Latest Offenders Southsea

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Christopher Smith, 75, of Glasgow Road, Southsea, was locked up at Portsmouth Crown Court after being found guilty following a trial. 

The sick pervert was convicted of three counts of raping a male aged 16 or over, seven charges of sexual assault of a male aged 16 or above, and two counts of causing a boy to engage in sexual activity. He carried out the horrific crimes between August 2021 and April 2022.

The sex offender has to register with police indefinitely upon his release.

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Magistrates have imposed a sexual risk order against a man accused of having ‘spied on girls’ in cubicles.

Zac Soliman, 23, appeared before Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Prosecutors say Soliman had ‘1.5million indecent images of children’ on his phone – despite him doing a factory reset on the device when police came knocking.

The court also heard alleged incidents of Soliman using his phone to record children in cubicles.

Prosecuting, Ned Sillett said: “On one occasion, the defendant put his hand – holding his phone – under a cubicle where a 10-year-old girl, and on another occasion, a 16-year-old girl, were present.

“They were both unknown to the defendant. This indicates that he has an active sexual interest in children

“His devices were also searched, and a vast quantity of indecent images were found – 1.5m in total."

Mr Sillett: “The defendant was arrested earlier this year and he took so long to answer the door, police forced entry.

“When they entered, they found the defendant had done a factory reset on his phone.

“Sex toys and lubricant were also found, and evidence suggests he carries them around with him in a bag in public places.

“There is a significant risk to the public, particularly children.”

Soliman, of Shaftesbury Road, Southsea, requested an adjournment so he could obtain legal aid.

Chair of the Magistrates’, Mr Dickinson said: “I will adjourn a decision for a full sexual risk order until June 10 to allow for legal aid for the defendant.

“This is a one-off opportunity but we feel there is a substantial risk that must be managed.

“We believe it is right and fair to impose an interim sexual risk order.”

Such an order is a civil court order that prevents a person from carrying out certain activities.

The full details of Soliman's order were not given in court.

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A 36 year-old Hampshire man has been jailed after he admitted a sexual assault that took place in the early hours of the morning.

Paul Kevin Leslie Kearslake, aged 36, of Warwick Crescent in Southsea has been jailed for 28 months at Portsmouth Crown Court.

On Monday, January 8, a 37 year-old woman was approached by a man she did not know on Albert Road, Southsea, shortly before 2.30am.

Kearslake made sexualised comments towards her before touching her inappropriately over her clothing, Hampshire Police said. He ran off when she screamed.

He admitted both offences at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on Wednesday, January 10 and was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday, May 3.

Detective Inspector Claire Ratcliffe said: “I’m pleased that Kearslake admitted these offences without the need for a trial. 

"The sentence imposed underlines the seriousness of his offending. This was a frightening experience for the victim and a I hope such a swift resolution to the investigation and court process will provide her some reassurance.

“Reducing violence against women and girls remains one of our top priorities in Portsmouth and together with other agencies we do a lot of work to tackle this issue.

"Our Operation Rigging patrols see officers out and about in the city centre at our busiest times, identifying and intercepting predatory or concerning behaviour towards women.

“I would like to take this opportunity to remind people that if you have been the victim of a sexual offence, please report it to us – you will be listened to and you will be taken seriously. We will also work to get you the support that you need.”

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A 20 year-old man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after three women reported that they were approached in Southsea and touched inappropriately over their clothing.

Shueb Chowdhury of Harold Road in Southsea admitted three offences of sexual assault at Portsmouth Crown Court on 21 August 2023..

The court heard that at around 6:30am on Monday 10 July a 51 year-old woman was assaulted in the Canoe Lake area when a man she did not know approached her from behind and touched the back of her shorts with both hands. He then ran off towards Eastney along Eastern Parade.

Shortly after 3pm on the same day a 41 year-old woman reported that a man she did not know approached her on Empshott Road and touched her chest over her clothing before running off towards Devonshire Avenue.

The following week at 5pm on Tuesday 18 July a 24 year-old woman was approached on Fawcett Road by a man she did not know who touched her chest over her clothing before running off

Today at Portsmouth Crown Court (Friday 13 October) Chowdhury was sentenced to a total of 18 months in prison and he will also be subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and have to sign the Sex Offenders Register. Upon sentencing the judge described Chowdhury as: chilling and worrying.

Investigating officer DC James Adams said: These assaults all took place in daylight hours and were frightening experiences for Chowdhurys victims. We take all reports of sexual assault very seriously and Im pleased that we quickly managed to identify and arrest Chowdhury so that his offending did not escalate. Todays sentence sends a clear message that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated in Portsmouth and we will relentlessly pursue offenders to secure justice for their victims.

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A 35 year-old man from Southsea has been sent to prison for 28 months after being found guilty of sexual activity with a child in Havant.

We received a report on Sunday 11 July 2021 that a 14 year-old girl was indecently touched by an adult at an address in Havant. Following an investigation involving specialist officers supporting the victim, Daniel Plumstead of Fawcett Road in Southsea was arrested and charged with sexual activity with a child.

On Thursday 15th of June 2023, Plumstead was found guilty at Portsmouth Crown Court and was sentenced at the same court on the same day. In addition to the 28 month custodial sentence Plumstead was sentenced to an additional month in prison for a bail act offence to be served consecutively. Plumstead will have to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for the same period.

DC Paul Osborne who investigated the case said: “This result sends a clear message that we investigate these kinds of reports thoroughly. I’m pleased that we’ve secured justice for the victim, who can move forward with her life safe in the knowledge that Plumstead is in prison.

“We take all allegations of sexual abuse extremely seriously, and we have specially trained teams that can investigate these kinds of offences and provide support to victims. If you have experienced these kinds of offences we can make a commitment to you that you will be heard and listened to, and your report will be believed. We are determined to put victims first and relentlessly pursue offenders, especially when investigating these kinds of cases”

“I would like to commend the victim for her bravery in reporting this matter to the police and for providing evidence”.

If you have been affected by child sexual abuse you can contact police on 101 and speak to a police officer in confidence.

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A PORTSMOUTH predator has been sentenced to four years in prison for sexually abusing two children.

Duncan Daniels, 21, of Sackville Street in Southsea, appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court today (April 22) for sentencing having previously pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child, one count of sexual communication with a child and one count of sexual assault on a child.

The offences first came to the attention of police in June 2019 when one of the victims reported that Daniels had touched her inappropriately on several occasions earlier that month when he was 18 and she was 14.

Two days later, a second victim came forward to report that Daniels had sexually assaulted him in a number of incidents when he was just 12-years-old and again two years later when he was 14.

Officers launched an investigation and Daniels was arrested and later charged.

DC Maria Sweeney, who led the investigation, said: Daniels repeatedly took advantage of his two young victims in vulnerable situations and we would like to commend them for their courage in coming forward to report this abuse. Without their bravery, we would not have secured this conviction.

I sincerely hope that this sentence begins to bring some closure to those he affected, and that it helps others who have suffered similar abuse to find the confidence to come forward and speak to the police knowing their voices will be heard.

Police encourage anyone who has been a victim of child sexual abuse to contact police on 101 where you can speak with our specialist detectives in confidence.

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An assistant headteacher who groomed pupils and had sex with them in his office has been banned from the classroom for life.

Teaching watchdogs said PE teacher Sean Aldridge, now 39, had shown no remorse for targeting four girls aged 13 to 16.

He was jailed for 12 years in July 2019 at Portsmouth Crown Court.

He has now been struck off for life by the Teaching Regulation Agency watchdog over multiple offences while teaching at Warblington School, Havant.

Peter Ward, who chaired the disciplinary hearing, said: 'The panel was satisfied that the conduct of Mr Aldridge was wholly contrary to the standards expected of the teaching profession.

'Teachers are placed in a privileged position of trust and Mr Aldridge had abused his position.

'Mr Aldridge's conduct was of the most serious and gravest kind.

'Mr Aldridge's actions in committing the offences had undoubtedly caused significant hurt and suffering to pupils who had been placed in his care.

'The panel considered that Mr Aldridge's behaviour in committing the offences would affect public confidence in the teaching profession.

'Further, that public confidence in the profession would be severely damaged in the event he was allowed to teach following his release from prison.

'In the light of the panel's findings against Mr Aldridge which involved 25 counts of sexual activity with pupils, there was a very strong public interest consideration in respect of the protection of pupils given the serious and multiple findings of sexual activity with pupils.

The panel considered Mr Aldridge's actions had been calculated and deliberate. No documents in the form of mitigation were submitted on behalf of Mr Aldridge.

There was no indication from the documents before the panel that Mr Aldridge was remorseful or had shown insight into his conduct.

The panel was in no doubt that Mr Aldridge's misconduct was of the most serious kind and had been serious sexual misconduct.'

His first alleged victim told police they had sex every day and she had a miscarriage with his child in Year 11.

Father-of-two Aldridge, of Southsea, Hamphire, denies sexual activity with the girls at Warblington School.

Prosecutor Robert Bryan told jurors Aldridge had a 'secret second phone' which he hid in a jacket pocket in his wardrobe.

He used his middle name 'Jack' as a code name on his secret phone, and two of his victims had the number saved on their phones as 'Jack Ridge' to protect his identity, the court heard.

His alleged grooming began in 2007 after he gave a 15 year old pupil, who cannot be named for legal reasons, his mobile number because she was having 'problems at home'.

Mr Bryan said: 'The victim said her first sexual encounter was ruined because he kept repeating 'I could go to prison for this'.'

Banning him from the classroom for life today/yesterday, decision maker Alan Meyrick, for the Education Secretary, said: 'There was no indication from the documents before the panel that Mr Aldridge was remorseful or had shown insight into his conduct.'

In my judgement, the lack of insight means that there is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour and this puts at risk the future well-being of pupils.

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A PAEDOPHILE ex-councillor who championed faster broadband speeds and blasted police as incompetent has been spared jail - despite downloading vile abuse images of children.

Damon Bower, who once served as vice-chairman of Haydon Wick Parish Council last year, had a short film on his iPhone showing a girl of between eight and 10 years of age being sexually assaulted. The 49-year-old had a small collection of indecent images on his mobile, together with fantasy stories detailing child abuse.

However, after hearing Bower had lost everything as a result of his conviction, a judge stepped short of jailing him – instead imposing a community order.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court police had visited the paedophile councillor’s north Swindon home last June. They had received a tip-off that someone at the address had uploaded vile material to the internet, although no evidence was subsequently found to support that intelligence.

On Bower’s mobile phone, detectives found a short film in the worst category, another short clip in the middle band and six images in the lower range.

He said, though not the subject of any charges, they also found a number of fantasy stories talking about child abuse on his devices.

"Once these were examined the defendant was interviewed. He admitted that he knew what indecent images of children were," Mr Meeke said.

"He accepted that he was the account holder and he said that he was vehemently opposed to child pornography because someone he knew had been raped at a young age and he would never let anyone hurt children.

"He accepted he had indulged in fantasy chat about child sex abuse. He couldn't remember how he received the images of child sexual abuse, he assumed it must have been through some sort of private messages. He accepted there would be some. He knew it was wrong and he apologised for it."

Bower, formerly of Oakhurst, but now living in Southsea, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children.

Emma Handslip, defending, said probation officers had assessed him as being a low risk of reoffending.

Bower had not had access to his children since last year and he no longer has a partner or his old job. Since his arrest she said he had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act and also made an attempt on his life.

"It is a man who has essentially lost everything," she said,

Imposing a three-year community order, Judge Peter Crabtree said: "It needs to be clear, if it isn't clear, this is a course I am taking which is a direct alternative to an immediate custodial sentence."

He pointed out that there was a relatively low number of images recovered by the police and probation believe he can be managed and rehabilitated in the community.

Bower must abide by a sex offenders’ programme as directed, do 100 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation days and abide by a sexual harm prevention order.

He served as a Haydon Wick parish councillor from 2015 to July 2018, when he stepped down. He had served as vice-chairman of the council and subsequently as chairman of the planning committee.

Bower welcomed a parish revamp of children’s play areas in late 2016, telling the Adver it showed what the council could do for the community.

In May 2017, he welcomed the prospect of faster broadband speeds as BT Openreach began installing new cables in north Swindon following a residents’ campaign.

Later that year, he was quoted in the Adver grilling Wiltshire’s police commissioner on the perceived lack of response from police in the face of gang violence in Haydon Wick. Residents were patrolling the streets because they felt police were “inept and incompetent”.

Linda Brown, parish chairman said: "At no point in carrying out his parish duties had Damon reason to be alone with children. Whilst he was a councillor he gave us no cause for concern."

However, the sentence was welcomed by the NSPCC. A south west spokesman said: “The children in these abhorrent images and videos are victims of abuse and may have suffered greatly in order for them to be created.

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Karim Stuart watched his young victim a girl under 13 give evidence in a prerecorded video at Portsmouth Crown Court.

But the 57-year-old could not deny his guilt any longer and admitted what he had done.

Now as Stuart is waking up in a prison cell at the start of a long stretch in jail, the girls mother has told how her family has a scar for life inflicted by the pervert.

Speaking to The News the mother said: Im glad its over but I will never ever get over what hes done.

Its a scar for life for me.

I hope my daughter forgets it but I doubt she will.

She understands whats happened.

Watching her tape he must have realised that he cant get away with it.

Even the jury walked out crying.

My daughter has changed completely after what happened.

Stuart, of Earlsdon Street, Southsea, had denied four counts of raping a female child under 13 and two counts of assault on a female child.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Marie Duffy, has praised the victims courage for coming forward.

The young girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, broke down on a train and told her mother of the abuse in February this year.

Police said Stuart took advantage of the girl for his own sexual gratification.

Det Con Duffy, said: I would like to thank the victim for having the courage to come forward about these horrendous crimes and hope that todays sentence will help give her some closure, so that she can move on with her life.

It is because of her courage that the offender now faces a long prison sentence.

This sentence serves as a reminder of the seriousness of these offences.

We will always strive to bring offenders to justice; if youve been a victim or know someone who has, please call police on 101.

Stuart was jailed for 18 years at Portsmouth Crown Court by judge Sarah Munro QC on December 20.

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Maxwell Hallahan, a retired Church of England Vicar has today been sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court to 21 months for a series of offences against a boy while he was the vicar at Saint Faiths Church in Cowes (Isle of Wight). He will be subject to a 10 years notification on the Sex Offender Register and subject to a Safeguarding order.

Following sentencing, Senior Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in Wessex Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit (Rasso), Richard Powell said: Maxwell Hallahan abused his position of authority as vicar in his parish. He abused the boy, who is now an adult but was only 13 years of age when the abuse started, for a period of approximately three years between 1974 and 1977.

Hallahan had already been convicted of similar offences in 2011. There is no doubt that he is a sexual predator who did not hesitate to take advantage of his position as a pillar of the society at the time to abuse young boys. The victim in this case has shown great courage in coming forward after living with the memory of the abuse for all these years.

This, we hope, will encourage anyone who has been the victim of such crime to report it to the police. CPS Wessex Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit works very closely with the police and relentlessly to bring these types of cases to court. We trust that this prosecution will bring some closure to the victim of this horrible crime.

If your or a loved one have been subject to abuse please do not hesitate to contact our specialist child abuse solicitorS. We will treat any communications with the strictest of confidence.

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A FAILED Blind Date contestant jailed for having sex with a schoolgirl after giving her cannabis has been convicted of raping another after also giving her the drug.

Johnny Law, pictured, was jailed for a year in 2002 after picking up the 15-year-old outside a Bicester school, giving her cannabis and then having sex with her.

He was initially charged with rape but it was dropped and he pleaded guilty to unlawful sex.

Now Law who was an unsuccessful contestant on Blind Date ten years ago has again been convicted of rape.

Law, formerly of Iffley Road, Oxford, picked up the 15-year-old in his van, gave her cannabis before attacking her in a field in Waterlooville, Portsmouth, months after moving to Hampshire, Portsmouth Crown Court heard.

His latest victim gave video interviews to tell how Law asked for directions and gave her cannabis before leading her to the field off Stakes Hill Road, where he carried out his attack.

He fled back to Oxfordshire, but was quickly arrested.

Law initially told officers they would not find any DNA evidence.

But when forensic tests on the girl's clothing showed traces of Law's DNA he changed his story, claiming the girl wanted to have sex with him.

A jury at Portsmouth Crown Court took just four hours to reject Law's explanation. He had previously admitted supplying cannabis to the girl.

Dressed in a grey suit, Law showed little emotion as the foreman returned the guilty verdict.

But as he left court he shouted: "I am going to kill myself. I'd rather be dead than in prison."

Outside court, the girl's distraught mother said: "To know that he has done something like this before makes me feel sick. Maybe if he had been dealt with properly my daughter would not have had to have gone through this."

Law claimed to be a part-time singer when he appeared with Cilla Black on ITV's matchmaking programme Blind Date.

He was one of three contestants trying to be picked.

He tried to impress the studio audience and the girl by singing a Buddy Holly song.

But his would-be date was not impressed and picked another contestant.

Audiences at the time did not know Law had already been accused of rape after a woman claimed she was attacked in his van a year earlier.

In 1995, Law was acquitted of rape after picking up a woman at the end of Cornmarket Street and had sex with her in a road in North Oxford.

He told the jury the woman had consented to sex, but ran away after he told her about his girlfriend and baby.

Law, now of Green Road, Southsea, will be sentenced at Isle of Wight Crown Court next month.

When he was jailed at Oxford Crown Court, Judge Paul Clark said the pre-sentence report revealed an attitude of blaming everybody but himself.

He added the maximum sentence for unlawful sexual intercourse was two years.

He put Law on the sex offenders' register for ten years.