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Daniel Mould targeted three females, including one victim twice, during rush hour.

A warped law student who exposed his genitals and performed a sex act at random young women on the street has been spared jail.

Since Daniel Mould, 21, flashed at the three women, incuding one victim twice, he quit his university programme and started working at McDonald's. A court heard CCTV captured Mould target the young women as they walked through the Shieldfield area of Newcastle, during rush hour.

The defendant then looked behind after the women walk passed to see what their reaction was.

Mould's lewd behaviour was reported to police who arrested the young man, and he appeared at Newcastle Magistrates' Court last week.

He was given a three-year community order and must sign the Sex Offenders' Register after he pleaded guilty to four counts of exposure.

Sentencing Mould, District Judge Paul Currer said: "The way you behaved to them was truly appalling. What's also very concerning is that, once you have exposed yourself, you watch for a reaction. It's also concerning that you have no recollection."

The defendant was living in halls of residence at the time of the offences, Chronicle Live reports. The crimes happened near the university accommodation in November last year.

James Long, prosecuting, said: "CCTV footage shows the defendant walking towards the camera.

"He approaches the camera and a female and removes his penis from his tracksuit bottoms as the female approaches. She walks passed him as the exposure takes place. He's only about 2m away from her when he does this. After she's walked passed, he pulls his waistband back up and turns to look back to see if there's a reaction. She kept walking."

The court heard that, moments later, Mould targeted his second victim by exposing his genitals and performing a sex act as he walked towards her. Just seven days later, the pervert flashed at the same woman as she walked down a street.

Mr Long added: "The victim immediately recognised the defendant from the previous time. On the same day, the final victim was walking near the Heaton area and she sees a male walking alongside her. He lifts his shorts and reveals his genitals."

Mould, who now lives in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, has no past convictions, had no recollection of any of the incidents but claimed to have been suffering from acute anxiety at the time.

Neil Connell, defending, said Mould, who has been in relationship for three years, had suffered a serious head injury in the past but it wasn't a case of him experiencing "sexual urges he couldn't control". He has also sought help from a GP since being arrested.

As well as the community order, Mould must also pay £200 in compensation to each victim.

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Nathan Wing, aged 28, met the girl on-line using a false name and later initiated thousands of sexualised social media conversations.

Aware that his victim was only 12-years-old at the time, Wing enticed her to send him a series of sexually explicit images. He also arranged to meet her in person on multiple occasions.

Police traced the phone used by Wing and arrested him in January last year.

A forensic examination of the device uncovered a series of similar exchanges with two other teenage girls.

Officers also uncovered evidence of numerous sexually explicit internet searches relating to young girls.

Wing, formerly of Newark, refused to answer any questions posed to him by officers but later admitted to a total of 11 sexual offences, including inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday 11 November, Wing was jailed for eight years and ordered to spend another four on licence because he is classed as a dangerous offender.

When he is eventually released Wing will be the subject of a sexual harm prevention order which will place significant restrictions on his life.

Detective Constable Stacey Hardstaff, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Wing is a manipulative sex offender who poses a significant danger to young girls. He knew exactly what he was doing and had absolutely no care for the very significant harm he was causing.

“His depravity has had a profound impact on his victims and their families and I am pleased he has now been held accountable by the courts.

“This is a very significant jail sentence that should serve as a warning to anyone else thinking of behaving in a similar way.”

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A pervert had his baby with him when he set off hoping to meet a child he had been sending sex chats to online.

Shaun Watson had been communicating with a profile he thought was a 14-year-old called Paige but was in fact being run by paedophile hunters.

He first contacted her on the Skout app but was not deterred when a member of the Child Online Safety Team told him Paige was underage.

He made lewd comments about what he wanted to do, including asking if she wanted to watch him masturbate.

The Paige profile disappeared but when another, similar one appeared, Watson contacted it and sent pictures of his penis, despite being told she was 14. He also asked for photographs of her genitals.

The group also set up a profile on MeetMe using the same name and picture and Watson made contact with that too around six weeks later.

He was again told she was a child but his conversation quickly turned sexual and he sent pictures of his genitals and encouraged her to carry out a sex act on herself.

The court heard he then arranged to meet her.

Prosecutor Michael Bunch told the court: "It appears the defendant did initially travel to that meeting.

"He said he was with his one-year-old daughter but before the meeting happened he said he needed to return home because his daughter would not settle."

Members of the Child Online Safety Team confronted Watson at his place of work and home and police were contacted.

While waiting for the police, he said he was an "idiot"

Conviction mentioned here: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/north-east-paedophile-sex-crime-22204589

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Lee Wilson, of Slatyford, admitted a series of sex offences after police found damning evidence on a mobile phone hidden in a safe inside a wall cavity

A child sex predator who groomed young girls at a Tyneside swimming pool and went on to carry out sickening sex attacks was branded a "mean man" in a letter by one of his victims.

Lee Wilson, who would often sit on the edge of the pool watching but not swimming, wheedled his way into the lives of the victims and their families in order to carry out his twisted sexual desires towards children. After winning the trust of their families, he abused it in horrific fashion, leaving a trail of trauma.

The perverted beast had branded the victims liars until police found a secret phone which he had hidden in a safe in a wall cavity, which contained damning evidence, including images of him abusing one of the victims. Now Wilson, 40, of Pooley Road, Slatyford, Newcastle, has been jailed for 11 years at Newcastle Crown Court for seven child sex offences, including sexual assault, assault by penetration and making indecent images of children. 

One of the girls bravely wrote what she labelled "a sad letter" to Wilson, which was read out as he was sentenced. She wrote: "You made me feel angry and sad. I don't want to say your name but I know what you did was wrong. I liked you. I changed and I have to live with things.

"I never want to see you again. I want to ask you why did you do this? Why in the world did you do it? Why did you think it was a good idea? Mean man." She signed it off with a sad face.

The court heard it was in September last year the first victim and her family contacted police after she revealed what he had been doing to her. Dr Chris Wood, prosecuting, said: "Each time he would offer sweets as inducement, which the Crown say was grooming."

Wilson also told the girl to keep his sexual abuse "our little secret".

The second victim was also groomed at a swimming pool, with Wilson befriending her and her family. The dad of one of the girls had noticed how he was overfamiliar and would not swim, instead sitting on the edge of the pool and watching.

When he was arrested, he denied the offences and the children were forced to go through a pre-trial process of being cross-examined by his barrister. Dr Wood said: "They were told they were lying during cross-examination. He subjected them needlessly to the court process because he would not admit he was a sexual predator of children and sexually abused these girls."

He had given police a phone but they were suspicious as it had very little on it and formed the view it was a decoy. In September last year officers searched his home and found another phone concealed in a safe in a wall cavity.

On it were indecent images of children taken by him, some with a hidden "surveillance"-type camera. There were images of the first girl and another family

The mum of one of the girls read a victim impact statement in court, saying: "The impact will be felt for years to come." She said her daughter now "freaks out" when she sees a bald man in case it's him and is now very clingy, adding: "Clothes and toys had to be thrown away because they reminded her of Lee.

She told the court: "I'm not a hateful person but I do hate this man with every part of my being. It makes me feel physically sick. He has stolen her innocence. Strangers say to me 'smile it might never happen' but it already has."

The girls dad added: "I feel hatred towards him for what he is and what he has done."

The other girl's dad said: "It's had a devastating effect on our family and I've seen a significant change in (the girl). She was a happy, care-free child without a care in the world. Since this she has a sadness about her and has become more withdrawn.

"She has drawn pictures titled before and after. The before pictures are bright and in colour and the after pictures are dark, mainly black. She can't understand how someone she thought was a friend would do something so horrible to her.

"She was terrified she had to attend court. She was having nightmares and would shout out during the night.

"He has taken everything I held close to my heart away from me for his own perverted satisfaction. I will never forgive this man."

Wilson, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to three counts of assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault, sexual activity with a child and making indecent images of a child. He was jailed for eleven years and must sign the sex offenders register indefinitely and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order and restraining order.

Recorder Toby Hedworth QC said Wilson "remains in apparent denial of your true motivation and dismissed matters as a series of bad decisions". He added: "You are an offender of particular concern."

John Crawford, defending, said he has a heart condition which lowers his life expectancy and added: "He has expressed his sincere apologies and regret, recognising that might be entirely meaningless."

Jonathan Hanratty of CPS North East said: “Lee Wilson acted in a predatory manner, often engineering the circumstances in which he was able to perpetrate the abuse of his two young victims.

“To hide what he had done, he tried to bribe both victims with sweets and told them that his actions against them were a secret that should not be disclosed.

“Despite this, his victims found the courage to tell their parents and Wilson was subsequently arrested. His phone was also seized by police, which was later found to contain an indecent image of a child.

“It is clear that Wilson had little concern for the harm that his offending would cause to either girl, seemingly caring only for his own sexual gratification.

“The impact of Wilson’s offending on his victims and their families has been significant, and we sincerely hope that today’s sentence provides some measure of comfort to them.”

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A pervert who groomed a schoolgirl online was caught when her dad found seedy messages and pictures while fixing her phone.

When Jamie Cobden first contacted the girl on Snapchat she was 14 and he lied that he was 18. By the second day of their communication he turned it sexual, describing what he wanted to do and asking about her school uniform.

After around four months he revealed his true age of 26 and convinced her "age was just a number" and said he wanted to be her boyfriend, which she said she didn't feel comfortable with. Cobden asked her for sexual pictures and when she refused he put pressure on her until she did. She sent video and audio of a sexual nature, later saying she felt scared to say no to him. He sent a picture of his penis to her.

Newcastle Crown Court heard he put pressure on her to meet, saying he would take her for dinner and to a hotel. She used the excuse that her parents wouldn't let her and never actually met him.

Cobden's illegal contact with the girl came to light after she dropped her phone in the bath and asked her dad to fix it. He then found the messages and images that had been exchanged when he looked at her phone out of parental curiosity.

Police were informed and she blocked Cobden although she later accepted a Facebook request from him. He said he missed her and she said she still had feelings for him but couldn't talk anymore.

When he was arrested police found 2,037 messages, some of them graphic, had passed between them. They also discovered two category C indecent images he had downloaded online showing girls aged 12-15 in a shower wearing T shirts.

In a victim impact statement, the teenager said: "I was only 14. To this day I'm very confused about how this affected me. I thought I was in love with him.

"I feel so guilty about everything and would tell myself how horrible a person I was. I was extremely lonely and he made me feel loved. Maybe he did love me or maybe he was just taking advantage of a young girl.

"A 14 or 15-year-old kid should not have those problems. I hate that I did those things at such a young age.

"My world shattered and I had to completely reinvent myself, which is not easy. I don't want another girl to go through what I did.

"I just hope Jamie has realised what he did was wrong. What happened will always be a part of me but I can move on now and help others."

Cobden, 30, of Bentinck Road, Newcastle, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two charges of inciting the girl to engage in sexual activity, sexual communication with a child and possessing two indecent images. He was jailed for 16 months and told he must sign the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

The court heard there was a "significant amount of grooming". Recorder Mark McKone KC said: "This was persistent offending over a six month period and went into graphic detail."

Jane Foley, defending, said: "The defendant was a very lonely individual. He had moved from Brighton to the North East, following the mother of his child.

"He continues to berate himself for his outrageous behaviour. His relationship with his daughter has been severely impacted and he barely sees her as a consequence.

"He suffers from low mood and deeply regrets his actions and his offending. He feels guilty about his behaviour. This is something that will continue to effect him and weigh heavily on him for many years."

Following the sentencing, the officer in charge of the case, Detective Sergeant Richie Jobson, of Northumbria Police, said: While no sentence could ever erase the trauma victims of these type of offences go through, hopefully it goes to show that we will do everything we can in our power to protect children from predators like Cobden.

I would like to thank all the officers who took part in this investigation, including the digital forensic examiners who were able to uncover what Cobden had hidden on his devices.

Everyones efforts has ensured a comprehensive prosecution case was put before the courts, meaning a dangerous offender had little option but to admit his guilt. I hope this serves as a lesson to anyone who thinks they can get away with this type of criminality.

I want to praise the victim for coming forward with the information and commend the courage she has shown throughout the process. We are here to support any victims and are committed to making sure any offenders find themselves in a neighbouring cell to Cobden.

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A man who raped a 15-year-old girl has been jailed for 12 years after he "turned her life upside-down". Jacob Curley, 32, was found guilty of rape by a jury following a trial and was also found guilty of sexual assault and assault by penetration. He had denied the offences against him.

A victim impact statement read out by prosecutor Ieuan Bennett at Cardiff Crown Court said: “This incident has affected me a lot. It has completely torn my family apart and turned my life upside-down." The victim added: "He is the reason my life is not going the way I planned [...] He really has ruined my life and I feel that I have completely lost my identity."

Mr Bennett told the court that Curley, of Harlequin Road, Newport, had 15 previous convictions for 39 offences. There were no previous convictions for sex offences. Joshua Scouller, representing the defendant, said that Curley was a father and that the offences against the victim were "relatively short-lived."

“Despite overwhelming scientific evidence of your DNA you did not plead guilty and you put her through the ordeal of a trial,” Judge Jeremy Jenkins told the defendant. He added: "I have read with care [the victim’s] victim impact statement in this case and I say immediately it is difficult to imagine a more profound impact than these events have had and continue to have on the complainant."

He continued: “She continues to struggle and her life has been turned upside-down by these events.” Judge Jenkins sentenced the defendant to a total of 12 years in prison. Curley will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and was also given a restraining order which will last indefinitely.

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 A MAN raped a 15-year-old schoolgirl as she was being sick after she had been plied with alcohol.

Bradley Bullock, 26, from Newport, went on to sexually assault women and threatened to rape a nurse. 

 The defendant, who was sectioned at one point, claimed to have “met the devil in jail and said there was a conspiracy to kill his family”. 

 The defendant, who was sectioned at one point, claimed to have “met the devil in jail and said there was a conspiracy to kill his family”. 

 Matthew Cobbe, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “The rape victim was 15 at the time of the offence.

“She was targeted and the defendant knew her age and realised there was an opportunity.

“He raped her as she was vomiting. It was humiliating.

“Alcohol was used to facilitate the offence and she was plied with drink.”

Byron Broadstock, representing Bullock, said in mitigation of the rape: “There is no criticism of the victim but she was drinking of her own free will.

“This was an opportunistic offence on Mr Bullock’s behalf.”

The court was told that the defendant had been sectioned and was “clearly mentally unwell” at the time of some of the offences.

Mr Broadstock added that his client had a “sad and tragic background”.

Bullock, formerly of Stelvio Park Court, Newport, was also being sentenced after he pleaded guilty to a burglary and robbery offence committed after the sexual offences. 

 Matthew Cobbe, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “The rape victim was 15 at the time of the offence.

“She was targeted and the defendant knew her age and realised there was an opportunity.

“He raped her as she was vomiting. It was humiliating.

“Alcohol was used to facilitate the offence and she was plied with drink.”

Byron Broadstock, representing Bullock, said in mitigation of the rape: “There is no criticism of the victim but she was drinking of her own free will.

“This was an opportunistic offence on Mr Bullock’s behalf.”

The court was told that the defendant had been sectioned and was “clearly mentally unwell” at the time of some of the offences.

Mr Broadstock added that his client had a “sad and tragic background”.

Bullock, formerly of Stelvio Park Court, Newport, was also being sentenced after he pleaded guilty to a burglary and robbery offence committed after the sexual offences. 

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Oliver Fox, who has to inform officers of a change of address within 72 hours as part of being on the Sex Offenders' Register, is now facing a possible prison sentence.

A sex offender is facing jail after he failed to inform police of his whereabouts for three days after leaving hospital.

Oliver Fox, who appeared on Chroniclelive earlier this month for urinating in front of disgusted patients in the A and E waiting room at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, was back in the dock less that four weeks later after he breached the requirements of being on the Sex Offenders' Register.

A court heard that the 45-year-old voluntarily admitted himself to hospital on October 12 but then disappeared without telling anyone where he was going. Under the rules of the Sex Offenders' Register, he must inform police within three days of a change of address or if he becomes homeless.

When staff at the hospital did finally get an answer on Fox's mobile, it was a stranger who'd just bought the device from him in the street, prosecutors said. Fox, formerly of Salters Road, in Gosforth, but now of no fixed abode, appeared in the dock in custody at South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court to plead guilty to failing to comply with notification requirements of the Sex Offenders' Register.

James Long, prosecuting, said Fox admitted himself into hospital on October 12 but disappeared on October 22. Mr Long continued: "What's happened is, he's gone out on unescorted leave on a particular day and never returned. Staff try and phone him.

"There's some suggestion he's fallen off the wagon. They repeatedly try and phone him. Someone else eventually answers the phone and says they have just bought it off a homeless man, who they thought was on drugs. The defendant failed to notify the police of his new address. Having left the hospital on October 22, he had until October 25 to do so and he did not."

The court heard that Fox, who has one previous breach of the register on his record from July this year, was on a conditional discharge at the time, which was given earlier this month for the urinating in the hospital.

Steve Chambers, defending, said, until recently, Fox hadn't offended since 2003. He added: "His mental health is poor. When he's homeless, which he usually is, he has to tell the police every seven days that he's homeless. He was then accommodated at the hospital but left and became homeless again. He's surrendered straight away when he's realised his mistake."

District Judge Kate Meek adjourned the case for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. She added: "You are now on bail, which means you have a duty to come back here on November 17 for sentence."

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A PAEDOPHILE who raped one schoolboy and sexually assaulted another has been jailed for 22 years.

Paul Allen, 60, from Newport, was told by Judge Daniel Williams that he had "an insatiable interest in the sexual abuse of young boys”.

The defendant, of Backhall Street, Caerleon, was found guilty following a trial of a catalogue of offences.

They included rape, sexual assault and inciting a 13-year-old boy to engage in sexual activity.

At Newport Crown Court Allen was handed an 18-year jail sentence plus an extended licence period of four years.

He will serve two thirds of the custodial sentence before he will be eligible for parole.

Allen will be on the sex offenders’ register for life.

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 A CHILD rapist was jailed for more than 12 years for sexually assaulting an underage schoolgirl after grooming her.

Paedophile Matthew Wreford, 42, from Newport, was told by a judge he is a dangerous offender who poses a “high risk” to teenage girls. 

 Byron Broadstock, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court how the defendant had told the girl he loved her. 

 After Wreford was arrested, police seized his mobile phone and found sexual messages he had sent to his victim on social media before he raped her.

Byron Broadstock, prosecuting, said: “The defendant had told her, “Send me pictures baby” and asked her, “Do you feel loose?”

Examination of Wreford’s internet browsing history revealed an interest in teenage girls.

When the defendant was first interviewed by detectives he “denied any form of sexual activity”.

Mr Broadstock added: “There had been grooming behaviour and there was also a significant disparity of age.”

The defendant, of Torridge Road, Bettws, pleaded guilty to rape, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual communication with a child.

He had 17 previous convictions for 26 offences, including public disorder.

There were none for sexual offences.

Stuart John, representing Wreford, said: “He has taken some responsibility for his actions.

“The defendant entered guilty pleas at his plea and trial preparation hearing.

“He will be in prison for many years to come.

“The defendant does feel genuine remorse.”

Mr John added how Wreford was hoping to “make substantial changes” while he serves his custodial sentence and had sought help on a sex offender programme.

The Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke told the defendant: “You told your victim not to tell anyone because you would go to prison if she did.

“You were under the influence of alcohol.”

Wreford was made the subject of an extended prison sentence of 12 years and six months.

He will have to register as a sex offender for life and was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. 

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Connor Swindle, formerly of Wallsend, had only been released from prison two days earlier when he left the 18-year-old distressed.

A convicted rapist left a teenage hospital patient in tears by brazenly exposing himself to her in the waiting area of A&E.

Connor Swindle had been released from prison just two days before ending up at the RVI in a drunken state. Newcastle Crown Court heard that at one point the 18-year-old victim asked Swindle if she could borrow his phone to call her mother.

Despite the presence of others in the room, Swindle twice exposed himself to the distressed teenager. Now the pervert, who is assessed as posing a high risk of harm, has been jailed.

Glenn Gatland, prosecuting, said the offence happened when the pair ended up at the city centre hospital at the same time, around 6am one morning in July this year. He said: "After some time the defendant took his penis out from his trousers and began to move it around in a circular motion, swinging it and saying 'you know you like it''

"When challenged by the victim she asked him to put it away, which he did. Five minutes later he again exposed it, swung it around and (made a lewd comment).

"She began to cry and got up and went to the reception desk, where she reported what happened." Police were called and when they arrested him they found him to be in possession of a tube containing cocaine.

In a victim impact statement, the teenager said: "I attended the RVI hospital to seek treatment and became a victim of crime. I can't believe somebody would act or behave like this and it's so much worse because this is a hospital.

"I don't know if I will feel fully safe in a hospital after this. I will feel on edge in future."

The court heard Swindle was convicted of rape and sexual assault in relation to three girls when he was just 15. He also has convictions for breaching his sex offender registration, arson and attempted arson - for which he was released from a prison sentence just two days before the hospital offending.

Swindle, 22, of no fixed address, previously of Wallsend, pleaded guilty to exposure and possessing cocaine and was jailed for eight months, with an extended licence period of one year and four months. He must also sign the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

Kate Barnes, defending, said Swindle had been released from prison with no accommodation. He wasn't taking his anti-psychotic medication and started taking drink and drugs.

Miss Barnes said: "It was a woeful situation on his release from custody. He had no support at all." She added that he is sorry, says the offence was not sexually motivated and is addressing his mental health issues and feels safe in custody. The court heard Swindle "endured a great deal of trauma as a child".

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A loner paedophile who was found with horrific child abuse images as well as a video which lasted over an hour has been caged.

Marko Istvanic was found in possession of lengthy videos depicting the sexual abuse of children and had distributed six category A videos online. The material he had collected was so bad, a judge at Durham Crown Court described them as some of the worst he'd ever heard of.

Istvanic, of Eglesfield Road, South Shields, appeared at the court on Tuesday to be sentenced for the possession and distribution of indecent images. The 35-year-old had pleaded guilty to the offences at a previous hearing. 

Lewis Kerr, prosecuting, said police went to Istvanic's home on March 31, last year, and seized his computer and computer tower before carrying out examinations on them. He said: "The examinations recovered a number of images which had been downloaded over peer-to-peer software." A total of 15 category A images were found and three images in category B. Istvanic had also shared six category A videos, 16 times online.

The court was told the material Istvanic was found with involved male and female adults abusing children and images involving animals were also found. Mr Kerr said: "In interview the defendant gave an explanation saying he was not sexually interested in children but was addicted at looking at the images." Mr Kerr added that one category A video was an hour and three minutes long, with other videos lasting "some length". Istvanic had also deleted and re-downloaded images a number of times.

Neil Bennett, defending, said Istvanic is originally from Croatia and has no previous convictions. He said: "He is a man whose formative years were affected by social exclusion and an inability to form social relationships. He was bullied at school as he was born with a number of fingers missing from his left hand. That took a toll in his formative years and he has a lack of self-confidence. He formed an addiction to adult porn and that led to an unhealthy interest in him seeking out this material." Mr Bennett added Istvanic "expresses disgust and shame in himself" and that the offences were committed while he was working remotely during the covid pandemic, which "increased his social isolation".

Sentencing Istvanic, Judge James Adkin, called the images and videos he was found with "utterly repellent" and that they were "some of the worst descriptions I have ever seen". Istvanic was jailed for two years and was made subject of a 10 year sexual harm prevention order and will be on the sex offender's register for 10 years.

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Christopher Cook, of Throckley, broadcast the footage, which could have been viewed around the world.

A chef who live-streamed himself carrying out a sex act in the presence of a crying child has been jailed.

Christopher Cook videod himself doing the act and included the hashtags "young, no limits, not alone". Newcastle Crown Court heard the footage could have been viewed by other users of the website around the world.

Now shamed Cook, who has no previous convictions, has been jailed after admitting engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

The court heard it was broadcasted on a peer to peer website called Flingster, where other users are randomly selected to view what other people are streaming. The American-based website flagged Cook's illegal behaviour, banned him and alerted the authorities and the National Crime Agency became involved

Judge Edward Bindloss jailed Cook, 38, of Throckley, Newcastle, for two years and ordered him to register as a sex offender and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

The judge said: "There was a substantial risk others around the world were viewing you masturbating in the presence of (the child). Others could have formed an image that could circulate among those who look to share images of sexual abuse. There's no evidence it happened but there was a risk it did.

"You deliberately put this on the internet, created the hashtags and made the live stream for others to watch.

"You are regarded by those who know you best as a good man, somebody who feels bitterly the shame and regret at what you have done. People who know you regard this as completely out of character."

Jane Foley, defending, said: "He has lost his good character and good name. He has spent four months in custody, a place he would not have expected to spend time.

"The shame he feels is deep. It's an event from which he might not fully recover but he wants to try to put things right.

"It's very difficult for him to articulate what was really going through his mind. He puts it down to a moment of absolute idiocy. He deeply regrets what he did.

"He is capable of doing some good in the community and he can get back to work and support his family. His former job remains open to him. He has suffered immensely and is ashamed and feels the pain suffered by his family."

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Andrew Maund, of Hebburn, thought he was talking to two 14-year-olds but they were decoy profiles set up by paedophile hunters.

A pervert who engaged in sex chats with what he thought were two 14-year-old girls online has been spared prison.

Andrew Maund believed he was talking to genuine schoolgirls but he had been duped by vigilantes Guardians of the North. Newcastle Crown Court heard Maund, posing as "Steven", contacted both decoy profiles within three days in June 2020.

The first one, who was on the Meetme app purporting to be an 18-year-old called Lou, went on to say she was 14 but that didn't put him off. He said he would like to kiss her and asked what she was wearing, telling her she was sexy and asking for photographs in her bra, which she refused.

The second decoy profile, on dating app Badoo, also told Maund she was 14 and he said he wanted to kiss and cuddle her. When told she was home alone as her mum was at work, he said he would like to visit her.

He then outlined sexual acts he wanted to partake in with her, asked for pictures and sent a photograph of his genitals and made suggestive remarks about it.

Maund, 37, of St Rollox Street, Hebburn, South Tyneside, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted sexual communication with a child, one of attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity and possessing a small number of indecent images. He was sentenced to 21 months suspended for two years with rehabilitation and must do a sex offenders treatment programme. He will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order and sex offender registration for ten years.

Robin Turton, defending, said: "He is remorseful and feels shame. He says he had difficulties at home and a sense of loneliness. He has now lost his job at Amazon."

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Some of the disgusting material, which Andrew Tonner had downloaded, showed youngsters in 'extreme distress'

A twisted pervert had a vile collection of child sex abuse images and videos showing kids as young as two.

Andrew Tonner had downloaded the disturbing material online and some of it showed youngsters in "extreme distress", a court heard. The 46-year-old had only been accessing the photos and movies for three days when police intelligence showed it was being uploaded to his social media account and his Heaton home was searched.

In total, 15 sickening pictures and 19 videos were found on his electronic devices, despite him deleting some of the files. Ten photos and 18 movies were category A, the most serious kind that involve sexual penetration.

Tonner, who has since moved from Heaton to Landfall Drive, in Hebburn, appeared at Newcastle Magistrates' Court this week to plead guilty to three counts of making an indecent image of a child. The offences were said to have taken place between November 11 and November 14 last year.

Prosecutor, April Hall, said the case should be sent to the crown court for sentence. She added: "Police had cause to attend the defendant's address on November 16 2021 following intelligence detailing the uploading of indecent images of children and it had been uploaded to a social media account linked to the defendant.

"The case is further aggravated by the age range of the children, approximately two to 14. There's also extreme distress caused to a child in one of the videos."

Mattew Purves, defending, agreed that the case should be sent to Newcastle Crown Court for sentence. Tonner was released on unconditional bail to next appear there on October 20, however, in the meantime, he must sign the Sex Offenders' Register.