Latest Offenders Hastings

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A Hastings man who raped a vulnerable woman has been jailed for ten years.

Nathan Ackerley, 28, of School Road in Hastings, raped a woman as she slept after taking her back to his home in October, 2021.

She woke up during the attack, in which he had cut her clothing, managed to escape and came directly to a police station to report the crime.

While she was supported by specialist officers, Ackerley was located and arrested on suspicion of rape.

A search of his phone found he had taken pictures of the victim while she was asleep.

He was subsequently charged with rape, sexual assault by touching, sexual assault by penetration and voyeurism.

On Friday, 19 July, he was convicted of all charges and the following Monday – 22 July – he was sentenced to ten years imprisonment, with a minimum period of two thirds.

He was also given a restraining order against the victim and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

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A rapist who lured a woman from a busy pub to a nearby beach to assault her has been jailed for more than six years.

Matthew Taylor, 31, from Hastings, carried out the ‘appalling, opportunistic attack’ after chatting with the woman, in her 20s, during a night out on February 12.

She was new to the town and thought he was being friendly, but ‘as soon as they got to the beach his behaviour immediately changed and he started to attack her’, Claire Gallagher of the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Taylor was convicted of rape at Lewes Crown Court and sentenced to six and a half years imprisonment.

Ms Gallagher said: ‘This was an appalling opportunistic attack on a woman new to the town, who believed that Taylor was being friendly when he first approached her.

‘Instead, he was planning to lure her away from a busy place, so he could force himself on her.

‘As soon as they got to the beach his behaviour immediately changed and he started to attack her.

‘Despite her repeated protests that she did not consent to any sexual activity with him, Taylor ignored her pleas and subjected her to a traumatic ordeal.’

Detective Sergeant Elizabeth Pike, from Sussex Police’s safeguarding investigations unit, praised the woman for her ‘incredible’ bravery in coming forward to report the attack and facing Taylor in court for the trial.

‘This is sadly something that will stay with her forever, but I hope this sentence will go some way in helping her rebuild her life,’ Ms Pike said.

She also praised officers for their response in the case, adding: ‘His sentencing demonstrates our determination to catch offenders and get justice for victims who come forward to us.

‘We take all reports of rape and sexual offences seriously and support is available on the Sussex Police website for victims and survivors.’

Taylor was also added to the Sex Offenders’ Register. He was cleared of a second charge of rape on the same woman.

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Mohamed Elshamy met the victim in The Crypt, Robertson Street, in the early hours of Sunday 18 December 2022.

Within minutes, he was seen leading her out of the club and through an underpass to the seafront, where CCTV cameras captured him forcibly trying to kiss her and pulling at her clothing.

Footage then showed him further sexually assaulting the 24-year-old woman on the beach before walking away and leaving her alone and in distress.

Elshamy, 41, unemployed, of Carlisle Parade, Hastings, was identified through those CCTV images and arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.

He pleaded not guilty but was convicted following a trial at Lewes Crown Court.

At the same court on June 26, he was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment and was added to the Sex Offenders’ Register.

 Investigating officer DC Kelly Yates said: “Mohamed Elshamy had only met the victim for a matter of minutes before taking advantage of the fact she was intoxicated and in a vulnerable state, and sexually assaulting her for his own gratification.

Elshamy’s behaviour was dangerous and predatory and we’re pleased to see the severity of his actions reflected in a custodial sentence.”

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A paedophile teacher found with 14,500 sick images of children told police he was looking at them for research purposes – so he could get them taken down from the Internet.

But science master Melvyn Carter, who taught at East Sussex County Council-run Heathfield Community College at the time of his arrest in August 2011, eventually admitted this was a lie.

He confessed he had been looking at such images for “several years”

while continuing to work as a teacher.

Carter has now been jailed for 15 months.

The 69-year-old left the school, in Cade Street, Heathfield, in November 2011, five months after he was initially arrested.

Pupils at the school yesterday spoke of their shock.

One former student,who asked not to be named, called Carter “sick”.

Another student added: “I can’t believe it.”

Heathfield head teacher Alan Powell said: “Melvyn Carter previously worked at the college as a cover supervisor and, before that, as a teacher.

“As soon as we were made aware of these allegations we took immediate action.

“He was dismissed from his post in November 2011 following an internal personnel investigation and we referred the case to the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

“None of the offences he was charged with in any way relate to the school or to any pupils from the school. Nor had any previous concerns of this nature been raised about him.”

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said: “Carter was a teacher at Heathfield Community School when he was arrested in August 2011 but he resigned shortly afterwards.

“There was no evidence of any link between the school and his offending, which was carried out on his home computer.”

At Lewes Crown Court Carter, of Malvern Way, Hastings, was also served with a ten-year sexual offence prevention order severely restricting his access to children and computers and will have to register as a sex offender on his release from prison.