Latest Offenders Surrey

Description

A man was imprisoned for eight-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to historic sex abuse against a 14-year-old boy after appearing at Guildford Crown Court on April 8.

Christopher Coleman, 59, of Milford, pleaded guilty to six charges against the same victim, including three counts of gross indecency, two counts of indecent assault and one count of buggery.

The victim came forward in February 2019 after reading an article in a newspaper about Coleman being convicted for similar offences in 2013, following which he received two life sentences, with a minimum of 15 years. This was later reduced on appeal to 12 years.

The victim rang to thank Surrey Police for ensuring Coleman was put behind bars and said he had also been abused by him. An investigation was subsequently launched and Coleman was arrested in June 2019 on suspicion of a number of sexual offences.

Description

James Jeffrey tried to outwit police with PIN protected phones but was caught out.

A "predatory" and "manipulative" paedophile has been sent to prison for five years for targeting a 14-year-old girl.

James Jeffrey, 45, of Cherry Orchard Road, West Molesey was sentenced to five years in jail yesterday (Tuesday, May 11) at Kingston Crown Court, following an investigation by Surrey Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team.

Jeffrey had tried to outwit officers by refusing to cooperate when police tried to access PIN protected phones.

But Surrey Police said he was "naive" if he thought he could evade justice for his "appalling" crimes.

How did police catch James Jeffrey?

In 2018, Surrey Police received intelligence that an email address was being used to post indecent videos of children to an online chat group.

The email address was traced to Jeffrey and he was arrested at his work while a search of his home was undertaken.

Three mobile phones were seized.

Accessing the PIN-protected phones took some time because Jeffrey was uncooperative and refused to provide police with the correct codes.

Surrey Police investigators were, however, able to gain access to the phones with the assistance of a forensics lab.

They then uncovered a series of explicit WhatsApp and Facebook messenger chats on one of the devices between Jeffrey and a female - who was found to be just 14-years-old.

After a trial at Kingston Crown Court in March 2021, Jeffrey was found guilty of sexual communication with a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act and two charges of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

Jeffrey has also been given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order by the court.

Such orders can require offenders to have their internet access monitored, or their movement restricted in public places, such as children's parks.

The victim has shown incredible bravery

Investigating officer Detective Sergeant James Tibbs from the force’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team said: “The victim has shown incredible bravery and determination in helping us with our investigation.

"I sincerely hope she and her family can move on from this and that Jeffrey being behind bars for what he has done helps them do that.

"Jeffrey is clearly a predatory and manipulative paedophile and it has taken time to get to this point so it’s extremely satisfying to see him sentenced."

DS Tibbs added: “Surrey Police is committed to fully investigating all offences of this nature and will always follow every line of enquiry to ensure that suspects are identified, located and brought to justice.

"Providing a fake PIN like Jeffrey did may delay our investigative work briefly but he was naïve if he thought this was enough to stop us investigating such an appalling crime.”

Description

A former Surrey head teacher has been jailed after justice was finally served more than 30 years after he sexually abused a girl on multiple occasions.

Over a period of three years during the 1980s, Colin Brooks, now 77, took advantage of the girl's vulnerability to exploit her sexually, forcing her to perform sex acts on him at "every opportunity" according to the judge who sentenced him.

He has been sentenced to 28 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to seven counts of indecent assault on the female victim, having initially accused her of making up the abuse.

The defendant, who had since moved to Brixham, in Devon, previously worked as a teacher and headmaster at various educational establishments across the South East of England.

He became the head teacher at The Grove School in Hindhead during the 1980s. The school is now known as The Royal School.

A sentencing hearing on Monday (May 17) at Guildford Crown Court heard the sexual abuse began in the 1980s when the victim was a teenager, with the first offence taking place during a car journey.

Prosecutor Adrian Fleming said: "[Brooks] put his hand on hers to keep it on his leg. He then moved her hand up to near his groin. She became aware that he had an erection."

He added that Brooks "pulled the car over, stopped, unzipped his flies" and placed her hand on his privates, before driving on. He only removed it near the end of the journey, "and for the first time of many, he told her 'this is our secret, don't tell anyone'."

The court heard how Brooks made "more serious threats" to enforce her silence, including that if she told her mother, she would be sent away or placed into the care system.

The abuse continued over a three-year period, during which he kissed her and felt her breasts and she was forced to perform oral sex and other acts on him.

Mr Fleming said Brooks visited the victim's house and went into her bedroom "under the pretence of saying goodnight". He said he "showed her how to give him the most pleasure".

The victim, who appeared at Guildford Crown Court for the sentencing hearing, read aloud an emotional impact statement to the court, detailing her "most painful memories".

She said: "The evening when things began not only shook me to the core, but effectively ended my childhood. I was fairly grown up for my age, but this was on an altogether different scale.

"It meant I grew up far more quickly than I should have done and I also learned to be an efficient liar."

After the abuse ended, the victim said she "learned to live with the after-effects of what happened" and hoped to put the past behind her.

However, she was forced to disclose the sexual abuse to police years later when one of her former partners made allegations which implicated the wrong man.

She completed a video interview on November 14, 2018, and Brooks was arrested and interviewed on January 4, 2019, the court heard.

In that interview, he denied all the offences, claiming they were "fabrications of the worst kind".

He was interviewed a second time on November 28, 2019 and "persisted in those denials". He was later charged and pleaded guilty to all seven counts of indecent assault.

Defending Brooks, John Price QC told the court: "He regrets it [his initial denial]. He regrets that he did not take the stance at the police station that he chose to take for the court."

In his closing remarks, Judge Jonathan Black said the victim had a difficult childhood and was "vulnerable" at the time the offences were committed.

He said Brooks "took full advantage of that vulnerability by exploiting the situation for [his] own gratification" and took "every opportunity" to sexually abuse her.

Severe psychological harm

He said: "She has suffered anxiety, depression, palpitations and loss of sleep. She has described herself as almost broken and is considering early retirement from her employment. She reports symptoms of dissociative disorder. My view is she has suffered severe psychological harm."

Detective Constable Rachel Moss, who investigated the case for Surrey Police, said: "Brooks committed the offences while he was in a position of trust and his behaviour is simply reprehensible.

"I hope that this case demonstrates to people who have been sexually abused, no matter how long ago the abuse took place, that your allegation will always be taken seriously, we will always conduct a full and thorough investigation and that you will be given the appropriate support."

Reacting to the conviction, an NSPCC spokesperson said: "Given his experience in education Brooks would have been well aware of the impact his actions would cause and it's now crucial that his victim receives ongoing support.

"It's really important that survivors of child sexual abuse have the confidence to speak out – no matter how long ago the offences took place and no matter who the abuser is."

Description

A teacher has been banned from teaching indefinitely after sending sexual messages to a girl he thought to be 13 and possessing indecent images of children.

Daniel Butterfield, 36, of Portland Road, Kingston , sent sexually explicit messages on an online messenger app between June and August 2018.

What he didn't realise though was that he was really talking to a police officer.

Butterfield sent explicit images of himself, and requested indecent images in return. He also made arrangements to meet with the girl.

Butterfield was first charged last October 2019 at Kingston Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to 13 sexual offences. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also subjected to a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offender Register.

The Teaching Regulations Agency met to discuss the crime and announced earlier this month (May 6) that it concluded Butterfield is banned from teaching indefinitely in schools, sixth form colleges, relevant youth accommodation and childrens home in England.

There will be no opportunity for a review of this decision.

Butterfield was employed as assistant head teacher at Tidemill Academy from September 1, 2013 until he resigned on July 28, 2019. Within his role Mr Butterfield also taught Year 6 classes English and Maths.

A spokesperson for REAch2, the parent organisation of Tidemill Academy, said: We can confirm that the individual in question last taught at Tidemill in July 2018. As the Metropolitan Police made clear, the offences did not involve any children from the academy.

"At REAch2 we take safeguarding extremely seriously in all of our academies, and we can confirm that all safeguarding processes were followed in full when this individual was appointed. The checks revealed no recorded history of any safeguarding concerns.

The panel was satisfied that the conduct of Butterfield fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession. They noted that while Butterfield showed remorse, the seriousness of the offence and the public interest overrides this consideration.

The decision maker, Alan Meyrick, on behalf of the Secretary of State said: The panel was not provided with sufficient information to determine whether or not the allegations took place outside the education setting, although it acknowledged that this was likely to be the case.

In any event, the panels view was that the findings of misconduct were of a serious nature, and the conduct displayed would be likely to have a negative impact on the individuals status as a teacher, potentially damaging the public perception.

Description

Charles Phillip Johnson, 72, of Hall Place Drive, Weybridge, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault on a child and two counts of indecency with a child.

He was sentenced to two years and five months behind bars when he appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday (February 23).

An investigation was launched after the victim came forward in August 2018 to report physical and sexual abuse against him by Johnson which took place in the 1970s when he was a pupil at Barrow Hills School in Witley, Godalming.

Johnson was a teacher at the school at the time and was subsequently arrested and interviewed before being charged in 2019.

Johnson was sentenced to a year in prison in July 2017 after pleading guilty to two counts of indecently assaulting a boy under the age of 14. He was also given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The offences also took place at Barrow Hills School in the late 70s and early 80s.

The school was owned by the Josephites, a religious order, but was sold by them in 1990. Since then it has been run by trustees as an independent charity.

Detective Constable Becky Thomson, of Surrey Police, said on Tuesday: "I hope that Johnson's guilty plea and the sentence he has received today will in some way help the victim to come to terms with what's happened and move on with his life.

"He had the courage to report Johnson's predatory behaviour and I'd like to commend his bravery in coming forward.

"I would also encourage any victim to come forward to Surrey Police and report any similar incidents. Surrey Police treats all allegations of sexual abuse, whether recent or non-recent, extremely seriously.

"Our priority is victim care and people need to feel confident that if they come forward and report an offence, we can help.

"We have a dedicated investigation team for such crime and the dedicated unit works to obtain best evidence. We also work closely with our partner agencies to provide support and care to victims."

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has also urged anyone who has experienced abuse to seek support.

A spokesperson said: "Johnson's predatory and abusive actions, in flagrant contradiction to his duty of care as a teacher, will have had a profound impact and weighed heavily on his victim for many decades. It is so important he receives all the support he needs to move on with his life.

"This case shows that time is no barrier to justice, and we would urge anyone who has experienced abuse, no matter when it happened, to speak out and seek support."

Description

A "dangerous" and "obsessive" sex offender has been jailed after so-called paedophile hunters lured him into thinking he was grooming and meeting a 14-year-old girl.

Simon Landsberg, of High Street, Godstone, spoke to who he thought were three girls online and began grooming them before attempting to meet one of them at Ashburton Park, in Croydon.

The 68-year-old was confronted by the paedophile hunters on June 20 last year at the attempted rendezvous in the park, during which a court heard he had the "intent of committing sexual offences". The police were then called and he was arrested.

A video taken at the scene shows members of the public challenging Landsberg about the meeting, followed by officers leading him off in handcuffs. He first confirms his name is 'David' in reference to the name he used online before admitting to police later that he was called Simon.

He was charged with three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child; attempting to meet a child under the age of 16; and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

He had previously been convicted of facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, and was handed a three-year prison sentence in 2017. This, however, involved two real children.

A sentencing hearing at Croydon Crown Court on Thursday afternoon (February 11) heard how three people from various paedophile hunting groups posed as 14-year-old girls online.

Landsberg engaged in lengthy, predominantly sexual, conversations with these "entities", asking one of them about her body shape and telling her that he liked small breasts.

Judge Adam Hiddleston told the court: "You told her you loved her and wanted to kiss, cuddle and massage her."

He added: "You told her you had been in trouble before for falling in love with younger girls and you instructed her to delete all the communication between the two of you."

Disturbingly, Judge Hiddleston told the sentencing hearing that Landsberg had "told her that when you did [meet] you expected her to urinate in her pants".

He added: "When you turned up at the park you were confronted by members of the public who were part of a group who had communicated with you, pretending to be the victim."

The defendant engaged in similar discussions with the two other profiles, lying about his age, claiming he was 43, and discussing massaging and touching them.

All of his communications mainly focused on how the 14-year-old girls "might go about sexually stimulating themselves" before asking them to delete all of the messages.

After his arrest, police conducted a search of his person and discovered two mobile phones and a WiFi dongle. A property search uncovered a laptop, on which almost all of the conversations had been deleted.

The court heard that Landsberg is "dangerous in the way that he has conducted himself" and "has made efforts to hide his continuing sexual offending".

He committed these offences while he was on licence for his previous sexual offending and was in breach of a number of conditions of the SHPO imposed by Guildford Crown Court in 2017.

A pre-sentence report read aloud to the court said: "He exploited the apparent vulnerability of all three victims and his behaviour throughout was sexually motivated.

"He gave no thoughts as to the detrimental effects on them, and if not for his arrest, I believe his behaviour would have continued."

It added: "I would describe his behaviour as bordering on the obsessive."

Defence barrister David Stanton said Landsberg needs to seek help for his actions, as they transgress criminal law and could have affected many people, had the people he was speaking to not been decoys.

Mr Stanton said: "He very much regrets and is remorseful of his actions. He genuinely feels that what he has done is unforgivable."

Landsberg was handed a prison sentence of 44 months, with an extended licence period of 36 months. Judge Hiddleston made an order for a new SHPO, as well as the forfeiture and destruction of the items seized during police searches.

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Derek Winston Seekings, 66, of Southern Way in Farnborough, retired from the force in 2005 and was charged with the offences in July 2019.

On Wednesday (January 13), Judge Stephen Mooney passed sentence for one count of rape, half of which is to be served behind bars; Seekings can then be released on licence where he will be liable to recall.

Judge Mooney issued the predator with a nine-year prison sentence for the other count of rape, which will run concurrently to the first. Seekings will also be on the sex offenders register for life.

Both attacks took place between 1994 and 2000 in Surrey against a woman who cannot be named for legal reasons.

One of the attacks took place during the officer's meal break while he was on duty, with the other taking place off duty. He was found guilty of his crimes on Friday (January 8) following a four-day trial.

Surrey Police has revealed that Seekings, who retired as a sergeant after 32 years’ service, was originally charged with seven offences of rape but his indictment was subsequently amended to two counts.

Speaking at Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday, prosecutor Jennifer Gray read aloud a statement from the victim. The court heard how Seekings' not guilty plea caused her "panic attacks" and "many dark moments".

Reading the statement on behalf of the victim, Ms Gray said: "Every contact regarding the trial heightened my anxiety. At times I thought I was suffering a cardiac event and thought I would not be able to continue."

Court had previously heard Ms Gray explain how Seekings committed one of the offences while on duty. She said: "She made it very clear to him she didn’t want to have sex with him, he carried on regardless and he raped her."

Following this, Seekings returned to work. The jury was also told the disgraced ex-sergeant was suspended from duty for a number of months and demoted to PC in the late 1990s following a car accident which led to a driving conviction.

Passing sentence, Judge Mooney said he would be treating the defendant's role in the police force as an aggravating factor and said his actions were a breach of the public's trust in him.

In his final remarks, Judge Mooney also noted the victim has suffered "severe psychological harm" as a result of the attacks.

Seekings was still in the dock when the sentence was delivered, before he was led down to the cells below.

Description

A green-haired sex offender who spoke to girls as young as 10 years old about wrestling and films, breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, was spared jail after a court heard he is gay and 'has no interest in females'.

Jake Paradise, from Bagshot, Surrey, had used Facebook and WhatsApp messenger to speak to the girls, who were both known to him, without their parents being aware of his serious previous convictions from 2015.

The 28-year-old had been banned from speaking to any child when he was slapped with a court order in 2016 because of his past offending, which a court heard was in relation to boy victims.

Despite knowing the requirements of the order, Paradise had spoken to a 12-year-old girl for at least 25 days from June 15 2017 and then further to a 10-year-old girl from April 1 2018.

Sophie Murray, prosecuting, said: 'It was put forward by the prosecution that the case was category-A due to the persistent nature of the communications.

'I understand that on the last occasion they [the communications] were gone through in some detail, nothing sexual in nature seems to have been communicated, they are in relation to wrestling, films, things of that sort.

'The parents of both girls were not aware of his previous convictions at the time he was communicating with them. He has said he is homosexual and has no interest in females and his previous convictions relate to boys rather than girls.'

Paradise, who had sported green hair on the last occasion he appeared in Reading Crown Court, had admitted two counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and appeared for sentence.

The author of a pre-sentence report had recommended that he be spared jail, a lawyer defending him said, as long as he completes a programme which helps sex offenders stop committing new crimes.

Judge Paul Dugdale, sitting at Reading Crown Court, said: 'I get a sense of these things when I read the texts and I may be wrong, but I do not get the impression that there was anything in this context that was of a sexual nature or was intended to be so.

'As Mr Paradise has pointed out, it is not the sort of contact he would have.'

Paradise, who wore fingerless fishnet gloves and a blue hoodie, the hair on his scalp died blond but at the end of his long, pony-tailed hair the colour changed into a streak of light blue.

The judge told him: 'I think now you know how serious these orders are and the real risk here is that if there had been any suggestion that this contact was anything other than perhaps a foolish error of judgement and that there was anything sexual in it at all, if there was any suggestion of anything else, you would have been going straight inside. You really need to understand that.'

Judge Dugdale sentenced Paradise, of Bagshot Green, Bagshot, Surrey, to a 30-month community order with one rehabilitation activity requirement, which meant the defendant would have to complete 30 days of the Horizon programme.

Description

Millan Rajasooriar was busted by police who were behind the operation

A man who travelled to meet a 13-year-old girl to attempt sexual offences was arrested when he instead was collared by specialist officers.

Millan Rajasooriar, 34, of Hampton Road, Worcester Park, London pleaded guilty at Guildford Crown Court on October 26 to one count of attempting sexual communication with a child and one count of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

Rajasooriar was sentenced today (Friday) to 30 months in prison for attempting to commit child sex offences following an investigation by the South East Regional Crime Unit (SEROCU).

On October 28, 2019, Rajasooriar had travelled to Ashtead Train Station, Surrey where he expected to meet a 13-year-old child to commit sexual offences - but was instead met by officers from SEROCU and arrested.

This arrest followed a proactive, intelligence-led investigation relating to sexual offences with a child during October 2019.

A series of messages, which were of a sexual nature, were sent by Rajasooriar on WhatsApp, to whom he thought was a 13-year-old girl.

He used the messages to arrange the meeting with the child, but in this case, there was never a real-life victim and no children were in any danger.

After his arrest, Rajasooriars phone was examined and was found to contain an indecent image of a child.

He was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and a further sexual harm prevention order to run in line with his registration period.

Detective Inspector Phil Attwood of SEROCU, said: Rajasooriar thought he would be meeting a child who was only 13-years-old to engage in sex with him, but was arrested and pleaded guilty to overwhelming evidence against him.

Rajasooriar now faces a prison term and when he is released his name will go on the Sex Offenders Register and he will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.

This was a successful pro-active operation led by South East Regional Crime Unit officers and forms part of our continued priority to protect children from sexual exploitation from those who seek to do them harm.

If anyone has been a victim of child sexual abuse, I would urge you to report it to your local police force via 101. We will always follow up allegations of abuse, no matter when they occurred.

"Victims can talk in confidence to experienced Investigators and we can also help them get access to a range of other support services.

Description

A paedophile has been jailed for more than nine years for multiple child sex offences.

James Thompson, from Reigate Road in Dorking, was jailed for nine years and nine months at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday (July 23).

The 53-year-old had pleaded guilty in March to 20 charges of sexual offences against children, as well as numerous indecent image offences.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Daniel Chan said: Thompsons young victims have shown such bravery throughout this process. This case could not have been successful without their courage in giving evidence.

"Thanks to the support that the victims and their parents have given, this investigation has resulted in putting a dangerous sexual predator, who targeted young children, behind bars.

This was a lengthy and complex investigation which involved use of digital forensic techniques on a large number of devices found in Thompsons possession. I would like to thank colleagues from all involved departments for their hard work in ensuring he has been brought to justice for his heinous crimes.

He added: Surrey Police is committed to fully investigating all offences of this nature and I hope that this case will encourage anyone else who has been abused in this way to come forward in the knowledge that they will be believed.

A police statement, released on Friday (July 24), says his offending was uncovered when the father of one of the victims reported to police that his daughter had been sexually assaulted by Thompson in July 2018.

An investigation was launched and a further two victims were identified.

During the course of the investigation, police say they seized more than 30 devices, including mobile phones, tablets and laptops from Thompson.

Further examination of the devices revealed that he had downloaded more than 670 indecent images of children.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children released a statement following Thompson's sentencing. It says: The charges brought against Thompson are extremely disturbing and it is now vital that the survivors of his abuse receive support to help them move forward with their lives.

We want anyone who has experienced sexual abuse to be able to speak out and seek support."

The charges against Thompson include:

- Two counts of assault a girl under 13 by touching;

- Three counts of cause or incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity (non-penetrative);

- Five counts of cause or incite a female child under 13 to engage in sexual activity (penetrative);

- Two counts of cause a child under 13 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity;

- One count of engage in sexual communication with a child;

- One count of making indecent photographs of a child (Category A, 125 images);

- One count of making indecent photographs of a child (Category B, 163 images);

- One count of making indecent photographs of a child (Category C, 168 images);

- One count of possessing a prohibited image of a child (150 images);

- One count of possessing extreme pornographic images portraying an act of intercourse or oral sex with a dead or alive animal (2 images);

- One count of distributing an indecent photograph of a child (Category A, 5 images);

- One count of distributing an indecent photograph of a child (Category C, 4 images)

Description

A pervert turned up hoping to meet a 14-year-old girl he had been grooming online but was instead greeted by paedophile hunters and police.

Tony Watson had engaged in sexual chat with the profile of what he thought was a schoolgirl called Amy but was in fact Dark Justice.

After switching the conversation from a website to WhatsApp, he suggested they go on a camping trip, asked if she slept naked, asked if she would like to lose her virginity soon and asked about her genitals.

Watson then arranged to meet her at Newcastle Central Station but when he turned up he was arrested.

Now the 52-year-old has been given a suspended prison sentence at Newcastle Crown Court after he admitted attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

Alec Burns, prosecuting, said Watson first contacted the Amy profile in September 2018 on the Fast Flirting website.

She told him she was 14 and discussed going to school.

Mr Burns told the court: "He asked if she had met anyone from dating sites and asked what was doing that Thursday or Friday and if she fancied meeting."

When they moved the chat to WhatsApp, he made suggestions about buying her clothes and they exchanged photographs - his face and her in a vest and a dress, which he said he liked.

Mr Burns said: "The grooming continued for the next few days and he offered to take her for a drive to the park, suggested camping out, asked if she sleeps naked and asked if she wanted to remain a virgin much longer and asked if she would like to lose her virginity soon."

He also asked about her genitals and discussed having sex and they then arranged to meet

Watson, of Kingsway, Blackwater, Hampshire, was sentenced to 12 months suspended for two years with supervision. He must also do a sex offenders programme and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Judge Sarah Mallett said he had given a dishonest account of the offence when he spoke to probation and was talking "self-pity and nonsense".

But she said the long delay in the case being concluded was punishment in itself and that she would suspend the sentence in order to give him time to complete the work needed to address his offending behaviour.

Deborah Smithies, defending, said: "He has lost his good name. He is 52 and has never been before a court before."

She added that he has been anxious and frightened about the outcome of the case and that the proceedings have "left their mark" on him.

Miss Smithies said there had been a "certain amount of denial" on Watson's part when talking to probation and that he "demonstrates a lack of insight".

Description

A man has been jailed for two-and-a-half years over indecent images of children.

Graham Robert Mead, from Coulsdon, was yesterday (Thursday, June 18) sentenced to a total of 30 months at Guildford Crown Court for a number of offences, including making and taking indecent images of children.

Mead, 46, of Portnalls Road, had admitted arranging or commissioning a child sex offence, making an indecent photograph of a child, and three offences of taking indecent images of a child at earlier hearings.

A Surrey Police investigation was launched in February last year after a tip-off about Meads online activity.

Their investigation showed he had been using the messaging app Kik to look for individuals who had children or access to them. Detectives also identified a vulnerable teenage victim, who Mead had taken advantage of.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Steve Branch said: We welcome the sentence the court has imposed. It sends a clear message to anyone targeting or abusing children that you cannot hide online or behind a username.

"We will find you and investigate your activity thoroughly to bring you to justice.

Our inquiries showed Mead had 2,500 chat logs on his mobile device from Kik. He would seek others who had access to children in order to facilitate sexual abuse and sought indecent images. It became clear Mead was extremely manipulative and this sentence demonstrates just how seriously the courts took our concerns for the safety of those that he may have come into contact with."

The sentencing has led to officers reminding parents and carers to help children understand the dangers of using the internet.

They are urged to talk to their children and allow them to feel comfortable about raising any issues or concerns they have and ensure the youngsters are aware that people arent always who they say they are online.

Parents and teenagers are urged to know the signs of grooming, whether online or in person, and are encouraged to report any suspicions to police.

Description

A 32-year-old man from Redhill has been jailed for downloading more than 11,000 indecent images of children in a four-year period.

Andrew Sandrasagra gave his address to the court as Hartley Downs in Purley, but Surrey Police says he lived in Redhill at the time of the offences.

He tried to claim he could not have downloaded the images and changed information on his digital devices to try and deceive police.

However, he was convicted on June 18 of downloading 11,046 images after a trial at Guildford Crown Court ; 108 of the images were in category A, the most serious, while the majority - 10,892 - were in category C.

Sandrasagra was also convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice in connection with his efforts to cover-up his crimes. Judge Rufus Taylor jailed him for 15 months on Monday (August 5).

Detective Inspector Martin Goodwin said: "This case sends a clear message that you cannot hide your illegal online activity. Sandrasagra claimed that he could not have downloaded the images and attempted to pervert the course of justice by changing information on his personal devices to back up his claims.

"Due to a thorough investigation by both the Paedophile Online Investigation Team and the Digital Forensic Team he was unable to dupe the court and claim his innocence.

"The forensic expertise of the teams working collaboratively has prevented further offending and protected vulnerable children from further harm.

"I hope that this sentence means that whilst in prison Sandrasagra now takes responsibility for his actions to access support and changes his behaviour to avoid future offending."

In addition to his prison sentence, Sandrasagra is subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders register for the next 10 years.

Description

A former traffic controller from Camberley has been jailed for abusing two boys in the 1990s.

Peter Chiverton, now 53, of Upper College Ride, was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison on Monday (July 15) after he was convicted of abusing the boys on several occasions.

Passing sentence at Guildford Crown Court, Judge Peter Moss said the abuse had left one of his victims with "psychological issues" and the other with feelings of guilt that still affect him to this day.

Judge Moss explained Chiverton had "groomed" the two boys before sexually abusing them. In total, he was convicted of eight separate counts, including one of indecent assault "involving penetration", the judge said.

In mitigation, Chiverton's barrister, Sarah Read, told the court he was a man of previous good character who had worked for 23 years as a traffic controller before retiring due to ill health. One of his former colleagues, she said, described Chiverton as "a caring person; a shy chap whose heart is in the right place".

Ms Read added that he continued to live with health problems, including mobility difficulties, back pain and depression, particularly following the death of his mother and aunt.

Chiverton will serve half of his nine-and-a-half-year sentence in prison and will then be released on licence, during which time he can be recalled to prison if he commits further offences or breaches the terms of his parole.

He has also been made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

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A paedophile has been jailed for 11 years after he was convicted of sexually abusing a girl.

Richard Rowles, 42, of Churchill Way, Sunbury, began abusing his victim when she was just six years old and did so on repeated occasions.

The victim only came forward in October 2017, prompting a police investigation and Rowles' eventual conviction for multiple offences including sexual assaulting a girl under 13 and causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Detective Constable Sara McDowell, who investigated the case, said: "I would like to pay tribute to the victim for her bravery in not only coming forward in the first place, but then for re-living her ordeal when she gave evidence in court.

"I hope that the fact that Rowles has received a lengthy jail sentence can help her to move on with her life.

"Surrey Police takes all reports involving sexual offences extremely seriously and we would encourage anyone who believes they have been the victim of a similar offence to come forward."