Latest Offenders Middlesbrough

Description

A 60-year-old man carried a BB gun and handcuffs with him when he went to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old schoolgirl - but insisted to cops he "only wanted a cuddle". 

The disgusting pervert told her their relationship was a secret, called himself her "daddy", and said he wanted to take a bath with her and wash her, Teesside Crown Court heard. 

He tried to argue that he carried the gun due to a vermin problem in his home, while the handcuffs were in case "there was trouble when he was out".

Groenewood, of Portman Street in central Middlesbrough, had no idea that the person he was talking to - who was called "Scarlett" on the website, was actually a decoy, set up by a pedophile-hunting group. 

He was then intercepted by police when he went to meet her at Middlesbrough train station, on January 13, 2022.

During police questioning, when he was asked if he was sexually attracted to children, Groenewood replied: "A little bit."

The court also heard he had messaged the same online vigilante group in another conversation, in which he thought he was talking to "Holly", whose age on her profile was 13.

He suggested they have sex, and asked the supposed 13-year-old what "they were going to do together under the covers".

Groenewood pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting sexual communication with a child and to attempting to meet a child following grooming. 

He has been jailed for 30 months, made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years, and must comply with sex offender police notifications for the same period of time.

Description

A perverted medical science graduate who raped a very young boy when he was a teenager himself is starting a 12-year prison sentence.

Daniyal Hussain, now aged 22, denied what he had done and tried to claim the allegations were made up.

But a Teesside Crown Court jury found him unanimously guilty of five counts of the rape of a child and three counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, in November, of last year. On Thursday the pervert appeared at the same court for sentencing - where he was placed on the Sex Offender's Register for Life.

The hearing was told that Hussain gave the little boy an iPad to watch as he attacked him, promised him a mobile phone, and told him the abuse was "our little secret". He also slapped his victim across the face a number of times.

During the trial, prosecutor Aisha Wadoodi confronted Hussain about the notes he had made on his mobile phone - which the Crown said admitted his guilt. He had sent texts to his mother claiming he had "demons" and that he would get help.

"I'm so sorry. I've failed everyone", one message read. Another note on his phone, read: "There is nothing that I can say ever that will make everything better. Not in a million years. I have failed my family."

Victim's 'family ruined'

On Thursday, Teesside Crown Court heard that Hussain had just graduated with a medical science degree and that he is an "intelligent young man who comes from a decent hardworking family". But the court was told that the little boy has been left deeply affected by the abuse.

A packed public gallery sat in silence as a statement by the youngster's mother was read out: "My son has suffered a horrible and devastating ordeal. I feel that the bond between us has been damaged. My son does not like to be touched and I cannot kiss him on the cheek.

"He frequently breaks down in tears. My family has been ruined. My son's childhood has been stolen."

The mother went onto say that her son has a number of "triggers" that remind him of the abuse including smells.

'Peculiar character'

Timothy Jacobs, defending Hussain, said his client is a "peculiar character with features of naivety and also features of maturity. He still has a degree of growing up to do.

He said: "He attended college and managed to graduate with a medical science degree whilst the investigation and court proceedings were hanging over him. He is a young man who can do well and has potential in the future."

Mr Jacobs said that Hussain acted as an interpreter for his grandfather at hospital appointments, and that it is likely that he will not see his grandfather again, given the man's ill health.

Hussain turned away from the public gallery as he stood to hear his sentence from Judge Anthony Hawks. The judge told him: "Tragically, you are an intelligent young man who comes from a decent, hard-working family. The offences were accompanied by violence; threats not to disclose and grooming.

"When you were confronted, you admitted what you had done. At your trial, you denied everything. The whole trial must have been very distressing for the boy, his mother and his family.

"Not surprisingly, the boy has been severely affected. He recoils from physical contact. He is emotionally detached from his mother.

"He exhibits mental health issues including angry outbursts. What the long term effect will be, nobody knows."

Hussain, of Thackeray Grove in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, was handed a 12-year prison term. He will serve 11-years in custody and the final year out in the community, on licence.

He will be eligible to apply for parole after he has served eight years. An indefinite restraining order was made, prohibiting Hussain from contacting his victim or the youngster's parents.

'Brazen performance'

After the sentencing, Cleveland Police said that specialist officers from their Child Abuse and Vulnerable Adult Unit (CAVA) had supported the child and his family throughout the investigation and the court process.

Detective Constable Rebecca Lisle said: “This was a very distressing case with a child victim and their family who, in giving their evidence, had to relive the trauma they had already endured. I hope this result will go some way to help them as they try to come to terms with what they have gone through.”

Chief Inspector Deb Fenny added: “Despite knowing full well what he had done, Hussain persisted in lying and twisting evidence to make it seem as if he was innocent.

“I am pleased that the jury saw through his brazen performance in court, and I hope that today’s sentence will go some way to helping the victim and his family come to terms with their ordeal.

“Finally I would urge anyone who has experienced such abuse - or who wants to report on behalf of somebody else - to get in touch with Cleveland Police. We will listen to you, we will believe you and we will support you while working with our partner agencies to bring perpetrators to justice.”

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A 25-year-old paedophile serving a three-year prison term for inciting a girl to send him naked photos, has been handed a second jail sentence for abuse of a boy.

Declan Bailey, faced a judge once again, after it emerged he had seriously sexually abused a primary school aged boy, before he targeted the 13-year-old girl.

Bailey subjected the little boy to a string of sexual assaults.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the former Teesside University student abused his victim, now an adult, over 10 years ago. The victim didn't report what happened to the police until he read about Bailey being jailed for his sexual communications with a young girl, in 2021.

Bailey had targeted his 13-year-old victim on Snapchat, telling her he would rape her if she didn't send him explicit photos of herself. He was also found to have illegal images and videos showing children being sexually abused, on his phone.

Bailey was jailed for three-years for this in April 2021.

Police then began investigating him over the sexual abuse of the young boy. He initially denied everything but pleaded guilty in October, on the day his trial was due to start.

Bailey, of HMP Durham but previously of Park Road South in Middlesbrough, admitted three counts of the sexual assault of a boy under 13; and three counts of inciting the same boy to engage in sexual activity.

His barrister Nigel Soppitt said he was "on the autistic spectrum and he's not got a single friend in the world, as a young man."

Judge Jonathan Carroll told Bailey: "You had reached a stage in life where sexual curiosity had emerged in your mind. You turned these thoughts into physical actions.

"You did so against a young boy, who was in no way wanting, or capable of consenting, to your conduct.

"The risk you represent - the behaviour you demonstrated in your previous crimes and together with these offences - leads me to conclude that you pose a significant risk of causing significant harm. You are a dangerous offender."

Bailey was jailed for three-years-and-five-months. He was made subject to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order when he was sentenced for paedophile crimes in 2021.

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A paedophile caught viewing child sex abuse images was spared jail because of his own past as a victim.

Anthony Lowe, who has been prosecuted for possessing child sex abuse before, was handed a suspended sentence rather than being sent straight to prison.

The 51-year-old former prison warden had downloaded 85 category A images (penetration, bestiality or sadism), 19 category B and 46 category C images when he was busted on October 28 last year.

Judge Benjamin Nolan told him: ‘The most obvious way of dealing with you would be to send you immediately to prison.

‘However, I’ve read your psychiatric report which indicates that you have your demons as a result of being abused as a child.’

He came to this decision after Lowe’s defence lawyer also told Teesside Crown Court how her client had become ‘isolated and depressed’ during lockdown.

His partner was working in a care home and Lowe was left on his own for long periods of time.

‘This was a momentary relapse,’ the attorney said.

The court also heard how Lowe ‘has chronic PTSD after witnessing a work colleague die and an inmate committing suicide’.

His partner has now rearranged her working hours so she can be at home with him on the weekends.

Lowe, from Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, was handed a 12-month prison term, suspended for two-years.

He was ordered to attend an accredited sex offender treatment programme and 60 rehabilitation days.

He will also sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Description

A sex offender subjected a woman to a horrific ordeal and used "power, control and humiliation" during an “appalling” incident.

Stephen Miller had been regularly watching pornography before launching his degrading sexual attack on her and he ignored her pleas for him to stop, Grimsby Crown Court heard.

Miller, 43, admitted two offences of sexual assault, committed in the Grimsby area. The matters were originally due to be decided by a jury at a trial but he pleaded guilty on the second day of it.

A sex offender subjected a woman to a horrific ordeal and used "power, control and humiliation" during an “appalling” incident.

Stephen Miller had been regularly watching pornography before launching his degrading sexual attack on her and he ignored her pleas for him to stop, Grimsby Crown Court heard.

Miller, 43, admitted two offences of sexual assault, committed in the Grimsby area. The matters were originally due to be decided by a jury at a trial but he pleaded guilty on the second day of it.

A sex offender subjected a woman to a horrific ordeal and used "power, control and humiliation" during an “appalling” incident.

Stephen Miller had been regularly watching pornography before launching his degrading sexual attack on her and he ignored her pleas for him to stop, Grimsby Crown Court heard.

Miller, 43, admitted two offences of sexual assault, committed in the Grimsby area. The matters were originally due to be decided by a jury at a trial but he pleaded guilty on the second day of it.

"He needs to address his behaviour. There have been no further offences. He has reduced his alcohol intake. Alcohol was a factor in this offending." Miller had his own home improvement and maintenance business. He had a previous conviction for drink-driving.

Judge Michael Fanning told Miller: "This is not about sexual gratification. This is about power, control and humiliation and nothing else. It's more serious for that. She felt degraded, humiliated and embarrassed.

"You were telling her that she deserved it. Although she repeatedly told you to stop doing this, it went on. Power, control and humiliation, that's what you wanted to inflict on your victim.

"You realise that your behaviour was wrong. You have expressed disgust, behaving in the way you did. Your victim challenged you to stop and you carried on."

Miller, of Kel Dennis Close, Eston, Middlesbrough, was jailed for two years and five months. He was given an indefinite restraining order and must register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Description

A 'predatory' child rapist has been jailed for more than a decade after targeting a vulnerable young girl two decades ago.

Michael Scott, who has a number of convictions for sexual offences, was found guilty of raping the young girl following a trial at Teesside Crown Court.

The 45-year-old’s depraved attack left his young victim traumatised and she is still struggling to come to terms with the impact of his rape.

In a victim impact statement, she told the court how throughout her childhood and into adulthood she had suffered from anxiety and struggled with trusting people.

She said: “It is still affecting me now; I have anxiety and depression; I have relentless nightmares and it have affected the way that I parent.

“It has affected my relationships and day-today life.”

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she suffered a mental breakdown in the lead up to Scott’s trial and is still receiving therapy to deal with her trauma.

She added: “I would like Michael Scott to go to prison for as long as possible as it will help me move on knowing he is not out there somewhere. He will do this to someone else, he has done it before, he has done it to me and he will do it again.

“He doesn’t deserve to be free to sexually abuse any more children.”

Paul Abrahams, prosecuting, said the defendant was jailed for five years and eight months in 2018 for sexual offences and had also been jailed in April 2006 for six years for sexual assault.

Scott, of Dufton Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, was found guilty of a single count of rape, which occurred in the late 90s, despite refusing to take part in the trial.

Lee Fish, in mitigation, said his client continues to deny the offence, which predates all the offences that he has already been convicted for, and accepts that he does pose a risk of re-offending.

Judge Paul Watson KC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, branded Scott a ‘predatory sexual offender’ as he locked him up for 12 years and issued him with a one-year extended licence.

He said: “It’s plain from her victim impact statement the offence of rape you committed towards her has had a lasting and damaging effect on her.”

Scott was issued with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life, and an indefinite restraining order.

Description

A pub singer has been jailed after admitting carrying out a catalogue of vile sexual abuse on four young boys.

David Donald, who performed as David Michaels in pubs and clubs around the region, plied the four boys with booze and drugs before inflicting his perverted sexual desires on them.

The sick pervert was branded a dangerous offender as a judge locked him up for 20 years.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the horrific abuse took place over a number of years in the 59-year-olds Teesside home and his caravan at Crimdon Dene holiday park.

Tom Mitchell, prosecuting, said the sexual abuse had a devastating impact on the four young boys after he would buy them gifts and expose them to pornography.

All four victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered multiple sexual assaults over a protracted period which started when they were all under the age of 16.

In heart-breaking victim impact statements, they all said their childhood had been stolen by the sex offender with some turning to drugs to help them cope with the mental torture.

One of the victims said he had attempted suicide to the trauma of the abuse after he started taking drugs as a child.

Another of his victims said he was unable to trust anyone to look after his own child and had lived homeless for a number of years after struggling to deal with the fall-out and perceived shame of the abuse he suffered.

Donald, of High Street, Eston, near Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to a total of 28 child sexual offences, including multiple charges of indecent assault on a child.

Paul Abrahams, in mitigation, said his client had fully admitted his offending at the earliest opportunity after his arrest and he has shown genuine remorse.

He said: He had a troubled upbringing but that in no way excuses his behaviour.

Judge Chris Smith sentenced Donald to a total of 20 years for all offences but made it clear the sentence would not undo all the damage his sexual abuse had caused all four of his victims after he blighted their young lives.

Your offending took place over many years, each of your victims was subjected to a sustained period of sexual abuse at your hands.

Your four victims have spent a lifetime affected by what you did to them all those years ago, he said.

It is understandable that they felt robbed of their childhood and the impact of what you did to them has followed them into their adult lives.

Their courage in the face of that considerable adversity is humbling.

Donald was also placed on the sex offenders register for the remainder of his life.

Description

A pervert was caught with a digital paedophile manual advising readers on how to abuse children of different ages; and how to avoid detection by their mothers.

Daryl Stokes, 41, was paid a visit at his Middlesbrough home by police after they'd received intelligence about his online use. When they told Stokes that they were going to carry out a thorough search, he admitted he had an undeclared mobile phone in his loft.

Stokes had been released from prison in August 2021 after being jailed for earlier offences of making indecent images of children. He was given a 17-month sentence in December 2020, and was released under supervision and under a sexual harm prevention order - meaning he had to declare all of his online devices to his offender manager and had restrictions on his internet use.

But on Friday August 27, 2021, police uncovered hours of graphic video footage showing young children being sexually abused on Stokes' online devices. Judge Anthony James Brown said they showed distressing clips of babies and children as young as six.

Prosecutor Christopher Baker told Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday that the online paedophile manual that was found contained a four-minute slide show with graphic content on how to abuse children of different age groups, and also contained details of how to avoid mothers detecting such horrific abuse.

Stokes was also caught with:

- 574 of the most serious category A images, which included 211 videos showing 42 hours of footage.

- 1,500 category B images, which included 51 videos showing seven hours of footage.

- 1,843 category C images, which included 62 videos showing nine hours of footage.

Stokes' phone also showed that he had opened accounts on Twitter and Discord under the name "Ben P"; he had a Google Cloud account and was using private browser software - all of which broke the terms of his sexual harm prevention order.

Stokes, of Springfield Road, Whinney Banks, Middlesbrough, who has one previous conviction for making indecent images of children, pleaded guilty to:

- three counts of making indecent images of children,

- six counts of the breach of a sexual harm prevention order,

- possession of the paedophile manual.

Robert Mochrie, mitigating, said his client "had been candid to this extent - that he has a sexual interest in children. He found himself trawling the internet and delving into dark corners of it where he ought not to go.

"It's clear that the defendant needs help - hopefully he will get that, all be it in a custodial setting."

Mr Mochrie said that Stokes' cited his failed marriage as an explanation for his behaviour.

Judge Anthony James Brown told Stokes: "The sexual harm prevention order was put in place when you committed similar offences in 2020. It is clear to me that you were fully aware of the terms of your sexual harm prevention order when you were released from prison.

"You have breached the order in an utterly calculated way. The category A images depicted children as young as six...with the most appalling degradation inflicted upon them and abuse that was physically painful to them.

"To cap it all - the digital paedophile manual. It's hard to fathom the level of depravity required to create such a publication. I regard you, I'm afraid, as a committed paedophile."

The judge jailed Stokes for five-years-and three-months and made him subject to notification requirements and an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Description

A prolific sex offender from North Yorkshire who targeted children on social media and threatened to share indecent images of them online has been jailed.

Mark Anthony Wilson was sentenced to six years and eight months imprisonment, at Teesside Crown Court yesterday, for a catalogue of sexual offences involving children as young as seven.

North Yorkshire Police said the 35-year-old, from Allen Grove in Stokesley, targeted children and teenagers across the country using social media.

He asked for intimate, sexual photographs and video, threatening to expose them and their families if they did not give into his requests, between 2018 and 2020.

The force said he posted a number of images online, leaving his victims frightened, humiliated and degraded.

In one case, Wilson sent a mother a video of her naked teenage son.

In another, he sent racially offensive, abusive and sexual messages to a 16-year-old girl, threatening to post videos on YouTube claiming her father had raped her.

During their investigation, officers found Wilson had obtained images and a video of a seven-year-olds genitals after exchanging more than 200 messages and Facetime calls with the child.

Wilson also had indecent images of an eight-year-old girl and had exchanged 1,149 messages with her.

He was jailed after he pleaded guilty to 27 offences at York Magistrates Court over the course of three hearings, between August 2021 and February 2022.

Detective Constable Karen Barugh said Wilson committed multiple malicious and sexual offences against children and caused them great distress.

She added: They must have been terrified at the thought of him carrying out his threats.

Despite being arrested, he continued to commit offences while on bail, his offending increasing in severity over time. He was prolific in his targeting of children and has shown no remorse for what he did.

I'd like to thank those children and young people who were brave enough to come forward and give a statement to the police. I would urge anyone else to do the same if they are victim of any type of sexual offence.

Description

Steven McLone, 31, was found with the explicit material on his computer after police were alerted to the illegal content that he was accessing via his IP address.

A man who was caught with life-like animation of children being sexually abused, as well as a vile video recording of a woman abusing a dog, has been locked up.

Steven McLone, aged 31 and who is autistic, was found with the explicit material on his computer after police were alerted to the illegal content that he was accessing via his IP address.

McLone was already known to police, as he was subject to a a sexual harm prevention order, when they raided his address in Middlesbrough in October 2021, Teesside Live reports.

Specialist police IT workers found:

- 1 class B image of a child (aged 5-7) being sexually abused

- 5 class C images of children (aged 9-11) being sexually abused

- 47 prohibited images of children

- A video of a woman sexually abusing a dog

Teesside Crown Court was told by prosecutor, Christopher Bevan, that McLone bookmarked the animated child abuse as a favourite on his internet explorer, and that one of the files he had downloaded was entitled: "My baby girls" and another with an inappropriate description of a child, aged two.

The court heard that when police arrested McLone, he told them: " I think I know what you're talking about. I was trying to download a film when I opened it. I saw it and felt sick and deleted it".

McLone, of Parrington Place in Lazenby, pleaded guilty to two counts of making indecent images of a child; the possession of prohibited images of a child, and the possession of an extreme pornographic image portraying sex with an animal. Appearing in court via videolink from HMP Durham, McLone kept his head bowed throughout the hearing on Monday.

The court heard that he has a previous conviction for the sexual assault of a girl who was under the age of 13, and another sexual assault of an underage girl back in 2018.

Shaun Dryden, defending, told the court that his client is autistic and "immature" for his age.

Mr Dryden said that McLone hadn't been found with a large amount of illegal images, but that the probation service had found that he isn't eligible for a place on a sex offender treatment programme, because of his autism.

Mr Dryden said that McLone had told his probation officer that he is sexually attracted to teenage girls because he views himself as a teenager.

Jailing McLone for 10 months, Judge Howard Crowson told him: "I struggle with the idea that you were not sexually aroused by these images. Your previous convictions show you are aroused by young females."

McLone was made subject to sex offender notifications for 10 years.

Description

A Middlesbrough man who downloaded 518 illegal images of children, as well as an extreme pornographic image of a dog, told police "I'm not a monster - I would never hurt a child" when he was arrested.

David Clark, 37, had hundreds of pictures of children as young as three being sexually abused, as well as a pornographic image of a dog. Teesside Crown Court heard that he was caught with 148 class A illegal images of children - the most serious category; 226 category B images and 144 category C images.

Clark, of Midville Walk, Netherfields, admitted five counts of making an indecent photograph, or pseudo-photograph of a child. He also pleaded guilty to possessing an extreme pornographic image of an animal, before his trial was due to start.

Paul Cleasby, defending, told the court that his client had been psychologically affected from his work in conflict zones around the world: "He's entirely capable of being rehabilitated. The probation service are willing to work with him.

"A short custodial sentence would be counter productive in this case. He's thoroughly ashamed of himself."

Judge Howard Crowson told Clark: "You deserve to be ashamed. These are vile images, including particularly disturbing ones." The judge handed Clark a 44-week jail term, suspended for 18-months.

He was ordered to attend 25 rehabilitation days and made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, with sexual offender notification requirements for the same amount of time.

Description

A sex offender who left his victim in debt after conning her out of more than 2,000 is back behind bars.

Geoffrey Ball told a string of lies to the woman - who he struck up a relationship with when she was working at a petrol station - to get cash sums from her, which he claimed he would pay back.

His deceit included saying his sister was seriously ill with Covid and he needed 300 to visit her and he needed 100 to secure a puppy for the woman, which never materialised. He pleaded guilty to five charges of fraud when he appeared before Teesside Magistrates' Court via video link from Acklington Prison.

Ball, 50, who was placed on a sex offenders' register in 2010 for touching and grabbing a woman on a train, also pleaded guilty to breaching the conditions by not telling officers he had moved out of his Teesside home.

In December 2018 Ball, who at that time had 35 aliases, was sentenced to three years and ten months in prison. Teesside Crown Court heard he used one woman to fund his drinking and gambling, tricked another out of 3,410 by saying he had cancer and told a third woman he knew a solicitor who could stop her children being taken away.

Lynne Dalton, prosecuting at the magistrates' court, said Ball used the alias of Peter Marsh when he struck up a relationship with a woman who was working in a petrol station in Wales in May last year.

Over the next two months he asked her for several sums of money, including 600 to buy building materials so he could do some work on her house, 220 for a locksmith to repair her door, 300 to visit his sister in Cornwall who was ill on a ventilator with Covid, 300 to travel to Ireland to retrieve his stolen car and 100 to secure a puppy for her. He admitted all five of these fraud offences.

However, the victim claimed in total she gave him 2,460. Ms Dalton said Ball also told the woman his son was a solicitor and could help her with a neighbour dispute she was having, but then said his son had died and was in floods of tears.

Ms Dalton said in her statement the victim said Ball struck up a conversation with her in the petrol station where she worked and asked for her number, then began ringing her every day and started to stay at her home.

She said: "He had the gift of the gab, was a sweet-talker and really charming. She was flattered and enjoyed speaking to him. It was all very convincing. She said she was emotionally blackmailed into giving him money."

Ms Dalton said in her statement the woman said: "He told me he would pay the money back and that he was worth a fortune. He said he earned 120,000 a year."

Ball said he had lost his bank card and needed money to visit his sister, then the following week he needed money to go to Ireland to pick up his stolen car. He said he had sold the car and the money he was going to pay her back with was destroyed in a fire. After about two months the victim contacted the police.

Reading from the statement the prosecutor said: "Looking back it seems so far fetched, but at the time I believed him."

She said: "I don't trust anyone anymore. I am so devastated I could let this happen, I didn't think I could be deceived like this.

"I feel violated having fallen victim to fraud and feel people will think worse of me because of that. I have not told any of my friends or family about the incident, I feel ashamed and they will think I am stupid for letting this happen to me."

Nick Woodhouse, defending, said the breach of the conditions on the sex offenders register was because Ball felt he had no option but to leave his Teesside home because some people knew he had information about an incident in Stockton which he had tried to tell the police.

He said: "He didn't target (the victim), he got talking to her. He accepts the money hadn't been paid back."

Mr Woodhouse said Ball had admitted the offences at the earliest opportunity. He said he is also suffering from some health problems, including high blood pressure.

Ball was jailed for 36 weeks and ordered to pay 1,520 in compensation.

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David Smith repeatedly exposed himself to one boy and seriously sexually assaulted another

A former Tory councillor has been found guilty of a string of child sex offences.

A jury has unanimously found David Smith guilty of 11 counts of inciting, or engaging in sexual activity with a child, over a decade ago. Teesside Crown Court heard harrowing evidence of the sexual abuse during the trial - the two victims were teenage boys when Smith targeted them.

One boy was groomed and repeatedly sexually assaulted by Smith over a four-year period. The court heard he has been massively affected by the abuse; his former girlfriend said it had "destroyed their relationship" and he was "traumatised" by what had happened to him.

The court heard how Smith gave the boy cash and bought him gifts; as well as taking him on trips to Edinburgh and to Liverpool. The victim said: He used to buy me all sorts - he must have spent 6,000 to 10,000 on me easy.

"It was clothes, it was drugs, I used to smoke cannabis a lot and he used buy me it. He used to buy me it every day, at least 20 a day. After I smoked it I would just go to sleep and when I woke up, he would be touching me.

Smith repeatedly exposed himself to the second victim - who was also a teenage boy at the time - before trying to persuade him to perform a sex act. The victim said he fled, telling the court: "He would flash me and as a kid I was shocked and didn't know where to put myself.

"After a month and a half, it went from flashing at me to him asking me to touch him. It got to the point where he was getting closer to me and got more insistent."

Smith, 33, of Rainsford Crescent in Middlesbrough, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on May 16.

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A pervert who uploaded an indecent image of a child onto Facebook Messenger has avoided prison.

When police raided Paul Foxton's home, the 60-year-old was caught with over 300 illegal images of children being sexually abused.

Teesside Crown Court has heard that Foxton's social media account was referred to Cleveland Police in January of last year; officers then turned up at Foxton's Thornaby address a few weeks later, in March.

Police found 27 category A images - the most serious cases of children being sexually abused; 32 category B images and 251 category C images and videos on Foxton's Samsung phone and two tablets.

The defendant, of Elden Walk in Thornaby, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children at an earlier hearing.

Prosecutor Ellen Wright told the court that some of the pictures showed very young children being sexually abused - including one child who was in a high chair. The videos showed children in "obvious pain and distress".

Forensic officers also uncovered a systematic search history for the most serious images showing children being sexually abused, as well as for familial sexual abuse. The court heard that when Foxton was interviewed by police, he said he didn't "much like" the illegal material, and that he was just curious.

John Wood, defending, said that Foxton had eventually accepted that he had "an element of sexual interest" in the illegal content. Mr Wood said that his client has a brain injury which has left his lonely and depressed. He has separated from his wife and lockdown left him even more isolated.

Foxton's son sat with his head in his hands listening to the court hearing in the public gallery.

Judge Christopher Smith told Foxton "At the end of the camera there is a child being sexually abused - which can have a life-changing effect on them. After no doubt some probing by the probation officer, you were able to admit you have a sexual interest in prepubescent children.

"This offending is serious but in your case I'm entirely satisfied that this indicates a good chance of rehabilitation".

The judge handed Foxton a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 18-months. Foxton was ordered to attend 40 rehabilitation days; he was placed under curfew from 8pm-7am, which will be monitored by an electronic tag.

Foxton will sign the sex offenders' register for 10-years and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order - so that police can monitor his online usage.

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A sex offender has admitted exposing her penis, using a sex toy and masturbating in public.

Chloe Thompson committed the "grossly offensive" acts in daylight and in front of members of the public, a court heard.

At one point, three children saw her exposing herself and thrusting her hips in the window of her home.

Thompson had been due to be tried at Teesside Magistrates' Court on Tuesday morning but changed her plea to guilty just before the trial was due to begin.

Her latest offences were committed on August 13 last year in Cromer Street and Wellesley Road, in the Borough Road area of Middlesbrough.

A couple saw her performing a sex act on herself in a back alleyway of Wellesley Road at about 3.45pm that day.

Liz McGowan, prosecuting, said "the defendant was moving forwards and backwards against a wheelie bin" before being seen using a sex toy on herself.

At the time she was wearing "an ill-fitting black wig, a ra-ra skirt and a midriff-length top", the court heard.

"She was shouted at by the witnesses and ran away," said Ms McGowan.

Former soldier Thompson was also seen exposing herself on Cromer Street where she lived at the time of the offending.

Ms McGowan said a witness described seeing "a male on the street", "wearing women's clothing" and seeing that person "lifting and playing with their penis".

Ms McGowan said another witness described seeing "a male" standing in the forecourt area of a house "leaning over the garden gate, thrusting their hips forwards and backwards looking at the group as if he wanted them to notice him".

The thrusting continued for about a minute, the court heard, and Thompson was then seen walking back towards the house, apparently performing a sex act on herself.

On the same day, a woman was passing with her granddaughters in the car, who were aged 10,11 and 14 at the time.

As they passed the house, "one of the grandchildren shouts, 'Look at that lady'," said Ms McGowan.

The grandmother said she saw "a male standing in the window exposing his bum making thrusting movements with his hips".

Ms McGowan said: "The offences were carried out in daylight and in front of children who were passing. They were grossly offensive."

The court heard 42-year-old Thompson has 17 convictions for 22 offences and was still under a suspended sentence order at the time of the latest crimes.

Previously convicted as Andrew McNab, the defendant had been put on the sex offenders' register and made subject to notification requirements in 2011 for sexually assaulting an underage girl.

But she was hauled back before courts in May last year for breaching her notification requirements for the 11th time.

Andrew McGloin, defending, said Ms Thompson is "an individual who feels, at this point in her life, very optimistic and hopeful for the future".

He told the court she is originally from Glasgow and came to the Teesside area in 2011 to find work.

She worked in asbestos removal for a time.

Mr McGloin said Thompson plans to attend a gender clinic which may lead to her undergoing gender reassignment surgery.

"About two and a half years ago she expressed a wish to change her gender and, following that decision, has changed her name to Chloe Thompson," he explained.

"It's been a very emotional journey for her and she has, at times suffered with mental health problems which have been exacerbated with periods of homelessness."

The court heard she has recently undertaken courses for working in the wind turbine industry.

"She's very optimistic she will be able to gain employment in an industry she is very interested in," said Mr McGloin.

Thompson has also served in the armed forces, he explained, and was hoping to join the Army Reserve force.

"She is disappointed she has placed herself in this position in regards the distress she will have caused to members of the public on these occasions," he added.

Thompson, now of Borough Road in Middlesbrough, admitted three charges;

- Committing a public nuisance by indecent exposing herself while exposing her penis to members of the public while performing a sex act upon herself

- Committing an act outraging public decency by performing a sex act on herself in a public place in view of other members of the public, and

- Outraging public decency by behaving in an indecent manner, by using a sex toy on herself.

She will be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court on March 15.