Latest Offenders Northumberland

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A baby-faced child rapist has been branded a danger and locked up.

Karl Kingston subjected a youngster to horrific abuse which led to her plucking up the courage to tell her mum by giving her a note. Now Kingston, 18, of Ashington, Northumberland, who admitted rape and sexual assaults, has been sentenced for his offending at Newcastle Crown Court.

Michael Bunch, prosecuting, said the victim reported trying to push Kingston off but he was too big and she was unable to stop him. After finding the strength to tell her family what had happened to her, she said she was "angry and didn't want it to happen again".

Kingston was found to have a bag in his wardrobe containing various items including sex toys and two pairs of adult knickers. He had also searched the internet for child rape material.

The girl's mother said in a victim impact statement: "[She] threw me a note which would change our lives forever. I was in complete shock.

"My life went from perfect to a nightmare. What you have done to my baby girl is unforgiveable. She's petrified of you coming to kill her. You haunt her dreams at night.

"I've had to sit for hours reassuring her he won't get her, while she's breaking her heart in fear of what he could do. I will never forgive or forget what you have done to our family."

Kingston pleaded guilty to five counts of rape and five of assault by penetration. He was locked up for ten years with an extended licence period of a further five years. He will also be subject to indefinite sex offender registration and a sexual harm prevention order.

Judge Tim Gittins said Kingston may have signs of autism and added: "There is a lack of remorse or awareness of the seriousness of what you did that raise real concerns for your future conduct."

The judge said Kingston poses a significant risk of committing further, similar offences and is therefore assessed as being a dangerous offender. Peter Schofield, defending, said Kingston had been cooperative with the authorities about what he had done.

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A rape victim has today revealed the devastating impact the sick attack had on her life

The woman has bravely opened her heart to talk about how sick sex offender Karl Paul Newson, from Northumberland, has had a massive impact on her life after his devastating attack. It took Newson's victim a year to find the courage to tell anyone what had happened to her.

Now thanks to her bravery Newson, 27, has been jailed for more than eight years after a jury found him guilty of rape. And today his victim, whose identity is protected by law, has told how she ended up missing out on her life because of Newson's vile actions.

She said: "I was getting in trouble as a result of what he did. It's ruined a big part of my life. I don't go out, all my curtains are always closed and I don't answer the door."

But it was not until the following year that she was able to tell her mum.

"I waited a while then reported it," she said. "Me and my mam were having a chat and it just came out. I just told her, it was a relief and I went to the police the next day. It did help massively."

But Newson, of Morven Terrace, Ashington, denied the offence, meaning his victim had to go through a trial before seeing him convicted.

A jury at Newcastle Crown Court found him guilty of one count of rape. And last month he was jailed for eight-and-a-half years, given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention order, and an indefinite Restraining Order..

Det Con John Harland, of Northumbria Police’s Safeguarding Department, led the investigation.

He has today praised the victim for helping to put Newson behind bars, and urged others suffering in silence to come forward.

He said: “Firstly, and most importantly, I’d like to offer my thanks to the victim for her bravery and courage throughout the entirety of this case.

“Coming forward, having to re-live those experiences and contribute as part of a trial and court proceedings was not easy, however her bravery and desire for justice ultimately won.

“I want to thank her for her dignity and her compassion for others and wholeheartedly hope that this sentence gives her a sense of peace. This case shows that it is never too late to speak up and that justice is possible, no matter how much time has passed.

“If you’ve been suffering in silence, now is the time to speak up – justice can and will be served.”

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A predator who stole a young girl’s childhood has been jailed for 22 years – thank to his victim’s bravery.

Martin Richards, who is HIV positive, subjected a schoolgirl to multiple rapes over a two-year period and was on Monday, brought to justice for his horrific actions.

The 50-year-old paedophile manipulated his victim into keeping quiet but was eventually caught out when she found the courage to confide in her mother, who immediately contacted police.

An investigation was launched by officers from Northumbria Police’s Safeguarding department and former prison officer Richards was arrested in March this year.

He was swiftly charged with a string of offences and remanded in custody, but, desperate to get the case dropped, sent a number of letters to the victim’s family.

Richards, of Windsor Terrace, Choppington, later appeared at Newcastle Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault on a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act and perverting the court of justice.

However, he denied rape, sexual assault and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity but was found guilty by a jury after standing trial.

On Monday, Richards appeared back at the same court where he was jailed for 22 years and must serve two thirds of his sentence behind bars.

He was also issued with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, Restraining Order and must sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

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A rapist who attacked a schoolgirl in the woods as she pleaded for him to stop has been jailed.

Connor Pearson-Hartley forced himself on the teenager, leaving her traumatised and with scratches on her arm. He admitted a sexual assault and denied rape but jurors found him guilty.

Now the 20-year-old, of Cramlington, Northumberland, has been jailed at Newcastle Crown Court. As he was locked up the victim said in a statement how she was left feeling "dirty" by the prolonged ordeal.

She said: "The thing I remember so vividly was when I eventually got home, going in the bath and feeling dirty, even once I had come out. I felt like my body didn't belong to me."

She added that the significance of losing her virginity in such horrific circumstances has since hit her, adding: "I can't understand why it happened because I pleaded and pleaded for it to stop.

"At school, when we learned about consent, we learned about the positive sides of it and they stop immediatey. He didn't stop. It took a really long time for me to realise it was not my fault. I did everything I could to stop him."

She added: "I would cry myself to sleep because I knew as soon as I fell asleep I would relive it again and again. I would wake up screaming in fear of it happening again and I developed panic attacks."

She went on to say: "At (my age) all you are worried about is playing with your friends and watching silly rom coms. That evening everything changed.

"I still can't wipe the feeling of being dirty. When I found out he was being sentenced I could finally breathe."

Describing the attack, Glenn Gatland, prosecuting, said: "He tried to kiss her. She turned away but he grabbed her left arm, leaving four scratches on her forearm. He tried to kiss her again and put his hand under her top and down her pants.

"He kept unzipping her jeans and she pulled them back up. He took hold of her hand and moved it to his boxer shorts. He tried to take her further into the woods and pulled his pants down." He then sexually assaulted her and raped her despite her saying "no".

The victim eventually managed to run away and Pearson-Hartley was later arrested. Pearson-Hartley, who was 17 at the time, of Kendal Drive, Cramlington, pleaded guilty to a sexual assault and was found guilty of rape.

He was jailed for four-and-a-half years and must sign the sex offenders register for life and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order and restraining order for five years.

Judge Penny Moreland told him: "What happened was a prolonged detention and a sustained attack. What you did to her was painful and it had a serious impact on her.

"You robbed her of that stage of her childhood and you robbed her of the opportunity to have a first sexual experience to be something of her choosing and not something forced upon her."

Jessica Slaughter, defending, said the case has effected his mental health and he has attempted suicide. She added that it has also had a life-changing effect on his family and has impacted his younger siblings.

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A paedophile who sexually abused two schoolgirls, robbing them of their childhood, has been jailed for 25 years.

Brian Clark, now 83, was handed the sentence after his brave victims came forward to report his non-recent offending.

Frightened and confused, both victims stayed quiet and attempted to move forward with their lives.

But the impact of Clark’s abuse continued to haunt them throughout their adult life and in 2019, specialist officers from Northumbria Police’s Safeguarding Department were contacted.

Officers launched an investigation and arrested Clark, of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.

He was later charged with 13 offences, including nine counts of rape, gross indecency, and indecent assault.

Clark denied all offences and the case was sent to trial.

Appearing at Newcastle Crown Court last month he was found guilty of all charges. On July 17, at the same court, a judge heard heartbreaking statements from both victims.

The judge sentenced Clark to 25 years behind bars. He must also sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

Detective Sergeant Jaclyn Younger, who led the investigation, said: “Brian Clark groomed his victims and thought he would die a free man, never believing they would speak out about the abuse.

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"No always means no" - That's the message from officers after a rapist was jailed for 15 years.

Martin Lee, 40, previously of Hexham, forced his victim to have sex with him despite her frequent pleas for him to stop. Last year, his brave victim came forward and reported the abuse to police. Lee was subsequently arrested and charged with rape.

He initially denied his guilt but on the day that his trial was due to begin at Newcastle Crown Court in April, he changed his plea to guilty and admitted three offences – including two counts of rape.

And on Friday, July 14, he was back at the same court where a judge sentenced him to 15 years behind bars, placed him on the sex offenders' register for life and handed him a restraining order preventing him from contacting his victim.

Detective Constable Lynsey Oliver, from Northumbria Police's safeguarding unit, led the investigation. She said: "Lee's offending had started to follow a very dangerous pattern – more than once he was told unwaveringly no by his victim, who was clearly distressed and attempted to fight him off.

"He is a dangerous man and our area is most certainly safer with him behind bars. I want to praise the survivor for contacting police and for continuing to assist with the investigation, trial and all court proceedings. It is thanks to her that a predatory man is behind bars. I sincerely hope her bravery and this sentence will give other people the confidence to come forward and speak with police."

She added: "I hope this sentence serves as a stark warning to those with an unlawfully blurred view on consent that no always means no. If a person tells you no, attempts to push you away, freezes, or very clearly becomes distressed, it is clear that they have not given you consent to touch them.

"Someone consenting to go on a date with you, allowing you in their home or even being in a relationship with you absolutely does not equate to automatic sexual consent – no scenario or relationship does. No one should ever have to endure this type of assault and support is available from our officers and the many fantastic charities we work closely with.

"If you have ever been a victim of any type of sexual assault, we're here for you."

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A paedophile who is "petrified" of prison has been put behind bars after breaching a prevention order for the third time.

Lee Dominy was put on the sex offenders' register and made subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) after being jailed for 21 months in 2019 after being found with indecent images and extreme pornography. But the 33-year-old went on the breach the SHPO in November 2021 and received a caution, before breaching it a second time and receiving a community order.

Despite being under supervision, Dominy breached the SHPO for a third time in March last year, when police carried out a routine check of his home and found he had an un-registered email address and an un-registered username on an app.

Dominy, of Quayside Court, Blyth, was hauled back in front of a judge at Newcastle Crown Court to be sentenced for breaching a sexual harm prevention order and breaching notification requirements. He had pleaded guilty to the offences.

The court heard that in 2019, Dominy had been jailed for 21 months and made subject of a sexual harm prevention order for offences of possessing indecent images, possession of extreme pornography, and perverting the course of justice. In November 2021, he breached the SHPO - which remains in place until 2029 - and he was cautioned.

However, the caution did not deter him, and he breached the order a second time and was made subject of a community order. But on March 7 this year, he breached the order for a third time.

Michael Bunch, prosecuting, told the court the offences came to light following a routine home visit, saying: "He provided his mobile phone, that was registered, but checks revealed several email accounts, one of which was not registered." Mr Bunch said that officers also found an app which had an unregistered username attached to it.

He added: "Police continued their attendance at the address and asked for other devices, he denied having anything further. A search of the address revealed a number of USB sticks, a smart TV, and a tablet under his bed he claimed he had forgotten about. He was arrested and interviewed and made full admissions."

Richard Bloomfield, defending, said Dominy had forgotten he had some devices in his home as he had "not long woken up" when police arrived for the search and believed that the officers knew about some of the devices he owned. He said: "He is concerned about the prospect of imprisonment, he is petrified of custody...his mental health has not been good lately."

Mr Bloomfield added that Dominy would lose his accommodation if sent to prison and is currently "dealing with significant debt".

Sentencing Dominy, Recorder Anthony Hawks told him there was a "disturbing history" in his case, saying: "You have taken no notice of that order whatsoever. The time has come when it has got to be brought home to you."

Dominy was jailed for 16 months.

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A "deviant" paedophile who sent sexual chats to an underage girl and asked her to transfer him money has been caged.

Loner Robert William Middlemas was already a registered sex offender when he began speaking to a 14-year-old girl on Snapchat. Middlesmas sent the vulnerable child explicit pictures of himself and requested she do the same during offending which lasted for a year between February 2020 and February 2021.

The 32-year-old would make frequent video calls to the girl whilst naked and urged her to transfer him money, which she did after borrowing money from friends and family. Middlemas' offending left the autistic teen feeling "scared" and "emotionally punished" before he was finally arrested.

On Friday, Middlemas, of Kings Field, Seahouses, Northumberland, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court via link from HMP Durham to be sentenced for engaging in sexual communications with a child, breaching a sexual risk order and possession of indecent images.

The court was told that Middlemas had been a registered sex offender since 2016 and was labelled "high risk" by Northumbria Police. But despite being the subject of a sexual risk order, he began speaking to an underage girl from the Devon area on Snapchat in February 2020. As soon as he struck up a conversation with the girl, he sent her an explicit picture of himself as well as an image involving a dog.

Andrew Finlay, prosecuting, said: "He continued to chat with her and asked if he could become her boyfriend. She told him she was 14 years old and the defendant said he was 28 years old. They exchanged numbers and the victim sent him 30 to 40 images of herself and videos on Snapchat and WhatsApp. They spoke for about a year and made video calls where the defendant would be naked."

The court heard that Middlemas had discussed meeting up with the girl for sex in a Cornwall hotel, and arrangements were made. The girl then showed up to the hotel but Middlemas didn't. Mr Finlay said Middlemas sent her a message saying he had attended the hotel but "couldn't get in touch" with her. It was soon after that he began asking for money.

Mr Finlay continued: "The victim said she sent the defendant money on seven occasions, about £1,000, to re-establish contact since it had slowed down. Her friends helped her obtain money."

His offending finally came to light in February 2021 when Devon and Cornwall Police spoke to the girl in relation to another matter and her mobile phone was analysed. The messages from Middlemas were discovered and inquiries were then made to Northumbria Police who arrested Middlemas in March 2021.

Following his arrest, his mobile phones and a tablet were seized, with one category A and one category B indecent images being found. A bank statement was also found that showed money from the girl had gone into his bank account. All of his offending put him in breach of his sexual risk order.

In a victim statement, the girl said throughout the ordeal she felt "scared because of the things he said and made me do". She said: "He made me do things I didn't want to do but felt too scared to say no. He would give me demands of things that I had to do and would tell me how to dress. I felt like he was punishing me emotionally." The girl added she "isolated" herself in her bedroom and missed a year of school and her GCSEs due to Middlemas.

The court was told Middlemas had six previous convictions and had been the subject of a suspended sentence, which finished just 18 days before he began speaking to the girl.

Nick Lane, defending, said Middlemas was "somewhat of a loner-type figure" who had been involved in failed relationships and unemployment. He said: "He has a history of development issues going back to childhood. He has autistic spectrum disorder and has suffered from severe depression and self-harm." Mr Lane added that Middlemas had "family support" and that he "very much regrets his actions and will accept the sentence of the court".

Sentencing Middlemas, Recorder Benjamin Nolan KC said the victim was a "very vulnerable child" who was sending him money at his request. He said: "This was a serious and persistent breach. You are a paedophile with a deviant sexual interest in children."

Middlemas was given an 11-year extended prison sentence, six years of which will be custodial. A lifelong sexual harm prevention order was also imposed and he will be on the sex offenders' register for life.

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A music teacher who groomed and abused an underage girl 60 years younger than him has been jailed.

Retired head of department Martin Fisher engaged in sexual activity with the girl from the age of 15 and she said he "destroyed" her teenage years.

Now the 80-year-old, never in trouble before, has been jailed at Newcastle Crown Court for having sexual activity with a child. Judge Penny Moreland told him: "You began grooming her and you began to abuse her when she was 15. This was an abusive relationship.

"You have done incalculable harm to her. She says you destroyed her teenage years."

The court heard they engaged in sexual activity before she was 16 and he had sex after she reached that age. At the time, the girl said what was happening made her feel "really grown up" and widower Fisher spoke of them getting married.

At one point police were involved after a report of concern for what was going on but she denied anything sexual was happening as "she cared for him and wanted to protect him". However she went on to disclose what happened to her after reaching adulthood after realising how young she had been when it first began.

In a victim impact statement, she said: "I wish to say this has been extremely difficult for me to deal with. I started having suicidal thoughts and it was a massive relief when he pleaded guilty.

"He should not be around children. He destroyed my teenage years for his benefit."

Fisher, of Cornhill-on-Tweed, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to eleven charges of sexual activity with a child and was jailed for six years. He must also sign the sex offenders register for life, was given an indefinite restraining order and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Sue Hirst, defending, said: "He accepts full responsibility for his actions in respect of these offences and he deeply regrets the hurt he has caused to her. He is now 80 years of age and finds it difficult to understand how he placed himself in this position, having lived a respectable, law-abiding life for more than seven decades.

"It was wholly inappropriate what took place but he was not pressuring her into things or being unpleasant about it. It's clear she cared very much for him as well.

"He cared very much about her and even spoke about their relationship being public. He understands how wrong his actions were."

Miss Hirst added: "He had been a husband and a father and he worked for many years as a teacher and was a head of department in several schools. He provided details of the schools he worked at to the police and there have been no further issues.

"Music was still very important to him and after taking early retirement he provided singing lessons to people in schools and on a private basis."

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A married grandfather who joked he would be "done for baby snatching" during a sex chat with what he thought was a child has been jailed.

Kevin Wintrip thought he was chatting to a 14-year-old girl on an app and moved the conversation over to Whatsapp. Newcastle Crown Court heard a member of vigilante group Child Online Safety Team was behind the fake child profile and alerted the police.

Prosecutor Rachael Glover told the court Wintrip claimed his name was Colin during the chats and added: "She stated more than once she was 14. The defendant began to send her messages of a sexual nature.

"He was commenting on her looks, saying she was pretty and he would be done for baby snatching." Miss Glover said Wintrip encouraged the child to perform sex acts on herself during the illegal exchange in July 2020.

Wintrip, 66, of Ivy Street, Amble, Northumberland, denied attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to have sexual communication with a child but was found guilty by a jury after a trial.

Judge Robert Spragg has now jailed him for three-and-a-half years. The judge told him: "The messages were clearly of a sexual nature.

"On a number of occasions she said she was too young and reiterated her age to you. It was very clear from what you said to her, despite your denials at trial, you believed you were in contact with a 14-year-old girl. You talked about her being at school, being too old for her and being done for baby snatching."

The court heard Wintrip, who retired from his engineering job as a result of the proceedings, claimed he believed he was talking to an adult who was "part of fantasy role play". He handed in character references, which described him as a "caring, kind, gentle, very good husband, father and grandfather".

Jessica Slaughter, defending, said Wintrip has a good work ethic and is a "family man with support from a wide circle". Miss Slaughter added: "He is a low risk of re-offending. This is his first and last time before this court."

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A convicted sex offender who drove 100 miles to sexually assault a schoolgirl has been jailed for 15 years.

Aaron Scanlon, 30, drove from his home in Rochdale to the victim’s house in Darlington, arriving just after 8am.

He had previously groomed the victim during “lengthy phone calls” where he told her he loved her.

When the victim left her house Scanlon told her he would take her to school but instead drove her to a secluded layby and sexually assaulted her.

After dropping her off near her school, where the girl told staff what had happened, Scanlon drove back to Rochdale where he was arrested by officers.

He was subsequently charged with assault by penetration and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.

Scanlon, previously of Rochdale, but now of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland, pleaded guilty to the offences.

He was jailed for 15 years and one month at Teesside Crown Court last week.

Scanlon has a previous conviction for sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 in 2010.

Temporary Detective Sergeant Ian Banham, from Darlington Safeguarding Team, said: “Scanlon is a dangerous individual who targeted this girl after forming a relationship with her over the phone and groomed her for some time.

“Then, he travelled from his home in Rochdale to commit this horrendous act without any consideration for the life-changing and devastating impact it would have on the girl.

“I hope this sentence provides her with some closure and allows her to move on and rebuild her life.”

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A twisted RAF engineer left his three-month-old son with brain injuries that could last a lifetime.

Doctors told the baby’s family ‘several times’ that the child ‘may die’ and that the next 48 hours were crucial to his survival.

The child had been taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in September 2019 with a brain haemorrhage, detached retina and multiple broken ribs.

Despite causing the life-threatening injuries, Richard Hardwick – who has since been convicted of unrelated sex offences – will only have to spend the next 22 months in prison after the Crown Prosecution Service charged him with causing grievous bodily harm rather than a more serious assault charge.

A furious judge Recorder John Hardy KC told prosecutor Corinne Bramwell: “It should have been a section 18 [wounding with intent] if not an attempted murder.” He later said: “As a human being it sticks in my gut.”

The court heard Hardwick, who served in the RAF for two decades and was based at Benson, tried to pile the blame on everyone but himself, telling the police when he was arrested that his wife and a childminder were the main carers.

Jailing him for just three years and nine months at Oxford Crown Court on Friday afternoon – the maximum sentence once credit for his early guilty plea was deducted – Recorder Hardy said: “The single count on the indictment to which you have pleaded guilty compels me to sentence you to a term of imprisonment that members of the public would rightly regard as woefully inadequate for this horrific crime.

“I am at a loss to understand why other, more serious charges were not preferred against you.”

Ms Bramwell told the court that the boy was first admitted to hospital on September 2, 2019, with ‘very severe’ injuries that a doctor believed were caused by shaking or brute force.

On September 14, he was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital with what turned out to be a bleed on the brain that was ‘highly suggestive of shaking’. He had ‘approximately seven’ broken ribs, a detached retina and ‘significant’ bruising.

The child had ‘various significant educational issues as a result of the injuries he sustained’. At the age of two he was assessed to have the speech and language skills of a baby.

In a victim personal statement, from which parts were read to the court by the judge, a family member spoke of the terrible impact the defendant’s stringing out the court process had had. She described his offending as a ‘vile, unthinkable crime’.

Turning to the public gallery, where the boy’s relative was seated with a friend, Recorder Hardy said: “This court cannot let this case pass without observing that [the victim] has had the most outstanding love and care and attention from those who now look after him.”

The judge questioned why the Crown Prosecution Service had charged Hardwick with causing grievous bodily harm, which carries a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment.

Had a more serious charge been laid, the judge said he could have found Hardwick a ‘dangerous’ offender and imposed an extended sentence. That would have resulted in the defendant spending more of his sentence in custody before a lengthy period out on licence and supervised by the probation service.

The conditions for an extended sentence were ‘manifestly met’, Recorder Hardy said. He posed a ‘significant risk to members of the public’.

However, because he could not lawfully pass a jail sentence of more than four years once credit for the guilty plea was taken into account, the judge was unable to impose an extended sentence.

Mitigating, Julian Lynch said his client had recognised – albeit late – the ‘true gravity and appalling nature’ of what he had done. Hardwick had suffered a mental breakdown and struggled with ‘unplanned outbursts’.

Mr Lynch questioned the almost three-year delay in the police and Crown Prosecution Service charging his client with GBH.

Told that the defendant wished to apologise, Recorder Hardy said the defendant should keep any apology had had for his family ‘to himself’.

“No apology can possibly do anything to mitigate an offence of this nature,” he spat.

Hardwick, of HMP Northumberland, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing grievous bodily harm. He is currently serving a sentence, due to expire next year, for sexual offences – that case was not detailed by the prosecutor.

Following the hearing, the boy's relative said of the 'giggly' child: "He was absolutely adorable. Everybody fell in love with him." 

Asked whether she felt the child had received justice, she said: "No. He nearly killed a baby; there are drug dealers who get much longer sentences." 

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A man who sexually abused his school-aged victim back in the 1990s has been jailed for 20 years after police officers built an extensive case against him.

Kris Bond, 61, began abusing his school-aged victim in the 90s, forcing his young victim into sexual acts and raping her over several years while she was a child.

He bribed and threatened her into keeping quiet and it was not until years later in 2018 that she made the brave decision to contact the police and disclose her past trauma.

After a lengthy investigation from specialist officers working for Northumbria Police, Bond, of Lyncroft, Ashington, was charged with ten offences, including four counts of rape, four counts of indecency with a child and two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He claimed to be innocent of any wrongdoing and the case was sent for trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

But a jury found him guilty of all ten offences on August 15 this year.

On Friday (October 21), at that same court, a judge handed Bond a 20-year jail sentence.

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A school tutor was caught committing a sex act while wearing only a bra in a female toilet by a shocked mum and her young daughter.

Steven Ballantyne, a performing arts teacher, was in an unlocked toilet at a BP garage in Northumberland when he was seen by the woman and her five-year-old daughter. Another woman then also witnessed the disturbing scene.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Ballantyne was employed by Northumberland County Council and worked in numerous schools on a supply basis. That career is now in tatters after a jury convicted him of outraging public decency and the council terminated his employment. 

 The offence happened at the filling station in Alnwick around 6.30pm one evening in January. The mother who saw him said in a victim impact statement: "I wish to say this has disgusted me.

"I'm in shock. I think it's wrong what he has done. My five-year-old daughter has seen this man."

The other woman who witnessed it added: "I wish to say I'm shocked by what I've seen. I was frightened and can't believe this male has been doing this in a public toilet. I'm disgusted and his behaviour is clearly wrong."

Ballantyne, 41, of St Georges Crescent, Alnwick, was sentenced to five months suspended for two years with 200 hours unpaid work. He must also sign the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order and was given a restraining order banning him from going to the BP garage in question or any female public toilet.

Judge Sarah Mallett said the most serious aspect of the case was the fact the act was witnessed by a young child. She added: "You remained for a lengthy period where you had been seen and remained for a time after you had been seen.

"You knew there was a risk a female or child or disabled person could see what you were doing. I conclude that was your aim. You did cause some distress and fear."

Peter Schofield, defending, said: "He still denies the allegation in terms of what took place. He very much regrets he is in this situation today.

"He has lost his good name. He has worked as a performing arts instructor for more than 20 years, leading up to the pandemic when he was furloughed.

"He speaks with some pride about his students. He was involved in 19 or 20 schools a week working on a supply basis, working for Northumberland County Council.

"He has had to close a bank of experience providing worthwhile tutoring for students. That's a real loss.

"It's horrific, with his background that he is appearing before the court in respect of something as humiliating as this. The fact he engaged in this conduct so close to home with the risk of people knowing him is bizarre in the extreme."

A Northumberland County Council spokesperson said: "It is the local authority's responsibility to ensure Northumberland's children and young people are safe in the environments they learn. For this reason, Mr Ballantyne was suspended from work on 2 February 2021 and following investigations into his behaviour by the relevant authorities we made the decision to terminate his employment in July 2021."

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A married dad-of-two who had an online username of ‘Jimmy Savile’ and was found with more than 9,000 child abuse images in his possession has avoided jail.

Police seized electronic devices when they visited Joseph Pond’s address, which when analysed uncovered the material.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that the 53-year-old, now of Olympia Drive in Belfast but formally of Morpeth, was at home with his family last year when officers arrested him.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images and was sentenced to two years behind bars, suspended for two years.

Prosecutor Omar Ahmad said: “Police executed a warrant at the defendant’s home on the 5th of January last year following intelligence received from theNational Crime Agency that indecent images had been uploaded to the internet via Yahoo that had an IP address linked to the defendant’s address.

“The defendant was cautioned and arrested and the defendant was present with his wife and his two children at the time.

“Devices were seized, including a mobile phone the defendant was holding at the time - that phone was forensically analysed and was found to contain indecent images.”

The court heard that there were 2,224 category A images found with 37 videos, as well as 2,211 category B images and eight videos.

There were also 4,649 category C images and five videos uncovered.

Mr Ahmad said that there were a further 2,493 images that were classed as borderline, but not illegal.

He added: “I would submit the images are as serious as they get in cases of this nature."

The court was told that the ages of the children depicted in the material ranged from infants to 11-years-old.

Pond told police in his interview that his username was ‘Jimmy Saville’ and when asked why, he said it was so other users knew of his intentions.

He also stated he would view the images and the delete them using a special software remover, but then would re-download them again at a later date.

Claire Anderson, defending, told the court that the defendant had suffered childhood trauma growing up, which had never been properly addressed.

Ms Anderson said: “There is very little that can be said to explain or mitigate it.

“The defendant has currently not tried to deny he has a very clear sexual interest in children.”

However, Ms Anderson added that Pond's childhood experiences had effectively caused him to lead two “different versions of himself”.

In sentencing, Mr Recorder Mark McKone said: “The public expect an immediate prison sentence for offences like these.

“I've got to use my judgement and experience to decide what makes it most likely that you will stop this sort of offending.

“I'm having to balance the grave seriousness of these offences with the prospect of rehabilitation.”

The judge told Pond that he had “battled” with the case and accepted that he had previously led a law-abiding life. The judge also said he took Pond’s instant admission in interview into account.

He added: “People never get a second chance for these types of offences.”

Pond was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign the sex offender’s register, both for 10 years.