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A former York man has been jailed for non-recent child sexual abuse.

54-year-old Ian Mark Wrightson of Holmes Close, Newcastle-upon-Tyne was jailed for three years and four months when he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on 5 August.

Wrightson lived in York at the time of his offending when he subjected a primary school aged girl to a series of sexual assaults between 1990 and 1992.

Wrightson would entice her to his room on the pretence of playing computer games and before every game, he would abuse her for his own sexual gratification.

He originally pleaded not guilty to five offences but on 5 August, the day he was due to stand trial, he changed his plea to guilty to three counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14, and two counts of gross indecency with a girl under 14. He was jailed on the same day. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life and barred from working with children.

His brave victim said: “If my story can help someone in need, I would be so grateful that I had helped in a very small way by putting it out there and possibly giving them the strength to believe they can come forward themselves. I hope it will help people like me who have been so scared to come out and say something - whether it’s historic or current to speak up.”

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Helen Hewitt, added:

“Wrightson’s cowardice in denying the offences he committed until just before the trial, forced the victim to endure the build up to the trial, reliving the horrific abuse she suffered.

“His guilty plea is a testament to the strength and courage shown by the victim and I hope the sentence passed will provide other victims of abuse the courage and confidence to come forward. North Yorkshire Police will work tirelessly to give victims of abuse a voice and achieve prosecutions against predatory offenders like Wrightson.

“The effects of sexual abuse are long-lasting and can affect all aspects of a victim’s life. I urge anyone who has been abused, no matter when it happened, to please come forward. If you don’t feel you can report to the police at the moment, there are other agencies who can help you but please do not suffer in silence.”

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Anderson Ishiekwene jailed for attempting to meet child for sex after online grooming

An international student has been jailed for three years after being caught by online paedophile hunters while trying to meet a girl he believed was 14 for sex.

Anderson Ishiekwene, 25, a Nigerian national, was arrested in Washington eight days after starting a sexual conversation with a decoy profile. Newcastle Crown Court heard he exchanged more than 300 pages of messages with the account run by a paedophile hunter group, repeatedly asking the “girl” to delete his messages.

Ishiekwene admitted attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child and was found guilty of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

He arrived in the UK from Nigeria on a student visa in August 2025 and settled in Sunderland. On 2 January he messaged the Facebook profile of a supposed 14-year-old girl. The conversation moved to WhatsApp.

Prosecutor Cole Cockburn told the court Ishiekwene was repeatedly informed the girl was 14. Over subsequent days he asked about her school and uniform, posed intimate questions about her body, requested pictures and sent an image of his naked groin. When she refused to send photos he called it “unfair” and claimed it was “a normal thing for people to do in a relationship.”

They arranged to meet at the Galleries in Washington on 10 January. Ishiekwene said he wanted to kiss and sexually touch her like “lovers.” On arrival he was confronted by members of the hunter group and arrested by police.

He denied the meeting was for sexual purposes but was convicted after a three-day trial. Judge Robert Spragg said the planned activity on 10 January was a “precursor” to full sex on a later occasion. The probation service concluded there was “little doubt” Ishiekwene was “attracted to children.”

Upon release he is likely to face automatic deportation. Ishiekwene was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register and comply with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

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Stuart Rainey jailed for 17 years for repeated child sexual abuse

Stuart Rainey, 37, of Borough Road, North Tyneside, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for the repeated rape and sexual assault of a school-aged girl.

The abuse, which occurred multiple times in the North Tyneside area, came to light after the victim-survivor disclosed it to a trusted professional at school. Police were informed immediately. Rainey denied the allegations when questioned.

Following a complex investigation, he was charged in May 2025 and convicted at Newcastle Crown Court on 15 May of ten child sex offences. He was sentenced at the same court on 23 July to 17 years’ imprisonment plus one year on extended licence.

Rainey was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and made subject to a 25-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Constable Karen Douglas, of Northumbria Police’s Safeguarding Department, said:

“Stuart Rainey is a predatory paedophile who has consistently shown an attraction to children. Because of his vile offending, he has robbed this victim-survivor of her innocence and part of her childhood. I want to praise the victim-survivor in this case. Your bravery is the reason this man is now behind bars and will be monitored by police for the rest of his life.”

She added: “I want to urge victim-survivors of any sexual abuse to please speak out regardless of when it happened or who the perpetrator was. We’ll do everything we can to get you the justice you deserve, no matter the circumstances, or how much time has passed.”

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A 25-year-old man from Lymington has been jailed for 24 years for child sex offences against two children, including the rape of a girl aged under 13.

Jimmy Fisher, of Efford way, Lymington, who pleaded guilty to the charges against him at Southampton Crown Court on Friday 15 May, was sentenced at the same court on Monday (6 July).

The offences took place between 2020 and 2025. As well as the time Fisher will now serve in prison, Fisher also been given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Additionally, he was handed a deprivation order for the devices seized from him and has been barred from ever working with children and vulnerable adults.

Fisher will only become eligible for a release on a six-year licence after serving 18 years in prison.

In addition to the above offence, Fisher was also sentenced for rape, attempted rape, sexual activity with a child and taking, making and possessing indecent photographs of a child.

PC Rhiannon Winstanley, of the Child Abuse Investigation Team, said:

“I would like to place on record my praise and admiration for the young victims in this case and the courage and determination they have shown throughout.

“While I know this result alone will never erase the memories of what happened to them, I truly hope it allows them, and their families, to move forward with their lives, safe in the knowledge that Fisher is now being punished for his crimes and can no longer harm any other innocent child.

“These were unimaginable crimes, but thanks to the bravery of the victims and their determination to see justice served, all children are now that much safer with him locked away.”

Directly addressing other victims of sex offences, PC Winstanley, said:

“We encourage other victims to come forward and speak to us. We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously and work hard to bring offenders to justice.

“This case should also be a very clear message to other offenders out there that we will always work tirelessly to ensure you are brought to justice for your crimes, no matter when they took place.”

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Owen Wilson Sentenced for Raping Child Met in South Shields Park

Owen Wilson, now 18, wept in court as he was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday for raping a child he met in a South Shields park.

Wilson was 15 on 19 August 2023 when he was drinking with friends in the park and was introduced to the victim. As the afternoon progressed she was left alone with him and he raped her. The following day the victim told a friend, who informed a family member. Police were contacted and Wilson initially gave a “no comment” interview before pleading guilty to rape.

Judge Penny Moreland sentenced Wilson, of Grace Court, South Shields, who has no previous convictions, to a two-year suspended sentence. He must complete 250 hours of unpaid work and 40 days of rehabilitation activity. He also received a 10-year restraining order and was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Judge Moreland said she had to impose the sentence that would likely have been given at the time of the offence, when Wilson was 15.

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Joshua Camplin Jailed for Seven Years After Child Sex Sting

Gwent Police have released the photograph of convicted paedophile Joshua Camplin, 33, of Chepstow Road, Newport, following his conviction at Cardiff Crown Court.

Camplin, a former travelling fairground worker and convicted sex offender, was jailed for 12 months in 2019 for possessing indecent images of children. A 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) was imposed at that time.

In the current case, Camplin was duped by an undercover police officer posing as a 14-year-old boy named “Oliver” on the dating site Fab Boys. The conversations later moved to email. He believed he was communicating with an underage schoolboy and arranged to meet him for sex at Newport bus station.

Prosecutor Kathryn Lane told the court:  
“After finding out that ‘Oliver’ was 14, he started soliciting images from him. The defendant asked to see pictures of his sexy a***.”  

She added: “The defendant encouraged him to travel to Newport so that they could have oral sex.”

Camplin had sent the undercover officer a photograph of his penis. After the decoy said he was on his way but failed to appear at the bus station, police arrested Camplin outside Newport train station.

He admitted attempting to arrange/facilitate the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order. The offences took place between 26 January and 3 March. He had breached the existing SHPO by using the pseudonym James Brown.

The court heard there had been an “escalation in the defendant’s offending” and he has an “entrenched sexual interest in children”. He was assessed as posing a “high risk of harm to children”.

Mitigation presented by Darren Bishop included that Camplin is the primary carer for his disabled partner and that he entered guilty pleas.

Recorder Simon Hughes sentenced Camplin to seven years’ imprisonment.

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Update

A man who sexually assaulted a woman on board a train has been jailed following a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation.

Stephen Denison, 53, and of Baxter Avenue, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to Sexual Assault and was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment at North Shields Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 14 May.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register for seven years.

The court heard how, on 2 February this year, a visibly intoxicated Denison boarded a train at Newcastle station and sat opposite a 56-year-old woman. He immediately attempted to engage her in conversation.

His remarks became increasingly lewd and she was subject to a barrage of inappropriate questions.

When Denison asked the woman to move her luggage so he could sit next to her, she refused and made it clear she would not be engaging with him. However, he persisted and went on to sexually assault her before leaving the service at Durham station.

An off-duty Metropolitan Police Service officer sitting nearby spotted the distressed victim and immediately approached to comfort her. 

She told the victim she had reported what happened to BTP and detectives launched an investigation to track Denison down.

He was arrested two days later at his home address and questioned in custody before being released on conditional bail while detectives gathered evidence to charge him.   

After being released Denison was arrested again at Newcastle station for breaching his bail conditions which stipulated that he must not enter the railway.

Danison’s sexual assault charge was authorised on Monday 2 March.

BTP Detective Constable Adil Ahmed said: “Denison’s crude comments and subsequent assault have had a lasting impact on the victim.

“Being drunk is absolutely no excuse for sexual assault – it is hoped that now behind bars, Denison takes the opportunity to consider the effects of his lecherous behaviour.”

2023-07-20

A convicted sex offender tried to hug and kiss a woman in front of her young daughter as they sat in the back of a church.

Stephen Denison, who has two previous convictions for sexual assault, including one where he left a teenage schoolgirl hyperventilating in shock by groping her at a city centre bus station, spotted the female and child at the church in Fenham, one day in May this year. The 50-year-old pervert then sat next to the woman and hugged her before "forcibly pulling her" towards him and trying to kiss her, a court heard.

The terrified victim pushed the pervert away as concerned members of public, who had seen what was happening, intervened, prosecutors said. Denison, of Baxter Avenue, in Fenham, was arrested and charged with one count of sexual assault.

He failed to show for a subsequent hearing at Newcastle Magistrates' Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest, however, he was finally detained last month, pleaded guilty to the offence and the case was adjourned to this week for sentence. Gurjot Kaur, prosecuting, said the victim, who was unknown to Denison, and her young daughter were sat in the church one day in May this year when Denison approached them.

Miss Kaur continued: "The defendant initially hugged her. He kept trying to talk to her and offered her daughter a coin. The defendant then put his arm around her back and made an attempt to forcibly pull her towards him to try and kiss her. She pushed him away."

In a statement, the victim said she'd been left suffering from heart palpitations and having to take anti-nausea pills. She also said she had been unable to return to the church since the incident.

The court heard that Denison had 46 offences on his record, including two for sexual assault from 2021 and 2016. For the 2021 offence, which involved groping the teenage schoolgirl at Eldon Square bus station, he was jailed for 16 months and made to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.

Andy O'Hanlon, defending, said Denison wasn't "bad to the bone" but, instead, "undiagnosed" with a limited understanding. Mr O'Hanlon added: "He hasn't addressed his offending behaviour in custody.

"Probation want to keep working with him on an intensive basis. Doing something to stop him drinking so heavily would be a good start. You can lock him up for a short time but it won't address anything. Probation want to put a great deal of work into him. Until that's done, he will just wander around being a pain."

Magistrates jailed Denison for 20 weeks and told him he must also sign the Sex Offenders' Register for seven years.

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We have renewed our appeal to find 47-year-old Green who is wanted for breaching his notification requirements under the conditions of the sex offenders register.

Extensive enquiries have been ongoing to locate Green and we continue to appeal to the public to help find him.

We believe that he could be in Newcastle or Carlisle and he also has links to Merseyside.

If you have seen him or have any information, please call North Yorkshire Police on 101.

If you have an immediate sighting of him, please call 999.

If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can pass information to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or via their website.

Please quote reference number 12260043991 when providing any information.

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A man who raped a stranger as she slept on his sofa after a party has been jailed for five years and nine months.

Michael Burns, 56, of South Shields, took the woman back to his flat to collect tobacco to take to a gathering they had both attended. Newcastle Crown Court heard she dozed off on the sofa and woke to find him raping her.

Prosecutor Emma Dowling said the woman did not know Burns but thought he seemed “ok” and had no concerns. She recalled him offering her a sealed can of Coke before she fell asleep.

“She believes she must have fallen asleep because the next thing she can remember is waking up and the defendant was having sex with her,” Miss Dowling said. “She shoved him off and managed to get out of the flat.”

Burns initially told police “she must have done something to him” after his DNA was found on her underwear. The 56-year-old, who has 44 previous offences including causing death by dangerous driving in 1994, later admitted rape.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she lost her confidence, became paranoid and struggled to eat or sleep. She added it was something she would “never really get over”.

Judge Stephen Earl told Burns:

“Rape is a horrific offence, it is an offence which has consequences far beyond the actual act. You committed one of the most horrific offences you can commit against a woman as a man.”

The judge imposed lifelong sex offender registration and a restraining order.

Defence lawyer Claire Anderson said Burns is an alcoholic with mental and physical health problems and plans to move away after his release.

In a letter to the judge, Burns wrote he was “really, really sorry” and wanted to “sincerely apologise” to the victim.

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A paedophile was caught with a childlike sex doll and baby rape videos after police acted on a tip-off.

Scott Mullen, 32, of Swallow Way, Duffryn, Newport, was handed an eight-year extended sentence after being classified as a dangerous offender at Swansea Crown Court.

Prosecutor Joshua Scouller said Mullen initially admitted downloading 136 child abuse images and films between 14 July and 18 August 2024 — 23 at category A, 18 at category B and 95 at category C.

He later tried to vacate his guilty pleas and, representing himself, submitted a forged report from a legitimate digital investigations firm. Using the company’s logo, he claimed it suggested he might be innocent and had not downloaded the material deliberately.

The deception was uncovered and he pleaded guilty last June to perverting the course of justice.

Mullen was already a convicted sex offender, having received a community order in 2017 for possessing indecent images of children.

His barrister Jon Tarrant said in mitigation:

“The defendant does accept that there are issues here.”

Judge Geraint Walters told Mullen of the images: “These are real children being abused by sick adults.”

He added that the pre-sentence report concluded Mullen was a dangerous offender who presented a high risk of committing further serious offences, describing his attempt to deceive the court as “planned and sophisticated”.

Mullen was jailed for three years plus an extended licence period of five years. He must register as a sex offender for life and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life.

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A rapist who abused a girl has been jailed after the victim reported the historic offences to a close friend and a health professional.

Anthony Toward, 37, of Blakelaw, was arrested and charged with several offences, which he denied. Following a five-day trial at Newcastle Crown Court in February, a jury found him guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was remanded in custody.

Today (Monday) he was sentenced at the same court to 14 years in prison. He will also spend the rest of his life on the Sex Offenders’ Register and was given an indefinite restraining order.

Det Con Frank Cox of Northumbria Police, who led the case, said: "I'd firstly like to highlight the bravery of the victim-survivor in this case.

"The courage and determination she has shown throughout this process has ultimately led us to holding Toward to account for the attacks he carried out. While the sentence is no retribution for what the victim-survivor has been through – I hope it can provide some closure and help her move forward."

Det Con Cox added that Toward was a predator who had taken advantage of the victim. He added: "No-one should ever have to experience this type of abuse.

"Please know, if you've been a victim of any form of abuse – we are here for you and we will support you."

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A child sexual predator has been jailed – after arranging to watch the sexual abuse of a child online.

Tony Bonner, 62, is now behind bars after he was caught making arrangements to watch a live stream of a 12-year-old girl being sexually abused.

In 2023, Bonner engaged in communication with someone online who he believed had access to children overseas who he could watch being sexually assaulted via live stream and eventually meet. 

However, what he didn’t realise was he was actually speaking to a police officer who was closing in through their investigation.

A strike was planned, and in June 2024 Bonner was arrested by officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) with the support of Northumbria Police.

Officers also seized electronic devices to further build their evidence case and discovered indecent photographs/videos of children.

Bonner was subsequently charged with arranging the commission of a child sex offence and possession of indecent images of a child.

Faced with the overwhelming evidence against him, Bonner eventually pleaded guilty to all charges.

Today (Friday) Bonner, from South Shields, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court and was sentenced to four years in prison and a ten year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Lee Robertson, said:

“The vile actions of Bonner were clear and thanks to the dedicated work of officers he is now behind bars and facing the consequences of his actions.

“We would urge anyone who has been a victim of this type of offending, or has concerns about someone’s behaviour, to come forward and talk to police – support is available and you can help safeguard other vulnerable children."

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A man has been jailed for 13-years after he was found guilty of rape and sexual assault.

Robert James Hough, 56, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Friday (10 April).

Hough was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Following a trial, he was found guilty of rape and sexual assault at the same court on 29 January 2026.

The offences took place between 2016 and 2021.

Detective Constable Josie Frost, of the rape and sexual offences (RASSO) team, said:

“I would like to commend the outstanding bravery of the victim in coming forward and telling us what happened.

“Hough consistently denied the offences, but a jury found him guilty earlier this year.

“We remain committed to protecting victims of rape and sexual assault across Staffordshire and I would encourage anyone who has been a victim to come forward and talk to us.”

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A 47-year-old man who hid in the women’s toilets at Newcastle railway station and waited for someone to come in has been jailed, following a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation.

Paul Southern, 16/10/1978, and of no fixed address, was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on 26 March after pleading guilty to Voyeurism.

He was jailed for four months and will sign the sex offenders register for seven years.

The court heard how on Thursday 5 February this year, Southern had entered the women's toilets at the station and waited there for 40 minutes before a woman entered to use the facilities.

The victim, aged in her 40s, entered a cubicle and just seconds later noticed Southern's head appear under the divide. He looked at her for a few seconds before she shouted "what are you doing?" at him. She then banged on the door to try to get Southern to leave.

The victim then ran out of the toilets and informed her partner who approached BTP officers who were on patrol at the station.

Southern was then confronted by the officers, who asked him what he was doing before arresting him.

CCTV footage captured Southern’s movements leading up to the crime, during which he had been aimlessly wandering around the station before entering the women’s toilets.

BTP Detective Sergeant Graham Marshall Batey said:

“Southern’s actions that day were calculated as he laid in wait for a woman to enter the adjacent cubicle. It’s down to the bravery of the woman who reported his disgusting behaviour that we were able to immediately arrest him and put him before the courts.”

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A former Hampshire police inspector who sexually assaulted young men in custody during unnecessary strip-searches has been convicted of sexual offences and misconduct.

Gerard Hutchings, 66, abused 18 victims at police stations between 1999 and 2007.

A jury at Bristol Crown Court found him guilty of five counts of indecent assault, five of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and one of misconduct in public office. He had already admitted 17 further counts of misconduct in public office and will be sentenced on 24 July.

The victims, aged 17 to 31, had been arrested for minor offences and attended stations for cautions or reprimands. Eight told the trial they were strip-searched without justification.

One man, arrested for shoplifting, said:

He was trying to humiliate me. I do believe he took great pleasure in pointing out what a piece of scum I was and people like me should not walk the earth, or words to that effect. I have been strip-searched before and there was no following of the rules whatsoever. He never took any interest in my clothing.

Hutchings was jailed for 16 months in 2008 after admitting 11 misconduct charges; prosecutors then accepted not-guilty pleas to 11 sexual offences. He was sacked by Hampshire Police in 2007 after 28 years service.

A new investigation began in 2020 after another allegation. Detectives identified the 18 victims from 373 names in his police notebook.

Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Rob France said:

Hutchings behaviour was vile and degrading and clearly nowhere near the expectation we have of our officers. Thanks to the bravery of the victims in recalling their experience, and the hard work of investigators, Hutchings now faces another spell in prison for his awful behaviour.