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Description

A former sergeant in the Spanish army was jailed for 44 months for storing and distributing the worst child sex abuse videos and images.

Gabriel Gonzalez, 43, had one 17-minute long video called Daisys Destruction, which showed the abuse of an 18-month old girl.

The police officer who viewed it said it was the worst he had ever seen and said other police should not look at it, Luton Crown Court heard yesterday (February 3).

The sentencing follows that of Bedford couple Nicholas Harris and Clare Buttrice, who were jailed for a combined 35 years for sexually and mentally abusing children last week.

Prosecutor Alex Kettle-Williams said that acting on information, the police raided a multi-occupancy house in Campbell Road, Bedford, on the morning of 18 October, 2018.

The officers seized one laptop and three hard drives from Gonzalezs room. He was not there at the time, but handed himself in later. He made no comment to the police questions.

Ms Kettle-Williams said 404 images were found on the devices, along with 182 videos. The total length of the videos was 20 hours, with the longest single film lasting 3 hours and 19 minutes.

Gonzalez had distributed nine moving images at Category A, the most serious level, and three Category B moving images to other paedophiles.

He had downloaded 85 still and moving images at Category A, 65 at Category B and 379 Category C images and 57 images of extreme pornography.

The images were stored under the names of music albums in an attempt to disguise them.

Ms Kettle-Williams said: He had a personal video library of indecent images. They showed pre-pubescent girls, with the victims in pain and crying. There was also bestiality and torture.

He said Gonzalez had used computer search terms such as 'sadistic', 'torture' and 'snuff'.

Gonzalez, now of Pine Road, Didsbury, Manchester, had earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of distributing indecent images of children, three of making (downloading) and one of possessing extreme pornography. He had no previous convictions in England and Wales or Spain.

Defending, Richard Saynor said he had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

He said: He served successfully in the Spanish armed forces and worked his way up to the rank of sergeant.

He gained a psychology qualification. He moved to the UK and gained employment using his psychology qualification by assisting people with autism. At all times he was working with adults.

After his arrest he moved to Manchester, where he had been working in a car wash.

In a letter of apology to the judge, Gonzalez said: Serving as a sergeant taught me strong standards of protecting community and having personal integrity.

I realise in the position I am in today I have fallen far from those high standards. I wanted to apologise to all the victims in this case.

Referring to the Destructing Daisy video, Recorder Bal Dhaliwal said: This was the horrific, sadistic and tortured abuse of a completely vulnerable child of 18 months.

The investigating officer stated it was the worst he had seen in his five years in this role. He said other officers should not have sight of it. The abuse was beyond words.

The judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the laptop and the hard drives.

Gonzalez must abide by the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, is barred from working with children or vulnerable people, and register as a sex offender indefinitely.

Description

A paedophile travelled from Greater Manchester to Wales after arranging to sexually abuse a young child - but was met by police officers instead.

Michael Crossley spent months chatting to someone he believed to be the girl's mother online and over the phone before making the trip from his home on Bury New Road, Radcliffe, Bury, to carry out his sick fantasies.

In fact he had been communicating with an undercover policewoman and officers were waiting for him when he arrived at the meeting point in Cardiff, WalesOnlines reports.

Crossley would later claim that he was actually a paedophile hunter and had been trying to expose what he thought was a mother who was selling her daughter for sex.

But the 34-year-old failed to turn up for his trial to put that version of events before a jury last year and jurors convicted him in his absence.

The defendant returned to the dock of Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court for sentencing for facilitating sexual activity with a child and also for being involved in a 110mph police chase in a stolen car an incident which took place in Bolton while he should have been on trial in Wales.

The court heard that in the August of 2019 Crossley was on an adult sex website where he contacted the profile of a woman who had a daughter.

The defendant began messaging the woman on the site and then talking to her on the phone and he made it clear he was interested in 'playing' with her and her child.

He then began asking for indecent pictures of the girl, talked about the sex acts he wanted to perform on the child, including full penetrative sex, and discussed money changing hands.

The court heard that the profile on the adult site was actually being run by an undercover policewoman.

Crossley made arrangements to meet the woman and her daughter in Cardiff and travelled from his home in Bolton to the rendezvous point where he was met by police officers. He was found to be in possession of condoms, sex toys, lubricant, and a doll as a present for the child.

In his subsequent interview the defendant claimed to be part of a paedophile hunter group and said he believe the woman he had been chatting to was a paedophile who had been trying to sell her daughter for sex.

Crossley maintained his not guilty plea and the matter went to trial last August but the defendant failed to turn up at court.

The trial went ahead without him and he was duly convicted by the jury but in the meantime he had been involved in a high-speed police pursuit in Bolton.

This offence had seen him hitting speeds of 110mph as he raced through residential streets in a stolen Audi car, speeding through red lights, and taking bends on the wrong side of the road.

Eventually he abandoned the car and fled on foot but the combination of a police helicopter and a police dog tracked him down to his hiding place.

When arrested he was found to be in possession of cannabis.

The court heard the Audi had previously been stolen during a robbery and it was showing number plates that had been stolen from a different car which was being serviced in a garage.

Crossley had already been convicted of arranging or facilitating sexual activity with a child and had pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle-taking, dangerous driving, driving without insurance, possession of cannabis, and failing to surrender to bail when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

He has six previous convictions for six offences including producing cannabis, assisting an offender, and taking a vehicle without consent.

Barrister Isobel Thomas, for Crossley, said the defendant still denied his guilt as far as the sexual offence was concerned but acknowledged he was facing a custodial sentence of some length.

She said that in 2019 he was going through a 'difficult time' with his business being closed down and his relationship of 16 years breaking down.

As a result she said he turned first to cannabis, then cocaine, and then crack cocaine and his mental health began to suffer.

Recorder Lucy Crowther told Crossley a jury had rejected his claims to be a paedophile hunter trying to trap an offender and the conversations he had with the undercover officer showed he, in fact, was the paedophile.

She said the dangerous driving he then engaged in had been 'appalling' and it was remarkable nobody had been injured or killed.

Crossley was sentenced to a total of 54 months in prison comprising 42 months for the sexual offence, 10 months for the dangerous driving, and two months for failing to surrender to court all to run consecutively with each other.

He was sentenced to six months for aggravated vehicle-taking and to one month for possession of cannabis with these sentences running concurrently to the 54 months.

No separate penalty was imposed for driving without insurance.

Due to the nature of the sex offence Crossley can apply for release at the halfway point of his sentence but it will be for the Parole Board to decide if or when he is released during his sentence.

When he is released he will be on an extended one-year licence and he will be on the sex offenders' register for the rest of his life, as well as being made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

He was also disqualified from driving and must pass an extended test before he can get his licence back.

Description

A police officer who was caught trying to arrange the abuse of an eight-year-old girl and accessed indecent images of a vulnerable teen has been jailed. Det Con Lee Cunliffe admitted seven offences including arranging the commission of a child sex offence. The 40-year-old Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer has been suspended from duty since his arrest in 2020. Cunliffe, of Wigan, was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court for eight years and four months. The court heard Cunliffe had been a serving officer for 17 years when, in September 2020, he began messaging a woman whom he believed was the mother of the eight-year-old girl on instant messaging app Kik. Prosecutor Arthur Gibson said Cunliffe told the woman, who was actually an undercover Met Police officer, that he would visit London to sexually abuse her daughter. Police investigations revealed Cunliffe had sent the messages from several devices, including a police-owned computer at Swinton police station, and he was arrested in October 2020. Perverted desires A subsequent search of the married father's home revealed a laptop he had used to access indecent images of children, including of a "plainly vulnerable" teenage girl who made a complaint to GMP in 2018. Mr Gibson said the girl had alleged her boyfriend had taken indecent images of her and distributed them without her knowledge. Cunliffe, then a trainee detective, was allocated to the case and the suspect's computer and phone were seized after his arrest. Mr Gibson said he later wrote an entry on the crime log stating there was nothing on either device relating to the offence, when "in fact, both devices contained both still and moving indecent images of children, a total of 227 being accessible". The computer was returned to the suspect with the indecent images still on and no further action was taken. Evidence of files from between 2014 and 2018 which were indicative of child abuse were also found on Cunliffe's laptop. Julian King, defending, said Cunliffe had been going to see a psychotherapist, who said he had compulsive sexual behaviour disorder. Cunliffe, of Hindley Green, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to arranging the commission of a child sex offence, perverting the course of justice, misconduct in a public office, distributing indecent photos of a child, and three counts of making indecent photos. Sentencing him, Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Andrew Menary QC, said the actions Cunliffe was "contemplating with this very young child could hardly have been more serious". "What you did in relation to this girl and this case is shocking and strikes at the very heart of that foundation of trust that the public have invested in the police service," he added. Speaking after sentencing, Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods of GMP, said Cunliffe's "deplorable behaviour" was "absolutely inexcusable" and had "undermined the very essence of policing's core value of protecting the public and helping those in need". Det Insp Suzanne Keenaghan, from GMP's online child abuse investigation team, described his offending as "depraved". "Cunliffe deliberately created an online profile with the perverted intention of arranging to commit a child sex offence and having indecent images in his possession for his own sexual gratification," she said. He will now face disciplinary action under the Police Conduct Regulations, GMP added. Child protection charity, the NSPCC, said: "Cunliffe's actions were an appalling abuse of his position of trust. "Through his police training and employment, Cunliffe would have been very aware of the devastation sexual abuse has on children's lives. "Despite this, he chose to pursue his own perverted desires."

Description

Naveed Ishaq had downloaded a sickening amount of indecent images between March 2017 and August 2020, Bolton Crown Court heard on Monday.

The 48-year-old, from Bolton, had scoured the internet for vile images - as well as animal porn - and used chat rooms where he would ask: "Do you have any child porn about?"

He was eventually rumbled as part of a nationwide investigation - before telling police he was shocked at how easy it was to find the horrific material and insisting he was going to 'hand it to the police or a newspaper' as evidence.

The court heard that Ishaq was caught following an operation carried out by the National Crime Agency (NCA), which was investigating the sharing of indecent images of children on a New Zealand-based file sharing website called Mega.NZ.

The NCA found six email addresses registered on Mega.NZ which were believed to have been used by Ishaq to receive indecent material from the website, and five of the accounts were traced back to Ishaq's address.

Mr Connick told the court that the NCA passed its evidence to Greater Manchester Police, which carried out a search at Ishaq's home on Langthorne Walk, Bolton.

He said: "When officers informed the defendant why they were there, he said that he had been wanting to contact the police for some time to talk about the fact that you could get such things on the internet.

"He said he was simply a concerned citizen who had been downloading such images to show how easy it was."

Ishaq was arrested by police, who seized an iPad, two iPhones, a desktop computer, another phone and a laptop.

The court heard he told officers that further devices could be found at his home inside a washbag, which was hidden in a sofabed.

Police carried out another raid on Ishaq's address and found the bag, which contained more devices including external hard drives and a memory card.

Officers analysed the devices and found a shocking amount of indecent images of children - both still images and video.

There were 31,307 category A images, 29,256 category B images, and 327,531 category C images - a total of 388,094.

Mr Connick said the images included children aged from just one-year-old to 17, adding: "Many of the victims appeared to be distressed and in severe pain."

Police found 47 images of extreme pornography involving animals - including a video which also featured a child - as well as a vile 120-page paedophile manual on 'how to practice child love'.

Officers also found evidence of web visits, bookmarks and downloads which indicated the various files Ishaq had accessed and the disgusting search terms he had used - including 'pre-teen hardcore' and 'rape' - as well as online chat logs to ask for more files.

Ishaq had used 'secretive internet browsers' in an attempt to cover his tracks, Mr Connick added.

Defending, John Harrison said his client was a man of previous good character who pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, and told the court his wife was 'entirely dependent on him'.

He said that Ishaq claims that the 'desperate' excuse he first gave to police - that he intended to hand over the material as a 'concerned citizen' - was one he made 'out of fear' following the raid at his home.

Mr Harrison added: "It's quite clear that the thought processes of [Ishaq] need to be tackled."

Judge Martin Walsh, honorary recorder of Bolton, handed Ishaq a two-year prison sentence but told him he would serve half of it before being released on licence.

Ishaq also must sign a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

"The amount of material here is grotesque," Judge Walsh said.

"This was a systematic and committed searching for prohibited material over an extended period of time.

"Having regard to the aggravating features here, only an immediate sentence of custody can be justified."

All items seized from Ishaq which contained the material will be destroyed.

Description

A woman sent child abuse images to her boyfriend - because she wanted to keep their 'relationship alive'.

Perverted couple Rachael Larkman, 38, and Steven Kearsley, 35, started dating in 2013 after meeting on the website Flirtomatic.

They were described as friends with benefits.

But their relationship took a sinister twist when Kearsley began asking her for indecent images of children.

Kearsley later became quite obsessed with the idea of chatting online to children, and officers later found he had been sending messages to a child.

Larkman pleaded guilty to distributing indecent photos of a child, the M.E.N reports.

Kearsley was convicted of encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence believing it would be committed, namely requesting indecent images of children; and engaging in sexual communication with a child following a trial.

At an earlier hearing at Minshull Crown Court, prosecutor Robert Smith said: "He asked Rachael Larkman for topless photos of herself, which she did but then asked her whether she was interested in pornography.

"Rachel accepted that she had sent him eight to ten photographs."

The pair were arrested after police were made aware of the images and explicit messages.

Their phones were examined and revealed a number of sinister message exchanges.

In one exchange, Kearsley said: You got any pervy pics?

In another he said: You can send any - even nudes I wouldnt run.

She later said: Lol having fun?

Kearsley replied: Child abuse is always fun x.

The prosecutor said Kearsleys requests for the images were constant and arose from his sexual interest in children.

Following an investigation launched by the police, Kearsley also was found to be sending inappropriate messages to a child.

Both were said to have no previous convictions.

Mitigating for Larkman, Richard Simons said: She is considered to be a vulnerable adult and partner in the context of intimate relationships.

The psychiatric report concludes that she suffers from Battered Wife Syndrome and PTSD.

This offending behaviour happened over three years ago and she made immediate admissions.

She is deeply remorseful.

In mitigation for Kearsley, Vanessa Thomson said: His pre-sentence report doesnt make for positive reading on his behalf.

He still denies the offences.

The pre-sentence report suggests a community alternative, where he will be challenged face-to-face on a weekly basis about what he thinks is right and not right.

It will be intensely challenging to him.

That will not be available to him in a prison environment.

She added that her client suffered from ongoing complications from a broken back, which affected his work as an actor in the acting industry.

Sentencing Larkman, Recorder Anna Vigars QC said: These offences took place... to keep your own sexual relationship alive.

But, you have a difficult and traumatic background, and you have demonstrated very significant remorse.

Sentencing Kearsley, she said: Your request was made in the context of a perverted sexual fantasy.

I have read the pre-sentence report, and it is a troubling report.

I see no recognition you had done anything wrong and you sought rather to pass blame to Larkman.

Larkman, of Oldham, was handed an 18-month sentence, suspended for two years; 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirements; and a three-month electronically monitored curfew between 8pm and 6am.

Kearsley, also of Oldham, was jailed for a year.

Both were ordered to sign the sex offender register for a decade. Kearsley was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

Description

Manipulative Farzad Shabani's despicable behaviour exposed in powerful court speech by the student he left devastated A rapist continued his attack through the tears of a student before waging a campaign of manipulation to prevent her from seeking justice. Farzad Shabani fought through her efforts to push him away then shamelessly became angry at her devastation following the assault. He then tried to convince her the assault was her fault before putting her through the ordeal of hearing him lie through a trial. Shabani carried out his attack in the early hours of the morning at a university halls of residence in Liverpool. Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said: "He had sexual intercourse with her at a time that she was not consenting... even when she was telling him to stop and pushed him away with her arms he carried on regardless." Ms Daley added: "She described how the defendant didn't even seem to notice when she was crying when the sexual intercourse was continuing. She indicated how the defendant appeared to get cross with her for being upset afterwards." In a brave statement to Liverpool Crown Court, the student told how she pushed her family away because she was too ashamed to tell them, while she said Shabani "gaslighted and manipulated" her, adding: "He convinced me that I deserved it, that it was my fault." The 30-year-old's crime had a severe impact psychologically and physically, with the court hearing she initially existed solely in "survival mode". She said: "I considered dropping out of university and I think a lot of people expected me to. "There were days I could not get out of bed because I did not want to face anyone." In the aftermath, Shabani launched a vindictive social media campaign that included the creation of a fake Instagram profile through which he sought to provoke the student in an attempt to make her write responses he could use to undermine her. Meanwhile she became paranoid and scared, fearing he would have her followed. Her powerful speech told of the strength she had mustered to report her attacker to police and reach the realisation she was not to blame: "I still felt almost guilty for telling my truth... It took a while for me to come to terms with the fact he had put himself in this position and what had happened to me was his fault despite what he had conditioned my mind to believe." Peter Killen, defending, told the court: "Any offence of this type always inflicts serious harm on any victim... The sole mitigating factor is the defendant is a man of previous good character." Passing sentence, Judge Brian Cummings, QC, described Shabani's attack and following behaviour as "appalling". He told the court : "I make it clear that I sentence you on the basis of [the student's] evidence. The jury plainly accepted it. So do I. "The factual basis on which I sentence you is one of which I am sure." The judge continued: "You have shown an utter disregard for anyone but yourself. "You have presented as manipulative and controlling and for having an inflated regard for your own personal dignity yet none for anyone else's." Shabani, of Rectory Road, in the Crumpsall area of Manchester, was sentenced to six and a half years in jail and made the subject of a restraining order for life.

Description

Police praise victim for her bravery as family speak of their harrowing ordeal

Relatives of the victim of a child sex abuser have spoken of the harrowing impact of his actions as they attempt to rebuild their lives.

Richard Hall, 36, is behind bars after being given a five years’ jail term with an Indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order also imposed.

Hall, 36, whose address was given as Stockport Road, Ashton, was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court last week.

A former student at Egerton Park in Denton before going on to serve in the army, he was found guilty following a trial of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and four counts of sexual activity with a child.

The judge said Hall had groomed his victim and had displayed no remorse, stating he was a dangerous man to society.

This week relatives of his victim, who remain anonymous to protect their identity, said they welcomed the sentence and justice had been done, but the victim and family members will have to face the lifetime impact of his actions.

They spoke out following the trial in the hope it will encourage other victims of child sexual abuse, sexual assault or rape to have the courage to come forward.

In a statement they said: “Paedophiles purposely take the child mentally, emotionally and physically despite knowing that it is wrong. They lure them and lie and prey on the most vulnerable children in our society. They are calculated and manipulative.

“They adopt a personality that we often find charming, trustworthy and likeable. They search out children like a predator stalking prey and they hurt everyone in their path.

“We want people to realise and be aware of how a predator can so easily infiltrate a family; Richard Hall didn’t just groom his victim but an entire family who are all his victims.

“People need to learn how to recognise grooming behaviour, it really is the absolute unthinkable and the ultimate betrayal.”

The victim and family members have been left with a range of mental health difficulties as a result of their ordeal, being diagnosed with social anxiety, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with difficulties forming relationships, ultimately with one of the victims even threatening to take their own life.

In a victim impact statement Hall’s victim said: “Sexual abuse isn’t murder but it is like killing someone inside... they are alive to feel that pain forever and watch what the abuser has done to the surrounding people - that applies to all of my family because they were mentally abused... we all have to live with this.”

The relative continued: “We have very special thanks and gratitude to Norfolk Constabulary, especially the investigating officer, CPS with our outstanding barrister and of course the Judge himself. We do feel as though we have justice despite the ongoing, lifetime impact that this has had.

“We hope our story might give victims courage to speak out and we send a clear message that child sexual abuse, sexual assault and rape is and will continue to be tackled and stamped out.”

The case against Hall was brought following an investigation by Norfolk and Suffolk Police.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Natalie Riseborough said: “First and foremost I would like to commend the courage of the victim in this case. I can only imagine the ordeal she has been through and the enormous impact that this has had on her life.

“She has been incredibly brave in speaking out and breaking the cycle of abuse and preventing it from happening to others. I hope this court result will bring some kind of closure for both her and her family and allow them to start to heal from what has happened.”

Description

Paedophile Simon Hammerton was caught with a bag of booze and condoms as he went to meet an '11-year-old girl'.

The 33-year-old was apprehended by paedophile hunters - adults posing as young girls online - after he attempted to meet what he thought was a child in Greater Manchester in July.

Detectives seized Hammerton's laptop and found he was also chatting to 'girls' from Southampton and Leicestershire - believing both were 12 years old.

He would regularly tell them he wanted to kiss them and one one occasion asked a girl for a picture in her school uniform or underwear.

Hammerton was also in contact with two other girls he believed were 11 and 13.

During both conversations, Hammerton would speak sexually and sent them images and videos of him naked, including one video he sent to the 11-year-old girl of him masturbating and ejaculating.

Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester heard Hammerton's undoing came in July, when he arranged to meet a 'girl' he had been speaking to online.

However when he arrived at Ashton-under-Lyme bus station, he was met by a group of adults and placed under citizen's arrest.

He was then handed over to Greater Manchester Police who discovered his bag contained condoms and alcohol.

It was then his laptop was seized and the full extent of his offending came to light.

Hammerton, of Hyde, has now been jailed for five years and four months and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

He admitted five counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act and two counts of attempting to cause a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity.

Detective Constable Sue Masheter from Greater Manchester Police, said: "Child Sexual Exploitation takes place in many forms and in this case Hammerton engaged in online communications with what he believed were very young children, not sparing any thought for the lasting damage his actions could have.

"Unknown to Hammerton, the 'children' he thought he was communicating with were actually adults and thankfully we have now been able to remove a dangerous individual from our community and ensure that he is not able to inflict any further abuse.

"I would like to thank the members of the online safety group, namely STOP for their cooperation throughout this investigation."

Description

A PERVERT who described himself as a nice paedo in messages to young girls, continued attempting to contact children even after he was caught by paedophile hunters. But his second attempt ended in further arrest as the 12-year-old girl he thought he was grooming was really a decoy police officer. Bolton Crown Court heard how, on October 26, 2019 paedophile hunter Kirsti Trott, posing as 13-year-old Missi was contacted by Nathan Kennedy on via the childrens section of the website Chat-Avenue. Kennedy, aged 34, did not hide his intentions, giving himself the user name UK Predator. Rachel White, prosecuting, said: The conversation immediately became sexualised and he asked if she had ever been with an older man. Conversations continued on WhatsApp with him using sexualised language, sending photographs of his private parts, inviting her to meet in a hotel, wanting to know where she lived so he could book a train ticket and even offering to obtain the morning after pill for her. He also acknowledged what he was doing was grooming and that he could go to prison because his activities were unlawful, said Miss White. Missi introduced Kennedy to a fictitious 13-year-old cousin, called Sophie. He asked if he could fool around with all three of them, said Miss White. Kennedy also contacted Sophie via WhatsApp, discussing sex and offering to buy her clothes and shoes. Pretending to be someone called Marcus, Kennedy contacted Missi again. The conversations were mostly short-lived and mostly concentrated on checking that Missi had not told anyone about her chats with Nathan, said Miss White. He asked about Missis mother and asked whether he could drive to her address to have sex with her and her mother. On December 6, 2019, paedophile hunters from the Keep Kids Safe organisation visited Kennedy at his then home in Wythenshawe and confronted him after phoning and making arrangements for the delivery of a fictitious parcel. They filmed the encounter, live streaming it on Facebook.

Description

Joshua Etchells (26/5/01) of Lowton Road, Sale has been jailed for 14 months after pleading guilty to 20 counts of sexual assault by touching. Following his release he will also be required to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.

The charges against Etchells relate to a series of sexual assaults that occurred between 1 March 2021 and 7 March 2021 on canal tow paths along the Bridgewater Canal, the River Mersey and along the Trans Pennine Trail.

Etchells assaulted 19 women and a teenage girl across the seven day period, including nine women on one day alone.

His offending followed a similar pattern for all of his victims in that they were all either walking or running, often alone, down the tow path when Etchells would approach them from behind on a bicycle.

As he approached and began to pass the women, he would then either grab or slap their bottom and quickly flee the scene on his bike. On two occasions, Etchells approached the victim head on and cycled past them before turning around and cycling back towards them from behind. As he passed, he sexually assaulted them.

Following an assault on the Trans Pennine Trail, one of Etchell's victims along with a family member decided to drive around the local area to locate him. As they drove around they spotted a male she was confident was Etchells and she shouted out the window at him.

Ignoring her shouts, she managed to take photographs of him, which she then passed over to police.

A full investigation was launched by GMP and on Saturday 13 March, plain clothed officers were on patrol in an unmarked vehicle in Sale and noticed Etchells on his bike and identified him as the male wanted for multiple sexual assaults.

He was subsequently arrested and his bike - that matched the description of the bicycle reported to police - was seized.

Following interview Etchells was subsequently charged.

Detective Inspector Helen Bagnall of GMP's Trafford district said: "Firstly I want to extend my thanks and gratitude to all the women who came forward to report the assault. Reporting such incidents is never easy but thanks to their support during the investigation and initial detailed descriptions of Etchells we have been able to secure a conviction today.

"Etchells' twisted behaviour was nothing short of deplorable and he felt he was untouchable and would be able to flee each assault with little consequence. I'm glad we've now been able to place him behind bars where he will have plenty of time to reflect on his actions.

"I hope today also serves as a reminder that GMP will do all in its power to ensure those responsible for such disgusting behaviour are identified and face the appropriate justice. No woman should be made to feel unsafe when she walks the street and I'm glad that today we have been able to remove another dangerous individual from our community."

Description

A paedophile ex-vicar once caught with a shoebox full of kid's clothes is back in jail for the third time after watching children as young as five being raped.

Paul Battersby, 72, formerly of Liverpool, scoured the internet for the sick material and downloaded more than 800 indecent images, all while he was under a court order designed to curb his online activity.

The twice-married former Church of England clergyman, who worked for the church for 31 years, built up a sordid collection of 832 images, some of which included the rape of children aged between five and 10, York Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Lucy Brown said some of the images featured children as young as two.

Battersby, who was a chemistry teacher in Liverpool before he took the cloth and once worked with Amnesty International, also viewed images of bestiality and tried to hide his crimes using special software.

But he was caught out for the fourth time in 13 years when police searched his new home in Skipton, North Yorkshire, in October last year.

Officers seized his computer equipment including a laptop, on which they found the offending material.

Battersby - formerly of Birkenhead, and Liverpool City Centre - was arrested and charged with three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing extreme pornography including videos, breaching a sexual-harm prevention order and a further count of possessing 205 prohibited or cartoon images of children.

He admitted all charges and appeared for sentence via video link on Tuesday after being remanded in custody.

In 2008, Battersby - a former national youth officer with the Church of England who at the time was vicar of St Ambrose Church in Leyland - received a suspended prison sentence at Preston Crown Court for possessing very disturbing images of children after being turned in by his wife.

In 2010, he was jailed again after police found 160 obscene images of children on his laptop which had been used to organise missions for the Church of England.

Battersby - said to have "fantasies about pre-pubescent girls"- was to serve more jail time for similar offences including in 2017 when he was jailed for 20 months at Liverpool Crown Court for downloading 1,730 indecent images of children and extreme animal pornography.

At the time of those offences, Battersby was living in a luxury flat, funded by the Church of England, in Liverpools Beetham Tower, where police also found a shoebox full of childrens clothing.

Among the sick files found on his computer equipment was a horrifying movie of a girl being bound and raped.

Battersby had also written a twisted child-sex-abuse fantasy starring himself.

After being released from that prison sentence, Battersby - who was already estranged from his two ex-wives and ostracised by his family and the Church of England - moved to Skipton where he lived alone.

The father-of-two, described as highly intelligent, was on the sex offenders register and subject to a court order designed to limit his internet activity but could not stop himself re-offending.

The protection officers who were monitoring his online activity made an impromptu visit to his home and found hundreds of vile images on his laptop, as well as cleaning software and a special browser.

Helen Chapman, defending Battersby, said the ex-ministers complicated and deeply embedded behaviour had cost him two marriages and he had no contact whatsoever with his second family.

Judge Simon Hickey told Battersby that his deliberate and calculated use of the wiping and browsing software and the vast number of images shed light on the ex-vicars determination to pursue your perversion in looking up these images.

Judge Hickey said: You say you want to change I find that difficult to accept given your deeply embedded behaviour and your deliberate flouting of court orders."

The judge said he regarded Battersby as a danger to children who presented a significant risk of committing similar crimes in the future.

Battersby was jailed for four years with an extended three year licence period upon his eventual release from custody.

He was also ordered to sign on the sex-offenders register for life and made subject to a new sexual-harm prevention order, which will also run for an indefinite period.

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A MARTIAL arts instructor who groomed and had sex with a 15-year-old girl in care, giving her so much cocaine her septum was damaged, has been jailed for 13 years. Manchester Crown Court was told how Martin Yankey, then 34, would take the girl from a children's home to exploit her. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was often reported missing from the home, when she had been with Yankey. Yankey, now 37, of Firs Road, Over Hulton, groomed his victim between February and May 2018 at his then-home in High Street, Atherton. One taxi driver reported taking the girl to Yankey's home, in April 2018, and The care home often reported her missing with police visiting Yankeys address on April 13 2018, where taxi drivers had reported taking her and it being a bit dodgy, and showed him a picture of her, telling him she was only 15-years-old. Prosecutor Rachel Shenton said when police visited Yankey's home, on April 13, 2018, after a tip-off from a taxi driver, he denied knowing the girl. Police went back on May 1 and 5 and he was told she was missing from home and he denied knowing her. Police again visited on May 5 and this time he (officer) showed the defendant pictures of her. "He was told she was 15-years-of-age and was missing from a childrens home. He was specifically warned that if she was found in his home, he could be arrested for child abduction". The court heard that due to the amount of times she went missing she went to live with foster carers. But on May 18 she left her foster carers and got into a white Range Rover, which sped away. Yankeys home was visited again, as he complained about the repeated searches. He was arrested for child abduction and the girl was then found hiding in a kitchen cupboard. The victim told police she would often go to his home, where they drank alcohol and he gave her cocaine. She believed after a few visits that they were in a relationship and would visit regularly as he would tell her he loved her. Ms Shenton said that was part of grooming the victim, who was particularly vulnerable as she was in care. Yankey told police he believed the victim was 17 and denied their relationship was sexual. A statement from the victim said: "I was given drink and drugs and suffered extreme sexual abuse. I started showering excessive amounts and self harming, I tried to make sense of it but I couldnt. She has suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety and had tried to take her own life. Yankey admitted to sexual activity with a child, abduction and possession of indecent images of a child. He was also given an indefinite restraining order, covering his victim, and a sexual harm prevention order. Defending Yankey, Jo Morris said that he was now in a committed relationship and he should be given credit for entering guilty pleas. Ms Morris also said Yankey had been diagnosed with psychosis and epilepsy in 2019 and had not been making sensible decisions at the time. Passing sentence, Judge Hilary Manley branded Yankey a "devious and selfish man". The judge added: "You exploited a 15-year-old who was vulnerable and having a troubled time in her young life and in the care of the local authority. You were more than twice her age and spent years working with young people. You would have had to have been well aware of child safe guarding issues. You gave her so much cocaine her it damaged her septum and gave her a lot of alcohol. You executed classic methods of grooming, being loving and making her feel like an adult. Police visited you many times where you said you didnt know her but the last time searched thoroughly and found her hiding in a cupboard. You are a devious and selfish man having an exploitative sexual relationship with her, giving her so much cocaine she lost a full days memory. She doesnt feel she will ever recover and has tried to take her own life. She has been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. You have shown no remorse and have no real idea the damage you have done. This is because you are a selfish man who sees yourself as the victim. It is interesting and disturbing that your latest partner is 20-years-old, its not illegal but there is a significant age gap again.

Description

A CHILD rapist who sexually abused three young girls over more than 20 years has been jailed for 22 years. Dennis Johnson, aged 58, of Manchester Road, Westhoughton, appeared from jail via a video link to the Nightingale Court at the University of Bolton Stadium was sentenced to 22 years and six months in prison plus an additional year on licence by Judge Graeme Smith. Following a trial he was found guilty of committing 21 separate offences including rape, sexual assault, causing actual bodily harm and witness intimidation. Johnson, who committed his offences in the Wigan area, was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life. His vile offences came to light in September 2018 when police were contacted by social services to say that a pre-teenage girl had disclosed that Johnson had been touching her. Then, a short time after the disclosure, it was revealed that Johnson had also abused two other girls between 1991 and 2004. The abuse started when they were as young as aged four and lasted until they were in their mid teens. The girls were repeatedly sexually assaulted by Johnson and he raped one of them multiple times. The court heard that Johnson also sexually abused a young boy in the 1990s, forcing the child to commit a sex act on him. "Their trauma is real, deep, and long-lasting. It is impossible to hear the statements made by those you abused without feeling deeply moved," Judge Smith told Johnson. The judge added that the evidence heard during the trial "paints a comprehensive picture of you as a violent, controlling man with no regard to the effects of your actions on others." During the trial Johnson tried to claim was innocent and his accusers and their families had conspired against him for financial reasons, fabicating evidence and influencing witnesses. "You not only denied all of the allegations against you, but you effectively created your own alternative narrative, in which you were the victim," said Judge Smith. "In fact, the evidence against you was overwhelming, and the allegations made by you against the very people you had abused have, I am sure, only increased the trauma they have suffered." Speaking following the sentencing DC Karen Dewhurst said: "The sexual exploitation of children is abhorrent and Johnson's despicable abuse spanned years. "I want to commend the bravery of all four of Johnson's victims, their courage and support throughout this investigation and has been crucial in helping to secure a significant conviction. "Although today's sentence will never reverse the abuse Johnson inflicted, I hope it does help in providing a sense of closure for his victims knowing that he will be behind bars for over 22 years. "Child sexual exploitation takes place in many forms and GMP is committed to ensuring all those responsible for such grotesque abuse face the appropriate justice." If you have been the victim of such crimes or feel you know someone who is a victim then please get in touch with police. All reports will be treated with the respect and sensitivity they deserve and we will work closely with you to ensure justice prevails." And and NSPCC spokesman aid: This was a sustained and sickening campaign of abuse which spanned decades, and the bravery of Johnsons victims in speaking up cannot be understated. Child sexual abuse can devastate lives with its impact lasting long into adulthood and we would urge anyone who has been sexually abused, no matter when it happened or who the perpetrator was, to seek support and help ensure predators like Johnson can be brought to justice.

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A LONER who engaged in sexual conversations with undercover police officers believing them to be young girls has been jailed for 28 months. Mohamed Adia, who lived at home with his elderly mother after his father was murdered in 2002, turned to chat rooms where he befriended 13-year-old Lucy and 12-year-old Ria. But Bolton Crown Court heard that the schoolgirls were fictional characters created by police in chat rooms. Over a two-month period from September 2019 51-year-old Adia asked the girls for photographs in their school uniforms and requested one take pictures at her school. On other occasions he described in detail how Ria could perform a sex act upon herself and demanded, the next day, that she tell him about it. Adia, of Quebec Street, Bolton, also wanted to know about their underwear and discussed arranging a meeting to have sex. Julian Goode, prosecuting, told how police first encountered Adia, who was using the name Salim, when they created a profile for Lucy on Kik messenger and he added her to Skype. He was made aware of Lucys age chat became increasingly sexualised and, at one stage told her, Im always horny. The court heard that Adia regularly told the girls to delete their conversations and not tell anyone about them. In November 2019 he stopped sending messages and on January he was arrested and eventually pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and two of of attempting to have a sexual conversation with a child. Colin Buckle, defending told Judge Graeme Smith that after Adias siblings married , his own hopes of finding a partner floundered as he wanted to remain with his parents and he has been caring for his widowed mother after the death of his father. He describes himself as isolated, said Mr Buckle, who added that Adia turned to the internet. He expressed his sexual urges in the most inappropriate way, he said. Judge Smith sentenced Adia to a 28 months in prison. He will be placed on the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years. Judge Smith described Adias conduct as stupid. He said: You got carried away and lived in a fantasy world. However, what is clear is that, although it was a fantasy world in the sense that you were actually communicating, not with real children, but with undercover police officers, what you were suggesting had a very real dimension to it. It is clear you thought you were communicating with two girls aged 13 and 12 and you suggested a number of sexual acts to them. Sentences for paedophiles caught by vigilantes or undercover police have increased since a Court of Appeal decision in April which stated that, where a defendant sets out to sexually abuse a child, but the child happens to be an adult posing as a child, then the starting point for sentencing should be set by considering the harm that the defendant intended to cause.

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A RETAIL manager from who groped a 14-year-old boy on a camping trip - after grooming him with alcohol and cannabis - has been jailed for 39 months. Christopher Spencer, 41, befriended the Bury boy's family and bought him computer games, Minshull Street Crown Court was told. The teen had become withdrawn after a family bereavement, the court heard, and Spencer allowed him to use his bank card to play video games. Prosecutor Geoff Whelan said this led to the defendant, then 38, taking the boy on a camping trip. He hired a glamping pod and while the youngster was in bed one night he groped him under his clothing. The court heard the boy continued going on trips with Spencer but was always accompanied by a friend, who was also given cannabis by the defendant. Spencer, of Shakespeare Avenue, Radcliffe, was convicted after a trial of sexual activity with a child. He had admitted to two offences of supplying cannabis to the boys. The victim later said the sexual offence had affected his schooling and caused him to suffer from anxiety. Isobel Thomas, defending, said her client accepted he had given alcohol and cannabis to the sexual activity victim but disputed that this was to "facilitate the offence". She told the court how Spencer, who worked as a store manager in the Trafford Centre, lived with his mother and brother and it was his income which paid for the mortgage on the family home. "There are some real concerns if he was sent to custody and was unable to provide that income the family would be rendered homeless," Miss Thomas added. Judge John Potter said Spencer had effectively groomed the first boy over a period of time, treating him and taking him on trips. "In my judgement you used this opportunity to groom him with a view to sexually abusing him," he added. Judge Potter imposed a restraining order, prohibiting any contact between the defendant and the two boys. Spencer must also sign the sex offenders register for life.