Latest Offenders Leeds

Description

A persistent sex offender says he "holds his hands up" after he was found to be hiding a mobile phone inside a sock when police searched his home.

Liam Hunter, 29, was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order - due to end in 2025 - in 2019 after he was convicted of two counts of sexual activity with a girl under the age of 16 and meeting a girl under the age of 16 following sexual grooming.

Hunter was jailed for three-and-a-half years and released, but was still subject to the order which means he had to tell police if he acquires a device that is capable of accessing the internet within three days.

Prosecutor Austin Newman told Leeds Crown Court on Friday that Hunter was visited at his home in Harehills by his police offender manager on February 28 this year and was asked about his possession of any devices capable of accessing the internet.

Mr Newman said: "He denied having any, saying he was waiting for the probation service to supply him with a phone. Shortly after, a mobile phone fell from his pocket, only his table. It was seized by the officer and it was apparent it was a smart phone capable of accessing the internet. He was asked why he lied and said he had only got the phone that day but this was plainly another lie."

When officers viewed the search history of the phone, there was a search history going back to February 18. An examination of the device showed Hunter had searched the internet using the term "animal porn."

Mr Newman told the court Hunter was arrested and during that arrest he indicated he wanted to take some clothing with him. A search was carried out and another mobile phone was found inside one of his socks. During his interview, the court was told, he made "full and frank admissions." He went on to plead guilty to two breaches of the sexual harm prevention order.

Representing himself, Hunter said: "I'd just like to apologise for my behaviour. I fully admit it and hold my hands up. I was wrong and that's why I thought I didn't need a defence."

Hunter told the judge he "fully respects" his decision and added: "There's nothing more I can really say."

His Honour Judge Batty jailed him for 20 months and said he will be released on licence halfway through the sentence.

Description

Pervert Robert Taylor, 36, made contact with a Facebook account purporting to be a 12-year-old boy named ‘James’ in June last year. Over the course of about eight days, he groomed ‘James’ – sending him an explicit photographer, telling him he was “sexy” and that he wanted to be his boyfriend. He arranged to meet him at Batley Railway Station and check into a hotel, indicating he would carry out sexual offending of the most serious kind.
 
James was a decoy account set up by West Yorkshire Police and when Taylor arrived at Batley Station on June 30 last year, he was arrested.

He admitted what he had done and knew it was wrong, but told the officers he was “horny”. He then admitted he also looked at indecent images, so a computer and hard drives were seized from his address on Naseby View in Burmantofts.

Police found thousands of images and videos of child abuse, including 990 Category A – the most serious – as well as extreme pornographic photographs involving people performing sex acts on animals.

After a delay due to legislative changes, Taylor was brought before Leeds Crown Court in April. He admitted arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to meet a child under 16 and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. He also admitted three counts of possessing indecent, possessing prohibited images of children and extreme pornographic images.
 
His sentencing was adjourned to this week as Judge Rodney Jameson KC digested a lengthy medical report. In his report, Dr Harry Wood found Taylor had developed lifelong psychological difficulties due to his mother being unwell when he was born, which meant he had been an “isolated figure” throughout his life.

Dr Wood also said Taylor was likely to have Asperger’s Syndrome. The defendant has no previous convictions.

Judge Jameson said that while there was no real victim, there had been a “significant degree of planning” and “grooming behaviour”. He jailed Taylor for three years and six months. Taylor was also handed a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

Description

A sex attacker who put a noose around a woman's neck and dragged her away has been jailed for eight years.

Ben Creek, 31, launched the "sinister and disturbing" attack as his victim returned from taking her children to school in Holbeck, Leeds, last year, a jury heard.

He pinned her to the ground before before a passer-by interrupted and Creek fled through rush-hour traffic.

Creek, of Britannia Road, Morley, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court on Friday.

The court had heard that Creek grabbed the woman, who was in her 20s, from behind as she walked under a viaduct between Domestic Road and Cross Ingram Road at about 09:15 BST on 5 May last year.

Dressed in black with a beanie hat and with his face covered, Creek choked the struggling victim with the noose as he dragged her to a grassy area.

After the passer-by intervened, he fled through queuing traffic on busy city centre roads, including the A643 dual carriageway.

Creek was arrested 10 days later, after CCTV images released in a police appeal led to his identification.

Detectives learned he had also exposed himself to a schoolgirl in Asquith Avenue, Morley, four days after the noose attack.

In November, Creek had pleaded guilty to sexual assault, attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle a person in order to commit an offence, indecent exposure, and outraging public decency.

After the sentencing, Det Insp Suzanne Hall, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "This was a very sinister and disturbing incident. A woman was brazenly attacked near a busy road as she walked back from taking her child to school during the morning rush hour.

"It was terrifying for her and it has left her traumatised."

The offences showed Hall was a "dangerous sexual predator", Det Insp Hall added.

"We hope it will give some degree of comfort to his victims and to the wider community to know that he is behind bars."

Creek will also have to serve five years on licence after his eventual release from prison.

Description

A former teacher who kept a "paedophile manual" has been jailed after a colleague reported concerns after seeing inappropriate images on his laptop.

Jamie Alexander Wheeler, 32, was jailed for four years and ten months when he appeared at York Crown Court on Tuesday (May 16). He had previously pleaded guilty to a catalogue of sex offending. The offences he admitted were possessing a paedophile manual, three counts of making indecent images of children, six counts of sexual touching, eight counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of taking an indecent photo of a child and two counts of meeting a child to engage in a sexual act.

The former teacher, previously of Riccall near Selby, but now of Leeds, was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register indefinitely and made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. The court heard how during his arrest, officers seized 33 electronic devices including laptops, phones and memory sticks. Forensic examination of the devices revealed over 26,000 indecent images of children including 4,721 category A images - the most serious.

Officers also discovered the manual which went into detail about how to groom children in the lead up to abusing them sexually.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Claire Hudson of York and Selby CID, said: “The images found on Wheeler’s devices depicted sickening and very distressing images of children being abused. Behind every image is a terrified child that has suffered in the worst possible way. By downloading these images he has helped fuel the horrific trade in child sexual abuse images, re-victimising every child in those photos and videos.

“While we did not identify any evidence that he was directly involved in the worst kind of sexual offending, we did identify direct offences of sexual touching and other grooming offences to which he thankfully pleaded guilty and spared the victims the trauma of giving evidence at court.

“When his offending was discovered, we worked with our partner agencies to ensure immediate safeguarding measures were put in place, including his suspension from his job and conditions imposed to prevent any contact with any children. I hope Wheeler uses his time in prison to take make use of the help available to prevent re-offending in the future.”

Description

A convicted rapist living in Leeds has been returned to jail after failing to tell police that he obtained a passport and travelled to Amsterdam.

Having been placed on the sex offenders register, Liam Palmer must notify police if he receives such documents, and must give at least seven days’ notice if he plans to go abroad. In 2017 he was convicted after a trial of raping a woman in the Bristol area, and received six years’ jail.

Appearing at Leeds Crown Court via video link from HMP Leeds this week, he admitted two counts of failing to comply with the notification requirements of his order.

Prosecutor Mark Thomas said in March, Palmer’s offender manager was notified by UK Border Force that Palmer had travelled to Amsterdam in June of last year from Manchester Airport. He was later told that Palmer had also acquired a new passport.

The 31-year-old was arrested earlier this month, but during his police interview largely gave no comments, although he did admit he was a registered sex offender.

Mitigating, Ian Cook said that Palmer, of Aston View, Bramley, had been released from prison in August 2020 and had been complying with probation.

He said his trip to Amsterdam was not for a holiday, but that his uncle had died in the Netherlands wanted to attend the funeral, but did not want to risk being refused permission if he informed police.

Mr Cook said: “In reality, he hoped he got away with it. There was no sinister attempt. It follows a long period of exemplary compliance and this was something that he had hoped would not rear its head. He now wants to get back to where he was.”

Judge Penelope Belcher told Palmer: “I’m dealing here with serious and deliberate breaches. You thought this was important and therefore you were going to travel. There’s no dispute it was deliberate and I take the view that this is long period of non-compliance.” She jailed him for 12 months.

Palmer had been jailed at Bristol Crown Court in August 2017 for raping a woman while she slept after a house party. The woman had gone to bed with another female friend only to wake later to find Palmer on top of her. He was jailed for six years.

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A South Yorkshire Police officer who pulled down a teenager's top and photographed her breasts has been jailed for eight months.

Paul Hinchcliffe, 46, sexually assaulted the 18-year-old in a pub in Wath upon Dearne in October 2020.

The victim told Leeds Crown Court the officer's behaviour had destroyed her trust in the police.

The married father-of-four resigned from the force after being convicted by a jury in January.

Hinchcliffe was off-duty and drinking with a group including other officers when he committed the offence in The Church House, a Wetherspoons pub, on 3 October.

'All trust gone'

He first took a photo of the woman and showed it to friends and made a comment about performing a sex act, the court heard.

Hinchliffe then flicked beer foam at the teenager's chest before pulling open her top, photographing her breasts in her bra, and making sex noises before sending the image to a colleague.

Later that night the woman, who lived with her parents, received WhatsApp messages from Hinchcliffe, one of which included a photo of her accompanied by several sexually explicit emojis.

In a victim impact statement, the 18-year-old said: "All my trust for the police just went.

"I used to feel safe when I saw police officers. I never think that now."

Sentencing Hinchcliffe, of Songthrush Way, Wath upon Dearne, Judge Robin Mairs told him his conduct "betrays your fellow officers who do a decent, committed job and makes women mistrustful of the police force".

Katherine Pierpoint, defending, had urged the judge to suspend the prison sentence and pointed to a raft of references from colleagues about his 20-year career.

The barrister said her client's drunkenness at the time of the offence was no excuse but might explain his "completely out-of-character" behaviour.

She said that, unlike other recent high-profile cases, Hinchcliffe had not used his position as a police officer to commit the offence.

'Far beyond banter'

But Mr Mairs rejected her plea and noted Hinchcliffe's role at the time of the offence involved training student police officers, saying he had breached the standards he was tasked with instilling into recruits.

He said the behaviour of Hinchcliffe and other officers in the pub "went far beyond jokes and banter" and had dented the victim's trust in both men and the police.

South Yorkshire Police said an accelerated misconduct hearing on 9 February concluded Hinchcliffe's conviction amounted to gross misconduct and the officer would have been dismissed without notice if he had still been serving.

Hinchcliffe, whose name will be on the sex offenders register for 10 years, has been placed on the police barred list, meaning he will never work in policing again, the force added.

Chief Constable Lauren Poultney said: "Whether our officers and staff are on duty or not, the public rightly expect us to portray the true values of policing at all times and this former officer fell woefully below these expectations."

Description

A MAN who repeatedly raped and sexually abused a vulnerable teenage girl has been jailed for 17 years.

Stephen Scholes, 55, attacked the victim at an address in Leeds during a prolonged ordeal after he plied her with alcohol on a night out. 

He denied the allegations when he was arrested and interviewed.

An investigation by detectives from the Leeds District Safeguarding Unit secured forensic evidence linking him to the offences.

Work by the force’s Digital Forensic Unit also uncovered evidence on his phone confirming that he had filmed the victim during the abuse.

He was charged with four counts of rape of a woman aged 16 or over and four counts of assault by penetration.

He pleaded not guilty but was convicted following a trial at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday.

He was also placed on the Sex Offenders' Register.

Description

A Romanian man caught out by paedophile hunters was arrested at an airport after sending a teenage girl indecent images and videos.

Gheorge Paris, 33, told officers he was a "religious" person and "wouldn't do that" when he was questioned about the sexualised chat he had attempted to have with a 13-year-old girl named Lily-Rose.

Lilly-Rose was a decoy used by members of Predator Exposure - a group that works with the police to snare offenders who try and use social media to talk to children for their own sexual gratification.

Prosecutor Bashir Ahmed told Leeds Crown Court on Friday Paris, who appeared via a video link from HMP Leeds, began talking to Lily in May 2021. He said: "She made it clear to him she was 13-years-old. The chat very quickly became sexual in nature. He asked if she wanted to meet in private at his home address. He gave her details of his address and some other personal details like his cars.

"He asked her to send photographs of her naked."

The court was told Paris then sent indecent images of himself, videos of him masturbating and images of naked women. Mr Ahmed said: "He asked her if she wanted to have sex with him and said he would teach her how to do it. She told him she was too young. The chat ended on around 22nd June 2021."

Predator Exposure went to the address in Leeds Paris had given them but he was not there. It was not until April 2 last year that he was arrested at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, the court heard.

Mr Ahmed said: "He was interviewed at a police station and denied being in any chat with Lily or sending pictures or videos to her. He said he was a religious person and wouldn't do that."

Paris also suggested the offences could have actually been the work of a "disgruntled customer seeking revenge for buying a faulty car off him." He entered guilty pleas to the charges of attempting to communicate sexually with a child and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act at a plea, trial and preparation hearing in January this year.

The court heard he had previous convictions for offences including sexual activity with a child which had taken place in Romania. He had been given prison sentences for the offences.

Mitigating, Jim Littlehales, told the court Paris would be deported at the end of his sentence.

Her Honour Judge Penelope Belcher jailed Paris for 22 months and told him: "The pre-sentence report says you have pro-criminal attitudes especially in relation to sex offending and considers there is a high risk of sex offending with a significant impact on those impacted by it.

"These findings are enormously concerning."

Paris was also ordered to comply with notification requirements as a sex offender for ten years. He was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same amount of time.

Description

Heavily-built paedophile Samuel Frost, who has a lengthy record from crimes against children, assaulted a 16-year-old and then a 13-year-old at the stops on Garforth’s Main Street, where he was living at the time.

When police later searched his home they also found a partially-working double-barrel shotgun.

Appearing at Leeds Crown Court via video link from from HMP Doncaster, he was handed a 12-year jail sentence, made up of eight years’ custody and a four-year extended licence period.

Judge Simon Batiste told him: “You have a considerable record for offences of a sexual nature. You pose a significant risk of harm at the moment. To provide suitable protection to society I’m satisfied that an extended prison sentence is suitable.”

At around 7.30am on February 15 last year, Frost approached the 16-year-old waiting at the bus stop outside the Coral bookmakers on Main Street and grabbed her bottom before walking away. The shocked girl, who says she had seen him before, turned to see him walk away, but he then looked back at her. She later picked him out at a police ID parade.

On the afternoon of May 27, he then approached a 13-year-old schoolgirl waiting at a bus stop and put his hand up her skirt, before quickly leaving the scene. He was stopped by police but “gave a bizarre account” and was not arrested, prosecutor David Hall told the court.

It was not until police went to his home on June 6 over concerns that he was self harming, did they finally arrest him. They found the 410 shotgun, on which one of the barrels was still fully functional.

He was taken to hospital by officer but was “troublesome”, kicking out at one and biting another.

The 37-year-old later admitted sexual assault, sexual activity with a child, possession of a firearm and two counts of assaulting emergency workers.

He also admitted two breaches of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and breaching the terms of the sex offenders register, having failed to notify police that he was regularly staying at a woman’s house in Leeds.

Frost was convicted of indecent assault of a child in 2001 and sexual activity with a child in 2006. He also sexually assaulted a child in 2014, riding a BMX through a Castleford park where he touched the 12-year-old girl before riding off. He was also convicted of sexual activity in the presence of children after he masturbated in front of a 12 and a 13-year-old girl at Wakefield Kirkgate Railway Station.

Mitigating for Frost in light of his latest offending, Charlotte Noddings said the “catalyst” was losing his job following the pandemic, and that he “thrived on stability”.

She said: “When it was taken away from him his life spiralled out of control he turned to taking drugs and offending. He knows what he did was wrong and is sorry. He accepts a lengthy period of prison is ahead of him."

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A tearful repeat sex-offender has been caged after he was caught for a third time by police with indecent images of children.

Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 18 how 26-year-old sex-offender Charles Bonde, who has two previous convictions for making indecent images of children, was found by police officers to have further indecent images of youngsters on a mobile phone and his laptop.

Prosecuting barrister Emily Jenkins said a probation officer reported Bonde to police for using a mobile phone that was not registered under the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order while he was resident at Doncaster College.

Ms Jenkins added: “Police attended the college on May 26, last year, and spoke to the defendant. He was escorted to his locker and he surrendered a mobile phone and a laptop and neither had been registered.”

Police also found a bank card and a passport and these had also not been logged under his registration requirements as a convicted sex-offender, according to Ms Jenkins.

Ms Jenkins said that when Bonde was arrested he said, ‘I f**ked up again,’ and he started crying.

Bonde, now of Whitestone Crescent, Leeds, pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children relating to categories A, B and C on his electronic devices with category A images being regarded as the most serious. He also admitted distributing category A, B and C indecent images of children.

In addition, Bonde also admitted breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order by failing to register the new mobile phone and laptop and he admitted failing to comply with the Sex Offenders Register by failing to notify the authorities about his new bank card and passport.

Rebecca Tanner, defending, said Bonde has been bullied, lacks confidence and he has lived a socially isolated existence which is sadly when he poses more of a risk.

Ms Tanner added that Bonde has been remanded in custody, had some ‘shocking experiences’ and has found his time behind bars ‘extremely difficult’.

She said: “The moment he attended HMP Doncaster everything changed and it has made him realise he cannot behave in this manner.”

Ms Tanner added: “Because of his difficulties and difficulties in social circumstances and making new friends he has found it extremely difficult and more difficult than others might. He has had some shocking experiences in custody.”

She also said: “He spent time in a cell with an individual who was extremely volatile and menacing and such were the concerns he was moved to another cell.”

Judge Rachael Harrison told Bonde he failed to notify police of his internet devices so he could view indecent images because his ‘perverted sexual desires took precedence’.

She added: “Every person who looks at indecent images of children contributes to children being abused so that more images can be made. Those who distribute images are more culpable still.

“I have no doubt you are at a high risk of causing serious harm to children either by way of looking at indecent images of them being abused and therefore causing that abuse or by committing qualifying offences.”

Judge Harrison sentenced Bonde to 62 months of custody and he was made subject to the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely and to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same period.

Description

A paedophile who repeatedly raped a young boy over a number of years has been given a life sentence following an investigation by specialist safeguarding officers in Leeds.

Mark Hutchinson-Schofield, aged 55, of Lovell Park Hill, Leeds, was found guilty following a trial at Leeds Crown Court this week.

The offences came to light in July last year when the victim told a teacher who alerted the police.

Hutchinson-Schofield was arrested but denied the offences in his police interview and called the victim a liar.

Officers from Leeds District Safeguarding Unit liaised with Crown Prosecution Service and were able to have him charged and remanded in custody immediately on the basis of the initial evidence, prior to the victim be able to give a full account.

He was also charged with offences related to breaching sex offender conditions, which he pleaded guilty to at the start of the trial.

Today at Leeds Crown Court, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years.

Detective Inspector Mark Tester, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said: “Hutchinson-Schofield was responsible for an appalling and sustained catalogue of abuse against this vulnerable child that has had a devastating traumatic effect on the victim’s young life.

“He systematically sexually exploited the victim for his own gratification in circumstances that were a complete betrayal of trust.

“This was a challenging investigation where the officer in the case, Detective Constable Nicki Vincent, supported the victim at every stage to comprehensively capture all the evidence that has helped to secure these convictions against Hutchinson-Schofield.

“The victim was able to give his evidence to the court under special measures that allowed his account to be video recorded in advance of the trial to reduce the impact of the court process on him.

“We hope the significant sentence that Hutchinson-Schofield has now received will provide some reassurance to the victim and his family as well as to the wider community.

“Our specialist safeguarding officers will continue to do everything they can to secure convictions against predatory offenders like this to get justice for victims and protect others from harm.”

Description

A paedophile found guilty of raping his victim at least 28 times and subjecting her to sexual abuse has been jailed.

Carl Purdy, 58, from Leeds, repeatedly raped the young girl when she was aged between seven and 13, often after driving her to lay-bys, police said.

Following his trial at Leeds Crown Court in October, he was also found guilty of indecently assaulting two other young girls.

On Monday, Purdy, of Ring Road, Beeston, was jailed for 25 years.

He was convicted on multiple counts of rape, sexual activity with a child, indecent assault and unlawful sexual intercourse with a child.

Purdy was charged in April 2021 after the first victim disclosed the abuse she had suffered to a health practitioner before contacting police herself.

Officers then identified the two further victims.

Speaking after the sentencing, Det Supt Lee Berry, head of crime and safeguarding for the Leeds district, said: "Purdy is a predatory paedophile who offended at the worst possible level against vulnerable young children and caused significant harm and trauma to those victims.

"It is important we recognise and commend the considerable courage the victims have shown in giving evidence at court after Purdy insisted on making them endure a trial despite the weight of evidence that saw him eventually convicted," he added.

Purdy was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Description

Alexandra Muresan, 15, was walking to school in Leeds, West Yorkshire, when she was attacked by Nathan Rawson, who threatened her with a knife.

Now 19, Alexandra has spoken out about what happened publicly for the first time.

The kidnapper grabbed her by her waist, showed her a knife and forced her to walk with him into a woodland area.

‘When he came towards me, I saw the handle of his knife and I just grabbed it and started pulling,’ Alexandra said.

‘There was just so much adrenaline – my whole body was shaking. I don’t know why – it’s what came to mind straight away and I just did it.

‘I did rugby for two years, so I managed to get it off him eventually.’

The knife did cut her hand but she managed to quickly take photos of Rawson before he ran away.

She said she feared she would be ‘killed or raped’, and called an ambulance for her hand immediately afterwards.

The images of him standing in a field were published in an appeal by West Yorkshire Police, and Rawson was later arrested.

At Leeds Crown Court last May he admitted kidnapping, wounding, possession of an offensive weapon and two unrelated counts of burglary, and was jailed for 13 years and eight months.

He has a previous conviction for sexually assaulting a woman after stalking her through the streets in a similar offence committed in February 2016.

Alexandra said although she was a ‘little bit scared’ to go out alone after what happened, it has now ‘boosted her confidence’.

‘I don’t even know how to describe how I felt after it happened,’ she said. ‘It’s not really something you experience every day.

‘My mum and dad were obviously really worried about me, but they did everything they could to help.

‘They wanted to take me to therapy, but I’m not the kind of person to talk a lot and go to therapy.

‘At first, I was a little bit scared to go out by myself, but at the same time, as I grew older, it kind of boosted my confidence.’

The police have now given Alexandra a bravery award for her actions.

‘It was a nice night – but it was nerve-wracking, because you had to go onstage and collect your award in front of everyone,’ she said.

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The founder of an Army veterans' charity who groped a woman's bottom to check if she was wearing underwear has been spared jail.

Timothy Evers, 54, sexually assaulted the woman when she posed for a picture with him at an awards night at a Westminster hotel.

The former Royal Engineer founded Sapper Support in 2014 and had won the prize for Best New Charity on October 5, 2017.

Evers, a father-of-two, now serving in South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, denied sexual assault and told Westminster Magistrates' Court it 'did not happen'.

But District Judge Neeta Minhas convicted Evers of sexual assault following a trial last month.

Judge Minhas referred to a Twitter exchange between Evers and the victim, where he blamed 'fizz and exuberance' and said: 'No malice, but also no excuse.'

The judge added: 'I interpret the tweet as him apologising for his actions.'

Wearing a grey suit, blue shirt and red striped tie, Evers was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 80 hours of unpaid work.

He must also attend a 15-day rehabilitation program and register as a sex offender for the next five years.

The woman had told the court how Evers approached her and asked for a photograph with her.

'His charity had won. I did recognize him as one of the winners,' the woman said.

Evers told her to 'come over this way' for the picture.

'I didn't like that. I thought that was weird,' she said.

She said they then went to another part of the building, where she saw a large group of men on the stairs.

'I thought they wanted a group picture. They were all giggling and watching him take a photo of me.

'One of them took the photo.

'He put his arm around me like that [indicating her waist], and then put his hand on my bum.

'He put his hand all the way around my bottom and squeezed it.'

'He said "I just wanted to check if you've got knickers on". He then pointed to his colleagues and said "sorry lover, they dared me to do that".

The victim said that she shouted at Evers as she tried not to cry, before running away.

She said she then went and told someone at the event what had happened.

'I was crying and saying "that bloke just touched my a*se".

The woman added: 'At an event like that at that time of night I assume everyone's a bit squiffy. He wasn't staggering.

'I went home and sat in my room. I was furious I was crying. I was really upset. It occurred to me to call the police. But I didn't.

'I felt very humiliated. I don't like to use the word triggered, but I was very triggered at being touched on an intimate part of myself.

'I felt very angry with myself because I kept thinking what I could have done to avoid that. I was cross with myself for walking with him and not staying where I was.'

The woman said she wrote a tweet to charity Sapper Support, which replied saying 'exuberance and fizz were to blame.'

'I assumed it was him. I felt it was very dismissive, and not connecting with the fact that I was hurt,' the woman said.

The victim reported the incident in 2020.

'It happened just before the #MeToo movement which was significant to me,' she explained.

Evers, who has been a firefighter for 26 years, said he founded the charity after hearing about the death of a fellow 'Sapper' from PTSD.

He told the court he had a single glass of champagne at the event that evening.

'This was a big deal for me. We were a very junior charity. I wanted to be able to remember it,' he said.

He said he asked the woman for a picture for his social media and she agreed.

'I put my arm around her waist. I had my trophy in my hand,' said Evers.

'The pictures were blurred, it was dark. I deleted them. I said I wasn't going to bother her again.'

His barrister asked: 'She says you lowered your hand and squeezed her buttocks.'

Evers replied: 'That did not happen.'

He said when he saw her tweet 'I felt sick to my stomach if I'm honest. I was astounded that she thought we did it. So I wrote a clumsy reply at four in the morning.'

In the tweet, Evers said 'too much alcohol and exuberance were probably to blame. No malice, but also no excuse.'

He told the court: 'It wasn't an admission of guilt. It was a badly worded, early morning tweet.

'I asked if any volunteers had had any interaction with her.'

Evers said he deleted the tweet because he got a 'torrent of abuse.'

'It was quite vile. I was called a paedophile,' he said.

Prosecutor Jennifer Gatland asked Evers and asked him why he used the words 'sincere apologies'.

'I wasn't apologizing for anything I've done. I didn't know who had done it... I thought one of my volunteers might have done it,' he replied.

Ms Gatland asked: 'Did you delete it because you realized you were admitting to touching her?'

'No, not at all,' said Evers.

Evers, of Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, denied the charge but was convicted of sexual assault.

The judge had said of the victim: 'I found her a compelling witness. The incident left a lasting impression on her.'

According to the Sapper Support website, Evers joined the Royal Engineers in 1992. 

After an operational tour he moved to 33 Engineer Regiment EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Wimbish, later serving in Bosnia. He became a fireman after leaving the military.

He founded the charity in 2014 after a close friend of his committed suicide after suffering from PTSD, a court heard.

Evers' colleague and close friend Mike Jenkins described him as 'the driving force behind a charity that quite literally saved lives.'

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The brother of Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt sent explicit images to a child and arranged to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex.

Edward Mordaunt, 44, chatted with who he believed was a 14-year-old girl called Elle on social media app KIK. Elle was in fact a decoy managed by a police officer attempting to snare sex offenders.

Leeds Crown Court heard on Thursday Mordaunt - a chartered surveyor - messaged Elle privately on May 4 this year after being in a group chat named A-Levels in Leeds with her.

Prosecutor Katherine Robinson told the court Mordaunt had already messaged another decoy said to be a girl aged 12-years-old and told her she was gorgeous.

However, his chat turned sexual when he spoke to Elle.

Ms Robinson said: [the decoy] used the group and put a message saying about school and one person she engaged with was Eddie F. The user sent a private message and the officer accepted the defendants chat request.

The court heard the picture used on the decoys account showed her wearing a white shirt and dark tie. It told Mordaunt she was 14-years-old that day.

Ms Robinson said: He said he was an adult male. Up to 27th May the officer engaged with him on a number of occasions on KIK and Snapchat.

The court heard that during the conversations Mordaunt asked the decoy if she had ever had full sex with someone, and sent images of a mans penis to her. Ms Robinson said Mordaunt also made comments about how he shouldnt be speaking to her and they had discussions about how it was wrong for him to be speaking to people her age. She added that Mordaunt even mentioned setting up a "sugar baby" fund for Elle before requesting images from her.

Ms Robinson said that during the conversations Mordaunt, of Ford Avenue, Beeston, had referred to himself as Teddy Eddie and said he was like a bear and sexy" and told the decoy she was also "sexy."

It was said that plans had been made for Mordaunt to meet the decoy, but he cancelled, and they had discussed him visiting her in Sunderland.

After May 27th, there was no further contact between the pair and Mordaunt was arrested. Mitigating Catherine Silverton said he was arrested, interviewed and kept in custody for 26 hours before his first magistrates appearance.

Recorder of Leeds Judge Guy Kearl QC said he dismissed the suggestion that as a result of the job performed by Mordaunts sister, Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt, his case had been different.

He said: I take into account that suggestion that as a result of the job performed by your sibling which is an MP your case is somewhat different to other offenders. I sit here in this court daily and view many of these cases and as far as I can see your case has not been dealt with in anyway inappropriate or different to other cases.

Ms Silverton said highly educated Mordaunt had attempted to get help following his guilty plea at a plea, trial and preparation hearing to attempting to engage a child in sexual communication. She added he had no previous convictions.

She added that he had indicated his guilty plea to the Crown in advance of the plea, trial and preparation hearing. Ms Silverton said: He accepts full responsibility and is understanding of the harm of these types of offences on victims. He is of exemplary character. He has tried to see a doctor and has tried to engage with him and is on a waiting list. He has done his own research into other psychiatrists which may be able to help him.

Ms Silverton added that Mordaunt cares for his elderly father and stepmother and references from his wife, brother and former employer had been given to the court.

The court heard Mordaunt has also taken part in the rehabilitation course.

Judge Kearl sentenced Mordaunt to six months in prison suspended for two years. He told him: I take into account you used chat rooms to escape but you didnt need to engage with a female child in order to achieve thatIf you breach that order you will be sent to prison.

Mordaunt was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement says. He was also made the subject of a seven-year sexual harm prevention order.