Latest Offenders Durham

Description

A sexual predator who abused vulnerable females has been jailed for 29 years after being categorised as a "dangerous offender."

Roy Foster, 63, raped two young girls and tried to rape another. He abducted his fourth victim by tempting her away with the offer of choosing a toy.

Teesside Crown Court has heard that Foster abducted the girl with the intention of committing a sexual offence. On Monday, Foster appeared in court, via video link from Durham prison, wearing a white shirt and a grey pullover.

Ian West, prosecuting, told the court that Foster had four victims - and each girl was vulnerable. He indecently assaulted his first victim and later raped her.

The attacks happened over 30 years ago and in a statement, the victim said: "For years and years, I've kept what happened a secret from my family and friends. It has eaten me alive from the inside out. He's been able to go about his life as he wanted to."

The woman reported Foster to the police in March 2023. The court heard that years later, Foster tried to rape his second young victim, after "plying her with alcohol" when he was drunk himself. "It would seem she was specifically targeted," Mr West said, "because he could rely on her not to resist."

Foster raped his third victim twice. The Middlesbrough court heard that Foster supplied her with drink and drugs. In court, she stood up to speak of her "anger, frustration and sadness" over what Foster did to her.

He targeted his fourth victim by offering her the chance of choosing a toy, if she came with him. The child went with Foster but a member of the public intervened.

Children's toys in bedroom

Mr West said that when police searched Foster's home, they found children's' toys in one of the bedrooms. "He had no children or grandchildren of that age," Mr West said. Foster, of Low Grange Avenue in Billingham, was convicted of all eight offences by a jury, after a trial in January.

He was found guilty of sexual activity with a child; three counts of child rape; sexual assault; abducting a child with the intent to commit a sexual offence; and two counts of attempted rape. Foster appeared to close his eyes for periods of time as the court heard mitigation from Paul Cleasby.

Mr Cleasby said that "there was no evidence that one of Foster's victims was affected by the alcohol he gave her. Alcohol wasn't used to facilitate this offence - it can't be said to have diminished her capabilities. Nothing I say is intended to diminish the seriousness of the offences against her."

Foster's barrister told the court that his client "collected bric-a-brac of all descriptions" rather than just toys for young children. He said that a psychiatric report had found that Foster is of "extremely low intelligence and has a learning disability".

"It's hard to understand if he knew the impact of his offending on others," Mr Cleasby added.

'Sense of sexual entitlement'

Judge Jonathan Carroll told Foster that, "in their different ways, all of your victims had some degree of vulnerability and in one way or another, all of them suffered at your hands. Despite your intellectual limitations, you had sufficient intellect to modify your grooming.

"You still don't recognise your criminal offending. You still continue to display, even at your stage in life, a sense of sexual entitlement."

The judge told Foster that he qualified for an extended sentence because he is a "dangerous offender." Foster was handed a 32-year sentence, made up of a 29-year prison term and a three-year period on extended licence, in the community. He will serve two-thirds of the 29-years before he is eligible for release. He must sign the sex offenders' register for the rest of his life.

After the sentencing, Detective Constable James Limon said: “This case was a collaborative effort by Stockton CID, the Complex Exploitation Team and the Domestic Abuse Unit. Roy Foster is a dangerous sexual predator who targeted and abused vulnerable females, both adult and children, over the last 40 years.

“His youngest victim managed to escape harm thanks to the quick-thinking actions of a member of the public. Had that not occurred, Roy Foster would have likely committed further offences against that child.

Description

A voyeur who recorded women in toilet cubicles for his own sexual gratification has been jailed.

Pawanjit Singh, also known as Robbie, snuck into female toilets and hid in cubicles before using his mobile phone to secretly record his victims as they used the toilet next to him.

He captured 26 clips and six images of numerous women in several different pubs in the North East in September 2020.

In May 2021, the 35-year-old was caught by a woman as he was in the act of recording her in the female toilets at Washington Service Station.

The woman confronted him, and subsequently contacted police.

The investigation progressed when police accessed Singhs mobile phone and, after interrogating the device, uncovered the voyeuristic content.

Singh was charged with 27 offences of voyeurism and appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates court in April where he pleaded guilty to all counts.

Last Thursday (May 2), Singh of Henry Street, Shiney Row, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court and was sentenced to one year in prison.

He will spend ten years on the Sex Offenders Register, was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and was ordered to have his devices destroyed.

Talking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Kate Bain, of Northumbria Police, said: We would like to thank the woman who turned out to be Singhs last victim after she witnessed and challenged his offending meaning the scale of his depravity was uncovered.

Singh secretly filmed women in what should have been a totally private space, without their knowledge or consent. He showed no respect for these women whatsoever and saw them only as tools for his own sexual gratification.

Description

A former successful businessman and charity worker has been jailed after he groomed and groped a teenager.

Grant Findley told the schoolgirl he could be her "sugar daddy" when she turned 16 and told her she wouldn't be allowed a boyfriend.

Findley, 42, of Stream Valley Farm, Burnhope, Durham, denied ten counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of meeting a child following sexual grooming.

However, he was found guilty by a jury and at Durham Crown Court today (Tuesday, April 9) Judge Jo Kidd sentenced him to three years in prison.

The judge told him: "You conducted yourself previously with great hard work, perseverance, and intelligence.

"You were on the face of it a generous and kind man.

"That reputation and that behaviour masked your pursuit of a child in order to satisfy your sexual interest in children.

"Your perception of women was clearly in my view warped and misogynistic."

The victim bravely read an impact statement in court and said: "Because of Grant did to me I now really struggle to trust people especially men.

"I now struggle to sleep, suffering repeated nightmares where I relive what Grant did and said to me.

"I have found the last few years incredibly draining. When Grant was doing it to me it made me feel dirty.

"My anxiety has got so bad I can't face answering the door.”

Findley must also sign the sex offender's register and be subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.

Description

A sex offender prohibited from having unsupervised contact with children has now twice since become involved in relationships with young mothers who were unaware of his past convictions.

Phillip Yarrow was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) after being convicted of sexual communication with a child and attempted sexual activity with a child, online grooming of a girl aged 13 to 15, in February 2019.

Durham Crown Court was told that the terms of the SHPO included forbidding him having unsupervised contact with any child under 16 where the parent or guardian has no knowledge of his convictions.

He was also made subject of notification requirements as a sex offender in which he must inform his risk manager if he lives at any address for more than 12 hours.

Jon Harley, prosecuting, said a complaint was received by a woman, with a daughter aged under four, who was using a dating app in December last year.

She began messaging the defendant, who was described as “32 and from Coxhoe”, for two weeks, before meeting him close to her address on January 2, after which he went back to her home, although her daughter was not present as she was staying with her grandmother.

Mr Harley said Yarrow did not stay over, but the following day, at 4pm, Yarrow went back to the woman’s home at 4pm, when he daughter was present.

He stayed for two hours but had little contact with the girl and was never alone with her.

Mr Harley said that the next day he went over at 7pm, but this time did stay over at the address, having watched tv.

The following morning he left after the woman booked him a taxi, and that would be the last time she saw him.

Mr Harley said throughout the defendant’s contact with the woman there was no mention of his previous convictions.

When it came to light he was interviewed by police and accepted responsibility for the offence.

The court heard Yarrow, 32, of Grange Crescent, Coxhoe, pleaded, or indicated he was guilty, when he appeared before magistrates last month.

Mr Harley said the defendant now has three convictions for ten offences, all sexual of some description.

The court heard that following his original conviction, in February 2019, he was dealt with back at court for making indecent photos of children and failing to comply with notification requirements as a sex offender, in June 2021.

Mr Harley said the latter offence was for staying at an address for more than seven days where the female householder, with two young daughters, was not informed of Yarrow’s past conviction.

There was also said to be a further breach of the SHPO in July 2022 by the defendant.

Martin Scarborough, for Yarrow, said he had found work, through an agency, at a glass factory prior to being taken into custody which prevented him from being able to seek to make the employment full-time.

Mr Scarborough said, relating to the latest offence, his client had little contact with the child, and none while unsupervised.

Judge Jo Kidd said not for the first time Yarrow has chosen to engage in a relationship with a mother of a young daughter having failed to inform them of his offending history.

She told him: “The sentences you have received have increased with each further breach and, so, the sentence I will pass now will be an increase on them.

“You have a clear history of disobedience of court orders.”

She said it appears that up to now, he has not stepped back from his, “risk-taking behaviour.”

Imposing a 20-month term of imprisonment, she warned the defendant if he commits further offences during his licence period, upon his release at the mid-point, it is likely that he will be readmitted to prison to serve the remainder of the sentence.

Description

A man who used a young girl for his own sexual gratification, repeatedly raping her, remains in denial despite being convicted at trial recently.

Jamie Michael Shields was today (Monday, January 22) sentenced to a term of 18 years’ imprisonment for what a judge described as, “a multiplicity” of, “extremely serious offending.”

The 28-year-old defendant was initially charged with three counts of rape, offences he denied at a plea hearing at Durham Crown Court, last March.

A trial in the case was fixed for October, but a further two rape offences were added to the charge sheet and the trial was put back to December.

Following a three-day hearing, in the week before Christmas, Shields, of South View, Evenwood, was convicted on all five counts and remanded in custody pending sentence.

Claire Anderson, prosecuting, read an impact statement to the sentencing hearing provided for the court by the victim’s mother.

She said her daughter found the whole ordeal traumatic, causing her mental health difficulties, for which she has sought help from a specialist agency.

It has led to her daughter being in “a low mood”, missing a lot of schooling and becoming “increasingly distressed”, leading to behavioural issues.

She is now said to also have trust issues with men.

The court heard it had left her mother feeling as if the life of her once “happy little girl” was “in ruins”.

Miss Anderson said the defendant has four convictions for four offences, but all were of a dissimilar nature.

She added that an aggravating feature of the offences was Shields having told the victim not to say anything about his actions or she would get into trouble.

Derek Duffy, representing Shields, told the court: ”There’s very little that can be said on his behalf.

“He does not accept that this has taken place.”

Judge James Adkin told Shields: “You were convicted on abundant evidence of a number of offences.

“You used her (the victim) for your own sexual gratification.”

Judge Adkin said there has been some “significant impact” on the “vulnerable victim”.

He told Shields: “There was a multiplicity of offences all aggravating the criminality.

“It’s extremely serious offending.”

Imposing the 18-year sentence Judge Adkin told the defendant he must serve at least two-thirds before he will be eligible for release on parole.

He made Shields subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and registration as a sex offender, both to run for life.

A restraining order also prohibits him from contacting or approaching the victim, also for life.

Description

A convicted sex offender is back behind bars after repeatedly breaching the terms of his court order.

Colin Luke harassed and stalked people living and working in Langley Park over a four-week period in October last year.

The 69-year-old exposed his genitals to shoppers at the village’s Premier Store on one occasion, and then repeatedly harassed staff at the Co-op store and a hair salon.

He visited both businesses an excessive number of times, commenting on the appearance of staff members and invading their personal space.

He also talked to several children in the village and visited a children’s play park, which breached the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) prohibiting him from having any contact with children.

Luke had only just been released from prison when the offences occurred, after serving a sentence for the abduction and sexual assault of a schoolgirl in Bowburn in 2014.

Officers from Durham Constabulary’s Public Protection Unit launched an investigation and Luke was quickly arrested.

He was later charged with six offences, including exposure, stalking, harassment, and breaching a SHPO, which he admitted.

He appeared at Durham Crown Court today (January 10) where he was jailed for two years and four months.

Description

A dangerous sex offender who targeted young and vulnerable victims is tonight starting a lengthy term behind bars.

‘Predatory’ Neville Jones, of Pearson Street, Spennymoor, was found guilty by a jury last month of 17 sexual offences including one rape, and several counts of sexual assault on a child under 13.

A judge described the impact of one of the 40-year-old’s crimes as having “arguably the most significant impact that I have ever seen” on the victim.

His victims, three girls and one boy who cannot be named, were all under sixteen when he committed his crimes.

Two were aged under ten when he sexually assaulted them.

One of his brave victims said in a statement read to Durham Crown Court on Friday (December 1): “As I grew up and got older, I realised what he had done to me as a child.

“I trusted him. He groomed me.

“I have no trust in men anymore – they are only interested in one thing. Neville Jones used me for that.

“This had a big effect on me because that I trusted people even less.

“I didn’t have many friends growing up and I think that’s why he targeted me.”

Jones’ first crimes date back 20 years and a court heard he had continued to offend since.

Prosecutor Mr Robin Turton read out the personal impact statement of another of his victims, which said: “He was telling me how great I was and how he would look after me.

“I have gone through lots of different types of therapy.

“I was scared to leave the house. Trying to live a normal, successful, and productive life has been impossible.

“He left me frightened and feeling flat.

“I feel that he got off lightly. He was out there living his life.”

The court heard Jones is now a father himself, although he has no relationship with his child.

Appearing via video link from prison he spoke only to confirm his name.

Sentencing him, Judge James Adkin described Jones as “predatory” and “scheming”, and said he presents a “high risk of harm to children”.

“What you did to those children hasn’t only ruined their lives, you have left a trail of misery for the parents of your victims in your wake,” he said.

“I have taken into account how you targeted the vulnerable, how you caused immense harm.”

The judge determined he is a ‘dangerous offender’ and handed him an extended determinate sentence of 38 years.

He will serve at least 22 years before a parole board will determine whether he can be released.

Description

A sadistic rapist has been jailed after carrying out a horrific raft of sexual offences inflicted upon a vulnerable woman.

Richard Morland recorded more than ten hours of his sexual abuse on a number of digital devices over a protracted period of time.

A judge told the defendant that his sickening offending was some of the worst she had ever witnessed after watching some of the disturbing video footage.

The depraved 47-year-old also broke into the home of another woman in the early hours of New Year’s Day and spent six hours hiding inside waiting for her to return but eventually left after stealing several pairs of worn-underwear.

Morland was captured on ring doorbell footage when his victim returned home to find her patio doors smashed open.

When police arrested the defendant, they carried out a search of his Shildon property and recovered a length of rope, a roll of tape and several pairs of unwashed underwear stuffed in a drawer, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Judge Jo Kidd branded Morland a dangerous offender as she passed a 27-year sentence for the horrific sexual abuse he inflicted on his victim.

“He repeatedly raped her and that is aggravated significantly by the fact he recorded those crimes,” she said.

“I had the opportunity of watching a short excerpt of the particular rapes set out in the charges, they make for the most disturbing viewing.

“What is clear is that his behaviour towards his victim was punctuated by physical force against the background of her screaming, crying, and trying to push him off. She was repeatedly telling him how much he was hurting her.

“One final image shows her cowering against a wall, a broken victim. He would also tell her he was going to tie her up and used that threat to terrorise her.

“This is one of the most perverted, sadistic, expressions of violence towards a woman that I have ever seen.”

Morland, of Shildon, pleaded guilty to several rapes on the same victim, and trespass with intent to commit a sexual act when he broke into the house in Newton Aycliffe.

Robert Woodcock, prosecuting, said the defendant’s abuse was ‘bullying, sadistic, and misogynistic’ when he outlined the catalogue of offences, which occurred over a protracted period of time, including repeatedly raping the woman.

He said that Morland used his victim’s past suffering against her in an attempt to force her to engage in sexual activities.

Dealing with the second victim, he said Morland had superimposed her face onto video footage of him raping and sexually abusing his first victim.

Mr Woodcock said the defendant's behaviour in the property had left her feeling scared and unable to relax in her own home.

Syam Soni, mitigating, said his client regrets the impact that his offending had on the two victims.

Morland was told he would serve 22-years in prison before being released on a five-year extended licence period.

He was also made subject of an indefinite order to sign on the sex offenders’ register.

Description

A man already serving a long prison sentence for sexual violence, has received a further jail term of 11 years for multiple rapes on another woman.

Mark Newton received a 14-year and three-month sentence, with five years’ extended licence period, after being branded as, “posing a high risk of causing serious harm to women”, by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court, in March, 2021, for subjecting two victims to sexual and physical violence.

He was back before the crown court, this time at Durham, today (Friday November 24), to be sentenced after admitting four further counts of rape, one of attempted rape and two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm weeks before a scheduled trial for the offences.

The court heard the now 32-year-old defendant, previously of South View Gardens, in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, has an earliest possible release date for his previous offences in January 2030.

But he may have to serve until October 2034 before being eligible for release on parole, before now starting his sentence for the latest offences before the court.

His offending with the victim in this case happened during the period of him committing the offences for which he has already been convicted, but did not come to light until after he was taken into custody.

Dr Chris Wood said the rapes were accompanied in some cases by physical violence, in one case placing his hands tightly around his victim’s neck and telling her: “I hope you have said goodbye to the kids”.

It caused her to black out, but when she came around Newton dragged her to a bedroom and tried to rape her, but she struggled and attempted to climb out of a window to escape.

She repeatedly told him she did not want sex, but he told her: “You’ll do what I say. You’ll live by my rules.”

It was only after Newton was taken into custody for the other offences that the victim came forward and gave a detailed account of the abuse she suffered.

Dr Wood said she was left “mentally and physically traumatised” by her experiences and now does not go out or have a social life.

She described herself as, “always looking over my shoulder” and struggles to sleep, often suffering panic attacks, and is trying to work through her problems with therapy.

Dr Wood said when interviewed, Newton was, “effectively in denial”.

David Callan, in mitigation, said once medical reports confirmed the defendant was fit to plead, he made his admissions, several weeks before the scheduled trial.

He said Newton suffers with adhd, even as an adult, for which he receives medication.

Mr Callan said since his client was transferred from HMP Northumberland to Durham Prison he now has, “a positive attitude” to seeing out his sentence.

“He’s taking it on a day at a time basis and just wants to get his head down and await going before the Parole Board.”

Judge James Adkin said he has no doubt that the defendant fits the criteria of being, “a dangerous offender”, posing a highly significant risk of committing further serious offences, particularly with women.

He told Newton: “You have now shown yourself capable of serious sexual offences against three women.”

Imposing an 11-year prison sentence with three years’ extended licence period, the judge said it should run consecutively with the defendant’s existing sentence.

He will have to serve at least two-thirds of the 11-year sentence before being eligible for release by the Parole Board.

Description

A predator who arranged to meet an underage teen for sex has now been sentenced – after a joint North East police investigation.

Joseph Lee, 46, is now behind bars after he travelled to Framwellgate Moor to meet a 15-year-old girl he arranged to have sex with online.

However, what he didn’t know was that officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) and Durham Constabulary would be waiting to arrest him instead.

NEROCU detectives worked alongside officers from Durham Constabulary’s Online Child Abuse Investigator Team, to carry out their operation on April 26 last year, and thanks to their partnership working Lee is now no longer a danger to children.

When interviewed Lee, of Drum Lane, Chester-le-Street, offered no explanation of why he did what he did and offered no guilty plea.

However, due to the extensive evidence file compiled by officers, a Jury found Lee guilty of Arranging/Facilitating the Commission of a Child Sex Offence earlier this year on October 27 at Durham Crown Court.

Today (Monday), he appeared at the same court and was sentenced to four years imprisonment, a ten year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be placed on the Sex Offender Register indefinitely.

Description

An online pervert who turned up to meet a schoolgirl for sex was greeted by police after being snared in an undercover operation.

Michael Cook made contact with a profile on social media purporting to be a 14-year-old girl, which was being run by a law enforcement officer. From the outset, he was told of the "girl's" young age and he began with some general conversation before turning the chat sexual.

After establishing she lived in a "bad area" he asked "so does that makes you a bad girl or are you a goody two shoes". The 48-year-old said she probably didn't know anything about sex and was told she was "not a baby".

Kevin Wardlaw, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court Cook asked if she had any sexual experience and when told that the "boys at school were annoying" he asked if she "liked older". He also asked if she liked masturbating and "being naughty".

Mr Wardlaw said: "He asked if she wore cheap leggings which clung to her legs as they showed everything. He also asked about thongs."

He also quizzed her about a previous boyfriend and was told she had not had sex with him. Mr Wardlaw said: "He said he liked her and would like to meet her and have fun.

"He said he was working in an office in Durham and was bored. He suggested they meet up and have fun."

He made a reference to her getting her hands on his gear stick. Mr Wardlaw said: "He was clearly sounding out the profile to see if she was interested in sexual activity."

Cook went on to ask if she wanted to lose her virginity. Mr Wardlaw said: "He varied topics between everyday activities and sexual chat before arranging to meet her at Kingston Park retail park."

He made other sex references and said he would bring condoms. On November 25 2021, police went to the arranged meeting place and arrested him in his car and he replied: "She said she was 16." A search of his car revealed condoms in he driver's door pocket.

Cook, of Arcadia, Ouston, County Durham, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to attempting to to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. He was sentenced to 18 months suspended for two years with 200 hour unpaid work. He was also made subject to sex offender registration and a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

Recorder Richard Wright KC said: "What underlies this offence is a deviant sexual attitude held by you which, had this been a real child, you may well have seen through to a conclusion.

"You went online and befriended what you thought was a 14-year-old girl. You sexualised the communications between you. This was grooming behaviour and it was quite deliberate.

"You turned innocent conversations into sexual conversation and you arranged to meet what you thought was a child to have sex with her. As far as you were concerned, you were engaging in this conversation with a young and vulnerable female."

Andrew Walker, defending, said: "The messages speak for themselves, they are awful to read but if he was intent on meeting a child in a chatroom he was in the wrong place." He said that it was a mainstream chatroom where users were supposed to be over 16.

Mr Walker added: "He was under multiple life and work stresses at the time. It happened not long after he lost both parents and he had bereavement issues. There were stress-related work issues and he felt isolated during covid."

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Ian Beecroft from Northumbria Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team said: “Our work to protect the vulnerable from predators both online and in the community is a top priority for the Force and we make no apologies for our continued activity in this area.

“Our investigation caught Cook sending messages to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl, and he had no issues with that. He was even prepared to meet up with her knowing she was underage.

“We would encourage anyone who has been a victim of this type of abuse to come forward and speak to us. We take these types of reports incredibly seriously and you will be supported.”

Description

A predator caught with a stash of sickening child abuse images groomed a teenage girl into having sex via Snapchat, a court heard.

Jordan Lowe preyed on the youngster on social media before arranging to meet her in "secretive conditions" at a secluded woodland. Teesside Crown Court heard during the meeting the pair engaged in intercourse until they were disturbed by a passerby.

On Thursday, the 24-year-old was sentenced to five-and-a-half-years in prison after being found guilty following trial of meeting a child following sexual grooming and sexual activity with a child. He had previously pleaded guilty to a further charge of making indecent images.

Addressing the defendant, Recorder Ata Dallas stated that he is 'satisfied Lowe led [name of teenager] along from the outset knowing perfectly well her age'. "At the time you were were awaiting a court appearance for indecent images of children," he added.

The court heard the defendant - who is of previous good character - had 37 category A images -, 28 category B images and 41 category C images. However, in mitigation it was claimed Lowe has been bullied throughout his life due to his weight and suffers from a "poor self image".

The Middlesbrough court heard at the time of the offences all Lowe's friends were in stable relationships and he felt like the "odd one out". Lowe, previously of Ropers Terrace, Trimdon Grange, said he accepts responsibility for his behaviour and is motivated to make good use of his time in custody.

Sentencing, Recorder Dallas said the offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence of some length could possibly be justified. Alongside the prison sentence, Lowe was place on the Sex Offenders Register.

Following the sentencing hearing, Eve McDonnell of CPS North-east said: “Jordan Lowe made initial contact with the girl via Snapchat, through which he engaged her in increasingly sexualised conversations over a number of weeks. After manipulating her into sending him intimate pictures, Lowe went on to persuade the girl to meet him in secluded woodland where he then had sex with her.

“During the investigation of these offences, Lowe claimed that he had believed the girl to be 18-years-old. In truth, he had committed these acts in full knowledge of the girl’s age, telling her that he could not wait until she was 16-years-old and that no one must find out about what they had done.

“The Crown Prosecution Service has worked closely with police to build a robust case against Jordan Lowe. We sincerely hope that his young victim can take some measure of comfort from the sentence passed on him today.”

Description

An offshore worker has appeared in court again for breaching his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Michael Wyatt appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Thursday for his latest breach. The court heard the Darlington man was placed on the Sex Offenders Register after being caught with indecent images of children, but has repeatedly failed to comply with requirements.

For his latest breach, he was told he must serve a 32-month prison sentence after he had contact with children - which he was prohibited from doing so.

The court heard the 37-year-old entered into a relationship with a woman but failed to tell her about his previous convictions. As a result he was invited to family events where there were children present. The court heard the woman was left "upset" when she found out about his crimes.

In a victim impact statement, she said: "This has really shattered my confidence and affected my anxiety. What right did he have to do this? I feel so sick and upset and dare I say abused.

"I thought I was a good judge of character but this completely derailed me."

Summarising the case, Judge Jonathan Carroll said it was the third time the offender has breached orders, he said: "In my judgement you knew at all times that you were under an obligation to comply with your Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and not to behave in this way.

"These offences are significantly aggravated by your previous convictions. The levels of distress you caused are profound and you're here for your third time breach."

In mitigation, the court heard Wyatt admitted two offences of breaching the SHPO. It was also claimed he has a 'strong work ethic' and has worked offshore for many years. On release from prison he has plans to go back to his employer.

Wyatt, of Brook Terrace, was handed a 32-month prison sentence and ordered to pay a victim surcharge.

Description

A school employee, said to have been, “struggling with a sex addiction”, believed he was engaging in online communication with young girls while he was overseeing children in a classroom.

Mark Andrew Woodhead was supposed to be dealing with youngsters with behavioural issues in his job role, but at the same time he was on social media platforms ‘chatting’ in sexualised terms to females who purported to be either 14 or under 14.

Durham Crown Court heard was told he even sent the two ‘girls’ he believed he was chatting to intimate images of himself while he was supposed to be supervising the youngsters in his charge.

He then tried to solicit images from the 'girls' he believed he was communicating with, in return.

In reality, however, the ‘girls’ were actually undercover officers seeking to catch paedophiles operating on social media platforms.

Robin Turton, prosecuting, said when the defendant was arrested over his online activities in May this year he claimed it was, “just a fantasy and nothing was going to come of it”.

The court heard that the day after his arrest he resigned from his position at the school.

Examination of his phone revealed indecent images of children, some taken by Woodhead, and some which he distributed to like-minded individuals.

When formally cautioned and interviewed he initially made no comment.

But when later questioned he told police he had been struggling with a sex addiction for 30 years which had “got out of hand”, despite claiming he was not attracted to children.

The 48-year-old defendant, of Devonshire Road, Belmont, Durham, admitted two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, plus other charges of taking, making and distributing indecent images of children.

Tony Davis, in mitigation, said Woodhead had engaged with an organisation known as “Stop it Now” to address his addiction, and supplied letters from that agency and the defendant’s wife to the court.

“Plainly, this defendant had struggled with a 30-year addiction to pornography.

“That is something that inevitably will not take a short time to overcome.

“It’s plainly a deep-rooted illness, which has manifested itself in the behaviour that is before the court.

“He bitterly now regrets his actions and entered his guilty pleas at the first opportunity, having made those admissions in his second police interview.

“But he’s a man who has obviously taken steps to address his behaviour.”

Mr Davis said the defendant had, of his own volition, also reached out to seek assistance from a therapist in Yorkshire, which he said began the day after his arrest.

“Immediately upon arrest he resigned from his position at the school.

“He understands, given his conviction and admissions to police, that he will never be able to work with children again and that will have a severely restricting effect on his life going forward.”

Mr Davis said the addiction suffered by the defendant covered, “a panoply of sexual behaviour, not merely in terms of underage girls, and for a period he was addicted to sites involving trans people.”

He urged Judge Jo Kidd that a sentence could be passed to enable the defendant to continue his rehabilitation in the community.

But Judge Kidd said the offences committed in April and May this year were an extension of Woodhead's actions from 2018 of making and distributing indecent images of children.

“It’s clear to me your sexual interest in children spans at least a period of five years and you gained serious sexual gratification surrounded by children while engaging in this communication and viewing child pornography while at work.

“You told the author of the pre-sentence report that you don’t have a sexual interest in children.

“Well, you clearly do.

“You tell me through your counsel that it’s an illness.

“I don’t accept that submission. You were significantly interested in viewing images of children.

“That was a deliberate act on your behalf as an individual working with children to gratify your sexual interest.

“It’s unfortunate you only reached out to that foundation after your arrest as you clearly took no measures prior to it to address your interest and urges in children beforehand.”

Imposing an immediate 30-month prison sentence, she also made Woodhead subject of registration as a sex offender and restrictions under the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, both indefinitely.

His name will also be entered on the barring list of those forbidden from ever working with children.

Description

Man sentenced to 14 years for series of Child Sex Offences

Alexander Slimings, 21 from Billingham, was sentenced to 14 years in prison and handed a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order at Teesside Crown Court today (Friday 27 October) after pleading guilty to a total of 34 Child Sex Offences.

The offences included multiple counts of Sexual Assault, Making and Taking Indecent Images of Children and Voyeurism. The offences occurred between October 2019 and March 2023, and took place in the Teesside and County Durham areas.

Slimings was arrested and charged in March 2023. He was remanded in custody, where he has remained since. The subsequent investigation into the offences he was initially arrested for, led to the identification of a number of other victims. Slimings was then charged for a series of further offences.

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Jez Collins, the Senior Investigating Officer in the case, said:

Slimings offences and the details of the investigation were deeply distressing for the victims and their families, and I thank them for their support and remarkable resilience during what has been a very sensitive enquiry.

I would also like to thank the investigators and staff from our Child Abuse and Vulnerable Adults Team (CAVA), our Paedophile On-Line Investigation Team (POLIT) and others, as well as representatives from Durham Police and partner agencies for their professionalism and support. Working collaboratively helped ensure the victims and their families were kept informed and supported at all stages of the investigation.

I am satisfied that Slimings is now behind bars, where he can no longer prey on those most vulnerable in our society. Cleveland Police take all allegations of this nature seriously and we encourage victims of sexual abuse to come forward and report it. We have specialist officers who are trained to help you and investigate this type of crime.