to a second girl who said she was 14 and lived in Tamworth but this too was really an adult posing as a youngster.

Miss Slater said: "When police seized his mobile phone there were hundreds of messages between them from October 19 to November 1. He said he lived in Derby and was aged 34 and they arranged to in Burton where he said they could kiss. But she made her excuses saying she'd had a massive row with her mum which he replied to with 'okay we will rearrange it' and he asked about coming to Tamworth to meet her."

Yeomans, who is originally from Alfreton, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. He has previous convictions involving indecent images of children dating back as far as 2010.

Digby Johnson, his barrister, said his client's partner died in a road crash on the A38 in 2007 and that he has never had grief counselling for that. He said that Yeomans used pornography to satisfy his late teen urges and "started to disappear into the world of the internet".

Yeomans' five-year sentence is made up of two years in prison plus a three-year extended licence. It means he will be eligible to apply for parole two-thirds of the way through the custodial element of the sentence.

However, he has been recalled on licence from a previous child sex offence and will not be released until 2026 at the earliest. The defendant was also handed a new, lifetime, sexual harm prevention order and will remain on the sex offender register for life.