Latest Offenders Staffordshire

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A former maths teacher at a Swadlincote high school has been jailed for more than two years after admitting sexually touching underage girls.

Steven Bould had been employed at The Pingle Academy for five months in 2018 and 2019, when he was suspended following concerns over his conduct.

Before this, he spent six years at Nether Stowe School, in Lichfield.

Now the 36-year old has been convicted of nine charges of intentionally sexually touching underage girls.

He was due to be sentenced for his crimes before for October, last year, but this was delayed due to the covid pandemic . Now he was finally jailed for 33 months following a hearing at Stafford Crown Court.

Viv Sharples, principal at The Pingle Academy, said after the case: "Following sentencing we wish to thank the professional bodies involved in this case for supporting the students and the academy."

A spokesperson for Nether Stowe School, also speaking after the court hearing, said: This is a very serious matter and the school worked closely with the authorities throughout their investigation to ensure that all appropriate action was taken.

The school takes its safeguarding responsibilities seriously and the safety, wellbeing and protection of students is of paramount importance to us.

Steve Bould was a maths teacher from 2010 to 2016.

Seven of the offences took place while he worked at Pingle Academy, two offences while he worked at Nether Stowe School, where Bould had worked before joining Pingle school.

Bould, of Heath Hayes, Cannock, had been convicted of intentionally touching a girl under the age of 13 when the touching was sexual.

In a second charge, he was convicted of on no less than three occasions he intentionally touched a girl under the age of 13 when the touching was sexual.

And a third charge saw him convicted of intentionally touched a girl aged under 16 when the touching was sexual when she did not consent and he did not reasonably believe that she was consenting.

In the fourth charge he was guilty of on no less than three occasions intentionally touching a girl under 16 and that touching was sexual when she did not consent and he did not reasonably believe that she was consenting.

The fifth and sixth charges saw him plead guilty to intentionally touching a girl under 16 when the touching was sexual when she did not consent and he did not reasonably believe that she was consenting.

In the seventh and eighth charges, both of which he pleaded guilty to, it was said that on no less than five occasions he intentionally touched a girl under 16 by touching her leg and that the touching was sexual when she did not consent and he did not reasonably believe that she was consenting.

In the ninth charge he admitted that on no less than three occasions he intentionally touched a girl under the age of 13 and the touching was sexual.

The offences of touching amounted to at least 20 times in total in relation to the nine charges.

Bould was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

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A former scout leader has been locked up for sex assault on two six-year-old girls at camps he helped to run.

Paedophile Oliver Cooper attacked the youngsters while working as a Beaver Scout leader more than two years ago.

Cooper, a former soldier in the Household Cavalry for four years, was arrested after a child told police he had touched her inapropriately.

Images and videos of children getting undressed in private were later found on his phone and laptop.

Now the 27-year-old, formerly of Hopton, Stafford, has been jailed after being guilty of two counts of sexual assault on a girl aged six, sexual assault on another girl also aged six, one count of taking indecent photographs of a child and 13 counts of voyeurism.

He was sentenced to six years in prison at Lewes Crown Court.

Jailing Cooper and imposing a lifetime ban on working with children and vulnerable people, Judge Stephen Mooney described the former student's crimes as a 'colossal breach of trust'.

Judge Mooney also noted Cooper's lack of remorse.

Detectives from the West Sussex Safeguarding Investigation Unit probed Cooper after a child two years ago bravely came forward to say she had been sexually touched by the scout leader.

He was arrested and indecent images and videos of children getting undressed in private were found on his phone and laptop.

During the course of the investigation, a further child came forward to say she had also been sexually assaulted.

Detective Constable Rees Hopcraft, from Sussex Police, said: "The young girls involved showed tremendous bravery throughout the investigation and were supported by specially trained officers.

"Despite the overwhelming evidence, Cooper continued to protest his innocence and thus forced the victims to give evidence, which was done via a video link to the court.

"In sentencing, Judge Stephen Mooney commented on Cooper's lack of remorse and the 'colossal breach of trust' involved.

"Prior to his scouting role he was a law student at Sussex University, and a soldier in the Household Cavalry where he served for four years in the UK."

Police said the Scouts Association had given full-co-operation, and that parents of all children who were in the scouting group have been kept informed. There is no current safeguarding risk to any child.

Cooper will be on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to last until further court notice severely restricting his access to children, and was disqualified from working with children and vulnerable people for life.

Commenting on the case, an NSPCC spokesman said: "By committing these horrific crimes, Cooper betrayed the trust placed in him by the children he was supposed to protect, as well as their parents and guardians.

"It will have taken great bravery for one of the girls to tell police what Cooper had done, but her actions have helped bring this appalling abuser to justice.

"It is vital that his victims are now receiving all the help and support they need to move on from his awful offences."

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David Nwosu, 21, groomed the schoolgirl online and had sex with her during their second meeting.

Following the attack the maths and computer science undergraduate bombarded another girl with messages and begged her to send intimate photographs of herself.

Nwosu has now been jailed for five years and placed on the sex offenders' register for the rest of his life after a judge decided he was a danger to teenage girls.

Stoke Crown Court, Staffordshire, heard the 12-year-old girl told the Keele University student she was '14, going on 15' after they began chatting online.

Glyn Samuel, prosecuting, said: 'He told her he wanted to have sex with her and would like to make a sex tape with her.

'He sent her two intimate pictures of himself and told her he loved her and if she loved him she would send sexual pictures of herself. She sent pictures of her bottom and breasts.'

Nwosu later met a 15-year-old girl from South Wales on social media between Christmas and New Year last year and asked for naked pictures. At first claimed she was 16.

Mr Samuel added: 'He would send her pictures of himself and asked her to send pictures of herself.

'He requested pictures of her breasts and bottom, was very persistent and told her he was 18.

'She soon confessed she was only 15. He said he did not care and continued to contact her.

'The girl confirmed she sent pictures of her naked breasts. He tried to persuade her to kiss her friend in a sexual way but she would not do that.

'She never met up with him. She knew he wanted her for sexual purposes and nothing else.'

Nwosu, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, admitted rape of a child under 13 and causing or inciting sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old child.

Rebecca Wade, defending, said Nwosu was an intelligent man, but was immature.

She said: 'The offences have brought shame on his family. He is an intelligent man who has made significant mistakes which will have an impact on him and the victims.'

Nwosu was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which prevents him contacting children.

Jailing him Judge David Fletcher said: 'It is quite clear you were attracted to teenage girls.'

A Keele University spokesman said: 'As soon as the police made the university aware of this situation the student was immediately suspended.'

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A TEACHER jailed for having internet sex chats with a schoolgirl once taught pupils a lesson on lap dancing and porn, it was claimed last night.

Craig Lindsay, 37, from Uttoxeter, was locked up for 15 months by a judge at Stafford Crown Court for having explicit conversations with the teenage girl via a webcam.

Now an ex-pupil has claimed the married teacher once put on a racy lesson for older students while working at Thomas Alleynes School.

On a Facebook page dedicated to the dad-of-two, the former student wrote: One of the funniest times ever was when Lindsay was showing us a powerpoint presentation on lap dancing and porn.

The best sociology lesson ever the first one of my Year 12 year. He is a certified legend!

Staffordshire County Council was unaware of the new claims, but said there had been no other complaints about Lindsay. The pervert teacher was charged with inciting a child to sexual activity and sexual activity in the presence of a child.

The court heard he first took an interest in his victim when she was aged 14, showering her with compliments, although the abuse did not start until she was 16 or 17.

During the hearing, the teacher admitted that he had flattered and complimented the girl before going on to exchange a mass of sexual messages over the internet.

It led ultimately to him performing a sex act in front of a webcam with his victim watching, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Andy Easteal said: He said he was going to be thinking rude thoughts about her and what he would like to do to her.

On quite a few occasions he performed a sexual act in front of the computer.

This conduct all took place online, it never involved any physical proximity.

They both knew and understood it to be a fanciful series of exchanges and messages. None of the things that were discussed were embarked upon.

The chat went on for months but was only discovered on the girls laptop computer a couple of years later. Jailing Lindsay, Judge Michael Challinor said: This kind of sexual abuse damages the integrity of our school system.

Parents must be able to trust teachers to deal with their children appropriately.

You were a teacher and its clear you began to groom her for your own purposes when she was 14. You knew she was vulnerable and by a number of devices, flattery and subterfuge, you drew her in to this sexual activity.

There was no penetrative sexual activity.

She has suffered some psychological harm by reason of the discovery, the humiliation of the investigation by family and the police.

Her introduction to a sexual relationship was not normal it was with you, a 37 year-old married man.

A spokesman for Staffordshire County Council said: Mr Lindsay was suspended from his post in November 2009 following an allegation which has been investigated and concluded.

He has since resigned from his post, and his case is being referred to the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

Prior to this, there had been no previous complaints about his teaching practice.

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A karate instructor who fled to Spain during his trial on sex abuse charges against teenagers in his care has been jailed for six years and eight months. Graham Phillips, 53, from Hill Ridware, near Rugeley, Staffs, went on the run 10 days into his trial last December.

Phillips was then convicted of nine indecent assaults and given a six-year prison sentence in his absence.

He was extradited to Britain from Majorca on Monday and has been given an eight-month term for breaching bail.

"This has brought a sense of closure to the victims who Phillips preyed upon" Insp Nick Lakin.

Phillips, formerly of Uttoxeter Road, Hill Ridware, was arrested last month and appeared at Stafford Crown Court on Tuesday after being held in custody overnight.

He had denied 10 counts of indecent assault against girls aged between 13 and 16 at his trial in December but was convicted of seven offences.

He also denied two further counts of rape, although the jury instead returned guilty verdicts of indecent assault on those charges.

Phillips was also banned from working with children and ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

'Rebuild' lives

Insp Nick Lakin, who led the initial investigation, said: "Phillips is a dangerous, manipulative paedophile who was determined to escape justice at any cost.

"It has taken several months to trace him and bring him back to Britain and we would like to thank the public for their co-operation in the investigation.

"This has brought a sense of closure to the victims who Phillips preyed upon.

"Hopefully now they and their families can begin to rebuild their lives."