Latest Offenders Southampton

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A convicted paedophile was caught with more than 8,000 indecent images of children as young as three.

Gary Bowden was found with pictures and videos on multiple devices when police raided his home.

The 32-year-old failed to tell officers about a new phone despite being subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) he was given for a previous offence.

Officers who searched his devices found a total of 8,465 indecent images including 1,926 category A images – the most serious type.

Prosecuting, Leigh Hart said the photos depicted children as young as three being abused.

Bowden of Mescott Meadows, Hedge End, gave no comment during his police interview.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs of children as well as breaching an SHPO for owning the phone.

The defendant, who has four previous convictions for 24 offences - including making or distributing indecent images - appeared at Southampton Crown Court on Friday for sentencing.

Mitigating, Keely Harvey said her client had been “very open and honest” and had “indicated his guilty plea very early on”.

“He always accepted that these images would be found.”

She said he was surprised by the number of images that were found adding that her client “needs some help”.

Judge Brian Forster KC, said: “It is a bad case because of the number of class A images.

“This case must be seen against the background of your previous offending.

“This was a deliberate breach. You were fully aware of the terms of your order.

“There is no doubt that the possession of these images falls within the most serious category."

Bowden, who was produced from custody, was given a total of 24 months in prison as well as an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

He must also abide by notification requirements for the next 10 years.

A further order was made for the forfeiture and destruction of his phone and devices.

Judge Forster added: “I hope he can get through this and make more of his life in future.”

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A Southampton man has been jailed for committing rape and a number of sexual assaults.

Bradley Herring, 30, of Bracklesham Close, Southampton, was sentenced to six years and two months in prison at Southampton Crown Court on Friday (24 March).

This comes after he pleaded guilty to offences including rape and two counts of sexual assault.

On 22 January, Herring raped a woman in her 20s at a different address in the east of the city.

The assaults happened on 1 January last year, when Herring carried out sexual acts in the presence of a teenage woman at an address in the east of the city.

Since the incidents were reported to us, both women have been supported by specialist officers.

A 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order was also imposed on Herring which means that when he is released, he will have to abide by strict conditions or face being sent back to prison. He was also made to sign the sex offenders register for life.

DC Marie Leather works in Operation Amberstone, the specialist team which deals with rape cases, and investigated the rape. DC Daisy Green from Southampton Investigations was the officer in the case for the sexual assaults.

They said: “Firstly we would like to praise both women for the bravery they have shown for coming forward and reporting these horrific crimes to us, and during the investigation and court process.

“Herring is a sexual predator and now he is locked up, he cannot harm another woman.

“Our teams work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice and I hope this result encourages other women or men who have been victims of sexual offences to speak to us, no matter when the incidents took place.

“You will be listened to, respected and supported by us.”

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The image of a man seen ‘tweaking his nipples’ near children has been released.

Convicted sex offender Christopher Bagley of Stroudley Way in Hedge End was jailed on Friday.

The 77-year-old was found guilty of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and breaching his sexual harm prevention order.

Southampton Crown Court heard how a witness saw Bagley ‘furtively sheltering in the bushes’ by the duck pond in Dowds Farm Park in November.

The witness said he ‘unzipped his hoodie and proceeded to rub and tweak his nipples for about five seconds.’

She said: “He then took the whole jacket off.

“There were two boys on the opposite side of the pond area playing.”

He left the pond area and park to return to his car, passing by a children’s playground.

But, mitigating, Damien Hayes, said it was a ‘private moment’ as Bagley undressed to urinate.

Giving evidence, Bagley told the court he ‘could have done more’ had he seen the young boys on the other side of the pond.

He said: “I have no recollection of tweaking my nipples. I was not aware of anyone in the area.”

The court recorder, Mr Donald Tait sentenced Bagley to a total of 18 months in prison.

Bagley was previously sentenced in Bournemouth in 2006 after admitting sex offences with young boys.

The former head of computing and maths teacher at Poole Grammar School admitted sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy, four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a 10-year-old boy, and exposure.

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A paedophile was caught with images of children as young as five-months-old being abused, a court heard.

Sean Hammerton has a history of sexual offences involving children stretching back six years. 

The 28-year-old asked online forum users for “young selfies” and said he was “into those aged 10 plus".

When officers seized his silver iPhone they found 730 still and moving images of children, aged six months to five years.

They also found images of “extreme bestiality”.

Prosecuting, Mr Andrew Houston said that the defendant boasted online about how he “kept his images so they couldn’t be found".

Hammerton, of Bursledon Road, Southampton, appeared at the city crown court on Monday charged with possessing and distributing indecent images of children, and possessing extreme pornography.

He pleaded guilty to the offences committed between 2017 and 2020.

He also admitted to breaching a suspended sentence. 

Mr Houston told that in 2016 Hammerton was handed an 18-month suspended sentence for distributing and taking indecent images of children, sexual assault, and voyeurism.

In 2020 he was found to be in breach of a sexual harm prevention order after using an incognito private browsing mode to watch porn.

He was also caught with three prohibited images of children. 

Speaking on the previous convictions, Mr Houston said: “When the defendant was 16 he began discussing the sexual abuse of others.

“His crimes spanned over 10 years.

“He then went on to commit further offences during the period of his suspended sentence.”

Defending, Charles Gabb said that entering a guilty plea was Hammerton’s “sincerest way of expressing remorse".

He said: “The effect upon others is very reprehensible.

“Mr Hammerton has got to do something about this because it’s longstanding and a problem.

“This dark side of his life can be exposed in such a format that he learns ways to avoid it in the future.

“Sometimes, it takes people a bit longer to face reality.

“One can only hope that a new chapter of his life is about to begin.”

Passing sentence, Judge Nicholas Rowland said: "There are a number of passages of offending after your previous conviction.

"I can see you are highly manipulative and you do pose a significant risk of harm."

Hammerton was jailed for four and a half years.

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A SEXUAL predator followed a pensioner through the streets before brazenly walking into her home and launching a sex attack.

Serial offender Philip Packham followed the woman in her 80s in the Lordshill area of Southampton while she was alone.

Perverted Packham, 69, preyed on his “confused and worried” victim who asked him to leave.

Despite her protestations, he tried to touch her between her legs over her clothing - and tried to kiss and cuddle the terrified woman.

Prosecutor Matthew Lawson told Southampton Crown Court she was “extremely distressed by this” and told a neighbour who contacted police.

In a statement, the victim said she feels “worried and scared to go outside”.

She said: “I can't believe what has happened. I'm worried what happens if he was to get out and potentially do this again.”

Packham, who has 30 convictions for 73 offences, had previously been sentenced for gross indecency with a child, indecent assault of a female under 14, exposure and assault.

His first sex attack was in the 1980s.

He had been subject to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order - imposed when he was jailed and branded a dangerous offender - when he carried out his latest attack.

Jailing the defendant, Judge Christopher Parker KC said Packham had followed the woman deliberately and went into her house uninvited.

He added that the incident caused “severe psychological harm,” telling Packham: “You can shake your head now but what you say and what you do are very different.

“It seems to me that there is no question that you pose a risk of serious harm.”

Judge Parker imposed a six-year jail term with a four-year extended licence.

Packham, of Exford Avenue, Southampton, admitted sexual assault and breaching the sexual harm prevention order by being in a property alone with a woman.

In police interview he accepted he tried to touch her, but claimed he had been invited in. He stopped answering questions before asking for a solicitor - and then denied being responsible.

Mitigating, Keeley Harvey told the court: “The only real mitigation that I have got is that there was a guilty plea to these matters.”

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A MAN has been jailed for raping a woman as she slept leaving her "depressed and anxious".

Southampton Crown Court heard Shane Truckle attacked when she fell asleep on a sofa at a property.

The woman has been left having nightmares after the attack in 2017. She reported it in 2019, with a police investigation ending in December 2020.

Truckle, 41, of New Road, Netley, was on Thursday jailed for six years and nine months.

A jury previously found him guilty of one count of rape at trial in December 2022.

In a statement read out in court, his victim said: “It had been on my mind all the time”.

“I don't like to go out for a meal and if I see people that look like him then I go into a panic.

"Whenever I go out somewhere I feel I am looking for him. I have nightmares, the re-occurring dreams of what happened.”

She added that the incident has left her feeling “depressed and anxious”.

The case was delayed after a technical error when police submitted a case to the CPS. It meant the file had to be resubmitted in January 2021.

Jailing Truckle, judge Nicholas Rowland said the rape has been “hanging over [the victim’s] head for some time”.

Addressing Truckle, the judge added: “This is on the face of it a spontaneous opportunistic offence by you taking advantage of a vulnerable victim."

Truckle's family left in tears as he was led down. The defendant was described by the judge as an “otherwise a hard-working family man”.

Prosecutor Paul Fairley said Truckle has previous convictions for theft, burglary, disqualified driving and drink-driving, but no past sex offences.

Defending, Michael Mason said that he has a full-time job as a site manager overseeing shop fittings.

Following the case, Detective Sergeant Claire Grant said: “This crime has had a lasting impact on the victim, and her life.

“It takes great courage for people to come forward and speak to us about incidents of this nature, and that should never be underestimated.

"I hope this case goes to show that regardless of how long ago a rape happened, we will work tirelessly to target perpetrators and provide specialist support to survivors.

“We want our communities to know that we stand with them, and will do all in our power to bring the offenders of these horrendous crimes to justice.”

A police spokeswoman told the Echo that “due to complexities in this investigation it took time to gather sufficient evidence to charge Shane Truckle”.

She added: “As with any investigation there are multiple moving parts that mean it can take time, each investigation is unique and as such time from reporting to file submission can vary."

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A TEACHER from Southampton who caused two children "significant psychological harm" by sending them sexually-explicit messages during lockdown has been jailed for two years.

Calum Lacey admitted engaging in sexual communication with a child and inciting another girl to engage in sexual activity.

The 33-year-old of Station Road, Southampton, questioned one of his victims about her bra size and sexual preferences, Southampton Crown Court was told.

Lacey was among the perverts who preyed on school-age children confined to their homes as the first wave of Covid swept Britain in 2020.

Stuart Ellacotte, prosecuting, said one of the defendant's victims threatened to report his behaviour but Lacey begged her not to, saying he would lose his livelihood and his girlfriend.

Mr Ellacotte said Lacey was arrested in March last year and told police: "I made a mistake".

"He was drinking heavily and accepted he may have crossed the line when drinking."

In a statement read to the court by Mr Ellacotte, one of Lacey's victims said: "It will stay with me for the rest of my life."

Stephen Tricker, mitigating, accepted that the defendant's behaviour had a "profound" effect on his two victims.

He added: "Mr Lacey does not seek to minimise or fail to identify and accept his wrongdoing. He has accepted it head-on.

"He has lost his home, he has lost his relationship, and he has lost his career. He has paid a very high price for his conduct."

Mr Tricker said Lacey was ashamed of his behaviour.

He added: "His relationship was failing. He was drinking heavily and he was depressed. Before this, he was someone of previous good character."

The offences were committed between March and October 2020.

Judge Christopher Parker KC said Lacey's behaviour had caused his victims significant psychological harm.

He told him: "You have no previous convictions and have taken some steps to address your behaviour. You entered guilty pleas at the earliest opportunity."

But he jailed the defendant for 12 months for each offence. The two terms will run consecutively.

Judge Parker said: "The gravity of these offences, and the gravity of the consequences, is such that it is not possible to suspend these sentences."

Lacey was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for five years and was also placed on the sexual offenders' register for ten years.

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A SOUTHAMPTON man left a woman feeling “nervous and anxious” after sexually assaulting her at a shop.

Sean McCarthy went into the store in Southampton but then put his hand between the woman's legs and pressed hard.

Prosecuting, James Kellam said that 57-year-old McCarthy then moved his hand up and over her breast before she told him to leave.

In a statement read out in court, the woman said: “For the last six months I have suffered with the mental, physical, and financial effects.

“I feel nervous, anxious and worried. I have been unable to do my job.

“I feel extremely unsafe on my own.”

She added that she used to be a sociable person but now she is unable to do those things, making her depressed.

McCarthy of Norfolk Road, Southampton, who previously pleaded guilty to sexual assault, appeared at Southampton Crown Court on Monday for sentencing.

He was said to be “remorseful and apologetic” when interviewed by police.

Defending, Christopher Gaiger said that the offence was out of character.

He said that his client "is not a man likely to come back in future before the courts".

The court heard how McCarthy was last week diagnosed with skin cancer.

Judge Brian Forster KC described the attack as a “serious offence”.

“You must understand that people who work in shops are vulnerable”, he added.

“Your actions were totally unnecessary. [There is] clearly a problem in his approach to people of the opposite sex.”

But he said there is a “possibility of rehabilitation”.

McCarthy was handed a 14-month prison sentence - suspended for 18 months.

He must also attend 31 days on an accredited programme, 30 rehabilitation activity days and was given a five-year restraining order.

He must register as a sex offender for ten years.

Judge Forster added: “Don’t put yourself in this position again.”

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A CONVICTED sex offender has been hauled in front of the courts after creating accounts on Plenty of Fish, Kik and Badoo.

Patryk Orlowski appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday for failing to comply with a court order.

The 40-year-old of Salerno Road, Southampton, previously admitted to creating online usernames on multiple websites in breach of notification requirements imposed on him in 2020.

On the dating app Plenty of Fish he had created the username “PATSOTON123”, whilst on the messaging app Kik he went by “PATKUAS82”.

The court heard how he also set up accounts on the on dating sites BBW Cupid and Badoo. 

 He was convicted in 2020 of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child using chat applications.

Having pleaded guilty at the time, Orlowski was ordered to sign the sex offenders register, meaning he must notify police of any new usernames created.

But after breaching that this year, he pleaded guilty to five charges of failing to comply.

Orlowski was released on bail and is due to appear at the same court for sentencing on February 2 next year. 

A pre-sentence report has been ordered. 

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A CONVICTED sex offender has avoided jail despite being caught with more than 100 prohibited images of children.

A court was told how Richard Todd kept 108 computer-generated images on a mobile phone.

The photos were discovered when police visited his property in Shirley Road to check on him due to his previous convictions.

The images had been computer generated and depicted adults and children, prosecutor Mark Ashley told the court.

Four of these were classed as category A images, the most severe type. 

 Having previously been convicted of sexual assault in 2008 and a further incident in April 2011, the 30-year-old is subject to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.

The incident on November 9, 2020 came just nine months after serving another sentence for a previous offence.

Mitigating, Ed Wilde said Todd is “extremely distressed to find himself before the court again”.

He added that he has “accepted his guilt” and is “sincerely sorry”.

"Support is a thing that this man needs," he said.

"Mr Todd needs to learn how to live out here."

Todd pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited image of a child last month. 

 Mr Wilde invited the judge to impose a suspended sentence as he said the matter is something that can be “dealt with by a sentence in the community”.

Recorder, James Watson KC, said Todd’s previous convictions “place the nature of [his] ongoing life in jeopardy.”

However, he told him: “I’m giving you this further opportunity to put this behaviour behind you”.

Todd was given a four-month jail sentence suspended for two years.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the mobile phone and made Todd subject to 55 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

A further sexual harm prevention order will run alongside the existing one for the next 10 years. 

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A REGISTERED sex offender was found with a collection of extreme animal pornography involving pigs, dogs and eels, a court heard.

Pensioner Brian Hudson was found to have 16 films in his house showing animals having sex.

His bedroom in Orpen Road, Southampton, was being used as a store room for thousands of DVDs - 16 of which related to animal porn.

When questioned on this, Hudson said they belonged to a deceased relative. 

 Prosecuting, Neil King told Southampton Crown Court how the films “must have been retained for some time” adding that Hudson “doesn’t appear to [have] any expression of remorse”.

After police found the videos on April 3, 2020, the 75-year-old was arrested and charged with possessing extreme pornographic images.

He originally pleaded not guilty but changed his plea on the day of the trial.

Mr King told the court Hudson has previous convictions for serious sexual offences and distributing pornography.

But mitigating, Ed Wylde said Hudson has not been convicted for some 28 years adding that there was “no suggestion of distribution” in this case.

“[He] tells me that he had not appreciated how serious this matter was.”

He added that Hudson has “become, to a degree, a vulnerable person”, suffering from memory loss, and is the only driver in his family.

The judge, Recorder Don Tait, told the defendant: “You are a registered sex offender already because of your previous convictions.

“Your last conviction in 1994, when you were sent to prison for a modest period of time by the magistrates, was for possessing extreme articles.

“You have, and I quote, a deviant sexual interest. Well, you’re going to have to curb that deviant sexual interest.” 

 However, he said he would impose a suspended sentence because of Hudson’s age and “poor health”.

The 75-year-old was given a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years.

He must also complete 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days and abide by a curfew for the next three months, running between the hours of 8pm and 8am.

Mr Tait also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the seized items. 

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A man and a woman from Southampton and Swanmore have been sentenced to a total of 27 years in prison for the false imprisonment of a man in Waterlooville.

Sean David Perry, 37, of St Marys Road, Southampton, and Caprice Martine Buddle, 25, of Brook Close, Swanmore, appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday (4 November) for sentencing. Perry pleaded guilty to the charges against him on the first day of his trial, while Buddle was found guilty by a jury in May.

Perry was sentenced to 17 years in prison for conspiracy to rob, false imprisonment, conspiracy to commit fraud, assault by penetration and causing actual bodily harm.

Buddle was sentenced to 10 years for conspiracy to rob, false imprisonment, conspiracy to commit fraud and possession of a Class A drug.

The court heard how the victim, a man in his 30s, started talking to Buddle online in the spring of 2019. The victim met up with Buddle in person a number of times.

On May 5, Buddle lured the victim to an address on Thrush Walk in Waterlooville, where he was later confronted by two men who spent hours physically, verbally and sexually abusing him.

During this time, the victim was hit with a stool, kicked, and forced to drink cleaning fluid. He was made to hand over his phone, wallet, bank cards and pin numbers.

The jury heard how the victim was then blindfolded, put into the back of a vehicle and driven around for some time before being left at the side of a road. Recognising where he was, he was able to run home and call police.

Based on initial information, officers were able to locate Buddle at an address in Havant, where they arrested her that day.

Perry was arrested several days later and a lengthy and complex investigation involving DNA, CCTV, phone and bank card analysis, led to the pair being charged. They pleaded not guilty, however a jury found them guilty of all offences after less than an hour and a half of deliberation.

A 26-year-old man from London, 38-year-old man from Fareham and 27-year-old man from Winchester were also arrested in connection with this incident and have since been released from police custody with no further action being taken against them.

Detective Constable Emily Dummer, of Hampshire Constabularys Eastern Operation Amberstone team, said: The victim in this case was subjected to a harrowing and traumatic ordeal which lasted over several hours. While nothing will ever be able to take that away, I am pleased that Perry and Buddle will now face the consequences of their despicable actions and spend a significant amount of time in prison for what they have done.

I would like to commend the victims incredible courage throughout the investigation and court process, without which we would not have been able to secure this outcome. As a result of his bravery, Perry and Buddle are now in a place where they will not be able to inflict such horrific abuse to anyone else.

We hope that this sentence sends a strong message to the public that we will do all in our power to protect and support victims of abuse, while relentlessly pursuing offenders.

For advice about how to keep yourself safe when communicating with people online and via social media, visit the Get Safe Online website: https://www.getsafeonline.org/

If you have experienced anything similar or become the victim of such a crime, please get in touch with us via 101 or online. Always call 999 in an emergency.

If you do not feel comfortable speaking to us, there are other independent support agencies out there that can help.

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Ashman downloaded more than 18,000 indecent images of children during lockdown, Southampton Crown Court was told.

The 42-year-old of Howard Road, Southampton was caught with 140 category A images, the most severe type, 123 category B images and 18,365 category C images of children.

It was said that there was “distress in some of the children’s actions” in the images that were all found on one single hardrive.

Ashman later admitted to downloading the images saying: “I did download some dodgy [stuff] during lockdown".

He was handed a three-year community order, ordered to do 15 rehabilitation activity days and complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

He is now also subject to a five-year sexual prevention order and was ordered to pay £300 costs and a surcharge. 

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A PAEDOPHILE has been locked up after he was tricked into meeting police officers when he thought he would be meeting a 14-year-old boy.

Frank Salmon, of Harbourne Gardens, West End, Southampton, was jailed for two year four months after pleading guilty to arranging and facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence.

The 54-year-old expected to meet and sexually abuse a 14-year-old boy on June 23 this year in Shirley, Southampton. Instead, he was met and arrested by officers from Hampshire Constabulary and the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (Serocu).

Detective Constable Colin Haynes of Serocu, said: ‘Thankfully no children were ever in danger during this investigation, but Salmon clearly intended to meet and carry out these acts on a minor until he was stopped by officers.

‘I am glad he recognised his guilt and will now spend time in prison reflecting upon his actions. The case highlights the hard work and dedication of the officers within Serocu and in police forces in finding those willing to carry out these acts and ensuring they face justice.’

Salmon was also sentenced to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years and will remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.

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A Southampton man has been jailed for 10 years and three months for committing child sex offences.

George Gibbs, 55, of Harefield Road, Southampton, appeared at Southampton Crown Court today (Tuesday 4 October), having previously been found guilty of two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13.

The offences related to two girls and took place in Southampton between July 2018 and when it was reported to us on 27 September, 2020.

Since that first report was made to police, specialist officers conducted a thorough investigation which led to Gibbs’ arrest and him being subsequently charged.

Appearing at Southampton Crown Court for a sentencing hearing, George Gibbs was jailed for 10 years and three months.

T/DC Dawn Capper from the Child Abuse Investigation Team said: “Gibbs continually denied the offences, forcing his young victims to relive these traumatic experiences in the trial. To make matters worse, he refused to attend, with the verdict being reached in his absence.

“By doing so, Gibbs has shown complete distain for his victims and not a shred of remorse.

“In contrast to his cowardice, these two victims have demonstrated such bravery throughout the investigation and I would like to commend them for their actions, which have made Southampton a safer place by removing a dangerous predator from the streets.

“If you or a loved one has experienced a similar situation, then I hope reading this encourages you to report what has happened to us. We will take your report seriously, support you every step of the way and do our best to ensure you receive justice.”