Latest Offenders Merseyside

Description

Sex offender was convicted in his absence and is believed to be in hiding in Turkey

A child rapist fled the country before being convicted of historic sexual offence at his trial and remains at large.

Martin Gill, from St Helens, is believed to be in hiding in Turkey after jetting off three days before he was due to be tried for his sickening crimes at Liverpool Crown Court. The now 36-year-old committed his campaign of sexual abuse in the early noughties, when he himself was a youth.

He indecently assaulted his victim when she was aged as young as 10 and performed sex acts on her. Gill then raped the younger girl when she was roughly 13.

A statement read out to the court on her behalf described how she "didn't want to live anymore" as a result of his actions and had attempted to take her own life. The statement added: "I have nightmares which take me back to being a young, vulnerable child."

Gill's escape from the UK came after an earlier trial was postponed when he tested positive for Covid-19. Defending, Colin Witcher said: "The defence has made enquiries of Mr Gill, and there has been no response or engagement.

"Given his absence, there is very little I can say in positive mitigation on his behalf. He has not engaged with the process."

Gill, of Waring Avenue, admitted six counts of sexual assault but was found guilty of a further four of the same charge plus two of rape by a jury. He was sentenced to eight years in prison in his absence today, Tuesday.

Sentencing, Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: "The defendant abused his victim from a very early age, gradually escalating his activity. It was sustained abuse.

"He threatened her not to tell anyone, and those threats were clearly successful. The victim buried memories of the abuse until recently when she resurfaced feelings of fear, isolation and pain.

"There is clear and enduring serious emotional and psychological trauma."

Gill will also be required to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

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A woman from Sefton has been jailed for more than nine years following an investigation into sexual offences against a teenage boy. 

On 15 February 2019, Sarah Campbell, 39 years, of no fixed address but formerly from Bootle, was arrested and charged with engaging in regular sexual activity with the 15-year-old victim between January 2016 and January 2017.

She pleaded not guilty, and initially failed to appear part-way through the trial which took place in May 2021.

However she was arrested on 12 May this year and brought back before the courts where she pleaded to all nine counts of sexual activity with a child.

She was remanded in custody until her court sentencing today, Tuesday 14 June, at Liverpool Crown Court where she was jailed for nine years and six months.

Detective Sergeant Peter Sloan said: “Thankfully, despite trying to evade justice by failing to appear in court, Campbell is now paying for her crimes.

“The atrocious abuse that Campbell carried out not only traumatises victims when it happens, but has a huge impact on their mental wellbeing which can last a lifetime. It can also cause irreparable damage to a victim’s faith and trust in adults, which can affect their ability to form trusting relationships.

“The bravery shown by the victim and his family in coming forward and reporting Campbell to police so that that she could be brought to justice means she cannot cause any further harm.

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A child rapist walked free from court today after his dementia diagnosis meant he could not stand trial.

A jury in a fact finding hearing at Liverpool Crown Court determined John Fisher had subjected two girls to a campaign of rape and sexual assault for years. Yet the paedophile could not be jailed as he was not formally convicted of the offences due to his health conditions.

A judge today warned Fisher still poses a risk to women and girls as he handed him a supervision order that allowed him to keep his liberty with conditions.

Michael Scholes, prosecuting, said Fisher committed rape and sexual assaults on two girls throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Liverpool Crown Court heard his victims reported the crimes years later and the 75 year old was charged.

He said in a crown court hearing last year that he would fight the charges but a number of medical assessments found he was unfit to stand trial after being diagnosed with vascular dementia. In a rare move, Fishers case was then put before a jury in what is known as a fact finding hearing. Mr Scholes said: The jury found that in fact the defendant had done the acts and that the victims were telling the truth.

While juries in these hearings make a judgement on the facts of a case in a similar way to those in a trial, they cannot convict. Instead, defendants in these cases are sentenced by a judge on the basis of the jurys findings - but the lack of a conviction means the courts power to punish is severely restricted. The only options in Fishers case were to detain him in hospital, hand him a supervision order or discharge him.

Doctors said he was unsuitable for a hospital order and, at a previous hearing, Judge Anil Murray said a discharge, which would see no further action taken, would be unsuitable because Fisher needed the supervision of support workers.

John Weate, defending, said he believed a supervision order was the only suitable option. Mr Weate said: I have come to a conclusion and my submission is that I cannot in good conscience ask the court to consider an absolute discharge.

Both victims said they continued to deal with the fallout of the abuse and said it had marked their entire lives. In a statement to the court, one said: I always wonder what person I would have been if this did not happen to me.

Judge Anil Murray sentenced Fisher to a two year suspension order, the maximum. He raised concerns about Fishers behaviour in recent years and said he still posed a risk to the public. He said: Whilst the most recent offence in this case was 20 years ago there is evidence that you have behaved in a sexually inappropriate way towards staff at the unit where you were residing as well as members of the public.

Fisher, previously of Webster Avenue in Wallasey, was handed a two year supervision order. He was also given a restraining order which prevents him from contacting his victims for ten years and a sexual harm prevention order that places restrictions on him for the same period of time. He will be subject to the notification requirements for sex offenders for five years.

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A sick dad begged an undercover police officer to send him depraved images of children and said: Im 100% paedo.

Graham Handlon believed he was chatting to a fellow pervert on a chat room. However, the 49-year-old was really chatting to a covert officer, only months after the deviant previously avoided jail for having a stash of sick images.

The father-of-two revealed he had bought an unregistered pay as you go phone for all my paedo. And he boasted: Theres no limits with me. Im just a dirty c***, Im just into everything. Everything and anything what goes. You know what I mean?

Handlon, was given a two-year community order in January 2020, after he was caught with child rape images. He was given a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

On November 30 that year he messaged the officer on web forum ChatIW stating Hi m 47 peD north west no limits and using the profile name Bipedlknforbiped. Jamie Baxter, prosecuting, said: Perhaps bi-sexual paedophile looking for another bi-sexual paedophile, if thats what bi-ped stands for.

Handlon sent him indecent photos and videos before claiming he did a girl when she was two, report Liverpool Echo. He sent more photos, boasting he had 100s, and asked the officer if he had any photos of his 11-year-old daughter - who the officer pretended to have sexually abused.

The officer said he was cautious who he shared images with, but Handlon replied: I understand that bud, Im 100% paedo bud. To prove his claims he sent more images and added: I have vids too.

Handlon revealed he had the burner phone for all my paedo and swapped numbers. When they spoke that day, the officer recorded the call.

Handlon asked about the imaginary daughter and said: Is she sexy as f***? He added: Older women dont really do much for me but little girls I like.

He then described himself as a dirty c***. The pair also exchanged contact details for messaging app Telegram and Handlon said hed share a 10-minute video of a mum and dad with a little girl.

Handlon, of Park Crescent, Southport, sent three child rape videos to the officer, plus a video of himself performing a sex act. Police tracked his phone and found CCTV footage of him buying a top up voucher at the Spar in Roe Lane, Southport on November 7, 2020.

Officers raided his home on January 25, 2021. He handed over a phone and laptop, but didnt produce his Alba mobile, which was discovered hidden inside a plastic bag in his letterbox.

Handlon denied it was his and gave a no comment interview to police. However, his DNA was on its battery, SIM card and storage card, and the number matched his call with the officer.

Police found 1,408 Category A - the most serious category showing child rape - plus 1,463 Category B and 797 Category C indecent images on the device. A further 80 extreme porn images involved animals were found.

He had used a cloud storage device more than 3,000 times. Officers discovered he shared 126 indecent files with other paedophiles on WhatsApp under the name Big Little and on Wickr as UKMember123 from November 2020 to January 2021.

When interviewed again, he admitted the phone was his and he had downloaded the files. He claimed he had been addicted to pornography since childhood; wanted to stop offending; and had sought help through courses and books.

Handlon accepted the chats with the officer and sharing the files. He said he just had a massive problem with it but denied ever sexually abusing a child.

He admitted three counts of downloading, three counts of distributing and one count of possessing indecent images of children, plus possessing extreme pornography and breaching his SHPO. Jim Smith, defending, said: This defendant has embarked on a personal crusade to ensure his continuing rehabilitation and enlightenment.

He said Handlon hoped to re-establish a relationship with his parents and his two children, who he was separated from. He hadnt seen them for more than a year.

Mr Smith said Handlon had completed 10 sessions of a Stop It Now! course, and further courses with the child sexual abuse prevention charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, costing him almost 1,000. He said Handlon had daily support from a mentor to prevent offending and attended Sex Addicts Anonymous sessions in Liverpool.

He said his clients was genuinely remorseful and a rehabilitation programme and unpaid work attached to his previous community order hadnt addressed his issues. The judge, Recorder Ian Harris, said: The report says he engaged with probation but didnt take his offence seriously at that time.

Mr Smith said: I think thats an interpretation which I dont think properly reflects the efforts, or the lack of specific targeting of the motivations for his offending, which subsequently he has voluntarily submitted to. He added if Handlon was jailed he would lose his job, his children would miss financial support and he would lose his home.

Recorder Harris told Handlon: Im telling you now there will be an immediate custodial sentence. The judge said in a sinister aspect of the case he bought a phone for your paedophile activities.

He said Mr Smith told Liverpool Crown Court Handlons comments about molesting a child were just bravado and he wasnt being sentenced for that. But he enjoyed and shared repulsive images.

He said a report noted Handlon didnt believe he had the support he needed when previously sentenced, but now felt sick. The judge said: You had every opportunity and carried on.

Recorder Harris said Handlon described himself as a paedophile. He said: These offences are vile and reflect the corruption and abuse of young children.

The judge jailed him for three years and 10 months. He made a new 15-year SHPO and told Handlon to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

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A judge was left speechless after hearing how another clip showed a baby being raped

A paedophile's sick stash of child sex abuse videos included a half-hour film of him molesting a child.

Convicted sex offender Peter Wilson moved to Merseyside after being released from prison and going "missing". The 32-year-old was eventually tracked down to a hotel in Litherland.

Police discovered he had downloaded twisted files including a video of a baby being raped, which left a judge speechless when it was described in court. But a further movie showed Wilson himself sexually abusing a young girl - then turning to the camera to reveal his face.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Wilson was first jailed for two and a half years in September 2018 for attempting to incite children to engage in and watch sexual activity, plus downloading and distributing indecent images of children. He was released from prison in December 2019.

Within six months, Kent Police learned child sex abuse images had been uploaded to Skype via an IP address at his home in Sevenoaks. Officers raided the house on June 10, 2020 and spoke to Wilson and his dad.

Wilson claimed he had been sent "links" by Pridefall, which Max Saffman, prosecuting, said was "a group that disrupts the LGBTQ community". Police seized Honor and Nokia mobile phones, with the former containing 140 illegal files, including 27 Category A indecent images - the most serious category - involving children as young as five being raped.

Wilson was recalled to prison on licence, before he was released again in March 2021. Mr Saffman said: "He went missing and Kent Police were unable to trace him."

The pervert was arrested by Merseyside Police at a hotel in Linacre Road on December 21. Wilson had to keep police informed of his digital devices under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

However, he only handed over one Alcatel mobile phone and didn't mention a Nokia handset hidden under his pillow. He said: "I forgot that one was there."

The Nokia revealed Wilson had shared 10 child sex abuse files, including rape images, with five accounts online, via Kik Messenger and Wickr Me. Over three months he had also downloaded 338 illegal files, including 48 Category A images.

Mr Saffman described one Category A video, which showed a baby girl aged six to 12 months being raped. The courtroom then fell silent.

After a pause, Judge Brian Cummings, QC, said: "A baby." Mr Saffman said other descriptions were also "repulsive".

Wilson admitted two counts of possessing and two counts of downloading indecent images in relation to the Kent investigation. He admitted breaching his SHPO and three counts of downloading, two counts of distributing and one count of possessing indecent images, plus one count of possessing a prohibited image, in respect of the Merseyside raid.

Ken Heckle, defending, conceded his client would receive a prison sentence. He accepted reports considered him to be "a danger to children".

He said: "The defendant does accept your honour that he does get sexual gratification in respect of looking at these terrible images. Why he gets that sexual gratification is something that he wants to look into and try to resolve.

"To say the defendant has a complex background would perhaps not do justice to it. He's someone who has got lots of contradictions in his life, in respect of his sexuality, his religion and his mental health background."

Mr Heckle said Wilson suffered with a social communication disorder, was possibly autistic and had attended a "special school". He said Wilson had "complications with regard as to who he is", was "estranged" from his family and "appears to be a bit of a loner".

Judge Cummings said a summary of the videos recovered in Litherland also referred to a 32-minute Category A video, showing Wilson abusing a child. The court heard he was not charged with any offence in respect of the clip because it happened abroad and "outside this jurisdiction".

The judge said Wilson would not be sentenced for the activity shown in that video. But he said it would be "madness" for him not to take it into account when considering whether Wilson was "dangerous", as defined in law.

Judge Cummings said a description referred to Wilson facing the camera at the end of the clip. After a short adjournment, Mr Heckle said Wilson confirmed it was him.

Mr Heckle said: "Your honour is entitled to take that into account in your general views about dangerousness. It would not affect the custodial element [of the sentence], but it could affect the length of the extended licence, should your honour find him dangerous."

Referring to the baby rape video, Judge Cummings said: "It is quite unspeakable." He said: "The child could scarcely have been younger or more vulnerable."

He told Wilson: "These offences of course involve serious harm being caused to defenceless children, even including babies as we've seen, for the gratification of people like you. You therefore form part of the market, without which this activity would not occur, or at any rate, not on the same industrial scale."

Description

A woman who sexually assaulted and raped a child with two other men has been given a life sentence for sexual offences against children today (Friday 13th May) following an extensive joint investigation by Merseyside Police and St Helens Social Care.

During a previous court case in June 2021 a phone of a convicted paedophile showed indecent images and videos of children sent by a mobile number that was linked to Vicki Bevan.

Further messages and images alleged that Vicki was sexually abusing children with two other men.

The evidence led to a search being conducted of Vickis home address where numerous devices including laptops and a mobile phone were found with several indecent images of children that were shared with two men Tony Hutton and Paul Rafferty.

Bevan was arrested on Monday 25th October 2021 and was charged with 11 offences the following day. Further charges were then added to Bevans indictment at court and she was charged with a total of 34 offences.

After all pleading guilty at Liverpool Crown Court in January 2022 Vicki Bevan of Napier Street, St Helens was today given a life sentence with a minimum term of 10 years for rape, five counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetration, two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent images, three counts of distributing indecent photographs of a child and two counts of possessing extreme pornography.

Paul Rafferty, 62, of Fry Street, St Helens was jailed for 10 years with an extended four year license for the rape of a child under 13, assaulting a child under the age of 13 by penetration, sexual assault of a child under 13, three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, one count of making an indecent photograph and two counts of making indecent photographs.

Tony Hutton, 42, of Liverpool Street, St Helens was jailed for four years for sexual assault of a child under 13 and two counts of taking indecent photographs.

Detective Chief Inspector Allison Woods said: These extremely disturbing crimes committed by Bevan, Rafferty and Hutton have caused great psychological and physical harm to their victims and destroyed lives.

They repeatedly subjected them to deplorable offences, and we welcome the lengthy sentences given out by the court today.

"Thanks to our extensive investigations with St Helens Social Services these three despicable offenders are all behind bars where they pose no further risk to other children.

I would like to thank the detectives and social workers on the investigation team who have worked tirelessly to support the victims of Bevan, Rafferty and Hutton and gather evidence to bring them to justice.

It proves that Merseyside Police are completely committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and those who seek to do them harm.

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 have a specialist team committed to dealing with all forms of child abuse, who will treat any information from you extremely seriously, and will follow up every report and any information that comes in, so please report this to us.

I can assure anyone who reports such offences that you will be treated with the utmost sensitivity and fully supported through the entire process.

Description

A woman who sexually assaulted and raped a child with two other men has been given a life sentence for sexual offences against children today (Friday 13th May) following an extensive joint investigation by Merseyside Police and St Helens Social Care.

During a previous court case in June 2021 a phone of a convicted paedophile showed indecent images and videos of children sent by a mobile number that was linked to Vicki Bevan.

Further messages and images alleged that Vicki was sexually abusing children with two other men.

The evidence led to a search being conducted of Vickis home address where numerous devices including laptops and a mobile phone were found with several indecent images of children that were shared with two men Tony Hutton and Paul Rafferty.

Bevan was arrested on Monday 25th October 2021 and was charged with 11 offences the following day. Further charges were then added to Bevans indictment at court and she was charged with a total of 34 offences.

After all pleading guilty at Liverpool Crown Court in January 2022 Vicki Bevan of Napier Street, St Helens was today given a life sentence with a minimum term of 10 years for rape, five counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetration, two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent images, three counts of distributing indecent photographs of a child and two counts of possessing extreme pornography.

Paul Rafferty, 62, of Fry Street, St Helens was jailed for 10 years with an extended four year license for the rape of a child under 13, assaulting a child under the age of 13 by penetration, sexual assault of a child under 13, three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, one count of making an indecent photograph and two counts of making indecent photographs.

Tony Hutton, 42, of Liverpool Street, St Helens was jailed for four years for sexual assault of a child under 13 and two counts of taking indecent photographs.

Detective Chief Inspector Allison Woods said: These extremely disturbing crimes committed by Bevan, Rafferty and Hutton have caused great psychological and physical harm to their victims and destroyed lives.

They repeatedly subjected them to deplorable offences, and we welcome the lengthy sentences given out by the court today.

"Thanks to our extensive investigations with St Helens Social Services these three despicable offenders are all behind bars where they pose no further risk to other children.

I would like to thank the detectives and social workers on the investigation team who have worked tirelessly to support the victims of Bevan, Rafferty and Hutton and gather evidence to bring them to justice.

It proves that Merseyside Police are completely committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and those who seek to do them harm.

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 have a specialist team committed to dealing with all forms of child abuse, who will treat any information from you extremely seriously, and will follow up every report and any information that comes in, so please report this to us.

I can assure anyone who reports such offences that you will be treated with the utmost sensitivity and fully supported through the entire process.

Description

A waiter at a Chinese restaurant 'persuaded' a 15-year-old girl to have sex with him after taking her back to his flat.

Christopher Chan, 34, took a 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, back to his flat in Southport and had what the court was told was 'consensual sexual intercourse' with her. On two of the occasions Chan had given the 15-year-old alcohol, but a judge found that was to 'develop their relationship' rather than to facilitate the offences.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday, April 22, that Chan committed the offences while “on the bounce” after the end of a serious relationship. In an impact statement read to the court, the girl told how he persuaded her to have sex with him. 

She said his behaviour had affected her ability to concentrate at school and she went from having very good grades to poor ones which spoilt her chances of attending Cambridge University. She began self-harming and took an overdose, and has since been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and is on medication.

The girl said: "I now have trust issues with men, worrying they want to take advantage of me for their own needs."

Chan, who worked at Lings On Kings in King Street, Southport, had been found guilty of four offences of engaging in sexual activity with a child involving penetration.

Jailing him for three years Judge David Aubrey, QC, pointed out that the defendant had been twice her age and she had told him that she was under the age of consent.

He said: "You were not in a good place at the time because a long term relationship had broken down. However you knew it was against the law and wrong to engage in sexual activity with your victim

"There is no doubt whatsoever your victim has been impacted to a considerable extent by the relationship that she had with you."

Arthur Gibson, defending, pointed out that the offences took place with a two week period when the girl was three months short of her 16th birthday.

He said the offences happened after the break down of a very serious relationship. He suffers from agoraphobia and depression and it was his continual demands on her that led to her leaving him.

Judge Aubrey ordered Chan, of Manchester Road, Southport, to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Description

A former teaching assistant was jailed after he deliberately used his position as a football coach to groom and abuse a young boy.

David Jones, described by a judge as a "serious risk to boys", first met the young boy when he was working at his primary school as a teaching assistant. The 33-year-old took an "instant liking" to the child and invited him to join a football club that he coached, with the young footballer doing so.

He began to groom him with text messages and lifts in his car with him integrating himself into the life of the boy's family. His parents innocently thought that the friendship was good for their son and improved his confidence but Liverpool Crown Court was told that his sexual abuse of the young boy led to him attempting suicide and has devastated his life.

When jailing Jones, Judge Anil Murray told him: “Your actions were carefully planned and designed to groom a child to take part in sexual activity with you for your sexual gratification.” The court also heard that some years later, in 2018, by which time Jones was a fully qualified teacher, he created a fake Instagram profile posing as an 11-year-old girl to contact a boy one year older.

He sent him messages that included "you're fit" and asked him to send naked photographs of himself. Fortunately, the boy was sceptical and told his mum about the messages who then contacted the police.

Officers managed to track the IP address of the account to a home of a couple where Jones had been house sitting at the time of the offence. He originally denied being to blame when interviewed and then wrote to the couple saying he had developed an addiction to pornography. He said that this had led to an increased interest in boys aged 12 and 13, however, when he was re-interviewed he made no comment.

Judge Anil Murray told Jones, of Loxley Road, Southport, that every parent of every boy he had taught “will be wondering whether you have committed any other offences. He said: "You are an intelligent man and you used your intellect to commit these offences.”

He said that he was satisfied that he had “selected the boy for grooming due to your sexual attraction to him from the beginning”. And he told him that the victim “says that his whole childhood was taken away from him by you”.

He said he accepted that Jones has lost his career but pointed out, “It is all your own fault”. Judge Murray said that Jones posed a high risk of re-offending. He added: “I am satisfied you present a serious risk to boys.”

He jailed him for three and a half years and ordered him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life. He imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order for 15 years.

Jones admitted the Instagram offence involving inciting a child under 13 to commit a sexual act involving sending him photographs. He denied two offences of sexually assaulting the schoolboy footballer - one happening on at least five occasions - and an offence of causing him to engage in sexual activity but he was convicted by a jury after a trial.

Gareth Roberts, prosecuting, told how the two sexual assault offences on the schoolboy involved him putting his leg on his leg and rubbing his crotch. The third offence involved him asking the boy to touch his penis which the boy refused to do.

Mr Roberts told the jury that eventually the victim had enough of the texts and the touching and attention and left the football club. The prosecutor explained: “He didn’t want to tell anyone what had happened to him, he was embarrassed about it.”

But some time later he found that Jones had been in contact with his parents wanting to talk to them about rumours about him and so he told them about what Jones had done to him. Mr Roberts said: "He cried as he told them”, then his parents rang the police.

In an impact statement read to the court today, the victim told how he was having counselling and the offences have “impacted my day to day life”. He said that while at school he tried to commit suicide and became very angry but has since managed to control his anger.

He now has trust issues and only speaks to his family and girlfriend. The victim also said he has mental health issues and was afraid of bumping into the defendant. Hugh Barton, defending, said that Jones “has lost everything".

He said: “It wasn’t just a job, it was something he was passionate about and he was passionate about his coaching. He maintains it was not some sinister job to gain access to children.”

He pointed out that there were no other complainants and said that Jones was now a logistics manager for a salad production company after twice being promoted. Mr Barton added that the defendant “is a man who struggles with his identity”.

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The ex karate instructor was labelled a 'monster' after raping a woman and schoolgirl

A former karate instructor who raped a schoolgirl and a woman was today labelled a "monster".

David Bottomley said he led a life of "public service" - working at a YMCA and as a coastguard and a prison security officer. But the 58-year-old was exposed in court as a "violent and abusive" rapist and paedophile.

Bottomley, who ran martial arts classes and also worked as a doorman in Southport, was today jailed for 14 years. That was after one of his victims called him a "monster" and a top judge branded him "dishonest and devious".

Liverpool Crown Court heard Bottomley first abused a woman, when he committed a historic sex offence against her, which would today be classed as rape. Robert Dudley, prosecuting, said in another incident he used a karate kick on the woman's jaw while wearing steel toe capped boots.

The first victim did not tell anyone about what happened until other allegations against Bottomley emerged in 2017. That was when his second victim - at the time of the abuse a schoolgirl and now an adult - watched an episode of BBC Crimewatch.

Mr Dudley said when the presenter asked a question about knowing anyone who was sexually abused as a child or an abuser who has contact with children, "it triggered something in her". She wrote a letter to her mum, whom she had never told before, and it was decided that she should contact the police.

When interviewed by officers, she disclosed Bottomley raped her when she was about 12. The first victim then also made a complaint to the police.

Bottomley, of Hoole Lane, Banks, denied any wrongdoing, which meant his victims had to give evidence at a trial in January. He was convicted of the historic sex offence and of assault causing actual bodily harm against the first woman.

She today said Bottomley "permanently destroyed" her trust in people and made her feel "damaged, spoiled and degraded". In a victim statement read by Mr Dudley, she told her abuser: "You're a bully and a coward. Some people might say you're an animal, but that would be an insult to animals... You're a monster and what nightmares are made of."

Bottomley was found guilty of rape, indecency with a child and two counts of indecent assault against the schoolgirl. In a victim statement, she said what Bottomley did to her would stay with her until the day she dies.

Bottomley was acquitted of two other sex assaults on the schoolgirl and of three sex offences on two other girls. When the verdicts were returned, he collapsed in the dock and was helped by security staff, until he was taken away by ambulance to hospital.

Judge David Aubrey, QC, ordered a medical report on the defendant, who he was told had a history of minor strokes. However, Patrick Williamson, defending, today confirmed his client actually suffered from salivary gland cancer, which caused symptoms including facial numbness similar to a stroke, when he had a carotid tumour removed in 2017.

He said: "In respect of the episode at the conclusion of the trial, that was diagnosed as a dissociative episode brought on by stress and anxiety. But it was not fortunately related in any way to the question of a stroke or a TIA [transient ischaemic attack]."

Mr Williamson said Bottomley, of previous good character, was supported by his girlfriend, sitting in the public gallery. He said his work history was "in essence of public service", initially volunteering with Sefton Coast and Countryside Service, then working and volunteering at Southport YMCA, before he worked for five years for the Coastguard, in search and rescue teams, when he witnessed 13 deaths.

Mr Williamson said his client later joined the Prison Service as a security guard at HMP Kirkham. However, he was diagnosed with "complex PTSD" due to what he saw as a coastguard, "witnessing both adults and children who had died as a result of misadventure at sea".

The lawyer said it would be Bottomley's first time in jail. He said: "His reaction on receiving the verdicts is perhaps indicative of the predicament he finds himself in and the future that is held for him."

Judge Aubrey said he was satisfied Bottomley was a "violent and abusive" man, whose sex attack on the woman left her feeling sick, violated and humiliated. He said on another occasion he kicked her in the jaw.

Judge Aubrey said: "You had steel toe cap boots on. She described it as being excruciatingly painful and thought you had broken her jaw."

The judge said Bottomley raped and abused the schoolgirl - manipulating her by giving her money afterwards. He said: "You have left your victims scarred for life and in effect have imposed a life sentence upon each."

Judge Aubrey told Bottomley: "You have shown no remorse whatsoever." He said the victims had to "relive their ordeals" at his hands because he pleaded not guilty.

Judge Aubrey said: "However, the trial has allowed me to assess you. It's apparent in my judgement your evidence you had rehearsed in detail, in order to seek to tailor a dishonest and devious account, to the evidence. Not only did you manipulate your victims, you then sought to manipulate the evidence."

Judge Aubrey jailed Bottomley for four years in respect of the woman. He imposed a consecutive 10 years, with an extended one year on licence as an "offender of particular concern", in respect of the schoolgirl.

The combined effect of these two types of sentences means Bottomley must spend at least eight years and eight months behind bars before he can apply for parole. Judge Aubrey told him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Bottomley's girlfriend told two companions "come on let's go" and left court, moaning: "Utter joke."

Description

A 26-year-old man who took a video of a naked woman while she slept has been jailed.

A judge told Daniel Tiernan, “This was a betrayal by you.”

The unsuspecting woman knew nothing about what he had done until she came across his mobile phone by chance and decided “to have bit of a nose”.

She found a 25-second video on it showing her saying asleep in her own bed. 

Peter Killen, prosecuting, told the court the video showed the woman was lying with her back to the camera and the duvet she was under was pulled up exposing her naked body.

She reported the matter to the police and said she had been asleep and had not consented to being filmed.

In an impact statement the woman described herself as “mortified and betrayed. I feel messed up in my head.”

She is on medication for depression and anxiety and had been worried that the footage might have been posted online. She said she felt very traumatised, said Mr Killen.

Tiernan, of North Road, Tranmere, pleaded guilty to sexual assault.

Jailing him for 16 months Judge David Aubrey, QC, said that there was no suggestion he had distributed the footage but there had been the possibility that he might.

He said that the victim’s fears that he might have distributed it or if she had not found it whether he might have gone on to do so underlined the seriousness of the offence.

“She was asleep in her own bed and in the judgement of the court was particularly vulnerable.”

Judge Aubrey said, “That was a betrayal of trust and in the judgement of the court it was an extreme betrayal.

“You had violated her, you had invaded her privacy in the most serious of ways.  It is clearly understandable that when she observed what you had recorded she felt deeply betrayed and mortified.”

Tiernan initially denied the offence and only pleaded guilty on the first day of the trial.

Judge Aubrey ordered him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and imposed a restraining order to last the same length of time.

David Birrell, defending, said that Tiernan is in work though his employers were unaware of the court proceedings.

“At the time he was abusing controlled drugs on an almost daily basis but he has now addressed that drug problem.

“He voluntarily sectioned himself at Clatterbridge Hospital and was referred to Wirral Ways to Recovery and through their assistance has managed to rid himself of drug habit to his credit.”

Mr Birrell added that Tiernan is a “troubled young man with mental health and emotional issues and he attempted suicide last year.”

Description

A paedophile climbed up a ladder and into a bedroom to sexually assault two sleeping little girls.

Convicted sex offender Luke McHugh was supposed to be locked into his secure accommodation on Knowsleys Longmeadow Road and prevented from leaving without supervision. Yet the 20-year-old tampered with a window and escaped in the dead of night to launch his attack on a house in the local area in July last year.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today he was only stopped from sexually assaulting two girls in the house after their dad heard him get in. Nardeen Nemat, prosecuting, said McHugh planned his attack for days, using loud music and a request for quiet time from his support workers to sneak out of his room and spy on the house where his victims lived.

He was caught on CCTV lurking outside the home on numerous days leading up to the attack after seeing toys through the windows. Finally, he climbed into the back garden of the house, found a ladder and placed it against the wall under the bedroom window.

Hot weather meant it had been left ajar and McHugh climbed in before being disturbed by the girls dad. He then fled and went back to his accommodation without being apprehended.

The girls parents were initially unsure about the motivation for the break-in, believing it could be a burglary. However, police investigations later uncovered CCTV of a man later identified as McHugh visiting the house on numerous occasions before the attack.

When police arrested him in August they found a range of disturbing items in his bedroom in his accommodation unit. They included childrens toys and underwear, as well as nappies, condoms and sexual lubricant.

He was in the unit after trying to incite an eight-year-old girl he was chatting to over the internet to send him pictures of herself naked. He also has convictions for possession of indecent images of children. Ms Nemat said his previous convictions and the extensive planning that went into the break in pointed towards McHugh having the intention to commit a serious sexual assault.

She also referenced probation reports which pointed to McHughs fixation on sexual activity. Ms Nemat said: The defendant is quite clearly obsessed with having his [sexual] needs met. He also has a deep rooted fascination with and sexual attraction towards children.

The girls mum spoke today of the familys difficulty in coming to terms with what had happened to them. She said that while McHughs ultimate aim had been avoided, she and the wider family had been left traumatised by what had happened.

She said it was his intention to make our wonderful precious girls his victims. This really is any parents nightmare - and our nightmare continues. The woman said she was now scared of the dark and worried about how to explain the attack to her children in the future.

Jonathan Duffy, defending, said McHughs age and, particularly, his complex mental health conditions, including ADHD and autism, represented a significant impediment to his understanding of his offending. However, he said McHugh understood a lengthy prison sentence awaited him.

Mr Duffy said: He accepts that and he understands he needs help and probably treatment and he will take any opportunity he can in prison to avail himself of those opportunities. The judge, Robert Trevor-Jones, said McHugh had carried out his attack in a calculated and predatory way, specifically scoping out the house in the days before the attack.

Referring to the girls mothers statement to the court, he said the incident was every parents worst nightmare and it was only the girls father that stopped him from going further. Judge Trevor-Jones said: Some noise luckily awoke the father who opened the door only to see your silhouette in the childrens room and to shout out. That caused you to flee.

Even more fortunate of course was the fact that neither child woke up to witness a stranger in their bedroom and that the fathers actions avoided the girls being violated and traumatised. Judge Trevor-Jones said he was confident McHugh intended to commit a serious sexual assault on the children.

McHugh, of Longmeadow Road, was detained for a total of ten years, the maximum term available for trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence. The judge extended his initial sentence of six years and eight months to take account of McHughs dangerousness. He will serve two thirds behind bars before being assessed for parole.

Description

A paedophile who downloaded more than 14,000 images of kids being sexually abused was caught with a manual detailing how to rape children.

Roy Neilson collected a trove of images on his laptop showing children as young as two being subjected to horrendous abuse. The 66-year-old, from Wirral, later said he had downloaded the images out of interest but had later developed an obsession with child abuse.

Derek Jones, prosecuting, said police traced Neilsons IP address from a tip off about indecent images being downloaded to a computer. They later seized an HP laptop from his Moreton home and recovered 14,670 indecent images, including 1,296 which fell into the most serious Category A.

Liverpool Crown Court heard a number of the images showed children clearly in distress or pain. In addition, Neilson had also downloaded parts of a manual on how to rape children.

Mr Jones said: It seems he had visited a Japanese pornographic website for the guide and bookmarked the page so he could return to it. He said the document contained an image of a child being raped and provided instructions for potential sexual abusers.

Mr Jones said: It is quite a shocking document. Bernice Campbell, defending, said there was little apart from Neilsons guilty plea that could be used as mitigation in his case.

She said Neilson had downloaded the disgusting pictures first out of curiosity but had then become addicted to looking at photos of child sexual abuse and was shocked by the number of photos recovered by police. Referring to the paedophile manual, Ms Campbell said Neilson had looked at it out of interest as opposed to having an intention to commit physical abuse against a child.

Appealing to the judge not to send him to prison, Ms Campbell referred to a pre sentence report which said he could be rehabilitated. She also pointed to the fact that he had taken no steps to cover up his offending and said that if he were to go to prison he would likely be exposed to more serious offenders who could impede any progress addressing his behaviour

Judge Stuart Driver QC said the amount of images, the age of the children and the clear distress of many of the victims in the images meant only immediate custody was appropriate for Neilson. Referring to the paedophile manual, he said: The court see many cases of indecent images but that is an unusual and most unpleasant feature of this case."

Neilson, of Fairmead Road, Morton, was jailed for 12 months.

Description

The dark past of a former primary school and college caretaker was exposed in court.

Robert Jones, now 70, was a caretaker at Sudley Junior School in Aigburth in the early 1970s. While working at the school the then 20-year-old exposed himself to two little girls in the toilets.

But he went on to get a job at Liverpool Polytechnic, which later became Liverpool John Moores University. During this period he subjected a little girl to depraved sexual abuse, which has only now come to light.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Jones even threatened the child that if she told her dad, her dad would "batter" him, and it would be her dad - not him - who went to prison. Prosecutors said the woman came forward to the police in 2018, after years of living with the effects of the abuse, in the 1970s and 1980s.

Jones, of Hardie Avenue, Moreton, Wirral, denied any wrongdoing, which forced his victim to give evidence in a harrowing trial. He was found guilty of five counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child, in relation to the now adult victim.

Sarah Holt, prosecuting, told the jury Jones began abusing the girl when she was aged just six, by touching her genital area. The trial heard he performed a sex act in front of her on several occasions and once told her to do the same to him, which she did.

Ms Holt said he took her out in a car to a country lane close to Speke Airport, where she could watch the planes taking off. But while there, he exposed himself to her, told her to touch him and "said he would buy her things if she did".

The court heard the girl knew she didn't want to do it, but described how he made her perform a sex act, as he had done previously. Jones lowered his trousers and rubbed himself against the girl when she was clothed on another occasion, when she was aged nine or 10.

Ms Holt said when the girl was around that age, Jones asked if he could touch her breasts and told her "it would make them grow bigger". The victim described another time when she was around nine when he touched her genital area over clothing under the pretence of a game.

The court heard as the victim grew older she "knew it had to stop" and once said she would tell her dad. Ms Holt said Jones told the girl that if he found out, her dad would "batter" him, and then her dad would go to jail.

She said the child later "started to stand up" to Jones, told him "no" and refused his offers of gifts. Yet the court heard the victim "never got over her feelings of anger" towards Jones and his behaviour "had a profound effect upon her".

When interviewed by police, Jones denied ever sexually abusing the girl, accused her of lying, and denied having a sexual interest in children. He maintained this stance at trial, when he told the court he didn't have any previous convictions, except for an old driving offence.

This was supported by a police print out of his criminal record, which led to Judge Anil Murray telling the jury he was effectively of good character. However, ahead of sentencing Jones spoke to the Probation Service for a pre-sentence report and it emerged he in fact had a conviction from July 1972, which had been missed off the end of the print out.

That was for indecent exposure with intent to insult a female, under the Vagrancy Act. Further enquiries made by the prosecution revealed that at the time he had been working as a caretaker at Sudley Junior School in Aigburth Road, where it was said he had gone into a toilet while two six-year-old children were present and exposed himself.

David Watson, defending, said his client claimed he couldn't remember this offence, but accepted his criminal record was correct and wanted to be sentenced. He said Jones still denied sexually abusing his victim.

Judge Murray jailed Jones for five years. He told him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

Jones was also accused by two other women of sexually abusing them when they were children in the 1970s and 1980s. But the jury couldn't reach verdicts in respect of those allegations, which prosecutors asked to be left to lie on the file at the conclusion of the trial.

Description

A child rapist is back in jail after police discovered his collection of extreme pornography.

Michael Wright was found deleting content from his laptop when a police officer visited his home. The device was seized and more than 150 images of bestiality were discovered - along with Google searches for more depraved content.

Wright was jailed in 2016 after admitting a string of child sexual offences including three counts of rape. Then of Southport, the HGV driver was sentenced to seven years in jail.

He had been released on licence when a police officer attended his home in June 2021. The visit was a requirement of a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order he was subjected to. That order banned him from having electronic devices that police were not given access to, and from having any device that could access the internet unless it recorded his search history.

Daniel Bramhall, prosecuting, said the officer who attended Wrights home believed he was attempting to deter them from going in, arguing: Its a bit of a mess. Once inside, the officer found the flat clean and tidy and saw two laptops and a mobile phone on a coffee table. One of the laptops was in use.

Mr Bramhall said: When asked if police had the details of this device the defendant said the computer did not belong to him and he was wiping it for someone who lived downstairs. He then claimed it was his laptop but that he was clearing it so that he could sell it.

Wright was arrested on suspicion of breaching his SHPO and the laptops seized. The one that was having its memory cleared was found to hold 169 images of extreme pornography, typically involving animals. The images dated back to 2016 and Wright said: I was addicted to pornography at the time it was depraved. The 54-year-old admitted possession of extreme pornography and breaching his SHPO.

Gareth Roberts, defending Wright, told Liverpool Crown Court his client had sought to fight his demons over recent years but said that in 2016: He was in the grip of an insidious and rather horrible addiction to pornography.

Mr Roberts said this decimated his clients life but said the images found on his laptop had been downloaded a long time ago and since his conviction he had worked hard to turn his life around. He added: He wants to get on with the process of rehabilitating himself.

Judge Stuart Driver, QC, said Wright was caught in the very act of deleting his laptops history but accepted there was no evidence of recent unlawful activity.

He handed Wright, who has been in prison since his arrest last summer, a six month jail term.