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Description

A man has been jailed for a minimum 14 years after a jury convicted him of raping and sexually assaulting two young girls. Michael Hopwood, 27, from Openshaw, sexually abused the girls, who were under the age of 12.

The married father had denied three counts of rape, two counts of attempted rape, four charges of sexual assault and one charge of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. But a jury convicted him and now he has been handed a long jail sentence with an extended licence period.

Peter Cadwallader, prosecuting, told Manchester Crown Court that one of his victims went into school 'upset' towards the end of last year and 'indicated' to friends that she had been raped.

The girl, too young to understand what rape was, reported what had happened to an adult and police were called, the court was told. She described to officers how Hopwood climbed on top of her and described one incident which the jury concluded amounted to an oral rape.

Police later interviewed the second girl. The girl told police graphic details of how Hopwood would molest her.

The girl said the abuse had started during the summer. She told officers she had not spoken to anybody about her ordeal and was scared to do so, said Mr Cadwallader.

When police arrested Hopwood, he denied all allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct, said the prosecutor. The court heard those caring for the two girls were glad he was facing a long jail term as Hopwood could no longer harm them.

Both girls, entitled to lifelong anonymity in press reports of their case as victims of sex crimes, have been 'profoundly' affected by the abuse, the court heard.

One had been bubbly and confident but 'isn't like that now', the court heard. The other was a sweet girl whose attitude 'has changed' and has become very emotional every time she did anything wrong.

One tearful family member described Hopwood as a 'monster'. She told the judge: "If it was up to me, I would lock him up and throw away the key. I believe people like him should be locked away forever."

The court heard Hopwood had no previous convictions or cautions.

Joanne Shepherd, defending, pointed to her client's previous good character and said Hopwood had been suffering with depression 'for a considerable period of time'.

Judge Hilary Manley said the younger victim had 'found the courage' to tell her school friends. She had been groomed by Hopwood who then raped her, said Judge Manley.

The judge went on to say that the older girl had been 'groomed and debased' by Hopwood who then 'bribed her with sweets'. "You destroyed her innocence," said Judge Manley, who went on to say that the impact on both girls had been 'profound'.

Hopwood was handed a 20-year prison sentence. He will be eligible for parole after 14 years. He was also handed an extended licence period of eight years, which means, even if he is released after 14 years, he will be on licence for a further 14 years.

Description

A PREDATORY offender who would target schoolgirls on buses by passing them his phone number has been jailed for sexual offences.

Adetunji Akona-Dosunmo, 35, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday, May 9 after committing sex offences in Merseyside.

In April last year following a long investigation by Merseyside Police, detectives charged Akona-Dosunmo with a number of crimes which took place in Merseyside and Manchester during February and March last year.

'Passing phone number'

Detectives say that while travelling on buses he would "pass his phone number to underage girls to engage in sexual activity".

On Monday, February 6, he pleaded guilty to four counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order that was already in place, two counts of sexual communication with a child, and an attempt to arrange/facilitate a child sex offence.

Detective Constable Rachael Barcas, who headed the investigation, said: “We welcome this sentence given to Akona-Dosunmo as he is now behind bars and can no longer cause harm to children with his predatory offending.

“Akona-Dosunmo committed a number of offences in Merseyside and Manchester where he would travel on a bus and attempt to engage with schoolgirls wearing a school uniform by handing them notes with his telephone number and asking them to call him.

Child was aged 11

“In one instance the victim he targeted in Crosby was aged just 11, proving that he is a serious risk to children.

"Upon sentencing the judge stated that he poses significant risk of committing further offences as he has strong sexual urges or desires resulting in him planning ways to bring about contact with underage girls with the express aim of having sexual activity with them.”

Merseyside Police is committed to protecting victims of sexual offences, 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.

Praise for young victims

Detective Inspector Alan Nuttall added: “This investigation was complex in nature, requiring collaboration with colleagues in Greater Manchester Police.

"Detective Constable Barcas has worked tirelessly to ensure that justice has been served and I wish to take this opportunity to thank the young victims in the case for coming forward and providing the evidence required to ensure that this individual is appropriately punished.

“We have specialist officers who are dedicated to investigating these crimes, bringing those responsible before the courts and ultimately protecting young people from unimaginable suffering.

“I would like to take this opportunity to stress that 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.”

Akona-Dosunmo, of no fixed address but formerly from Salford, was also issued an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Description

A serial rapist who preyed on young women and underaged girls during a campaign of terror spanning almost a decade was jailed for almost 30 years after a judge branded him a danger to all females.

Oliver Wolstenholme, 38, used scheming and manipulative conduct to lure victims into sex and even tried to blackmail one into having sex with him on his own wedding night.

The wannabe policeman - who enjoyed dressing up in uniform and kept a baton, an airsoft rifle and a Samurai sword at home - targeted many of the young women online before meeting them in person.

Wolstenholme, who is currently incarcerated at Wakefield maximum security jail in West Yorkshire, has already been assessed by probation workers as being one of Britain's most dangerous offenders. 

In one incident he raped three teenage girls one by one after taking them to a park to ply them with alcohol. 

Another victim took an overdose in a bid to kill herself due to being haunted by her ordeal.

A third was strangled until she lost consciousness before he allowed his dog to bite her stomach.

Police charged Wolstenholme after officers raided his home in Wythenshawe, Manchester, and found more than 1,500 indecent images on electronic devices which featured children as young as a few weeks or months old.

In his car, officers also found a kitchen knife, gloves, duct tape, a face mask, bolt croppers and a Fruit Shoot bottle containing a vodka-based drink he called a 'glitterbomb'. Further searches of his property uncovered a haul of nitrous oxide and female underwear.

It emerged one victim had reported Wolstenholme to police in 2014 but proceedings against him were dropped after she was too traumatised to testify against him.

At Bolton Crown Court, Wolstenholme - who has split up with his wife - admitted rape, assault and voyeurism charges relating to three women and was jailed for 29 years and nine months. 

He will have to serve at least 20 years in jail before being paroled and he will be on licence until the year 2060.

The latest victims came forward after he was jailed for 22 years in November 2021 after being convicted of rape, sexual activity with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, meeting a child after grooming, possession of indecent images and two counts of possessing offensive weapons relating to four other victims.

All the charges relate to events between 2012 and 2019. The latest 29-year and nine-month jail sentence will run concurrently to the 22 years he is currently serving. He was spared a life sentence.

Sentencing Wolstenholme, Judge Thomas Gilbart told him: 'This is a deeply troubling case. 

'You raped six victims and met a seventh after grooming. You used coercion and blackmail and threats with weapons. Your rapes almost became a systematic matter of routine. 

'I am satisfied you pose an ongoing risk of causing serious harm to others.'

The first victim, a college student, was attacked in 2012 when she was 16 after she met Wolstenholme via a gaming app.

He raped her when she visited his then home in Partington, Greater Manchester, and later sent her a text message: 'You want to be careful on your way home from college. Hopefully you don't get hit by a car.'

The second victim met Wolstenholme on a dating app in 2014 and they spoke online via Skype for a year before they met in person.

She was said to besotted with him but in one incident he shot her in the knee with his airsoft rifle and in another he strangled her until she lost consciousness before allowing his dog to bite her stomach.

He eventually raped her after booking them into a hotel before assaulting her with a sex aid. He also took secret video of her whilst she was naked on the bed and the then threatened to send it to her boss and post in on Facebook.

The third victim was sexually assaulted after she met Wolstenholme whilst he was engaged to be married and she shared an illicit kiss with him at a drunken house party.

Ben Lawrence, prosecuting, said: 'She said she was sorry and that it should not have happened but the next day he used it against her. 

'He said: "Oh well you want me to tell everyone what happened last night?" and said he wanted to sleep with her.

'He was aware she was vulnerable and concerned that she might lose her friends. He continued blackmailing her until she felt like she had no other option. 

'She thought he would stop once they did it and initially he thanked her and said it wouldn't happen again. 

'But he would continue to pursue her and if she said "no" he told her he would make her life "hell".'

Mr Lawrence added: 'She had bought some lingerie hoping to use it with her own sexual partner on Valentine's Day but the defendant saw and it and pestered her into wearing it for him.

'She refused at first but he ground her down and she wore the lingerie for him - but without her knowledge he had a hidden camera which filmed her. 

'He then considered he had even better material to blackmail her into having more sex with him.

'Whenever she said "no" he sent her the video, threatened to post it on social media and also threatened to send it to her mother. 

'He sent it to her the day before his wedding and made an unsuccessful attempt to pressure her to have sex with him on his wedding night. He continued to grind her down with requests for sex.'

Wolstenholme targeted three of his other victims aged between 14 and 15 after meeting them at Tesco in nearby Baguley. 

He offered one of the girls a cigarette and told her that he was a drug dealer, then lied about his age.

He drove all three of the girls to a quiet car park, where he plied them with drugs and booze before raping each of the girls one byone and threatening to leave them in 'the middle of nowhere' if they did not do what he asked.

One of the victims tried to kick Wolstenholme off her but he was too strong for her and raped her on the back seat of his car. 

Another was so drunk that she could not speak or move but was in tears as Wolstenholme raped her on the front passenger seat.

After Wolstenholme raped the third girl over the boot of the vehicle, he told the other girls that she was a 'sket'. 

He was arrested in December 2019 but after being bailed started to groom another 15-year-old girl on Snapchat whilst posing as a 17-year-old and using the name 'T-Dog'.

In messages, he told the girl that he was 'her man' and repeatedly called her 'babygal' but during a subsequent meeting in a park she managed to escape by getting a friend to call her, pretending to be her mum.

In victim impact statements one of the women said she now struggled with relationships and trusting any men. 

Another said: 'I tried to kill myself with an overdose. I suffer from PTSD and night terrors and have to take sedative medication otherwise I would wake up screaming and feel suicidal.' 

A third victim resorted to alcohol abuse and suffers from 'routine' panic attacks.

One of the teenage girls is said to often 'shut down' and is reluctant and scared to leave her family house.

Wolstenholme, who has 29 offences on his record, had been convicted of kidnap and possessing an offensive weapon in 2003 after seizing a woman at knifepoint in the street before trying to make her lie on the ground in a nearby garden. 

He only ran off when she struggled, screaming for help.

Defence counsel Neil Usher said: 'There is precious little by way of mitigation in his case. 

'Each of these cases are dreadful and the effects on victims is plain from their statements. 

'No issue is taken as to the assessment that he presents a very serious risk of serious sexual offending. He is a dangerous offender and will be no doubt for many years to come.'

Description

A court was told how Adnan Ali used the cadet training scheme as a 'grooming playground'.

A former Greater Manchester Police constable has been found guilty of five sexual assaults on young men and women.

Adnan Ali, who ran a large cadet unit for the force, used the training scheme as a 'grooming playground' and 'exploited the freedom he was given', a court was told previously. The 36-year-old father-of-one went on trial at Liverpool Crown Court, where he denied twenty charges including sexually assaulting two teenage girls and a 17-year-old boy, and misconduct in public office involving sexualised conversations.

However, today (April 24), he was found guilty of five counts of sexual assault and 15 counts of misconduct in a public office. The charges relate to incidents, between 2015 and 2018, involving young men and women enrolled on the scheme.

During the three week trial, the court heard how Ali, of Leighton Road, Old Trafford, sexually assaulted two teenage girls and a 17-year-old boy. The misconduct charges involved allegations of sexualised conversations with six other teenage boys and asking for and sending indecent images to some of them.

Ali, known as Adz, became police leader of Trafford cadets in 2013 after suffering post traumatic stress disorder after a serious knife injury while on duty. He was based in Stretford and the cadet unit rapidly grew to about 130 cadets, the largest group in Greater Manchester. While he was head of the unit they won local and national awards which enhanced his reputation.

Prosecuting counsel, Anne Whyte, KC, has claimed that he 'threw out the rule book' and engaged in conduct and communications with cadets and apprentices which breached the boundaries he was supposed to enforce. Ali was arrested in October 2018 after the force received a complaint that he had been 'behaving inappropriately' towards a 16-year-old boy.

His devices were seized and analysed and officers found thousands of messages and identified more victims. Charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service in July 2021.

In April 2022, Ali was dismissed from GMP and barred from policing at a gross misconduct hearing. The force will now make representations to that Deputy Mayor that he should have to forfeit his pension.

Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane said: "Whilst Ali is responsible for committing these crimes, no one should be subjected to crime or misconduct during their contact with police officers and staff, like these young people were – for that, and in acknowledgement that Ali could have been better supervised and managed, we are sorry.

“My thanks go to the victims and witnesses who bravely supported the prosecution which secured today’s verdict. Though trials are a fundamental part of the criminal justice system, the impact they can have on those involved and with whom cases resonate is not underestimated. We will ensure they are supported for as long as they need.

"Alongside the criminal and misconduct investigations, this case initiated a full review of GMP’s Volunteer Police Cadet Scheme. With national oversight, improvements have been and are continuing to be implemented to ensure cadet leaders are the role models they are expected to be and that they do not pose a risk to anyone."

Head of GMP’s Professional Standards Branch, Chief Superintendent Mike Allen, said: "Today’s verdict will do nothing to ease the public’s concerns about police misconduct. However, Ali represents the very worst and the minority in policing - he is among a very small percentage who discredit the police service and undermine trust and confidence in it.

"These individuals are being rooted and booted out by exemplary colleagues reporting their behaviour, investigating allegations, building cases against them, and playing a crucial role in proceedings to ensure they face the full force of the criminal justice system and have the many privileges of working in policing taken from them.

"Ali represents the very worst and the minority in policing"
“Following national direction to all forces, the Force Vetting Unit is currently re-vetting all GMP officers and staff to ensure those who are wearing the force uniform and that those who have applied to do so are fit to serve the public.

"However, efforts don’t stop there. Whilst the assessment teams review complaints and allegations, the investigation teams and misconduct proceedings unit work together to secure the best criminal and misconduct outcomes, as a covert unit work under cover in amongst the workforce to stop corrupt officers and staff in their tracks.

"Though ensuring all employees behave with the highest standards of professional behaviour won’t be completed overnight, the people of Greater Manchester, the thousands of exemplary GMP officers and staff, and the force’s trusting stakeholders have my guarantee that, with my oversight of Professional Standards, the branch will do everything in its power to ensure the Code of Ethics is upheld to protect public trust and confidence in our ability to deliver outstanding service."

Ali will be sentenced at a later date.

Description

A "predatory" paedophile is to be released after serving just half of a 15 year jail sentence. David Walker was just a teenager when he started to abuse young children and in 2015 was jailed for a string of historic attacks spanning two decades.

The mother of one of his victim's said today she was "disgusted" at the decision to release him. Walker entered the bedroom of his first victim, a boy, while he was asleep before restraining and raping him. The Manchester Evening News understands that Walker will be released within the next few months.

The mother said: "My child was so badly affected she moved away from Greater Manchester - in a way I kind of lost her and my grandchildren. Walker's crimes also badly hit my mental health. I think it is digusting that he is being allowed out after serving just half of his sentence. My daughter was traumatised when she got the letter from a victim liaison officer to say he was coming out.

"I attended Walker's sentencing and the judge commented he would have got more than 15 years but they took into account his ill health."

Walker's attacks were repeated over the course of several weeks and he also attacked another boy during this period. In another attack years later during the 1990s, Walker, of Foxfield Road, Manchester, indecently assaulted a young girl.

A hearing at Manchester Crown Court heard that he went on to abuse and rape a girl in her bed. One of the children was aged as young as three years old when the abuse happened.

During the hearing one of his traumatised victims described how what had happened to him at the hands of pervert Walker had torn his life apart, making him unable to trust people and driving him into a life of drink, drugs and gangs.

Walker was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of seven sexual offences - including rape and indecent assault. At the time of his sentencing police praised his victims for their courage in helping them put him behind bars.

Detective Constable Susan Hazell said: David Walker has left these poor victims with traumatising memories which will unfortunately last a lifetime. He is a predatory paedophile, attacking when the opportunity arose, when these poor children were unfortunate enough to have been in the same house as him as they slept.

One of the men has admitted that this abuse has dramatically changed his life for the worst, leaving him with mental health issues which have led him down a self-destructive path

DC Hazell said:That is the effect this type of abuse has on these victims, it can destroy lives and leaves a devastating legacy which many find hard to free themselves from.

This conviction only came about after they were brave enough to come forward to police and share their ordeals.I want the public to know that if they were victims of similar abuse in the past, no matter how long ago it was, that they can rely on the police to listen, understand and investigate to the fullest extent.

They will be believed, they will be supported and they can trust that we will do everything in our power to bring the perpetrators of this abuse to justice.

In a statement the Ministry of Justice said: Our Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act introduced tougher sentences for serious sexual offenders and ended their automatic halfway release.

As with all sex offenders, David Walker will be closely monitored by the police and Probation Service, face some of the strictest licence conditions and can be returned to prison for any breaches.

As Walker was sentenced before changes introduced in the new law he was eligible to be released after serving just half of his sentence.

The MOJ added in a further statement: "Sentencing decisions are made by the independent judiciary. Since 2010 average sentence lengths have risen almost every year and convictions increased by 17% between 2020 and 2021.

"The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (PCSC) 2022 introduced tougher sentences for the worst offenders and ended the automatic halfway release for serious crimes. The PCSC Act will also further strengthen the management of sex offenders and those who pose a risk to women and girls; including by enabling positive obligations to be imposed, for example, requiring an individual to engage in a behaviour change programme.

"All registered sex offenders are managed by MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements) which ensures they are managed robustly by the Probation Service and the Police. MAPPA monitoring allows for greater information sharing between agencies and more robust monitoring of offenders.

"Sex offenders released from prison are managed on strict licences which can include conditions to protect the victims families from unwanted contact such as exclusion zones, to reside at an Approved Premises, to abide by a curfew and GPS tagging.

"They will also be subject to supervision which means attending meetings with a probation practitioner. They are also required to tell their probation officer if they change their name."

Description

A married father-of-three hacked into hundreds of webcams around the world to spy on women undressing and having sex.

Christopher Taylor, 60, from Abram, Wigan, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty at Bolton Crown Court on Monday to securing unauthorised access to computer material, voyeurism and possession of extreme pornography. He will be sentenced on Tuesday.

The court heard Taylor tricked 772 people in 39 countries to unwittingly relinquish control of their webcams so he could monitor their private lives.

He used the malware "Cammy" over a three-year-period to log to victims' devices without them knowing.

Police believe that Taylor watched 47 women engage in sexual activity with their partners from his laptop.

He was caught after staff at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US city of Atlanta alerted the FBI when the malware was found on the laptop of a student at the university's aerospace laboratory.

The court heard that when police in the UK later raided his home in 2016, Taylor, a full-time carer for his wife Wendy, said: Its just what Ive been meddling with on the computer.

Taylor had amassed about 80,000 images and videos from his voyeurism between August 2012 and July 2015.

There were also 82 bestiality related images and videos, the court was told.

Taylor lured his victims with a phony link he placed on pornography sites, which, when clicked, would allow him full access to their laptops.

US officials had asked for Taylor to be extradited to the US to face trial for wire fraud and computer fraud but a UK court ruled it out.

Neil Fryman, prosecuting, said of Taylor on Monday: He downloaded these malware viruses and learnt how to spread them onto pornography websites.

"He used torrent files to upload the malware on to various websites and disguise it as another link for a programme called 'Cammy', which was described as all-in-one camera alarm system.

"Individuals were invited to click the link, thinking they were going to view porn. Once they had done so, the defendant gained access to their laptop features, including their webcam. He hid his online identity using obfuscation software, making him hard to track."

The prosecutor added: "He had many more thousands of files saved on his computer that had never been downloaded.

"Many of these images and videos captured people eating, working, lying in bed and doing yoga.

"However, there were also a number of images that showed people in various stages of undress and involved in sexual activity. In total, 47 victims were pictured engaging in sexual activity."

Defending Taylor, Andrew Jebb said: He still struggles to provide an obvious answer as to why all of this began. Hacking on this scale is a very odd interest for any man to have but it merely started out as an interest in viruses before it developed into something more sinister."

Description

A man from Manchester who sexually assaulted two children has been jailed for eight years and six months following a National Crime Agency investigation.

Specialist NCA investigators operating online identified Jeffrey Owens, 44, (pictured) as a user who had been discussing his sexual interest in children on different chat platforms.

He went into great detail in conversations with other users about how he had assaulted two children on a number of occasions.

Owens was arrested in May 2020, after which NCA investigators were able to evidence that he had assaulted, and engaged in sexual activity in front of the children at least 11 times, and had threatened them into keeping it a secret.

Both children have been safeguarded.

Officers analysing Owens’ phone later recovered several more chat logs where he spoke to various people about abusing children and shared indecent images.

Over 4,000 indecent images of children (IIOC) in categories A-C were also recovered, which Owens had stored across several devices.

Some of those images included ones he had taken himself using a hidden camera.

Earlier this year, Owens pleaded guilty to 26 offences, including the sexual assault of a child under 13, seven counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act, three counts of voyeurism, and four counts of indecency with a child.

He was sentenced today [20/03/2023] at Manchester Minshull Street Court to eight years and six months in prison, with a further four years on licence.

He was also handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and will be on the sex offenders register for life.

Mark Barrow from the National Crime Agency said:

“Owens is a persistent offender who seemingly sought out as many opportunities as he could to satisfy his sexual interest in children.

“He consistently took advantage of children, sexually assaulting them and forcing them to watch him perform sexual acts on many occasions, then blackmailed them into keeping his horrific actions a secret.

“It’s clear this investigation has placed a dangerous sexual offender behind bars. Identifying such individuals and ensuring they can no longer pose a threat to children is an absolute priority for the NCA.

“We will continue to do all we can to tackle this threat but also hope to see a shift from industry to take responsibility for identifying and preventing sexual abuse happening on their platforms.”

Description

Daniel Molan, 51, exposed himself to teenage girls and masturbated in view of them but was given a suspended sentence and allowed to walk free from court (pictured outside Bolton Crown Court)

At Bolton Crown Court, he faced up to three years in jail under sentencing guidelines after he admitted three offences of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and two of outraging public decency, but was given 22 months jail suspended for a year.

His lawyer Paul Treble told the hearing: 'He has been open and honest with probation and psychological report. He has told me he deeply regrets what he did and is ashamed of it. As a result, probation have said that he is someone they were willing to work with.

'He is in full time employment and was described by his employer as having a good work ethic. Whilst I'm not negating the seriousness of the offence, the harm is relatively modest.'

The court heard Molan targeted his first victim aged 14 at 8am on a day in February 2022 as she was walking to her bus stop in Leigh.

Amanda Johnson, prosecuting, said: 'Whilst waiting for her bus, she noticed the defendant nearby. He was standing and looking at her rather than looking up the road for the bus. At the time although she noted the strangeness of his conduct, she thought little more about it.

'The defendant then exposed his penis to her. He stood staring at her with his penis exposed, trying to get her attention. Fortunately the bus arrived, and she quickly boarded. She did not report the matter at the time as she thought it was a one-off incident but she fell victim to the defendant a second time a week later.

'Again, she was at the same bus stop at around the same time. Again the defendant was there, wearing the same clothing. He again exposed his penis to her however on this occasion he began to masturbate in full view of her. The bus arrived and she got on. This time, on her arrival at school she informed a teacher of both incidents.

'In April, 2022, after the Easter holidays she was again at the bus stop... This time the defendant did not expose himself, but he was wearing the same clothing. She was afraid and decided to walk past him, filming him on her phone as she did so.

'The video was then provided to the police. She described how he had made her feel really uncomfortable and she was worried about where else the defendant may have behaved like this. She worried about younger children having seen him engaging in this conduct.'

Describing a later incident, Ms Johnson added: 'Two girls aged 14 were on the bus, going to school, having boarded at Leigh Bus Station. They were sitting on the back few rows.

'The defendant also boarded and made his way to the rear. He left two empty seats between himself and the girls. The girls were with their friend whose attention was first drawn to the defendant. He nudged her with his leg and she got up and moved away from him.

'One of the girls could feel that the defendant was staring at her. She turned to look at him and thought that he looked weird. It looked as though he was feeling pleasure. She turned back around and put her headphones in.

'One of the others also felt like she was being watched. She looked at the defendant who had a bag on his knee and he was staring at her legs. She then saw that he was masturbating and saw his exposed penis.

'She then called her mother to tell her what was happening. Her mother advised that she report it and one of the girls then went to tell the bus driver who stopped the bus and went to challenge the defendant. He removed him from the vehicle and then contacted the police.

'One of the girls described being "a bit freaked out" by what had happened, but said she was OK. One of the others was rather more affected and described feeling she judges all the men she meets. She worries on the bus when a man gets on behind her, that he will sit next to her.

'Police conducted enquiries and discovered a similar incident in March 2022 involving three schoolchildren at Leigh Bus Station with a similar description of the offender had been given and a PC viewed CCTV footage. The defendant was arrested and interviewed on 13 June 2022. He made no comment.'

The court heard Romanian-born Molan was of previous good character.

Sentencing the judge Mr Recorder Andrew McLoughlin told him: 'You have targeted school girls, one in particular was a victim on two separate occasions at the same bus stop near her school. Although she admits that she has the mental strength to not be too affected by the incident, others, unfortunately, have been impacted more.

'The reasons for why you undertook these offences are still unclear, especially considering your age and lack of previous convictions. It's clear that you need significant assistance with your criminal behaviour. I believe that you will benefit from this intervention from probation and am therefore convinced that I can suspend your sentence.'

Molan was also ordered to complete 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 120 hours of unpaid work. He will have to abide by the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years and sign the Sex Offender Register.

It comes as three women, who were flashed at by killer policeman Wayne Couzens days before he murdered Sarah Everard, warned that indecent exposure offences are not being treated seriously enough.

Earlier this month Metropolitan Police Chief Sir Mark Rowley called for a change to the law on flashing.

He argues that a football fan who streaks on a pitch should not be treated the same way as a sexual predator.

On average, women and girls are being subjected to more than 40 indecent exposure and voyeurism attacks every day.

However, data from the Ministry of Justice showed the number of people convicted of indecent exposure has collapsed in recent years, almost halving from 810 in 2016 to 435 in 2020.

Solicitor Harriet Wistrich, director of the Centre for Women's Justice, said police were not taking the offence seriously enough: 'This sort of offending can be an indicator of more serious, prolific and sometimes escalating sexual offending.'

Description

A man who sexually assaulted a child and repeatedly threatened his partner at knifepoint has been given an extended prison sentence after a judge deemed him to be 'dangerous'.

Daniel Waterworth, 31, inappropriately touched the girl - who is of primary school age - in December last year. At the time of the sexual assault, he was on bail in relation to a string of separate offences against his girlfriend.

The most serious of those came on April 1 2022, when he held a Stanley knife to her neck and threatened to kill her if she screamed. As the woman tried to fight Waterworth off, he sliced her hand open, prosecution barrister Isabelle Haddad told

He then pinned her down underneath a table and held his hand over her mouth, before gagging her with a dressing gown cord. The woman later told police that the cord had some liquid on it and this made her throw up. Waterworth only stopped the attack when a child walked in the room, the court heard.

That incident followed a similar attack less than two weeks earlier, the court heard. On March 19, Waterworth had accused the woman of cheating on him after she sent him a photograph of chocolates she was eating at work.

When they were both at their home later that evening, he got a knife from under a pillow and threatened to kill her if she screamed. He then locked the front door but the woman managed to escape to the front garden.

Waterworth caught up and punched her 'between eight and ten' times in the head. She eventually managed to seek refuge at a neighbour's house.

When Waterworth was arrested, police found a small snap bag of cocaine on him. Waterworth, of Hereford Road, Bolton, later pleaded guilty to two counts of threatening a person with a knife, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, battery, possession of cocaine, and sexual assault of a child under 13.

Defence barrister Nick Ross told the court that Waterworth is "disgusted at his own conduct". He said that Waterworth has 'no recollection' of the attack and that he has alcohol and substance issues. A psychiatric has also found that Waterworth suffers from psychosis.

The judge, Recorder Michael Maher jailed Waterworth for five years. He also imposed an extended licence period of two years, under the 'dangerous offender' provisions.

Addressing Waterworth, Recorder Maher said: "Your abuse of alcohol and drugs aggravates your poor mental health and aggressive behaviour." Recorder Maher imposed a restraining order, prohibiting Waterworth from contacting his ex-girlfriend and ordered him to sign the sex offender's register for life.

Description

A sex offender who abused two young girls 'for his own sexual gratification' - one almost 50 years ago - has finally been brought to justice and jailed.

Frederick Bowman, now aged 73, faced a courtroom decades on thanks to the bravery of his victims, now women, in coming forward to report the abuse they suffered at his hands to police.

He was locked up last week for six years for indecently assaulting them as girls in Manchester, the Crown Prosecution Service has revealed.

Bowman, formerly of Ansell Close in Gorton, Manchester, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault against a girl aged under 13 between 1974 and 1976, the CPS said.

Prosecutors also confirmed he admitted two counts of indecent assault on a second girl also aged under 13 between 1996 and 2001. Bowman admitted the charges in July last year and was jailed by a judge sitting at Manchester Crown Court on March 3.

The CPS said the second victim came forward first and reported the abuse to police in February 2021. The first victim then came forward in March, 2021. They cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Tim Greenald, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West said: "Frederick Bowman abused the two young girls for his own sexual gratification. Thanks to their bravery, we were able to bring Bowman to justice for his actions.

"I hope that despite the undoubtedly long-lasting effects of his abuse, these young women can get some sense of closure in the knowledge he has finally had to face the consequences of his actions before a court of law."

Description

A vile pervert watched a 10-year-old girl from behind a wall before exposing himself and laughing, leaving her haunted and traumatised. Richard Graham, 33, who is convicted of repeatedly exposing himself had targeted the girl the day before as she played outside with friends in Bury.

Noticing him ‘doing weird stuff’ with his genitals whilst standing a short distance away, one of the children shouted: “small willy” causing Graham to run off.

The following day, as the girl was knocking on at a friend’s house, she saw him hiding behind a wall. Fearing he was ‘cornering her’, she left to go home, only for Graham to stand in full view and expose himself again.

As she started to run, their eyes met and he raised his eyebrows whilst smirking at her, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

Graham, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two offences of exposure and two offences of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and was today (March 3) jailed for over three years.

Prosecuting, Robin Kitching said at around 5pm on August 8 last year, three children, aged 10, 10 and 13, were playing on a tree swing. One of them noticed Graham standing nearby watching them and pointed him out to the others.

“He then took his penis out of his trousers and started, in the child’s words, ‘doing weird stuff and playing with it and swinging it around’,” Mr Kitching said.

“He did not remove his trousers or speak to the children. One of the children, a boy, shouted ‘small willy’ at him, causing the defendant to put his penis back in his trousers and run off.”

The matter wasn’t reported, though one of the children, a girl, later said she was ‘freaked out’ and the boy said he first ‘thought it was funny but then became scared’.

On August 8, at around 5.30pm, the same girl was walking to a friend’s house and knocked on the door but got no reply. As she turned to leave she saw Graham hiding behind a low brick wall.

She recognised him and became scared, and went to the back of the house but found that her friend wasn’t home. Fearing she was being ‘cornered’, she walked back up the path to find that Graham had moved from behind the wall to where had been before.

“As she walked past him he got his penis out and exposed it to her, making movements in what was described by an officer as masturbating,” the prosecutor continued.

“She started running but their eyes met, he raised his eyebrows at her and was smirking. She said he was ‘laughing and stuff’. She made it clear she was scared and described his eyes and being ‘really, really scary’.”

The police were informed and quickly compiled a CCTV compilation of his movements which showed him riding home from work on his bicycle, and making a ‘detour’ to where the children were playing.

In a statement, the girl’s mother said her daughter had lost trust in men, that she becomes anxious upon seeing a man on a bike and is currently undergoing therapy.

“The defendant's actions haunted her, she felt traumatised about it,” she said. “She was exposed to something no child should have to see. It frightened her so much, and she wants to make sure he does not hurt any other children.”

Graham was said to have seven previous convictions for multiple offences of exposure in which he targeted prepubescent girls.

Defending, Aubrey Sampson said the only real mitigation was his client’s guilty plea as it prevented the children from giving evidence at a trial.

“The defendant cannot put forward a reason as to why the offences were committed previously and recently,” he said.

“What he does know is that if he continues to offend in this way, the terms of imprisonment will be getting longer and longer.”

Sentencing, Judge Mark Savill said: “She described you as ‘smiling’. You found it funny and were laughing - she wasn’t.

“You and your behaviour had the most terrible effect on this vulnerable, 10-year-old child.

“She and no other child should have to put up with such vile behaviour.

“There just does not seem to be any valid reason or excuse or mental disorder that offers mitigation of your behaviour.

“I am firmly of the view that you conducted yourself in this way because it excites you sexually. You know it’s wrong but that does not stop you.”

The judge said he was unable to pass an extended sentence due to Sentencing Council guidelines, but said he was firmly of the view that Graham was a ‘dangerous offender’.

Graham, who shook his head during the judge’s sentencing remarks, was jailed for three years and two months. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention order, both for indefinite periods.

Speaking after the hearing, Police Constable David Green of GMPs Bury North Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “I would first like to thank the young victims for their resilience and bravery in reporting this incident to the police and giving us the opportunity to put this sexual predator in jail.

“Sexual offences have long-lasting impacts on victims and Greater Manchester Police are committed to preventing this harm. We work with a number of specialist partner agencies, so you will never be on your own.

“I hope this result sends a stark warning to offenders that these behaviours will not be tolerated by Greater Manchester Police and that authorities here are committed to ensuring these individuals are convicted to the full extent of the law – by sending convicted sex offenders to prison and monitoring them for life.”

Description

A dangerous sex offender who sexually assaulted and robbed a woman as she walked home from a night out has been jailed for 10 years.

Aaron Burns, 31, followed his victim as she walked through Lancaster city centre at around 2am on November 14, 2019. When she got to her home the victim felt somebody put a hand over her face and a hand around her waist.

Burns then said: Youre coming with me or Ill murder you. Burns pulled her onto a canal towpath, before asking what money she had and going through her handbag.

He then sexually assaulted her in a harrowing ordeal. The victim pushed Burns away and shouted for him to leave her alone. But he then grabbed her mobile phone and threw it into the canal, telling her she wasnt using it.

Burns then ran off and the victim sought help. Burns, of no fixed address, was arrested and linked to the offence from CCTV footage recovered by Lancashire Constabulary's investigation team.

He denied any wrongdoing but was found guilty of sexual assault, kidnap and robbery following a trial at Preston Crown Court. He was sentenced at the same court earlier this month.

Having deemed Burns to be dangerous, the Judge told him that he must serve at least two thirds of his sentence before he is eligible for parole. Burns was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

DI Dylan Hrynkow, of Lancaster CID, said: This was an appalling offence committed against a young woman as she walked home from a night out with friends. This crime has understandably had a profound impact on her made all the worse by the fact Burns forced her to relive the ordeal by running a trial.

"He did this in the full knowledge that he was responsible for this despicable crime. I would like to commend the bravery of the victim. Burns is a dangerous offender who poses a risk to the public by his appalling offending and I am glad he has been given a significant custodial sentence. The notification requirements mean he will be monitored by the authorities for the remainder of his life.

Chief Supt Karen Edwards, our Divisional Commander for the West of the county, said: The persistence and determination of the diligent investigation team has led to a dangerous offender being taken off the streets of Lancaster. We are committed to protecting women and girls from all form of violence and where we identify this type of abhorrent behaviour we will do everything we can to put the perpetrators before the courts.

I hope the outcome of this case will encourage other victims of sexual offences to come forward, knowing they will be believed, listened to and we will do everything in our power to put the perpetrator before the courts.

Description

Man sentenced to a minimum term of 35 years in prison for murder, rape, and sexual assault of a woman in Ashton-Under-Lyne.

On Thursday 25 August 2022, officers were called to a concern for welfare of a woman at a property in Ashton-Under-Lyne.

Officers attended the scene, and a 26-year-old woman was found dead at the scene.

A 52-year-old man was arrested and remanded into custody.

The victim was later confirmed to be 26-year-old Elizabeth McCann.

Elizabeth’s family are continuing to be support by specialist GMP officers and support services at this incredibly difficult time.

Simon Goold (16/11/1970) of Manchester Road in Ashton-Under-Lyne was later charged with murder, rape, and assault by penetration and was further remanded to await trial.

Today (Wednesday 22 February 2023), Goold was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court to a minimum of 35 years in prison for murder, rape and sexual assault.

Duncan Thorpe of GMP’s Major Incident Support Unit said: “Firstly, my thoughts are with Lizzie’s family and loved ones at this very difficult time.

“Lizzie was preyed upon by Simon Goold. He befriended her and plied her with drinks. He then took her back to his flat where he raped and sexually assaulted her, before strangling her with a ligature, she sadly died as a result of her injuries.

“Goold’s disregard for Lizzie and her welfare is unfathomable. He claimed that this was a game gone wrong and the catalogue of injuries that Lizzie sustained were horrific and definitely not consented.

“Goold is an extremely dangerous individual who fully deserves the sentence imposed on him today.”

Description

A "sexual predator" who raped a vulnerable"" young girl after isolating her from her friend in a city centre and luring her back to his home has been jailed.

Girmay Andes, 28, of Droylsden, approached the girl, who was under 16, in Piccadilly in Manchester in July, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

He took her back to his home and attacked her.

Andes, who admitted rape, was jailed at Manchester Crown Court for eight years.

He also pleaded guilty to two separate counts of sexual assault of a woman and was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

GMP said Andes managed to separate the girl from her friend and persuaded her to go back to his home - where the offence took place.

The victim contacted people she knew, who informed police.

Andes took the girl out of his home before officers arrived but they tracked her down a short distance away and she told them what she had been through.

Andes was arrested a short time later.

Det Con Mike Allen praised the victim for "finding the strength" to report the rape and go through the court process to ensure "this sexual predator has been removed from the streets of Manchester and jailed".

He told other victims: "You will be believed and you will be supported throughout every stage of the process, to bring offenders to justice and prevent them from harming anyone else."

Description

A man has been jailed after he was seen attempting to rape another man in a busy local park before battering him in a 'prolonged' attack.

Connor Farren-Bell, 25, met the victim while he was sitting alone on a bench in Alkrington Woods ‘watching the world go by’. After drinking a bottle of vodka together, Farren-Bell was later seen standing in front of the man, with his trousers down and ‘thrusting’ whilst the man appeared unresponsive, Manchester Crown Court heard.

As two witnesses walked past, one coughed to alert them to their presence, causing Farren-Bell to stop. They then heard Farren-Bell shouting: “If you were a woman”.

The man was then attacked by him, ‘raining’ punches on his head, face and body. He was later found huddled by the entrance to the park, bleeding and confused.

Farren-Bell then returned to the park and walked past the victim, who shouted: “That’s him.” When the witnesses told him what they had seen he said: “Oh no, he hasn’t done that to me” and vomited.

On the day of his trial, Farren-Bell pleaded guilty to attempted rape and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Last Friday, (January 20) he was jailed for seven years and eight months, with an extended period of four years on licence.

Opening the case, prosecutor Daniel Calder said that on July 17 last year, the man had gone for a walk and was sat on a bench by a lake when he was approached by Farren-Bell. The pair began chatting before Farren-Bell asked if he wanted to go for a pint, at which the man said he had no money, so instead the pair went to a local shop and bought a bottle of vodka.

After sharing the whole bottle, the man began feeling ‘funny’ and was described by eyewitnesses as looking ‘insensible’ and ‘incapacitated’. As the two people, out on an evening walk, went past Farren-Bell and the man, they saw Farren-Bell stood up directly in front of the man engaging in a sex act.

Mr Calder said: “The witnesses coughed loud to alert him and noticed the victim had slumped to the left side of the defendant. They then heard him shouting aggressively, saying: “If you were a woman”.

“The couple walked on and could hear the defendant shouting as they made their way round.”

He said this later manifested into the violent assault. The victim, who’s last memory of the incident was drinking from the bottle, said his next memory was walking away from the bench before he was punched by Farren-Bell, knocking him to the floor.

During the attack Farren-Bell, who had ridden his bike to the park, used the bicycle to ‘pin’ the man to the floor. He was later found by the entrance to the park in a confused state.

After a couple of days he was taken to hospital where he was found with extensive bruising and cuts to his body. Farren-Bell was arrested after his phone was found at the scene, and initially denied the attack in his police interview. He has since pleaded guilty.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, the man said he has experienced anxiety and suicidal thoughts. He said he felt ‘ashamed and embarrassed’ and has since had his sexuality questioned. He added he has a hard time trusting people and lost a year of his life because of the court proceedings.

Farren-Bell was said to have previous convictions, including two offences of battery on his record.

Mitigating, David Bruce said it was a ‘tragic case’. He said no force was used to engage in the sex act and that his client had not deliberately used drink or drugs.

“This isn’t a situation where there was violence used in order to facilitate the sexual abuse,” Mr Bruce said.

“It’s clear he has accepted a degree of responsibility, though he had very little recollection. He has expressed remorse.”

Sentencing, Judge Timothy Smith said: “The witnesses, and his family, said he was incapacitated and rendered insensible. There is no indication you were responsible for that, but you were responsible for taking advantage of him in that situation.

“This was sustained, prolonged and you were out of control. He was fortunate to not have received more serious injuries.”

He said Farren-Bell was described as having a ‘high risk’ of serious harm in a presentence report, and that the trigger of the attack was not clear.

Finding him to be a dangerous offender under the sentencing provisions, Farren-Bell, of no fixed abode, was jailed for seven years and eight months with an extended licence period of four years. He must serve at least two thirds of his sentence before he is considered for release by the parole board.

He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.