Latest Offenders Manchester

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Remorseless Muhammad Hussain who targeted vulnerable teenage girls in order to sexually abuse them has been jailed.

Muhammad Hussain, 20, has been convicted of a string of 'despicable and sickening' sex offences against young girls in Bury.

Muhammad Hussain was sentenced to six years and two months in prison after a jury found him guilty of raping a 14-year-old girl and sexually assaulting another girl, also aged 14.

The offending took place between August 2016 and August 2017.

The court heard how Hussain would regularly meet up with a group of teenage girls in Openshaw Park, in Bury, and buy vodka for them before heading to the home of one of the girls.

Muhammad was just 16 himself when he raped his 'extremely vulnerable' victim in August 2016.

Prosecutor Henry Blackshaw said the girl, who was known to social services and deemed at 'high risk of child sexual exploitation', invited Muhammad to a house party at her friend's house.

Alcohol was being consumed and the pair kissed before they were encouraged to go upstairs together.

Once in an upstairs bedroom, the girl initially engaged in consensual sexual intercourse with Muhammad.

But the court heard she then repeatedly asked him to slow down as it was 'hurting her'.

However, Muhammad pushed her head down into the pillow and carried on having sex with her.

The girl then started crying and told him to get off her, said Mr Blackshaw.

When she managed to move away from him and started to get dressed, the court heard Muhammad called the girl a f****** bitch and told her finish me off.

She left the room but, feeling under pressure, returned and asked Muhammad what she had to do.

He threatened to tell her on-off boyfriend that they had had sex if she did not comply.

Muhammad later contacted the victim to apologise and 'begged her to send pictures of her bottom', which she refused to do.

On another occasion, between March and May 2017, Muhammad filmed the girl and her friend performing oral sex on him.

The court heard the victim wanted 'to shut the incident out' and it was eight months before she told a social worker she had been raped.

She was interviewed by police in February 2018 as part of an operation - codenamed Burgos - into child sexual exploitation in Bury.

On another occasion, in August 2017, the girl and a friend - aged 14 - were in Openshaw Park with Muhammad Hashim and another man when Muhammad approached the friend and put his hand down her leggings.

The court heard he then 'yanked up her underwear' and grabbed her bottom with such force it caused pain and left 'a number of fingernail shaped impressions'.

When interviewed by police, Muhammad admitted having sex with the first victim, but claimed it had been 'consensual'.

He denied using his phone to record the girl and her friend performing oral sex on him, or sexually assaulting the girl in Openshaw Park.

Hashim's phone was seized by police after he was arrested in relation to driving offences in October 2017.

Detectives found a video showing 'a young, intoxicated female' being sexually contacted by a man, while he was cheered on by others people in a park.

The court heard a girl could be heard on the footage asking whether she was being recorded but was told it's just a torch.

Another video showed a young female holding onto a kitchen counter with both hands while an older male had sex with her from behind.

number of other males can be seen gathered around them, the court heard.

Hashim was identified as the cameraman due to a 'distinctive watch' he was wearing which was caught in the footage.

He was arrested at Manchester Airport in July 2019 after getting off a flight from Pakistan and replied 'no comment' to all questions asked by police.

Following a trial, Muhammad, of South Cross Street, Bury, was found guilty of two counts of rape, as well as one count of taking an indecent image and another count of sexual assault.

Sentencing Muhammad, Recorder Jeremy Lasker said he had taken advantage of the extremely vulnerable victim and given no indication of regret of remorse.

He added: What started as consensual sexual activity between the two of you became something very different.

She may have initially consented to penetration but when she asked you to stop because it was hurting her, you simply ignored her and carried on regardless.

It was a clear example of you putting your own sexual gratification before giving and real or genuine consideration to the feelings of others.

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A BOLTON man has been jailed for three years after he admitted sexually abusing a young girl.

Andrew Walsh, 55, who was known to his victims family, sneaked into the girls bedroom and touched her while he thought she was asleep.

Bolton Crown Court heard similar abuse occurred over a two-year period.

David Toal, prosecuting, said Walshs crimes were uncovered when his 11-year-old victim told a friend what had been happening in June 2019.

Phone messages describing the abuse were then shown to the victims mother, who confronted Walsh about the allegations, he told the court.

He said he didnt remember doing it but that he was sorry.

A day later she confronted him again and secretly recorded their conversation in which he admitted the offences and blamed them on his heavy drinking.

He also asked her not to get the police involved but Walsh, of Hughes Street, Bolton, was arrested on June 8.

The girl told police that Walsh came into her room and touched her over her pyjamas while performing a sex act on himself.

When she woke up he offered to get her some biscuits with the victim telling officers the same thing had happened every month for two years.

She also said he had taken the girls mobile phone, put it in the waistband of his shorts and asked her to grab it.

Mr Toal added that Walsh, who pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on a child under 13, had no previous convictions.

Michael Goldwater, defending, said Walsh had lost his job as a breakdown recovery driver after the allegations became public.

He now lived at home with his elderly parents. Mr Goldwater told the court.

Above all he is very sorry for this, added Mr Goldwater. He can barely understand it but accepts it is a result of his excessive consumption of alcohol.

The drink caused him to behave in ways that he did not otherwise imagine he was capable.

Sentencing Walsh, Judge John Edwards, said: You were drinking heavily which doubtless numbed your inhibitions to indulge yourself in this dreadful way.

It has left your victim anxious and confused at a pivotal time of her life and any child should be completely safe in their bedroom

"It should be a place of happiness.

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A FORMER scoutmaster jailed for abusing young boys is back behind bars after attempting to hide computer equipment from police.

In March 2016 Ian Beeby, formerly of Edditch Grove, Bolton, was jailed for five years after admitting abusing four boys in the 1980s, including one occasion on a Lake District camping trip.

Beeby, who admitted sexually assaulting the cub scouts and downloading indecent images of children, told one child: Its the sort of thing that scouts do.

In 2017 he had an extra two years and eight months added to his sentence after another victim, who he groomed and befriended as he walked past his home on the way to school, read about the previous conviction in the Bolton News and came forward.

Beeby had abused him, from the age of 10, up to three times a week, for two years.

Beeby was released on licence from prison and in March last year came back to the Bolton area, living in a flat in Black Horse Street, Blackrod.

Victoria Lewis, prosecuting, told Bolton Crown Court how Beeby, was allocated an offender manager and, under the terms of a sexual harm prevention order, had to register any device capable of accessing the internet and make it available for inspection when required.

On April 3 last year he presented the officer with a Google phone which he claimed was in only device and in June he revealed he also had a laptop. These then had eSafe software added to monitor his access to the internet.

But on September 22 the software identified a Scandisk USB being connected to the phone. It was found to contain 10 indecent images which Beeby claimed had been on a laptop he had stored prior to his prison sentence and had deleted them as soon as he saw them.

On October 21 a check on the internet router at Beebys home revealed a Raspberry Pi mini computer, which the defendant had not declared, had been connected to it. When handing it over Beeby slipped an SD card out of the device, secreted it in his pocket and disposed of it.

In relation to the Pi device the defendant stated that he knew he shouldnt have had the device and that he had been stupid to have purchased it, said Miss Lewis.

Beeby was also found to have accessed Facebook in breach of his SHPO although he denied creating asocial media account for himself.

Appearing via a video link from Whatton prison in Nottinghamshire, Beeby pleaded guilty to five counts of breaching his sexual harm prevention order.

Joshua Bowker, defending, said Beeby, a former electronic engineer, had not been open with his offender manager due to a combination of complacency and fear of being recalled to prison.

If he had his time again he would have been much more open, he added.

But, sentencing Beeby to 21 months in prison, Judge John Edwards told him: I am afraid I take the view that you have an entrenched and unhealthy interest for pre-pubescent boys and, as a computer programmer, you knew exactly what you were doing here.

In committing these breaches you are seriously culpable and you display, in my judgement, flagrant contempt for the court order made five years ago.

It is not only contemptuous of the court but it risks harm to the particular section of the public who the order was intended to protect.

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A man caught with sick images of children as young as one 'can't explain' why he had them, a court heard.

Such images 'revolt' and sicken' Christopher Nolan, his barrister said.

But Nolan, 26, was found to have downloaded 63 indecent images, with more than 20 being of the most serious category.

Nolan, from Wythenshawe, admitted he'd 'brought shame' on himself and his family.

He had 'time on his hands' and had been drinking as well as using cocaine and cannabis, Manchester Crown Court heard.

"There is some issue as to what motivated the defendant," his barrister Richard Vardon said.

"I cannot explain satisfactorily how these offences occurred, nor perhaps can the defendant.

"All I can point to is there is nothing in his history which suggests he has a predilection as far as children are concerned."

Mr Vardon said there 'may be other reasons which are not sexual which perhaps explain his motivation'.

Nolan, who has previous convictions including for domestic violence, denies that he had any interest in 'child pornography' and said it 'revolts and sickens him'.

Police went to his home after receiving information that he had been accessing indecent images.

A Samsung phone was seized after a warrant was executed, on March 24 last year.

Officers found 22 category A images, the most serious type, as well as 13 category B and 28 category C images.

"The majority of the images related to five to 10-year-old children, however the ages of the children ranged from between one and 12-years-old," prosecutor Neil Fryman said.

He said 'virtually all' of the images had been deleted, except one.

Nolan made no comment to all questions during his police interview, except confirming a mobile phone number was his.

Mr Vardon said Nolan's actions were at the 'lower end of offences of this nature', while saying the defendant recognised it is 'not a victimless crime'.

He pleaded guilty at first opportunity and no longer drinks, uses drugs or goes on the internet, the barrister said.

Sentencing, Judge Hilary Manley told Nolan: "You rightly described to me in your letter you have submitted to me, that you have brought shame on yourself, your friends and your family for the offences you have committed.

"Such images are of victims of sexual abuse.

"You have observed and watched children who are being sexually abused.

"There can be no excuse ever for viewing and accessing such images."

The judge said she could avoid sending Nolan to prison, given he has a prospect of rehabilitation and because of his remorse.

He was sentenced to 12 months in jail, suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete the Horizon programme.

Nolan, of Farden Drive, must sign the sex offender's register for ten years.

He admitted three counts of making indecent images of children.

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A TEENAGER sexually assaulted a girl in a Little Lever park and raped a 12-year-old who had befriended him.

Ellis Critchley, aged 18, was described in court as "immature and egotistical" and has shown no remorse for the crimes he committed.

"You have only admitted as much or as little as you thought you could get away with," Recorder Jeremy Lasker told him.

Rachel Faux, prosecuting, told Manchester Crown Court how Critchley, who had been brought up in care, committed his first offences in the spring of 2018.

He was among a group of youths in the park behind the Food and Tipple store when he targeted a 15 year-old girl, touching her private parts, grabbing her and putting his hand inside her jeans.

"You were told, not only by her, but others in the group, to stop it, but you just laughed it off and you told her 'you know you want it'", Recorder Lasker told him.

On another occasion he slapped her backside so hard it made her cry.

The offences came to light when police began investigating a rape Critchley committed in June of that year.

Critchley, then aged 15, befriended a 12-year-old girl and one night contacted her at 1am saying he was feeling "down" so, unknown to her family, she slipped out to meet him and brought him back to her house.

But after sitting on her bed talking and playing computer games, he pinned her down and raped her.

Afterwards he got dressed and let himself out of the house, but the girl was so concerned about his state of mind that she went after him.

The next day the girl told a friend at school, her family became aware and police were contacted.

When confronted by police about his behaviour he denied the allegations before trying to claim the incidents had been consensual.

Critchley, of Goldfinch Drive, Bury, only pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault and rape on the day of a trial, but admitted burgling a Lidl store in Standish on January 9 last year.

At his sentence hearing both victims read out statements outlining the devastating impact his crimes have had.

Mark Shanks said that Critchley now feels "shame" for what he put them through.

He added: "Since that time he has matured significantly into a young man who does know right from wrong."

Sentencing Critchley to four years in a young offenders' institution Recorder Lasker told him: "I accept you had a difficult background. I know that you have been in care and, as has been described to me, you have been brought up by the system.

"But that is no excuse for acting in this way towards these two girls.

"You exhibited a belief, at the time, that young girls were only there for your own sexual enjoyment and you showed absolutely no understanding in what a proper relationship between two young people means.

"You didn't seem to understand that girls are entitled to say no to a boy and also, when a girl does say no, it actually does mean no. I hope you realise that today."

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A man found with more than 4,000 indecent images of children told police he knew it was wrong but that it was 'part of the thrill' and that he had an 'addiction'.

Daniel Cartwright, 24, immediately admitted downloading the images after officers searched his home in June 2019.

He said he watched live streams of children and admitted using an app on his iPad.

Cartwright, from Stretford, Trafford, said he 'knew it was wrong and knew he would be caught', Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

Officers seized five devices - including his phone, iPad, laptop and two computers - all of which contained indecent images of children.

In total, 912 category A images were discovered - the worst kind - as well as 422 category B and 3,472 category C.

Police also found evidence Cartwright had been sharing an eight-minute video recording of a live stream, which he had taken on his iPad, to a number of websites.

Cartwright pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images; and one offence of possessing an indecent image with a view to distributing to others.

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VILE paedophile who was convicted of abusing a child in a public swimming pool 37 years ago is finally behind bars after sexually assaulting another young girl.

Bolton Crown Court heard how, in 1984, Patrick Kelly was at a swimming pool when he touched a girls private parts inside her costume.

He was fined for the offence.

I dont wish to comment unduly on sentencing regimes 30-odd years ago, but they were very different times, said Judge Timothy Stead.

If it arose today I am fairly confident it wouldnt be a fine.

Kellys sexual interest in children continued and he has now been jailed for three years after he sexually assaulted a nine-year-old girl on three occasions.

Daniel Calder, prosecuting, told how Kelly knew the childs family and the offences occurred while she was watching television with him.

They were unaware of his previous conviction.

The court heard that they were in a living room together one evening, both sat on the couch, when 65-year-old Kelly told her: You can put your legs up on me.

The little girl obeyed but then he put his hand inside her clothing and underwear and touched her private parts.

Kelly kept his hand there for up to 40 minutes as he watched television.

Mr Calder said there were then two further occasions when Kelly repeated the offence in a similar way.

Kelly was arrested after the little girl told her mother what had happened.

He denied the offence initially, claiming that any contact he may have made would have been accidental and not sexually motivated, said Mr Calder.

Kelly, of Tabley Road, Bolton, eventually pleaded guilty to three counts of sexually assaulting a child.

In a victim statement the girls mother told the court how the little girl was quiet, shy and very sensitive.

I believe Patrick Kelly has taken advantage of her young age and her personality, said the mum, who added that, as a result of the abuse, her daughter has become emotional, clingy and scared to leave the house.

Helena Williams, defending Kelly, told the court: He does express regret and remorse for this offending, particularly the impact this has had on the girl.

He still cant explain why he did what he did.

She added that he had a heart condition and, earlier this year, was seriously ill with Covid-19 and is still suffering from the after-effects.

Kelly continues to maintain that he does not have a sexual interest in children which Judge Timothy Stead described as untenable.

The defendant, in my view cannot sensible claim he has no sexual attraction to children, he said.

Miss Williams told Judge Stead, that, after Kellys swimming pool conviction he was not given any help to deal with his behaviour.

They were less enlightened times, said Judge Stead.

In addition to the jail sentence, Kelly was placed on the sex offenders register and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life.

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A paedophile 'lied' to a judge about wanting to change, while having sexualised chats with a child online.

Aaron Sutton, 22, was originally spared jail after being found with indecent images of children.

But after being given a chance and having his progress reviewed by a judge, Sutton was in contact with a child on the internet.

Their online messages included 'highly sexualised conversation'.

Now Sutton, from Northenden, has been jailed for three-and-a-half years after Judge Anthony Cross QC said he had been 'fooling' the probation service and had lied to him.

"I was assured by the probation service and by you that you were responding to the terms of the order," the judge said.

"That was just a lie. You were given the opportunity to change, you didn't.

"You were lying to yourself, lying to the probation service, lying to your father and lying to me.

"Because during the course of the suspended sentence order, you struck up a relationship with a 12-year-old child in foster care.

"She was vulnerable, and you committed offences against her.

"She had a terrible personal history, and you have made her condition worse, much worse."

Manchester Crown Court heard that in October 2019, Sutton received a six month suspended sentence for making indecent images of children.

A sexual harm prevention order was passed banning any unsupervised contact with female children, and prohibiting him from having devices capable of accessing the internet unless he registered them with police.

Sutton attended hearings before a judge at court, where his progress with the order was reviewed.

But it was discovered that Sutton had been in contact with the girl online during that time.

"Each time he appeared in front of me, I asked him if he was complying with the conditions," the judge said.

"He assured me, at the same time he was committing these offences."

The 'vulnerable' girl had described Sutton as a friend from a previous school but he was 11 years older than her, prosecutor Rachel Faux said.

She regarded Sutton as her 'boyfriend' and sent photos of herself to him without him asking, the court heard.

The police were alerted, and Sutton was found to be in breach of the sexual harm prevention order by contacting the girl and having a laptop he hadn't registered.

Sutton was arrested and released on bail, but attempted to contact the girl on Snapchat. The pair never met in person.

Defending, Bob Elias said the girl had 'embraced' the conversation with Sutton.

"She has to be protected from herself, because she is a child," he said.

"He thought he had entered into an enthusiastic relationship with a young girl."

Sutton, of Greenpark Road, Northenden, pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child, and three counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

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A CONVICTED paedophile has been jailed after he kept his sordid past secret from a new partner.

In 2010 Bernard Brookes was jailed for six years for having sex with a girl aged under 13 and made subject to a sexual offences prevention order for the rest of his life.

He was supervised in the community, but Bolton Crown Court heard how he lied to his sex offender manager, claiming he was single.

In reality he had started a relationship with a woman who had children and failed to inform her about his background for months.

Amanda Johnson, prosecuting, told the court how, under the terms of the sexual offences prevention order, 48-year-old Brookes is banned from approaching or communicating with children and prohibited from allowing children into his home.

In March last year, when visited by his offender manager, he said he was single and did not want a relationship.

But in September 2020 it came to the attention of social services and then police that the defendant has been conducting a relationship with a woman who had children, said Miss Johnson.

The woman told police that she had been involved with Brookes for just over a year but had ended it when she discovered his past.

She said she had never been told of that by him during the course of the relationship, said Miss Johnson.

The court heard that the woman had occasionally visited Brookes flat with the children and he had visited her home, sometimes staying overnight, but he had never been alone with the youngsters.

She said that when she ended the relationship, the defendant said that he hadnt disclosed his past to her because he was ashamed of it, said Miss Johnson.

She has described feeling betrayed and deceived by him.

Brookes claimed he had very little to do with, or interest in, the children but police found a calendar in his flat where he has circled the school holidays and the childrens birthdays.

When arrested, Brookes lied and claimed he had not been in a relationship with the woman and had only visited her when the children were not there.

Brookes, of Rishton Lane, Bolton, pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching his sexual offences prevention order but Kate Roxburgh, defending, stressed: There is no suggestion that these breaches were, in any way, a precursor to a sexual offence on children.

Jailing him for 12 months Judge Graeme Smith told Brookes, who is categorised as posing a high risk of harm to children, that he had had contact with children when he should not have had.

And he added that the offending was made worse because their mother was unaware of his previous convictions and the ban on being with children.

You can understand why she feels upset, betrayed and deceived as a result, said Judge Smith. You tried to hide the relationship from your offender manager.

The judge added that breaching the order had been persistent as it had occurred over a long period of time.

However, it was not one which involved any actual harm or any threat of harm to the children concerned, he said.

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A man convicted of 159 sex offences, including 136 rapes, will "never be safe to be released", a judge has said.

Reynhard Sinaga was found guilty of luring 48 men from outside Manchester clubs to his flat, where he drugged and assaulted them - filming the attacks.

Police say they have evidence Sinaga, 36, who is being named for the first time, targeted at least 190 victims.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Sinaga was "the most prolific rapist in British legal history".

The judge ruled his life sentence must include a minimum of 30 years in jail.

Reporting restrictions were also lifted at a sentencing hearing at Manchester Crown Court on Monday, meaning Sinaga could be identified for the first time.

The post-graduate student was already serving life, with a minimum term of 20 years, for the offences he was convicted of in two earlier trials, which took place in summer 2018 and last spring.

Across four separate trials, the Indonesian national was found guilty of 136 counts of rape, eight counts of attempted rape, 14 counts of sexual assault, and one count of assault by penetration, against a total of 48 victims.

Detectives say they have been unable to identify a further 70 victims and are now appealing for anyone who believes they may have been abused by Sinaga to come forward.

At the hearing, Judge Suzanne Goddard QC said Sinaga was "an evil serial sexual predator who has preyed upon young men" who wanted "nothing more than a good night out with their friends".

"In my judgment you are a highly dangerous, cunning and deceitful individual who will never be safe to be released," she said - adding that the decision to release prisoners is made by the Parole Board.

Sinaga would wait for men leaving nightclubs and bars before leading them to his flat in Montana House, Princess Street, often with the offer of somewhere to have a drink or call a taxi.

He drugged his victims before assaulting them while they were unconscious. When the victims woke up many of them had no memory of what had happened.

The student, who denied the charges, had claimed all the sexual activity was consensual and that each man had agreed to being filmed while pretending to be asleep - a defence described by the judge as "ludicrous".

At an earlier sentencing, the judge said she was sure that Sinaga had used a form of date rape drug such as GHB.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was "deeply concerned" by the use of such a drug.

In victim impact statements read out in court, one victim said Sinaga had "destroyed a part of my life", while another said: "I hope he never comes out of prison and he rots in hell."

"I have periods where I can't get up and face the day," another added.

Many of the victims were unaware they had been raped until they were contacted by police.

Lisa Waters, of the St Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Manchester, where victims received support, said some men found this "very difficult to process", with some experiencing mental health issues and suicidal thoughts.

Sinaga, who was studying for a PHD at the University of Leeds, carried out his attacks over several years.

The rapist was caught in June 2017 when one victim, who regained consciousness while being assaulted, fought Sinaga off and called the police.

When officers seized Sinaga's phone they found he had filmed each of his attacks - amounting to hundreds of hours of footage.

The discovery led to the launch of the largest rape inquiry in British history.

Assistant Chief Constable Mabbs Hussain said the true extent of Sinaga's offending would probably never be known.

"We suspect he's offended over a period of 10 years," he said. "The information and evidence we are going from is largely from trophies that he's collected from the victims of his crimes."

Investigators traced dozens of victims from the videos using clues found in Sinaga's Manchester flat, such as stolen phones, ID cards and watches.

The University of Manchester, where Sinaga was previously a student, said some members of its community had been "directly affected" by the case and it had set up a dedicated confidential phone line to offer support.

A statement from Vice-Chancellor Dame Nancy Rothwell, said the news was "profoundly distressing" and her thoughts were with all those affected.

Staggering tally

Judge Goddard said the "scale and enormity" of Sinaga's offending meant it was "accurate" for one of his victims to have described him as a monster.

She added that Sinaga had shown "not a jot of remorse" and at times appeared to be "actually enjoying the trial process".

Following the sentencing, Ian Rushton, from the CPS, said Sinaga was "the most prolific rapist in British legal history" and possibly "in the world".

"His extreme sense of sexual entitlement almost defies belief and he would no doubt still be adding to his staggering tally had he not been caught," he said.

He added that he thought Sinaga took "a particular pleasure in preying on heterosexual men".

Home Secretary Priti Patel said in response to Sinaga's "truly sickening crimes" she had asked an independent council to prioritise a review into whether controls for drugs like GHB were "tough enough".

GHB (gammahydroxybutyrate) is a class C drug. Anyone found in possession of it can be imprisoned for up to two years.

Sinaga's trials took place across 18 months at Manchester Crown Court, resulting in unanimous guilty verdicts on all charges.

His convictions relate to crimes he committed from January 2015 to June 2017, but police believe he began offending years earlier.

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Former town hall colleagues of the now sacked Matthew Bennett, who worked with some of the borough’s most vulnerable youngsters, today told of their shock at discovering his sordid secrets.

The 26-year-old, of Park Road, Wigan, is beginning a seven-year jail sentence after pleading guilty to a total of 11 sexual offence charges.

They included sending lewd pictures of himself to girls under 16, supposedly persuading a girl of 12 to send an indecent picture of herself to him and inciting the mother of a seven-year-old to perform a sex act on him and allow her to be sexually assaulted by him.

But the woman and girls with whom Bennett was communicating were in fact vice squad officers. Bennett further admitted to distributing indecent images of children which fall into the lowest, category C, of seriousness.

The offences took place place online between January and July this year.

A Bolton Crown Court hearing was told that Bennett didn’t back off from a first brush with the law.

He communicated with two undercover officers on the KIK messenger app thinking they were young girls and was arrested on March 3 then bailed.

But on July 20 he communicated with an undercover officer on XHamster.com whom he thought was the mother of a young girl and tried to talk her into agreeing to involve the child in illegal sexual activities.

He deleted information from his phone immediately prior to his arrests. But he used his own surname in his username and sent photographs that displayed his face.

One former workmate said: “My background is in counselling and am quite switched on about spotting character traits but I was caught completely by surprise about Bennett.

“He just seemed an ordinary guy who kept himself to himself.

“He was working for the council’s ‘targeted youth services’ which put him in contact at schools, groups and homes with some of the borough’s most vulnerable children, which is of course a worry, although we understand that the offences had nothing to do with his job.

“Ten months ago he went off on long-term sick and that was the first we knew of anything being wrong.”

Another said: “To say we were shocked and repulsed after seeing that he had pleaded guilty to those sex crimes is an understatement.”

A Wigan Council spokesperson said: “We can confirm that Matthew Bennett was dismissed from Wigan Council as soon as these allegations came to light.

“Neither the allegations or convictions relate to his employment at the Council.”

As well as his prison sentence, Bennett will then be on extended licence for five years, will be the subject of an indefinte Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will also sign on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.

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He throttled her unconscious then molested her as a child slept in the room

A man sneaked into a young mum's home and strangled her until she passed out - then sexually assaulted her.

Daniel Delooze entered his sleeping victim's house through an unlocked door in the early hours of the morning.

The woman woke to find the 30-year-old standing by the side of her bed, before he inflicted a "disturbing" attack.

She could hear him "rambling" while he throttled her, but could only make out a handful of words, including "kill".

Thankfully her children were asleep but one was even in the same room as the mum during the "terrifying" assault.

After the woman fell unconscious, Delooze molested her - although the exact nature of this attack remains unclear.

The victim woke at around 6am in her Warrington home to find she had more than 20 separate injuries across her body.

These included injuries to her neck, jaw, chest, arms and legs, yet she had no idea who it was that had attacked her.

However, Delooze had left DNA evidence on the mum's pyjama bottoms, duvet, and a child's top in an open divan drawer.

He denied inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and sexual assault in a trial at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this month.

Simon Parry, prosecuting, said after the attack the bewildered woman contacted police and went to a sexual assault referral centre.

She was seen by a doctor, who confirmed that her injuries were consistent with non-fatal strangulation and "a high level of violence".

Prosecutors said Delooze travelled from his home in Wigan to the area of the woman's house, before sneaking inside, at around 2am.

Detectives examined CCTV footage and were able to show a hooded man walking past the woman's house, smoking and drinking, and carrying a rucksack.

He stood outside smoking a cigarette before walking towards the house and out of view, and wasn't seen on camera again until around half an hour later.

Using various video clips, police were able to track his escape route and estimate his height - 5ft 9in - but the "key evidence" was the DNA later recovered.

When arrested and interviewed by police, Delooze insisted he had been at home in Hindley with his partner and their child on the night of the attack.

Delooze, of Hindley Green, Wigan, then offered an explanation for the DNA evidence, which cannot be reported for legal reasons.

He was cleared of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, but convicted of the lesser offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm, and sexual assault.

The woman told the court her experience was "horrendous" and she no longer felt safe in her own home.

In a victim impact statement she said: "What really took place that night might remain unclear for the rest of my life.

"I can't help but think that I could easily have died as a result of this incident. It's difficult to comprehend.

"I'm not sure how I will manage on my own in the house with the children. I will be terrified - especially during the evenings.

"I want to wake up from it all, I want it all to be a nightmare.

"This was an unprovoked, violent attack - it was truly horrendous."

Delooze, who has previous convictions including assault causing actual bodily harm in 2010, still maintains his innocence.

Lloyd Morgan, defending, said there was another side to his client, who was described by others as "trustworthy and honest".

Judge Brian Cummings, QC, told Delooze: "It barely needs stating that strangling another person is a highly dangerous attack.

"It was entirely foreseeable that this could have resulted in death or catastrophic injuries.

"You strangled her unconscious and abandoned her alone in that state in the middle of the night, and it is a matter of pure fortune that her injuries are not more serious than they already are.

"The presence of children in the house is a serious aggravating factor.

"I can offer the victim no closure on precisely what happened to her when she was unconscious."

The judge ruled that Delooze was a dangerous offender, as defined in law, and would receive an extended sentence.

He said: "I'm satisfied that you present a significant risk of committing further offences and that such offences carry a high risk of serious harm to members of the public. I've been struck by the very serious and disturbing nature of this case, and how readily you were prepared to act in this way."

Judge Cummings jailed Delooze for eight years, with an extended two years on licence, and told him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

This means Delooze will spend at least two thirds of the sentence - five years and four months - behind bars, before he is eligible for parole.

He will only be released before the end of the eight-year term if he is no longer considered to be a risk to the public.

Judge Cummings also imposed an indefinite restraining order to protect the victim.

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A pervert who performed sex acts on himself in his car close to a school 'targeted schoolgirls in uniform' a court heard.

Nadeem Mohamed, 38, 'quite deliberately' parked in the vicinity of the school in Greater Manchester before performing the lewd acts so schoolgirls could see him, a court heard.

The 'nauseating and repulsive' offences all took place at the end of the school day across three days in early 2018, Manchester Crown Court heard.

On February 5 that year, a teenage girl saw Mohamed parked in his Audi with his window down, at around 3pm when pupils were leaving for the day, and saw him performing a sex act on himself.

She took a photo of the car and went back into school, which cannot be named for legal reasons, to tell teachers, David Lees, prosecuting said.

The following day Mohamed was witnessed performing another sex act by another schoolgirl who said she felt 'disgusted' by what she saw.

The next day another girl witnessed his 'disgusting' behaviour, calling him a 'paedo' before walking off.

He was arrested on February 8, 2018, and an analysis of his phone found internet searches which prosecutors said indicated he had an "interest in teen and pre-teen girls" the court heard.

All five of his victims were under the age of 16.

A judge said he had 'targeted' the area around the school where girls wearing uniform would be passing and 'clearly wanted them to see you.'

One girl said she has 'flashbacks', and doesn't walk home anymore, and uses the bus instead

Another said it has affected her behaviour in school, and said she has become "more aggressive" as a result.

Two other girls said they were left feeling anxious following the incident.

Mohamed, of Cheetham Hill, pleaded guilty to five counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child at an earlier hearing.

Michael Johnson, defending, said Mohamed was genuinely remorseful and fearful of going to prison.

"He has pleaded guilty," he said.

"He doesn't seek to minimise his behaviour. He has thought about why he did it and his victim empathy is clear.

"He has had experiences himself which have impacted on his life.

"And he accepts his behaviour could have the same effect on the teenage girls who were the victims of this disgusting behaviour.

"He's a man with no previous convictions. He is remorseful.

"He accepts he will have been very fortunate to escape with his liberty and will wholeheartedly engage with any order the court passes."

He was handed a two year jail sentence, suspended for two years on Monday.

He must complete 55 rehabilitation activity requirement days including a specialist sex offenders programme.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

Passing sentence Judge Hilary Manley said: "You targeted areas outside a school.

"And you targeted teenage school girls who were wearing school uniform.

"You clearly wanted them to see you.

"It is disgusting and unacceptable that they were targeted on their way home from the school, where they are going to themselves an education, and then subjected to the nauseating and repulsive sight of you doing what you were doing.

"You have personal difficulties which I have read about.

"There has been an unconscionable in bringing this case to court which I must take into account, and you have not offended since.

"I am satisfied you are genuinely remorseful and that there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

"However you must work with the probation service to make sure you not offend again."

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A convicted rapist sexually assaulted a five-year-old girl on a train in front of her mother while travelling home from prison.

Darren Rothwell, 42, committed the attack just hours after being released from HMP Forest Bank, in Salford, where he had been serving a sentence for harassment and assault.

He boarded a train at Manchester Victoria on the morning of 18 April and intimidated two women travelling with their young children as he swore aggressively at them while drinking from a bottle of brandy and bragging about being released from prison, British Transport Police (BTP) said.

He added that he was on his way to see an ex-partner who had a restraining order against him, and that he would be back in prison within two days.

After making a series of uncomfortable comments to the two women, Rothwell asked the five-year-old girl, one of their daughters, to take her top off and give it to him.

One of the women challenged him on his behaviour, but he went on to try and kiss them both.

Rothwell was overheard telling the women to Google his alias Darren Noonan, which would have revealed online news coverage of his 2009 conviction for rape, sexual activity with a child and child abduction, British Transport Police (BTP) said.

As the train approached Wigan, Rothwell asked the five-year-old daughter of one of the women for a hug.

He then went to pick the child up before he sexually assaulted her in view of her horrified mother, said BTP.

The alarm was raised and Rothwell was quickly identified by officers.

Rothwell, of Scholes, Wigan, was jailed at Bolton Crown Court for 26 months on Friday after he pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to sexual assault.

DC Ian Grice, of BTP, said: Rothwell clearly had absolutely no desire to rehabilitate himself after prison but to sexually assault a five-year-old child before hed even made it home is beyond reprehensible.

He is clearly an exceptionally dangerous individual and I am relieved, as Im sure his victims family will be, to see him back behind bars.

I cant imagine how traumatic this must have been for them and I hope they are now able to begin to put this terrible incident behind them.

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A man who raped two women in their sleep has been jailed.

Jordan Nicholson, 23, preyed on his victims on separate occasions in the summer of 2016.

The first victim, 21, was asleep at her home when she woke up to find Nicholson raping her.

The woman pushed him away and screamed at him to stop what he was doing.

She reported Nicholson to Cheshire police a month later, providing officers with a number of social media messages in which she had discussed the incident with him.

The victim also provided messages relating to a similar attack on another woman in August 2016.

When arrested and questioned by police, Nicholson denied raping the women and claimed the sex had been consensual.

Even when Nicholson was presented with the social media messages, he carried on lying about about his crimes.

Yet he changed his plea to guilty at a court hearing on July 12, 2019.

Nicholson, of Boughey Lane, Leigh, was sentenced to six years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, August 27.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape at an earlier hearing.

Detective Constable Jayne Boote said: Sexual assault is a horrific offence, which affects people in the most profound way.

Whilst the victims will never be able to forget what Nicholson subjected them to, I hope his guilty plea and the custodial sentence he has been handed by the courts provides them with some closure and enables them to begin to move forward with their lives.

I also hope that this case and the sentence that Nicholson has received encourages other victims of sexual offences to come forward and report the offences to us.

Cheshire Constabulary takes any allegation of sexual offences extremely seriously.

Any allegation will be thoroughly investigated, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority.

Victims should never feel ashamed to talk about what has happened to them.

They will receive the help and support they need from our specialist officers, as well as from other support agencies we work alongside, and all victims of sexual offences have the right to anonymity.