Latest Offenders Wakefield

Description

A sick paedophile who entered into a relationship with a 15-year-old girl while knowing how old she was has been jailed.

Andrew Burrows, 38, from Castleford, has been jailed for more than eight years after being found guilty of a catalogue of sexual offences Burrows was found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court of four counts of sexual activity with a child following a trial in September.

He has now been jailed for eight years and six months.

Jurors heard how Burrows had entered into a sexual relationship with his 15-year-old victim in the Kirklees area in 2017, knowing she was under the age of consent. She later reported the offences to West Yorkshire Police and they were investigated by the Kirklees Child Safeguarding Unit.

DC Carole Haste, who led the investigation said following Burrows' sentencing: "We welcome the sentencing of Burrows who took advantage of a young, impressionable victim who he knew to be under the age of consent. The victim gave her evidence in court and remained calm, dignified and articulate. I hope seeing Burrows brought to justice can now give her some closure and allow her to move on with her life.

"All reports of sexual offending made to West Yorkshire Police are fully investigated by specialist officers with the needs of the victim at the heart of every investigation."

Description

A hospital security guard who tried to pass himself off as a "Jekyll and Hyde" character to probation staff has been jailed for the "torture" of a woman which saw him sexually assault her and burn her body with an iron.

Paul Thwaites, 40, used sexual and physical violence against the woman during the offences which saw him sexually assault her, punch her genitals, burn her body, and strangle her until she was unconscious before slapping her awake again.

Twisted Thwaites - who worked as a security guard at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield - then told a probation service worker the lines between consent and excitement had become "blurred," which a judge said he had done to try and show he had little control over his behaviour.

Leeds Crown Court heard on Monday Thwaites filmed sexual activity and "blackmailed" the woman - telling her he would release the footage. Prosecutor, Alex Menary, said Thwaites "restrained her around her neck and her next recollection was waking up with a buzzing noise in her ear and she became aware he was slapping her in the face to wake her".

The court heard the woman was also "encouraged" into sexual activity by Thwaites who told her "it would be fun" and she consented but he turned aggressive. Mr Menary said Thwaites, of Leeds Road in Wakefield, also punched the woman's genitals over five times and sexually assaulted her with a curtain pole and an aerosol can, during which she asked him to stop and tried to kick out. He also forced her to perform oral sex upon him.

The woman was also subjected to burns on her breasts and stomach by Thwaites who used a pair of straighteners and an iron to cause horrifying injuries. She reported his offending to police in May this year. Thwaites was arrested a day later and denied the offending. However, he later pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by penetration, oral rape and two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to do so.

Dad-of-two Thwaites appeared in court via video link and his victim bravely faced him as she told him he had "destroyed" her life. In the victim impact statement, she said: "He completely destroyed me as a person. It doesn't matter what I'm doing, I can be washing up or driving and I have flashbacks of the things he did to me and I break down and cry.

"When I'm driving I have thoughts of letting go of the steering wheel and going into a lorry and the nightmare will be over."

The woman told the court she is on medication and has been signed off work indefinitely by her doctor. She added: "He completely killed me inside. It's going to take years and years to start getting to the old me. I observe things and realise I don't react to them as anyone else does. I have to make myself smile and laugh at things so no one worries about me but inside I just want to crawl into a ball and stop existing."

Mitigating, Michael Collins, said Thwaites is a "model prisoner" and has completed courses while being remanded into custody. A letter from Thwaites and a reference from his mother had been handed to His Honour Judge Robin Mairs. He said he had no relevant previous convictions.

Mr Collins said: "There is nothing that suggests he is going to repeat the commission of any similar offending in the future." The barrister said Thwaites accepted he had been "insensitive" to the woman's "reluctance" to engage in parts of sexual activity. Mr Collins said: "What the defendant would say upon reflecting on his conduct to which he has pleaded guilty is that he is disgusted by it. He would say that he doesn't recognise - and these are his words - 'that horrible man'.

"He is disgusted by his actions. His regret and remorse are genuine. He recognises he has done wrong and it is right he is imprisoned. He struggles to understand his behaviour and has been working and taking advantage of whatever is available in prison to begin to understand his conduct and how a man in his 40s without a history of violent or sexual offending commits these offences of such seriousness."

The court heard how the author of the pre-sentence report said Thwaite is "high risk" which had been elevated from the analytical testing available to the probation service. Mr Collins said the authors said Thwaites "failed to recognise the seriousness and consequences of his conduct" and he "doesn't understand that assessment as he has been clear that he does and can offer no explanation about why that has been put."

Mr Collins said: "He did have concerns that the author of the report wasn't listening with care to some of the answers he was giving. He doesn't know that but he's trying to explain what he thinks was a breakdown in communication. He can't fathom why the author asserts that when he clearly did."

Judge Mairs said: "Perhaps because he said the lines became 'blurred' and was at great pains to show himself as a Jekyll and Hyde character with little or no control of behaviour? Or perhaps because there was an air of confidence to portray himself as misunderstood?"

Mr Collins said Thwaites "does not shy away from what he has done and knows he is going to be punished for it".

Judge Mairs described Thwaites' crimes as "torture" as he handed him an extended sentence of 23-and-a-half years, made up of 16-and-a-half-years in custody and an extended licence period of seven years. He will have to serve two thirds of the sentence before going before the Parole Board who will determine if he is safe for release.

The judge said: "As the probation officer put it - you dismantled her emotional resilience to meet your own needs. You knew the seriousness of what you were doing." The judge said counts 2 and 3 (assault by penetration) followed consensual sexual activity. He said: "This was repeated sexual violence designed to humiliate, belittle and degrade someone for your own sexual gratification so you could enjoy your own encyclopedia of torture.

"With formidable courage she came to court today and read her victim impact statement. In her words, you took everything and destroyed her as a person. You have subjected her to a life sentence."

Judge Mairs said Thwaites' description of himself as a "Jekyll and Hyde" character was "just another persona to take blame for this offending." He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life and was made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Reacting to the sentencing, Detective Constable Matthew Sherriff, who was the investigating officer, said: I would like to thank the victim for her bravery and courage in coming forward and reporting these offences and to all those who supported the police investigation.

Thwaites is a dangerous individual who has been convicted of serious offences. These convictions will hopefully not only bring closure and justice to the victim but will ensure that he cannot harm anyone else."

Description

A Wakefield man has been jailed for more than six years for historic child sex offences against two victims.

Malcolm Shipman, aged 64, of no fixed address, Wakefield, appeared at Teesside Crown Court today (Tuesday, 13 September) for sentencing after being found guilty at an earlier hearing.

Shipman, who is a former manager of the Snooty Fox pub in Wakefield, was sentenced for four counts of indecency with a child.

The offences occurred between 1988 and 1997.

He was sentenced to six years, five months in prison and ordered to sign on the sex offenders register.

Detective Inspector Paul Oldham, of Wakefield District Crime Safeguarding, said:

The investigating officers and I welcome this sentence today. The bravery shown by the victims to report this man for the truly horrendous offences carried out against them as children, must be recognised and not underestimated.

Their courage has resulted in the successful prosecution of Shipman, ensuring the safeguarding of future possible victims.

I would like to reassure others who are suffering, have suffered or those who have any information of similar offences that we have specially trained officers who will treat victims with compassion and will work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice.

You can report crime or contact us online at Contact us | West Yorkshire Police. You can also contact us by calling 101. You should always call 999 in an emergency.

There is more information about what happens when you report sexual offences and the support available on our website at: Serious Sexual Assaults Campaign | West Yorkshire Police

In a statement issued by the victims following the sentencing, they said:

We are now adults, but we were those two little girls who we feel have finally been given a voice and have got justice for the horrible childhood we had to endure.

We both never dared speak out about what this man did to us as children, we had hoped to never have to and just wanted to get on with our lives, but you never forget the past as much as you try.

We have done this to stop him hurting anyone else and to finally tell the truth and get justice for what happened to us.

It has been the most painful experience going through this trial and there is still a lot of healing to do, as hard as this has been he had to be held accountable for his own sick choices against vulnerable children.

We encourage anyone who has been through anything like this to please come forward, it is not easy, but it is the right thing to do.

The fear of speaking out and him getting away with it keeps you prisoner long after the abuse. We urge others not to be scared and come forward to show strength in numbers to these predators and that there will be consequences, no matter how long it takes.

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Parents have expressed outrage at the sentence handed to a teenager who possessed images showing the rape and torture of young children.

Dillan Waters, 18, of Horbury, Wakefield, who lives just 100 metres from a nursery, admitted six counts of possessing indecent images of children and one of distributing the images when he appeared at Leeds Magistrates' Court last month.

But he avoided a prison sentence despite downloading and sharing images of child sexual abuse including some in Category A, which are the most serious. The images covered all levels of indecency including the most severe showing the rape and torture of young children.

He was handed a community order of 150 hours of unpaid work. A five-year sexual harm prevention order was imposed to limit his internet activity and he was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years.

Jodie Heaton said: "We don't want him living here and he shouldn't be living here, everyone on this cul-de-sac has small children. I have five aged 13, 10, nine, seven and 10 months and my neighbours have kids younger than 10, and there are at least 15 kids just on this street not to mention the kids at the nursery.

"I've only just started letting my children play on the front on their bikes if I'm out doing the garden but I won't even let them do that now. The street is usually full of kids playing but since this has come out it's been deathly silent, no kids have been out playing.

"It's disgusting really that he's been allowed to live here with his grandmother. It's so wrong and at only 18 with all the vile images he must have had I think he's only going to get worse as he gets older."

And Jade Leather who lives opposite him said: "As a parent of two young children, (one is autistic and due to this - doesn't like being clothed and is often spotted naked around the house) this absolutely terrifies me. The fear of not knowing if someone who lives on the same street, opposite your house is spying on your children is horrific.

"This offender has been found guilty of possessing and distributing horrific things in relation to young children. I don't understand how any legal body can find community service and a measly fine a fit punishment for that?

"How is he allowed to return home, to a street full of young children, with a nursery less than 30 seconds from his doorstep? Why is he allowed more rights, than our innocent children are?

"Every child has the right to play safely on their street or in their own garden and home. This street is in uproar over it. No kids are out playing.

"Parents are hurrying their children inside when bringing them home. It's not normal. All while he gets to parade around, living life as normal. It's not right and something needs to be done about it, however, if we try do something and force him out we will be the ones that end up in trouble with the authorities. It's so backwards - it needs to change!"

Description

A Wakefield man has been jailed for 23 years for sexual offences against two child victims over a 12-year period. Paul Ingham, 63, of St Catherine Street, Agbrigg, Wakefield, appeared at Leeds Crown Court today (Friday, July 29) for sentencing.

He was found guilty at an earlier hearing. Ingham was sentenced for five counts of causing or inciting a child aged 13 to 15 years old to engage in sexual activity.

He was charged with one count of assaulting a girl under 13 by penetration, five counts of sexual touching a girl under 13 and the rape of a girl under 13.

Ingham was also given a restraining order for life and a sexual harm prevention order for life. The offences took place between 2004 and 2016.

Detective Sergeant Heather Brady, of Wakefield District Child Safeguarding, said:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank and commend the two victims for their immense bravery in reporting such horrendous abuse. Their courage has ensured that he was unable to continue his offending.

The sentence that Ingham has been given reflects the extent and sustained nature of his offending. He is a dangerous, predatory man and deserves to be behind bars.

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A convicted sex offender who is wanted on recall to prison 'may be working on fairgrounds', police said.

Daniel Lomas is wanted by officers for breaching the terms of his release. The 32-year-old was freed in 2018 after serving a sentence for a sexual offence.

West Yorkshire Police said Lomas has links to Manchester, Lancashire, South Wales and London. He 'could possibly be working on fairgrounds', the force added.

An 'extensive' hunt is underway to find him. He is described as being of slim build and around 5ft 8in tall.

Anyone who has any information about where Lomas is should contact Wakefield District Police on 101, referencing crime number 13180647040.

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A MAN who sexually abused a young girl for almost a decade has been jailed for a total of 23 years.

Ian McGinty was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Friday, 6 May.

He was also served with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and made to sign the Sex Offenders Register.

The conviction followed an investigation by Wakefield District's Child Safeguarding Unit which began in September 2021, when the victim came forward to police and disclosed McGintys offences.

McGinty, 53 and from Pontefract, was promptly arrested the same day and questioned in connection with the offences, which dated back to 2012.

In the early stages of the investigation, it was established that McGinty had previously been convicted of sexual offences at Durham Crown Court in 2008 under the surname Hume.

Ian Hume, as he was known, was sentenced to 18 months, and placed on the Sex Offender Register until October 2018.

Following the investigation, McGinty was subsequently charged with several offences and appeared before magistrates on Tuesday, 14 September 2021.

He faced trial in March this year and was found guilty of rape of a child under 13, causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and sexual activity with a child.

Speaking after sentencing, Detective Constable Kerry Wiles said: I would like to thank the victim who, throughout this investigation, showed absolute strength and courage in bringing this offender to justice, and helped to prevent him from continuing to commit these types of offences.

McGinty put his victim through a horrendous ordeal for nearly 10 years and preyed upon her vulnerability.

The scale of the offending was significant and sustained, and the prison sentence he has received should serve as a clear warning to others of the serious penalties they will face if they commit crimes of this nature.

Across the force, we have specialist teams of officers who work tirelessly to investigate crimes against children, and I would encourage anyone who has any information about sexual offending against children to contact police via 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

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Jack Mallinson was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court.

A former special constable has been given a 12-month suspended prison sentence for having thousands of indecent images of children.

Jack Mallinson, 26, from Wakefield, pleaded guilty to five counts of making and possessing indecent images of children at a hearing in March.

He also admitted publishing obscene posts after sending messages in which he fantasised about child abuse. 

Leeds Crown Court heard some of the abuse images involved babies.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) arrested Mallinson in January 2021 after officers linked him to an online profile used to send encrypted messages about child abuse.

When NCA officers searched his mobile phone they discovered 3,710 indecent images of children, with 199 being in the most severe Category A. They also found 14 extreme pornographic images on his laptop.

Pornography 'addiction'

Defence barrister Emily Jenkins said Mallinson was "remorseful and apologetic".

"It originated from a curiosity in extreme pornography that then spiralled out of control," said Ms Jenkins.

"That interest in extreme pornography then became an addiction."

She said his arrest meant he had lost his role as a special constable for West Yorkshire Police and his job as a trainee solicitor.

'Last chance'

Passing sentence, Judge Richard Woolfall told Malinson: "You wanted to work in the law, but you re now a criminal.

He said that despite Mallinson's denials in interviews the large amount of images and the online messages "clearly indicate that you do have sexual interest in children", adding: "The time has come for you to accept that."

Judge Woolfall said that, although the offences were very serious and crossed the custody threshold, "I believe the threat you represent can be successfully managed".
"If there is any repeat of this type of offending, you have had your last chance," he added.

As well as the jail sentence, suspended for two years, Mallinson was also made the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Matthew Brooks from the NCA said: "Although he did not commit physical abuse, the very fact he posted such disgusting messages to complete strangers online indicates he poses a sexual threat to children.

"He also had a significant collection of child abuse material in his possession. Behind every one of these images and videos is a young victim, who is powerless and exploited."

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Mohammed Iqbal spent almost a month bullying, attacking and humiliating the man in his own Wakefield flat after he built up drug debts.

Iqbal, 19, was handed a 12-year sentence at Leeds Crown Court for the vile treatment of the man between April and May of last year.

He had denied the offences but was found guilty after a trial in February.

The court heard that Iqbal took advantage of the man, who was diagnosed with severe mental problems, after selling him drugs.

Recorder Hill-Baker said: "You assaulted him repeatedly with a number of weapons, causing him multiple bruising and burnt him with a lit cigarette.

"You further humiliated him by sexually abusing him. He lived in fear of the assaults."

The court heard that Iqbal forced the man to perform a sex act on two occasions and sexually assaulted him with a vacuum cleaner.

He also threatened to give crack cocaine to the man's son if he reported the abuse to the police.

Iqbal was found guilty of sexual assault, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, holding a person in slavery or servitude, two counts of actual bodily harm and attempted assault by penetration.

It was not a single offence, it was a course of conduct, and I have come to the conclusion you are a dangerous offender."

He handed him a 12-year sentence, made up of 10 years in prison with an extended licence period of two years.

Iqbal was also made the subject of a restraining order of indeterminate length to keep him away from the victim and must sign the sex offenders register for life.

Description

An MP has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy at a house in Staffordshire in 2008.

Imran Ahmad Khan, 48, was convicted at Southwark Crown Court.

The court heard the MP for Wakefield in West Yorkshire forced the boy to drink gin and tonic at a party before dragging the teenager upstairs, pushing him onto a bed and then asking him to watch pornography before the attack.

The victim, now 29, told a jury he felt "scared, vulnerable, numb, shocked and surprised" after Khan touched his feet and legs. He said the MP came within "a hair's breadth" of his privates as he tried to sleep in a top bunkbed.

He ran to his parents and a police report was made at the time, but no further action was taken because the youngster did not want to make a formal complaint.

But he told jurors "it all came flooding back" when Khan stood as a Conservative in the December 2019 general election.

He said he was not "taken very seriously" when he made the allegation to the Conservative Party press office days before Khan was elected as MP for Wakefield in the December 2019 general election.

He made a complaint to the police days after Khan helped Prime Minister Boris Johnson win a large Commons majority by taking Wakefield.

Khan was sent a questionnaire by Staffordshire Police rather than being interviewed under caution at the station because of "COVID protocols in place at the time".

The MP, who is gay and Muslim, denied sexual assault and claimed he only touched the Catholic teenager's elbow when he "became extremely upset" after a conversation about his confused sexuality.

Khan, then 34, said he was trying to be "kind" and "helpful" but the teenager became upset and "bolted" when the topic of pornography was raised.

The MP, who has been expelled from the Conservative Party, was found guilty by a jury after five hours of deliberations.

The judge, Mr Justice Baker, will sentence Khan at a later date.

Releasing Khan on bail, he told him: "You have been convicted by a jury of this offence of sexual assault and you will have to be sentenced in due course.

"I make it clear that all sentencing options, including immediate custody, are being considered by the court."

The firm representing Khan, Janes Solicitors, said the MP "maintains his innocence" and "will be appealing as soon as possible".

Labour called for Khan's immediate resignation as an MP, with a spokesperson saying: "Imran Ahmad Khan should immediately resign so a by-election can take place and the people of Wakefield can get the representation they deserve."

Tory MP Crispin Blunt said he was "utterly appalled and distraught at the dreadful miscarriage of justice that has befallen my friend and colleague".

In a statement, he said: "His conviction today is nothing short of an international scandal, with dreadful wider implications for millions of LGBT+ Muslims around the world."

Description

A known sex offender who was caught with images and videos of child abuse and bestiality on four separate occasions over the course of four years has been jailed.

Andrew Sawyer escaped a prison sentence in 2013 after being caught but continued to search out the vile material, Leeds Crown Court heard.

The 44-year-old admitted 23 separate offences dating between July 2016 and February 2021.

Judge Mushtaq Khokhar told him this week: "These are very serious offences that you have been committing repeatedly.

"In 2013 you were sentenced for possessing indecent images of children and received a non-custodial sentence and you did the sex offending programme.

"You learned nothing. You knew you were in trouble but you carried on and you were not concerned about the consequences.

"The time has come to learn that you can't go on committing these offences, it's about time you changed your lifestyle."

Prosecutor David McGonigal said that police first arrested Sawyer in September 2017 and found hundreds of images that he had downloaded to his phone over a 10-month period.

They included Category A - the most serious child abuse pictures - along with Category B and C, prohibited pictures of children and extreme images of people performing sexual acts with animals.

During interview, he told police that he "must have felt horny that day" and there would be "no harm in looking".

He was arrested again while on bail in April 2018 and his phone seized, leading police to find hundreds of abuse images and videos and more bestiality images.

Officers found that he had also been chatting to other perverts online and shared material.

He was arrested again at his home in Outwood in April 2020 when more images and videos were recovered.

Hundreds more images were found on two phones when Sawyer, of Mountbatten Crescent, was visited again by police in February 2021.

Satpal Roth-Sharma, mitigating for Sawyer, said he had been a hard-working man who worked in telesales but lost his job in 2009. He began to drink heavily and started trying drugs.

She said: "He has an addictive personality, he spent a lot of time looking at adult porn and that progressed.

"His explanation for doing this was to simply fill his days and occupy his time."

A probation report said there was a high risk of Sawyer offending again.

Jailing him for 40 months, Judge Khokhar said: "I would be failing in my public duty if I did not impose a custodial sentence."

He also said he would be subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, which will limit his internet use, make it illegal for him to delete his search history, and gives the police access to his electronic devices at any point.

The court heard that he had been held on remand since February last year.

Description

A paedophile who abused a young girl in Wakefield has been convicted and jailed.

Ronald Clayton, of Barnsley Road in Flockton, abused a young girl between 2010 and 2012.

His victim bravely came forward and reported him to police in 2017 and an investigation by Kirklees District Safeguarding Unit was carried out.

Clayton denied the offences but was charged with assault by penetration three years later in August 2020.

Earlier this week, the 71-year-old was found guilty following a trial at Leeds Crown Court.

He has been jailed for seven years with a further year on licence and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

Following his sentence, Det Cons Gilly Hodds, who led the investigation for West Yorkshire Police, said: "The victim has shown much strength and courage throughout the investigation and I would like to thank her for coming forward and reporting Clayton's offences to our officers.

"I hope the sentence he has received will give her some closure and allow her to move forwards with her life.

"I also hope it will encourage other victims to come forward and report offences to our safeguarding teams, who work closely with partners to provide support for victims and investigate all reports thoroughly."

Description

A man has been jailed for a sexual offence against a young girl around 18 years ago and for having and creating indecent images of children.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that Michael Parkinson, 59, from Mountbatten Avenue in Wakefield, committed the offence against the young girl in her parents home in Cheshire.

Parkinson had befriended the family and took the opportunity to abuse the child in an upstairs bedroom.

Years later, the victim was at university and had a conversation with her boyfriend. She talked about the abuse and decided to report it to the police.

Parkinson was arrested at his home on 25 March 2019 and his phone and IT equipment were seized.

A search of his IT revealed that he had been making and storing indecent images of children in recent months.

He pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and possessing indecent images of children at Liverpool Crown Court on 6 December 2021.

He was jailed for 18 months at the court today (18 2 2022). He has been placed on the Sexual Offenders Register for 10 years and the Crown Prosecution Service also asked for a sexual harm prevention order to be put in place. This was granted by the court and will also be in place for 10 years. Parkinsons computer and phone will also be destroyed.

In a Victim Personal Statement, the victim said she was the person that friends came to for advice and she had thought she was able to bottle up her own struggles to come to terms with the abuse she had suffered.

But she became convinced that to report what had happened to her to the police was the right thing to do, to prevent other children becoming Parkinsons victims.

She added: I am a shell of my former self, I am more emotional than I have ever been and find myself becoming upset when having conversations with people over entirely separate matters. For 18 years I had told myself that what happened was not that big of a deal and that it could have been worse, and the release of the facts has caused more damage than I could have ever imagined. I was playing down the incident to protect myself, and its only now that I realise the impact it had on me. I have never sought counselling; however this is something I have now accepted that I need to aid my recovery.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Christopher Fontaine, of CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: We would like to thank the victim for her courage in reporting this abuse, providing us with the evidence needed to prosecute and persevering until her abuser was brought to justice.

Michael Parkinson claimed to be a friend of the victims parents. However, when staying at their house, he sexually abused their child. He gave no thought to the impact the abuse would have on the child and her family.

In her Victim Personal Statement, she explained the long-term impact of the abuse, the mixture of feelings that surround it guilt, anxiety, sadness, disgust - and how it affected her relationships.

The decision of the victim as an adult to report what happened to her when she was a child directly resulted in the police attending his address and discovering indecent images of children on his phone.

"Every indecent image of a child is an image of a real child being abused. Sharing, downloading and viewing such images is a continuation of the abuse shown in the images.

"Michael Parkinson had not done anything to address his sexual interest in children.

To anyone else who has suffered child abuse, it is normal to only feel able to begin to address what happened when reaching adulthood. It is never too late to come forward and to help us protect other children from abuse.

Description

Joseph Brian Parkin was given a suspended sentence last June for contacting 13 and 14-year-old girls and leaving them messages, which put him in breach of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

But when he was handed the sentence, he was already in further communication with two more youngsters after they saw his message on the bus and contacted him.

The 23-year-old then met up with the girls on several occasions and made sexual comments towards them, Leeds Crown Court was told.

The defendant then began following the two teenagers.

One of the girls older sister then confronted Parkin in the street as he followed them, and he rode off on his bike.

Police were contacted and Parkin refused to comment during an interview.

Parkin, of William Prince Grove, Belle Vue, eventually pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child and two counts of breach of his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

He has nine previous convictions which include sexual assault of a girl under 13, causing a child to watch a sexual act, sexual communication with a child, sending indecent communications, and several breaches of his SHPO, which he was given in 2017.

Mitigating, Satpal Roth-Sharma said that Parkin suffered from Asperger's Syndrome and accepted his latest bout of behaviour.

She said he was placed into care he was 12, and had spent the last seven months being held on remand in which had reflected on his life.

She said: "His interest in teen girls is a result of feeling isolated and having never held down a proper adult relationship.

"He accepts he made poor decisions linked to his Asperger's and his maturity.

"He has thought long and hard about his behaviour and is showing regret and remorse."

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC told him: "I appreciate the difficulties you have had, I'm aware of your autism and your place on the spectrum.

"You are dangerous because you can't stop yourself contacting young girls for sexual purposes.

"I can't take the risk of allowing you your liberty."

Parkin, who sat shaking his head as the judge spoke to him, was handed a three-year jail term, made up of 20 months for his latest offences, as well as the 16 months from the suspended sentence last year.

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An online paedophile predator has been jailed after he struck up a sexual conversation with whom he believed was a 14-year-old girl and arranged to meet her.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Mark Hargreaves, aged 34, contacted and communicated sexually with whom he thought was a 14-year-old.

But he was actually communicating with a fake profile run by members of the public to snare paedophiles.

Nicola Quinney, prosecuting, said Hargreaves told the profile she was the kind of girl he would like to have sex with when she was older and he would teach her. He also sent a picture of a penis purporting to be his.

Ms Quinney said Hargreaves arranged for them to meet at Barnsley bus station but when he failed to turn up the group behind the fake profile visited his home and alerted the police.

Judge Peter Kelson QC told Hargreaves: Against that background, you as a predator prowling the internet looking for underage girls - found her and you quickly turned conversational matters sexual.

Hargreaves, of Emblem Terrace, Wakefield, who has no previous convictions, admitted attempting to communicate sexually with a child between September 2019 and February 2020.

Richard Canning, defending, urged Judge Kelson to consider a rehabilitative sentence.

He said: This was a wake-up call for him and he has turned his life around and made some very positive steps and I ask your honour to allow him to continue down the right path.

But Judge Kelson said a suspended prison sentence is not appropriate when an adult is prowling the internet looking for innocent children and he sentenced Hargreaves to 12 months of custody.