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A man jailed for the sexual abuse of nine children has had his sentence extended on appeal.

Jonathan Richard Maertens, 35, of Freshwater, recorded himself abusing the girls, aged between four and 17.

Following an investigation, during which almost 2,500 pieces of footage and 12,000 indecent images detailing his direct offending were found on hard drives, he pleaded guilty to 34 separate indictments:

• 10 multiple incident counts of rape of a child under 13

• Three counts including two multiple incident counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetration

• Five counts of sexual assault of a child under 13

• Three counts including one multiple incident count of rape of a child

• Two multiple incident counts of assault by penetration of a child

• Three counts of sexual assault of a child

• Three counts of taking indecent photographs of a child

• One count of making indecent photographs of a child

• Three counts including two multiple incident counts of administering a substance with intent

• One count of possessing a paedophile manual

Maertens was subsequently jailed for life with a minimum of 16 years at Isle of Wight Crown Court on November 23, last year.

However, the court's decision was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) Scheme.

At a hearing today (Friday 19 March 2021), the court found Maertens' sentence was unduly lenient and extended the minimum term to be served to 25 years.

Following the hearing, Detective Sergeant Damon Kennard said: "We welcome the Court of Appeal decision today to extend the sentence of Jonathan Maertens.

"I hope this provides further justice to the girls and their families, who continue to receive support from services as they seek to move on with their lives.

"We take all reports of sexual assault extremely seriously and will do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice.

"It is vital for us that people have the confidence to report incidents to us.

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A NEWPORT man who used his position working in a library to access a child's contact details and incite her to engage in sexual activity has been jailed.

The predator pretended to be a 16-year-old boy on Snapchat to start online conversations with the girl.

Glyn Viney, of Barton Road, appeared before the Isle of Wight Crown Court yesterday (Thursday).

At a previous hearing on March 1, he admitted three counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and two counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

He also admitted engaging in sexual communication with a child and making indecent images of a child.

The offences took place between December 1, 2018, and August 24, 2019.

Prosecutor, Daniel Sawyer, told the court Viney's primary victim was a 15-year-old girl he first noticed at the library where he worked.

Viney found her contact details through library records and contacted her via email, posing as a 16-year-old boy called Gary Barlow.

Mr Sawyer said conversations between the pair quickly turned sexual, and Viney asked her for sexual images, and for her to carry out sexual acts on herself.

The victim reported matters to her foster carer, who contacted police.

Viney was arrested on August 30, 2019, and his phone was taken ­— a device which contained a Snapchat account and screen recorder app, Mobizen.

Mr Sawyer said messages consisted of demands for videos, and it was clear there was a difference of power between Viney and his victim.

The court heard how there was also reference to sexual gratification in the context of the victim being in pain.

Mr Sawyer said the victim had disclosed her vulnerabilities to Viney.

He said, for the counts of attempting to incite a child, they pertained to similar conversations with other individuals on his phone.

Mr Sawyer said the other victims could not be traced, and the Crown could not prove they were the young girls they purported to be.

He said that from their profiles, one appeared to be in Year 7 and another, 13 years old.

In police interview, Viney accepted he had at least two Snapchat accounts and pretended to be 16 years old.

He said he was having a mental breakdown at the time, which presiding judge, recorder Anna Midgley, said was indicative of his shame.

David Richards, defending, said Viney was someone who had a productive and decent life which he had thrown away.

Mr Richards said Viney had no intention of doing anything like it ever again, and did not understand where it came from or why.

He said he was overwhelmed by issues in his life ­— the pressures of work, the fact that his mother was unwell, and his inability to get satisfaction from relationships with people his own age.

Mr Richards said Viney did not maintain the pretence throughout, and eventually owned up to being a married man.

He said he knew he was going to prison, and did not see himself as a victim.

Viney, who has no previous convictions, was jailed for three years and four months.

He was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register indefinitely, and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years.

He was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £181.

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He came to police attention after using an online account discuss child abuse.

An Isle of Wight man has been jailed for sexually abusing a child and being found in possession of thousands of indecent images.

Michael Anthony Henderson, 32, of Ventnor, was found with a number of indecent images on his devices after a police investigation.

Appearing at Isle of Wight Crown Court for sentencing on Friday (January 15), Mr Henderson was jailed for ten years.

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He came to police attention when they identified accounts he was using to discuss child abuse on online forums.

The Internet Child Abuse Team for Hampshire Constabulary then carried out an investigation which led to the seizure of laptops, phones and a kindle.

The court heard that the investigation found a large number of indecent images on Henderson's devices, many of which had been accessed on the internet. Among the images were a number that showed Henderson engaging in the sexual abuse of a child.

Hampshire Constabulary confirmed they identified the victim and provided support to them and their family.

Henderson was charged with four counts of sexual assault on a child, five of taking indecent images of a child, three of distribution of indecent images, four of possession of indecent images, one of possession of prohibited images of children and one of possession of extreme pornography.

He pleaded guilty to the three counts of distribution of indecent images, four of possession of indecent images, one of possession of prohibited images of children and one of possession of extreme pornography.

After a trial, the 32-year-old was convicted of the four counts of sexual assault on a child and five of taking indecent images of a child.

Investigating officer DS Claire Lyons said: "The images found on Henderson’s devices are unquestionably amongst the worst I have seen while working within the Internet Child Abuse Team, and this sentence takes a dangerous offender off the streets.

"The sexual abuse of children causes unfathomable damage, and I hope that this sentence provides some justice for the victim and their family, who will continue to receive support from partner services.

"We take all reports of sexual assault extremely seriously, and will do everything in our power to bring those responsible to justice.

"It is so important to us that people have the confidence to report these incidents to us, whether they have happened to you or somebody you know.

"It is also important to us that survivors and their families are provided with the support they need, and we work in partnership with other organisations to ensure this happens."

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A prominent Isle of Wight businessman has admitted a string of child sexual abuse offences.

Peter Tomlinson, of Baring Road, Cowes, has pleaded guilty to 12 counts at the Isle of Wight Crown Court today (Friday).

The charges include making 47 category A photos, 148 category B photos and 353 Category C photos.

He has also admitted paying a mother in the Phillipines, over the internet, to commit sexual acts on her children, aged 10 and 12, and paying her for indecent photos of the children.

He has been remanded in custody until sentencing in March - and has been warned he faces a jail term.

The 63-year-old was remanded in custody at an initial hearing at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court on November 18.

The former president of the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce was charged as part of a National Crime Agency investigation into child sexual abuse across the world.

Tomlinson paid to watch live-streams of children being sexually abused abroad, in countries including the Philippines.

Today (Friday), Tomlinson has admitted five counts of paying for the sexual services of a girl under 13, two counts of causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child under 13, two counts of intentionally encouraging/assisting the commission of an either way offence and three counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo photographs of a child.

Recorder Jane Rowley said: "A significant term of imprisonment may be justified."

The matter will now be adjourned for sentencing on March 5.

Defending, Elisabeth Bussey-Jones has asked for pre-sentence reports.

He is required to add his name to the sex offender's register.

A member of the Catholic church, he was the owner and director of Betapak and children's soft play business JR Zone. JR Zone has since changed hands and is under new ownership.

He was also chief executive of IW business Education Destination, which arranges bespoke school visits to the Isle of Wight.

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A former Isle of Wight paramedic has been struck off the medical register after being convicted of making indecent photographs of children and possessing an extreme pornographic image.

The Health & Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) this week took the decision to strike Timothy J Ross, known as Tim, off the medical register as they deemed his fitness to practise is impaired by his conviction on the grounds of public protection.

Tim served with the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service from 1997 before becoming a flying paramedic with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance for 4 years. He then went on to work for South Central Ambulance Service. The paramedic also spent time in Queensland, Australia.

Tim was well known for his work with the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service as he was an avid fundraiser. He also had connections with a local sailing training company and a local lifeboat station. He also worked at Solent Middle School, Cowes.

In August last year, at Bournemouth Crown Court, the paramedic was convicted of 3 counts of making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child and 1 count of possessing extreme pornographic images – act of intercourse/oral sex with a dead/alive animal. He was sentenced in September to a 2-year community order with 25 days rehabilitation activity and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for a period of 5 years and required to sign as a sex offender for 5 years.

The tribunal hearing, which was held virtually via video conference on Tuesday this week, heard how Police had received information that the paramedic was showing a keen interest in young boys. As a result, his home address was visited and computer equipment seized. Mr Ross gave a no comment interview to Police after indecent images were found on his devices but stated he did not know where the images – of boys aged 6 to 10 – had come from and that he had not seen them before.

On 14th February 2019, the day after his interview, a referral was made to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) by Hampshire Constabulary to alert them to the situation. On 25th April, the HCPC was told by Mr Ross that he was to retire on 7th May with no intention of working as a paramedic again. It was on 14th June 2019 that he was charged with the offences and later appeared in court, on 8th August, where he pleaded guilty.

The HCPTS Panel concluded that Tim Ross' fitness to practise as a paramedic was at the time, and remains, impaired on public protection grounds. The Panel found that this case is characterised by a gross abuse of trust involving the exploitation of children and took the decision to strike Timothy J Ross off the medical register.

On 7th December 2019, Tim was barred from the Children's List and the Adult's List by the Disclosure and Barring Service.

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A man who sexually abused three young boys over a period of six years has been jailed for 10 years.

Claudio Sergio Da Silva, aged 51 years, of Monks Walk in East Cowes, began abusing his first victim in 2010.

Da Silva then went on to sexually assault two other boys who were under the age of 16 at the time. The assaults continued until 2016.

His reign of abuse was brought to an end when the brave boys came forward and reported it.

Following an investigation, Da Silva was charged with six counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of sexual assault.

Da Silva denied the offences, but was convicted by a jury at Isle of Wight Crown Court on Friday 7 February.

He appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court today (Tuesday 11 February) where His Honour Judge Melville QC jailed him for 10 years, for what he described as "systematic abuse", and handed him an unlimited Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

PSI Claire Linton, from Isle of Wight CID, said: "I cannot emphasise enough the strength and bravery of these young boys. It is down to them that this dangerous sex offender has been taken off the streets.

"I would encourage anyone who has been victim of this type of offence to come forward and speak to us.

"We understand this can be a really difficult thing to do, but I hope the verdicts of the jury and the sentencing are reassurance that we take these allegations seriously and you will be listened to."

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Paedophile Allen Wilton has been jailed for 16 months for breaching his Sex Offenders Register requirements.

The 49-year-old, of St Johns Wood Road in Ryde, was required by law to register any names or profiles he created online.

Police discovered that he had been using the name 'falcon1' on an encrypted chat app called Wickr Me, but failed to notify the authorities of this, Isle of Wight Crown Court heard.

The court heard that he was arrested at his home address on 2 October this year, and refused to hand over his password for the app to police.

Today (1 November) he was sentenced to 16 months in prison at the same court.

PC Michelle Walton said: "Wilton is a repeat child sex offender with a history dating back to 2002.

"He had absolutely no regard for what he was required to do, by law, so we could ensure that he would not continue to offend and that children were protected.

"We simply do not tolerate this, and I am pleased that today's jail sentence reflects this."

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43-year-old Richard Moore from Newport has been sentenced to 16 months in prison and given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order after being caught trying to meet who he thought was a 12-year-old girl for sex.

Moore was arrested by Police at Portswood Road, Southampton on 6th January following an online sting by the group 'S.K.I.D Community'.

Decoys pretending to be a 12-year-old girl called India were able to gather evidence that Moore was attempting to meet the child for the purposes of carrying out sexual acts. He is said to have used explicit language and sent nude photographs of himself to 'India' with the aim of going to her aunties' house on the afternoon of 6th January.

Earlier this month Moore pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a child following grooming.

Richard James Moore was sentenced to 16 months in prison at Southampton Crown Court this morning (Monday). He was also handed down a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

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