Latest Offenders Norfolk

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A convicted sex offender who repeatedly hid his computer during police checks has been jailed over indecent images of children.

Neil Marston, 51, admitted breaching a life-long sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) imposed after he was convicted of possessing similar images of children in 2018.

Norwich Crown Court heard officers who visited his home on April 14 this year discovered him attempting to hide a Lynx tablet computer behind a wardrobe.

It was subsequently found to contain more than 100 indecent images of children and two videos of sexual content involving children.

In interviews Marston, of Quarry Lane in Lyng, admitted he had hidden the device on previous visits by officers carrying out inspections under the order.

He claimed the images were not illegal and were “just erotic”.

Marston, a carpenter, appeared at court to be sentenced on Tuesday having previously pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of a child and two counts of making indecent photos of a child.

Lori Tucker, defending, said the offences had been committed without a “consideration of the consequences” but that Marston now accepted that indecent images of children caused “real world harm”.

“These offences were committed 20 months ago and in the meantime there has been no suggestion of further reoffending,” she added.

But the court heard that a pre-sentence report had concluded there was a “high risk” of Marston committing further offences involving indecent images of children and that he also posed a danger to children in person.

Jailing him for 15 months, including three months from the suspended prison term imposed in 2018, Judge Katharine Moore said he was a “dishonest man willing to deceive and lie to authority”.

She said: “It’s perfectly clear, despite everything that you have said, that you have a sexual attraction to children that is longstanding and enduring.

“When this is taken together with your deceitful ways it mitigates against community intervention.

“What is particularly concerning is that you are someone who, on the face of it, is likely to attend and engage but in reality you are practicing deceit and carrying on regardless and repeated prosecution has proved to be no deterrent to you.”

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A former Norfolk traffic warden who sexually abused a 13-year-old boy three decades ago has been jailed for four and half years.

Shane Vertigan, 52, who also worked previously as a police community support officer (PCSO) in Fakenham, preyed upon Wesley Spinks, who was aged 13 at the time of the offences.

The abuser was jailed at Norwich Crown Court on Monday (December 13) after having previously admitted three counts of gross indecency with a child under 14 and two counts of indecent assault on a boy under 14 dating back to 1992 and 1993.

Vertigan, who appeared via videolink from prison, is already serving a six-year sentence imposed two years ago for sexual assaults he committed against a teenage girl in the mid 2000s.

Mr Spinks, now aged 41, has waived his right to anonymity. He read out an emotional statement to the court about the impact the abuse has had on his life.

Addressing his abuser directly and with his voice breaking, the former Hellesdon High School pupil said: “ Shane, I will never truly know the emotional and life changing effects that your abuse had on me.”

He added: "Through the years your actions shut me down emotionally and physically, having to relive your disgusting actions daily , where I can both smell and remember what you made me do to you, all for your own self-gratification.”

Prosecutor Lori Tucker said Mr Spinks had known and trusted Vertigan but that he had sexually abused the then teenage boy after coming into his bedroom wearing nothing but his underwear. On another occasion he abused him in a van before taking him to a Norwich City match.

Sentencing Vertigan, Judge Maureen Bacon said he had committed a “terrible abuse of an innocent child”.

“I have heard from the very considerable impact your offending has had upon him over the years,” she said.

“He describes how his emotions have been disabled and disturbed and how he had descended into alcohol dependency which mercifully he has fought his way back from.

“He stands in this court with sufficient magnanimity to forgive you.”

Juliet Donovan, mitigating, said Vertigan has been married for 22 years and had been involved in church activities for many years.

“He has written an apology note,” she said. “In essence it is a deep apology. He realises what he has done and the effect he has had.”

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Police have praised the bravery of a King’s Lynn teenager who was groomed and raped by a man who has been jailed for 25 years.

Investigators branded Florian Petrica Calin, 39, a “determined and calculated” abuser after he was sentenced for three charges of rape against the 14-year-old girl in 2019.

The Romanian man, who lived in Sir Lewis Street in King’s Lynn, was found guilty following a trial in October.

Calin, who had denied all charges, was found not guilty of a further three charges of rape, plus one of making threats to kill.

Appearing at Norwich Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced, Calin, who spoke through a Romanian interpreter, was jailed for 25 years for rape.

Judge Maureen Bacon also sentenced him to 10 years to be served concurrently for two further charges of rape.

Calin was placed on the sex offender register for life and told he faces deportation back to Romania upon release from prison.

Norfolk police said his victim had shown courage throughout the lengthy investigation into the abuse she had suffered.

Investigating officer, DC Carl Richie, said: “Calin systematically groomed and abused this victim in a determined and calculated manner.

“He completely destroyed the trust of those around him after he continued to abuse a child for his own perverted needs.

“I would like to commend the victim, who has shown great strength and courage throughout this investigation and I hope this sentence provides them with some closure.”

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A man has been jailed for his role in arranging the sexual exploitation of a teenager.

Trevor Webb, 38, met the victim online and she was then taken to hotels and other addresses in King's Lynn where she had sexual encounters with other men.

Norwich Crown Court heard the teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, received money in exchange for acts carried out by the victim.

Nicola May, prosecuting, said "some of those encounters had been very concerning" in that they had gone "beyond what had been agreed".

Webb, of Dobby Drive, King's Lynn, appeared at court on Tuesday (December 7) to be sentenced after previously admitting two counts of arranging to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child between February and April 2018.

He had also previously admitted making an indecent image of a child between January and June 2018.

Stephen Spence, mitigating, said his client should be given credit for his pleas.

He claimed his client was essentially a man of good character who had suffered a "significant and substantial" delay in the case.

He said: "He's had these proceedings hanging over him for some three years now" adding that he was now signed off work as a result of being unwell due to it.

Mr Spence added: "This is a man who has suffered, not insignificantly, by not knowing what his fate was."

Sentencing Webb to a total of 22 months in prison, Judge Maureen Bacon said he had taken advantage of the victim who had been troubled and vulnerable.

Judge Bacon said she accepted he had entered guilty pleas and that there had been delays in the case due to necessary research into the case and the pandemic, but insisted a custodial sentence was necessary.

Webb was also made the subject of a restraining order, meaning he cannot contact the victim directly, or indirectly until further order.

He must also sign on the sex offenders' register for the next 10 years.

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A former Norfolk hospital worker jailed for sex offences, including explicit online chats with girls he believed to be as young as 12, impersonated a police officer to try to get his NHS job back.

Jordan Ellis, 27, who was a care assistant at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and a St John Ambulance volunteer, was sentenced to a total of two years and eight months for a string of sexual offences.

Police who raided his then home in Lawson Road, Lowestoft, seized his laptop and phone.

Prosecutor Ian James told Norwich Crown Court specialist officers accessed an instant messaging service and retrieved deleted data from the chats with online profiles that stated they were children.

In one he asked what he believed to be a 15-year-old girl whether he could also see her 10-year-old sister, he said.

Ellis, who now lives in Benbow Close, Hethersett, pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to incite three separate children aged under 13 to engage in sexual activity, sending images of his body parts and two counts of attempting sexual communication with two children he believed were 14 and 15.

He also admitted making and distributing indecent images of children.

Appearing at Norwich Crown Court on Friday, he also pleaded guilty to impersonating a police officer when he sent fraudulent emails.

During the investigation, he had been suspended from his job as an NHS health care assistant and from his voluntary work for St John Ambulance.

However, he sent an email to both organisations in November 2019 attaching a letter purporting to be from DC Amy Nunn, an officer working on the investigation, to say no further action was to be taken against him.

DC Nunn said: “This has been a complicated job with Ellis taking many steps to try and hide his offending.

“The predatory nature of this individual has been exposed and the risk he poses to children can now be managed.”

St John Ambulance confirmed Ellis had been suspended as a volunteer upon his arrest and then dismissed when he pleaded guilty to his crimes.

A spokesperson for the charity added: "We are appalled by Jordan Ellis’s crimes and our thoughts go out to anyone who has been affected.”

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Updated photo as previous was NOT correct.

A Royal Navy sailor, who worked on HMS Prince of Wales, has been jailed for five years after raping a female colleague while she slept.

Leading Seaman Sam Avery was convicted at Bulford Military Court, in Wiltshire.

He has also been dismissed from Her Majesty's Services with disgrace.

The female sailor woke to find Avery having sex with her, his hands on her waist and her pants pulled down to her knees.

The woman, who cannot be named, had turned down two of his previous advances but agreed to let him stay the night in her bed before falling asleep.

She said the attack "came out of nowhere" as there was not even a friendly hug or kiss between the two.

The only sexual contact between them was the advances she had rejected earlier.

Avery, who worked refuelling stealth fighters on aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, denied a single charge of rape and claimed to have no memory of having sex with her. He said, if anything did happen, it must have been consensual.

Jailing him, Judge Robert Hill told Avery he had betrayed the trust of the woman who had agreed to let him sleep in her room.

Judge Hill said: "You and your victim had been contacting for some time on a social network. You had not met until the night of this offence. You were both out in Portsmouth, and you went back to [her address] with her.

"There came a time when both you and she went to bed. She took you on trust. There had been nothing sexual leading up to this.

"She firmly rebuffed you twice - there was no doubt she was not up for sex.

"She was drunk and asleep when you started to have sex with her. She trusted you and you knew you were being trusted."

During the trial, the panel heard the woman had gone to a pub in Portsmouth with friends before making her way back to her address.

Prosecutor William Peters said the pair knew of each other through social media but she did not know Averys name as he messaged her using a group account.

During the course of her evening at the pub, she had been exchanging messages with Avery, of 207 Squadron RAF Marham, Norfolk, which is a joint RAF and Navy unit for the F35 Lightning stealth fighter.

After bumping into him, she invited him back to her room for a drink and was happy to let him sleep in her bed.

Mr Peters said: "He made two efforts to touch her intimately but she rebuffed his advances and pushed him away.

"She then woke to find him on top of her with his penis inside her vagina, her pants had been pulled just below her knees, and his hand was around her waist."

In a police interview shown to the court, the woman said she was shocked by the alleged attack, saying: "He [touched] me on my waist area and I grabbed his hand and went no and then he stopped.

"And then about five minutes later he proceeded to do it again and I grabbed his hand and said no I told you not to and then he stopped again.

"I drifted off to sleep [and] was awoken by him inside of me. I said what are you doing, have you realised what you have just done?

"And he grunted. I remember trying to process what the hell had just happened - it was shock as well because there was no intention what so ever. Not even a friendly hug. There was no kissing.

"There was no sexual gesture when we were in that room at all. I was in shock because it just came out of nowhere.

"After I asked him what he was doing, I remember the bed shaking as he was masturbating."

In the interview, the woman said Avery was making pleasure noises and grunting as the alleged rape took place.

The court heard Averys DNA was found inside her. In the police interview, she said Avery messaged her the day after the incident asking about what had happened and if she was okay.

She added: "I replied saying I am traumatised by me waking up to you inside of me'.

"He said are you sure? I put yes I am sure. Then he said are you okay? I said no I am not okay after what you did to me, you did not have consent.

"He read that message and never replied."

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A woman has described how part of her has been "destroyed" and she fears she will never recover following historic sexual abuse by a dangerous offender.

The woman was one of three young girls subjected to abuse by Kevin Pritchard, 65, between the 1970s and 90s.

Norwich Crown Court heard that during a 14-year period Pritchard, of Falkland Close, Hellesdon, repeatedly abused the three victims, who were under 12 at the time. He was given a 17 year sentence.

Duncan O'Donnell, prosecuting, said Pritchard had told each of his victims to keep it a secret.

Pritchard, who was between 20 and 30 when the offences were being committed, was arrested last year and admitted the offending stating he did not know why he had done it and had "probably been drinking".

He appeared at court on Monday (October 18) for sentence having previously admitted 15 offences, including gross indecency with a girl under 14 and indecent assault of a girl under 14.

Before Pritchard was sentenced, Mr O'Donnell read out a statement on behalf of one of the victims, describing how the abuse she had suffered left her wanting to take her own life.

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A former Norfolk teacher, lay preacher, choirmaster and cub scout leader has been exposed as a paedophile after a jury saw through his "carefully constructed camouflage", a court has heard.

John Turner, 75, had been a teacher at Whitefriars school in King's Lynn as well as a lay preacher, choirmaster and cub scout leader in West Winch during the 1970s and 1980s.

Norwich Crown Court heard it was over this time that he committed a string of indecent assaults against four children.

Turner, of Coronation Avenue, West Winch, had denied the offences but was found guilty, following a trial which started in July this year, of nine indecent assaults and three counts of indecency with a child.

Before Turner was sentenced on Wednesday (October 13) the court heard a statement from one of his victims who described how the abuse had "an affect on me mentally" and had affected his confidence "my whole life".

He said the abuse has resulted in him being a "very nervous person" and described the torment he has felt as a result of Turner's offending.

The victim said: "There's not been a day that's gone by that I've not thought about this."

But he also told of the relief he felt at being able to finally "tell people what had happened".

One of Turner's victims died after making a complaint to police, but his sister made a statement about the effect of Turner's offending on her brother in an impact statement which was seen by the court.

Jailing Turner for a total of 16 years, Judge Maureen Bacon said by their verdicts the jury had rejected his denials and carefully constructed camouflage and found what lay beneath it".

Judge Bacon said the persona Turner had built up in the church, and also as a teacher and cub scout leader, was "more important" to him than the sexual abuse of the victims.

She insisted his accomplished deceit gave you free rein to abuse those boys that you had been entrusted to care for".

Character references had been read out on behalf of Turner but while Judge Bacon accepted that he might have presented to some as someone who "did as much as you could for others" he had in fact "deceived" them too.

When he was referred to as a paedophile as he was sentenced Turner shook his head in the dock and tried to address the judge, but Judge Bacon told the security officer to take him down.

Taylor initially refused and hung onto the glass in the dock to stop the officer but after a struggle was led away.

Nicholas Bleaney, mitigating, said it was inevitable Turner would receive a sentence of some length.

He said the sentencing hearing represented a "spectacular fall from grace" for Turner who has "no-one to blame but himself".

Mr Bleaney said: "Everything he's worked for and stood for lies in ruins now."

Turner was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) indefinitely and must sign on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

He was also made the subject of a restraining order meaning he cannot contact one of the victims in the case indefinitely as well as one of the other complainants in the case.

In a statement issued after sentencing, a spokesman for the Diocese of Norwich said they were sorry to all those affected and "commended the bravery of those who brought these allegations forward".

The spokesman added that Turner was suspended from his role as a Licenced Lay Minister when the Diocese was alerted to the police investigation in 2018.

They said: "The Diocese of Norwich remains committed to doing everything possible to ensure the wellbeing of children, young people and adults, who look to us for respect and care."

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A 64-year-old man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison after sexually abusing two young boys.

Michael Smith, of The High Street, Dereham was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court yesterday(Monday 27 September 2021), after being convicted of 17 child sex offences at an earlier hearing.

The offences took place between 2014 and 2016, when the young boys, both aged in their early teens, were at a school for complex needs in Norfolk. Some of the offences continued into 2018 against one of the boys after he had left the school.

Smith was handed a 28-year sentence, made up of 21 years in prison and a further seven years on licence.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) indefinitely and must also sign on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Natalie Riseborough from the Safeguarding and Investigations Team, said: "I welcome yesterday’s sentence as it reflects the seriousness of Smith’s crimes.

"We see this pattern all too often, when abusers befriend the victims and their families in order to facilitate the abuse and avoid suspicion. The strength these boys have shown in acknowledging Smith’s actions as wrong, and speaking out about it, is immeasurable.

"Smith had been a figure of authority in their lives and was in a position of trust. He used this to commit terrible crimes that are likely to live with these victims forever.

"Whilst nothing will take their pain away, we hope that yesterday’s sentence provides some comfort to the victims and their families. Their courage has not only broken the cycle of abuse these boys faced but it has also prevented others becoming victims.

"We remain committed to bringing all sex offenders to justice in order to prevent future offending and will listen to anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse, whether this is ongoing or non-recent.”

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A man who was shot in the head by a friend five years ago became involved in sexual conversations with a police officer he thought was a 12-year-old girl.

Benjamin Merrifield, 36, came to the attention of police after the defendant logged into an internet site and started chatting online to someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl.

But Norwich Crown Court heard the child was an “undercover law enforcement officer”.

Lori Tucker, prosecuting, said the defendant was made well aware that the person he thought he was talking to was a 12-year-old girl.

But Miss Tucker said the chats, which began in March this year, soon became “sexualised conversation”.

Merrifield, of Mousehold Avenue, off Gurney Road, Norwich, asked the officer for images of herself and what underwear she was wearing.

Merrifield appeared at court on Monday (September 20) having admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child under 16.

The defendant, who has eight convictions for 12 offences, but nothing of a sexual nature, also admitted two counts of attempting to incite a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity.

Sentencing him to a total of three years and four months in custody Judge Katharine Moore said it was “sheer good fortune” the victim turned out to be an undercover police officer and that “no harm was caused to a child”.

Andrew Oliver, mitigating, said he had no prior convictions for this type of offending and should be given credit for his pleas.

He said Merrifield has a number of problems, some going back to his childhood, including him being “accidentally shot by a friend of his in the side of his head about five years ago”.

It has led to problems, including forgetfulness.

The defendant has also used illicit drugs, including cannabis, to help deal with his issues.

He insisted the judge must take into account the fact there was no actual victim.

Merrifield was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) indefinitely to protect children from sexual harm from him. as well as having to sign on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

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A woman was left suicidal after being raped and sexually abused by a man decades ago, a court has heard.

The victim was in her 50s when she "plucked up the courage" to report the sexual abuse she had been subjected to by Robert Reynolds when she was a child.

Norwich Crown Court heard the offences were committed over almost a decade, between July 1972 and March 1982.

Duncan O'Donnell, prosecuting, said the sexual offending started when the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was just eight.

Reynolds, 80, of Shortthorn Road, Stratton Strawless, appeared in court for sentence on Monday (September 13) having previously been found guilty following a trial earlier this month of four counts of rape, three counts of indecent assault and another of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13.

Before Reynolds was sentenced an impact statement was read out on behalf of the victim who said she had "never been able to tell my story of sexual abuse as a child" but had "thought of suicide" at her lowest point.

She said she had thought sex "was about control" and that she has "never made anything of my life".

The victim said: "It will never be over for me. It will with me until I die".

She said following Reynolds' conviction earlier this month she wanted to "ask that a custodial sentence is given" adding that he has "had his freedom".

Sentencing Reynolds to a total of 14 years, made up of 13 years in prison and an extra year on licence, Judge Alice Robinson said the offences, committed over "a number of years" have had a "serious impact" on the victim.

Ian James, mitigating, said mitigation was rather limited and accepted the seriousness of the offending he had been convicted of and the fact a custodial sentence was "inevitable".

Mr James said the fact he had "stayed out of trouble for the majority of his 80 years should be taken into consideration" as well as his age when sentencing.

He said there was no suggestion that other than the victim in this case that "this sort of behaviour has been repeated with anyone else".

He added: "Its something that has lain dormant literally for decades now."

Reynolds was put on the sex offenders' register for life

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The conviction of a dangerous sex offender caught by paedophile hunters encouraged two victims from 40 years ago to come forward to ensure he did not ruin other lives, a court heard.

Lee Vincent, 54, was caught by a paedophile hunter group after having sexual conversations with a girl he thought was 12, but in fact was an adult decoy working for the group, Norwich Crown Court heard.

William Carter, prosecuting, said the group posted footage online of them confronting Vincent in March 2019 about his online sexual grooming and this was seen by two victims he sexually abused 40 years ago.

They also found out that Vincent had a previous conviction for indecent exposure in Great Yarmouth, in February 2019, which Mr Carter said prompted them to finally come forward to police.

Mr Carter said one victim said Vincent raped her as a child and indecently assaulted her and the second victim had also been indecently assaulted by Vincent, when she was about 10.

In victim impact statements, the court heard the abuse had a profound effect on both victims and they hoped this would bring closure and prevent other lives being ruined by Vincent.

Vincent, of Canterbury Way, Thetford, admitted rape, attempted rape and indecent assault on one victim and indecent assault on a second victim back in the 1980s.

He also admitted attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity between January and March 2019.

Jailing him for seven and half years, Judge Anthony Bate described Vincent as a dangerous offender and said: "You continue to pose a high risk of serious harm to girls."

He said Vincent had a sexual preoccupation with young girls and committed the online offences while on bail and on community service for the indecent exposure offence.

Vincent was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and is on the sex offender register for life.

Danielle O'Donovan, for Vincent, said he was ashamed of what he had done. She said as an evangelical Christian he was struggling to come to terms with everything. "He is a man deeply confused."

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A sex offender was found to have breached his order by downloading indecent child images and distributing them on a secret phone after struggling in lockdown, a court heard.

Shaun Turrell, 56, who was subject to checks by police officers, was suspected of having a phone which he kept hidden from the authorities, Norwich Crown Court was told on Friday.

Marc Brown, prosecuting, said as a convicted sex offender Turrell had to disclose if he had any devices which could access the internet. Mr Brown said that Turrell claimed he did not have a smartphone and only had a basic phone, without internet access.

However acting on a tip-off, police carried out a search of Turrell's home and found a smart phone hidden in a drawer in his bedroom.

Mr Brown said when analysed, the device showed that Turrell had downloaded indecent images, including some in the most serious category, and had shared images with another person on a chatroom site which he had been using.

Mr Brown said it was not the first time that Turrell had breached court orders and downloaded indecent child images.

The court heard Turrell had previous convictions for possession and distribution of indecent images of children and was also in breach of an eight week suspended sentence given to him.

Turrell, formerly of Old Hunstanton Road, Hunstanton, admitted distribution and downloading indecent images and breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was jailed for 33 months.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Isobel Ascherson, for Turrell, said that he had re-offended during a particularly difficult time in lockdown.

She said he had been thrown out of the family home but had then had to help care for his elderly mother, who ended up in hospital in Norwich.

Ms Ascherson said although not an excuse, the stress of what was happening and the rigours of lockdown made him re-offend.

She said that 2020 had been a particularly difficult year for him.

Sentencing Turrell, Recorder Simon Taylor said he accepted lockdown and his family difficulties had made it harder for Turrell, but said: "These are very serious matters indeed."

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A "very high risk" sex offender was snared by police after he groomed a 12 year-old girl online who turned out to be an undercover officer.

Paul Weekley, 61, breached a court order by using hidden devices to have secret online sex chats with the girl he believed to be a 12-year-old called Becca, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Claire Matthews, prosecuting, said Weekley was already on the sex offenders register for previous convictions for possessing indecent images of children, and under the order his online use was meant to be able to be checked.

He had also moved to an address in Salisbury Road, Great Yarmouth, without informing authorities of his new address.

She said Weekley engaged in sexual conversations with Becca and also sent her explicit live webcam images of himself and asked if he could visit her.

Ms Matthews said when arrested in March, Weekley was found to have downloaded nine indecent images of children.

Weekley admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a 12-year-old, attempting to engage in sexual activity in front of a child and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

He also admitted possession of indecent images and breaching his sexual harm prevention order.

Jailing him for three years and four months, Judge Andrew Shaw said Weekley was a "troubling individual" as he had been given a range of orders in the past to help him, but nothing had worked.

"It is only a matter of time before you seek out a child in person and cause substantial harm to that child by committing a serious sexual offence."

He said Weekley had ignored his court order, and had used social media to make contact with someone he thought was 12, but in fact was an undercover police officer.

He warned Weekley that his sentences were only going to get longer unless he stopped offending, adding: "You are a very high risk individual."

He also placed Weekley on the sex offenders register for life.

Rob Pollington, for Weekley, said that he was genuinely remorseful: "He needs help and is asking for help."

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A man who was involved in a "clandestine" sexual relationship with a teenager has been jailed.

Ashley Bingley was 24 when he became involved with a girl, who was then only 14.

They initially contacted through text messages but over time the relationship escalated into "clandestine sexual trysts" in the Dereham area.

Bingley went on trial in December accused of meeting a child through grooming, five counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of causing a child to engage in sexual activity between March and August 2016.

Bingley, now 29, of Wellington Road, Dereham, had denied all seven offences against the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, but was convicted by a jury.

He appeared in court on Tuesday, June 15, to be sentenced.

John Farmer, prosecuting, said there was no victim impact statement in the case, although the victim was listening into the hearing over a link.

Sentencing Bingley to a total of six years, Judge Anthony Bate said a significant term of imprisonment was "inevitable given the gravity of your offending".

Judge Bate said there was a "significant disparity" between his age and the age of the victim in the case.

He said Bingley's offending escalated over time from messages into "clandestine sexual trysts" firstly at his home in Dereham and then in his car at locations around the Dereham area.

Benedict Peers, for Bingley, said the defendant had a difficult childhood with his father spending time in prison.

He said Bingley continues to deny the offences although accepts he was found guilty.

Mr Peers said the offences happened after the breakdown of a previous relationship at a time when Bingley fell into depression.

Bingley was medicated but it was "then that this chain of events started".

Mr Peers said he was now in a new relationship and had "started again".

He had asked the judge to make any sentence as short as possible.

Bingley was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) indefinitely and put on the sex offenders register for life.