Latest Offenders Nottingham

Description

A Bulwell man has been jailed after exchanging a series of explicit text messages with a vulnerable teenage girl.

William Howell, who began exchanging messages with the girl when she was only 13 years old, came to police attention when a report was made by the girl’s mother.

A forensic investigation of his mobile phone revealed multiple explicit messages sent over a prolonged period of time.

Howell, now aged 46, was well aware of the girl’s true age when the offences took place.

He later pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communications with a child.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, August 30, Howell, of Northall Avenue, Bulwell, was jailed for 11 months.

He was also made the subject of a sexual ham prevention order that will restrict his access to children and his online activities once he is released from prison.

Detective Constable Joanne Thompson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Howell was well-aware this girl was nowhere close to the age of consent when he exchanged these messages.

“His actions were totally indefensible and have understandably had a significant impact on this girl and her family.

“I am pleased he has now been jailed and hope this sentence serves as a reminder to others about the potential consequences of this kind of behaviour.”

Description

A convicted sex offender who kept secret devices before selling them on has been jailed for repeatedly breaching his court order.

Harry Palmer, 22, was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order when he was previously convicted of offences against a teenage girl.

The order, which had been amended as a result of a previous breach, gave police the power to monitor all his electronic devices and also prohibited him from having any contact with girls under the age of 18.

Detectives launched an investigation after learning from the probation service that Palmer had sold a MacBook laptop without gaining permission from the police.

Inquiries found he had sold a MacBook laptop, a Samsung tablet and a Huawei mobile phone to CEX stores in Coventry and Bulwell.

Nottingham Crown Court heard the items were sold for a combined sum of £142 across three separate dates in August 2023 – and that he’d kept the Samsung tablet and Huawei mobile phone a secret from the authorities.

When his address was searched, officers found four bank cards that also had not been registered with the police – again putting him in breach of the court order.

Palmer, formerly of Astral Grove, Hucknall, later admitted to three counts of breaching his sexual harm prevention order and four counts of failing to comply with notification requirements.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on August 30, he was jailed for two years.

Palmer had only recently been released from prison on licence for previous breaches of the order and drugs offences.

Detective Constable Richard Johnson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Safeguarding vulnerable young people is a key priority for Nottinghamshire Police and we take a very proactive approach to monitoring known offenders.

“These court orders are put in place for a very good reason and we expect them to be obeyed. When we find that they are being flouted so brazenly we will take swift action. As Palmer has just found out there the subsequent punishments can be very severe indeed.

“I hope this case serves as a reminder to other offenders about the potential consequences of attempting to deceive us, and also hope that members of the wider public will be reassured by our ongoing efforts to keep the public safe from harm.”

Description

A teacher who kissed a pupil in a school art cupboard before having sex with her in a hotel room has been locked up.

Sex offender Bradley Amphlett 'crossed a line' and kissed his student when she went to speak to him about her exam stress.

The 26-year-old soon started sending the girl 'explicit' messages and even asked her to call him 'daddy'. He would also 'fantasise' about their encounter within the art cupboard.

The pair later met up at a hotel room where they had sex. Nottingham Crown Court heard how Amphlett worked as an art and design teacher at Alvaston Moor, Derby.

He started 'flirting' with his victim when she was in her final years at the school, DerbyshireLive reports. Prosecutor Jonathon Dee said Amphlett's offending started during the last week of term.

The convict had given his phone number to the victim 'in case she needed emotional support'. Mr Dee added: "She said she had gone into his room to speak to him because she was stressed about exams.

"He got everyone out of the room and then went over to her. He hugged her and then turned her face up to his and kissed her.

"It is quite clear from what she said that he was shocked about this and knew he had crossed a line. The next day she had an exam but it was also the day that students were getting everyone to autograph a shirt.

"She asked him and he was initially distant but later, after the exam, she went back into his room and he kissed her again. Clearly by now any doubts he had were gone and in fact he told her to ask him to kiss her.

"She did and he took her into the art cupboard where no one could see them and kissed her again. She described this as more intense than the first kiss.

"By the Friday, she had left the school." The girl messaged Amphlett and then pair started 'communicating by text'.

Amphlett 'had clearly received a warning of some sort as safeguarding concerns had been raised about his relationship with her', the court heard. Mr Dee said: "The messages became more explicit.

"He was clearly encouraging her in this although she was responding in kind. He encouraged her to call him 'daddy' and engage in explicit 'sexting' and there are a whole series of very explicit messages where they are fantasising about sexual activity and what could have happened in the art cupboard.

"They arranged to meet up for the day in Nottingham with a hotel room booked so that they could have sex. They met up around 11am on the Saturday, they did not text again until 5.30pm the following day by which time they were both saying how fantastic the weekend had been."

Amphlett was arrested once police were informed. He gave a prepared statement to officers, denying the offence.

Dan Scothern, defending, handed the court a number of character references in support of the defendant. Amphlett, of Cordy Lane, Brinsley, Nottinghamshire, admitted meeting a child following sexual grooming, sexual activity with a child and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual communication.

He was jailed for three years and eight months. Sian Hampton, chief executive of Archway Learning Trust, said: "On behalf of Archway Learning Trust and everybody at Alvaston Moor Academy, we are pleased to hear that justice has been served today.

"Given the very serious nature of the crime, we appreciate that this will cause shockwaves in our community, and all our colleagues are on hand for any students who may need some support."

Description

A thief inadvertantly turned himself in at the police station after arriving to sign the sex offender's register. Jake Barker was jailed for four years in 2016 for a sexual assault in Hyson Green.

He was ordered to sign the sex offender register at regular intervals. Since his release, he failed to do on a regular basis and so was sent back to prison. He was released most recently from prison in February this year.

But on April 24, he stole a wallet from a coat in Slug and Lettuce on Forman Street. And on June 4, he stole a mobile phone in McDonald's in St. Peter's Street in Derby.

He was investigated for both, with his mugshot being sent round to police colleagues. Officers hadn't found him - but on Tuesday, August 27, he walked right under their nose - literally.

The 30-year-old had come to sign the register he so often didn't at Central Police Station, in Byron House, on the roundabout at the top of Maid Marian Way. When staff typed his name in, they realised he was wanted for the other crimes - and he was arrested.

He answered no comment to all interview questions, but officers already had sufficient evidence to charge him. He pleaded guilty to two counts of theft at Nottingham Magistrates Court on Wednesday, August 28.

Barker, of Great Hoggett Drive in Chilwell, was jailed for 38 weeks and ordered to pay a total of £100 compensation to the people he stole from. PC Roger Weir, of Nottinghamshire Police’s prisoner handling team, said:“Barker is a prolific offender who has shown a flagrant disregard for the law over many years.

“He showed some signs of improvement by attending an appointment this week to sign the sex offenders register, but was ignorant to the fact we knew about his recent acquisitive crimes.

“I am pleased he has been dealt with quickly by the courts and is back in prison. Hopefully this time he will finally get the message that crime has very real consequences. Put simply, if you carry on committing offences after you’ve been released from custody, you will continue to see a prison cell.”

Description

Jail for man who made thousands of indecent images of children

A man who made thousands of indecent still and moving images of children has been locked up.

After he was arrested, Keah Gibbs told police he used images he had created and downloaded on social media in order to flush out people with a sexual interest in children.

Officers found more than 9,000 images on Gibbs computer. Of those, 1,733 were graded as category A - depicting the most severe kinds of abuse.

In addition, 2,474 category B and 5,085 category C images were discovered on his device.

Gibbs, aged 25, went on to plead guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, between 27 December 2019 and 14 October 2020.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing 427 prohibited images of children and seven extreme pornographic images, between 27 December 2019 and 14 October 2020, and distributing 25 indecent photographs of children, between 17 July 2023 and 16 January 2024, including seven category A images.

Gibbs, formerly of Pelham Road, Sherwood, was jailed for three years when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Friday (16 August).

He was also made subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and must sign the Sex Offenders' Register indefinitely.

Description

A university graduate was found in possession of indecent images after police pulled him over in Newcastle.

Joshua Tilley was stopped by police after "suspicious" online activity had been flagged up to them, and his mobile phone was seized. Following an examination, 11 indecent images in category C were discovered on the phone and he was arrested.

This week, Tilley, of West Bridgford, Nottingham, appeared at Newcastle Magistrates' Court facing a charge of making indecent images. He pleaded guilty to the offence, which was committed on or about May 13, 2022.

The court heard that police were on duty in Newcastle when Tilley's vehicle was stopped. Stephen Davies, prosecuting, said: "They stopped a vehicle which was occupied by the defendant. His mobile phone was seized and examined and a number of images were found. [A total of] 11 category C images involving children were found."

The court heard Tilley had no previous convictions. Michael Gibson, defending, said: "He came to police [attention] due to some suspicious activity on the web. There was a file with 11 pictures on his phone, the last time that file was accessed was in 2020.

"He had graduated with a first degree and was studying in Edinburgh, he was bored and was chatting to a female [online] and she told him she was 16-years-old. The [chat] was transferred to Snapchat and she sent him some images. He never requested them."

Magistrates fined Tilley £666 and ordered him to pay a surcharge of £266 and costs of £85. He will also be on the sex offenders' registers for five years.

Description

An online sex offender has been jailed after downloading and sharing hundreds of ‘horrific’ child sexual abuse images.

Paul Smith, aged 41, came to the attention of Nottinghamshire Police when his IP address was linked to illicit images and videos stored on an online file sharing site.

When he was arrested in February 2022, Smith admitted to using the site to access images of adults, but also made voluntary reference to ‘child porn’ – saying that he made a point of instantly deleting any such images.

Officers then began a more detailed search of his then home address in  Grimston Road, Radford, and seized electronic devices.

Forensic examination of his mobile phone confirmed his use of the file sharing site and uncovered multiple prohibited images.

It also contained a damning history from use of an online chat application in which he shared and viewed hundreds of links to images and videos featuring children and babies.

Most of the images were graded as Category A – depicting the most serious sexual abuse of children by adults.

Smith, of Radford, initially denied any wrongdoing but later pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing indecent images of children and three counts of making indecent photographs of children.

He also admitted to possessing a prohibited image of a child, and possessing an extreme pornographic image of an animal.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday (29 July) he was given a seven year extended prison sentence and added to the sex offenders’ register for life.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order that will tightly restrict his access to children and the internet once he is released.

Description

An aspiring social media influencer has been jailed after admitting to a series of sex offences against two teenage girls.

Reaquain Palmer came to police attention at the end of July last year when one of his victims confided in staff at her school about a sexual relationship.

The schoolgirl had known of Palmer from his viral Tik Tok account and was later introduced to him in person.

Palmer, then aged 23, invited her back to his flat and had sex with her on three different occasions.

When he was arrested a short time later, he denied ever having sexual contact with her but also made it clear he believed her to be at least 16 years old.

He also denied calling another schoolgirl and attempting to engage her in a sexual act over the phone.

Incriminating mobile phone messages, however, revealed he was well aware of the first girl’s true age but had still maintained his pursuit of her.

As the investigation continued Palmer then made a clear threat to one of his victims in a misguided bid to undermine the case against him.

He later pleaded guilty to three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15. He also admitted to engaging in sexual communications with a child and intimidating a witness.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday 25 July, Palmer, now aged 24, of Carlton Road, Nottingham, was jailed for three years and eight months.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order which will tightly control his online activities and access to children in the future.

Description

An NHS junior doctor who secretly took indecent photos of children he treated and a woman he had anaesthetised has been branded a 'predatory paedophile' by a judge who jailed him for 12 years today - and said he had caused 'irreparable damage' to the public's trust in the medical profession.

Edward Finn, now aged 36, looked emotionless as he was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to a string of horrific child sex offences and crimes against adult females which he had previously pleaded guilty to.

When he was finally snared after an unsuspecting family member found disgusting images on his computer, he told police: 'I have tried to stop but I can't. I am not unwell but I cannot stop.'

In a text messages left to family as he made an attempt to take his own life, he wrote: 'It had been a pleasure but I never physically hurt anyone. I didn't mean for this to happen.'

Evil Finn, an anaesthetist, who had given an interview to the BBC as part of the junior doctors' strike and worked in overcrowded wards during the Covid pandemic, preyed on his unsuspecting victims over years in three East Midlands hospitals he worked in.

He also stored thousands of sexually explicit images of children on his computers and mobile phone in files named 'Hidden', prosecutor Victoria Rose told his sentencing hearing.

In some pictures of naked children they 'looked in obvious distress' and there were some if 'young girls being shackled to beds,' she said.

Almost all the images he stored were of girls, the youngest being a 12-month-old baby and the eldest aged 14.

When cops raided the defendant's home - which at the time he was sharing with his wife and young son - they found a garrote hidden in a wardrobe, along with a child-like and adult-like sex dolls.

Finn carried out his depravity whilst working at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre, Royal Derby Hospital and Kingsmill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.

He was arrested in November last year.

He admitted three counts of making indecent photographs of children, three counts of taking indecent images of children, two counts of voyeurism and one charge of sexual assault against a child aged under 13.

He pleaded not guilty to three further charges of theft, voyeurism and sexual assault - with those offences ordered by His Honour Judge Michael Auty KC to lie on the file.

In two of his most disturbing acts he took photos of a woman patient he had anaesthetised and a young child he was undergoing an operation.

As details were read in court, family members in the public gallery were heard loudly sobbing.

Passing sentence and in a scathing attack the judge told bearded and bespectacled Finn, who had been remanded in custody site his arrest: 'You have caused irreparable damage to the confidence and trust society has placed in the medical profession.

Judge Auty told disgraced doctor Finn: 'The author of your report states that you are a highly intelligent man who would have fully understood your crimes and the nature of your actions but you would have carried on offending had you not been caught.

'Web searches from as long ago as 2016 include worrying terms such as 'drunk teen sex' and 'amateur voyeur' and an indication of how depraved you had decline was the discovery of an indecent image of a girl at Royal Derby Hospital.'

He jailed Finn for eight years with an extended licence of four years, totalling 12 years for all seven offences.

He received individual sentences of between 10 months and eight years for the offences to run concurrently.

He will remain on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

After ordering Finn - behind the glass panelled dock - 'You may go down', the judge told members of public and media: 'I have no idea of the long term effects of Edward Finn's behaviour and how such wickedness can occur.'

He said in light of this case he hoped the authorities would 'give some thought about the vulnerability of patients' and called for that to be 'properly and appropriately protected.'

The father of one of Finn's young victims read his own victim impact statement to the court, saying: 'It is hard to fully understand the impact his crimes have had on my family.

'He was in a position of trust in his job working high in the medical profession. He was also working in the community as a football referee.'

The dad, looking visibly shaken, told how he had received regular counselling and that both he and his wife had 'struggled' and had both taken time off work but he had now returned to his job.

Prosecutor Miss Rose told the shocked courtroom how numerous Category A, B and C images of young girls were found stored in his electronic devices.

One disturbing picture showed a girl, aged six-eight being raised.

Police searching is home also uncovered a screenshot of a theatre patient, and internet searches included 'Year six netball and 'School beach trip.'

Tellingly, there was also a search for 'Derby doctor sexual assault.

On his iPhone there were 163 category A images, 225 Category B and 2,898 Category C.

There was further indecent pictures of a child in hospital and of a girl aged eight to 10 act Sainsbury's in Nottingham's Castle Marina, the court heard.

Doctor Finn's crimes came to light after naked images of children were found on his two iPads by a horrified family member on November 12 last year, the court heard.

Police were alerted and later found a text message from him which stated: 'It has been a pleasure. I never physically hurt anyone and I didn't mean this to happen.'

Officers located the defendant through his Find my iPhone app in his car at Trent Lane in East Bridgford, Nottinghamshire.

Prosecutor Miss Rose says: 'He was found slumped at the wheel of his vehicle by the River Trent with a medical device he had removed from hospital.

He was administering medication with 'the intention of ending his life.'

She said: 'He said he was going to throw himself in front of a train to end his life in a flash' and that there were 'images I am not proud of.

On his arrest he told police: 'I am not unwell. I have tried to stop but I can't, I cannot stop. There is no excuse.'

He said he suffered from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) after seeing a 14-year-old girl who suffered severe burns die in hospital at the start of the Covid lockdown.

The defendant's estranged wife, who walked out on him following his arrest and is now ending her marriage, said her 'entire life had been ripped apart by the man I trusted most in the world.'

The sobbing woman, giving an impact statement at the sentencing hearing, wept: 'My life has been based on a lie. He deceived me and abused his position if trust and my heart has been irreparably broken.'

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, added: 'Our dreams as a family have been completely obliterated by his actions.

'The true depth of sadness is overwhelming.'

The devastated mother of another victim said in an impact statement read by the prosecutor that she could no longer 'trust doctors.'

She continued: 'I find it difficult to believe this can happen and I struggle with anxiety and it has put a stress on my relationship.

'I feel thoroughly let down by people we should trust the most,

The court hearing the defendant's lawyer Andrew Wesley that his client had no previous convictions.

He said: 'He is entirely sorry for his actions - that is an understatement.

'His immediately acted to self harm and attempted to take his own life because of the self disgust he feels about his behaviour and the effects it has had on everybody else.

'He is aware of his failings over a decade and he made attempts to seek help.

'He has engaged in therapy whilst in prison.'

Mr Wesley said that losing colleagues during the pandemic and seeing patients die had affected him.

He said on one night shift while the doctor was on duty in an overcrowded ward with 36 patients being treated in a ward for 11 he saw five people die.

The lawyer added: 'He has suffered a significant degree of trauma but he is responsible for his own tragedy, and his self disgust is proper.

'He has helped many people through difficult times in his career.'

He said the defendant's 'mother remains supportive' of him.

His Honour Judge Auty described him as a 'predatory paedophile.'

He ordered for him to be put on suicide watch in prison.

Description

A former West Yorkshire teacher has been jailed for six years after admitting getting a girl to send him a sexual photograph and then sharing the image with another child when she refused to send him further images.

Michael Pierce, 32, pleaded guilty to offences of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sexual act, inciting a child under 13 years to engage in sexual activity and distributing an indecent photograph of a child.

He appeared at Leeds Crown Court yesterday (Thursday, June 27) where he was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

He was also put on the sex offender register for life and given a life-long sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to have no unsupervised contact with children Pierce posed as a 16-year-old boy from Leeds and befriended the victims via Snapchat.

He convinced one of the girls to send him a nude photograph and after she refused to send more images threatened to send the photograph to all of her friends on Snapchat.

He sent the second victim the photograph of the first victim and also asked her to send nude photographs of herself.

Police traced the defendant’s IP address and Pierce was arrested at an address in Wakefield in 2021. He was a teacher at the time the offences were committed and at the point of his arrest.

Detective Sergeant Steven Sayles, of Wakefield District Child Vulnerable to Exploitation Team (CVET), said: “This man, who occupied a position of trust, has targeted young girls and used threatening behaviour to try and exploit them into sending indecent images.

“The nature of his crimes was particularly concerning given his role at the time.

We have worked with local authority colleagues throughout this investigation to ensure that measures have been put in place to restrict his contact with children.

Following his conviction Pierce, of Blackstone Drive, Shireoaks, Worksop, is now the subject of a life-long sexual harm prevention order.

“These were horrible offences committed against vulnerable young girls. I hope the conclusion of this court case brings some closure on an upsetting and scary time for them.”

If someone is threatening to share sexual pictures, videos or information about you, there is help available.

To find out more visit Sextortion | West Yorkshire Police

Description

A volunteer photographer for a childrens amateur dramatics group took pictures of them and then zoomed in on their groins and chests for his own sexual gratification. Nottingham Crown Court heard how Barrie White-Miller also posted entries on his own blog in which fantasised about watching young children on the beach.

The married 61-year-old, of Nottingham, was reported to the police by his own step-daughter who found vile abuse images on his computer. And when officers examined his electronic devices they found more than 3,500 similar such images.

Jailing him for 10 months, Judge Steven Coupland said: The police were called because you had been seen watching pornography on your computer by someone standing outside your house and the fact that you did that indicates to me that you saw nothing wrong with that or behaving in that way. I have no hesitation in describing you as someone that has got a sexual interest in children and it was not just the images that were found on your computer that leads me to conclude that.

There were search terms for young children but worse than that was what you wrote on your own blog indicating you had been watching children walk past your address and having sexual fantasies about them. You also wrote on your blog about being on holiday and watching children on the beach.

And worse than that was your role as a volunteer for a childrens group who you photographed. It is of a particular concern to me that you cropped certain images (you took) and concentrated on the crotch or chest area for your own sexual gratification.

Samuel Lowne, prosecuting, said White-Miller was arrested at his home address in Burnside Drive, Bramcote, on September 17, 2022, a week before his 60th birthday. He said officers had been alerted to attend the address by the defendants step-daughter who had discovered the abuse images on one of his electronic devices.

The prosecutor said a number of items were seized and examined and in total there were 186 of the most serious category A images, 407 category B, 2,905 category C and two prohibited images of children. Mr Lowne said: There were also search terms including nymphette and Lolita and the children in the images were aged as young as three or four.

He also volunteers as a photographer for a childrens amateur dramatics group and one file was headed 'summer school and had cropped images where he had zoomed in. There were also entries on his own blog where he talked of being on the beach looking at young girls and another about people passing by the house..

White-Miller pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing prohibited images of children. He has no previous convictions of any kind.

Kevin Waddingham, mitigating, said his client stopped looking at the images before his arrest and has taken steps since to address his offending, including completing 10 treatment modules with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which works at rehabilitation sex offenders.

He said: Mr White-Miller is a man approaching his 62nd birthday and finds himself before the court for the first time for behaviour he is thoroughly ashamed of and so he should be.

In terms of his arrest, his daughter-in-law and her family were living next door and that situation has now been resolved through their property being sold. He is currently not working but had been a delivery driver but that came to an end for something completely unrelated to that prosecution.

As well as the jail sentence, Judge Coupland also handed White-Miller a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and ordered him to sign the sex offender register, also for 10 years.

Description

A sex offender has been jailed after breaching the terms of a court order. Adam Kerley, 26, was made the subject of a sexual risk order in November 2022, shortly after he was arrested as part of another police investigation.

In addition to forbidding contact with children under the age of 16, the order also compelled Kerley to make any phones, computers or tablets available for police inspection. It also compelled him to register details of any social media accounts with officers at Nottinghamshire Police’s public protection department.

Further investigation by officers in January 2023 revealed that Kerley was in possession of an undeclared mobile phone and also had access to undeclared social media accounts. He later pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching a sexual risk order.

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Kerley also admitted to two counts of making indecent images of children after a small number of child sexual abuse images were found on his phone after his initial arrests. Two were graded as category A – showing the most serious abuse that can be perpetrated by adults against children.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, April 23, Kerley, of Radford Road, Nottingham, was jailed for a total of 16 months. He was also made the subject of an additional sexual harm reduction order which will be used to restrict and monitor his behaviour when he is released.

Detective Constable Hannah Newbold, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Court orders of this nature are put in place to protect children from harm, which is why people who breach them in this way can expect to go to prison – as can anyone we find in possession of child sexual abuse images. People who view these images may believe they are not hurting anyone, but the reality is that real children are being subjected to appalling levels of physical and psychological harm to produce these images.

“That’s why we take this kind of offending so seriously and work hard to bring people like Kerley to justice."

Description

A Southampton paedophile who spends his benefits money on gaming was caught with more than 800 indecent images of children on his phones.

Thomas Mills, 39, was caught when police visited his home address and seized two mobile phones, Southampton Crown Court heard.

On the devices, an iPhone and a black mobile phone, officers found 195 Category A indecent images – the most severe kind – as well as 266 of Category B and 345 of Category C.

Ten of these were videos and depicted children as young as four being abused.

The court heard how Mills, who committed the offences in Southampton, is not able to work and is on benefits, which he spends on gaming.

Judge Nicholas Rowland said these are “serious offences” and told Mills that children are abused “for the gratification of people like you looking at images on the screen”.

The judge said Mills lives a “restricted life, spending [his] time in front of the screen".

“I am not sure that is a good thing for you to be doing Thomas Mills," he added.

Mills, who is currently living in West Bridgford, Nottingham, was arrested but answered no comment to all questions when interviewed.

Prosecutor, Helen Easterbrook said the offences relate to the downloading of images which he had in his possession for over a year on one device and six and a half months on the other.

The 39-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing extreme pornography.

But in the pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service, it says he “denies any sexual interest in children”.

Mitigating, Grace McConnell said her client has “mental health difficulties” and suffers from agoraphobia and germaphobia and is “on benefits as he is not able to work”.

She added: “With hindsight, he can see the inevitable harm that has been caused to those children.

“He is an individual of previous good character. He has never been seen before the court before.”

Mills, who wore a facemask throughout his sentencing hearing, claims he was abused as a child.

But Ms Easterbrook said: “There are no records within Hampshire Police in that he reported the abuse that he relied on," but accepted that this could have been reported elsewhere.

She also told the court that no medical evidence had been provided to demonstrate his mental health difficulties.

Mills was sentenced to nine months in prison but suspended for 18 months.

He must complete up to 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days and pay a £1,000 fine, with 28 days imprisonment in default if he fails to pay.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for five years and notification requirements for ten years.

The judge ordered the deprivation of the two seized devices.

Description

A rapist who sexually assaulted two young girls has been put behind bars.

Christopher Powis raped one girl, aged under 13, in March 2023 after forcing himself upon her.

Powis called police the following day to ask whether he should hand himself in after the child’s mother discovered what had happened.

He was arrested and detectives launched an investigation.

A second victim revealed Powis, aged 65, had also sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions.

The abuse of the second victim began in 2016 when she was at primary school. Powis told the girl not to say anything.

Powis, of Bulwell, was jailed for a total of 12-and-a-half years when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Monday (11 March).

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was added to the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

Description

A dangerous paedophile who was caught by police when he travelled to Nottinghamshire to sexually assault a 12-year-old girl has been jailed.

Kevin Walsh had unknowingly been chatting to specialist law enforcement officers when he arranged to meet the father of the ‘girl’ in order to rape her.

Officers arrested Walsh when he arrived at a Nottinghamshire hotel on the meeting date of 11 November 2023.

Specialist search officers seized Walsh’s mobile phone and laptop, and analysis of the devices showed he had been offending over a prolonged period.

The 59-year-old, of HMP Nottingham, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Friday (8 March) and was jailed for a total of eight years and eight months.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to seven counts of distributing an indecent photograph of a child, six counts of making an indecent photograph of a child and three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.

Walsh also admitted one count of attempting to cause a child to watch an image of sexual activity, one count of arranging the commission of an offence of sexual activity with a child, one count of possessing an extreme image, one count of engaging in sexual communications with a child and one count of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

Detectives discovered Walsh had been active on social media distributing indecent images of children and communicating with adults online about the sexual abuse of children.

During the investigation it became clear he had also been communicating with a suspect in Wales where he had arranged to drug and rape a young child.

He had also been talking to the mother of a 13-year-old girl in Surrey and looking to arrange to travel and meet the girl in order to sexually assault her.