Latest Offenders Surrey

Description

A FORMER Labour MP who downloaded and distributed child abuse images has been jailed for more than two years.

Paul Clark, who represented Gillingham in Kent for 13 years from 1997, told police when arrested at his home: "I know why you're here."

He was caught with more than 1,000 stills and movie clips on five electronic devices - showing some of the most serious acts of abuse.

The 66-year-old also joined sexually-explicit chats online, Maidstone crown court heard.

After being arrested at his home by the National Crime Agency in May 2021, Clark told officers: "I know why you're here. I kept telling myself to stop.

During his time as a Labour MP, he was a parliamentary private secretary for high-profile Cabinet members including deputy prime minister John Prescott and education secretary Ed Balls.

Clark, who at a previous hearing gave an address in Wallington in Surrey, pleaded guilty last December to three offences of making indecent photos of children between April 2013 and May 2021.

The father-of-two also admitted six charges of distribution between October 2020 and May 2021.

Prosecutor Daniel Stevenson told the court none of Clark's offences took place while he was an MP.

But Mr Stevenson said there were two "distinct periods of offending" - with 20 images downloaded in 2013 and the majority seven years later during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.

A total of 298 category A images, 415 category B and 733 category C were found on two iPhones, an HP laptop, a hard drive and Acer computer tower.

The age range of the children being abused ranged from three to 16, Mr Stevenson told the court.

The iPhones contained what Mr Stevenson called "two significant chatlogs" in which Clark discussed the sexual abuse of children in WhatsApp and Kik conversations with two other users identified as "Toni" and "PR".

The court was also told of the sexual terms used in Clark's internet searches.

Ronnie Manek, defending Clark, told the court the ex-MP's life took a "downward spiral" during lockdown and led to his further offending.

Mr Manek said: "Covid hit and played a huge factor. It was a time when the country was in lockdown, and I appreciate it's no justification, but it can affect the mindset of individuals."

Jailing Clark for 28 months, Judge Philip Statman told him the case represented "a tragic fall for someone who had put the community first" - but the offences were so serious, jail was inevitable.

The judge added: "Each of these children is a victim. From the images it is clear they are disturbed by that which is being done to them.

"This is a catalogue of criminal offending, committed for your own sexual gratification.

"It is not just a case of browsing on the internet. This is almost a level of addictive conduct which you pursued and you have a very long way to go in understanding what led you to commit these criminal offences.

"Much has been rightly said about the public service you have performed in the past.

"You put the community first and indeed you have tried your best to continue with issues of a community nature, not just here but in Africa since you lost your seat in 2010.

"It is right too that I emphasise there is no suggestion that any of your offending took place during the time when you were a sitting MP.

"But there is punishment that comes your way on a very different level - the ignominy and public humiliation that your appearance in the dock in the crown court causes you."

The judge said he accepted that the pandemic and his failing marriage may have contributed to his mild depression.

He told Clark: "Possibly because of the job you had, the control you had, the excitement you had in those years both as an MP and after, travelling as you did - that being at home and stuck with difficulties within your marriage may have contributed to the level of depression that you felt.

"I have no doubt as you sit there engaged in this offending, it doesn't go through your mind that you will be caught and be presented before a crown court today."

But Mr Statman insisted he could not spare Clark jail, as his barrister had urged.

The judge said: "These offences clearly pass the custody threshhold and well and truly pass the level which would permit me to impose a suspended sentence order, bearing in mind the aggravating factors I have mentioned."

Clark will have to serve half his sentence and will be subject to signing on the sex offender register for 10 years on release.

He will also be subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and barred from working with vulnerable adults and children.

Clark was supported in court by two relatives, said to be his cousins.

The Labour stalwart was said to have played a key part in the 2005 general election, hosting then-prime minister Tony Blair and chancellor Gordon Brown on a visit to Kent.

Clark was later appointed transport minister in 2008.

After losing his seat two years later, Clarke stood for re-election in 2015 but was again defeated by Conservative Rehman Chisti.

Description

A paedophile who planned to travel to America and pay $700 to sexually abuse a child has been jailed for more than seven years.

Mark Lumley, a former Gravesend resident, committed multiple online sexual offences after contacting children aged between 14 and 16.

The crimes took place between July 2020 and October 2021.

Police were notified of Lumley’s offending and a search warrant was executed at his home address.

Officers seized a mobile phone containing photos and videos, as well as chat logs from social media sites.

Lumley had been having obscene conversations with several teenagers who he believed were aged between 14 and 16.

He had also liaised with another person and discussed plans to travel to the United States where he would pay $700 to sexually assault a child.

Lumley was arrested and taken into custody and was later charged with offences including sexual exploitation of a child, making indecent photographs of children and causing a female over 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The 56-year-old, now of Manor Road North, Hinchley Wood, Surrey, was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to 20 child sex offences.

He was jailed for seven-and-a-half years with a four-year extended licence, which he will complete upon his release.

A sexual harm prevention order was also imposed and Lumley was added to the sex offenders' register for life.

DC Michelle James said: "Lumley specifically targeted vulnerable young girls online and instigated obscene conversations for his own sexual gratification.

"His behaviour will leave a lasting psychological impact on the victims and he belongs in jail.

"Our investigators will continue to track down those who seek to abuse young victims while remaining anonymous online.

"This sentence proves they have no hiding place and will undoubtedly be brought to justice."

Description

A man who repeatedly breached the requirements of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order and Criminal Behaviour Order has been sentenced to a year in prison.

Rikki Bedford, 27, was convicted of sexual assault on 4 March 2020 at Kingston Crown Court and sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment, as well as being placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), to run concurrently.

He failed to comply with the requirements of his SHPO on three previous occasions, in November 2020, May 2021 and November 2021.

On Friday 7 October 2022, Bedford was released from prison having been on remand for another matter in which he was found not guilty. The requirement of his release meant that he had to register at a police station within three days, which he failed to do.

On 14 October 2022 he was arrested by the Metropolitan Police and taken into custody, where he assaulted one officer and racially abused another.

PC Laura Pammer, who investigated the case, said: “Rikki Bedford has repeatedly breached the requirements of his order and has continued to offend after being released from prison. The severity of these breaches has resulted in him being sent back to prison for another year.

“I hope that this case reassures our local communities that we ensure that any requirements placed on offenders are strictly adhered to.”

Description

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order banned Jake Pinhorn from having devices that were not declared to police officers

A Walton paedophile has been jailed after breaching a court order barring him from having undeclared smartphones. Jake Pinhorn was handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in 2018 when he was convicted of making and distributing indecent images of children.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders' register. But police say the 31-year-old's risk management officer believed he was accessing the internet again on an undeclared smartphone.

This suspicion was confirmed when a warrant was conducted at Pinhorn's home. There, police say, a smartphone was discovered that was attributed to him.

Police say he was also found to have breached the terms of the sex offenders' register by staying at an address he had failed to disclose to the police.

He has now been jailed for a year after appearing before Guildford Crown Court. Pinhorn admitted breaching the terms of his register and his SHPO when he appeared in the dock.

PC John Rose, from Surrey Police’s High Harm Perpetrator Unit, said: “This result shows that we will work tirelessly and robustly to bring convicted sex offenders who breach the conditions placed upon them to justice. Sexual Harm Prevention Orders are ultimately put in place to protect the community and manage risk around further offending, which is why any breach is taken incredibly seriously and we will never hesitate to take action.”

Description

Robert Ive, 42, arranged to greet what he believed to be a 14-year-old at Farnborough Railway Station on May 31.

The girls profile was actually being controlled by a police officer.

Ive, of Camberley, Surrey, started talking with the suspected girl online on May 18.

The responder immediately said she was 14.

Unperturbed by this, Ive asked her about the sexual acts she has performed, and asked her to do them.

He groomed the child into travelling 100 miles from Leicestershire to Hampshire, so she could stay with him and have sex.

Ive told her how to travel without people becoming suspicious.

He pretended to be the girls friends dad in a phone call to her mum, who was another undercover officer.

Ive arrived at the station with cans of Strongbow cider, but was greeted by a police officer, who stepped off the train and arrested him.

At Winchester Crown Court, on August 11, Ive pleaded guilty.

The predator was imprisoned fir four years and eight months arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

PC Kirsti Innes, of the Internet Child Abuse Team, said: Robert Ive is a manipulative sexual offender who has various other convictions for child sex offences and attempted to meet who he thought was a 14 year old child for his own sexual gratification.

Our specially trained officers are experienced in tracking these types of offenders and bringing them to justice.

Had it not been for the work of dedicated officers this man could have gone on to groom a real child instead of being behind bars.

Description

A man from Surrey who raped two women he met after targeting them on the dating site Tinder has been jailed for 12 years.

Prince Darkwa, 26, of Yeomans Lane, Blackwater, Camberley, was found guilty of two counts of rape against two different women at Guildford Crown Court on 17 May following an eight-day trial. He was found not guilty of a third charge of rape against a third woman.

The court heard how Darkwa met both women on online dating apps in October 2021.

He was arrested on 6 October 2021 when one of the victims came forward to report that Darkwa had raped her at her home after they had met on Tinder. Within minutes of meeting up with Darkwa, the victim expressed concerns about his behaviour in a number of text messages to one of her friends.

Darkwa was interviewed and released from custody the next day.

On 5 November 2021 police received another report of rape in which the second victim alleged that she'd been out for dinner with Darkwa on 18 October 2021. The court heard he insisted on accompanying her home where they both began drinking.

The victim said that the next thing she remembered was waking up with Darkwa smiling at her and stroking her face. She was bleeding and was in a lot of pain.

The victim said she had initially been reluctant to come forward because she had been unconscious when Darkwa forced himself on her and so had doubted her own belief of what had happened.

Detective Constable Alastair Bagshaw from the Sexual Offences Investigation Team (SOIT), who investigated the offences, said: Darkwa is a sexual predator who deliberately targeted women on dating sites with the sole purpose of meeting up with them for sex.

"Whether or not they consented to this was irrelevant to him.

"The prison sentence he has received today will ensure that he will be behind bars and will not be able to do this to anyone else. I hope that this will also give him time to reflect on his attitude towards women and his perceived entitlement when it comes to sexual activity.

Both women expressed reservations about coming forward and reporting this to police but they must be commended for having the courage and strength to speak out and ensure that Darkwa was brought to justice for his vile and predatory behaviour.

I would also like to thank the team of officers who worked on this case it was a fast-moving and intensive investigation but our determination has paid off by the fact that Darkwa has now been brought to justice for his offending.

"I would encourage anyone who has been subjected to a sexual offence to report it to the police it will be taken seriously, it will be investigated thoroughly and every possible effort will be made to bring the offender to justice where possible.

Detective Inspector Mark Butterworth from the SOIT, who oversaw the investigation, said: I would like to pay tribute to both victims and the witnesses involved in this case who were brave enough to come forward and give evidence, which meant re-living the ordeal they had endured as a result of the Darkwas actions.

Darkwa used the internet to meet his victims before he raped them. They were alone and when they first reported the incidents to us, the defendants identity was not known to them. The team worked quickly to identify the suspect and link the cases together. We then worked in conjunction with the CPS to ensure that he was remanded in custody to protect the public from further offences while the investigation was progressed.

I would also like to thank all those involved in the investigation for their hard work and dedication. Bringing together such a complex case within six months is a huge achievement, and without this co-ordinated teamwork, this would not have been possible.

I hope that Darkwas conviction sends a clear message that we will always do everything we can to ensure allegations of rape are investigated thoroughly and that we will leave no stone unturned to get to the truth and bring offenders to justice, as well as demonstrating to potential offenders that the internet does not provide you with an opportunity to evade detection and ultimately imprisonment.

Sally Lakin from the Crown Prosecution Service said: This is a truly appalling case, where the defendant demonstrated a horrifying pattern of entitlement. Darkwa is a sexual predator, who manipulated the situation to intimidate and control his victims in order to rape them.

"It wasnt that Darkwa didnt know his victims werent consenting, to the contrary, he was left in no doubt that the sex was not consensual, even asking one of his victims if he would get a visit from the police. He simply did not care.

I commend the bravery of the victims in reporting and supporting the prosecutions case which meant Darkwa was found guilty and sentenced today for his abhorrent crimes. I hope they can take some comfort from todays sentencing.

I want to encourage victims to please report these crimes; you will be taken seriously and where our legal test is met, we wont hesitate to prosecute.

Darkwa was sentenced to six years imprisonment (to run concurrently) for the offence committed on 5th October 2021. He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment with an extended license period of four years under the Dangerous Offender Provisions for the offence committed on 18th October 2021.

It means he will have to satisfy a parole board before being eligible for release.

Darkwa was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a Restraining Order against both victims for an indefinite period and will have to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Description

A Surrey sex attacker has been jailed for targeting children over a nine-year period. Stuart Menzies was found guilty of sexually abusing three children in Woking. The 58-year-old was charged with eight counts of non-recent sexual abuse against the children following an investigation from Surrey Police.

The probe into his behaviour began after the offending came to light in 2018. During a trial at Guildford Crown Court, Menzies' victims talked about the impact his crimes had on their lives. One victim said: Its been a long battle to overcome this and for the longest time I couldnt envision any future for myself, because I didnt think I would live past my twenties.

Its only within the last few years where my mental health has gotten better that Ive decided to do something with my life. If I hadnt experienced any of the things hed put me through I believe my life would have been much different.

Another victim added: "I am unable to build relationships, I treat new introductions with great caution, giving the impression I am closed and distant, so it appears I dont care, when really I feel lonely and without real friendship or support. My past has prevented me from gaining the contact with others. I have been conditioned to keep my emotions and thoughts to myself.

Even though there may be a small ray of light on the horizon to some future point, its still hard and difficult to see through the dark clouds of my childhood.

Menzies, of Walton Road in Woking, has now been brought to justice. He will serve 23 years behind bars.

Detective Constable Sharron Goodchild, of Surrey Police, said: Todays result is testament to the courage of the three victims who have shown formidable strength throughout this investigation.

Menzies selfish and abhorrent actions have had devastating consequences, but I hope that his imprisonment is a message to all perpetrators of child sexual abuse that we will do everything we can to hold you to account.

Description

An investigation into a registered sex offender who repeatedly approached young girls online via social media has resulted in a man being put behind bars for four years and eight months.

Albert Jones, 55, of High Road in Byfleet, was found guilty of attempt to cause or incite a female under 16 to engage in sexual activity. He was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday (30 June).

During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that, using a fake profile posing as a 17-year-old, Jones would contact 13-year-old girls via social media sites encouraging them to chat in a sexual nature. After a brief engagement, he would then close the account and then re-engage with the child using a different profile username.

Jones was arrested at his home address on 7 April. Most of the offences took place between August 2021 and January this year.

Investigating Officer Estelle Sharp, who led on the investigation, said: This was a complex case that involved both us and officers from the Metropolitan Police.

I hope that this case demonstrates that we will catch prolific sex offenders who target children online and will do everything we can to investigate reports, support victims and pursue perpetrators.

If you are thinking of reporting sexual abuse, please be reassured that your report will be taken incredibly seriously, and that we have specialist support in place to help you.

Description

A man who lived in Woking has been jailed for child sex offences after he was snared by paedophile hunters. Asad Ullah, 28, was sentenced to three years and nine months at Guildford Crown Court on Wednesday, June 15 after admitting his crimes.

Ullah, of no fixed address, had been speaking to who he thought were young girls online in a sexually explicit manner. He had planned to meet one of them on November 10 last year.

But Ullah had actually been speaking to adult members of the public who had posed as children in order to identify paedophiles online. It was the same members of the public who met Ullah at Woking Leisure Centre when he was arrested by officers.

Ullah was charged with the offences in January this year when he was remanded to prison to await sentencing. In addition to his prison sentence, he was also given a lifetime sexual harm prevention order and will be on the sex offenders' register for life.

Investigating officer Dave Evans, who works in Surrey Police's paedophile online investigation team, said: Ullah displayed dangerous, predatory behaviour towards young girls. It is a relief that he is in prison where he can't continue to pose a threat to children.

"I know that this is an emotive subject for members of the public, and rightly so, but I would like to take this opportunity to urge people not to take matters into their own hands and to report any allegations straight to us so that we can carry out a full investigation." The force is also asking social media users to consider the impact on the judicial process before sharing anything online which could harm future court proceedings.

Description

A man convicted of asking for sex instead of rent has been jailed for 12 months.

Christopher Cox, the first person to be convicted of such an offence, "targeted vulnerable young women" who needed a place to stay, Guildford Crown Court heard.

One woman was described as homeless, "unwell and desperate".

Cox had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of controlling prostitution for gain and two counts of inciting prostitution for gain.

The 53-year-old advertised on classifieds website Craigslist for young or homeless women to stay with him at his then home in Cranleigh, Surrey.

He asked for photos and said they should wear bikinis and provide sexual services in exchange for a room.

The charges, connected to offences made between May and November 2018, related to three separate women.

After meeting them, Cox realised they had triggered the interest of two undercover reporters who were working on a programme presented by Jeremy Kyle.

Kyle confronted Cox and told him that "what he was doing in targeting young vulnerable women for sexual favours was morally wrong and criminal", prosecutor Ross Talbott said.

Later, in a message to friends, Cox described his behaviour as his "dirty secret", adding: "I got myself into a bit of hot water due to my sex-for-rent tenants."

Even after being confronted by the TV team, he carried on placing adverts.

Following an investigation by ITV researchers, the allegations were passed to Surrey Police in 2019, and the force identified a woman who said she entered into a sex-for-rent arrangement with Cox.

Judge Robert Fraser told Cox he was involved in "very deliberately targeting homeless women who were vulnerable".

The judge added that such offending has now become "colloquially known as sex-for-rent" and "this is the first such prosecution that has been brought".

Cox has a previous conviction for assaulting a boy when he was 18, the court heard.

Description

A sex offender who left a teenage girl having nightmares after a campaign of abuse has been jailed.

Guildford Crown Court heard Guiseppi Volante, of Glebelands in West Molesey, started to abuse the girl when they were alone.

The court heard the 56-year-old would cut the girl's clothing off, and on one occasion even attempted to rape her while they were out on a walk.

However his reign of abuse ended when Volante's crime were reported to Surrey Police after the youngster confided in a friend.

When police searched Volante's home after interviewing him, they discovered a series of pornographic videos with titles such as Abused Girls Sleeping and Drug Abused Girls.

Volante's victim spoke of the abuse she faced when giving an impact statement in court.

She said: "Every day I fight with myself, trying to move on, be normal, but I will never get that opportunity. You took that from me.

"I started to have nightmares. In one of them, I was running away from you. It was like I was going as fast as I could but I wasnt actually running that fast.

I was screaming for help but no one was around. At the end, before I woke up, I found help, finally. I was unsure on why I had these dreams, so I sought to ask a friend and she explained that nightmares are a way for our brain to cope with trauma.

Volante has now been jailed for 10 years after being convicted of seven charges against the same child, including three counts of penetrative sexual activity, three counts of non-penetrative sexual activity and one count of attempted rape.

He will also remain on the Sex Offender's Register indefinitely.

Detective Constable Julia Thomas, who investigated the case for Surrey Police, said: This was a horrific crime where an older man repeatedly preyed on a vulnerable young girl, relying on her silence to continue his abuse.

The victim showed incredible bravery coming forward after what happened to her as a child and my colleagues in our Victim and Witness Care Unit have worked closely with her to provide support throughout the investigation and court proceedings.

I hope todays result shows that were determined to thoroughly investigate all reports of sexual abuse, no matter how long ago they happened. Please dont think there wont be enough evidence to progress the case - we will work with you and do our very best to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

Description

A Surrey man has been jailed after being found guilty of a string of offences towards three teenage girls.

Marcus Collins, 22, of Canterbury Gardens, Farnborough, and Furze Close, Redhill, was sentenced during an appearance at Guildford Crown Court on Friday, January 28 for numerous offences.

Collins has been jailed for rape, sexual assault, assault and controlling and coercive behaviour and will be behind bars for 15 years.

The offences, which took place between 2018 and 2020, involved three female victims who were aged 18, 17 and 16 years old at the time.

Collins was arrested on January 8 2020 and was subsequently charged for the assault and controlling and coercive behaviour offences while the allegations of rape from his first victim were investigated.

In February 2020, a second victim contacted Surrey Police to report that Collins had assaulted, raped and controlled her between September 2018 and January 2020.

In the same month, a third girl came forward and said that Collins had raped, sexually assaulted, strangled and controlled her.

Collins was arrested on March 16 2020 for these further offences and was subsequently charged on August 26 2020 with numerous rapes, sexual assault by penetration, controlling and coercive behaviour and numerous assaults (ABH).

Detective Constable Nicky Dell, who investigated the case, said: Collins treated these three young women with incomprehensible violence and threatening behaviour over a long period of time.

"He repeatedly raped and assaulted them, he threatened to shoot them and used various weapons against them.

"He controlled them by forcing them to block friends and family on social media, dictating what clothing and make up could be worn, and not allowing them to socialise with friends.

The messages he sent to these young women, recovered from mobile phones examined during the investigation, were threatening, vile and utterly appalling.

I would like to personally commend the bravery of all three women for finding the courage to speak to police and give evidence at court.

"It took incredible courage to speak up against the crimes being committed against them and they have no doubt protected other women from becoming victims of similar horrific crimes.

I would like to reassure anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation that we will always take you seriously your allegations will always be investigated - and you will be given the appropriate specialist support.

DC Dell added: We believe there may be other victims and I would urge them to come forward, either to Surrey Police or to the independent charity East Surrey Domestic Abuse Service (ESDAS), on 01737 771350 or [email protected]

Describing the cruelty that she faced on a daily basis at the hands of Marcus Collins, one of the victims said: Even two and a half years down the line, I am still reminded on a daily basis of the cruelty that I faced at the hands of Marcus Collins.

"I get anxious in public, concerned that anyone could attack me at any time. Marcus took great pleasure in attacking me in public as well as private.

"These were often sustained attacks, all the while people walking past and staring but not helping. I could count the number of times on one hand that I was offered help, despite being kicked, jumped on, punched, shouted at.

"On one occasion, Marcus said: Look, no one cares about you, before punching me in the face. Then he looked around at everyone watching and laughed.

Even when offered help, victims may say no for fear of further violence, or even because they are so manipulated and controlled, they cannot imagine their life without their abuser.

"Either way, it would have been paramount to my mental health both during the relationship and after to have been offered help when attacked in public.

Her mother added: I would like to take this opportunity to thank Surrey Police, in particular DC Dell, for all her hard work, dedication and support throughout this case.

"Collins turned my daughter from a strong and confident girl into a shell of the person she was.

"No one should ever have to go through that hell and now hes in prison he cant make anyone else suffer. We hope the girls can rebuild their lives knowing they are finally safe.

Another victim paid tribute to the support she received from ESDAS: I am incredibly grateful for the amazing support, kindness and advice of ESDAS throughout this whole ordeal.

"This fantastic charity helped to keep me strong and I can never thank them enough.

Description

A man has been sentenced to two years behind bars for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order after pleading guilty at Guildford Crown Court on Monday (15 November).

Steven Sturgess, 52, from Guildford, was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offender’s Register in 2009.

The conditions of this order included restrictions in Sturgess’ access to the internet and he was also subject to unannounced visits from officers.

During one of these visits in February last year, officers found that the monitoring software which had been installed on Sturgess’ laptop had been removed.

Further searches of the device found that he was accessing extreme pornography and indecent images of children.

Sturgess also pled guilty to possession of extreme pornography and making indecent images of children.

PC Lisa Varley and PC Graham Smith, who both investigated the case, said: “The restrictions placed on convicted sex offenders allow us to monitor their behaviour closely, and when breaches such as this one arise, we are able to take swift action to prevent further harm and de-escalate the offender’s behaviour.

“I hope this sentence serves as a reminder to other offenders out there that we will diligently monitor and check your behaviour and we will not hesitate to act if you re-offend.”

Description

A man whose "appalling" crimes included raping a 14-year-old girl has been jailed.

Jay Louis Benjamin Connor, 20, of Kingswood Road, Tadworth, was sentenced to nine years imprisonment with a further five years on extended licence after being found guilty of multiple sexual offences, including six counts of rape, following a six-week trial at Guildford Crown Court.

Connor was arrested on October 30 2019 in Epsom Downs car park after officers found him in his car with a young girl and noticed that he was behaving suspiciously.

The girl, who was under the age of 16, subsequently told officers that she had been raped by Connor and he was arrested and taken into custody.

Further enquiries revealed that Connor was already known to Surrey Police, who led the investigation, and was currently under investigation in relation to other allegations of sexual offences, the earliest of which dated back to 2018.

What police described as a "complex" investigation involving seven complainants coming forward to make allegations against Connor took place over a three-year period.

"Even after being arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault, Connor continued to meet further victims. With almost all the victims, Connor would make up lies about his past and his health in order to manipulate them into engaging in sexual activity with him," a police statement after his sentencing described.

Throughout the trial, Connor reportedly claimed that all victims were lying.

He was eventually found guilty of six counts of rape of a female 14 years of age or over, two counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of sexual assault by penetration.

In addition to his sentence, the Tadworth man was given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

One of his victims, who was just 15 at the time, spoke out after he was sentenced.

"I cant trust boys/men and I cant see how I will be able to have a normal relationship as I cant bear to be physically touched and I dont know when it is okay to believe nice things that someone may say to me. I dont want to be attractive or to even look the same or similar as I did at that time. I dont ever want any man to look at me in the same way that he felt he could use me, without any respect for me as a human being," they said.

"I cant cope if I get catcalled. I crumble and have a panic attack. I just cant lead a normal life like every other teenager. I am not sure how to make you fully understand the devastating effect he has had on my life. I did survive the ordeal but the scars that remain are very deep and I need to feel safe again," they added.

Another victim, who was 14 when Connor raped her in Priory Park in Reigate, said she wanted to use her experience to help others.

"I did not expect anything like this to ever happen to me," she said, adding: "I have never felt so small and lonely, not knowing what to think or feel. The whole range of emotions I have gone through have been confusing, upsetting, unnerving and very difficult to cope with. I can now see that Jay had a plan and knew exactly what he was doing. Everyone should know that saying no, means NO. I will always have this experience with me, however I refuse to be a forever victim. I want to speak up and do whats right for myself and others."

Description

A pervert from Surrey who shared child abuse images on the internet after being banned from having a computer or going online at home has been jailed for five years.

Nicholas Murphy, aged 65, of Staines-upon-Thames, was found with hundreds of indecent pictures and videos of children on his phone which police said he was sending to scores of other people.

During a hearing at Guildford Crown Court, he admitted breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order issued to him following a conviction for distributing indecent images of children in 2005, which prohibited him from having a computer or internet access at his home address.

He successfully applied to have his order discharged in February 2020.

But in July 2020, Surrey Police received information that the user of an email address linked to Murphy had uploaded more indecent images of children to the internet in June and July 2019.

The following September, officers carried out a warrant at his home and he was arrested.

A mobile phone was found at his address and, following examination, it was found to contain hundreds of images and video footage, including prohibited and extreme images.

A message was also found on the same phone which showed Murphy had communicated with another man and made comments about raping children.

A number of chat conversations were also identified where the users of the group had shared indecent images of children, with some of the conversations involving several hundred participants.

Murphy pleaded guilty to making and distributing indecent images of children, possession of prohibited images and possession of extreme pornographic images.

PC Callum Darby from Surrey Police's Online Paedophile Investigation Team, said: “Murphy was already the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prevented him from having a computer or internet access, when it came to light that he was offending again. As the investigation unfolded, we uncovered hundreds of indecent images and footage of children on his phone which he was sharing with hundreds of other people. We also found extreme pornographic and prohibited images on the same phone.

“The sentence given to Murphy demonstrates our commitment to ensuring those who take part in such vile and predatory practices at the expense of innocent children are brought to justice.”