Latest Offenders Wakefield

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A known pervert who sexually assaulted a teenage boy repeatedly at his home has been jailed after a trial.

Defiant Robert Cross continues to deny wrongdoing, but a jury at Leeds Crown Court convicted him of seven counts of sexual activity with a child dated between 2008 and 2011.

The trial, which lasted a week in early February, heard that Cross was around 19 himself when the abuse started, and the boy was about 13.

Cross is already a registered as a sex offender having been found guilty of child-sex offences in 2019 including sexual assault on a female child.

The male victim came forward to report the abuse in 2021 which led to Cross being arrested later that year.

He had confessed to the youngster at the time that he was bi-sexual and asked if he could touch him, despite the boy not being old enough to give consent. He also grabbed the boy’s hand and made him touch Cross in return.

Judge Howard Crowson told Cross: “He was far too young to involved in any sexual relationship, but you were old enough to know.”

They exchanged messages and arranged for the boy to visit him.

The court heard that Cross masturbated the boy and vice versa on more than five occasions and and they engaged in other sex acts.

As part of the investigation, officers were able to trace an old Facebook message from 2016 in which Cross admitted the offending and made efforts to distance himself from his offending and the victim.

Despite his denials, his barrister Jessica Strange said that he accepted he faced a “lengthy custodial sentence”.

Cross, of Queens Drive, Wrenthorpe, appeared for sentencing this week from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.

Judge Crowson jailed him for nine years and told him he must serve at least two-thirds of the sentence before being considered for release, rather than the usual half-way stage.

He was also put on the sex offender register for life and given a lifelong sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Leading the investigation, Detective Sergeant Will Denton, of Wakefield District Child Safeguarding, said: “Firstly, and most importantly, I want to thank the victim in this case for his immense bravery in coming forward to report the abuse he suffered, as well as his strength and dignity throughout the criminal justice process.

“Cross preyed upon and exploited him knowing that he was a vulnerable child, and I hope the sentence handed down today serves as a clear reminder that this abhorrent behaviour will not be tolerated.

"I am in no doubt that Cross, is a danger to children. Twice, he has been found guilty of exploiting vulnerable children. The streets of Wakefield and West Yorkshire are safer with him behind bars.

“I hope that this case helps encourage anybody who has suffered similar offences, recent or not, to come forward and report them to us.”

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A Wakefield man has been jailed after being found guilty of sexual offending against a teenager in Calderdale.  

The Calderdale District Online Investigation Team has welcomed the sentencing of Luke Townend, aged 25, from Wakefield.  

He was sentenced to three years in prison on 21 February following a three-day trial at Bradford Crown Court.  

The 25-year-old was sentenced for causing a male to engage in sexual activity without consent and breach of an existing sexual harm prevention order.  

The court heard that Townend had contacted his teenage victim online and then committed the offending against him in 2024.  

He was arrested on 19 August 2024 and charged two days later, before going on trial in February this year.

DS Darren Heald of the Calderdale Safeguarding Online Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “We are pleased to see Townend behind bars for the sexual offences he committed against a vulnerable victim, who he treated in the most predatory and exploitative fashion. 

“I want to commend the courage of the victim in coming forwards to report the offending against him and then supporting a prosecution.  

“His bravery has helped ensure this male has been made to answer for his criminal offending.”  

He added: “All reports of sexual offending made in Calderdale or anywhere else in West Yorkshire are investigated by specialist safeguarding detectives and we continue to urge victims to come forwards.  

“All reports will be thoroughly investigated with the needs of victims at the heart of our investigations.” 

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A man who used a game of “ants in pants” to try to cover up his sexual abuse of a young boy has been jailed for more than five years.

Bradford Crown Court heard on Tuesday that 37-year-old Wakefield man Khuram Rashid was still “in denial” about his offending against the youngster despite a jury finding him guilty of three offences of sexual assault following a trial.

The mother of the victim, who must not be identified for legal reasons, provided an impact statement in which she described how they had been pressured by others to forgive the defendant and consider his feelings while their feelings had been overlooked and condemned.

The court heard that Rashid, of Ings Road, had been a man of previous good character and was highly regarded by his employers.

Barrister Kitty Colley, for Rashid, said he held a “managerial position” and Recorder David Gordon noted that the jury had heard a number of testimonials about the defendant relating to his work at Leeds Railway Station.

Recorder Gordon said there had clearly been “grooming behaviour” in Rashid’s offending. He told Rashid: “You dressed up sexual touching as innocent playfulness."

The court heard that when Rashid was questioned about the sexual touching allegations by the boy’s mother he laughed and said the youngster was confused. Recorder Gordon said Rashid told the mum that they had played a game called “ants in pants” and that had led to some confusion.

The judge said Rashid also talked about “tickling” each other. He said: “All in all you denied the allegations being made by the complainant and his mother. Those were denials you have persisted in right up to today.

"You were convicted after a trial so I can give you no credit for pleading guilty.”

Jailing Rashid for five years and three months Recorder Gordon said his offending had had a profound impact on the boy and his family.

He said Rashid had also told the youngster that what he was doing to him was “perfectly fine”.

Recorder Gordon said Rashid would now have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and he would also have to comply with the terms of a indefinite sexual harm prevention order which restricts his unsupervised contact with boys under 16.

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A convicted sex offender targeted children after he was released from prison for similar offences.

Joseph Parkin has now been jailed for eight years after admitting sexual activity with a teenager after being released from custody for similar sexual offences.

He also admitted to communicating with two other teenagers, putting him in breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Parkin, 26, who was formerly living in the Belle Vue area of Wakefield, previously pleaded guilty to four charges of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a boy under 16 years-old and two charges of breaching a Sexual Harm Protection Order. He appeared at Leeds Crown Court last week for sentencing.

He received an eight-year custodial sentence and was made subject of an extended licence period of six years on his release from prison. One of the victims reported the offences against him to the police in October 2023.

West Yorkshire Police said Parkin was quickly identified, arrested, charged and remanded in custody. He has been held on remand since that time.

A police spokesman added: "Further enquiries established telephone contact that Parkin had had with a number of children. This contact was all thoroughly investigated by specially trained officers which resulted in the police identifying the further offending."

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A promising teacher with his career ahead of him has been jailed after he raped a female he met during a night out.

Sam Mitchell forced himself on the victim, put his hands around her throat and slapped her across the face. He unknowingly also gave her a sexually-transmitted disease.

The 23-year-old was found guilty of three counts of rape and three counts of assault by penetration after a recent trial at Leeds Crown Court.

The court heard that Mitchell had been out on January 22 last year. He was with a friend and he met the woman in a nightclub. He had been drinking and taking drugs, but denied throughout his trial that it had affected his judgement.

They later got a taxi back to his friend’s home in Wakefield and they eventually fell asleep on a sofa.

The victim said “no” to his advances but he forced himself onto her.

Mitchell, of Canal Court, Lofthouse, appeared in court this week from HMP Lincoln where he was being held on remand.

Mitigating, Lucy Brown said there was little that could be said in Mitchell’s defence due to his denials, but did point to his young age at the time of the offences, and that he has no previous convictions.

She said that his teaching career was now over and said: “It’s the start of a difficult journey for him to accept what happened.”

Judge Andrew Stubbs KC told Mitchell: “You had the world at your feet. You were a talented and gifted young man.

“Something led you to behave that way that was totally out of character for you. The drinking and drugs must have played a part.”

He jailed him for seven years and put him on the sex offender register for life.

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A convicted paedophile ordered to stay away from an ex partner phoned her nearly 250 times in a single day, and tried to get around his court order by sending her messages within bank transfers.

Robert Pratt would deposit nominal sums into her account, often just one pence, with an accompanying reference such as “ring me”.

The 31-year-old admitted breaching a non-molestation order and a restraining order and was jailed at Leeds Crown Court.

He also admitted failing to adhere to the sex offender register by failing to tell the police that he had been living at a shared property after being released from prison.

Pratt, of Manygates Lane, Wakefield, was jailed in 2016 for having sex with a 13-year-old girl. He was given the court orders last year to keep him away from his ex partner.

Prosecutor Carmel Pearson said that Pratt sent 31 WhatsApp messages to the woman in one day, and phones her 51 times.

The next day he tried to call 249 items and sent 72 WhatsApp messages.

Mitigating, Matthew Stewart said that Pratt accepted that jail was “inevitable”. He said he had no issues with drugs or alcohol.

He said that his father was ill and that Pratt had no contact with his own three children due to the nature of his convictions.

Judge Mushtaq Khokhar jailed Lumb for 18 months.

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A Wakefield man has been jailed for 21 years after being convicted of multiple rape offences against two teenage girls.

Nadeem Hussain, aged 46, formerly of Regent Street, Wakefield; was found guilty following a four-week trial at Grimsby Crown Court of four counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration.

He was sentenced today at Grimsby Crown Court to 21 years imprisonment and was made the subject of a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which will put restrictions on him on his release from prison to further protect the public.  

The victims were aged 16 and 17 at the time of the offences.

Detective Sergeant Kirsty Senior, of Wakefield District’s Child Vulnerable to Exploitation Team (CVET), said: “Hussain has groomed his victims over a lengthy period of time, plying them with heroin and crack cocaine to enable his sexual offending.

“These were vulnerable teenage girls who he exploited. The sentence he has been given reflects the fact he is a dangerous offender who deserves to be behind bars.

“This court case has been the culmination of a two-year complex investigation by CVET. Hussain refused to accept his guilt resulting in a four-week trial and I am pleased that his victims have now got justice. That being said, no jail term can ever erase the lasting emotional, physical and psychological damage that Hussain has caused these two young girls.

“His victims have shown immense courage throughout this criminal justice process. They have been supported from the outset by specially trained safeguarding officers.

“I would urge anyone who has been the victim of child sexual exploitation or has concerns for a child to please report it so that we can safeguard the victim, protect others from harm and ensure perpetrators are made to face responsibility for their actions.”

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A pervert took advantage of a teenage girl and bribed her into carrying out degrading sexual acts in return for money and cigarettes.

Philip Greenhalgh, 61, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week having admitted a catalogue of offences against the girl dating back several years. He forced her to pose for sexual photographs and would regularly tell her she owed him for the cigarettes he gave her.

The girl, who was 15 at the time, wanted to raise money for a Mother’s Day gift and she came into contact with Greenhalgh who offered her money.

The judge, Recorder David Kelly, told him: “She wanted pocket money for a Mother’s Day present, together with the fact she had a smoking habit you encouraged by giving her cigarettes and asking for sexual favour in return.

“She was unable to tell her mother at the time because she would have had to tell her mother she was smoking cigarettes.”

Prosecutor Eleanor Fry said that he offered to buy cigarettes for her, and when he did, he asked her: “How are you going to pay me for them?”

He suggested she show him her breasts, so reluctantly, she did and Greenhalgh touched her. She went home and cried, Miss Fry said. But matters then began to escalate when he continue to touch her and ask her to masturbate him.

He would also ask her to take her clothes off and he would ask her to pose, telling her what positions to hold. He took the photos and filmed her on his phone. He would even ask he to smile while posing.

Eventually, he tried to persuade her to have sex with him but she refused. He said he was saving a condom for the time they would have sex. The girl then confessed to a friend who encouraged her to contact the police.

Greenhalgh, who was living in Leeds but now lives on Ingram Crescent in Knottingley, near Wakefield, was interviewed by police and told them he thought she was 14 at the time. His phone was checked and it was found he had performed a factory reset, but videos of the girl, along with photographs, were recovered. One video included Greenhalgh’s telling her how to pose.

On the day his trial was due to begin, he admitted 16 offences, including five counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, four counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two of taking indecent photographs and three of making indecent photographs.

The court heard that he had five previous convictions, including a rape dating back to 1992 for which he received a two-year sentence.

Mitigating, Richard Canning said Greenhalgh had been on bail “for a number of years” and there had been no issues or further offending. He conceded: “He knows he is going to receive a lengthy sentence. He is thoroughly ashamed of what he has done, he wishes it had never happened.

“His main wish is that the complainant will get past this when she gets older.”

Recorder Kelly gave Greenhalgh an eight-year jail sentence, for which he will have to serve two-thirds, rather than the usual half, before being eligible for parole. He was also put on the sex offender register and given a life-long sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

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A paedophile who managed to stay out of jail said he would take his own life is he was put behind bars for breaching the sex offender register.

Ricky Johnson was known as Terence Murkin when he was given a suspended sentence last year for trying to groom a 13-year-old online. But he then breached the terms and was brought back before Leeds Crown Court this week.

The court heard that the 63-year-old had threatened suicide if he was jailed, but Judge Simon Batiste, who also dealt with him last year, locked him up. He told him: “In my judgement, you were warned by me that you must complete the requirements of the order. It was made to clear to you [what would happen if you didn’t comply], and I’m going to keep my word in that regard.”

He was handed a 21-month jail sentence, suspended for 24 months in February of last year when he was caught making sexual suggestions to a young girl online. The profile was run by a hunter group trying to catch out predators online.

As part of his sentence, he was also given 130 hours of unpaid work, 30 rehabilitation days, and ordered onto a sex offender programme. He was also put on the sex offender register and given a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Prosecutor Amber Walker said during routine police checks at his home on Earl Street, Wakefield, following his conviction, they found he had opened a bank account and had not told officers, which put him in breach of the sex offender register.

It was also found that he deleted his internet search history, which he is forbidden to do under the terms of the SHPO. He admitted both breaches this week, having initially denied them.

Mitigating, Leila Taleb said he had initially accepted his wrongdoing during his police interview, but said “acting on legal advice”, then denied it, before finally seeing sense.

Judge Batiste jailed him for 21 months in total, including 12 months activated from his suspended sentence. He said that steps would be taken to ensure his welfare after making the comment about taking his own life.

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A sex offender blackmailed another and threatened to expose him to his wife after hacking into his social media. Joseph Hutchinson, 33, targeted convicted sex offender Gareth Mellor after messaging him on KIK and hacking his way into his social media.

Both men have since been sentenced for indecent images offences.

Leeds Crown Court heard on Wednesday that Hutchinson had previously been sentenced for making indecent images and causing a computer to perform a function which was unauthorised. Prosecutor John Bottomley said: "He hacked two females' phones and extracted topless photographs of them. He threatened to distribute them if they didn't send more."

Hutchinson was given a suspended sentence in 2022 for the crimes, and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order. Despite this, he went on to make more indecent images of children between January 2019 and February 2023 and between December 2020 and April 2021, blackmailed Mellor. Police discovered his crimes against him after Mellor's arrest.

Mr Bottomley said: "He [Mellor] had two internet accounts associated with an email which contained a huge amount of indecent images of children. He was sentenced in December last year. During the investigation and IP login with the same email address showed it was being used by another party..."

That led police to Hutchinson and during that arrest images were discovered on a Samsung phone. Mr Bottomley said: "It was taken from a vehicle, not within the property. He was arrested and interviewed and made admissions that he pictures would be found and said he had been blackmailing the other man."

It was said that in total, Mellor paid Hutchinson, of Clifford Court in Ossett, £3,102.98, after he threatened to expose him to his wife. Mr Bottomley said: "He [Mellor] said he met the defendant sometime around 2018 or 2019 while searching for illegal pornography. He was directed to KIK by the defendant and in 2020, the defendant offered to sell him a megalink to pornography for £200.

"In 2020 he said he got a message from the defendant, 'You better get onto Kik now I know what you are and what you do.' He said he had been arrested and threatened to expose him to his wife unless he paid him money. He correctly told him [Mellor] his full address, causing him to panic. He requested money through a crypto website..."

The court heard Hutchinson continued to make demands for payment after Mellor's arrest, but he did not send any more money "Because people knew about his offending" but he "still felt anxious."

Hutchinson went on to plead guilty to blackmail and making indecent images. Mitigating, Steven Smithson, said the images offences spanned before and after a sexual harm prevention order being put in place. He added: "The defendant has reconciled to a custodial sentence. He hasn't put forward any weak protestations."

His Honour Judge Khan KC jailed Hutchinson for 38 months, telling him his offending is "more serious because of that previous conviction going back to June 2022."

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It was discovered in October last year that convicted sex offender Edwin Swallow had targeted the youngster, encouraging her to send sexually explicit photos of herself – and sending photos of his genitalia over a messaging app.

The 55-year-old pervert had been told he must inform the police of any mobile phone he was using, having previously been found guilty of an offence involving indecent images of children.

But he kept the use of his Samsung device a secret, so was breaking the rules of the court order.

Swallow, of Sullivan Grove in South Kirkby, was arrested and later pleaded guilty to causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

He was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on November 3.

Prosecuting, Abigail Langford said: “The victim’s mother contacted the police, but there was an attempt to smash the phone and the pictures were deleted. The images do not exist and so the prosecution’s case is based on descriptions.

“When the defendant was arrested, a neighbour confirmed that the defendant did have a mobile phone.”

The court heard that Swallow has since expressed remorse and recognises his long history of offending.

Michael Collins, for the defence, said: “His personal circumstances are miserable and depressing. He has two children with whom he has no contact. He has no significant relationship. He lives alone and is in debt.

“If there’s any brightness, it’s because he had a job. Of course, he has now lost that as well. There are no positives in his life.”

Swallow has a history of mental health issues and self-harm, including suicide attempts.

Recorder Jason Pitter said the defendant poses a high risk of reoffending and causing serious harm to children.

He added: “You are someone who targets young girls. Your previous convictions set that out. Your determination to fulfil, as you see them, your sexual desires are illustrated in this case despite the barrier put in place to prevent this very activity.”

Swallow was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, extended by five years on licence.

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David Dunn, 39, who is originally from Pontefract, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court today for non-recent sexual offences, including rape.

Dunn was found guilty of offences of rape of a child and causing a child to engage in sexual activity in relation to one young male victim and attempt rape of a child and indecency with a child against another young male.

The offences were committed in the Wakefield District area between the years 2002 and 2009.

The offending came to police attention after both of the victims came forward separately to police in 2019 and reported what had taken place.

An investigation was launched by specialist child protection officers at Wakefield District.

Detective Constable Sophie Green, who investigated the case, said: “We are pleased to see Dunn sentenced today for what were some awful sexual offences committed against two young and vulnerable children.

“Their courage in reporting these dreadful offences and in supporting the prosecution against Dunn has meant that a dangerous sexual offender had been forced to answer for his crimes and been punished for them.”

She added: “This case is another reminder to victims that it is never too late to tell us if you have been the victim of offending such as this.

“We really do not underestimate how hard it is to come forward, but I want to make clear that we will do all we can to help you very rightly seek justice and access any support you may need.”

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Stephen Pocklington, who has been jailed before for crimes against children, made contact with girl over Messenger earlier this month, but was a decoy profile run by a paedophile hunter group.

Leeds Crown Court was told that the 50-year-old initially asked an innocuous question about liking chocolate, and when the profile responded making it clear she was just 12, he told her not to tell anyone.

It quickly turned sexual and over the course of two days, he encouraged her to masturbate and asked if he could perform sex acts on her, prosecutor Gareth Henderson-Moore said. He also asked for her phone number and when she would be alone, telling her it would be their secret.

The case was handed to another hunter group who then went to his home on Clifton Road, Sharlston Common, Wakefield. The court was told that Pocklington has five convictions for 17 offences, 12 of which are against children. He was jailed for 33 months in 2018 for multiple counts, including causing a child to watch sexual activity. He also attempted to pay a child for sexual services.

He was put on the sexual offender register and given a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

For his latest offending, he admitted attempting to cause a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, breach of the SHPO and breach of the terms of the sex offender register.

Mitigating, Ian Cook told the court: He understands his only real mitigation it entering his guilty pleas at an early opportunity and co-operating with the police investigation. He has expressed a willingness and desire to work with probation in the prison environment to get to the bottom of his offending that causes him great shame. He feels it is triggered by alcohol misuse.

Jailing him for 32 months, and putting him on the sex offender register indefinitely, Judge Simon Phillips KC said: Its part of a clear pattern of offending behaviour. You pose a risk towards female children. This was determined sexualised behaviour towards what you thought was a young child.

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Ben Cooper, 33, was sentenced to eight years at Leeds Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday) after he was convicted of the offences, which occurred against a young girl at an address in Castleford in April 2022.

The sentencing was the conclusion to an investigation by Wakefield District Safeguarding Unit, which began after the team received a disclosure from a family member in October last year.

Cooper, of Ken Churchill Drive in Horbury, was arrested following the disclosure and later charged with two counts of penetration and one count of sexual touching.

He denied all charges when he appeared before magistrates at Leeds in October and the case went to trial In June this year, where he was found guilty of all three charges and remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.

Detective Sergeant Will Denton of Wakefield District Safeguarding Unit, who led the investigation, said: We welcome the sentencing handed to Cooper, who showed no remorse throughout a difficult and emotional trial for all concerned.

There can be no doubt he is a risk to children and deserves to be behind bars. I hope this result will encourage any other victims of sexual abuse to engage with our specially trained officers who treat all reports seriously and sensitively and work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.

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A WEST YORKSHIRE man described as a dangerous sexual predator by police has been jailed for attempting to rape a child.

Kristian Annus, 29, from Lincoln Street, Wakefield, was jailed for 10 and a half years at Leeds Crown Court today (Wednesday), after pleading guilty to an attempted rape offence in the Kirklees area.

The 29-year-old was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will place restrictions on his activity following any release from prison and will remain on the Sex Offender Register for life.

Officers arrested Annus on February 19 of this year after receiving a report he had sexually offended against a child.

He was charged two days later and was remanded in custody by the courts.

PC Jay Laughton of the Kirklees District Child Safeguarding Team said: “Annus is without doubt a dangerous sexual predator and we welcome his conviction and sentencing.

“He took advantage of his young victim in the most appalling way and subjected him to what has clearly been a dreadful offence.

“I want to praise the bravery of the victim and his family in reporting what took place and then supporting the prosecution which has put this man behind bars.”