Latest Offenders Surrey

Description

An 18-year-old nursery worker has been jailed for sexual offences against two children.

Thomas Waller, who was 17 at the time of the offences, was convicted of rape, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of taking indecent images following a trial at Staines Magistrates Court in July. 

Waller, (24/04/2007), of Farnham, committed the offences against two children over two weeks in August 2024 when they were just three years old. 

He was newly qualified to work with children when concerns were raised by parents of one of the victims who had told them about a serious assault. Staff at the setting (which cannot be named for legal reasons to protect the identity of the victims) then called the police. Waller was arrested and during the investigation indecent images of a second victim were discovered on his mobile phone and a second investigation immediately initiated.  

Today, (Friday, 14 November) Waller was jailed for 10 years for rape, with an additional five years on licence. In addition, he was given a four-year sentence for inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one year for indecent images, which will run concurrently.

In statements to the court, the children’s parents described the affect his offending has had on them and their families.

The parents of one said, 

“This was not an accident. It was not a poor decision on the spur of the moment, it was premeditated and calculated. 

“This man continually gave no comment. This man chose to deny everything. He has had every opportunity to plead guilty and express remorse, and he has chosen not to. He has demonstrated no accountability for his actions.  

“We do not know yet what the long-term impact on our son will be. I am hopeful that with our support he will understand that he did nothing wrong and that he has nothing to be ashamed of. 

“We won’t know what he will think when he hears the name ‘Tom’ – as his parent, I always slightly hesitate and feel uncomfortable when I read that name out in a storybook, hear it on TV, or greet another kid’s parent with the same name. 

“The day after his appearance in court our son asked us if he was bad because of what Tom had done to him. He doesn’t understand how he was manipulated and how both his trust as well as his body was abused.” 

The parents of the second child said:

“I’ll never forget the ache in my heart when I understood what our child had gone through. 

“The worst part of this journey has been the feeling of complete helplessness. I couldn’t protect our child when they needed us most. And I can’t undo the damage that has been done to them. 

“Knowing that our child’s image was taken and shared without consent, shared with strangers, is something I cannot stop thinking about. 

“This whole experience has impacted every aspect of our lives. It has stolen our peace, our sense of security, and our ability to sleep soundly at night. We are constantly on edge, wondering how this will affect our child in the future, and we feel the weight of their burden every single day.” 

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Grace Cable, said:

“This deeply distressing case is every parent’s worst nightmare, and I would like pay tribute to the resilience of the victims and their families throughout this whole process. Their support and strength enabled us to secure this conviction and put a dangerous young man behind bars. 

“Thomas Waller had multiple opportunities to show remorse or account for his actions, both during the police investigation and the court process, but has chosen to remain silent.

“I hope his prison sentence helps the families affected by his crimes to start to move forward with their lives. 

“For any parent or guardian who wants to know how best to protect their child, my advice is that no one knows your child better than you. Always listen to what they have to say, and if you have concerns for their safety or welfare then please report them. Surrey Police take any allegation of sexual assault incredibly seriously and will do all we can to investigate and to deliver justice for victim-survivors and their loved ones.” 

Description

Lance Melville Percival, 64, (DOB:15/10/1960) from Oxted, pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding choice, four counts of rape, 2 counts of sexual assault and two counts of assault by penetration when he appeared at an earlier hearing.

He was also given a Restraining Order preventing contact with the survivor and her immediate relatives, and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

An investigation commenced when an SD card hidden within his wallet was identified as containing numerous files showing him committing the offences. The survivor can clearly be heard telling him to stop in some of the videos whilst he was subjecting her to various levels of abuse. A total of 16 videos were found spanning 13 dates between 2021 and 2024.

The survivor had never reported the abuse and had little understanding or comprehension of what has happened to her. It is believed that she would never have told anyone about what was happening due to the level of grooming and her lack of understanding.

Percival worked as a self-employed taxi driver, licensed by Tandridge District Council, for 10 years. As soon as these allegations came to light, Surrey Police notified the Council and his Hackney Carriage license was immediately revoked.

Detective Constable Marc Taylor from Surrey Police’s Sexual Offences Investigation Team, who investigated the case, said:

“Percival is a sexual predator who abused his position as her driver and took advantage of the victim’s vulnerability. The level and nature of the abuse was hugely shocking and I would like to thank all of my colleagues that assisted in the investigation. It is clear that

Percival knew what he was doing and I am glad that his depraved actions finally came to light. Thanks to the work of the Sexual Offences Investigation Team and the bravery of those involved in the investigation, we were able to secure sufficient evidence to leave

Percival no choice but to plead guilty to his crimes, meaning the survivor and her family were spared the trauma of going through the process of a trial.

This investigation, and today’s sentence, show how seriously any reports of sexual offences are taken and demonstrates that we will do whatever it takes to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.”

Description

Tony Drewitt (18/06/1948) of Hazon Way, Epsom, Surrey was jailed for 12 months at Manchester Crown Square Court.

On Tuesday 28 January 2025, Drewitt pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child.

The victim was 13 years old when they met, and Drewitt was aged 69. Drewitt groomed his victim and engaged in sexual activity with her over a one-year period whilst she was aged 14.

Some of the offending occurred in Oldham.

Drewitt was also made to sign the sex offenders register for five years and has an indefinite restraining order against the victim.

Detective Sergeant Andy Barrett, of our Oldham Complex Safeguarding Hub, said:

“Firstly, I would like to thank the victim and their family for being brave enough to come forward and report this abuse to the police.

“Drewitt engaged in a prolonged period of grooming a young girl, who should have been free to enjoy her childhood. Instead, she was abused by a man who denied her of her youth.

“I hope today’s sentencing can provide the victim and their family some comfort knowing that Drewitt is behind bars and can no longer harm them.

“We encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault, or knows someone who has, to come forward and speak to the police. We will listen to you and we will investigate.”

Description

Two men who were found guilty of multiple child sex offences earlier this year are both facing prison sentences following a hearing at Guildford Crown Court today (30 June).

Stephen Ireland, 40, (DOB: 8/3/1984) from Addlestone, was sentenced to 24 years in prison, with a further six on extended licence, after being found guilty of the rape of a child under 13, three counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and the sexual assault of a child under 13, as well as:

• Conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child;
• Arranging commission of a child sex offence;
• Six counts of making indecent photographs of children;
• Four counts of distributing indecent photographs of a child;
• Possession of prohibited images of children;
• Possession of an extreme pornographic image.

David Sutton, 27, (DOB: 10/10/1997), from Addlestone, was sentenced to four and half years (54 months) in prison after being found guilty of three counts of making indecent photographs of children and one count of possession of an extreme pornographic image.

Ireland and Sutton were also found guilty of one count of voyeurism and one count of perverting the course of justice.

Following the trial, the jury found Sutton and Ireland not guilty of the conspiracy offences with which they had also been charged, including three counts of arranging a child sexual offence, five counts of conspiracy to sexually assault a child, one count of conspiracy to kidnap a child and one count one count of conspiracy to administer a substance with intent.

Both men had already pleaded guilty to a number of offences at the start of the trial. Ireland pleaded guilty to possessing 274 prohibited images of children and possessing an extreme pornographic image, while Sutton pleaded guilty to distributing a category A indecent photograph of a child, distributing three category B indecent photographs of a child and possessing 64 prohibited images of children.

The four-week trial followed an extensive investigation by Surrey Polices Complex Abuse Unit, which began following the report of the rape of a 12-year-old boy, which led to Ireland being arrested in April 2024.

A search of a phone hidden in his flat revealed indecent images of children.

Ireland and Sutton were both arrested on 11 June 2024 for distribution and possession of indecent images of children.

On 14 August 2024, charges were authorised for 44 offences (later increased to 45), relating to Ireland and Sutton, and spanning the period between August 2022 and July 2024.

Temporary Detective Chief Superintendent Debbie White, Head of Surrey Polices Public Protection Command, said: "Stephen Ireland was a sexual predator who targeted a young boy and took advantage of his age and vulnerability for his own gratification. I would like to pay tribute to the victim in this case for their courage in coming forward and for giving evidence. I hope the fact that both Stephen Ireland and David Sutton have been given prison sentences can help them start to re-build their life.

As well as both men demonstrating an extreme sexual interest in children, they then tried to cover up their offending by intentionally deleting material from their phones once they became aware of the police investigation and following their arrests.

This has been an extremely difficult and complex investigation, and I would like to thank all those involved for their hard work and dedication. I hope the sentences handed down today send a clear message to any victim of a sexual offence, that you will be listened to, you will be supported, and we will investigate such crimes thoroughly.

Claire Gallagher, Senior Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: It is clear that both Stephen Ireland and David Sutton had a perverted and dangerous interest in children.

Child sexual abuse is a devastating crime which can have a lifelong impact on victims. I would like to offer my deepest thanks to the victims who supported the prosecution and helped the CPS and Surrey Police bring these offenders to justice.

Description

A man has been sentenced to six years and 11 months in prison after pleading guilty to 17 counts relating to the possession, making and distribution of indecent images of children, publishing an obscene article and attempting to incite a boy aged 13-15 years to engage in sexual activity.

Harry Nyazai, 27, (DOB 13/5/1998), had also pleaded guilty to one count of outraging public decency at an earlier hearing, and was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Friday (6 June).

Nyazai, who had worked at a number of schools in Surrey, as well as a children’s holiday club and also advertised his services on social media as a babysitter and after school tutor, was arrested after police received information that he was uploading indecent images of children to a Google account in October 2022.

Nyazai was arrested on 24 November 2022 on suspicion of making indecent images of children. 

Following his arrest, a number of digital devices belonging to him were seized and examined, which showed that indecent images of children had been downloaded.

Nyazai was further arrested in January 2023 in relation to material on messaging apps which showed he was communicating with others who had similar interest in indecent images of children and child sexual abuse.

He was arrested again in February 2023 after further examination of his devices showed he had also been taking, making and encouraging distribution of indecent images of children, including children in his care.

The families of the children who were identified as victims of an offence were contacted at the time and provided with the appropriate support and care.

A Sexual Risk Order (SRO) against Nyazai was granted in February 2023. In May 2023, he pleaded guilty to two breaches of the SRO at Guildford Magistrates’ Court and was given conditional bail, including not to have any unsupervised access with anyone under the age of 18 years.

In June 2024, Nyazai was seen sitting in his car near a school playground in Farnham during break time.

Due to his suspicious behaviour, the witness took a photo of Nyazai’s car and reported the matter to the school who reported it to police.

He was subsequently arrested for outraging public decency after a number of items, including children’s underwear and indecent photos, were found in his car.

At the time of committing this offence, Nyazai was on bail for the other matters.

Following a further court appearance, he was remanded in custody.

Sentencing Nyazai to six years and 11 months in prison, the Judge HHJ Sellers said his “escalating activity” showed he was a “significant risk and therefore dangerous”.

As well as having his licence extended for a further three years, Nyazai was also barred from working with children, placed on the Sex Offender Register for life and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Description

A man who sent sexual images and videos to a 12-year-old girl has avoided prison.

Luke Ayling, 33, of Oakhill Road in Sutton, spent two months sending sexual messages to a Facebook account he believed to be a young girl.

But the former chef, now unemployed, got a shock when he found out he was actually messaging a decoy account designed to catch paedophiles.

Ayling appeared at Croydon Crown Court for sentencing on Friday after he pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.

Prosecutor Michael Chambers said Ayling began messaging the account in May 2021.

When the operator of the decoy account said they were 12 he replied “too young”, before sending a number of sexual photos and videos of himself.

Ayling made arrangements to meet the child on three occasions but never showed up.

Ruth Zentler-Munro, defending, said her client was in a state of poor mental health at the time of the offending.

She said Ayling has since addressed his substance abuse problem which exacerbated his mental health problems and has not offended in the four years since.

Recorder Samantha Presland, sentencing, said: “Mr Ayling, I appreciate you were in a very bad place at the time you fell down this rabbit hole, but if this had been an actual child the ramifications would have been lifelong for them.”

Ayling was given a 16 month sentence, suspended for 20 months.

He will have to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and a number of rehabilitation days.

Description

A "dangerous" Surrey sex offender has been jailed for abuse that spanned decades. Derek Jinman committed the offences, involving four victims aged 6 to 16, over a period of more than 11 years.

He was found guilty of 15 counts of serious sexual abuse, including rape. The 73-year-old, of Woking, has now been sentenced to 22 years in prison. Jinman was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Monday (March 24).

Description

A woman was drugged by a convicted sex offender who shaved her pubic hair and raped her while she was unconscious. He also sexually assaulted her with a sex toy which left her in pain worse than childbirth.

Jake Pinhorn, 33, met his victim on an online dating site and went on to sexually abuse her at a hotel in Caerphilly after forcing her to drink a green liquid. She was knocked out as the defendant committed a number of sexual acts upon her designed to humiliate her.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Friday heard the defendant and the victim had initially met on an earlier occasion when they had consensual sex. When they met in Caerphilly Pinhorn produced a green liquid which he forced her to drink. She swilled some of it in her mouth before spitting the rest out.

The victim fell in and out of consciousness as a result of a drug in the drink and recalled hearing the sound of an electric razor and Pinhorn doing something to her. She noted a black pump and felt pressure near her vagina. The victim fell asleep and woke up in great pain. She went to the toilet and "felt her insides were going to fall out." That morning she and the defendant showered separately and he tipped the contents of the bin into a plastic bag. He then dropped her off at the train station and left.

Prosecutor Dan Jones said the victim returned home and had a bath when she realised her pubic hair had been shaved without her consent. She reported the matter to friends but it wasn't until three years later she contacted the police after watching a programme featuring a woman who had experienced similar trauma.

Pinhorn, of Percy Gardens, Worcester Park, London, was arrested and interviewed, telling police all sexual acts had been consensual. He was released on bail in the meantime. The defendant was later arrested again after an IP address linked to his home had been involved in the sharing of indecent images of children on peer-to-peer software. Electronic items were seized from his house and an ASUS laptop was examined. The device was found to contain 2,987 category A images, 3,214 category B images, and 8,095 category C images, a total of 14,296 indecent images.

During questioning Pinhorn initially claimed the laptop belonged to his then partner, who was subsequently arrested, but he later accepted responsibility for the images. The defendant pleaded guilty to rape, assault by penetration, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of indecent images. He was also in breach of a sexual harm prevention order issued when he was convicted of possessing indecent images in 2018.

In a victim personal statement read to the court by Mr Jones the victim said: "Since making the decision to report the rape my life has never been the same. I struggle to sleep and have constant nightmares. I have the sensation of someone constantly on top of me trying to rape me. I wake up and my bed linen is on the floor where I have been kicking during the night from feeling scared. I have cried so much, in shock and not understanding why I've changed so much.... I'm taking medication for anxiety and depression but I don't feel like it's helping. I think about what happened daily and waiting for the matter to come to court has made it worse.

"I struggle not knowing what happened when I was unconscious or if the defendant took pictures of me. I remember the pain in my vagina, I suffer flashbacks and feel scared. Before this incident I was very social and would go out every weekend but since this incident I struggle to trust anyone, I stay at home and don't go out."

In mitigation the court was told the defendant's actions were "against the grain" and an "isolated aberration." Since his remand in prison it was said Pinhorn had been on suicide watch.

Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams said: "You shaved her pubic hair to degrade her and prepare her for rape, penetrated her with a sex toy you brought to the hotel, causing enormous pain and suffering, it was pain she felt was worse than having a baby... You carefully planned to drug, rape and humiliate her."

Pinhorn was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment with an extended licence period of five years. He will serve two thirds of the custodial sentence before he will be considered for parole.

Description

A man has been sentenced to nine years in prison after committing online sexual offences against three girls aged between eight and 14.

Edward Durlik, 41 (08/01/1983), of Woking created multiple fake online profiles to gain his victims’ trust. He posed intermittently as an 11-year-old girl, a 13-year-old boy, and a 13-year-old girl, and even used photos of a child known to him to support the fake online persona he was portraying.

When speaking to one of his victims, Durlik devised a points game where he would challenge her to send him photos throughout the day. Each photo would be scored, with lower points for normal, everyday images, and higher points for more sexually graphic images and videos. If the victim stopped communicating with him, Durlik would use guilt and blame to force her to send more images.

Police became aware of the messages when a victim’s father found sexualised messages, images, and videos on his daughter’s phone. Durlik was identified through phone work and arrested in June 2023 on suspicion of inciting a child under 13 to engage in penetrative sexual activity.

A forensic examination of his phone discovered 1,055 indecent images of children, 258 of which were Category A images, the most serious, as well as 296 Category B images and 501 Category C images. It was also established that 471 indecent images/movies had been distributed to 39 separate users online.

Durlik was charged on 29 April 2024 with the following offences:

• Five counts of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in penetrative sexual activity (covering 11 separate occasions)
• One count of causing or inciting a girl under 16 to engage in penetrative sexual activity (covering more than two occasions)
• One count of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity (covering two separate occasions)
• Two counts of causing a child under 13 to watch or look at an image of sexual activity (covering more than five occasions)
• Two counts of encouraging the distribution of indecent images (covering eight separate occasions)
• Two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child
• Three counts of making an indecent photo/pseudo photo of a child
• Three counts of distributing an indecent photo/pseudo photo of a child

During sentencing on Friday, 14 February at Guildford Crown Court, His Honour Judge Sellers described Durlik as “dangerous” due to the sustained nature of the offending, significant planning, and manipulative behaviour he employed, and deemed that he should serve a further three-year period of extended licence. He was also issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a Deprivation Order, and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Description

A 20-year-old paedophile has been sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple child sexual abuse image offences.

Joshua Morris, 20, dob 22/05/2004, of Hogsmill Way in West Ewell, was sentenced on Wednesday 20 November at Guildford Crown Court for:

• Three offences of distributing an indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child
• Three offences of making an indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child
• One offence of taking an indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child
• Possession of an extreme pornographic image involving an animal
• Breaching a sexual risk order

The investigation into Morris first began in 2021 after it was flagged by colleagues in the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command at the National Crime Agency that he had been linked to the online sharing and possession of child sexual abuse images.

Upon searching Morris’s electronic devices, indecent images of all categories were discovered. Baby and child clothing were also found in his bedroom.

In the three interviews conducted by officers with Morris, he either remained silent or answered no comment to all questions.

Whilst the investigation was ongoing, Morris was put under a sexual risk order (SRO), which he breached by continuing to look at child sexual abuse images online – he was further arrested and charged with these additional offences.

At sentencing, the Judge also handed Morris a ten-year sexual harm prevention order.

Investigating Officer, DC Connor Leney from our paedophile online investigation team (POLIT) said; “Joshua Morris is a predator who poses a serious risk to children through his online activities. We are pleased that he will now spend seven years in prison where he won’t be able to cause harm.

Description

A 28-year-old man has pleaded guilty to a string of devastating sexual offences against children after being confronted with overwhelming evidence uncovered by the Metropolitan Police.

Sam Phillips, 28 (07.04.96), of Hillcroome Road, Sutton, appeared at Harrow Crown Court on 30th October, where he admitted to 38 offences committed between December 2023 and February 2024.

His crimes, which targeted six vulnerable children, including over 20 counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, alongside further charges of sexual communication with a child and making indecent images of children

The Met investigation demonstrated the tireless dedication of the officers involved, whose swift actions and relentless pursuit of justice ensured that Phillips could not continue his reign of abuse. Their work uncovered the extent of his crimes, providing crucial evidence that led to his guilty plea and ensuring that he will face the full weight of the law.

Chief Superintendent Sara Leach, who leads policing in north-west London where the investigation was undertaken, said:

“Phillips is a predator of the worst kind, preying on innocent, vulnerable children for his own gratification. The scale of his offending is both appalling and heartbreaking, and no child should ever have to endure the trauma these young victims have suffered.

“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the children and their families who had the courage to come forward. It is impossible to imagine the pain and fear they have experienced, but their bravery has allowed us to hold this dangerous individual to account.

“I am pleased Phillips has pleaded guilty, it is a testament to the strength and diligence of the case that Met officers have built. This outcome reflects our unwavering commitment to bringing sexual abusers to justice and ensuring that victims are heard and protected.”

The investigation began in late January 2024, when officers were contacted with serious concerns regarding the welfare of a child who had potentially been sexually exploited. Met detectives in north-west London immediately launched an investigation.

Through meticulous investigative work, officers uncovered that two additional children had also been groomed by Phillips. He had manipulated these children online, sending them money in exchange for inappropriate images of themselves. Detectives quickly traced the payments to Phillips’ account, and he was arrested on Monday, 11 March 2024. Initially charged with 11 offences involving three children, further analysis of his phone and financial records revealed more victims, leading to the total of 38 charges which were pleaded guilty to.

Description

A child sex offender is back in jail after breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention order. Max Coughlin, from Redhill, was jailed for six years at Guildford Crown Court on Monday, October 28 with an extended licence for a further year.

It follows his trial in February when the 29-year-old was found guilty of facilitating the commission of a child sex offence having already pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children. Coughlin had been known to police due to a prior conviction in 2014 for making and distributing indecent images of children.

Following his release from prison for those offences, he was subject to the Sexual Offences registration requirements for 10 years and had a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which placed tight prohibitions on him, including having no contact with children. In October 2021, a warrant was executed at an address in Redhill by the Force’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) following intelligence he was breaching his SHPO by using apps including Snapchat and then deleting them.

Officers recovered 15 devices including phones and laptops from him which underwent extensive digital examination. Coughlin was arrested for breaching his SHPO and facilitating the commission of a sexual offence after evidence showed he was making plans to meet a child for the purpose of sexually abusing them.

Having given no comment in his police interview, he later pleaded guilty to making indecent images but not guilty to facilitating the commission of a child sex offence. After a review hearing in March 2023, the case was set for trial in February 2024 where he was convicted.

He was remanded in prison until his full sentencing this week where he was jailed for seven years. The judge also ruled Coughlin would be subject to the Sexual Offences registration requirements indefinitely and have a Sexual Harm Prevention Order made on him indefinitely.

Detective Sergeant Ben Green, from Surrey Police’s POLIT Team, said: “Once we received intelligence about Coughlin’s online activity, we took swift action to arrest him and seize his devices and the intended victim was never subject to any physical sexual offence.

“It was clear in this case that Coughlin had been using various tactics to try to cover-up his digital footprint and was prepared to continue lying in the face of the evidence. The behaviour he was showing was predatory so I am extremely pleased with this outcome.

“I would like to thank officers and staff not only in POLIT, but in the digital forensic and offender management teams, who have all worked together to achieve this result. This is a clear demonstration of our policing response to the ever present online threat posed by predators towards children.”

Description

A sex offender for Horley has been sent back to prison police found six internet-enabled devices at his home. Clive Edward Ellis has been subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) after his conviction for rape in 2007.

The 67-year-old man was sentenced on January 26, 2007, to a 999-month indeterminate public protection sentence after he was found guilty of the rape of a female aged under 16 over a period of approximately two years. He also was convicted of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children.

Ellis spent over six years in custody before being released on licence on April 24, 2013 and was subject to strict conditions placed upon him by his licence and SHPO. Officers from Surrey Police’s High Harm Perpetrator Unit (HHPU) conducted an unannounced visit at Ellis’ address on October 8, 2024.

There they found six internet-enabled devices, including two mobile phones, three tablets and a laptop which he had not disclosed, thereby breaching the conditions of his SHPO. Ellis was charged with three counts of breach of a SHPO and the devices were sent off to be forensically examined.

He was remanded in custody before being recalled to prison. He was also fined £253. Ellis will remain in prison indeterminately.

Detective Inspector Abigail Edey, from the HHPU, said: “The fact that Ellis has been sent back to prison indeterminately shows just how seriously orders such as Sexual Harm Prevention Orders are taken. It also demonstrates that we do carry out regular checks on offenders who have been released from prison and that robust action is taken.

"These orders are put in place to prevent further offending and to keep the public safe and we will always take robust action when we discover that the terms of these orders are not being adhered to.”

Description

A postman from Sutton who took and shared an indecent photograph of a six-year-old child has avoided prison. 

Jamie Farley, 44, took a photo of a young child with their pants down then sent it to a person he believed to be a like-minded paedophile. 

But the person he was speaking to online was in fact an undercover police officer. 

When police seized Farley’s devices they found almost 1,000 indecent images of children. 

Farley appeared at Inner London Crown Court on Friday (October 11) after he pleaded guilty to voyeurism and three counts of making indecent images. 

Judge Matthew Boyle sentenced him to 28 weeks in custody but suspended the sentence for two years, meaning Farley walked out of the court a free man.  

Farley, of St James’ Road, is well-known in the local community and has served as a postman based in Putney for 22 years. 

Royal Mail told Newsquest London he had not made them aware of the offences but he has now been suspended. 

A spokesperson said: “Royal Mail always expects the highest standards from its staff and the behaviours reported have no place in our business. We were not informed of the charges and as soon as we were made aware he was suspended pending an internal investigation.” 

Summarising the case against Farley, prosecutor Ivan Clarke said the offences took place in May 2022 during an undercover investigation with the objective of identifying people who pose a risk to children. 

“An officer was effectively pretending to be an adult male who was interested in child images, and entered into at least two conversations with this defendant,” Mr Clarke said. 

Mr Clarke said Farley sent the undercover officer a photo of a partially-clothed child which he had taken himself, doing so for his own sexual gratification. 

In mitigation, Mark Kelly KC said his client is extremely remorseful and has taken steps to address the problem by attending a course with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation and Stop It Now. 

A probation report stated that Farley had become increasingly “obsessed” with internet porn and “started pushing boundaries” during the Covid period. 

Judge Boyle described the offences as “repugnant” and told Farley: “The downloading of images drives the demand for them, and the young people in those images at the end of the chain suffer as a result.” 

Sentencing Farley, Judge Boyle explained: “I have to say when I first read these papers, I thought it was pretty clear that appropriate punishment could only be achieved by immediate custody." 

But the judge said he was heartened by the fact that Farley has taken steps to address his offending since he was caught. 

He added that an experienced probation officer concluded that Farley’s risk could be managed in the community. 

“Therefore, somewhat to my surprise, I am by a hair’s breadth going to suspend the sentence in your case,” Judge Boyle said. 

He ordered that Farley carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and 40 rehabilitation activity days. 

Judge Boyle also made him the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and he must sign the sex offender’s register for seven years. 

Description

A man who preyed on girls as young as ten years old has been sentenced to more than two years and given a 20-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order by a judge at Southampton Crown Court after being previously found guilty of child sex offences by a jury.

Paul Wright, aged 46, of Tyndalls, Hindhead in Surrey was convicted of sexual assault of a girl under 13 by touching and engaging in sexual communication with a child when the offences took place in August 2020 in the Winchester area.

The jury heard how Wright, who was known to the victim and their family, had been sending inappropriate messages to the victim, who was 10 years old at the time of the offences, which very quickly became sexual. He had also previously requested explicit images of the child.

The jury were also told that he had set up a separate social media account, utilising a different name, to speak to the victim in private in order to stop other people interfering.

At an earlier hearing at Southampton Crown Court on Tuesday 29 August 2023, Paul Wright pleaded not guilty to the aforementioned offences.

During a three-day trial in August 2024 at Southampton Crown Court, a jury reached a verdict of guilty against the count of sexual assault of a girl under 13 by touching and engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Paul Wright was sentenced on Tuesday 8 October at Southampton Crown Court to two years and four months in prison. The judge also granted a 20 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order against him in addition to requiring Wright to sign on to the Sex Offenders’ Register for a period of 20 years.

PC Kallum Sillence of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Child Abuse Investigation Team (CAIT) said: “Paul Wright betrayed the trust of a family, who unknown to them was a previous Registered Sex Offender. I am certain that had they been aware of this fact, they would not have allowed such contact and we would not be in the position we are in today in that a young girl had been sexually assaulted.

“The disclosures made by Paul Wright about the allegations were damning in this case. It is clear that Mr Wright posed a significant risk to young children through the course of his actions.

“The sentencing is a result of outstanding bravery by the victim in disclosing the interactions in the first instance and while this sentence in no way will negate what has happened to her, the hope is that she can now begin to put this ordeal behind her, and move forward, knowing that justice has now been served.”