Latest Offenders Northampton

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A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for a rape which happened in the Abington area of Northampton.

In the early hours of October 11, 2020, a woman was enjoying an evening in the garden with her housemates after a long shift at work.

Also invited to the house that night was an acquaintance of one of the occupants - Nicu Botnari, previously of the Headlands, Northampton.

After the woman had called it a night and headed back to her bedroom to get some sleep, she awoke to find Botnari on top her, committing rape.

Following the incident, Botnari left the house and a short time later, the woman reported the incident to police.

An investigation was launched and at Northampton Crown Court in December last year, Botnari was found guilty of one count of rape. Today (March 13) at the same court, he was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Lead Investigator – Detective Sergeant Andrea Taylor, said: “As a police force, we never underestimate the courage it takes for a person to report a sexual assault and I want to reassure people that when they do, we will treat their report with sensitivity and confidence.

“Nothing will ever make the survivor in this case forget what Botnari did to her but she should be proud of the incredible bravery she has shown which has resulted in a dangerous rapist being sent to prison. Because of her - he can no longer hurt anyone else.

“This case continues to have a significant impact on her but I hope the conclusion today provides her with some comfort. She has so much going for her and I hope she can now see brighter things on the horizon.

“Tackling violence against women and girls is a priority for Northamptonshire Police. We will believe you, we will support you, and we will do everything we can to put the person who committed the crime against you behind bars.”

*This press release and custody image have been released with the support and agreement of the survivor*

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A sex offender from Weedon has fled to Thailand to avoid jail after committing sexual assault.

Paul Strong, aged 65, of High Street was found guilty following a trial. He was subsequently invited to attend Northampton Crown Court for his sentence hearing and he responded to court staff with abuse, making it clear he intends to never return to the UK or engage with the court process.

Strong was sentenced in his absence at Northampton Crown Court on Friday, March 10. He was unrepresented as he withdrew instructions from his defence barrister.

A victim, in her statement, said that - as a result of Strong’s actions - she was left unable to eat, sleep or function. She felt “on edge” all the time and suffered financially as she had to stop going into work for 10 weeks. She felt isolated from her close friends because she feared running into Strong in public and feels unable to trust anyone ever again.

“This is just his way of using emotional torture, trying to make my life hell,” she said.

Strong has previous convictions including possession of an offensive weapon and breach of a restraining order.

The court heard that, when interviewed, Strong accepted he had a problem with alcohol and he had post traumatic stress disorder, for which he was medicated.

Her Honour Judge Rebecca Crane sentenced Strong to three years total in prison.

He was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years and a restraining order was imposed for 10 years.

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A man previously jailed for voyeurism in public toilets has been sent to prison again for breaching a court order to watch indecent videos online.

Christopher Rufford, aged 41, of Semilong, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Thursday, February 9 after pleading guilty to breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) three times.

David Lee, prosecuting, told the court that Rufford failed to notify police about an additional device he had in addition to an online Snapchat account, which he used every day in July 2022 when he was in Northampton and Staffordshire.
  
Christopher Rufford, aged 41, was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court on Thursday, February 9 2023

The court heard that Rufford’s Amazon Fire tablet was found to have deleted internet history.

Mr Lee told the court that Rufford was also found to be searching for explicit videos involving defecation on December 14 2022, which he said reminded him of his previous offences of voyeurism in public women’s toilets.
Rufford was arrested on December 22.  He denied any knowledge of a Snapchat account and told police that his Amazon Fire must have automatically deleted his history for him but apologised for breaching the order.

The defendant has multiple prison sentences for voyeurism and subsequent breaches of SHPOs.

Emily Culverhouse, in mitigation, said: “He accepts that he should have changed his history and deletion settings. He was living in a house with multiple occupants at the time of his arrest and does not understand how these things were accessed but does accept that they were found in his possession.”

The defence barrister said Rufford was, at the time of offending, considered a “medium risk” to the public, which he had “worked hard” towards and he has elderly parents, who he is keen to spend time with.

His Honour Judge Mooncey told the defendant: “You are no stranger to this court and this kind of offending. You have a horrendous history with some persistent breaches and your sentences have increased as time has gone on.” He added: “You are using technology for your own dirty disgusting urges.”

Rufford sobbed and wept on the video-link as he was sentenced to 27 months in prison. The existing SHPO was kept in place until 2028.

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A Corby paedophile who asked what he thought was a teenage girl to post her knickers to him has appeared before a court again.

Anthony Farrow was jailed for 16 months in 2021 after being caught out in an online sting by paedophile hunters.

As part of his sentence he was also put on the register for sex offenders for 10 years, meaning he must tell police his address, bank account details, whether he lives with a child and passport details, and inform them of any changes of travel plans. Such measures are taken to monitor convicted sex offenders and keep tabs on their whereabouts.

But on November 30 the 34-year-old failed to notify police within seven days of having no fixed address, and weekly thereafter, and he was charged with failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements. Punishments for the offence range between a fine and a maximum of five years in prison.

Last week at Wellingborough Magistrates’ Court he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a fine of £100, as well as being ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £40.

At a previous hearing Northampton Crown Court had heard that Farrow sent sick messages to a Facebook user, who he thought was aged 13, and encouraged them to perform sex acts.

He also tried to video call them and sent a lewd image of himself. But after giving them his address to send their underwear to a paedophile hunter group turned up at his door – because he had been unknowingly talking to them all along.

The pervert had also messaged another paedophile hunter decoy profile of a 13-year-old girl and asked her questions about her underwear. When he was confronted by the paedophile hunter group he admitted contacting 10 children in total.

The court also previously heard that, despite admitting three child sex offences, he was reluctant to accept his offending was sexually motivated.

Farrow is also currently subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years, with restrictions on his contact with children and internet use.

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A Wellingborough man has been imprisoned on the Falkland Islands after he admitted sexually abusing children there. Officials obtained an extradition order to return Ryan Martin Elstow to the island to face justice.

However, the former RAF serviceman voluntarily travelled the 8,000 miles to the British overseas territory and pleaded guilty to a number of offences against children. His lawyer said his actions displayed "rank indifference" to his victims' suffering.

Elstow, 35, is believed to have returned to Northamptonshire in recent years to start a new life. However, following an investigation by the Royal Falkland Islands Police, he was charged last year with eight counts of 'sexual activity with a child', contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

In April last year, officials formerly requested the UK extradite Elstow so he could stand trial. But he voluntarily returned to the Falklands and appeared in the islands' only magistrate's court where he pleaded guilty to seven of the offences, denying the eighth related charge.

Senior Magistrate Malcolm Simmons found him guilty of that offence in November. Elstow was sentenced in the same court last Wednesday, January 11, to a total of seven years imprisonment

Speaking at the sentencing, Elstow's lawyer, James Ross, admitted his client's behaviour displayed "rank indifference to the suffering of others", according to Penguin News. However, in mitigation, Mr Ross said said Elstow had pleaded guilty to seven of the counts, had volunteered to appear in court and had "experienced real trauma" while serving with the RAF in Afghanistan.

A spokesperson from the Falkland Islands Prosecution Service told NorthantsLive: "The defendant will serve his sentence in His Majestys Prison Stanley and is likely to be deported to the United Kingdom at the conclusion of the sentence." The islands' prison population is in single figures.

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A 58-year-old man has been found guilty on 22 counts of indecent assault in connection with incidents which took place over a decade.

Rodney Paul Webster, previously of Northampton, tried to maintain his innocence when accused of the assaults against the three survivors, who were all children at the time of the offences.

Forcing the case to a trial at Northampton Crown Court, which took place in September, the jury heard how Webster raped and sexually assaulted the trio on multiple occasions between 1978 and 1988.

After deliberating for two days, the jury found him guilty on all 22 counts.

He was sentenced last Friday (December 9) to 14 years and eight months in prison.

Lead Investigator – Detective Constable Kelly Roberts, said: “Webster thought he had gotten away with his crimes, living in freedom for more than 30 years, but this case proves that it doesn’t matter how much time has passed – we will do everything in our power to ensure you end up in prison for what you have done.

“These three children are now adults and they have lived with this abuse for a very long time. I want to thank them for their strength and resilience during this prolonged investigation and for giving evidence in court. I know what Webster did to them will never leave them but they can be proud that they spoke out and that he is now in prison because of their courage.

“No matter when a person has been a victim of crime, justice can be found, and this case proves just that.”

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A 24-year-old man has been convicted of sexual assaulting a man inside his own home in Kingsthorpe, Northampton.

On January 16 this year, Budd Lee Simmons, previously of Northampton, was invited to sleep on the sofa at a friend’s house in Kingsthorpe after a night out. 

However, when everyone was asleep, Simmons entered a bedroom inside the house, and once inside, sexually assaulted a man in his own bed by inappropriately touching him.

The man woke up and Simmons fled the address with police being called a short time later.

Simmons was arrested and subsequently charged with sexual assault. At Northampton Crown Court on November 17 this year, he pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

Lead Investigator – PC Jess Hurst, said: “First of all, I want to commend the man in this case for his bravery in coming forward, reporting this offence to us, and supporting the case throughout the court process.

“In his victim personal statement, he wrote that he keeps wondering if he could have done anything differently to prevent this offence from happening.

“Let me be absolutely clear – as with any case of sexual assault, the blame here is on the offender only. This man could not have done anything differently and he must not blame himself. Budd Simmons is the only person in this case who should feel responsibility and shame for his actions. 

“Men are often less likely to speak up when they are victims of sexual assault and abuse, and I hope this case shows that Northamptonshire Police will take their reports extremely seriously and that they will be treated with sensitivity and support throughout.

“Budd Simmons is now behind bars and that is solely down to this man’s bravery in coming forward. I hope the conclusion of this case provides him with a sense of closure and the ability to move forward.”

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A 32-year-old man has been sentenced to nine years and two months after he was found guilty of sex offences against a child.

In 2012, Matthew Bell, previously of Daventry, then aged 22, met the 14-year-old girl at a youth centre.

On numerous occasions for a period of two years, he sexually assaulted her at a number of locations, including at his home address.

In 2020, the woman came forward to report what had happened to her and an investigation was launched.

Bell was arrested and subsequently charged with two counts of sexual activity by penetration with a girl aged 14/15. At Northampton Crown Court on October 15, 2022, he was found guilty of both offences by a jury and was sentenced at the same court today (November 28) to nine years and two months in prison.

Detective Sergeant Cory Wise, said: “The woman in this case has suffered with the memories of this abuse for many years and I am so pleased for her that she has seen justice done and Matthew Bell recognised for the sexual offender he is.

“At only 14-years-old, this girl was unable to consent to a sexual relationship and it is important to make this point very clear. Bell knew exactly how young she was and yet still pursued her, grooming and manipulating her.  

“Bell will now spend a significant period of time in prison and I hope this case demonstrates what happens to adults who think it is acceptable to form “relationships” with children. It is a crime, it will always be a crime, and every single ounce of the blame lies with the offender.

“This woman can be proud that her bravery has seen justice done and I hope she can now move forward with her life following the conclusion of this case.

“Northamptonshire Police takes cases like these extremely seriously – we will believe you and we will do everything we can to bring your offender to justice.”

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A former police special constable has been jailed for trying to meet a '15-year-old girl' in KFC for sex.

Alex John Foster, 43, was caught by fellow cops in a KFC car park in Nottinghamshire with condoms and lubrication after grooming the teenage girl online.

A training officer with Northamptonshire Police at the time, Foster asked the girl, who was actually an undercover officer, what experience she had 'with lads' and said he was 'looking for someone to have sex with'.

Recorder James House KC told Foster that he was in a position of trust and his offences were bound to worsen the public's perception of police officers.

He added: “You knew perfectly well that communicating with a 15-year-old girl was not only wrong but unlawful."

Foster, from Northamptonshire, admitted three charges relating to sexual communication with a child, including arranging or facilitating and intentionally encouraging or assisting. He was jailed for two years.

Foster was also handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and placed on the Sex Offenders’ register.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct's director of major investigations Steve Noonan said: “Mr Foster’s actions were abhorrent in sexually communicating online with a person he believed to be a child and then arranging and travelling to meet them for sexual purposes.

"He has rightly received a prison sentence for his appalling behaviour. We directed the investigation by Northamptonshire Police’s counter-corruption unit and I am grateful to their officers for their professionalism in helping to bring this offender to justice.”

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A Northampton man has been imprisoned for 15 years after using a room rental website to target a woman before raping her.

Ion Cojan, aged 37, of Worcester Close, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Tuesday, November 8 after a jury found him guilty of raping a woman.

Andrew Fitch-Holland, prosecuting, said the victim was looking for a room to rent in Northampton and set up an account on a rental website, which contained her photo, name and age.

The court heard that Cojan contacted her to tell her he had a friend with a room to let. When the victim said she was no longer interested, Cojan told her she was “beautiful” and asked to meet on February 17, 2019.

Mr Fitch-Holland said Cojan picked the woman up from Northampton town centre in his car and she sat in the back seat, expecting to be taken for coffee as planned. However Cojan drove her to a secluded area by a lake, the court heard.

Mr Fitch-Holland said the assault went on for approximately 10 minutes before Cojan tried to pull the victim’s trousers down but she said no so he eventually stopped and drove her back into town. Cojan told the woman he would call her and they would have sex, blew her three kisses and drove off.

The victim walked home, feeling “disgusted” and “shocked” and then reported the rape to the police. In a statement, she said she cannot forget what happened to her and she does not trust men anymore.

Cojan was arrested and his mobile phone was seized; police discovered numerous searches for female users of a room rental website, which he was treating as a dating site.

Cojan has one previous conviction of sexual assault in 2009 when he pushed a woman onto a bed, held her throat and pulled her hair - preventing her from leaving. She was able to escape when he let go of her.

Rajiv Chopra, in mitigation, said Cojan is “genuinely remorseful” that he has “upset” the victim and wants to write an apology letter to her.

Addressing the judge, Mr Chopra said: “Please use your utmost discretion and leniency to give this young man a second chance.”

Her Honour Judge Lucking KC, sentencing, said: “You have a tendency to commit sexual offences against lone women by flattering them and then isolating them before subjecting them to sexual activity without consent.

“Your evidence at trial revealed your arrogance and misplaced sense of sexual entitlement.”

Cojan was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with an extended licence period of five years. He was also placed on the Sex Offender’s Register indefinitely.

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The offender offered children sweets and money while an order was in place to stop him having any unsupervised contact with a child.

A 90-year-old registered sex offender from Northampton has been jailed after breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Bernard Alan Crathorne, previously of Grosvenor Gardens, Northampton, was expected to abide by a number of very strict conditions, one of them being not to have any unsupervised contact with a child under the age of 16.

However, on multiple occasions in August 2020, Crathorne spoke to numerous children offering them sweets and money.

As a result of these breaches, Crathorne was arrested and charged with four counts of breaching his sexual harm prevention order, one count of sexual assault on a female under 13, and one count of causing/inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

He was remanded into custody and pleaded guilty to the offences. He was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court on Friday (October 14) to four years and six months in prison.

Lead Investigator – Detective Constable Angie Torley, said: “Bernard Crathorne is a dangerous and prolific sex offender and I am really pleased that we have managed to get him locked up and away from children.

“As part of his sentence, he was also given an extended licence of five years, meaning it won’t expire until just shy of his 100th birthday, thereby protecting children further.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the children in this case for their bravery in reporting this matter, alongside their families, and for their support throughout our investigation. Initially, Crathorne decided to plead not guilty, meaning they had to be cross-examined in court, something no child should have to be asked to do.

“Their bravery in coming forward and providing evidence has meant that Crathorne can no longer harm children in the community.

“Northamptonshire Police takes an absolute zero-tolerance approach to situations like this. If a breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order is identified, there are no second chances and just like Crathorne – offenders will be sent to prison.

“I hope this case demonstrates the force’s commitment to bringing sex offenders to justice and keeping the public of Northamptonshire safe,” DC Torley added.

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A Rothwell paedophile was caught asking ‘underage girls’ for naked pictures – two weeks AFTER admitting to police that he had been ‘doing bad things’.

Lloyd Bishop was already under investigation when he sent sexual messages to the Facebook profiles of young girls, including one who said she was aged just 12.

But all along he was speaking to paedophile hunters and on Monday (August 8) he was jailed for 44 weeks.

Northampton Crown Court heard the 29-year-old was initially taken into custody on April 13 over an unrelated matter and was asked to give police his mobile phone.

But he refused, telling officers: “I have been doing bad things.”

He said he talked to underage girls but then gave a prepared statement where he denied sexual communication with children. Bishop, formerly of Bridge Street in Rothwell, was released under investigation while his phone was examined.

But just two weeks later, on April 27, police were informed that he had sent explicit messages to people who he thought were children. They were in fact decoy profiles set up by those trying to snare online child sex offenders.

Prosecutor Wayne Cleaver said that Bishop first contacted a profile for ‘Rosie’, who said she was 12, on Facebook Messenger. At 7.45am on April 25 she told him she was doing school work. Bishop said she was cute and that if she was older he would ‘ask her out’.

When she asked if he wanted to be her boyfriend he said: “Yeah, you can trust me. It stays between us, no-one need know.”

Bishop promised that one day they would meet up before the messages gradually became more sexual in content. He told her he would like to perform a sex act on her, sent her a lewd picture of himself and asked for naked pictures of her in return.

The following day he messaged the profile of ‘Stacy’, who he thought was another underage girl.

Mr Cleaver said that Bishop asked if she would send naked pictures, bragged about having sex with a 14-year-old girl when he was 18 and sent a topless picture of himself in his room.

The court heard he had saved Stacy’s number in his contacts as ‘best mate’.

Bishop, who appeared over videolink from HMP Peterborough, later admitted two charges attempted sexual communication with a child. He had been given a suspended sentence on April 16 for possessing a knife.

Mitigating, Pree Brada said that Bishop had mental health difficulties, a personality disorder, ADHD and lifelong DiGeorge Syndrome. She said he moved to supported living accommodation in Rothwell in 2020 after spending nine years as an inpatient, that there was a ‘breakdown in support’ and that he had been taken advantage of by other residents.

She said: "The court can give him another chance by passing a non-custodial sentence.”

But Recorder John Benson QC said the offences were so serious that he could not impose a community order.

Bishop will serve half of his 44-week sentence in custody before being released on licence.

A sexual harm prevention order was made for 10 years, restricting his use of the internet and contact with children, and he will be on the register for sex offenders for 10 years.

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Dangerous pensioner jailed over repeated breaches of sexual harm prevention order

A 73-year-old sex offender used the alias Michael Fairy to book tickets for a theatre show at a Northampton school starring children as young as six.

Michael Leonard Roberts known as Mike was sentenced to one year, 16 weeks in prison after being charged with breaching conditions of his sexual harm prevention order.

According to Northamptonshire Police, Roberts attended productions in May 2022 which starred children aged between six and 18. Using an alias when booking the shows was a further breach of the order.

Roberts, previously of , previously of Dallington Haven, Northampton, also failed to complete his notification requirements and asked officers who arrested him why he had not been reminded to do so.

He was given a 16-week suspended sentence by magistrates on August 2 but hauled back before the court over another breach of conditions just three days later.

This time he was jailed for a year plus the 16 weeks from previous offences.

Lead investigator, PC Gemma Glover from the police management of sexual or violent offenders team, said: Michael Roberts is a dangerous sex offender so I am pleased that he is now behind bars and away from the streets of Northamptonshire.

Our team work really hard every day to ensure sex offenders are rigorously managed and if any breaches are identified we deal with them swiftly.

I hope this case is a lesson to Roberts and to other sex offenders that our processes will always find you out if you are trying to go under the radar.

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A Northampton sex offender is back in prison after being caught deleting messages on his phone sent to kids as young as 10.

Police knocked on John Richards door in April this year as part of a routine check following his release from jail.

Officers found the 43-year-old apparently deleting data on his mobile phone.

Later inspection of the device found messages and indecent images of children.

An investigation by PC Gemma Glover and DS Ollie McNally, ending in a 20-hour shift, identified Richards contacts including another registered sex offender from outside the county who has since been recalled to prison.

Richards was sentenced to three years at Northampton Crown Court on Thursday (July 14) after being convicted of three attempted breaches of a sexual harm prevention order, two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and one count of making an indecent photograph.

Richards offender manager, PC Dani Wilton of the Northamptonshire Police management of sexual or violent offenders (MOSOVO) team, said: Richards is a high-risk sex offender and so I am really pleased to see him back behind bars, away from children.

This was a brilliant result for the MOSOVO team and I hope it shows the Forces proactivity and dynamic approach to the management of registered sex offenders.

Protecting children and vulnerable people from harm is why we come to work. This team has such a passion for safeguarding and I hope it shows through cases like this.

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A SEX offender arrived at Durham Railway Station expecting to meet a 14-year-old girl, with whom he believed he had been in communication, for a planned sexual encounter.

James Loades, 31, travelled from Northamptonshire, on March 2, and on arrival at the station sent a message to the girl saying he would visit her at home for a, kiss and cuddle, asking if she a virgin.

Durham Crown Court heard that in reality the girl did not exist and, unknown to Loades, he had been chatting with a decoy profile set up online by a woman posing as the 14-year-old.

As he sat waiting to meet the girl, police, who had been alerted, attended and he was arrested.

The court heard the planned visit took place less than three weeks after Loades release from a previous 14-month prison sentence for attempted sexual communication with a child.

Following his release, on licence, on February 11, he was visited by a police public protection officer and served with a copy of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) he was subject to, reminding him he was forbidden from having any contact with underage children.

But within days he was chatting to what he thought were two different girls, aged 14 and 13, as well as what was thought to be an actual girl, but who has not been traced.

One supposed 13-year-old, Lola, who accepted a friends request on February 25, was immediately flattered by Loades, who told her she would look good, in heels.

He offered to visit her to stay in a hotel and asked her to perform a sex act on herself, advising her to go into her mothers bedroom and find a sex toy, as well as sending the girl sexual images.

The court heard there was no actual attempt, by the time of his arrest, to meet this girl, while there was also messaging with another decoy, Hannah Smith, at about the same time.

In each case the girl would immediately tell Loades her age, and he responded that he was 31.

Loades told Hannah that girls her age were having sex and asking to see what underwear she was wearing.

The defendant, of Kettering, Northamptonshire, admitted four breaches of a SHPO, three counts each of attempting to cause/incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, plus a single count of attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming.

Lewis Kerr, for Loades, said it had to be remembered the offences were classed as attempts as all but one of the would-be victims did not exist.

But Judge James Adkin said: Its pretty obvious what his intention was being at Durham.

Hes done just about everything he could to commit them, by meeting with this girl, albeit, it wasnt a child.

Judge Adkin said his pre-sentence Probation Service report flagged up pretty serious concerns about his entrenched behaviour.

Addressing Loades, Judge Adkin said: I take the view theres significant risk of you committing further specified sexual offences.

It must be observed, especially as this was so soon after your release, you seem unable to resist the compulsion to offend.

Due to that risk of causing serious harm to children the judge imposed a five-year and four-month prison sentence, with an extended licence period of three years.

His requirement to register as a sex offender and SHPO restrictions both continue for life.