Search results for Liverpool

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A man has been sentenced after being found guilty of committing child sex offences which took place in Birkenhead and Widnes three years ago.

Mohammed Ajmal, 26 years, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this month and following a three-day trial he was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with girl 13 to 15 and engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl 13 to 15.

The court heard that there had been contact via social media platform snapchat with the victim, who was 14 years old at the time of the offence.

Ajmal, who was aged 22 years at the time of the offence, arranged to pick up the victim from Nocturum in Wirral and drive her to a flat in Widnes where the sexual assault took place. A further sexual assault took place in Birkenhead later that evening.

Yesterday, (Thursday 5 November) Ajmal, of Mossley Hill Drive in Sefton Park who is a British national born in Manchester, was sentenced to five years in prison. He has also been put on the Sexual Offenders Register indefinitely and subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years after his release.

Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Lamb said:

"I hope this sentence provides some comfort to the victim and that they did the right thing to report Ajmal's crime to us.

"Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and those who seek to do them harm, and we take all such reports extremely seriously. The impact on them can be significant and long-lasting.

"If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, or know of a child being abused, please come forward and report this to police.

"We take all such reports extremely seriously and if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us we have specially trained officers who will treat you with sensitivity and compassion."

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A man has been jailed for 16 years after encouraging a child to send him indecent images of herself and her cousin.

It was reported Lloyd Sweeting, 34 years, from Speke contacted a 10-year-old child online and encouraged her to take indecent photographs of herself and her cousin, also a child.

The owner of the account was identified as Sweeting and he was arrested on 18 April 2024 and devices seized for examination.

Following extensive enquires and the examination of his devices and interactions with the victim, he was charged and ultimately convicted of the following offences:

• Four counts of causing or inciting a female under 13 to engage in sexual activity
• One count of possession of extreme pornographic images
• Two counts of possession of indecent photographs

Sweeting appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday 22 September where he was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Detective Superintendent Siobhan Russell said:

“The victim in this case, who lives in the UK, sent images to Sweeting out of fear of the repercussions if she didn’t.

“She has been left traumatised by Sweeting’s appalling actions and the psychological impact of what he subjected her to will be long-lasting.

“Sweeting poses a clear danger to children, amongst the most vulnerable in our society, and it is right that he will now spend a significant period of time in prison.

“I hope he spends that time considering the full impact of his actions and the ordeal he has put his victims through.”

Det Supt Russell added:

"While we would always encourage parents and guardians to be aware of their children's online activity, young people should be able to use technology without being targeted and exploited by adults seeking to abuse them for their own sexual gratification.

“We remain committed to identifying and prosecuting those who seek to exploit children online and will continue to work tirelessly to safeguard vulnerable young people.”

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Man has been jailed for serious sexual offences against a woman in Southport.

Klintis Duarta, 28, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today (Wednesday 16 September) after admitting attempted rape and sexual assault. He was jailed for six years and eight months and will serve a further four years on licence. 

Duarta, who is originally from Mozambique and visiting the country from Portugal, followed a woman into a block of flats on Sunday 21 June 2025 and committed the offences in the communal hallway.

He was arrested at Liverpool John Lennon Airport the following day after attempting to leave the country.

In a Victim Personal Statement, the woman said:

“I have previously suffered with nightmares anyway however since the incident I often have nightmares about the incident whereby I find I wake up feeling panicked with a sense of anxiety that last for hours. Since the incident I now take extra caution and care when entering any building.

"I ensure that I have checked the area first before opening the door and making sure that this has closed behind me and no one else has come through. I am aware that these things happen however you don't usually believe that it would be on your doorstep let alone happen to yourself.”

Detective Superintendent Siobhan Russell said:

“This was a relentless and sustained assault on a woman who was simply going about her day and visiting a friend. To be targeted in this manner by a complete stranger is utterly appalling.

“I want the public to be reassured that these incidents are rare. I also hope this sentencing shows how seriously the courts take these offences and how Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting anyone who has been subjected to such violence and sexual abuse.

“The victim has showed immense courage throughout. She managed to fight off Duarta during the incident and then went on to support the prosecution. As she detailed in her VPS, this has clearly had a huge impact on her life and I sincerely hope she can recover from what happened.

“Following the incident, we were absolutely determined to find the person responsible and carried out a thorough investigation that thankfully led to him being detained at the airport the following day.

“We take these reports extremely seriously and if you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, I urge you to please come forward and report this to police.”

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A Merseyside man has been jailed for a series of child sexual offences following an investigation by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit's Internet Child Abuse Team (ICAT).

Robert Daw, 26, of Redwing Lane, Liverpool, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court today (Tuesday 8 September) after admitting multiple offences relating to the sexual exploitation of children online. He also received a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and will remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely. 

The investigation began after Daw used social media and messaging platforms to communicate with someone he believed to be under-16 years of age. During the conversations, he sent sexually explicit messages and attempted to develop a sexual relationship.

Officers arrested Daw in December 2024 and seized a number of electronic devices for forensic examination.

Digital forensic examination of Daw's devices uncovered indecent images of children, prohibited images of children, and evidence that he had been communicating with numerous children online. Investigators recovered almost 1,500 screenshots and screen recordings of online conversations, together with indecent images and videos that had been stored on his devices. Officers were able to identify and safeguard three children aged 12 and 13, with support provided through the relevant police forces and partner agencies.

Detective Constable Naomi Puig from the NWROCU's Internet Child Abuse Team, said:

"Daw used online platforms to target and exploit children for his own gratification.

"Through detailed digital investigations, officers uncovered the extent of his offending and were able to identify and safeguard a number of children.

"This sentence demonstrates our commitment to pursuing offenders who use the internet to target children and bringing them to justice."

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Detectives from our specialist Child Criminal and Sexual Exploitation Team (CCSET) are welcoming the sentencing of a Walton man to seven years and one month in prison for multiple sexual offences.

Dylan Matthews, 20, of Elmcroft Close, pleaded guilty to 53 charges against 37 victims.

Matthews was initially arrested in 2024 following an allegation of online sexual offences against a girl under 16, who he targeted via Snapchat and Whatsapp. Following an extensive investigation, further victims were identified who Matthews had targeted using similar methods, and he admitted the following offences:

• One count of causing a child to engage in sexual activity
• One count of threatening to disclose private sexual images with intent
• Two counts of sexual activity with a child
• Six counts of causing or inciting sexual activity with a child
• 37 counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child
• Two counts of making indecent images of children – Class B
• Three counts of making indecent images of children – Class C
• One count of malicious communications 

Matthews was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today, Friday 12 June. He will also be subject of Sex offender notification for life.

In excerpts from Victim Personal Statements, parents of two of Matthews’ victims discuss the impact of his crimes:

“As a parent it is extremely painful to watch your child try to understand and process something so inappropriate and harmful, when she should have been focussing on growing up, learning and enjoying her childhood, not coping with emotional consequences of someone else’s actions. 

“This crime has changed how my child views the world. Trust, once given freely, must now be built slowly and carefully. The psychological effects of this crime are not temporary… healing does not erase the harm that has been done.

“This was not a harmless interaction, this is calculated exploitation that leaves lasting trauma. My child deserved safety, protection and respect, instead she was manipulated and harmed.”

“Our daughter has been deeply affected by what happened. She has experienced anxiety, loss of trust, and a heightened sense of vulnerability. Situations that once felt normal now cause her distress, and her confidence in interacting with others, particularly online, has been shaken. This has had a lasting psychological impact on her day-to-day life.

“We feel that are sense of security has been taken away and replaced with constant concern and self-doubt. We hope the court understands the lasting impact this has had… on our entire family. What has happened cannot simply be undone. It has changed how our daughter sees the world and how we, as her parents, are able to support her growing independence.”

Speaking after the sentencing, investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Amie Jones from CCSET, said:

“Matthews has been proven to be a prolific, calculated and dangerous offender, who caused extreme harm to his victims through coercion and abuse. We hope that today’s outcome provides a measure of comfort as they continue their recovery, and some reassurance that Matthews will be in custody for a significant length of time.

“As the investigation progressed, we were able to identify more of his victims. I want to take this opportunity to praise each of them and their families for their courage and strength in helping with our enquiries. We do not take for granted how difficult it can be to speak about being a victim of sexual abuse, and to provide evidence to police.

“Be assured that in all such investigations, our specialist team is here to support victims with sensitivity and compassion, every step of the way, from the initial report through to court proceedings. I would continue to urge anyone who is a victim of any form of sexual abuse to please report this to police, or through our partner agencies.

“We take all such reports extremely seriously, and in addition, work with partner organisations such as Victim care Support Service and RASA who are there to support victims of this crime.”

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A man has been jailed for sex offences including outraging public decency on a Warrington to Widnes bus.

James Taylor, 24, from Penny Lane, Liverpool appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on 15 May to be sentenced after pleading guilty to three counts of outraging public decency, two counts of sexual activity in the presence of a child, three counts of making indecent images of children, and one count of possession of indecent images.

He was sentenced to 27 months in prison.

Taylor came to police attention following an investigation into reports that a man had been masturbating in full view of two teenage boys in Widnes on 8 May 2024. The suspect was seen to get off the 110 bus and a CCTV trawl identified the suspect, but not his identity.

A witness appeal and then a CCTV appeal were issued to the media and posted on social media to find the identity of the suspect. Taylor commented on his own CCTV media appeal to say he’d not seen anyone acting suspiciously on the bus which he regularly gets on.

He was subsequently identified through the partial logo on his work’s fleece, and his identity confirmed, leading to his arrest on 29 May 2025. He had his phones seized on which officers discovered he had been filming himself in public masturbating and describing his crimes to an unidentified man in messages as ‘risky w**ks’.

He also told the man he’d been caught in the act a few times, including by children, and asked if that could get him in trouble.

Officers discovered numerous videos of him masturbating in unknown public areas and at his workplace in Warrington. Three videos showed him on a bus: two on 17 April 2019, one on 14 June 2019, and one on 28 June 2019.

They also discovered an indecent image of child, and he was further arrested for this on 18 December 2024.

More digital devices were seized including two phones, a laptop and memory cards.  They were interrogated resulting in the discovery of 36 indecent images dated from between 17 February 2019 and 19 December 2024. There were four category A images, 11 category B images and 21 category C images.

DC Phil Jackson said:

“Taylor asked the unidentified man in his messages if he could get into trouble if he’d been seen carrying out a sexual act, especially in front of children. I think he has his answer now – all 27 months of it.

“Everyone should be able to get on a bus or go about their business without having to risk the ordeal of having to witness his perverted behaviour. Our investigation led to us uncovering the level of his worrying, and clearly illegal behaviour, which is why it’s vital you report this type of crime to police.”

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A Liverpool man has been jailed for six-and-a-half years for multiple sex offences involving children.

Steven Andrews, 67, of Langdale Road, Aigburth, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, Monday 11 May, for causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and five counts of sexual assault.

He was jailed for a total of 78 months.

He was also issued with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

There also restraining orders in place in relation to his victims.

Detective Inspector Louise Johnson said:

“Merseyside Police is committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and stopping those who seek to do them harm.

“We have a dedicated Child & Criminal Sexual Exploitation Team whose sole focus is on protecting young people and bringing perpetrators to justice.

“We urge anyone who is a victim of any form of sexual abuse to please report this to police, and specially trained officers will listen to you and treat you with sensitivity and compassion throughout the entire legal process and beyond.

“We also work with a range of partner organisations who are there to further support victims.”

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A 48-year-old man who called himself “Paedo Daddy” while exchanging sexualised messages with an undercover officer posing as a 12-year-old girl has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Phillip Norris, of Ashlar Road in Waterloo, spent months chatting to the decoy on the social media sites Chatiw and Teleguard between July and October 2024. He told her he would travel more than 200 miles to meet, saying it would be “worth travelling that distance to meet someone like her” and urging her to keep their chats “secret from her mum”.

Liverpool Crown Court heard he used the username “Paedo Daddy”. Prosecutor Iain Criddle told the court: “The defendant, perhaps foolishly, used the name ‘Paedo Daddy’, which, frankly, was always going to alert the authorities to his activities.”

Norris sent explicit messages, telling the ‘girl’ he was “getting horny talking to her”, asking her to perform oral sex, suggesting they “f***” and carry out further sexual acts in the shower. He also sent an explicit picture and video and asked her to send the same.

He was arrested on 10 October 2024. Devices seized from his home contained 125 indecent images of children, including 44 in the most serious Category A, plus four computer-generated images of child sexual abuse and one extreme pornographic image involving bestiality.

Norris had already been banned from contact with children and ordered to notify police of his address and not stay at a property with a child for more than 12 hours. He breached both conditions by staying at his partner’s home on at least seven occasions between 5 and 17 March this year while her six-year-old daughter was present, and by picking the girl up from and dropping her off at school. His partner ended the relationship immediately upon learning of his obligations, the court was told.

He pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communications with a child, attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity, possession of indecent images of children, three counts of making indecent images, possession of prohibited images of children, possession of an extreme pornographic image, and two counts of failing to comply with notification requirements.

Defence barrister John Dove said Norris fully accepted responsibility and was struggling with depression after a difficult divorce and substantial debt. He had no previous convictions and had worked for years as a business intelligence analyst. He had been on remand for seven weeks, was employed on his prison wing, and had enrolled on a personal development course.

Sentencing, Judge Stuart Driver KC said:

“You were left alone, at times, with a six-year-old girl. You slept in the home of her and her mother. You took her to and from school.

“It is clearly a very risky situation to be done by a man like you, who gave yourself the internet nickname ‘Paedo Daddy’, who downloaded and no doubt enjoyed films of children being raped and communicated sexually with someone who you believed to be a 12-year-old child… The sexual conversation went on for months and was highly sexual.

“In mitigation, you are of previous good character. References speak highly of you. You have got a good employment record and are making progress in custody… I find that you are a danger to children. The pre-sentence report says that you present a high risk of serious harm… The combination of three types of offending here means that appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody.”

Norris, who appeared via video link from HMP Liverpool with his head bowed and wiping away tears at times, was also made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and must notify as a sex offender for life.

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A serial sex offender prowled Liverpool city centre in his Mercedes, targeting vulnerable teenagers on nights out before raping and assaulting three victims.

Amponsah Thompson posed as a taxi driver to lure one woman into his car and attacked her in the back seat.

The sexual predator then preyed on a second lone teenager he found slumped on the ground, drove her to his home and raped her as she drifted in and out of consciousness. He repeatedly raped a third victim and threatened her with a knife.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the first victim, an 18-year-old woman, had been on a night out in August 2024, visiting bars including Heebie Jeebies and Lost in Seel Street. Very drunk and alone shortly after 2am, she approached Thompson’s white Mercedes near what was then Alma de Cuba and asked if he was a taxi driver. 

Prosecutor David Polglase said the 29-year-old “lied and pretended that he was”. She got in expecting a lift home, but he drove her to his address on Rocky Lane in Tuebrook, joined her in the back seat and touched her between the thighs. She escaped by pretending her family were calling and had her location. She insisted on paying him; police later traced him through bank transfers.

Thompson denied pretending to be a taxi driver or entering the back seat, claiming he stopped only to collect identification and had no physical contact with her.

Released on bail, he struck again in December 2024. He targeted another “extremely drunk and vulnerable” 18-year-old who had become separated from friends after visiting pubs including a JD Wetherspoon, McCooley’s and Soho. He was seen escorting her to his car at around 3.30am after she had been slumped by a wall. She recalled “zoning in and out of sleep” as he raped her, waking at his flat before he drove her home.

Thompson, described as

“essentially prowling on both occasions”, later claimed the sex was consensual. Throughout 2025 he raped a third woman an estimated six or seven times, subjecting her to violent assaults and threatening her with a knife.

Mr Polglase told the court: “We say that this defendant is manipulative. He is a sexual predator. He has little or no regard for the boundaries of and consent for sex.”

Thompson had no previous convictions, though he had been investigated over an alleged sexual assault on a lap dancer in January 2024 that did not lead to charges.

Defence barrister Anthony O’Donohoe said:

“Prior to these matters, the defendant was a man of good character with no previous convictions. His immigration status is currently that he has leave to remain, but that is subject to review.

“I simply ask that the sentence is as short as is consistent with your honour’s public duty, leading to a sentence that is no doubt condign. It may well be, your honour, with the nature of sentences that you have under consideration, that an extended sentence would be condign and allow further supervision and licence in the community upon eventually release, by extension to what will doubtless be a significant custodial sentence.”

Thompson admitted sexual assault on the first victim and three counts of rape against the third. He was convicted by a jury of raping the second. Appearing via video link from HMP Liverpool, he was jailed for 23 years with an extended eight-year licence.

Sentencing, Judge Brian Cummings KC said:

“My own assessment, having regard to all of the circumstances of the offences, is that you are a dangerous offender, and there would remain a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm at the point that you would have otherwise served a fixed term sentence. It may be that you will be considered by the appropriate authority for deportation. I make no order in that regard. It is a matter for that appropriate authority to consider.”

Thompson must serve at least two-thirds of the 23-year term before parole eligibility and will sign the sex offenders’ register for life.

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A former police officer has been jailed for secretly filming a young girl using the toilet and collecting a stash of indecent images of children.

John Bishop, 88, who served in the force for 30 years, invented bizarre excuses involving guitar lessons and diggers to explain the material.

The victim's father told him during sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday: "You disgust me. I hope the shame eats you up inside for the rest of your life." In a statement read to the court, the father called Bishop's actions the "vilest thing a person can do" and labeled him a "sick minded individual," adding: "We can only hope that, for the time you have left, you feel remorse for what you've done and understand how your actions have affected our daughter and continue to do so."

The court heard that police acted on intelligence linking Bishop's IP address to uploaded "indecent media," executing a search warrant at his Roby home on November 20, 2024. Eight devices were seized; a Samsung phone and PC contained 26 category A images and videos (the most serious, including rape), two in category B, and 243 in category C.

Fourteen images from 2017, taken by Bishop, showed a primary school-aged girl using the toilet. Under interview, he denied any sexual interest in children, claiming the material "popped up" during searches for guitar lessons and diggers after his cancer diagnosis. He has no previous convictions.

Defense counsel Emily Land said:

"This defendant is 88 years old, has no previous convictions and is a hard working member of the community. He has worked since he was 16 in the police force. He tells me that he continues to help out his elderly neighbours. He is currently looking after a 94-year-old woman, who he helps by taking shopping and doing jobs around the house.

"Your honour will be aware of his physical health and mental health issues, having been diagnosed with depression. This is clearly someone who requires rehabilitation. The suggestions [made by the Probation Service] might help him to identify the issues that are underlying. He does take responsibility for his actions. I would say that this is someone who can be rehabilitated, and prison is not the only option."

Bishop admitted taking indecent images of children, voyeurism, possession of indecent images, and three counts of making indecent images. Appearing in a purple and white pinstriped shirt and purple tie, he was jailed for 14 months.

Judge Stuart Driver KC said:

"You used a camera to film her on the toilet. You kept those images for 10 years or so. There is mitigation. At 88 years old, you are of previous good character.

"You have a long standing diagnosis of cancer of the eye, which seems, thankfully, under control. You have mental health problems of anxiety and depression and memory issues. You have made some effort to rehabilitate yourself.

"It is submitted that the sentence should be suspended. If the only charges were offences three to six [making and possessing indecent images], there may have been a strong case for that, notwithstanding that the author of the pre-sentence report finds you to be a high risk of serious harm to children.

"However, charges one and two [taking indecent images and voyeurism] are in a different category. They were a gross intrusion into the life of a seven-year-old child that was planned, deliberate and exploitative. Appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody."

Bishop received a 10-year restraining order, sexual harm prevention order, and must sign the sex offenders' register for a decade.

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A man with a history of child pornography offenses was caught breaching his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) after his offender manager spotted "children's clothing and nappies" at his home.

Kris Hatton, 34, first received an SHPO in 2021 following a police raid that uncovered a collection of child rape images.

At Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday, March 4, Hatton admitted violating the order, which prohibited deleting online history from internet-capable devices or using encryption software to hide activity.

Prosecutor Georgiana Pantelli said:

"On November 11, 2024, two officers met with the defendant at Walton Lane police station because his offender manager had raised concerns about children's clothing and nappies found at his address.

"He was asked to produce his phone. One officer immediately noted a VPN (virtual private network) had been downloaded to his device, along with the Opera browser, which has a VPN and private mode built-in. Incognito mode may have also been used on Google Chrome."

A VPN creates an encrypted link between a device and the internet, masking its IP address and activity. Incognito mode allows private browsing without saving history, cookies, site data, or form information.

Ms Pantelli added that Hatton downloaded the Opera browser in September 2024 and the VPN in November, days before detection. His Motorola phone showed 4,839 deletions of internet history, including porn sites and online chats.

Hatton, of Rice Lane in Fazakerley, had a 2014 police caution for four charges of possessing indecent images of children.

In June 2020, officers found 765 files on his devices, including a baby being molested: 143 category A, 180 category B, and 442 category C images, plus one extreme porn file and four prohibited child images. He avoided prison but received a five-year SHPO and Sex Offenders Register requirement.

In 2023, another iPhone check revealed 137 category C, 28 category B, and 33 category A images of girls aged 6-10. He was jailed for 30 months and given an indefinite SHPO.

Defense counsel Callum Ross said:

"He had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, which is the strongest point of mitigation in this case. This offending is of some age, being from 2024. It seems there have been no further breaches since this breach.

"Hatton has a learning disability and low cognitive function, and childhood experiences left him with poor problem solving skills. He's still a relatively young man being 34, and he has not received any assistance from probation since 2021, but has served an immediate custodial sentence since then."

Recorder Alexander Leach KC sentenced Hatton to 16 months in prison, stating:

"While it's correct there was no direct evidence of any serious harm in this case, I'm aware you accessed a chat facility and records were deleted, therefore increasing the risk of further sexual offending."

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A man has been jailed for raping a man in Liverpool city centre.

Ibrahim Momen, 30, of no fixed abode and originally from Sudan, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today (Friday 23 January) after being found guilty of rape.

In the early hours of the morning on Sunday 29 June 2025, we received a report that a man aged in his 20s had been raped by another male near Liverpool Cathedral, on St James’ Mount.

Following an investigation, Momem was arrested and subsequently charged with rape.

Today he was jailed for seven years and a half years and handed a restraining order.

Detective Constable Chris Condliff, who led the investigation, said:

“Following a lengthy investigation and despite the evidence against him, Momen denied the offences and therefore put the victim through the trauma of a trial.

“I would like to praise the courage and dignity shown by the victim throughout the investigation and court proceedings.

“We are committed to protecting victims of sexual offences no matter what their gender and anyone who reports an incident to us will be safeguarded and supported throughout the investigation by Specially Trained Officers and Sexual Violence Advocates who will provide all the relevant support.

“Anyone that has been a victim of a sexual offence, is concerned for the safety of someone they know or suspects someone to be engaging in this criminal activity, should come forward and speak to us.

“We have a team of dedicated staff who will expertly and compassionately deal with your reports and we will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.

“We take all such reports extremely seriously, and work with partner organisations such as Victim care Support Service and RASA who are there to support victims if this crime.”

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A sex offender who went on the run after refusing to disclose his address to police was living "off grid" in west Wales, a court heard.

Christopher Spelman, with links to Merseyside, was released from a Dorset prison on July 4, 2025, but refused to inform authorities of his intended residence before disappearing.

Police issued multiple public appeals, including a feature on Crimewatch, but his location remained unknown until he turned himself in at Haverfordwest police station in Pembrokeshire on January 3, 2026.

Swansea Crown Court heard that Spelman disputes his original child sex offence conviction but now seeks a more conventional life with suitable housing.

Prosecutor Brian Simpson told the court that Spelman was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2014 for 12 counts of sexually assaulting a girl under 14, requiring lifetime registration as a sex offender. Requirements include notifying police of his address within three days of residence, per Wales Online.

Upon release, Spelman told staff he had no intention of registering and planned to buy a tent to "live off grid." When he failed to contact Lancashire police, a manhunt ensued, with appeals noting his likely travel via public transport to campsites and links to Merseyside, Manchester, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire, and Wiltshire.

Spelman, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with notification requirements. He has 11 prior convictions for 29 offences, including the 12 sexual assault counts and a previous failure to comply. After his 2016 halfway release from the 2014 sentence, he was at large for five years.

Defence barrister Andrew Evans called the case "an unusual one in many, many ways," noting Spelman does not accept his 2014 guilt or the resulting requirements, and has long expressed a desire to "live outside society." However, he has "slowly recognised" the court order's authority, now wants a normal life with appropriate accommodation, and requested a custodial sentence to facilitate release arrangements.

Judge Geraint Walters noted signs in the pre-sentence report of desired changes and warned that future breaches would lead to longer sentences. With a one-third discount for his guilty plea, Spelman was jailed for 10 months, to serve up to half in custody before release on licence.

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A dangerous rapist, Liam Cowley, 32, crept into a pregnant woman's Liverpool home at night using a stolen key and subjected her to a horrific hours-long attack, raping her repeatedly as she screamed and begged for her life. He blackmailed her, threatening to report her to social services and have her children removed.

Cowley, of no fixed abode, entered her house multiple times, sometimes raping her while she slept. Prosecutor Martine Snowdon told Liverpool Crown Court: "The defendant on a number of occasions just did what he wanted when he wanted in circumstances where she was not consenting to it, and he was repeatedly threatening and intimidating her."

One night, with her children asleep upstairs, Cowley headbutted and spat on her, demanded she cook him steak, punched her when she refused, and smashed her phone as she tried calling 999. Ms Snowdon said: "With no means to call for help, she ran out of the front door to scream for help, but no one responded and he dragged her back inside. He grabbed her round her throat and started choking her.

"Briefly he let go but then did it again, this time she blacked out and woke up on the floor, where he then proceeded to kick her. She pleaded with him saying 'you know I’m pregnant', which was true, in the hope that was stop him attacking her.

"Instead of bringing him to his senses he picked up the metal tube from the hoover and snapped it holding it over her as if he was going to hit her with it. She said she was lucky because he changed his mind and hit the television, not her.

"She went to go upstairs and he began ripping at her clothes. He told her she couldn’t check on the children, she couldn’t go to the toilet and wasn’t to leave his sight.

"He continued to be aggressive and took two knives from the kitchen, putting one on the side near the door and another next to her on the sofa and said 'you know what’s going to happen next'. She said 'I don’t know, you’re probably going to kill me', and believed that is what he was going to do. His response was 'no, much worse'."

He raped her twice before falling asleep, allowing her to flee with her children to a nearby phone shop and call police. Cowley was arrested but absconded before his 2024 trial, fleeing to Norfolk under the alias Tommy Lee King.

There, he worked at a bar, dated a 19-year-old colleague, and moved into her mother's Wareside home. Over five months, he assaulted her multiple times. Ms Snowdon said: "She described occasions when, during an argument, Tommy would try and strangle her. He would pin her to the bed and grab her throat. This had happened a few times but she specifically recalled it happening on two occasions, both taking place during arguments in which he physically assaulted her as well as strangling her. She also described him spitting at her in the course of arguments."

On December 7, 2024, after a punch and strangulation, she sought hospital treatment and police photographed her injuries, though she initially declined to complain. Later, via social media, she discovered his true identity and alerted authorities.

Cowley, formerly of Kingham Road, Wareside, was rearrested and tried at Liverpool Crown Court in July 2025. He denied three rapes, four intentional strangulations, and threats to kill but was convicted; he pleaded guilty to two assaults and breaching bail.

Sentencing was delayed for unverified claims of OCD, ADHD, borderline personality disorder, and brain injury. Defence counsel Graham Wilson said: "I have seen nothing of medical notes. It seems the injuries he has reported to his head were never reported and he never went to hospital for them.

"The defendant during his time in custody has done many courses. He has been an enhanced prisoner in Bedford and Liverpool. She was working in mental heath and also in the neurodiversity area to understand his own, what he describes as ADHA, although that is not confirmed by any medical or psychological evidence. The defendant believes he has ADHD and that's what he believes was a factor in his assaults.

"He has work lined up for when he gets out of prison. That, he accepts, could be a number of years. This is a man who, despite these very serious offences, is in many ways trying to come to terms with what he is and why he behaves in the way he has. I accept he doesn't accept guilt on the rape matters. The sentence is bound to be a lengthy one."

On December 10, 2025, Cowley received 18 years' imprisonment plus a five-year extended licence for dangerousness, totaling 23 years.

Record details

Samuel Gebru, 22, who resided in Toxteth, pleaded guilty to one count of Sexual assault and one count of Common assault, against two women in Aigburth across the same night in July. 

He was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today, Monday 8 December.

At around 10.35pm on Monday 28 July, a women in her 20s was walking along Aigburth Road when she noticed Gebru following her. Gebru followed her up Lark Lane towards the junction with Sefton Grove and the victim turned to challenge him. Gebru then grabbed the victim by her arm and, following a brief altercation with the victim and the emergence of two people from the Albert public house, Gebru walked away. The incident was reported online on Wednesday 30 July.

At around 12.20am on Tuesday 29 July, a report was received of a second woman in her 20s being sexually assaulted off Aigburth Road by Gebru, who had followed her from Aigburth Road and attacked her in the street. Gebru made off on foot after residents were alerted. He was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday 30 July.

Gebru was in police custody for the second offence by the time the first offence was reported. Following an extensive investigation, including CCTV, doorbell footage and forensic work, Gebru was subsequently charged with both offences and remanded into custody.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Natalie Charlesworth said:

“We understand the huge concern that such serious offences cause in our communities, and it is pleasing to see that such a dangerous, predatory offender is now behind bars.

“Gebru subjected both of his victims to traumatic ordeals, and we are continuing to support both victims through this difficult process. I would like to thank them for their patience and strength in assisting our investigations, and share our hope that today's outcome at least provides some form of comfort moving forward.

“I hope this sentencing shows and reassures the public how seriously the courts take these offences and how Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting anyone from violence and sexual abuse.

“Anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence, is concerned for the safety of someone they know or suspects someone to be engaging in this criminal activity, should come forward and speak to us. Merseyside Police has a team of dedicated staff who will expertly and compassionately deal with your reports, and we will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.

“We take all such reports extremely seriously, and in addition, work with partner organisations such as Victim care Support Service and RASA who are there to support victims.”