Latest Offenders SA

Description

A "manipulative and predatory" man took indecent photos of a young girl in her swimsuit, a court has heard. Daniel Minton was descried as "sexually pre-occupied" and with little regard for sexual boundaries.

Swansea Crown Court heard 44-year-old Minton took the photographs of the schoolgirl in a hot tub at a location where the child had gone to drink alcohol and to "party" in 2021. Most of the photographs focused on the girl's groin area and partially showed her genitalia, and they were placed in Category C of the categorisation of indecent photographs.

Daniel Minton, of Penclawdd Road, Penclawdd, Gower, denied making indecent photographs but was convicted at trial. The court heard that following his conviction a probation officer had discussed with the defendant the possibility of him doing a community-based sex offender course, and he replied: "Do you want a load of dead paedos? Because that is what will happen."

Ian Ibrahim, for Minton, accepted the pre-sentence report "makes unpleasant reading" and said "it seems the author of the report and Mr Minton did not see eye-to-eye". He said it had been the defendant's evidence that he had consumed alcohol on the night in question, and he said Minton had then "foolishly" taken the photographs. The barrister added that the defendant's life had changed dramatically since the offending.

Recorder Mark Powell KC said he had requested a pre-sentence report into the defendant because of his concerns about the offending and the circumstances in which it had been taken, and he said the resulting report "makes very disturbing reading". He said an experienced probation officer had concluded that Minton was a "manipulative and predatory" man who took risk-taking to the point of recklessness, and that the risk could not be managed in the community. The judge said it was clear from what he had read, and from the evidence in the trial, that the defendant was "very ego-centric", had "distorted thinking" and was "sexually pre-occupied" with little regard for sexually boundaries.

Minton was sentenced to two years in prison - he will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. He was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same length of time.

Description

A West Midlands man who posted videos of himself raping and sexually assaulting a young boy online has been jailed for nearly 12 years.

Aiden Foster, 22, from Wednesbury, made a series of child sexual abuse videos which were shared on social media site Discord.

The National Crime Agency worked with US law enforcement agencies and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led to Foster being identified.

Experts in the NCA’s victim identification team used facial comparison tools to confirm his identity.

Foster was arrested by NCA officers at his home address on 6 May this year.

His electronic devices were seized and NCA crime scene analysis investigators matched items at his address to those shown in the videos - including his jewellery, a distinctively patterned blanket and boxing trophies.

Officers recovered 771 indecent images of children across categories A-C (A being the most severe) from four of his devices.

They also found an Instagram chat in which Foster requested ‘horny pics of a 14-year-old’ from an unknown person and boasted that he could send videos of someone carrying out a sex act on him.

The children in this case have been safeguarded.

Foster pleaded guilty to 24 offences, including rape of a child under 13, at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 8 August.

He was sentenced to 11 years and seven months in prison, with a further four years on license, at the same court today (22 November).

He is also subject to a sexual harm prevention order and will remain on the sex offenders register for life.

NCA operations manager Holly Triggs said: “Aiden Foster is a dangerous offender who conducted the most horrific abuse against children.

“Chat logs showed he revelled in the ability to share material online – an act that will no doubt have contributed to the normalisation of such abuse among other paedophiles.

“The NCA is dedicated to combatting this global threat, working tirelessly to protect children and ensure that high harm offenders like Foster are put behind bars.”

Description

A paedophile had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl after she had "blacked out" while drunk and threatened to tell her family and friends if she stopped seeing him. He went on to have sex with the girl on two other occasions without using protection.

Stuart Barratt, 32, told the girl she looked "fit" after she sent him a photograph of herself in her bra on Snapchat. He later had sex with the girl in Builth Wells when she was intoxicated, after she had lost her friends on a night out.

A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on October 6 heard the victim and the defendant came to know each other and began speaking on social media. He went on to offer to buy her a tracksuit but she refused.

Prosecutor Ffion Tomos said the child went on a night out to Builth Wells with older friends and had consumed peach schnapps and Strongbow, which left her "eight out of 10" on a scale of intoxication. She was refused entry to a bar and lost her friends, before making her way through the town.

She was approached by Barratt who had sat down with her and kissed her. The victim "froze" and believed she "blacked out" at some point. When she came round, she found herself lying on the floor. The defendant had pulled her trousers down to her ankles, pulled her clothes and underwear to one side and penetrated her vagina with his penis, which she described as painful.

Following that incident, the victim said she felt pressured into remaining in contact with Barratt. Ms Tomos said: "He was manipulative towards her and said if she ended it he would tell everyone, she would lose her family and friends and people would hate her."

The court heard the defendant and victim had sexual intercourse on two further occasions in a field, during which he did not use protection. The victim later made a report to police and Barratt surrendered himself but answered "no comment" in his interviews.

Barratt, now of Fourth Avenue, Brownhills, Walsall, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child. The court heard he was of previous good character but had one conditional discharge for criminal damage.

In mitigation, Marian Lewis said her client was "in a bad place" at the time of the offences, was suffering with depression, was in debt and did not like his job. She said the defendant found the girl's appearance and personality attractive and it "was not based purely on sexual activity". The barrister added: "The defendant said she looked and behaved older than her chronological years.

Sentencing, Recorder Dyfed Thomas said: "You were the adult and you took advantage of a child sexually. In relation to submissions that she behaved older than her chronological years, the court does not take that into account in no shape or form. The law is there to protect children no matter how they act, and she was a child."

Barratt was sentenced to 32 months imprisonment. He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and to a restraining order of 15 years.

Description

Alan Barry, 44, of Leamore in Walsall, has been jailed for three years and four months after being found to have breached his sexual harm prevention order.

Barry, of Providence Close, who had previously appeared at Northampton Crown Court in 2017 for making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children, as well as arranging and intended child sex offence, was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court last Friday.

At the time of his original conviction in 2017, Barry was placed on the sex offender register for life and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order(SHPO).

The sentence last Friday comes after officers visited Barry's Walsall home in January this year under the terms of his prevention order, where they found thumbnails of what appeared to be illegal sexual images on his mobile phone.

The device was seized for analysis by police, which revealed hundreds of still and moving images of children and extreme pornographic images as well as correspondence indicating that Barry was involved with receiving and sending these images.

In total, officers found 45 Category A images (deemed the most serious images), 13 Category B images, and 251 extreme pornographic images.

Detective Constable Claire Walker, from the public protection unit at West Midlands Police said: "Despite the horrendous nature of the material that Alan Barry possessed, he appeared to be quite ambivalent about the seriousness of his offences, denying when questioned that he had a sexual interest in children and instead attributing his behaviour to drug abuse and mental health issues.

"It is only right that he has received a custodial sentence and we welcome his conviction."

Barry was arrested in June this year and was convicted last week of possessing and distributing images of children, possession of extreme pornography and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

Description

A man has been jailed for 14 years after admitting sexually assaulting a child.

Stephen Harrison, 40, of Barrington Road, Salisbury, was sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court on Tuesday.

Wiltshire Police said he had pleaded guilty to "multiple counts" of sexual assault on a child under 13 and an attempted rape.

The offences took place on various dates between 2015 and 2020, the court was told.

Det Con Dawn Rowan, from Wiltshire Police, said: "Firstly, I would like to praise the victim in this case who has shown bravery and courage well beyond her years in reporting this to police and ensuring this dangerous man is put behind bars.

"Harrison has shown little remorse for his despicable actions, continuing to lie through numerous police interviews before eventually pleading guilty in court.

"I am pleased that we were able to secure this conviction and see Harrison sentenced.

"We are committed to targeting individuals who commit such abhorrent crimes, regardless of how much time has passed since.

"I would urge anyone reading this who has experienced something similar to report it to police immediately - you will be fully supported through the process by specially-trained officers", she added.

Description

A serial sex offender has been jailed after he went off the polices radar for almost two weeks before being tracked down to Totnes.

Gary Taylor, aged 63, formerly of Salisbury and the Isle of Wight, but now of no fixed address, was required to tell police about his movements because he has a history of sexual assaults on vulnerable lone females and is a registered sex offender.

Taylor was categorised as a dangerous offender when he was jailed for a total of eight years and four months in 2015 for sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman who had mental health issues.

He approached her while she was sitting on a bench in June 2014 and offered her a cigarette and whisky before taking a spot her to a bridge at Summerlock Approach where he was sleeping rough.

He went on to sexually assault her, leaving her traumatised. She told police Taylor was rank and she had told him to leave her alone. She later said she felt sick and terrified.

He also has convictions for sexually assaulting lone females on trains and was already on the register when he committed the offence in Salisbury.

Taylor admitted failing to comply with the sex offenders register.

He left his home on the Isle of Wight without informing the authorities on February 11 this year and did not turn up again until February 22, when he presented himself at Torquay police station but refused to complete the necessary forms.

He was eventually arrested in Totnes the next day and had apparently been living rough in Devon. He claimed he wanted to be arrested so he could get treatment for a hip condition.

Taylor has been jailed for nine months by Judge David Evans at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him: This was a deliberate failure to comply, in particular by leaving the Isle of Wight and going off elsewhere. It caused more than a little upset and concern because you went a significant distance from where the authorities had tabs on you.

Miss Caroline Bolt, prosecuting, said Taylor is on the register for life and required to notify police if he was away from his home address for more than three days.

He left home without telling the police in February before turning up in Devon, where he failed to re-register correctly at Torquay Police station on February 22 and being arrested in Totnes the next day.

Taylor was not represented but told the judge he had been confused by the law. He said he went to the police station in the hope of being arrested but had been turned away.

He said: I went to get arrested because I needed treatment for a broken hip but it was not until the next day that I got picked up for something else.

Description

A MAN from Salisbury has been jailed after pleading guilty to multiple child sex offences. 

John Devine, 52, is a registered sex offender and was on prison licence and living in Salisbury at the time of the offences was sentenced this week after pleading guilty to multiple offences which included:

• Make indecent images of a child (category A)
• Make indecent images of a child (category B)
• Make indecent images of a child (category C)
• Distribute an indecent image of a child (category A)
• Distribute an indecent image of a child (category C)
• Attempt to engage in sexual communication with a child
• Attempt to cause a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity
• Attempt to cause a child to look at an image of sexual activity

Devine engaged online with a profile of a user who he believed to be a 12-year-old boy between September 2, 2021, and October 1, 2021.

The conversation was of a sexual nature and he encouraged the child to carry out a sexual act. 

The investigation into Devine was run in conjunction with the Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit in South Wales, and there was no real-life victim. 

No children had been abused. 

Following Devine's arrest, devices were seized from his property and more than 600 images along with videos of category A indecent images of children were located. 

The images were of the most serious abuse of children. 

In addition to the 12-year prison sentence, Devine must register as a sex offender indefinitely.

Det Con Sadie McCoy, of the Wiltshire Police Child Internet Exploitation Team, said: “Despite being on licence at the time of these offences, Devine has continued to offend. He is a risk to society and I am pleased the serious nature of his offending has been recognised and he has been given a lengthy prison sentence.

“I hope this investigation demonstrates Wiltshire Police's commitment to rooting out serious offenders like Devine within our community and ensuring they are put before the courts. We would encourage anybody who wishes to report child sex abuse of any nature to come forward and contact us – you will be supported by a team of professionals whose role it is to protect children from harm.”

Det Insp Mathew Davies, of TARIAN ROCU, said: “It is our absolute priority to protect and keep children safe in our communities.  Law enforcement operates across the internet and we will relentlessly seek to bring to justice offenders who use the web to facilitate the abuse of children. We are committed to combating child sexual abuse, safeguarding children and bringing those offenders who seek to abuse children to justice.

"If anyone has been a victim of child sexual abuse, I urge you to report it to your local police force via 101. We will always follow up on allegations of abuse, no matter when they occurred. Victims can talk in confidence to experienced investigators and we can also help them get access to a range of other support services.

"If you have concerns about your use of the internet or inappropriate thoughts or behaviour about children or if you are worried about how someone you know behaves around children or are worried about their use of the internet then the Lucy Faithfull Foundation provide a free, anonymous and confidential Stop It Now! Helpline on 0808 1000 900 for advice, support and information.”

Description

A Salisbury man has been found guilty of multiple counts of rape and controlling and coercive behaviour.

Terry Newman, 52, of Cherry Orchard Lane, Salisbury, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment today (5/4).

Back in 2020, officers were called to an unrelated incident involving Newman, however, it was during this report that the victim disclosed historic sexual assaults and controlling and coercive behaviour by Newman.

On one occasion, Newman raped this woman whilst forcing her head down into a pillow.

On another occasion, Newman assaulted the victim, and controlled where she could and could not go, as well as controlling her finances.

Det Con Ryan Churchley said: “Firstly, I would like to thank the victim for the bravery she has shown in contacting police in relation to her ordeal. Not only that, but I’d like to commend her for the bravery she showed in the court room during the trial. After Newman pleaded not guilty, his victim was forced to relive her ordeal in a court room whilst being cross examined. I hope this sentence will provide her with some closure, however, I completely understand that no sentence will ever compensate for what he did to her.

“Newman would often consume alcohol before being violent and manipulative - nobody should ever experience what this woman has been through.
“I hope this case encourages anyone else in a similar position to come forward and report it to us. You will be fully supported by our officers and we will also be able to direct you to support agencies who can provide further, long-term support.”

Description

Luke Baker, 20, of School Street, Walsall, is accused of two counts of raping a boy under 13, and two further charges of inciting a boy under 13 to sexual activity.

Description

AN NHS surgeon who worked at University Hospital Southampton has been convicted of possessing "revolting and abhorrent" images of child sexual abuse.

Plastic surgeon Mansoor Khan was arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) he was found to have 106 images - mostly of boys aged between five and seven - on his mobile phone and a hard drive.

Interviewed by NCA investigators the 54-year-old, who also worked at Salisbury District Hospital, admitted receiving the images from a contact on Snapchat.

But he claimed to have acted out of curiosity and had no intention of promoting, sharing or storing them.

The surgeon, who specialises in reconstructive surgery, breast surgery, body contouring and "facial rejuvenation", was charged with three offences of making and possessing indecent images of a child between December 10, 2020, and August 24, 2021.

They included 31 category A images - ranked the most serious.

He denied the offences but was convicted at Salisbury Crown Court following a five-day trial and is due to be sentenced on February 24 next year.

The court heard that Khan used encrypted sites to message others and repeatedly accessed child pornography using his mobile phone.

"By downloading these images he demonstrated a sexual interest in children and helped fuel the sickening demand for this kind of material.

"He denied ever taking screenshots of images on his phone, but our investigation showed this simply wasn’t true.

"The NCA continues to pursue offenders like Khan, to bring them to justice and protect victims of online child sexual abuse."

During the trial Charles Gabb, prosecuting, said Khan gave in to sexual temptation "many times over".

Referring to the category A images he added: "They are of the most revolting and abhorrent kind. They are just awful. You can rarely, if ever, expunge it from your memory."

Khan spent many years pretending to be a pillar of society but was nursing a "deep and sordid secret", the court heard.

Mr Gabb said: "In the privacy of those moments where he and his phone were together he thought he would never, ever be caught."

Khan, of Ridgeway Road, Salisbury, worked at University Hospital Southampton until October last year and has now been dismissed by Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust.

Description

Josh Stratford, 24, of Streetly, was caught out after police investigators picked up intelligence that photographs had been transmitted via online picture transfer website Dropbox.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that following a search of the defendant's home 158 category A images (the worst); 266 category B images and 758 category C images were discovered on some of the defendant's electronic devices. The collection included images of a female as young as four.

Prosecuting barrister Miss Amanda O'Mara said the defendant failed to hand over pass codes for four other devices and made "no comment" in his police interviews, but the officers estimated that he accessed 141,000 other images using the dark web and private networks over a four-year period.

The veterinary student, of Inglewood Grove, Streetly, in Walsall, previously pleaded guilty to three counts relating to possessing indecent photographs on May 18 last year.

Mitigating barrister Mr Callum Church said: "It is thoroughly unacceptable and there is no justification or explanation."

He added that Stratford had since attended courses with child protection charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

Recorder Abigail Nixon told him his behaviour had been "perverted". She added: "This will affect your future and the rest of your life."

She sentenced him to eight months in jail, suspended for 12 months. He must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, attend up to 35 activity days to address mental health issues, and pay costs of 425 within three months. He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

Description

A former council leader has been handed an 18-month community order for sexual offences against children. Sean Coughlan, 65, from Willenhall, Walsall, admitted attempting to cause a female aged 13 or over to engage in a penetrative sexual activity. The ex Walsall councillor also pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. He was charged after an operation by a paedophile hunter group saw a video of him being confronted shared online. The offences happened between August and December 2021. At the sentencing hearing on Thursday, Judge Michael Chambers said the former councillor had suffered a "great fall from grace". Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Coughlan had set up a secret Facebook page, posting intimate pictures and encouraging what he thought was a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity. "In reality, there was no child. This was a vigilante purporting to perform a public duty," the judge said. 'Element of grooming' A 30-minute video was posted online by the paedophile hunter group, which resulted in him being arrested and charged by West Midlands Police, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. "There was an element of grooming and clearly a disparity in age. There was an intention of penetrative sexual activity, but there was no harm as there was no child," Judge Chambers said. In mitigation the court heard he had no previous criminal convictions, and had served his community well. "But what you wrote in your letter to the court is right," continued the judge. "That regardless of the hundreds you have helped, your behaviour of late is what you'll be remembered for. You have suffered a great fall from grace." He had been remanded in custody since his arrest in December. Coughlan resigned as a Walsall councillor days after the paedophile sting film had been posted, and had initially denied the charges, but changed his plea last month. At Thursday's sentencing hearing he was also made subject to a five-year sexual harm prevention order. Coughlan was elected as a councillor for Walsall borough in 1995, representing the ward of Willenhall South. During his career, he became deputy leader and then leader of both the Labour group and the authority, of which he was in charge between 2016 and 2018. During court proceedings he was suspended from the Labour Party and the Walsall Council Labour group.

Description

Scott Bamford attempted to meet three children, one of whom was just two years old A man has been sent to prison for three years after grooming three young children online and arranging to meet them in Camberley for sex. Scott Bamford, a 54-year-old from Walsall, was sentenced last Thursday (February 17) at Guildford Crown Court, having earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence. According to Surrey Police, Bamford engaged in sexually graphic conversations on an online chat website and made arrangements to meet three children, one of whom was aged two and the other two were under 11, in Camberley earlier this year. He arrived at a car park in the town that day and was subsequently arrested. In the boot of his car were children's toys appropriate for different ages and sweets, along with condoms and lubricant. The arrest took place after an investigation by specialist officers from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU). Bamford was charged on the same day as his arrest, and it's understood that none of the victims were placed at risk. In addition to his prison sentence, Bamford was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders' Register for an unlimited period. Investigating officer Detective Constable Colin Haynes, from SEROCU, said: "Bamford had planned to carry out child sexual abuse and travelled with the intention of committing this offence against three children. "This case demonstrates our continued priority to protect children from sexual exploitation from those who seek to do them harm. If anyone has been a victim of child sexual abuse, I would urge you to report it to your local police force via 101. "We will always follow up allegations of abuse, no matter when they occurred. Victims can talk in confidence to experienced investigators and we can also help with providing access to a range of other support services."

Description

Wajid Ali lured the woman into his Walsall home in March 2019 before lunging at her, which caused them both to fall down the stairs.

He then sexually assaulted her, but the victim managed to scream out which alerted a neighbour who contacted the police.

When officers arrived they detained Ali, who tried deny attacking the woman who is aged aged in her 30s.

She has now been praised for her courage speaking out about the incident, recalling the attack and ensuring police had strong enough evidence to put Ali behind bars.

The 43-year-old, of Webster Road, Walsall, pleaded guilty to sexual assault and was jailed for four-and-a-half years.

He was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court last Friday and was put on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Det Con Gina Tonks, who led the investigation for West Midlands Police, said: "The woman was courageous enough to make a statement and support a police investigation.

"Ali is a dangerous man and she has helped ensure he's lost his freedom and can't do the same to anyone else.

"She told us she hopes that by coming forward that other victims - including from the Asian community like herself - may be brave enough to speak out in the future.

"Anyone who has been subjected to the horrific experience of being assaulted will have our full help and support as we seek to put attackers behind bars."

Description

Former Walsall Council leader Sean Coughlan has pleaded guilty to two child sex offences. The 65-year-old admitted one count relating to sexual communication and one count relating to attempted sexual activity with a child under 16 between August and December 2021 when he appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday. Coughlan spoke to change his plea to guilty from not guilty. There was no application for bail. A trial had been due to be held on July 18. However now the veteran politician has pleaded guilty he will be sentenced in four weeks. Coughlan, of Martin Drive, Short Heath, Willenhall, was remanded in custody until then. Coughlan was the elected representative for the Willenhall South ward but resigned in December following his arrest after being caught in an internet sting. Self-styled paedophile hunters confronted Coughlan and posted a 30-minute video of them questioning the Labour politician on social media. He was then arrested and charged by West Midlands Police and spent Christmas behind bars after being kept in custody. A spokesman for Walsall Council said at the time: The council received Councillor Sean Coughlans written notice of resignation from his office as a councillor. His resignation was formally and immediately accepted. He is no longer a Walsall MBC councillor. He was first elected in 1995 and has successfully defended the seat on a number of occasions, the latest being in May this year. During his career he rose to become deputy leader and then leader of both his party and Walsall Council, which he was in charge of between 2016 and 2018. He stepped down as leader of the Walsall Labour Group in 2019. It is understood that Councillor Coughlan was also suspended from the Labour Party following his arrest.