Latest Offenders Newcastle

Description

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.

Description

His Samsung mobile phone and tablet device were seized and examined and contained a total of 10 Category A, the most serious, pictures and videos as well as 23 category B images and 16 category C.

The court heard the members of the WhatsApp group where he shared the single, Category A video, had an "interest" in such illegal material, as well as sexual violence and bestiality and suggested "horrific" websites where it could be viewed.

Judge Julie Clemitson told the court: "He was an associate of those who had particularly gruesome interests."

Daglish, 37, of Collingwood Street, South Shields, South Tyneside, admitted one charge of distributing an indecent image, three of making indecent images and one of possessing a prohibited image, which was a cartoon.

He was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements and 240 hours unpaid work.

Daglish was ordered to sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for the next ten years.

Judge Clemitson told him: "You came to the attention of the authorities in this country via the authorities in the US, who became aware of you sharing a category A video on WhatsApp.

"Clearly you were associating with a group of people who shared a common interest and within that group certain recommendations were made to you for suggested viewing which depicted the most horrific content of rape, sexual violence, child abuse, bestiality."

Judge Clemitson said there was no evidence Daglish viewed the "horrific" websites suggested by the group but told him the child abuse images he had on his devices depicted real victims being subjected to harm that could last them a lifetime.

The judge added: "You claim to have no sexual interest in children and that I cannot accept but hopefully it is something you will come to deal with in due course.

"You blame your actions on alcohol."

The court heard Daglish has no previous convictions and has sought to address his alcohol misuse.

Judge Clemitson said Daglish is capable of rehabilitation, is allowed "one opportunity" and told him: "The world will be a safer place for children if you do successfully address those issues."

Gavin Doig, defending, said: "This is a defendant who the probation service say they can work with and who they say can benefit from intervention.

"He is obviously extremely concerned about the outcome."

Description

A paedophile motivated by “sexual power and control”, and a “sexual attraction to children”, is starting a 28-year prison sentence.

Classed as, an offender, “of particular concern” and considered a danger to children, Trevor Cairns must serve at least two-thirds of that sentence, almost 19 years, behind bars before he can be considered for release by the Parole Board.

But Newcastle Crown Court heard he may have to serve longer and, due to his infirmity, at the age, now, of 66, he may never enjoy his liberty again.

Cairns was convicted of a litany of “horrific” sexual offences against three children, two girls and a boy, spanning a number of decades, beginning when he, himself, was a teenager.

The court heard his offending dates from the late 1960s onwards, but it was only in 2018, when one of his victims came forward after discovering Cairns had been issued with a caution over another allegation of sexual abuse, in 1987, that the full picture of his crimes began to emerge.

When he realised he had not been Cairns' only target, the victim decided to come forward to report the actions of the man who preyed on him when he was a young boy, subjecting him to sexual abuse and raping him in the 1980s.

Cairns, of Barmston, Washington, was brought in for police questioning and gave a statement denying the offences, before being charged with multiple sexual offences.

Detectives then traced two further victims, who had gone on to lead lives away from the North East.

Both gave accounts of the abuse they suffered in their younger lives, at Cairns’ hands, and assisted police in helping to put him behind bars.

Having made blanket denials about all the allegations, it was only several days into his trial, at the court in February, as he was due to try to give evidence in his defence, that he changed pleas and admitted 13 charges.

These included five of rape, four of indecency with a child, three of indecent assault and one of buggery.

Several of the charges related to multiple offences against each of the victims.

Addressing the sentencing hearing today (Thursday May 18) the two female victims tearfully read impact statements to the court.

They variously described Cairns as, “a monster” and “an inhuman creature”, and spoke of the effect his abuse has had on their lives.

The court was told despite his late guilty pleas in mid-trial, he went back on those admissions when was interviewed by the Probation Service, preparing a report for the judge prior to sentence.

But, Cairns’ counsel, Jamie Adams, said he does, now, accept committing those offences.

“What this demonstrates is when somebody commits offences as bad as these it’s almost impossible for them to come to terms with it.

“We often see the denial when someone is guilty and they can’t admit to it or own up to it.

“We hear from the victims that he’s some sort of monster.

“One of the things that prompted the guilty pleas as late in the day as it did was Mr Cairns saying how sorry he felt.

“The whole matter can now be put to an end completely.

“He knows he’s completely alienated everyone in this world from him.

“He accepts he is likely to spend the rest of his life custody.

“There might be something there, though, that is not necessarily evil.

“And, any future risk posed by him is lessened by his infirmity.”

Judge Robert Spragg told Cairns that the probation report author’s belief was that: “You are motivated by sexual power and control and a sexual attraction to children.

“You are now 66, with health issues and in a wheelchair.

“You should never be in a position to harm children again.”

Imposing the sentence of 28 years, with at least two-thirds behind bars, Judge Spragg said upon his release Cairns will be subject to a one-year extension on his licence conditions.

The judge also made him subject to the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, notification requirements as a sex offender and restraining orders relating to each of his three victims, all for life.

Speaking after Cairns’ belated guilty pleas, Detective Constable Colin Ramshaw said: "The bravery shown by all the victims is nothing short of astounding.

“They have waited years for justice. Some have waited decades, but their abuser is now remanded into custody awaiting sentence.

"This has been one of the worst cases of prolific sexual offending I have ever seen.

“I really cannot praise the survivors enough.

“I believe they have given hope to others who have also suffered abuse and are yet to come forward.

Description

Online predator Michael Hancock tried to meet a 12-year-old at the Metrocentre and told her to pose as his niece if they saw anyone they knew.

The paedophile, who has previously worked "with youths and in hospitals", thought he was talking to a real child when he sent images of his genitals and turned the conversation sexual but, fortunately, it was actually an undercover police officer.

Newcastle Crown Court the officer had set up a profile online purporting to be an 18-year-old from Tyne and Wear, with which Hancock began to communicate in October 2021. He was soon told the girl was in fact 12 and he said he was 57.

The conversation quickly moved to Snapchat and turned sexual. Hancock sent a photograph of his legs in the bath and then his groin area. The profile replied with a message written on a child's arm saying "show me" and Hancock sent images of his penis.

Ian Cook, prosecuting, said: "He said he would buy gifts for her and she should not let her family know about the conversation and he arranged to meet her at the Metrocentre. He said if they saw anyone they knew they should say they were uncle and niece.

"He said they should be careful because if he was caught he would be called a paedo." He then went on to ask further intimate questions and discussed his sexual habits.

Mr Cook said: "He said he wanted to kiss her all night and hold her close. He arranged to meet her at the Metrocentre but was intercepted by police and arrested."

Hancock, 59, of Edinburgh Road, Jarrow, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and was sentenced to eight months suspended for two years with a four-month curfew. He will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order and will have to sign the sex offenders register for the next ten years.

Judge Julie Clemitson told him: "You believed that girl to be somewhat vulnerable and in the care system, yet rather than take actions any responsible adult would have done, which was immediately desist in talking to that child and even report the profile, you instead chose to continue to chat.

"You did so in a way which has the hallmarks of a predator, frankly. You slowly, over a period of time, gained that child's trust by talking in a non-sexual way, offering to take her out and buy her gifts, then slowly but surely you introduced a sexual element to the conversation.

"You spoke about meeting at the Metrocentre and agreed a cover story should anyone ask who you were. You engaged in chat about various sexual practices and sent images of your penis to that, what you believed to be, 12-year-old child.

"It's clear you have a sexual interest in young girls, however much you protest to the probation officer that you do not. Your behaviour was predatory.

"The seriousness of this kind of offending should not be underestimated. Just because there was not a real child doesn't mean this kind of offending doesn't lead to serious consequences. Children suffer day in and day out because of online paedophiles like yourself."

Sam Faulks, defending, said: "He has been a working man who has contributed to society by his taxes and toil. He has previous good character and he cares for his elderly uncle and if he is locked up he will not have that additional assistance from his nephew."

Description

A trainspotting pervert has once again been given a jail sentence for an indecent assault he carried out against a young boy in the 1980s.

Steven Gustafson began chatting to a young teenage boy about trains at Newcastle Central Station in the early 1980s before he asked him to take a trip underneath the arches of the King Edward VII bridge. The victim was then indecently assaulted.

The vile offence only recently came to light when the now-adult victim read that Gustafson had been jailed in 2021 for a very similar offence dating back to the same time. He then reported the assault to police.

In 2021, Gustafson was jailed for four and a half years for carrying out similar sexual offences which were also committed in the 1980s. He was in his mid-20s at the time when he befriended two boys who shared an interest in trainspotting and then sexually abused them after taking them to isolated places.

Gustafson, who has been serving his prison term at HMP Northumberland, was due for release this summer, but was hauled back in front of a judge at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday to be sentenced for the indecent assault which had recently come to light. The 65-year-old pleaded guilty to the single offence in March this year.

The court heard that the victim was a young teenage boy in the early 1980s and had first met Gustafson at Sunderland Train Station and began chatting about trains. Gustafson then offered to take the boy and his friend to Sunderland's South Docks, but he declined and instead went home.

But months after their first meeting, the boy ran into Gustafson again, this time at Newcastle Central Station.

Jane Waugh, prosecuting, said: "The victim recognised the defendant and again began chatting about trains. The defendant suggested they go over the to the King Edward VII bridge and look under the railway arches."

As the boy engaged into further conversation about trains, he realised Gustafson was "not really interested" in them. It wasn't long before Gustafson indecently assaulted the boy after putting his arms around his shoulders and asking sexual questions.

After pushing away Gustafson, the boy fled on a train and kept the assault a secret until years later when he confided to a former partner. However, the incident had a profound impact on the victim, who would regularly search for Gustafson on the internet. It was during one search that he read the defendant had been jailed for sexual offences.

Reading of his prison sentence, the victim then bravely reported what happened to him to police.

The court heard that Gustafson had nine previous convictions for 21 offences, all of which were offences committed against boys under the age of 16. All of his sexual offending took place behind the backdrop of a "railway setting", the court heard.

Peter Schofield, defending, said Gustafson had not committed any offences since 1998 and had successfully completed a sex offender treatment programme in the 1990s.

He said: "He has worked hard to change his life and plays a useful part in the community and his church. He is at a low risk of re-offending and has a firm plan to move away from this area. He is unlikely to re-offend again and has made efforts to stay offence free. There is a positive side to his general behaviour."

Sentencing Gustafson, Recorder Benjamin Nolan KC handed him a further 12-month prison sentence. He remains on the sex offender's register for life.

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A man who groomed and then raped a teenage girl has been jailed after his victim bravely came forward to tell police of the ordeal her attacker had subjected her to.

Richard Park, 45, had been contacting the 15-year-old girl via social media, before meeting the victim in January 2020.

While in his car in the North Tyneside area, he forced the teenager to perform a sex act on him.

The victim then contacted police to inform them of what had taken place and a full investigation was launched - in which the victim shared numerous messages with officers which Park had sent her. Following his arrest, Park denied any physical contact between himself and the victim.

He was however subsequently charged with rape of a female under 16, engaging in sexual communications with a child and child grooming. Park, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child and child grooming, but not guilty to the rape charge - which he was convicted of following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

At the same court on Wednesday, May 10, he was sentenced to a total of nine years in prison.

Park was also made subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for the next decade.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Karen Douglas, of Northumbria Police, said: “Park’s victim showed immense courage in coming forward to report the abuse he had put her through and we hope that his conviction helps to provide a degree of closure, enabling her to move on with her life.

“We are grateful for her and her family’s continued co-operation throughout the investigation, which has helped to put a manipulative and predatory paedophile behind bars.”

Det Con Douglas added: “Park knew his victim was underage and yet still he chose to pursue a sexual relationship with her, that is abhorrent. Not only did he groom and rape his victim, but he also then put her through the ordeal of a trial when he pleaded not guilty to the rape offence.

“Thankfully the jury saw through his lies and he is now rightfully beginning a lengthy term behind bars.”

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A brazen pervert sexually assaulted a "terrified" woman while his girlfriend was in the same room.

Paul Gerry, who has a past conviction for sexually assaulting a teenager, touched the victim's breasts and cupped her genitals during a gathering at a house in Newcastle, all while his partner was just metres away. A court heard that the 47-year-old's victim was considerably younger than him, although she was an adult, and was left too frightened to shout out.

The following day, Gerry sent the victim messages asking her not to say anything and offering her "£40 or £50 cash", prosecutors said. However, his predatory behaviour was reported to the police and he was arrested,

Gerry, of Hallow Drive, in Throckley, has now been jailed for 12 months after a judge deemed that he hadn't learned his lesson following his conviction in 2015 for similar offending. Recorder Thomas Moran said: "You didn't learn from your past conviction. That or you're just unable to control your sexual urges, despite the fact a great deal of work has already been done with you on your three-year community order and sex offenders' programme from 2015."

Mr Recorder Moran added: "You do present a degree of risk and the prospect of rehabilitation doesn't seem to be particularly good. The appropriate punishment can only be met by custody."

Newcastle Crown Court was told that the victim was at an address in Newcastle with Gerry and others one evening in October last year when he began secretly touching her inappropriately. Jane Waugh, prosecuting, continued: "He put his hand under her top and over her bra and felt her breasts.

"The defendant then unbuttoned her trousers and put his hands under her knickers and cupped her genitals. His girlfriend was present in the room. [The victim] was so scared, she couldn't talk or move."

The court heard that, when Gerry and the victim were later alone, he tried to kiss and hug her but she pushed him away. The following day he then sent her messages asking her not to tell anyone what had happened and offering her cash.

However, the woman later reported Gerry to the police and he was arrested. In a statement, she said: "This incident left me feeling closed in on myself emotionally and it's changed my life both physically and mentally. My mental health has deteriorated, where as before I had no issues."

Jennifer Coxon, defending, said Gerry was a carer for his elderly father and was remorseful. She added: "Mr Gerry has indicated that he's unable to make sense of what happened or why he did what he did that night. He doesn't usually drink on a regular basis and, while he hadn't consumed a large amount of alcohol, it had affected him considerably."

As well as the prison sentence, Gerry must sign the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.

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A Northumbria University student has been sentenced to two years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman.

Daniel Theobald appeared in Teesside Crown Court last month after attacking a 19-year-old student on October 16th last year.

Theobald, 23, grabbed the woman on a footbridge near Camden Street, Shieldfield, in the early hours, knocking her to the floor before groping her breasts and body, Chronicle Live reports.

The woman then ran to her accommodation and notified security, who contacted the police.

The court heard how Theobald was walking home to Heaton after a night out with friends in Newcastle. His victim was also walking back to her student accommodation with a friend, before they parted ways at John Dobson Street and she began walking alone. It was then that Theobald attacked the student, despite unintentionally following her out of town.

Rachel Masters, prosecuting, said: “The defendant continued to follow her and the complainant was on her phone. She saw the defendant was behind her and was concerned she was being followed. The defendant was closing the gap between them.

“The defendant then grabbed her and put his hand around her waist, causing her to slip to the ground.”

The attack on the woman left her with psychological issues. In her victim statement, she said the attack made her depression and anxiety worse and was left with memories that left her feeling “paranoid and sick”. She also said she contemplated dropping out of university.

Theobald, of Burlington Gardens, Heaton, has no prior convictions. Rachel Hedworth, defending, said that Theobald had shown “utter, genuine remorse”, despite this attack being “horrendous” and “every girl’s nightmare”.

She said: “He was brought up in an incredibly loving, stable environment with close parents and siblings. Prior to this act, he has behaved in an exemplary way. He started to feel anxious and depressed at around 15 or 16 years old.”

Despite these feelings of depression at school, Theobald achieved A and A* grades as well as gaining a first class degree in history from Bristol University, where he also volunteered in a museum and was captain of a rugby team. He was said to have an “extremely hard work ethic”.

The court heard that Theobold worked in a marketing agency before moving back to Newcastle. The breakdown of a relationship and the death of his grandmother led to him drinking alcohol frequently. Ms. Hedworth said Theobald, who has autistic spectrum disorder, had “no proper recollection for what he did. It completely sickens him what took place.”

Judge Howard Crownson called the attack “moderately violent” and of causing “severe psychological harm” to the victim. He sentenced Theobald to two years in prison and placed him on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Description

A girl was left shaken after a pervert who had been pestering her on a daily basis on her way to school gave her a post-it note offering £100 for sex.

For more than a month, Karl McDonald had been waiting for the teenager when she got off the Metro and kept giving her cannabis joints, which she took but then threw away. But things took a more sinister twist when the 44-year-old handed her a note saying "quick s*** Friday morning, £100," followed by his phone number.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the police then became involved and an undercover officer attended the station, in South Tyneside, the following morning and saw McDonald approach the victim again. He was arrested and had £100 in cash in his pocket.

Prosecutor Rachel Glover said: "The defendant was aware of her routine. He attended the Metro station every day for over a month, at a time when he knew she would be arriving and supplied her cannabis."

Miss Glover added: "A plain clothed officer attended the Metro station to locate the offender. The complainant was observed at the Metro station in school uniform.

"The officer followed the complainant and the male approached." Miss Glover said uniformed officers arrested McDonald and added: "£100 in notes were seized from his pocket on arrest."

Miss Glover said a pack of post-it notes were found in McDonald's home, which still had the indentation from the note he had given the teen the previous day. The court heard the victim was "visibly shaken" on the day.

McDonald admitted approaching the girl on "multiple days" and giving her cannabis but claimed the note was "just a joke".

McDonald, of Sheridan Road, South Shields, South Tyneside, later admitted attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and supplying cannabis. Judge Sarah Mallet sentenced him to four-and-a-half years behind bars. McDonald must sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Robin Turton, defending, said McDonald's behaviour was "strange, intimidating, unwelcome, inappropriate and criminal". Mr Turton said McDonald has a good work record and was in employment at the time of the offences.

He added: "He is genuinely remorseful. He appreciates now how intimidating and frightening his approaches must
have been to her at the time. He has no explanation why he did what he did."

Description

A paedophile voyeur who carried out the horrific sexual abuse of two children has been caged for 13 years.

Keith Lynch groomed and sexually abused two children and even managed to set up a covert camera to film one of them as they undressed. The 47-year-old also took indecent photographs of one child and saved the images to an SD card.

Lynch, of no fixed address, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Tuesday to be sentenced for charges of sexual assault, indecent assault, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, taking indecent pictures, voyeurism and making indecent images of children. He had been found guilty of the offences after a trial.

Also appearing at the same hearing was his co-accused, Mark Smith, 39, of Burnopfield, Newcastle, who was being sentenced for three counts of sexual activity with a child. The offences involved one of the children that Lynch had also abused and he had pleaded guilty to the charges.

Philip Morley, prosecuting, said that Lynch sexually abused two children and also set up a secret camera so that he could watch one of them undress. He also took naked pictures of a child and had stored images to an SD card. He was later found in possession of category A, B and C indecent images.

The court heard that when Smith was in his mid-20s, he began to carry out sexual activity with one of the children and was unaware of Lynch's abuse. The court heard that Smith stopped his offending after he was caught on one occasion.

In a statement, one victim - who is now an adult - said the abuse had left them "sad and angry" and said Lynch had told them "not to tell anyone". The second victim said they were made to feel the abuse was their fault.

The court heard that both Lynch and Smith were of previous good character.

Brian Mark, defending Lynch, said he carried out "very serious offences" but explained that he could not fully mitigate as Lynch had been found guilty after a trial. He said: "In my respectful submission, I would invite your honour to pass the least sentence commensurate with your public duty."

Sue Hirst, defending Smith, said he had not carried out any further offending in the time since and that he had no knowledge of Lynch's offending. She said: "He is taking tablets for depression and is genuinely a hard working man. He moved into the retail sector and secured full time employment.

"He then lost his job following his guilty plea to these matters but intends to find further employment in the future. He is keen to move forward in a productive manner."

Sentencing Smith, Judge Jo Kidd said he "groomed" the child by "putting them at ease". He was jailed for two years and will be on the sex offenders' register for 10 years. A 10-year sexual harm prevention order and 10 year restraining order were also imposed.

Sentencing Lynch, Judge Kidd said: "Your sexual interest in children is embedded and you've taken each and every opportunity when you have been alone with children to sexually abuse and groom them." Lynch was jailed for 13 years and will be on the sex offenders' register indefinitely. An indefinite sexual harm prevention order was also imposed, as well as a 10 year restraining order.

Description

A sex attacker who targeted a schoolgirl has been jailed.

Terence Robson was convicted of historic indecent assault charges by a jury after a trial. Newcastle Crown Court heard the 69-year-old continues to deny the offences and claims the victim made a "malicious" complaint against him.

In a statement read to the court, the victim, who is now an adult, said she has been left traumatised by what Robson did to her and added: "I was just an innocent child, I didn't understand. He took my childhood. I have spent my life worrying about bumping into him."

Robson, of Victoria Road, South Shields, was jailed for seven years by Judge Stephen Earl He must also sign the sex offenders register for life.

Jamie Adams, defending, said Robson, who had good employment and was in charge of others, was a heavy drinker at the time of the offences. Mr Adams added: "He is a very different man to the man he was then.

"He doesn't drink at all like he used to." The court heard he is in poor health, meaning prison will be more difficult for him.

Description

A child rapist is back behind bars after trying to engage in sexual communication with a 14-year-old girl.

Thomas McCall, who was jailed in 2011 for raping a 13-year-old girl, thought he was talking to another child online when he explained in graphic terms what he wanted to do to her. In fact he was communicating with a decoy profile set up by paedophile hunting vigilantes and he was arrested.

Now the 48-year-old pervert, of Stanton Street, Arthur's Hill, Newcastle, who poses a high risk to teenage girls, has been sent back to prison by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court.

The court heard it was in October 2020 that McCall began communicating with what he thought was a young girl called Katie. Sentencing him, Judge Edward Bindloss said: "You established she was alone and you embarked on sexual communication of a very graphic kind."

McCall sent images of his penis and asked her to send images of her genitals and the conversation moved to WhatsApp. The judge said: "You discussed the sort of sex you would have if you met up. You even provided an address but you were arrested before anything like that could happen.

"This was a decoy online profile so thankfully there was no 14-year-old girl to be harmed but it could have been otherwise. You thought she was 14."

When he was arrested he claimed he knew it was a decoy and was just playing along with it. But prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw said: "Had arrangements been made to meet her he would have attended the meeting place. This man does represent a danger to teenage girls."

The court heard he has 55 previous convictions, including for raping and impregnating a 13-year-old, for which he was jailed for nine years in 2011. As part of that sentence, he was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and was given a lifelong sexual offences prevention order.

He was released on licence in 2015 but was then recalled until the end of the sentence in 2019. He then breached the sexual offences prevention order twice, for which he was sentenced last February. Those offences involved him remaining on private premises in the presence of a 14-year-old girl after agreeing to do some decorating for her mother and engaging the child in conversation.

McCall, who is also on a community order imposed last April for racially aggravated harassment, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and was jailed for 13 months. He will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely and his lifelong requirement to sign the sex offenders register continues.

Pre-sentence reports said he poses a high risk of harm to children. He has previously refused to engage in risk reduction work.

Sue Hirst, defending, said: "The communication happened over a relatively short period of time, six days. This was an attempt because it was an adult pretending to be a 14-year-old girl and fortunately not a real 14-year-old girl.

"He was drinking heavily at the time. He denies any sexual attraction to children. I fully accept the court will be sceptical about that because the evidence demonstrates otherwise."

Description

A Newcastle pervert caught with more than 1,000 sex abuse images of children as young as two was an elected councillor.

David Besag was last week given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting to child porn offences. The 50-year-old, of Glenthorn Road in Jesmond, had previously been a Liberal Democrat councillor in the city’s Walkergate ward from 2004 to 2010.

The party said that Besag, who stood as a Lib Dem candidate as recently as 2018, was no longer a member and “would never have been selected” to stand for office if his crimes had been known at the time. Besag, a self-confessed porn addict, avoided a stint in jail after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent images of a child, one of possessing a prohibited image of a child, and one of possessing extreme porn.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that police uncovered 34 images and 23 videos of the most serious category A, 17 photos and 10 videos of category B, and 1,031 pictures and 39 videos of category C, after seizing Besag’s laptop, mobile phone, computer tower, and a hard drive. The collection involved children aged between two and 17.

There were also four prohibited images of a child and 200 extreme porn videos and five extreme porn pictures on Besag's devices, the latter involving animals and adult males. Besag downloaded the pictures and videos over an 18-year period from 2002 to 2020, which includes his six-year spell on the city council.

A Newcastle Lib Dem spokesperson said: "He was a hard-working elected member during his time as a councillor for Walkergate. It goes without saying that if we had the slightest inkling of the criminal behaviour that has now come to light then he would never have been selected as a candidate or stayed as a party member. Our thoughts are with the children and families affected. He is no longer a member of the party."

The ex-councillor was first elected in the Walkergate ward when the Lib Dems took control of the council in 2004 and was returned by voters for a second time in 2006. Besag, who has no previous convictions, claimed he had only been downloading the indecent material since 2012 and had no sexual interest in children, although he was addicted to adult porn.

The court heard he also suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and dyspraxia. As well as the suspended sentence, Besag was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for seven years and must sign the Sex Offenders' Register for the same period.

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A convicted sex offender left a woman he befriended online 'petrified' by threatening to go to her house and kill her after she found out about his disturbing past.

Jordan Rutherford was locked up for two years in October 2021 for engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl, threatening to kill her and possessing knives. He was released from that sentence in January last year and failed to engage properly with the probation service and sabotaged their extensive efforts to get accommodation.

He told his probation officer he was experiencing an "urge to reoffend and push boundaries because of the thrill it gave him". Having struck up an online conversation with a woman from Ashington in March, he went on to tell her he had been in prison but gave an account which minimised his offending.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that despite him not revealing the truth about what he had done, the woman, who had planned to meet him, was nonetheless shocked and said she needed to get back to work and hung up.

Rutherford then texted her telling her to ignore what he was about to send her on WhatsApp - which was a message saying "I'm going to kill you, I'm going to come to your house and I will put your door through. I will come in and I really want to hurt you. I love you but I need to end you."

Liam O'Brien, prosecuting, said: "Notwithstanding the text message, this scared her. Her concern increased an hour later when she was contacted by his probation officer, who explained the true extent of his sexual offending and the fact he had a history of carrying knives."

The woman woke the following morning to find more threatening messages from Rutherford, threatening to go to her home and kill her. He the expressed frustration that she had blocked him and continued to send threatening messages.

Mr O'Brien said: "He said he would wait for her to finish work and follow her into her home, lock the door and kill her. He warned her 'you won't be able to escape and before you know it you will be dead'.

"It's clear he would have been aware he was scaring her and she wanted him to stop but he didn't. She was petrified and believed he was going to hurt her.

"He sent a screenshot of his location showing he was nearby. She knew he was not from Ashington and had no reason to be there. She was also aware he wanted to be locked up."

The woman was so afraid she got her stepdad to meet her from work and called the police. Mr O'Brien said: "She was not the only person he told he was going to murder her. He repeatedly contacted the emergency services and disclosed his intention."

He rang the police four times and eventually met officers and was arrested. When his phone was examined he had researched sentencing guidelines for making threats to kill and had researched "disturbing things to say about killing people", which Mr O'Brien said was "presumably to make the threats as chilling as they could be".

Despite being recalled to prison, he tried to contact the woman, getting another prisoner to ask her to email him.

In a victim impact statement, she said: "When I first met him online I thought he was a normal boy but it's clear he is not. Since I started receiving threats to my life I've been absolutely petrified to leave the house.

"I'm constantly looking over my shoulder and feel I can't go anywhere by myself. I'm terrified in case he is around the corner.

"I don't know why he is behaving like this but I want it to stop. It's affecting my work and social life and I just want to be left alone."

The court heard that in the previous offences against the 14-year-old, he had also threatened to go to her house and kill her.

Rutherford, 21, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to stalking involving fear of violence and was jailed for three years and given a restraining order. Pre-sentence reports said he poses a high risk of harm.

Vic Laffey, defending, said: "His motivation was to get himself arrested and recalled. His head was in a strange place at the time.

"He caused this young lady, who didn't deserve it, significant distress but he didn't know where she lived or worked. He deeply regrets betraying this young woman's trust and making her feel unsafe.

"He promises the restraining order will not be breached. He is disappointed at offending again on licence. He was overwhelmed and didn't cope with being released from prison. He acted selfishly in involving her but got to the point he thought it would be better in prison."

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Karl Davison claimed he "hadn't set out to find" the disturbing material but had been sent it after "finding himself" in a couple of groups online. A court heard that, despite the 33-year-old stating he'd deleted some of his collection, 44 sick photos and videos were still found on his phone.

Magistrates were told that Davison had 23 category A pictures and films, which are the most serious kind and involve penetrative sexual activity. He also had 22 category B and one category C.

Davison, of Chillingham Road, in Heaton, could now end up behind bars after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making an indecent image of a child. The case was adjourned for the preparation of a pre-sentence report but the pervert was warned custody was still an option.

Rob Lawson, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates' Court, said: "The material in question was saved on the defendant's phone. With the early guilty plea, this case may fall within your sentencing powers. The aggravating factors are the ages of the children involved, between six and 14, and at least one of the videos shows distress suffered by a child."

Mark Humble, defending, said: "Mr Davison didn't set out to find these images. He found himself in a couple of groups online and that led to the images coming his way. He did delete some of them but, when his phone was examined, there were the images you have heard about still retained on the phone."

Magistrates adjourned the case for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. Davison was released on unconditional bail to next appear before the same court on February 22. In the meantime, he must sign the Sex Offenders' Register.