Latest Offenders Durham

Description

A man in his sixties who committed a series of sexual offences on a young girl is starting a lengthy prison sentence.

Alan Wilson committed the “utterly despicable” offences, some of which he filmed, over the course of a few days last year.

Durham Crown Court heard that the 63-year-old defendant, who is of previous good character, has been assessed as posing a high risk of causing harm to children, but a lower risk to other people.

Wilson, of Hatfield Road, Newton Aycliffe, was arrested and charged with a total of 19 counts after his actions came to light.

Appearing at a plea hearing at the court, in October, he admitted all the charges on the indictment.

These were nine counts of sexual assault, seven of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, two of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and one of possessing indecent images of a child.

The images were classified as 13 in the second most serious category, B, and three in the less severe section, C.

Following the plea hearing, Wilson was granted bail, including a condition that he should not have contact with any child, pending sentence.

He appeared back before the court to be sentenced this week (w/c January 6), following the preparation of a background report on him, by the Probation Service.

Robin Turton, representing Wilson, said the defendant recognises, “he has done wrong”, but he questioned the probation report assessment of him being considered a “high risk” of causing harm to children.

Mr Turton said given the length of time the defendant would spend in prison, “it’s an area that can be worked on.”

He said that none of the offences were “sustained”, albeit it was a pattern of offending over a few days.

Recorder Dafydd Enoch KC responded that it was, “difficult to imagine a worse example” of offending of that nature.

He told Mr Turton: “At the end of the day, your client has a sexual attraction to children.”

Mr Turton conceded: “It’s bad offending. I don’t want to suggest otherwise.

“I’m not suggesting this is anything other than serious.

“He knows he’s going to get a lengthy prison term.

“As bad as the offending is, it’s not penetrative offending.”

Addressing Wilson, Recorder Enoch told him they were, “despicable offences.”

The Recorder said: “It’s of great concern a man of your age and character should allow himself to succumb to systematic grooming and sexual assault on a young girl.

“Although there is no psychiatric assessment of the complainant, I have no doubt she will experience psychological consequences as a result of what you did, even if she did not understand what you were doing to her was wrong.”

Recorder Enoch imposed prison sentences totalling 12 years on the defendant.

He told him he must serve at least two-thirds of that sentence before being entitled to be released on licence.

Wilson was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order, prohibiting contact or approaches to the complainant, for life.

He is also subject of indefinite notification requirements and registration as a sex offender.

Description

An “emotionally-manipulative” sex predator, considered “highly dangerous” to young girls, particularly those using Snapchat, has been jailed for 20 years.

Mark Dodds, 38, received the extended sentence, of which he must serve at least two-thirds, after being convicted of a total of 60 offences involving ten girls, mostly in the UK, but some in the US.

It involved him grooming and then soliciting indecent images of the victims, who were mostly aged 12 to 13, but in one case was as young as nine.

He persuaded them to send him images of them performing sex acts on themselves, before threatening to distribute them to friends and family members unless further, more explicit photos, were sent to him.

The Crown Prosecution Service said, after the hearing, that over a ten-year period, Dodds used Snapchat - a messaging app - to incite numerous girls into carrying out sexual acts over live video calls and described Dodds as "a prolific sexual predator".

Newcastle Crown Court heard that when the victims failed to comply with his requests for more images, he followed up his threat to disclose them to family members and/or a circle of their friends.

He refused to curtail his activities despite an online confrontation with the mother of one victim, who he berated for swearing, while in another case he carried on his conduct despite being told the victim was feeling low after the death of her father.

The court heard he used pseudonyms online, making the young girls believe they were communication with teenage boys and in one case another teenage girl, using images obtained from another victim.

His offending was said to have had a profound psychological effect on his victims, one of whom stopped attending school out of shame, while others were left a pale shadow of their former selves.

Dodds, of Heather Grove, Spennymoor, was initially arrested in 2020 for activities dating back to about 2015, but, released “under investigation”, he continued a similar pattern of offending until police visited him again in November 2023, when his electronic devices were seen to be displaying indecent images of children.

Paul Cleasby, prosecuting, said Dodds struggled violently trying to prevent officers seizing his electronic devices and gaining access to his property.

He was subdued and several devices were seized.

But Mr Cleasby said the investigation was hampered and became protracted as the defendant refused to disclose passwords and then PIN numbers to some of the devices, prolonging inquiries before access was gained.

It revealed more evidence of serious online sexual abuse and blackmail of children in 2022 up to November 2023.

Investigators found that he organised the images and footage secured during his offending into folders bearing the names of the girls involved.

The defendant admitted most charges at a plea hearing in March last year, having indicated likely guilty pleas when he appeared before magistrates.

But he was found guilty of six counts, including five of sexual assault and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, following a trial at Durham Crown Court, in October.

Following preparation of psychological and background probation reports on the defendant, he appeared before trial judge, Recorder Tom Moran, for sentence today (Monday January 6).

Andrew Stranex, representing Dodds, told the court the defendant was aware he was facing a lengthy custodial sentence.

“He did accept substantially what the Crown alleged against him.

“What’s going to follow is a substantial custodial sentence which will punish him and ensure the public is protected from him during the period of incarceration.

“An important element of that will allow him to work, if he chooses to, to address the behaviour that brings him before the court.

“Whether he addresses what emerges out of this is a matter for him.”

Recorder Moran said the defendant was guilty of, “outrageous conduct” against children and displayed, “breathtaking arrogance”, in response to requests to desist his activities by his victims and members of their families.

He told Dodds he used “cunning and planning” to carry out his “controlling and emotionally manipulative” activities, but said he came across in his probation report as a “self-obsessed, self-pitying individual.”

The Recorder said the probation report author considered the defendant to pose, “a high risk of serious harm to children.”

He told Dodds: “I’m satisfied you are not just dangerous, you are highly dangerous.

“The risk includes direct contact offences and offences you may commit online.”

Recorder Moran told Dodds he must serve at least two-thirds of the 20-year total sentence and he will then be subject to six years’ extended licence period.

Dodds was also made subject of restrictions under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and registration as a sex offender, both for life.

A lifelong restraining order prohibits him from contacting or approaching the victim of his sexual assaults.

As he was being led from the dock to the court cells, the defendant was heard to shout: “Absolute f***ing joke, I didn’t do anything.”

Speaking after the hearing, Debbie Breen, head of the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RaSSO) unit at the Crown Prosecution Service North East, said over a ten-year period, Dodds used Snapchat to incite numerous girls, aged between eight and 15, into carrying out sexual acts over live video calls.

He then used covert recordings of these calls as leverage, blackmailing his victims into further acts by threatening to distribute the videos further if they failed to comply with his requests. 

When arrested, Dodds was also found to have amassed thousands of indecent images, which were recovered from multiple devices found at his home.

Ms Breen said: “Mark Dodds is a prolific sexual predator, who routinely manipulated young girls online for his own sexual gratification.

“Dodds spared little thought for the effect that his emotional and physical abuse would have on his victims, callously exploiting their fear and shame to compel them into repeated sexual acts.

“I would like to recognise the incredible bravery of the young victims involved in this case.

“Despite the significant abuse they have endured, the evidence they provided has greatly assisted the Crown Prosecution Service in building a very robust case against Dodds. 

“Each of them has played a part in bringing a prolific sexual predator to justice and we sincerely hope that their contribution to his significant sentence today can bring them a good measure of comfort.”

Description

A sex offender used a public computer at an arts venue library to search for indecent images of children, a court heard.

The manager at The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, in Gateshead, became aware of the internet searches by Samuel Kettell and found the offending images, on November 15.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that Kettells activities raised concerns as the computer used by him was available for the use of the general public, including children visiting The Baltic.

When Kettell was arrested two days later, he was found to be in possession of amphetamines.

Graham OSullivan, prosecuting, said it was one of a number of breaches of either a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) or notification requirements as a sex offender which were imposed on Kettell after he was jailed at Durham Crown Court for downloading and distributing indecent images of children, in 2022.

Mr OSullivan said Kettell, formerly of Peterlee, County Durham, was made subject of the SHPO and registration requirements as a sex offender, both for ten years, as part of the sentence in 2022.

Concern was raised with Kettell by his risk management officer in June this year as he had pending no fixed address status.

Mr OSullivan said the defendant was reminded he was still required to register with police where was staying on a weekly basis.

When he was spoken to by police over unrelated matters on September 16, Kettell claimed to have no phone.

Having registered with police the next day, he failed to do so the following week, but when he was spoken to by police and searched, he was found to be in possession of two phones.

Kettell was arrested on October 10 and gave police a false name and tried to make off, but he was detained and admitted the breaches.

Mr OSullivan said an officer recognised Kettell when the defendant left Rustys bar in Newcastle, on October 25.

He was found to be in possession of an 8cm craft knife blade, which was hidden in his shoe, as well as a bag of amphetamines.

Kettell chose not to respond to police questions, but after his misuse of the Baltic Centre library computers, he was arrested again, on November 17, when he was also found to be in possession of a bag of amphetamines.

The defendant again chose not to answer police questions and has remained in custody in recent weeks.

Mr OSullivan said Kettell was also found in possession of indecent images in November last year and received a nine-month prison sentence, which he served prior to his release not long before his recent offending.

Penny Hall, for Kettell, said the facts of the latest breaches and offences, speak for themselves and the defendant admitted them all when he appeared before magistrates, who, duly, committed the case to the crown court for sentence.

Miss Hall said it has been the defendants lack of stable accommodation which has impacted his ability to comply with the various court orders.

She said the craft knife blade was carried by the defendant at a time when he was homeless, but it was never brandished.

Miss Hall said the defendant hopes to usefully use his time in prison and will made concerted efforts to find a fixed address by the time his release from the latest sentence nears, to ensure he compliance to court orders improves in future.

Judge Carolyn Scott said the possession of the craft knife blade and the defendants misuse of the public computer at the Baltic, to access pornography and indecent images of children, were the most serious of his offences.

You were doing so in a public place in a library where members of the public, including children, had access to that computer.

It is all aggravated by your previous convictions.

She imposed a total two-year prison sentence, of which he must serve up to half before being released on licence.

Judge Scott advised the defendant to comply with the terms of his various orders, upon release, or risk spending more time behind bars.

She renewed Scotts ten-year notification requirements as a sex offender, while he also remains subject of the terms of his existing ten-year SHPO.

Description

A man has been jailed for chatting sexually online with a 13-year-old girl, during which he offered her “a grand” to send him images of herself in her underwear.

The three-day exchange of messages with the girl in September put 28-year-old Luke Ovington in breach of not only a Sexual Harm Prevention Order but also a suspended prison sentence imposed in July last year for exactly the same type of behaviour.

Ovington had already been before the court for minor breaches of the order for which he received community orders, in November last year, but his luck ran out after his arrest for his latest offending.

Durham Crown Court was told Ovington received a ten-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, in July last year, for the online sexualised exchanges with a 12-year-old girl.

He was also made subject of a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), forbidding him from contacting underage girls and restricting his use of the Internet, as well as registration as a sex offender.

Philip Morley, prosecuting, said despite those prohibitions and with the suspended sentence hanging over him, Ovington engaged a female child in conversation on Snapchat which went on for three days in September.

Mr Morley said unlike some online “stings”, this was a real child who, despite making it clear that she was aged 13, kept receiving messages of a sexualised nature from the defendant.

Using the alias of ‘Ryan’, in breach of the terms of the SHPO, he suggested that the girl keep their conversation a “secret” from her parents.

He asked her for pictures and told her what he would like to do to her, suggesting giving her “a grand” if she sent him her picture in her underwear and told her he loved her.

Mr Morley said the police were alerted and he was arrested in possession of his phone, which was seized for examination, but Ovington had deleted a lot of the incriminating messages.

In interview, he made no comment to police.

Mr Morley said the defendant breached the terms of the SHPO by not only communicating with an underage girl, but also by deleting his messages.

Ovington, 28, of Linden Place, Newton Aycliffe, admitted charges of sexual communication with a child, breaching a SHPO and possession of a small amount of cannabis found in his possession upon arrest.

Tony Davis, in mitigation, said psychiatric and probation reports prepared for last year’s hearing were still pertinent.

“Clearly, this was a persistent, deliberate breach and I can’t argue with the Crown’s assessment.”

Mr Davis said the defendant’s background includes contact with mental health services during his adult life.

“Perhaps, here, he has slipped into his dark ways again.

“His fascination with smoking cannabis and going online is only going to lead to the revolving door of going into and out of custodial institutions.

“But he has been using his time in custody usefully.”

Judge Nathan Adams told Ovington: “You find yourself back here again, relating to your behaviour in September this year, in breach of a suspended prison sentence and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order only imposed on July 14, last year.

“Despite all the clear warnings, you find yourself back here again for breaching all those orders you were under.

“You were told the girl was only 13, nevertheless you spoke to her about masturbation and tried to solicit images of her in her underwear.

"You offered her £1,000 for those images, and then you said you would leave her alone.

“This was undoubtedly the sort of behaviour those orders were trying to prevent.

“It’s quite clear it would only lead to s significant prison sentence.”

Judge Adams imposed a total 28-month prison sentence, including six months activated from last year’s suspended sentence.

Ovington will be subject to new ten-year SHPO and registration requirement periods, starting afresh from Friday (December 13).

The judge also ordered forfeiture of the seized cannabis and Ovington's mobile phone.

Description

A paedophile who sexually abused a teenage girl and had more than 15,000 indecent images of children and animals on his laptop has been jailed for more than a decade.

Police raided the home of registered sex offender Russell Duncan Frederick Weatherley in 2022, after receiving information he possessed indecent images of children.

Officers recovered a laptop with more than 15,000 indecent images and arrested the 62-year-old, of Bearpark, County Durham.

Detectives also found a folder on the device named after the victim, who Weatherley had preyed on decades earlier.

Weatherley had forced the girl to carry out sexual acts, often photographing or filming them.

The 62-year-old was charged with more than 30 offences and in court, pleaded not guilty to six counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl and five counts of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.

He went to trial and was found guilty of all the offences as well as changing his plea to guilty for a further 18 counts of making indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornography with an animal.

He was sentenced to ten years and six months in prison at Teesside Crown Court on Friday (December 6).

Following the sentencing, DC Liam Padget, who led the investigation, said: “Weatherley is a monster in every sense of the word and that is how the victim described him so we hope this sentence allows her to finally start to heal from this ordeal.

“I would like to commend the victim and her family for their bravery and perseverance during the investigation.

“She has had to carry the burden of abuse for many years, and this sentence reflects society’s abhorrence of crimes such as this.

“Durham Constabulary will always investigate offences of this nature and place victims at the centre of everything we do. If you have been a victim of abuse, please reach out. We will believe you.”

Description

A pervert sent horrific videos of animals being sexually abused to a "teenage girl" he was chatting to online.

Kevin Clark, 63, sent the videos of a woman having sex with a horse and a dog, after the online user said she "liked animals." Clark used the name "John Smyth" on a chat service, when he had the conversation with a girl - who he though was 15 - in April 2022.

He asked her if she wanted to see a video of underage siblings having sex, before telling her that adults posted pornographic pictures of animals on the site and "she was too young to see that and she should leave." Clark said that he was "excited" to see what would be posted.

He then asked the child if she wanted a photo of his private parts; and told her that he was "thinking about her with a dog." Teesside Crown Court has heard that the "child" has never been traced and may have been a teenage girl or an adult decoy, looking for sex offenders online.

Police arrested Clark on May 31, 2023, after receiving intelligence that he had illegal photos of children. They found videos and images of children being sexually abused, on his mobile phone. He had also downloaded 20 photos showing animals being sexually abused.

Clark later pleaded guilty to the distribution of indecent images; three counts of making indecent images; attempting sexual communications with a child; attempting to cause a child to watch a sex act; and to the possession of extreme pornography featuring animals.

In mitigation Nigel Soppitt told the court that Clark had been isolated and grieving the death of his mother, when he committed the offences. "His relationship ended and he had no one to turn to at all during his grieving. Not a single member of his family is alive.

"He resorted to chat rooms and the darker recesses of the internet. He says he engaged in some sort of odd fantasy."

Judge Paul Reid told Clark, "...at 63, most of us have suffered bereavements and traumas, and we do not resort to this utterly disgusting behaviour." He jailed Clark, of Wales Street in Darlington, for 32-months.

He must sign the sex offender' register for the next ten years.

Description

A man who served a previous prison sentence for sexual activity with a child began communicating with what he believed to be a 14-year-old girl earlier this year.

Richard Clark received a four-year prison sentence at Cambridge Crown Court in March 2016 for offences involving a 13-year-old girl he “met” online, in 2014.

His latest hearing, at Durham Crown Court, was given details of the 2014 offending in which the defendant arranged to meet the girl, went to her school and formed a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship during which he kept asking her for sex.

Although she refused those requests, he did give her a body massage but went no further.

Clark denied a charge of sexual activity with a child but was convicted after trial and, apart from receiving the four-year prison term, he was made subject to an eight-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) plus indefinite notification requirements as a sex offender, as part of the 2016 sentence.

County Durham man fell for vigilante group's online 'sting':

Tabitha Buck, prosecuting, told the Durham hearing that in May this year, just two months after the expiry of the SHPO, Clark used an alias, North East 33, which he had not registered with the police, to go online and contact the profile of someone purporting to be a 14-year-old female.

Unknown to Clark, it was a decoy profile posted by an online paedophile-hunting vigilante group, all members of which were aged above 18.

Miss Buck said Clark began the messages by talking about his work as a truck driver, and the correspondent made it clear she was at school and aged 14.

He said he didn’t mind her age and asked if she liked “older guys”.

Clark complimented her on her profile appearance and told her he liked, “naughty chat”, before going on to say he would like to kiss her and asked if she, “played with herself.”

He suggested they switch their conversation to WhatsApp, so she could see him, and gave her his mobile phone number.

Miss Buck said once on WhatsApp, which was in his name, he told her he liked her and wished he could see more of her.

The conversation continued before Clark blocked the profile.

Details of the exchanges were passed to police by the vigilante group and Clark was arrested before being interviewed at Durham station on May 21, when he denied committing any offences.

The, now, 39-year-old defendant of Chillerton Way, Wingate, denied a charge of attempted sexual communication with a child, when he appeared before magistrates, on May 22, and maintained that plea at his first crown court appearance, in June, when a trial date was set.

But ahead of the trial, Clark changed his plea to guilty at a hearing at the court on October 17.

The sentence was adjourned to allow for the preparation of a background report on him by the Probation Service.

Dr Chris Wood, representing the defendant, told the sentencing hearing the latest offending was over a short period and there had been no attempt to conceal the messaging.

“He accepts he initially failed to admit his offending, but he reconsidered his position and indicated to his solicitors he intended to change his plea.

“That, at least, demonstrates remorsefulness and contrition, as is reflected in the probation report.

“The offence post-dates the original SHPO, during which he complied throughout, with no breaches.”

Dr Wood said the differences between the previous offence, which Clark denied to trial, and the present proceedings, are that he has now admitted his offending and, in this case, there was no actual victim.

He said the defendant retains the support of his family, for which he is the main bread winner, but has been in custody since he changed his plea to guilty on October 17.

Judge Nathan Adams said the defendant’s offending history is, “particularly significant” in this case.

The judge said although Clark complied with the SHPO following the 2016 case, once it expired he was offending similarly within months, believing he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl, unaware it was a decoy.

“Fortunately, it was a decoy, and it was brought straight to police attention.”

The judge said had it been a real 14-year-old, “the risk of harm would have been significant”.

He said the timing of the offence was, “an aggravating feature of the case.”

Imposing a 12-month prison sentence, Judge Adams said he could not suspend it, given the defendant’s previous offence.

“I have every sympathy with your family, but you have caused harm to them.

“It’s so serious only an immediate prison sentence can be justified.”

The judge put in place a new ten-year SHPO, with Clark also made subject to registration as a sex offender, again for ten years.

Description

A "committed paedophile" who tried tried to meet 'schoolgirl' and downloaded child abuse and sex-with-snake clips has been handed a sentence of over nine years.

Stockton's Paul Whitfield, 53, arranged to meet a "13 year old girl" in Lincoln - but the online profile he was chatting with actually belonged to a police decoy who called herself "Carrie." When police raided his home, they found videos on his phone showing young children being sexually abused.

Whitfield had also downloaded videos of adults involved in sexual activity with a snake and a horse.

On Wednesday, Whitfield appeared at Teesside Crown Court, on video link from Stafford prison. The court heard that he pretended to be a teenager and he began talking to "13 year old Carrie" in February 2023, about "holding and kissing" her.

The two discussed telling her school that she had a dentist appointment, on February 15, when they agreed to meet - but undercover cop Carrie cancelled the meeting.

Police then raided Whitfield's house and took away two mobile phones - that he had failed to register as a convicted sex offender.

The phones showed Whitfield's arrangements to meet the girl, and he had also downloaded over 900 photos and videos of children being sexually abused. He had looked at videos showing sexual activity with "multiple animals."

Whitfield forwarded some of the videos to other people, including one category A video - featuring the most severe type of child abuse - to a group of 227 users.

Whitfield, formerly of Fairfield in Stockton, but now of Stafford prison, pleaded guilty to:

• arranging the commission of a child sex offence;
• making and distributing indecent images of children;
• possessing an extreme pornographic image betraying an act of intercourse with an animal
• breaching sex offender notification requirements.

Previous offences

In 2015, Whitfield was handed an extended 13-year sentence for the attempted abduction of a child, where he had watched a 10 year old girl for two hours, from his car. When she left the playground, he told her to get in his car to hide "because the police were looking for her." The girl ran off to her grandmother.

Hours earlier, he had approached a nine-year old in Stockton, telling her she was beautiful. The girl ran off. The court was told that Whitfield said the thought of having a child in his car gave him a “sexual thrill”.

In 2023, Whitfield was sent back to jail for 16 months, for breaching his sex offender notification requirements.

Mitigating for Whitfield's latest sex offences, Tom Bennett told the court that in the case of the arranged meeting in Lincoln, there was "no actual child victim."

Judge Timothy Stead told Whitfield that he is a "committed and determined paedophile" and handed him an extended prison sentence totalling nine-years-and-eight-months. He will serve four-years-eight-months in prison; and the remaining five-years on licence in the community.

Description

A rapist who also sexually abused a young girl has been locked up for 17 years after being convicted of a string of sex offences.

Keith Sterling’s degrading abuse took place several years ago while he was living in Darlington.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the sex offender had significantly damaged the lives of his victims and he still continues to deny his offences.

Rebecca Brown, prosecuting, said one of the rapes happened when the victim was sleeping.

In a victim personal statement, the woman said Sterling’s abuse had impacted on her mental health and would take the pain ‘to her grave’.

The child victim said Sterling’s abuse had left her struggling to come to terms what had happened to her and she still struggled to put into words the impact that his abuse had on her and remains mistrustful of male adults.

The 46-year-old, of Roker Place, Darlington, was found guilty of rape and sexual assault on a child following a trial at the same court.

Tony Davis, mitigating, said his client maintains his innocence and has made his stance clear in his pre-sentence report.

He added: “The reality of the contents of his pre-sentence report means that submissions on his behalf will be short.

“The defendant continues to deny, as he has done throughout the proceedings, any responsibility the offending.”

Recorder Aisha Wadoodi sentenced Sterling to a total of 17 years for all offences.

“The prosecution submitted that some of the offences were done in drink but there was a repeated pattern of sexual offending which was reflected by the jury’s verdicts,” she said.

Sterling was also made subject of life-long restraining orders, sexual harm prevention order and was told he would have to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Description

This 'dangerous' sex offender stalked an off-duty cop as she walked home alone at night.

Mohammed Rahman followed the woman for around 10 minutes as she walked home from an evening out in Darlington with her friends in April this year. The woman - an off-duty police officer – became aware that someone was following her as she began walking home from the town centre at around midnight.

In an effort to lose him, she quickened her pace and repeatedly crossed the road, only to find the man continued to follow her. As he got closer, the quick-thinking woman grabbed her phone and began recording him just as he ran past her and disappeared down a side street.

The woman called police, who found Rahman hiding in a nearby garden, and took him into custody. The 20-year-old was later charged with breaching a Sexual Risk Order, which was imposed in June last year following an exposure incident in which he carried out a sex act on himself in front of a care home.

The order lasts 10 years and prohibits Rahman from doing several things, including exposing himself or committing sex acts in public, entering the boundary of a private house or garden without prior permission, and harassing or intimidating women.

'The incident has really shaken me up'

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: “The incident has really shaken me up; I burst into tears when the police called me and told me they had arrested someone. I was worried he had seen me go into my house and knew where I lived.

“I should be able to walk home from town to my house without anyone following me, and I should feel safe.

“I worry that I won’t even be able to go out in the darker winter days now as I will be worrying someone is following me.”

Rahman, of no fixed abode, admitted the breach and was jailed for two years and eight months at Teesside Crown Court on Friday, November 8.

'Highly dangerous individual'

Detective Inspector David Bailey, from Darlington CID, said: “Rahman is a highly dangerous individual who has shown extremely predatory behaviour, and he is now rightly in prison for his blatant disregard for the conditions imposed upon him.

“I’d like to commend the woman involved in this case who showed real bravery during what was a terrifying ordeal. Her quick-thinking decision to record Rahman allowed officers to identify him and quickly get him off the streets and into custody.

“I sincerely hope that this sentencing brings her some comfort and can allow her to move on with her life.”

Description

An “entrenched paedophile” exchanged images of young children being sexually abused with an equally depraved individual in the US, a court heard.

Lee Mole, of Blackhall Colliery, County Durham, encouraged his online American “friend” to sexually assault a young girl and asked him to then post images of the abuse on the internet.

Durham Crown Court heard that the nature of the Kick Messenger exchanges came to the attention of US Homeland Security, which led to the arrest of the abuser, in Oregon.

He disclosed having been in contact with a user of the site in the UK, going under the name ‘BigLadBrown181280’, with the email address of the defendant.

Annelise Haugstad, prosecuting, said offending images in category A and B of severity, featuring a girl aged between eight and ten being abused, were sent by the defendant to the man in Oregon.

Miss Haugstad said the nature of the discussions between the pair centred around how they enjoyed sex with very young girls and Mole incited the man in Oregon to abuse a two-year-old child, images of which were sent to the defendant, at his request.

The court heard that at the time of the exchanges with the man in the US, Mole was subject to inquiries by Durham Police over possession of indent images of children, for which he was to plead guilty before receiving a suspended 15-month prison sentence, in October, last year.

Miss Haugstad told the court he also has a similar conviction dating from 2015.

When questioned about the images exchanged with the man in the US, Mole initially denied knowledge of them, but then admitted it was something he had been involved in for six months.

Miss Haugstad said when asked about his sexual interest in children he conceded it was something which aroused him.

The 53-year-old defendant of Hardwick Street, Blackhall Colliery, admitted three counts of making, and one of distributing indecent images of children.

Vic Laffey, in mitigation, said Mole was “well aware” of the situation he was facing.

“He has, at least, been honest with the Probation Service in respect of the problems he has and my advice to him is that the only thing that may save him is that he has been on a two-year order and for one year he has made progress.

“He’s described as working positively with the Probation Service.

“The good work he has done will be effectively lost if he is to receive an immediate custodial sentence.”

Mr Laffey said the defendant suffers with various ailments and is in poor health.

Judge Jo Kidd said the context of Mole’s latest offending was that it took place while under investigation or on bail, pending a review of devices seized in January 2023, on which police were to find numerous indecent images of children.

“You engaged in chat with a man in the US using the Kick Messenger platform.”

Judge Kidd said the defendant incited that man to sexually assault a two-year-old child and sought to obtain images of the abuse.

She said to persuade him to send the images the defendant mentioned having abused young children himself, which she said, “may have been fantasy, but you were clearly inciting him.”

The judge said the defendant was part of a group of people interested in sharing images of the abuse of young children.

“It’s difficult to think of a more disgusting and serious example of these offences against the background of your previous offences.”

She said he had previously been given the opportunity to try to deal with his depraved interest to reduce the likelihood of him repeating it in future.

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A "risk-taking" voyeur covertly filmed two women in the bath or showering on separate occasions, in one case after entering the victim’s home as a trespasser.

But when Paul Shields tried to repeat the act, the second woman being filmed, with whom he had an “infatuation”, realised a camera phone was being pointed at her from above the bathroom door.

Durham Crown Court was told she shouted at the intruder and the defendant fled, retreating by the way he entered her home, via a landing window and across roofing.

The woman, who had previously been subject of inappropriate remarks by Shields and the recipient of unwanted presents, one of them a vibrator, informed police and the defendant was arrested later that day.

When interviewed, he said he had seen the woman’s bathroom light going on, at 6.20am that day, February 24, and “on impulse” climbed onto her garage roof and into her home, setting his phone to record.

But when she shouted, he said he, “came to his senses” and left.

He told police he had not viewed any footage he might have captured of the woman in the shower and deleted it from his phone, adding that he was “appalled” at what he had done.

Philip Morley, prosecuting, said subsequent police inquiries revealed this had not been an isolated incident.

It emerged that four months earlier he had also sneaked into the same woman's home and did something similar, but on that occasion without being spotted.

Police discovered it by seizing his mobile phone and finding a video of the same woman in the shower.

She confirmed she was completely unaware any footage had been taken on that occasion, in October last year, which was also at about 6.25am.

Mr Morley said in her statement to police, the shocked victim said she was “sickened” after the discovery of the previous footage, of which she had been unaware.

She said she was worried what his motives were as to what he may have done with that footage.

The victim said she was also concerned how many times he had trespassed into her home to carry out, “such a disgusting and intrusive act”.

Mr Morley said examination of the defendant’s computer hard drive revealed there had been a second victim.

A folder was found with another woman’s first name on, followed by five stars.

It was found to contain 20 videos of another woman in the bath or shower.

That victim was identified, and, when informed, she was horrified to be told of the police discovery.

When interviewed about the package of footage from the computer folder the defendant gave police a prepared statement confessing to having, “an interest in voyeurism”, but he initially claimed the footage was taken with the victim’s consent.

Mr Morley said given the woman’s shocked reaction, “that was clearly not the case at all”.

In her victim statement she said she felt "devastated" any man could have done this and feared it would have a huge impact on her mental health, but she added that despite the “great shock”, she would, “fight it”.

The 55-year-old defendant, of Blencathra Way, Chester-le-Street, admitted one count of trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence and 21 of voyeurism, offences committed in Bowburn and Darlington.

Robin Turton, for Shields, said he has nothing similar on his record, and the only other matters were unrelated and of some age.

Mr Turton said the defendant has struggled for most of his life with his mental health and since committing the offences, assessments have pinpointed potential disorders, including ADHD, which may have played a part in his offending.

The defendant has also sought assistance from a charity dealing with sex offenders to address his offending, work he is keen to continue, outlining the remorse he feels.

Despite his issues, Mr Turton said the defendant has held down a good job, which would be at risk if he was to be jailed.

He added: “This is a man for whom there’s a realistic prospect of rehabilitation with the appropriate support network, so he can put this behind him.

“I would argue that notwithstanding these shameful offences, he is someone who can be sentenced in a constructive way rather than with a custodial sentence.”

But Recorder Andrew Dallas said the defendant had admitted 21 separate cases of voyeuristic activity, which he described as, “extraordinary and worrying behaviour”, which both his unwary victims found, “extremely upsetting and shocking”.

Recorder Dallas told the defendant he displayed, “extraordinary risk taking”, on more than one occasion, “to satisfy your sexual interest in voyeurism”.

The Recorder said it was “concerning” the level of risk the defendant was prepared to take in such circumstances and after being arrested it soon emerged it was not, “a one-off.”

He told Shields: “I take  the view it’s too serious for anything other than an immediate custodial sentence.”

Imposing a three-year sentence, he made Shields subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and restraining orders relating to both women, indefinitely.

Shields will also be subject to notification as a sex offender, also for life.

Forfeiture and destruction was also ordered for the seized phone and the computer hard drive on which the offending material was recovered by police.

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A man who repeatedly abused a young girl, treating her, in her words, as, “a sex toy”, was today (Tuesday, October 15) sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.

Allan Spacey committed the offences on a victim who a judge said he knew was, “young, naïve and vulnerable”, at the time.

But Durham Crown Court heard that despite being convicted of the offending, following a trial in August, the 68-year-old defendant of The Crescent, High Etherley, near Bishop Auckland, remains in denial.

The court was told the victim felt alone in the world and self-harmed as well as attempting to take her own life twice, in the wake of the abuse.

But she eventually disclosed what had happened to her at Spacey’s hands and it led to the defendant being charged with six counts of sexual assault, one accounting for multiple offences.

Emma Dowling, prosecuting, said after the police became involved, Spacey sent the girl numerous messages.

He went on trial at the court on August 19 and, following a week-long hearing, was found guilty on all six counts by the jury, including some of sexual assault on a girl under 13.

Today’s sentencing hearing was read an impact statement by the victim who said she still struggles to believe what Spacey did to her and what he took from her, having put her, “through hell.”

Labelling her abuser as, "weak and pathetic", she said: “I want to protect other young girls and show them what Alan Spacey is.”

She said she was, “young and naïve” at the time and that Spacey knew how vulnerable she was.

“How can you blame a child for her own sexual assault,” she stated, and she said she fears the effects of Spacey's abuse will live with her for the rest of her life.

But she said his “sick perversions” have made her strong, and, following his conviction, she now feels, “on her way to better days.”

The court heard Spacey has 12 convictions for 38 past offences, but those are relatively old and unrelated to the present matter.

Robert Mochrie, in mitigation, said there was little he could say on his client’s behalf, as, “unhappily he still denies this was the correct verdict.”

But he said the defendant accepts, in the light of that verdict, that the judge must perform her public duty and pass an appropriate sentence.

“He is, of course, 68 and any sentence will take him into old age.

“As there are multiple offences, I ask you take into account totality.”

Mr Mochrie added: “As he will be an elderly gentleman when released you might be able to temper sentence slightly to take account of that.”

Judge Sarah Mallett quoted the victim in describing the defendant having treated her, “like a sex toy,” and having put her, “through hell”.

The judge told Spacey: “You knew how young, naïve and vulnerable she was.

“At the time she was self-harming and tried to commit suicide twice.

“Despite everything she has endured, however, she has matured and is an impressive young woman.”

The judge said the defendant has had, “a strong work ethic”, through his life and she bore in mind his age, but she noted, “there was an absence of guilty pleas in this case.”

Imposing the 15-year sentence, Judge Mallett said Spacey would have to serve at least two-thirds before he can be considered for release by the Parole Board.

Upon completion of the sentence, he will also have to serve an additional year the subject of licence supervision.

Other aspects of the sentence mean he will be barred from ever working with children and will not be allowed unsupervised contact with anyone under 18, by way of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Spacey will also be subject to notification requirements by way of registration as a sex offender, again indefinitely.

A lifetime restraining order prevents him for ever contacting or approaching his victim.

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The full extent of a paedophile’s sickening child and animal abuse interest emerged after he was jailed for offences including voyeurism, earlier this year, a court heard.

Cameron Greaves, now 21, received a total prison sentence of 18 months at Durham Crown Court, in May, after he admitted two counts of voyeurism plus possession of indecent imagers of children and extreme pornography.

The lead offences at that hearing were considered to be those of voyeurism, the covert filming of two boys doing private acts against their knowledge by Greaves, with the other offences relating to 16 indecent images of children and an unspecified number of extreme pornographic images.

Just a few months into his term of imprisonment, Greaves appeared again for sentence before the court, this time via video link from HMP Northumberland, where he is serving the jail term imposed in May.

Charlie Thompson, prosecuting, told the latest hearing that Greaves now falls to be sentenced after new charges were brought once the full contents of devices seized from him by police, in April, emerged.

The defendant, from Crook, admitted three new charges of making incident photographs of children and four of possessing extreme pornography when the case went before magistrates, in June.

It was sent to the crown court for sentence.

Mr Thompson said the new charges related to a far greater number of images, about 1,500 featuring indecent child material, 98 classed as extreme pornography and 54 prohibited images of children, in cartoon or CGI format, some stills but many of them videos.

Much of the offending material, particularly the images and videos featuring animals, were said to be of a sadistic nature featuring gross acts of cruelty and torture, while the child abuse images featured very young children, some in discernible distress.

Mr Thompson said Greaves had traded in the images, requesting, “the harder the better” from one like-minded individual with whom he communicated online.

Greaves had sought to buy some of the animal abuse material which originated from a now jailed British zoologist in Australia.

Cole Cockburn, for Greaves, said the images were gathered during the period covering the original conviction, offences dating back to a time when the defendant was aged 19, and of previous good character.

Mr Cockburn said the offending stemmed from the defendant’s addiction to pornography.

He said the harsh conditions his client has endured serving his prison sentence have exemplified the defendant’s, “on-going shame and deep regret.”

Mr Cockburn said: “He desires to leave prison as a man who can put this all behind him.

“He was well-liked before he went to prison and has made it clear when he does leave prison, he will do so with a deep-rooted desire not to return.”

Judge Nathan Adams told Greaves: “This is effectively the second part of a sentencing exercise started by Judge Kidd, in May.

“It appears for the previous two years you have been accumulating an extremely high-level of illegal material, including images featuring the abuse of children as young as one or two, just horrific conduct.”

He said the extreme images feature more than 70 videos of animals being, “tortured, mutilated and killed.”

Judge Adams said the officer overseeing the investigation described it as some of the most disturbing material he has had to view as part of his professional duties.

He said people like the defendant prepared to seek out and pay for material featuring such “horrific conduct” only encourage the making of more images of child abuse and sadism to animals.

Imposing a 28-month total sentence, it adds a further ten months onto the prison term passed on Greaves in May.

He also ordered deprivation of all the images and videos, plus the devices seized by police during their inquiry.

Greaves is already subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and registration as a sex offender, both for ten years, arising from his sentence in May.

But he was told the ten-year notification requirement period will now start afresh.

Detective Constable Liam Padget, of Durham Police’s Online Child Abuse Investigation Team, said the force’s digital investigation unit launched an operation in June 2023 after it identified Greaves as having control of a Google account onto which indecent images of children were uploaded.

Greaves’ devices were seized immediately and upon examination, it was found he was in possession of a large quantity of extreme pornography, plus more than 1,500 images and videos featuring child abuse.

As a result, he was further arrested for these offences and brought into custody.

He was interviewed and later charged with possession of extreme pornographic images, possession of indecent images of a child, making indecent images of a child and voyeurism.

Det Con Padget said: "Following an in-depth investigation we can see Cameron Greaves has very deep-rooted sexual perversions, which included possessing disgusting child abuse images and images involving animals, even going to the lengths of recording others without their knowledge.”

He added: “Hopefully the sentence passed will deter others from sharing in children's misery".

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A sex offender who abused a young boy and left him feeling like he had "no hope or future" has died behind bars.

Former soldier Malcolm Burwood subjected his young and "frightened" child victim to horrific sex attacks and left him so "haunted" he tried to take his own life. A court heard the youngster had been threatened to keep quiet about the abuse he suffered at the hands of Burwood, from Houghton-le-Spring.

But half a century later, in March 2019, Burwood was jailed for 12 years after being convicted of four sex offences. He was also made to sign the sex offenders register for life.

During the sentencing, Burwood's victim told Newcastle Crown Court: "I clearly remember being a very frightened child. This has haunted me, it has blighted my life." He added: "I have felt there is no hope or future. It is like a storm inside of me."

The court heard Burwood, who was 79 at the time he was jailed, had a "catalogue" of medical problems, including obstructive airways disease, renal failure and hearing loss. He also had a wife who was seriously ill in hospital.

The judge told him: "Prison is going to be harder for you to endure than a young and fit man but the central argument is, had you gone to the police at the time of this offending, you would have served your prison sentence when you were young and fit."

A Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) report published this month confirmed that Burwood died of prostate cancer on April 7, 2024. At an inquest on May 30, the coroner concluded Burwood died of natural causes.