Latest Offenders Nottingham

Description

A sex offender who crept into elderly people’s homes during a series of disturbing incidents was caught after a determined investigation and help from the public.

Tyler Reilly broke into one elderly woman’s home while she was in the shower and attempted to get through a bedroom window while another woman was getting changed.

The 32-year-old also sneaked into a flat at an OAP's complex and told the elderly occupant ‘not to scream’.

Detectives investigated the series of incidents, which all took place in the West Bridgford area, and analysed hours of CCTV footage.

An image of a suspect was released to the public and this helped identify Reilly as the offender.

He was arrested by neighbourhood officers who found him living in a tent in Wilford Road.

Reilly, of no fixed abode, went on to plead guilty to two counts of trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence, burglary and failing to comply with the requirements of the Sex Offenders’ Register.

At Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday (26 February) he was handed an extended jail sentence of 14 years.

Detective Sergeant Ben Skellern, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“The victims in this series of incidents were alarmed to come face-to-face with an intruder inside their homes or on their property.

“They must have felt horrified that their safe space had been violated in this way by Reilly.

“We believe our investigation, with the help of the public who identified him, may have prevented further and more serious offences being committed.

“During the investigation it became clear this series of incidents were linked and we were looking at one offender who needed to be identified quickly and arrested.

“We are very grateful to the members of the public who came forward to help our appeal.”

Inspector Tim Cuthbert, local area commander for Rushcliffe, said:

“These incidents caused concern in the West Bridgford community and we know a number of Reilly’s victims were vulnerable people who lived alone or in assisted accommodation.

“Neighbourhood teams carried out additional patrols in the areas affected as the investigation took place and I hope these provided some comfort.

“I also hope our robust investigation and the outcome in court reassures both the victims and the wider community about how seriously we treat offences of this nature.”

Description

A child sex offender was exposed when he travelled internationally to meet the victim he groomed online.

Gary Burrows, 34, initiated sexualised social media conversations with the girl.

Aware that his victim was only 15-years-old at the time, Burrows enticed her to send him a series of sexually explicit images – and sent them back too.

He also arranged to meet her in person and flew to Canada once she turned 16.

Ontario Provincial Police were made aware that Burrows was having sexual relations with the victim in September 2023 but took no further action as 16 is the age of consent in that country.

It was, however, reported to Nottinghamshire Police to investigate potential offences committed whist the victim was still 15 years old.

Burrows’ phone was examined, and he was arrested in October 2023.

Burrows, formerly of Lime Street, Sutton-in-Ashfield, went on to plead guilty to making indecent photos of a child, causing a child aged 13 to 15 to look at an image of sexual activity, and engaging in sexual communication with a child.

He also pleaded guilty to two counts of causing a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday 20 February, he was jailed for three years and placed on the sex offenders’ register.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order that will tightly restrict his activities once he is released from prison.

Detective Constable Jason Jenkins, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Burrows is a calculating sex offender who poses a significant danger to young girls.

“He knew exactly what he was doing and had absolutely no care for the very significant harm he was causing.

“As his victim was outside the country, he may have thought he could have gotten away with such depraved behaviour.

“This was, obviously, proven thoroughly wrong when he was placed before the courts.

“Those who choose to act this way can be warned – you will be held accountable.”

Description

A racist sex offender sent a threatening message to BBC Radio Nottingham presenter Arun Verma, vowing to "stab you 22 times in revenge for the Manchester Arena bombing" while using highly offensive racist language.

The message, seen by station staff and Verma, breached a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) from prior sex offense convictions when Michael James deleted it.

At Nottingham Crown Court, the 57-year-old's barrister, Clarkson Baptiste, said his client "can’t explain" his motivation, has no "particular views towards Mr Verma or the BBC," and wished to apologize. James has been in custody since his November arrest, with health issues including a tracheotomy, spinal tube, and an 18-month prognosis.

Prosecutor Dawn Pritchard detailed the November 20 incident: James, a persistent caller identifying as "Michael from Daybrook," messaged, "Notts get off the radio you dirty wannabee P*** terrorist b*****d. Allah, Allah, it will be when I stab you 22 times in revenge for the Manchester Arena bombing." The station alerted police; Verma read it but made no statement. It was "clearly racially motivated," and James violated his SHPO by deleting it without permission.

James, of Frobisher Gardens, Daybrook, pleaded guilty to breaching the order and sending a communication threatening serious harm. He has an "extensive criminal record."

Jailing him for 40 weeks, Judge Rupert Mayo said:

"Mr James, I accept your apology and I don’t think anybody but you can explain why you did what you did. You sent a highly offensive and racist comment during a broadcast by the BBC which would have come up in the studio and would have been seen by the presenter and those working that evening. We have freedom of speech but that does not mean we can say what we like when we like. At the time you were the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for past offences against people younger than you and one of its requirements was not to delete any messages, which is exactly what you then did."

Description

A rapist who attacked two women in the space of 15 months has been jailed.

Omran Ahmed, aged 37, raped his first victim at an address in Sneinton on 20 December 2023 – punching her repeatedly in the face during the attack.

During his first police interview Ahmed denied having any sexual contact with his victim.

When confronted several months later by damming DNA evidence he changed his story – claiming he had been asleep and had no memory of what happened.

Whilst on Crown Court bail and awaiting trial for his first offence, Ahmed raped another woman at an address in Forest Fields on 20 March 2025 after being introduced to her by a mutual friend.

He lied again during his third police interview – even when confronted by the evidence of this first offence.

Ahmed, who was immediately remanded into custody, continued to protest his innocence until September 2025, when he was convicted of raping both victims by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court.

He was also found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to his first victim.

Appearing at the same venue on Friday, Ahmed, of Ilkeston Road, Nottingham, was given an extended 20 year sentence.

Detective Constable Alexander Terry, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Ahmed is an opportunist predator who poses a clear and obvious danger to women.

“During his first offence he forced himself on a woman who believed him to be a friend, before lying repeatedly to the police about what had happened.

“Seemingly untroubled by the police investigation into his first offence, Ahmed launched a second and highly opportunistic assault on a woman he’d only just met.

“As he begins a very long and richly deserved jail sentence, I would like to thank both the women in this case for their bravery and cooperation during what has been a very traumatic experience for both of them.”

Description

A rapist who carried a 15-year-old girl into a bedroom against her will and subjected her to a violent sexual assault has been on the run for nearly two years, with police unaware of his location.

Nottingham Crown Court held the hearing without Aland Ahmed, 22, after he fled the country and skipped bail. His victim read an emotional impact statement detailing the attack's lasting effects, as reported by Nottingham Live.

In 2022, Ahmed, then 19, made unwanted advances toward the teenager at a flat in Nottingham. She resisted, but he carried her into the bedroom and raped her for five to ten minutes without a condom. He stopped only when disturbed by someone entering the room, who saw the girl crying hysterically.

The victim developed complex PTSD, turned to drugs and alcohol to cope, and saw her family relationships break down, leading to supported accommodation. In her statement, she described being unable to sleep.

Ahmed, of Highbury Road, was convicted in absentia of one count of rape and sentenced to nine years. He has been missing for 21 months and was placed on the sex offender register for life. Upon arrest, he will serve two-thirds of the sentence.

Judge Steven Coupland said:

“He was 19 at the time and is still only 23 now and the delay in this case is entirely down to him because of his initial denials of the offence and then him absenting himself. He chose not to attend the court, breached his bail and hasn’t been seen for some 21 months. She had only turned 15 and it is plain she did not want to have sex with him as she physically resisted him.

“As a result of this he physically carried her into a bedroom where, despite her protestations he raped her for some five to ten minutes without using a condom. He only stopped when someone else in the flat disturbed them and she was noticed to be crying hysterically.

“She then had to relive what happened in a video interview and then at the trial when his denials had to be put to her, despite him not attending or being here for that trial.

“I have read her victim impact statement in which she says as a result of what happened she turned to drugs and drink which ruined her relationship with her family and led to her now living in supported accommodation. She now suffers from complex PTSD, has trouble trusting people and is unable to sleep. It is clear there is severe psychological harm in this case.”

Prosecutor Nick Corsellis KC said the teenager and Ahmed, of Highbury Vale, were in the flat where he “made advances on her” which she tried to fight off. He added:

“She resisted him but he carried her into a bedroom where she was forcefully raped and his DNA was found in her underwear.

“After being charged and appearing at the magistrates' court he then absented himself and is believed to be out of the country. As a result he did not attend his trial, there is no pre-sentence report and very little is known about him. In her victim impact statement she talks of abusing drugs and drink as a result of what happened and being ostracised by her family although she is improving over time.”

Description

A man who sent explicit messages to three people he wrongly believed to be underage girls has been jailed.

Phillip Smith, aged 52, asked for explicit pictures after messaging three ‘girls’ on Facebook.

Unbeknown to Smith, however, the ‘girls’ – who told him they were aged 13, 14 and 14 – were actually members of an online child safety group, which later shared its evidence with the police.

Smith, of Dennis Avenue, Beeston, was confronted by the group in Beeston (pictured above left) and asked why he was sending sexualised messages to young girls.

Nottingham Crown Court heard he was already subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order having committed similar sexual offences in the past.

At his sentencing on Wednesday (7 January), Smith was jailed for two-and-a-half years after admitting attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Sergeant Elizabeth Gray, of Nottinghamshire Police’s public protection team said:

“Smith committed serious sexual offences with people he believed to be only 13 or 14 years old. Thankfully this was not the case and no children were harmed by his actions.

“But he knew perfectly well that what he was doing was wrong and he has rightly been punished.

“Although online activist groups work at their own discretion, Nottinghamshire Police will continue to respond to information provided by members of the public and that will not change.”

Description

The courage of three young girls has been praised for helping jail the man who sexually abused them.

Child sex offender Paul Davis was responsible for sexually assaulting each of the girls on multiple occasions.

The predator abused each of his victims at different locations across Nottinghamshire, between 2017 and 2020.

Despite the harrowing nature of what Davis had done, each of the girls found the strength to tell someone what had happened.

Their brave decision to come forward and to then speak to the police, ensured Davis, now aged 78, was tracked down and arrested soon after.

He would go on to be charged with eight counts of sexual assault of a girl and two counts of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.

Not content with what he’d already done, Davis decided to inflict more pain and distress on the victims and their families by denying all ten charges.

That meant they were forced to relive the details of his actions during a week-long trial at Nottingham Crown Court this October.

A jury would go on to see through Davis’ lies, however, and instead found him guilty of each of the offences he’d been tried on.

Davis, now of HMP Nottingham, was then sentenced to 14 years in prison when he reappeared before Nottingham Crown Court last Friday (12 December).

Detective Constable Lisa Torrance, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Before anything else, I firstly want to thank and pay tribute to the three young victims in this case.

“I can’t even comprehend how hard it must’ve been for them to share what had happened to them, but they showcased immense bravery in deciding to do so.

“In complete contrast to this, Paul Davis demonstrated the coward he is by denying everything, which ensured the people he’d hurt then had to sit through a week-long trial.

“Despite the further distress this would’ve no doubt caused, the girls and their families courageously managed to remain dignified throughout the entirety of the court proceedings.

“We were pleased to see the jury saw through Davis’ lies and that his disgusting and disgraceful behaviour has now resulted in a lengthy prison sentence.

“Our hope is this will provide the victims and their families with some small degree of comfort and closure going forward.”

Description

A sexual predator who assaulted two nine-year-old boys in a Nottingham park has left one victim making "excuses not to go out," according to his mother's victim impact statement read at Nottingham Crown Court.

The boys' mothers described the devastating effects on their sons. One said her "once bubbly and outgoing child" who "loved socialising with his friends, going out on his bike and having fun in Melbourne Park" now "makes excuses not to go out and has put a barrier up." She added: "This man had no right to do what he did to my son, the impact this has had has been devastating."

The other mother stated her son has "become withdrawn, asking why a grown man shows him dirty videos like this," and is "petrified the man will come after him and take him despite all of us reassuring him he will not do it."

After a week-long trial, a jury unanimously convicted Afghan national Dawajan Ahmadzai, 27, of no fixed address, of two counts of sexual assault of a child and one count of causing a child to watch a sexual act, per Nottinghamshire Live. This included showing one boy a pornographic video on his phone.

Jailing him for three years, Judge Julie Warburton said: "The boys had gone to Melbourne Park to play with friends, where they should have been safe. You clearly sought out and pursued contact with these young boys with a view to touching them for your own sexual gratification. I have no doubt on the evidence I saw and heard this was your intention throughout. It was done with a predatory sexual motive for your own deviant sexual pleasure."

In evidence, one victim described being "grabbed and massaged" by Ahmadzai while playing on June 15 this year. The boy said: "He came up behind me and started grabbing my belly so I pinched him to get him off me. He moved his hands up and started to massage my shoulders, digging his fingers in my collar bone, so I elbowed him and launched myself off the go-kart (I was sitting on) and headed towards the basketball court, and I called the police."

The second boy was hugged and shown "a dirty video" of adults having sex. The first boy added that Ahmadzai showed his friend "a proper dirty video saying ‘get your two friends to come and see this’. I said ‘no, I am not watching dirty stuff’."

Prosecutor Stuart Lody noted Ahmadzai's phone revealed membership in a social media app broadcasting pornographic videos. Forensic examination found his DNA on one boy's shirt, contradicting his denial of contact.

Defense lawyer Fergus Malone said Ahmadzai has no prior convictions, is in the country legally, approached a group rather than isolating a child, and the video was "very short-lived, perhaps four seconds."

Ahmadzai was placed on the sex offender register for life, given a lifetime sexual harm prevention order, and a 10-year restraining order. The boys have lifetime anonymity.

Description

A former support worker has been branded a dangerous offender after sexually assaulting a man by rubbing him intimately and penetrating him from behind without consent.

The assault occurred around a decade ago at Lee O'Brien's former home in the Wrexham area. O'Brien, 52, is already serving a prison sentence in England for sex offences against another victim.

At Mold Crown Court today, he admitted assault by penetration and was sentenced to nine years, with five and a half years in custody.

Judge Rhys Rowlands heard the victim, who cannot be named, arrived expecting others but found only O'Brien. Prosecutor John Wyn Williams said they sat on a sofa, where O'Brien tried to kiss him; the victim pulled away, but O'Brien, "bigger and stronger," got on top.

O'Brien rubbed him intimately over clothes, removed his trousers, and penetrated him, causing a "burning sensation in his anus as if he needed to go to the lavatory." The victim couldn't see what it was—"it could have been a finger or it could have been an object," Mr. Wyn Williams said. O'Brien suddenly stopped, smiling. No consent was given.

Years later, work training "triggered a reaction," leading the victim to report O'Brien to police on June 22, 2023. O'Brien, interviewed September 7, 2023, claimed the behavior was "consensual" and "mutual" with no sex.

In a court statement, the victim said before the incident, "I was living my best life. The world was my oyster." Afterward, he became socially isolated, distrustful, suffered nightmares, and needed counseling. He prepared for trial but O'Brien's guilty plea denied him that: "You have taken away my voice by taking away 'my' trial." Overall: "You made me feel dirty and disgusting and I will never be able to get over this fact."

Defense barrister Matthew Dunford noted the guilty plea spared cross-examination, both had been drinking without O'Brien "plying" the victim as in other cases, and O'Brien is genuinely remorseful.

The judge cited the assault's "severe psychological effect" on the victim. As a dangerous offender at HMP Whatton, Nottinghamshire, O'Brien must serve two-thirds of the custodial term, followed by three and a half years on licence "to protect members of the public." 

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Description

A man who provided sweets to children at a summer camp which he had laced with sedatives has pleaded guilty to 17 offences.

Jon Ruben, 76, admitted offences including wilful ill treatment of eight children and possession of class C drugs following a police investigation which Senior Investigating Officer Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Neil Holden today (Friday) described as “horrific, complex and emotional”.

Ruben, of Wayte Court, Landmere Lane, Ruddington, Nottingham, also admitted sexual offences against two children and charges of possession of indecent images of children when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court today. None of the images concerned relate to children who were at the summer camp.

The charges Ruben admitted are:

• Eight counts of wilful ill treatment of a child in relation to eight separate victims
• One count of acquiring or possession of dutiable goods by fraudulent intent
• Three counts of possession of a class C drug
• Three counts of making indecent photographs of a child.
• One count of assault by penetration of a boy under 13
• One count of sexual assault of a boy under 13.

Ruben pleaded not guilty to a second charge of assault by penetration of a boy under 13.

The charges came following police attending Stathern Lodge, Canal Lane, Stathern, near Melton, on Monday 28 July this year following concerns raised that a number of children had become unwell while at the camp there which was being run by Ruben. A report was made that Ruben, who ran a charity providing short holiday breaks for children, may have been drugging children at the camp with a number of children reported to be unwell including feeling drowsy and sick.

East Midlands Ambulance Service also attended the scene with eight children, who were all boys aged between eight and 11, being taken to hospital as a precaution. An adult was also taken to hospital at the time. All were later discharged.

At the time of police attending, Ruben was found to be at a nearby pub with some of the children. He was arrested by officers at the pub and transported to custody.

Searches were carried out at Stathern Lodge with items including syringes and sedatives being found.

While initial investigative work led to Ruben being charged four days later on Friday 1 August with three counts of wilful ill treatment of a child, the force’s Major Crime team then continued more than three months of detailed and dedicated enquiries to uncover further evidence of Ruben’s crimes.

This included statements being taken from victims and witnesses, exhibits being sent off for examination and analysis of digital devices seized.

These enquiries led to it being found that on the evenings of Saturday 26 July and Sunday 27 July, Ruben had carried out a ‘sweet game’ with a number of children at the lodge which involved encouraging them to eat the sweets.

Following toxicology tests, a sedative was found to be present in children at the camp as well as within sweets which had been provided to the children. Inspection of the sweets found incision marks had been made.

Analysis of devices belonging to Ruben were found to contain more than 50 category A indecent videos of children. Category A images as well as Category B and C videos were also found. The categories indicate the seriousness of the content shown with category A being the highest.

The enquiries carried out also found evidence that Ruben had sexually assaulted two boys – both victims were under 13-years-old.

The evidence gathered by the investigating team led to Ruben being further arrested in October this year on suspicion of further offences and interviewed. Charges in relation to all alleged offences were then put to Ruben at court today.

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Holden said:

“This has been a horrific, complex and emotional investigation involving multiple young, innocent, vulnerable victims and a man who committed the vilest crimes.

“Our focus today must of course remain on the young victims and with the support of partners and dedicated Family Liaison Officers, we have and continue to support their welfare and to ensure their safeguarding going forward.”

Description

A rapist who fled the country in a futile attempt to avoid justice has been jailed.

Craig Saunders was reported to Nottinghamshire Police in November 2020 after his teenage victim confided in a teacher at her school.

Saunders denied any wrongdoing, even when presented with damning forensic evidence during a follow-up interview with detectives.

Now aged 39, Saunders was due to stand trial in September of this year, but fled the country while on bail.

After failing to sign in at a police station as required, he flew to Turkey on 6 September on a return ticket. 

When he failed to return as planned ten days later, it was discovered he had travelled on to Lanzarote via Zurich, showing a clear intent to evade capture.

With support from Spain’s Guardia Civil and the National Crime Agency (NCA), Saunders was arrested and held in custody pending his extradition back to the UK.

Following a trial at Nottingham Crown Court held in his absence, Saunders — now of HMP Nottingham — was found guilty of rape and sexual assault.

All offences occurred in Nottinghamshire.

Appearing at the same court on Friday 18 October, he was sentenced to ten years and six months in prison.

He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which will severely restrict his interactions with young women upon release.

Detective Constable Kerry Stringer, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

"Saunders' behaviour showed a callous disregard not only for his victim, but also for the wider legal process.

“Whilst the Jury were not told of the reason for his absence, the evidence available to them enabled them to convict him of his crimes.

“As this case concludes, I am full of admiration for the victim’s courage in coming forward and reporting what happened.

"I am also grateful to our international partners for their collaboration in tracking Saunders and facilitating his return so quickly.

"Finally, I would like to appeal directly to all victims of these kind of offences to come forward and tell us about them. 

"We know it can be a daunting prospect for people, but we will do whatever we can to support them and investigate the reports they make."

Description

A man who secretly filmed himself abusing girls and women has been jailed.

Nottinghamshire Police said Andrew Hallam's offending was uncovered after one victim discovered the filming, leading officers to find his recorded footage and over 300 indecent images of children on his phone.

The 46-year-old from Beeston, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to 20 sexual offences, including assaulting a girl under 13 by touching, sexual assault of a woman, and voyeurism.

He received a 14-year extended sentence—nine years and one month in prison, plus four years and 11 months on extended licence—at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday.

Hallam was also placed on the sex offenders register and given a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.

'Perverse behaviour'

Police said Hallam "went out of his way to try to record footage of women and girls in various intimate situations so that he could watch it back later."

He hid cameras in bathrooms and changing rooms, committing offences across Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire since 2019.

A force statement noted the assaults occurred "without his victims even realising it had happened."

Det Con Lucy Clarke said:

"committed a series of shameful acts that any right-minded person would have found revolting."

"This was a gross breach of trust and invasion of privacy from a man with a dangerous infatuation for underage girls," she said.

"None of his victims had any idea what Hallam had done until later, when the videos he'd taken were discovered and the truth emerged.

"His perverse behaviour caused immeasurable pain to his victims, so we're really grateful to them for working with us to get them justice."

Description

A convicted sex offender has been jailed again after he sent explicit messages to a 14-year-old girl.

James Lacy (pictured) was jailed for 32 months in 2016 after striking up a sexual relationship with an underage girl, who he groomed online.

Nottingham Crown Court heard he was aged 21 at the time of the offence and that his sentence included a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prohibited him from having contact with a female child under the age of 16.

The order also required him to register devices used for internet access with the police.

Lacy, now 33, was arrested in February this year after it emerged he had sent sexually explicit messages to a 14-year-old girl via social media.

The victim informed her father and a report was made to Nottinghamshire Police.

Detectives arrested Lacy before searching his address and seizing a number of devices that he had failed to disclose as per his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

He answered no comment to most of the questions put to him across two police interviews.

With the weight of the evidence against him, Lacy, of Bransdale Road, Clifton, Nottingham, was charged with engaging in sexual communication with a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity and two breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

He pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday (2 October). The judge handed Lacy an extended sentence of eight years, comprising a custodial term of three years and then five years on licence, during which time he will remain under close supervision.

Lacy was further handed a new 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting to October 2035 and made subject of a restraining order that prohibits him from contacting his victim.

Detective Constable Will Huggins, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Public Protection unit, said:

“Lacy has a despicable attitude towards the legal system and so remains a serious risk to children.

“Despite serving a prison sentence and being subject to court orders, he has continued to flout the law and behave in this depraved manner towards a vulnerable 14-year-old girl.

“His victim demonstrated extraordinary bravery in alerting her father about the messages and it is because of her strength and willingness to come forward that we were able to put Lacy back before the courts.

“He knew full well that he wasn’t allowed to message young people in this way but once again his warped sexual desires have landed him in trouble.

“I hope this latest sentence will finally result in him changing his ways and leading a positive and law-abiding lifestyle.”

Description

A "sadistic" Sutton rapist armed with a knife brutally assaulted and repeatedly raped a woman after trapping her in her bedroom, doing "everything he could to humiliate and degrade her," Nottingham Crown Court heard.

Ionel -Alexandru Paicu, high on drink and drugs, attacked the woman on January 1 this year, prosecutor Catherine Picardo said. He repeatedly slapped and backhanded her face, causing "lots of bruises," threatened her with a kitchen knife, forced her to strip naked, and "effectively" trapped her in the bedroom before raping her.

The victim's statement described her ongoing anxiety when leaving home and fear of encountering the defendant again.

Mitigating, Mark Knowles said Paicu, 24, had previous good character. "Everything went wrong," he added. "He had never drunk as much as that before. He knows he has got to live with the situation and knows he is responsible. All I can ask is My Lady to reflect on the positive aspects of this defendant." He noted it was "a continuous event" in one evening and expected Paicu "will be deported at some point."

Judge Nirmal Shant KC told Paicu: "You did everything you could that evening to humiliate and degrade her. You have left her afraid of the future. What you did that evening and night has left a profound effect on her. The starting point is 12 years. There were different kinds of rape, albeit in one incident. It is, in my judgment, a case where sadistic conduct was involved."

Paicu, listening via a Romanian interpreter, admitted on the day of trial to making threats with a bladed article, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, false imprisonment, three counts of rape, and one of penetrative sexual assault.

He was jailed for 15 years, placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely, and given a restraining order banning all contact with the victim.

Description

A ‘controlling and manipulative sex offender’ who groomed and repeatedly raped a young girl has been jailed.

Christopher Swift, aged 35, was exposed when incriminating messages he’d sent to his victim were discovered and passed to detectives at Nottinghamshire Police in February of this year.

His victim was interviewed by officers and revealed a significant history of abuse at Swift’s hands.

The girl also revealed the high level of control Swift exerted over her life – from telling her what to wear to controlling her use of social media.

Swift initially gave no comment answers to officers’ questions, but later pleaded guilty to four counts of raping a girl under 13, four sexual assaults and another offence of engaging in sexual activity.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday 26 September, Swift, of no fixed address, was given an extended 17 year sentence.

He was also added to the sex offenders' register, and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order which will tightly restrict his access to children once he is released.

Detective Constable Keeley Bringhurst, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Swift is a controlling and manipulative sex offender who very deliberately targeted his victim over an extended period of time.

“He knew perfectly well that what he was doing was illegal and that his victim couldn’t possibly consent to what happened to her.

“His behaviour was utterly inexcusable and has understandably had a profound impact on his victim and her family.

“As he begins a very lengthy jail sentence I would like to pay tribute to the girl at the centre of this case for the bravery and resilience she has shown during the legal process.

“I would also like to send a very clear warning to other adults thinking of committing similar offences against children – you will be caught and we will ensure that you go to prison for a very long time”