Latest Offenders Swindon

Description

A man from Swindon has been found guilty of multiple counts of raping a young girl during a "horrific" and "traumatic ordeal". Matthew Vandross, 30, of Homington Avenue, was found guilty by a jury following a five-date trial at Salisbury Crown Court of raping a child under the age of 13 four times.

The offences took place between October 2020 and May 2021 and Wiltshire Police said the victim was under 10 years old when she reported the incidents to the police, accompanied by a friend who had seen what she had been through. Detective Constable Mel Neal, from the Child Abuse Investigation Team, said Vandross had abused the victim in the "worst and most horrific way".

DC Neal added a personal tribute to the two children involved for "extreme bravery and courage beyond their years", despite their ordeal. "Working within the Child Abuse Investigation Team, we come to work every day to protect people like these two girls and secure some form of justice for them," she added.

Vandross is due to be sentenced on November 15. He was found guilty of sexual assault by touching, 21 counts of digital penetration and four charges of rape of a child under 13.

DC Neal said: "Since the beginning of this investigation, we have worked closely with partner agencies to ensure the victims in this case received the appropriate support and safeguarding they required. This predatory offender took advantage of a vulnerable child and abused her in the worst and most horrific way. Not only that, but he made horrific threats towards her if she dared report his offending to police.

"I would like to personally pay tribute to the two children involved in this case – it is thanks to their bravery that we secured a successful prosecution. Both girls have shown extreme bravery and courage beyond their years, despite enduring such a traumatic ordeal. Working within the Child Abuse Investigation Team, we come to work every day to protect people like these two girls and secure some form of justice for them.

"I would urge anyone who has been a victim of sex abuse to report it to police – no matter how much time has passed since the offences took place. We are committed to targeting dangerous offenders like Vandross and will do everything we can to ensure they are put before the courts."

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A Swindon man secretly filmed a woman naked – leaving his victim fearful, a court heard.

50-year-old Mark Bowyer was ordered to register as a sex offender after he admitted committing an act of voyeurism, which left his victim depressed and anxious.

At Swindon Magistrates’ Court today (Monday), in a highly unusual move prosecutor Tom Power failed to outline the case in open court – meaning little is known about the exact nature of the offending.

Having ignored the principle of open justice, Wiltshire 999s made a successful application to the court to obtain documents pertaining to Bowyer’s crime, but they have not yet been provided.

During the hearing, the victim – bravely reading out her impact statement in court – said she has installed security lights around her property and fears what he might be capable of.

She told of how she often stays awake at night and is now medicated for depression and anxiety. She said the incident has had a “significant impact” on her emotional wellbeing.

“I don’t want him to do it to anyone else… I want him to know he can’t get away with this”, she said.

Barrister Rachael Stitt, defending, said that Bowyer offers his apologies to his victim and the court.

She said the the defendant may lose his job if he has to register as a sex offender and urged the bench not to follow the pre-sentence report to avoid that.

A series of character references were provided to the magistrates, including one from his son who described him as a “kind, caring and respectful man”.

A friend said Bowyer is an “inspiration” and told of how he – many years ago – saved a female from domestic violence by shielding her and taking her to hospital, saving her eyesight.

Accepting his “genuine remorse”, magistrates imposed an 18-month community order. He was told to complete 50 rehabilitation activity days and given a mental health treatment requirement.

The defendant, of High Street, Old Town, was also fined just over £1,900 and ordered to register has a sex offender for five years. He’ll also pay a court surcharge.

Description

A girl who a Royal Wootton Bassett man ‘wanted to abuse’ was actually an undercover cop.

Pietro Rossi was communicating with a profile on the internet chat room CHATiw – who claimed to be a 13-year-old female – between 27 April and 1 June 2020.

Robin Shellard, prosecuting, told Salisbury Crown Court today (Friday) that the 60-year-old sent numerous pictures of his erect penis and pornography showing females engaged in oral sex.

He continued to conversation on the messaging app Kik, where he told the ‘girl’ he wanted to sexually abuse her and requested what he called “naughty pictures” of her bottom.

The defendant also said he wished she was playing with his penis and asked her sexualised questions, including about whether or not she had digitally penetrated herself before.

However, Rossi later discovered that he was actually talking to an undercover officer from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit – when police arrived at his door with a warrant on October 2021. His partner, stepchildren and grandchildren resided at the address with him.

The defendant, of Ruxley Close, Royal Wootton Bassett, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child back in June when the case first came to court.

“This is a man whose behaviour is very, very out of character with what appears to be his usual self”, defence barrister Christopher Pix said.

In pre-conference ahead of sentencing, Rossi said “I want to say sorry, I don’t know who to say it to, I am just very, very sorry”, according to Mr Pix.

He said his client has a “great deal of remorse” and was having a “breakdown” at the time of the offending due to the ending of an abusive marriage and his highly stressful job.

Judge Barnett imposed a 12-month prison sentence – but suspended it for 18 months so that Rossi can get the help he “badly needs”.

He said that his personal life issues were “no excuse” to commit this crime, stating the he was “trying to get images from a person you thought was a child” – adding that it was “plainly deliberate”.

The judge told Rossi to complete 45 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 80 hours of unpaid work in the community and imposed a decade-long sexual harm prevention order. He’ll also have to register has a sex offender for ten years.

Description

A former assistant headteacher has been jailed for child sex offences in Cornwall.

75 year old Terence Burke - who now lives in Swindon -abused two teenagers in the early 2000s while he was the safeguarding lead at Falmouth School.

He's been sentenced to 18 years in prison this afternoon at Truro Crown Court and also placed on the sex offender's register.

The two women involved in the case have only been identified as Child A and Child B - 10 years of his sentence relate to offences committed against Child B, and the other 8 for offences against Child A.

In one of the victim's impact statements, she said 'No one should ever have to go through what he did to me.'

The judge noted in his summing up 'It is clear you abused your position... cont given your role as the safeguarding lead at the school, it is hard to think of a more serious breach of trust.'

Devon and Cornwall Police's investigative officer Detective Constable Isabelle Woodall said: “I am delighted by today’s outcome and sentence which I sincerely hope will bring a sense of justice to the victims.

“These were appalling offences committed against some of the vulnerable schoolgirls that Mr Burke, as assistant head teacher and safeguarding lead at Falmouth School, was tasked to protect, and constitutes a gross breach of trust.

“Today’s result is a testament to the bravery of the victims and witnesses who assisted with the investigation and attended court to give evidence.

“Whilst nothing will change the impact of this man’s offences on our victims, It is my hope that they will now be able to put these awful events behind them and move on with their lives.”

An NSPCC spokesperson said: “Burke exploited his position of trust as an assistant head teacher to sexually abuse pupils who had been placed in his care. These crimes can have a devastating and long-term impact on the victims, and the women in this case have shown immense bravery in coming forward and reporting what happened.

“We hope that they are now getting all the support that they need, and they can find some comfort following Burke’s sentencing today. It is so important that anyone who has experienced sexual abuse knows who they can speak to and is confident they will be listened to.”

Description

An ex-soldier sent a teenage girl a naked photo of himself – and asked for one of her in return.

40-year-old Dean Bird pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child and was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court today (Tuesday).

Edward Hetherington, prosecuting, said the defendant had liked and commented on the 14-year-old’s selfies on her Instagram account numerous times in late 2020.

 In January 2021, he sent the girl a flame emoji – which is accepted as meaning you find someone ‘hot’ (attractive). She alerted a family member to the message and he took over the conversation.

Bird, who lives in Swindon and works as a scaffolder, said he needed a shower after a hard day and spoke about his military service.

During the exchange, the girl’s family member confirmed her age to the man. He proceeded to ask for a photograph, saying that he would not tell anyone about it.

Bird was sent a photograph containing the girl’s face. In response, he sent her a photograph of his legs followed by one of his erect penis. He went on to ask her for a naked photograph.

The family member downloaded a photograph of a naked adult woman from the internet and sent it to the defendant – and he responded “wow” with a smiling face emoji with stars in its eyes.

The family member – who knew Bird through a friend – attended his address, banging on his door and making threats. Police were called to the scene, and were shown evidence of his online behaviour.

The court heard that the former soldier, who was shot in the leg by the Taliban in Afghanistan, has previous convictions for dangerous driving and violence.

Chris Smyth, defending, said his client’s “mind was all over the place” at the time of the offending.

Adding that Bird suffers from mental health issues as a result of his military service. On a mission together, his best friend was shot and killed by the Taliban. On another, he was shot in the leg. He was medically discharged from the army more than ten years ago.

Mr Smyth said the defendant works as a scaffolder for various firms and lives alone in a two-bed rented flat after the recent ending of a ten-year relationship.

He also played rugby for Cheltenham up until 2021, has an interest in fishing and played ice hockey for Swindon Rec Wildcats Ice Hockey Team – where he was, at one point, a captain.

Judge Jason Taylor said he was confident Bird would not re-offend, imposing a two-year community order with the requirement to complete 175 hours of unpaid work.

He must also complete the Horizon sex offenders’ programme and 30 rehabilitation activity days with the probation service.

Bird was made subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order with eight terms – one of which prohibits him from communicating with under 18s unless there is a legitimate reason.

Description

A man has been charged with raping a teenage girl after paying for her sexual services.

27-year-old Jack Ball appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court this morning (Wednesday).

He pleaded not guilty to the rape of a girl aged 13 and paying for the sexual services of a girl aged 13 – both alleged offences are said to have happened on the same date in 2021.

The defendant, of Kirkstall Close, Toothill, Swindon, was supported by two women who attended with him and watched the proceedings in the public gallery.

Natalie Cheesman, prosecuting, did not outline further details about the offences due to the fact a charge of rape can only be dealt with in a crown court.

The case was adjourned to Swindon Crown Court on 31 March for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Description

A Swindon man has been jailed after being found with more than 500 indecent images of children. Alun Eric Topp, 48, will spend just under three years behind bars after pleading guilty to multiple offences.

Topp, of Bexley Walk, Park South, was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on February 3 to 32 months imprisonment. He pleaded guilty to making and distributing indecent images of children and possession of extreme pornographic images.

Wiltshire Police first received information to suggest that a Twitter account associated to a telephone number believed to belong to Topp had uploaded indecent images online. Officers attended Topp’s address shortly after and he was arrested.

Detective Constable Justine Parsons, from Wiltshire Police’s Child Internet Exploitation Team, said: “When Topp was arrested, a search was conducted of his home address and officers located 11 media devices which were seized for further analysis. One of these was found to contain illegal material.

"Following further extensive enquiries, a total of 542 category A images were found – this refers to images depicting the most serious child abuse.

“This case further highlights the ongoing work carried out by our team to identify offenders who not only access these images online, but also distribute them. I am pleased our extensive enquiries have resulted in a prison sentence for this offender.”

Description

A man who distributed indecent images of children must register as a sex offender.

Alun Topp pleaded guilty to seven offences – six of which related to youngsters – when he appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (4 January).

The 48-year-old admitted three counts of making an indecent image of a child between December 2010 and February 2022.

He also admitted three counts of distributing an indecent image of a child between September 2021 and February 2022.

A further charge of possessing an extreme pornographic image – namely depicting a person performing an act of intercourse with a live or dead unknown animal – was also accepted.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction over the case, sending it to Swindon Crown Court for sentence.

The defendant, of Bexley Walk, Park South, Swindon, will next appear on 3 February. He was released on unconditional bail.

Topp was ordered to register as a sex offender. The time he will spend on the register will be determined by the judge during his sentencing hearing.

Description

A convicted sex offender posed as a paediatric doctor and effectively manipulated three women into having relationships with him.

Jeremy van der Sanden was subject to a sexual harm prevention order that gave police the power to monitor his devices and that he must tell police if he got a new device, or stayed at a different address.

But Swindon Crown Court heard on Friday (July 29) that van der Sanden, of The Heights in Kingshill, posed as a doctor online to enter into a relationship with an unsuspecting woman.

He used a different name, itself a breach of notification requirements he was subject to.

Summing up, Judge James Townsend also said he posed as a woman to enter into a social media relationship.

You worryingly posed as a paediatric doctor and entered into a relationship with an unsuspecting woman, he told the defendant.

That posed a clear risk, not only to her but also because you could have come into contact with children.

The three people you have effectively manipulated have been badly affected by your deception.

I bear in mind that the offences on the face of them dont appear to be an effort to gain access to children.

But, the judge continued: A troubling feature of this case is in spite of the fact you have a highly supportive family, and in spite of the fact there has been intervention by the probation service, you have continued to offend.

The facts of these offences and the troubling contents of the pre-sentence report suggest you remain capable of manipulating people and I suspect to some extent you are a fantasist.

The court was also told that the 27-year-old had been subject to a community order for possession of Class A indecent images of children.

Van der Sanden had pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching his sexual harm prevention order, namely not notifying police of his address or new laptop, and three counts of breaching his notification requirements.

This included using an undisclosed name and staying at an address for more than seven days in a year and not notifying the police.

He was given a total sentence of 19 months imprisonment, which Judge Townsend said would be immediate.

The community order was revoked.

Van der Sanden will also be subject to a new sexual harm prevention order, under the same terms, that will last until May 2032.

Description

A SHOP worker has been jailed after she groomed a teenager into having sex with her.

Ellee Nicoll bought the girl presents, gave her money, called her pretty and paid other compliments before they declared their love for each other and engaged in sexual activity.

It was heard the now 25-year-old Walcot woman cultivated the relationship, engaging in months of sexting with the teen, and decided to watch a lesbian film with her to normalise what [she] wanted to happen.

It was not until the girls mother became concerned at how close the pair were and told the teenager what grooming may look like that the penny dropped, leading to her feeling sick about what had happened.

Sentencing her to immediate prison, Judge Jason Taylor QC said that alarm bells should have been ringing loud and clear in your mind, but you were seemingly tone death.

He acknowledged the victims mental health struggles and said that Nicoll must have realised what her grooming meant to her.

She was jailed for two years and two months.

Opening the case at Swindon Crown Court on Thursday (May 26), prosecutor Andrew Houston said that Nicoll, who works at a Swindon Co-Op, initially became friends with the girl, and that the victim looked up to her like a big sister.

But the relationship quickly changed, he said, with the victim making the first move to turn the conversation to sexting, and also sending her pictures of her naked and in underwear.

It was claimed that Nicoll sent pictures back, although this was disputed by the defence.

As time went on, messages recovered showed heavy sexual flirtation between the two, and associates of the defendant realised that the pair were touchy feely and that they would smack each other on the bottom.

Mr Houston said that Nicolls mother had warned her to stay away from the schoolgirl, but she ignored the warnings.

Events came to a head one night where the girls mother offered Nicoll a place to stay when she had a family disagreement, and not realising the closeness of the girls, said they could share a bed.

He told the court that they watched a lesbian film in bed, they then agreed to do stuff to each other.

In the following days, Nicoll described it as the best night of her life, and the victim said she had no regrets.

Mitigating, Gareth James said the offending was out of character and that it has had a devastating effect on her already.

She does seem to be a defendant who can properly and accurately be described as a vulnerable defendant herself and perhaps immature, and perhaps didnt think through the consequences of her actions, having effectively fallen for feelings she shouldnt have had, Mr James said.

He added that it has had a significant adverse impact on his clients mental health and she is voluntarily working to address this. He pleaded with Judge Taylor to impose a suspended sentence.

He said: Given the undoubted effect already upon Miss Nicoll and her concerns for her future problems and the work she has already undertaken on a voluntary basis, [this] demonstrates very clearly there is a significant prospect of rehabilitation.

Sentencing, Judge Taylor acknowledged that Nicoll did not set out to groom the girl, but that grooming occurred nonetheless.

When she sent you naked images of herself, the appropriate thing to do was gently say it is not appropriate. You didnt.

You had become so desensitised from her age it didnt give you pause for thought in the cold hard light of day.

No regrets for [the victim] turned to embarrassment, and by the time she was interviewed by police, she felt sick.

Sometimes teenagers just need to be protected from themselves.

Judge Taylor continued: Whilst female offending of this type is more unusual, it is no less serious. There is still a child victim who will be affected by what you did. Experience of the courts has shown this time and time again.

For that reason, even if the sentence had been within the range of being suspendable, I would have reluctantly said appropriate punishment could only be achieved by immediate imprisonment.

Having pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and sexual communication with a child, Nicoll, of Concord Walk, Walcot, was jailed for two years and two months.

A sexual harm prevention order was made for 10 years, as was a restraining order preventing her from contacting the victim.

Description

A SEX offender has finally run out of luck after he was jailed for failing to attend a probation appointment just eight days after he was given a last chance.

Callum MacHardie was warned by Judge Jason Taylor QC that one more breach of his suspended sentence, issued in 2021 after he was convicted of possessing indecent images of children for the second time, would mean prison.

That warning came in March after several missed appointments, but just eight days later, he failed to attend another probation appointment.

That was followed, prosecutor Rebekah Batt said, by two missed i-Horizon appointments in April. She also outlined that none of the 150 hours of unpaid work has been completed so far and that just one of the 15 rehabilitation activity days have been completed.

Ms Batt added that he had been in contact with probation on May 4, but he had engaged in abusive behaviour with his offender manager.

Probation were now recommending that the suspended sentence was activated, she said.

Defending, John Simmons acknowledged that the court might take the view that the order was falling apart, but said his mental health issues, including that he had been diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder, means he finds it hard to comply with the order.

He cited a psychiatric report which said that his coping capability in a custodial setting would be limited, and that he should be managed in the community.

I respectfully suggest that if each of these requirements was an order to walk 100 yards and he was in a wheelchair, he would be unable to do it and we would see that, Mr Simmons said. Hes equally sick in a different way, hes unable to do it.

We shouldnt be that surprised he hasnt engaged in the way everyone wants him to.

But, Mr Simmons said, his client, of Arley Close in Haydon, had been seeking help from a psychologist and made contact with his GP on numerous occasions.

He asked the judge to adjourn sentencing for four weeks, to allow the new supervisors time to work with him.

But Judge Taylor, at pains to decide between giving him another chance and whether MacHardie had reached the end of the road, said that his risk must be managed.

I cannot ignore this, they are saying when he doesnt attend his appointments, we are unable to manage his risks, he is simply not engaging with us, the judge concluded.

Mr Simmons invites me to put it back four weeks. It might just make the difference. But Ive got to manage the risk in those four weeks.

I am aware having been given the chance on the 21st [March], eight days later it was a different ball game.

Addressing the 32-year-old, Judge Taylor said: Whilst I take absolutely no pleasure in doing this, you have been given chance after chance. That ends today.

MacHardie must now serve the 18-month prison sentence.

A previous hearing had been told the defendant had been downloading the illegal material since he was 12.

In 2016, his barrister said his childhood was blighted by bullying and isolation.

He was given a community order, and after breaching it by again downloading indecent images of children and using a computer network capable of hiding his web activity from the authorities, that was upgraded to a suspended sentence.

Description

A woman who molested another woman on a train has escaped having to register as a sex offender.

26-year-old human resources professional Jodie Tucker will not have to go to a police station and sign the sex offenders register after receiving an unusual sentence term.

District Judge Joanna Dickens imposed an eleven-month community order despite the probation service asking for the order to be for a period of twelve months or longer.

Most community orders are 12, 18 or 24 months in length but by reducing the term by one month, Tucker escaped gaining the title of registered sex offender, despite being a sex offender.

Swindon Magistrates Court this morning (23 May) heard how she touched the womans knee, before moving up her thigh and to her vagina over the victims clothing.

Shocked and upset about Tuckers behaviour, she told her to stop. But she continued regardless placing her hand in the victims lap and touching her inner thighs for a second time.

As a result, the victim who goes to university says she has started suffering from a number of mental health issues, including stress-induced hair loss, mood swings, struggles to concentrate and nightmares where Tucker is standing over her and she feels like shes trapped and cant move.

Defence solicitor Mr Davis said his client, of Hathaway Road, Upper Stratton, Swindon, accepted she was on the train and had consumed a lot of alcohol describing her as very, very, very drunk.

He said Tucker doesnt have any recollection of her crime, but she has never disputed the incident and accepts the victim who was helping her get home was only trying to do the decent thing.

Tucker isnt the first sex offender to get away with having to register as one. An accomplished solicitor who sexually assaulted two women at a Wiltshire pub didnt have to either.

Thomas Cadman brazenly approached his victims and groped them last year, but magistrates imposed a nine-month community order despite the probation service asking for a 12-month order.

This meant that instead of registering as a sex offender for five years, he avoided it altogether.

Description

A paedophile pensioner was told you thoroughly deserve it by the judge who caged him for 29 years.

On Friday, sick sex offender Rick Passway was finally made to pay for a catalogue of abuse against six women and girls in the 1970s and 1980s.

They included the rape of one woman in Faringdon in the mid-80s just days after she had a hysterectomy operation in Swindon to remove part of her womb. Passway, then a taxi driver, had driven her home from the hospital before raping her on the floor of her living room.

Another victim was a child and teenager when she was repeatedly sexually abused by the man over the course of several years.

He also pawed four other victims, who were aged eight to 14 when they were touched by him.

'No mercy'

Sentencing the 77-year-old at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, Judge Nigel Daly blasted: Your treatment of your [first victim, who was repeatedly raped as a child] was despicable.

Youve heard what she has to say about that. Youve taken away her childhood. You have ruined her adult life.

The rape of your [second victim, who was sexually assaulted in the mid-80s] was shocking in the extreme.

In respect of the other offences, it is quite clear you were unable to keep your hands off young women and would sexually assault them at any opportunity, repeating it again and again and again because you never got caught and you were never punished.

You showed your victims no mercy. You showed them no compassion and you have displayed no remorse or contrition since - either at trial or since.

Sending him down for 29 years, the judge added: That is the sentence upon you. You thoroughly deserve it.

Mitigation

Earlier, John Cammegh QC said: I have asked Mr Passway whether he has remorse. I am bound by my instructions.

I am afraid I cannot, despite having spoken to Mr Passway just now, offer any remorse flowing from him because he denies the majority of these offences took place.

He added: Mr Passway knows he is going to die in prison.

Passway, of Bunce Road, Swindon, was found guilty over two trials of rape, indecent assault and indecency with a child. He was sentenced for 22 counts in total, including six counts of rape.

The offences were committed in Wantage, Faringdon and Fairford.

Judge Daly imposed an extended year on licence, but noted that the defendant would be well into his 90s before he was eligible for release on parole.

Senior Crown prosecutor James Bailey-Woodward for the Crown Prosecution Services Rape and Serious Sexual Offences unit said: Rick Passway unashamedly preyed on young girls for years, creating a culture of fear and intimidation to ensure that they would not speak out about his despicable crimes, allowing his offences to become more and more serious. He then denied any wrongdoing.

Its thanks to the courage of his victims that we were able to put him before a jury who found him guilty.

Description

A crossdresser exposed himself to a teenager before targeting other young ladies outside a college near from his home in Swindon, a court heard.

Andrew Keen, 41, was sentenced at Swindon Magistrates Court yesterday (27 April), after admitting an indecent exposure offence and two charges of causing harassment, alarm or distress.

Prosecutor Kate Prince said the defendant, of Clanfield Road, Park North, approached a lone 17-year-old girl just 250 metres from his address and asked her for the time on 26 September last year.

But things turned odd when Keen who was wearing womens clothing asked if he could have her top and bottoms for a charity. She declined, and he went on to ask if she could sign his skirt.

After bending down to sign his skirt with a lipstick he provided, he lifted his top and showed her his genitals which were poking out of his skirts waistband.

Shocked, confused and scared, she agreed to his second request for her to have a photograph with him, which she took on her own mobile phone. He asked if he could put this arm around her, but she said no.

The next day, Keen ventured out again this time targeting a 16-year-old girl outside New College.

He asked her: Will you take your clothes off so I can have them?, claiming it was for charity, before asking her for her phone number. The victim called the police to report the encounter.

On 28 September, he accosted a 17-year-old girl as she got off the bus on Queens Drive, near New College. He asked her for the time before asking if he could borrow her clothes for charity. He went on to request that she takes her clothing off.

Worried about his behaviour, she ran into the college and reported the incident. In a statement to police, she said she is now scared and anxious about going to college.

Mr Prince said the defendant was identified by the photograph the initial victim was asked to take on her own mobile phone.

Defending, Sam Arif described her client as a loner, who was struggling with his sexuality. She said older generations of his family could not accept it.

She added that Keen saw the approaches as opportunities to talk to young women who he believed would be more open to his sexuality.

Ms Arif said he stopped offending as soon as she was spoken to by the police, who were investigating the spate of concerning incidents.

She said Keen has a myriad of issues and learned about things via the internet, rather than via the appropriate channels. She added that he has found it difficult to deal with his family situation and with who he wants to be.

Ms Arif said his crimes could have been worse claiming they were very short encounters.

Chief magistrate Martin Clarke told the defendant that the bench was considering sending him to prison for his crimes.

Weve been thinking long and hard about what to do with you.

Whats worrying here is that you deliberately target certain young females, these are young girls, young ladies, very young.

One of them has actually said she was shocked and confused, she didnt have a clue what you were talking about. Thats worrying Mr Keen.

Our range is from a community penalty to sending you to prison today, thats how serious this is serious.

Mr Clarke imposed a 24-month community order and banned Keen from going near both New College sites for 12 months which will be monitored by a GPS tag.

He must also complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 200 hours of unpaid work and register as a sex offender for five years.

Talking about the order as a whole, Mr Clarke added: If you break that and end up in that area, you could be going out that back door instead of the front door.

Description

A SWINDON paedophile described as a monster for abusing friendships with women to sexually assault their young daughters and take indecent pictures of them has been jailed for 50 months.

Prosecutor Anjal Gohil told Gloucester Crown Court Shaun Couling of The Green, Highworth, had become friendly wth a number of mothers in the Cotswolds town and that enabled him to get access to their daughters.

The first victim was aged 11 and was the daughter of a woman friend and when he was in their home he got hold of the young girls breasts and bounced them up and down and warned her not to say anything to anybody, the prosecutor said.

On the second occasion he put his hand down her pants and touched her private parts, but did not penetrate her. She knows that on that occasion Couling had been drinking and he accepted in his police interview that he had probably been inebriated at the time.

The second victim was another girl who was photographed in the familys pool and had been wearing a white top that had become see-through. His photograph concentrated on the girls breasts and not her face.

"On August 28 2021 Couling sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl who was another friends daughter. The girl expressed an unwillingness to spend time in his company, but eventually agreed.

He plied her with gin while he stroked her legs in a sexual manner while they were sitting on a sofa together. This lasted for about half an hour and only stopped when the girls mother arrived home early.

Couling basically abused the trust of his friends, the mothers of the young victims. He told both girls not to tell anybody about his sexual abuse with them.

The court was told that following his arrest his digital devices were anaylised and Couling was found to be in possessing of large quantity of indecent images of children. There were 171 images of Category A (deemed the most severe), 237 category B and 1,070 images of category C.

In a statement the mother of the 54-year-old's first victim said: My world has turned upside down. I didnt believe it at first.

My emotions go from being angry to feeling utter gilt that I didnt protect my little girl. I hope to wake up from this nightmare soon.

My home is not the sacred place it once was. Family times no longer happen as my daughter shuts herself in her room. I dont know what to say or do.

I have felt so alone during this process. There appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

My daughter is brave, but she will not talk to me. I know deep down this situation is not my fault. Im scared she will go off the rails if she doesnt open up to somebody.

The mother then spoke directly to her daughter and said: I am sorry I have let you down as a mother. I will always protect you. Im so sorry I let a monster come into our home. I will go to my grave blaming myself for what happened.

The second victims mother said: I feel betrayed. This has caused me to question my own judgement in that as a mother I got it so wrong.

"My daughter now has an obsession of locking all the doors and windows. She has also been suffering from nightmares. She still thinks that Couling placed cameras around the house.

The third victims mother said she felt that she didnt protect her daughter enough in front of Couling and that her daughter has never worn the clothing that she wore in the pool after she was shown the photographs obtained from Coulings phone by the police.

Joe Maloney defending said: You cant lock people up forever. Couling may have an interest in young girls, but he has admitted his guilt to these charges.

He has listened to my legal advice that because of the strength of evidence he pleaded guilty, saving the young victims given evidence at his trial.

He was acquitted by a jury in a trial of a similar nature a long time ago. This charge shouldnt be taken into account for this sentencing as he was found not guilty at this trial.

Couling doesnt wish to minimise his offending and he accepts he will be receiving a custodial sentence today. He is embarrassed by what he has done. There are measures that can be imposed to stop this happening in the future.

Judge Ian Lawrie QC interjected: Sometimes people are reluctant to concede their frailty. The court normally looks for somebody who recognises their wrong doing and is prepared to work with other bodies to make sure it never happens again.

His pre-sentence report makes no acknowledgment of this. He has spent a lot of time minimising his involvement. The report is effectively an attempt at damage limitation.

Couling pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault of a girl under 13 in the Cotswolds area, The sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl on August 28 2021. He also pleaded guilty to possessing 1478 indecent images of categories A, B and C.

In sentencing Couling, Judge Lawrie pointed out that because he was acquitted of a very similar offence in Hampshire in the past that he must be considered of good character for this sentencing hearing. But he added that the alleged offence there was identical in every circumstance and therefore he considered the defendant as dangerous in the legal definition.

Judge Lawrie told Couling: You have been before the courts before for a similar offending for which you were acquitted by a jury. As I have explained you are dangerous and your primary mitigation is that you pleaded guilty and that you didnt subject your victims in giving evidence at trial.

"You need to be sentenced for a variety of sex offences. The pattern was the same in that you gained access to the girls because you were friends with their mothers.

"One of the young victims gave an account of two sexual assaults while you were in the girls bedroom and touched her private parts. Even though she said no, you ignored her and carried on anyway.

You also told her not to tell anybody about what had been going on. It is clear from the text on her phone that you wanted to take things further. Luckily that never happened as she told her father what you had done.

I think you targeted both victims and exploited your arrangements with the girls parents.

"You assaulted the second girl by plying her with gin in a bid to try and weaken her defences. It was clear what you were trying to do as you stroked the girls legs in a sexual manner for about half an hour.

The girl felt pressured to take the gin and your activity only came to a halt because the girls mother arrived home early.

Your explanation has little credit and you still fail to recognise what you did was wrong. Your actions showed signs of grooming.

You still maintain you didnt take the picture of the semi-nude girl in the swimming pool on your phone. You didnt think it was inappropriate.

I believe all your actions were because you have a fixation for young girls and were doing all this for your own sexual gratification.

Despite your guilty pleas, you still have not confronted your offending. It is clear from the victim impact statement that both the victims are likely to suffer from long-term psychological impact.

The judge sentenced Couling to a custodial term of four years and two months and extended his term on parole for an additional three years, which means he could be recalled to prison anytime until June 2029.

Judge Lawrie concluded: I have extended the sentence because I believe you pose a risk to young children in the future.

The judge placed Couling on the sex offenders register for life and made him subject to the terms of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

After the hearing, Detective Constable Ross Webb from the Gloucestershire Police Indecent Images Unit said: The sentencing of Shaun Couling is welcomed and shows how hard we work to bring justice for victims.

It doesnt bring closure to his young but brave victims however it does allow them to close one door. Unfortunately they will never forget the horrible crimes that Couling subjected them to.

I ask that that people respect the privacy and anonymity of Coulings victims and their families by not speculating about who they may be.