Latest Offenders Warrington

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A PREDATOR has been branded ‘evil’ by a person he ‘systematically’ sexually abused while they were a child and he was an adult.

Graham Simcock has been handed a custodial term of almost two decades for 145 separate incidents of historic sex offences against multiple children.

The 59-year-old laughed during one horrific incident of abuse before repeating the act straight after, with victims feeling ‘powerless’ to stop him.

He admitted 28 counts of sexual offences against children at a previous hearing, including indecent assault, gross indecency and attempted rape.

Simcock appeared back before Chester Crown Court to be sentenced, with the court hearing that some of the incidents, had they been committed today, would now be classed as rape.

The victims are entitled to lifelong anonymity by court order and must not be identified.

The facts of the case were outlined by Myles Wilson, prosecuting, who explained that the defendant ‘systematically’ sexually abused multiple children in Warrington decades ago.

He was an adult at the time, with all victims bravely attending the sentencing hearing in person, along with their families.

Detailing the offending, Mr Wilson spoke of how one victim woke to find Simcock performing a sexual act on them while they were asleep.

The defendant would reassure them that it was only a dream, ask them about the dream and ask them not to tell anyone else, ‘sugarcoating’ what happened with ‘bribes of sweets and money to keep silent.

The court heard how Simcock’s behaviour ‘grew bolder’, with him pursuing his ‘fetishes’ with the victims and telling them that if they told anyone about what he was doing, they would be in ‘as much trouble as him’.

It was said that some of the acts that he would do to the victims would constitute rape had they occurred today, with the court bound to look at the offences as they would in the time period they occurred.

After one perverted and horrific incident, which left a victim in tears and caused them to run from the room, Simcock laughed, apologised and performed the same act again.

“The defendant gave them gifts in return for sexual activity,” Mr Wilson said, adding that when one victim reported the abuse to another adult, they ‘became angry and demanded evidence’.

Another reported what had happened to an adult, but they were ‘not supported’ the matter was ‘swept under the carpet’.

The defendant would show the victims pornography while touching them inappropriately and asking for the same in return.

After performing a sex act on one of the victims, the predator said it was ‘just a bit of fun’ and told them to ‘relax’.

The court heard multiple victims attempted self-harm as a result of Simcock’s abuse, which also caused other physical and mental problems.

Simcock, who has no previous convictions, was arrested in May 2022 but answered ‘no comment’ to questions put to him during his police interview.

One victim, who suffers from sleepless nights and flashbacks, said it was ‘incredibly difficult’ to prepare an impact statement as they had ‘no point of reference other than the abuse’.

“When I started to understand what was happening, I felt completely powerless to stop it,” they wrote.

“Due to the stigma and shame, I tried to avoid as much as I could. I tried to raise it but I was told I was disgusting and that I better have proof.

“I felt worthless and that no one would do anything to stop it.”

Another, who also suffers from flashbacks, said in their impact statement that they are ‘destroyed mentally and physically’.

“From a young age, I always had pain and trauma. I was always told it was normal and that I had to keep the secret,” they said.

“I never questioned him in fear of being abused more. I felt dirty and disgusted. That man is evil, selfish and controlling.”

The victim added that the ‘sick’ defendant used them to ‘get his own kicks’, and that he now faces ‘justice for his historic, disgusting sexual desires’.

Mr Wilson stated that the defendant caused ‘severe psychological harm through grooming’ and highlighted a ‘significant disparity in age’ between him and the victims.

Mitigating on behalf of his client, Jonathan Duffy, defending, said: “I make it clear the defendant accepts that what he did was seriously wrong.

“He wants his victims to know that he acknowledges the harm he caused them and understands that while he apologises, he knows this will sound hollow.

“He wants them to know he is sorry. He also does not want me to say anything perceived as an excuse for what he has done.”

Mr Duffy highlighted that his client has ‘intellectual and learning difficulties’, but that he understands that the court must past a lengthy custodial sentence.

Before sentencing, judge Simon Berkson said: “There are a number of offences and multiple victims – 145 separate incidents of sexual offending against children.

“This is a case of a lengthy campaign of child sexual offending. You abused them over a period of time in a systematic fashion.”

He termed the abuse ‘persistent, horrific and cruel’, commenting that it had a ‘depraved and perverted theme’.

“You used and abused them for your own depraved sexual gratification. The matter was sadly swept under the carpet,” Judge Berkson continued.

“It is fair to say it has had a marked effect on the victims.

“It can only be hoped that by coming forward now and you entering guilty pleas that they may start to move forwards from the past and their lives will improve.”

Simcock, of Ryfields Retirement Village in Orford, was sentenced to 19 years and four months in prison, with a year on extended licence on his release.

In addition, he must sign the sex offender register for life and abide by indefinite restraining orders prohibiting him from contacting the victims, and he is also barred from working with children.

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A PAEDOPHILE has been put behind bars after sexually assaulting a teenager – then returning to try again.

A judge said that Dean Redmond ‘violated’ the girl to ‘satisfy his perverted desires’, before blaming the victim and ‘attempting to conceal evidence’.

The 27-year-old only came clean when scientific evidence exposed his actions, Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday.

He appeared there after admitting four counts of sexual assault and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place in the form of a knuckleduster.

Frank Dillon, prosecuting, informed the court how the defendant was alone with the victim in Warrington and asked if she wanted to be treated ‘like a kid or her age’, before kissing her.

He then ‘got on top of her’ and again started to kiss and grope her, before lifting her clothing and touching her in an inappropriate, sexual and unwanted manner.

He left her alone when she said she did not want to keep going – but Redmond returned later and again tried to remove here clothing.

The victim reported the incident to an adult and the police were informed.

Officers attended his Hood Manor home and arrested him, and during a search of the address, they found a knuckleduster.

The court heard that Redmond ‘recently showered’, and that this was an ‘attempt to conceal evidence’.

He denied sexual assault, telling officers that the victim had ‘accused him of being a drug dealer’ and that if he did not leave, ‘she would say he had touched her’.

The court heard an impact statement prepared by the victim, who said she suffers ‘constant flashbacks, cannot get the incident ou of her head and does not feel herself anymore’.

“My whole life has been turned upside down. I no longer feel safe anywhere,” she said.

"My mum said she cannot remember the last time she saw me smile or laugh. I just constantly feel down.

"I have felt empty inside ever since it happened. At night when I close my eyes and when I'm awake, it's all I think about.”

Mr Dillon detailed to the court Redmond’s previous convictions, including a suspended prison sentence for being concerned in the supply of cannabis in 2015 and a fine for battery in 2018.

Defending his client, Julian Nutter, highlighted the defendant’s ‘good employment’, and the fact that the ‘inevitable’ custodial sentence will ‘destroy his capacity to support his family’.

Before sentencing, recorder Richard Pratt said: "You began a series of sexual assaults upon her by forcibly trying to kiss her.

“She sought to escape your attentions, but you were undeterred.

"I am entirely satisfied that she did not give you the slightest indication that she wanted you to touch her sexually.

“She was plainly in deep distress, and that distress has continued.

"She has, on any view, been significantly affected psychologically by your actions. It has disrupted her upbringing significantly, in my view.

"You have, in so many ways, violated her. Despite the fact that she was a child, you found her sexually attractive and wanted to satisfy your perverted desires there and then despite her age.

"To add insult to injury, you accused her of making false allegations. You persisted with that lie.

"Scientific evidence exposed your case once and for all. Only then did you own up.

“The reality is that your actions have shown very little remorse at all, trying to avoid responsibility for what you did."

Redmond, of Sycamore Lane in Hood Manor, was sentenced to four years and two months immediate imprisonment.

He was also told he must sign the sex offender register for life and was handed an indefinite restraining order prohibiting him from contacting the victim.

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A CONVICTED sex offender has been jailed for breaching the requirements of the sex offender’s register.

Christopher Boardwell was placed on the register in 2015 following convictions of sexual offences involving a child.

Chris Hopkins, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday (February 29) how a requirement of the registration was to notify the police of any changes including financially.

Boardwell, of Hollybank Caravan Park, Rixton, breached this by opening a new bank account with Monzo in which his monthly wage was paid into and not registering this new account with the police.

This meant the police were not able to carry out financial checks or monitor his accounts if they needed to.

“The defendant was arrested and made no communication in the interview,” Mr Hopkins said.

Boardwell was brought before the courts in 2015 after being convicted of trying to convince a female under the age of 13 to engage in penetrative activity, the court heard.

The offence took place in 2012 and involved the defendant communicating with a girl as young as 12 on an online chat room and attempting to encourage them to carry out sexual acts.

He was handed a sentence of 18-months suspended for two years.

Mr Hopkins explained how in 2017 the defendant was sentenced to a further stay in prison after breaching the order.

And in November 2020, Boardwell also breached the requirements of registration by failing to inform police of his new address and was sentenced to another 14-month custodial term.

Defending, Gareth Roberts said: “He is 42 years of age. He has pleaded to this offence in lower court on January 25 on his first appearance.

“He knows and realises offences like this are also serious. When he was in prison for his last breach, his bank account was closed down. He opened the account after and said he did inform the police of the account and the police said ‘leave it with us’.

“He accepts he should have followed process and gone down to the station to properly register it.

“He wants to start again and rebuild his life.”

Concluding the sentencing, honour judge David Porter served the defendant an immediate sentence of eight-months.

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A paedophile was caught after a camera he had hidden in toilets at an Air Training Corps (ATC) centre was found.

The police investigation that followed saw Andrew Thompson, 32, from Great Sankey, Warrington, admit to sexually abusing several boys.

He also amassed thousands of images of children, some taken at a school he worked in as a teaching assistant.

Thompson was jailed for eight years at Chester Crown Court on Monday, after pleading guilty to 33 offences.

In July 2022 a member of staff at the ATC centre at which Thompson volunteered discovered the hidden camera.

'Sexual predator'

Police forensics experts found thousands of images of children on it, as well as footage of the man installing the device.

The man was identified as Thompson, of Rossall Road in Great Sankey, Warrington.

He was arrested on 23 December 2022, and police found other electronic devices that contained a number of images of children. These included images taken by Thompson at the ATC centre and the school.

Officers spoke to a number of children known to Thompson, some of whom revealed he had sexually assaulted them. Thompson was re-arrested and charged in September, 2023.

In court he pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13, 19 counts of voyeurism, two counts of making (downloading) indecent images of children, two counts of creating indecent images, and one count of possessing indecent images.

On top of his prison sentence, Thompson was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for life, is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), and was handed restraining orders prohibiting him from contacting his victims.

Cheshire Police Det Insp Simon Mills, from Cheshire Police, described Thompson as a "sexual predator".

He said: "He abused his position and it's clear that he had no regards for his victims, his only concern was to fulfil his own sexual gratification."

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A DISGUSTING sex offender has been jailed after exchanging sexual messages with a girl he believed to be 12.

Louis Smith, 37, was caught out by a group of online paedophile hunters exchanging messages of a sexual nature with a ’12-year-old-girl’ he met online.

Smith appeared at Liverpool Crown Court to be sentenced for one count of ‘intentionally causing a child to look at an image of a person engaging in sexual activity’ and another of ‘attempting to engage in sexual communicate with a child by sending indecent images of himself’.

Prosecuting, Henry Riding told the court how the 37-year-old had begun talking to ‘Grace’ in late 2022 and said the conversation had initially not been sexual. In this initial chat, he was told the girl he was talking to was 12.

The man had been serving a suspended sentence when he first contacted the fake account,

Smith, of Goldcliff Close, Callands, began talking to ‘Grace’ again eight months later in August 2023 – talking to the hunters’ decoy account for just over a week.

In this week, he sent various sexually explicit messages to her, including pictures of himself, and made further sexual requests of ‘Grace’, asking her to send him photos or videos.  

He was then confronted and apprehended by the paedophile hunting group, and later arrested.

Defending Smith, Emily Calman told the court how the Goldcliff Close resident had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Ms Calman also went on to stress, ‘He has never done anything like this before’ but admitted ‘this was a nasty offence’.

She also added that, whilst he did not deny the offence, he had been drinking and taking ‘substances’ heavily following a death in the family. This has, according to Ms Calman, been resolved.

Judge Trevor Jones, presiding over the case, said that while Smith had pleaded guilty, he was ‘still minimising his culpability’ according to a pre-sentence report.

He went on to state that the report had assigned a medium risk of reoffending to the 37-year-old man.

Judge Jones gave out a sentence of two years for the most serious offence, reduced to 14 months due to the guilty plea and the fact it was ‘only an attempt’. Smith also received 10 months for the second offence, to be served concurrently.

He will serve an immediate custodial sentence and will be placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

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A PAEDOPHILE previously jailed for grooming a vulnerable boy has been hauled back to court for breaching the terms of his sex offender register requirements.

The conditions were imposed on Terence Grant-Hanlon after her sexually assaulted the child in the 1990s.

The 48-year-old, now of Warrington, appeared before Warrington Magistrates’ Court charged with failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements and obstructing a police officer.

The court heard from Joseph Kindley, prosecuting the case, how this breach occurred in Warrington on November 2.

Grant-Hanlon failed without reasonable excuse to comply with his notification requirements in that he failed to notify Cheshire Police of his current home address.

Then on November 7, he Obstructed a Cheshire Police officer constable in the execution of his duty.

The defendant was ordered to sign the sex offender register for life when he was jailed for 11 years at Liverpool Crown Court in May 2015.

The paedophile was found guilty of molesting the child when he was aged between 11 and 14 in the 1990s.

Grant-Hanlon, who was found guilty of 12 counts of sexual offences including indecent assault, exploited the child by giving him ‘lots of attention, sweets and presents’.

The defendant, of Suez Street in Warrington town centre, pleaded guilty to the two counts he faced before magistrates in Warrington.

As a result, he was sentenced to a 12-month community order, including 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was also fined £50 and ordered to pay both costs to the Crown Prosecution Service of £120 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £114.

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A CREEP came close to being determined a ‘dangerous offender’ after a predatory sexual assault on a vulnerable woman in her own home.

Kamen Smith, from Warrington, also launched a nasty attack on the woman’s boyfriend after he learnt of what had happened.

The 29-year-old was released under investigation by police, during which time he was caught peddling class A drugs in Warrington.

Having already been sentenced and jailed for the drug matters, he has now learnt his fate for his prior offending.

Smith appeared before Liverpool Crown Court, via video-link from HM Prison Liverpool, to be sentenced for charges of sexual assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

The case was opened by prosecutor David Polglase who explained how each of the offences occurred in the summer of 2021.

The defendant admitted the assault and criminal damage charges but denied the sexual assault, however he was convicted by a jury.

The evening prior to the offences, Smith had been drinking in St Helens, in the Black Bull pub in Eccleston and Bird I’th Hand pub on Prescot Road.

He then headed into the town's centre and ‘did not have much luck’ getting into other licenced venues, including Kandy Klub on Westfield Street.

By around 4am, having left the town centre, he was in the home of a woman and her boyfriend when events unfolded.

When the boyfriend was outside smoking, and while the woman was ‘tired and worse for wear with drink’, Smith sexually assaulted her.

The court heard how she was ‘seven out of 10 in terms of drunkenness’ and was taken advantage of by the defendant who ‘began to molest her’, despite her trying to dissuade him and stating she was not interested in his advances.

The boyfriend sensed something was not right, and he was later told what had happened by his girlfriend, leading to a confrontation.

Smith threw a punch and began to attack the male victim, having chased him outside, and he also damaged his car by kicking it, causing scuff marks and snapping the wingmirror.

As the victim fell to the floor, the attack continued with Smith repeatedly striking him to the face and head and kicking him to the back.

“The defendant said he would kill him and would not stop until he did,” Mr Polglase told the court, adding that the victim required a facial cut to be glued in hospital.

An impact statement prepared by the female victim was summarised, with the prosecutor stating how she still struggles to come to terms with what happened, with her mental health also impacted.

She struggles with sleep and suffers nightmares, and she does not feel safe in her home and when people walk past and knock on the door.

Mr Polglase revealed that Smith has previous convictions, including for assaulting an emergency worker and for public order offences.

While released under investigation for these offences, he also committed drug dealing offences in Warrington on April 6, 2022, and was convicted of possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

He was subsequently jailed for 28 months by judge David Swinnerton at Liverpool Crown Court on May 24 this year.

A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing took place on June 19, where an application to withdraw proceedings by prosecutor Rebecca Smith was approved by recorder Michael Blakey.

Orders were approved for the forfeiture and destruction of drugs and a mobile phone confiscated from him on his arrest, as well as for the confiscation of £150 found in his possession, which was donated to the court’s nominated charity of the month, East Liverpool RDA.

In defence of the defendant, Jeremy Smith described the events as ‘unpleasant’

“He has mental health, alcohol and drug problems – a very giddy cocktail of issues with this defendant, and he needs to address them,” he said.

“One reassuring matter is that he is coping and thriving in prison. The regime seems to suit him.”

In his sentencing remarks, judge Denis Watson said: “She was vulnerable in her own home, and the effect on her has been significant.

“It is not necessary for an extended determinate sentence. I have come close to determining you are a dangerous offender, but that would be me stretching the circumstances to reach that conclusion.

Smith, of Molyneux Avenue in Bewsey, was sentenced to four years in prison, which will run consecutive to his drug dealing sentence, meaning it will start when his current sentence ends.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offender register for life and abide by a restraining order not to contact or approach the female victim for the next six years.

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A PENSIONER is now banned from travelling alone on buses at certain times of the day after inappropriately touching a girl.

Malcolm Leather was the subject of a police CCTV appeal for information earlier this year following the disturbing incident.

The 69-year-old was identified and brought to justice after being sentenced at Warrington Magistrates’ Court.

Prosecutor Yvonne Dobson informed the court how the defendant was charged with assault of a girl under 13 by touching.

At sometime between 3pm and 3.30pm on Friday, February 17, a 12-year-old girl was travelling on the number three bus between Warrington Bus Station and the Manchester Road bus stop next to Beresford Street.

During the journey, an unknown man inappropriately touched her leg with his hand.

As stated in the charge to which he indicated a guilty plea, Leather intentionally touched the girl, with the touching being sexual.

Cheshire Police officers investigating the incident subsequently issued CCTV images of a suspect they wanted to speak to.

They said at the time that the incident was believed to be isolated and that they had been conducting a number of enquiries to trace the person responsible.

PC John Riley said: “I want to be clear that we are doing all we can to locate the person responsible and do believe this to be an isolated incident.

“We have a number of enquiries ongoing and as part of these we are now appealing for assistance to identify the man in the CCTV as we believe he may have vital information to assist us with our investigation.

“I would also appeal to the man himself to please come forward.”

After pleading guilty, Leather, of Samuel Street in Sankey Bridges, was sentenced by deputy district judge Angharad Davies to an 18-month community order.

This includes 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days, while he must also pay a fine of £120, costs to the Crown Prosecution Service of £120 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £114.

In addition, he must sign the sex offender register for the next five years and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.

One prohibition in the latter bans him from travelling alone on public transport, namely buses and trains, between the hours of 7.30am and 9.30am, and from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.

The order states that travelling within these times, Leather must be accompanied at all times by a support worker or other adult expressly approved by social services.

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A PERVERT has been put behind bars for his vile chats with someone he believed to be a young teenager.

Daniel Kelly engaged in sexual discussions with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl and encouraged her to send raunchy photos.

But the 36-year-old was in fact talking to an adult member of a paedophile hunter group, with members confronting him in public.

The defendant was later charged with attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child and two counts of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity.

He appeared before Liverpool Crown Court to be sentenced, with the court hearing how the discussions took place in June last year.

Kelly, as an adult, intentionally attempted to communicate with someone he did not reasonably believe to be 16 or over for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

He thought he was speaking with a 13-year-old girl, but it was actually an adult member of a paedophile hunter group seeking to root out offenders using the internet to satisfy their sexual interest in children.

During the online chats, he requested nude photographs from the child, referred to her as being sexy and sent her a photograph of himself in his underwear.

The defendant was confronted by members of the Saving Our Children Online paedophile hunter group at Patten Arms Hotel.

They discussed his online activity with him before Cheshire Police arrived and officers put him into the back of a police car.

Kelly, of Wrexham Close in Callands, was sentenced by recorder David Knifton to 30 months immediate imprisonment.

He was also issued with a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offender register both for a period of 10 years.

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A paedophile who amassed an enormous collection of child sex abuse pictures and videos sobbed as he appeared in Liverpool Crown Court yesterday.

Callum Latimer, 23, was caught with 165 indecent images and videos - including 58 of the most serious category A - on his phone following a police tip-off on November 30 last year. He also had 1,578 prohibited images of children.

Chat logs on his Samsung device also showed Latimer requesting indecent images of Japanese manga-style underage girls.

At Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, August 16, prosecutor Christopher Hopkins said images found on Latimer's phone showed young girls aged between three and 10-years-old.

Latimer, of Keswick Crescent in Warrington, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, possessing indecent images of children, and possessing prohibited images.

Anthony O'Donohoe, defending, said his client was of previously good character with no previous convictions. The court also heard the 23-year-old had "a number of significant neurodiverse conditions".

Judge Andrew Menary, sentencing, said: "It's plain that for a time you were active online soliciting or talking to others about these images and you acquired these images. They involve the serious abuse of very young children and it's for that reason people who possess these images and look for them in this way are encouraging this evil trade."

However, he decided not to impose an immediate prison sentence, saying: "A more constructive option would be to give you support within the community from the probation service."

Latimer cried as he was sentenced to a total of six months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was ordered to complete the Horizon programme for sex offenders, and carry out 150 hours of unpaid work. He was placed on the sex offenders register and given a sexual harm prevention order for five years.

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A PAEDOPHILE has been locked up by the courts for his depraved online sex chats with someone he believed to be a child.

Simon Bright believed he was communicating in a sexual manner with a 12-year-old girl.

The 50-year-old engaged in disgusting communications with her, telling the girl how he wanted to be her boyfriend and take a shower with her.

But he was actually talking to an adult operating a decoy profile in a bid to root out online offenders with a sexual interest in children.

After being caught, Bright was charged with attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

The case of the prosecution was outlined by Max Saffman, who explained to Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, July 25, how the offences occurred over a four-day period between August 25 and 28 last year.

The defendant admitted, through his guilty plea to the charge, intentionally attempting to communicate with a 12-year-old girl for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

He asked the ‘girl’ if she had a boyfriend and if she would like him to be her boyfriend, as well as telling her he wished he could join her in the shower.

Bright also asked her for photographs, asked her if she fancied him and asked her to talk sexually with him.

In addition, the defendant encouraged the ‘child’ to perform a sex act on herself and photograph herself doing so to send to him.

Bright, of Poplars Avenue in Orford, pleaded guilty to both charges and was sentenced by judge Simon Berkson to 28 months in prison.

He was also made the subject of sex offender registration and notification requirements for 10 years and a sexual harm prevention order for the same length of time.

In addition, the court approved an order for the forfeiture and destruction of his mobile phone seized by police.

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A PAEDOPHILE cried in the dock as the court heard how he encouraged a ‘teen’ to perform a sex act on herself and asked for pictures of her boobs.

Daniel Razak believed he was talking with a 13-year-old girl when he ‘quickly’ turned the conversation sexual.

But it was actually an undercover police officer from the child sex abuse unit whose role is to identify offenders with sexual interests in children.

Razak, of Mendip Avenue, Orford, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child, attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity and possession of cannabis.

Prosecuting, Alaric Walmsley said that last year, Cheshire Police received information that between September 5 and September 8, the defendant had engaged in sexual conversation with who he believed with a 13-year-old girl on Kik Messenger.

Mr Walmsley told the court how the defendant quickly sexualised the conversation with ‘Poppy’ – who was actually an undercover police officer that had selected a ‘teen chat mode’.

The 33-year-old sent Poppy, who he told he was 19, pornographic images and encouraged her to perform a sex act on herself.

He also added her on Snapchat.

After four days, the pair stopped communicating and Razak was arrested at a later date.

His Samsung phone was seized, and although no pictures of videos of child sex abuse were found, Razak’s search history showed terms such as ‘jail bait girl’ and ‘jail bait girl Twitter’.

The pornographic images he had sent to Poppy were also found on his phone, and cannabis was found on his living room table.

During a police interview, Razak, who is a dad, told officers he did not ‘fully understand’ why he had behaved in this way and that he did not believe he was attracted to children.

Mr Walmsley said that Razak has no previous convictions.

Defending, Simon Christie said how his client ‘had the sense’ to stop communicating with Poppy.

He said: “Those conversations started on September 5 and stopped on September 8, long before he could have known of any police interest.”

The court heard how Razak is ‘deeply remorseful’ for his behaviour and feels shame.

Mr Christie also said how is client is a man of previous good character who works full time and supports his family.

Concluding, judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: “You initiated the contact with her and quickly sexualised the conversation.

“These are serious matters.

“I do accept you are exhibiting a significant degree of remorse.”

Razak was handed a 20-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

He must also complete up to 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 160 hours of unpaid work.

The court also ordered Razak to sign the sex offender register for 10 years and he is also subjected to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

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A COURT has heard how a woman felt violated after waking up to find she was being sexually assaulted while asleep.

Louis Griffiths was found preying on the victim after they met just hours earlier on a night out in the town centre.

The 21-year-old was repeatedly told that there was no romantic inclination between them as she turned down his advances.

But he failed to take note and was later charged with sexual assault, to which he pleaded guilty on the day of his trial.

The case was outlined at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, Wednesday, July 19, by prosecutor Kenneth Grant who informed the court how the complainant was in the town centre with friends on a night out.

They left a bar at around 3am ‘having had a good time and a few drinks’, it was said, before heading to a pizza takeaway nearby.

Here, they met the defendant, where after a chat it was decided they would head back to a pub in which Griffiths lived on Wilderspool Causeway.

The group agreed and they had more drinks and played pool when they got there.

During the hours that followed, the court heard that the defendant tried to flirt with the women, tried to kiss them and invited the victim upstairs alone with him.

He was turned down however, and it was said that that none of the women were interested in him romantically, which they made clear to him.

At around 6am, they all went upstairs to sleep in a spare room, with the victim falling asleep fully clothed and partially covered by a blanket.

She woke however feeling a wet sensation to her genital area, and when she looked down she saw the defendant with his head between her legs and her underwear removed.

She shouted ‘what are you doing’ to him, which woke up the others. Griffiths then became aggressive and smashed a mirror in the room, causing a cut to his own hand.

Before everyone left, the defendant began to cry and apologise to the victim, who reported what had happened to the police.

Griffiths was arrested on June 14 and interviewed, where he tried to cover his actions with a made-up account, which has since been abandoned after he accepted the true facts of the case.

In an impact statement, the victim said she did not want to leave home or talk to anyone after what had happened and felt ‘uncomfortable in her own skin’ and ashamed.

Thinking about it made her feel ‘upset, isolated and violated’, and she said: “I refused to go out and put myself in a situation where I got tipsy where a predator could attack me.”

“I am shocked that this man thought he had the right to assault me. I cannot imagine what could have happened had I not woken up.”

Mitigating on behalf of his client, Stephen McNally spoke of how Griffiths had a ‘lack of maturity for his age’ at the time and how his actions were ‘out of character’ for someone with no previous convictions.

It was added that he is ‘genuinely remorseful’, wishes to apologise the victim, does not drink as much as he used to, is now in a long-term relationship and has not reoffended since.

Mr McNally called for a suspended sentence, but this was rejected by recorder Richard Pratt who said: “She was asleep and extremely vulnerable when you assaulted her.

“I accept that you were 19 at the time and immature, but in my view you are, and were, old enough to understand the seriousness of your actions.”

He concluded: “It would send out completely the wrong message to the victim and the public if I imposed anything other than an immediate custodial sentence.”

Griffiths was sentenced to 12 months in prison and must abide by sex offender registration and notification requirements for the next 10 years.

Description

Image: https://uk-database.org/2023/07/11/kieran-keyworth-warrington/

A PAEDOPHILE who admitted committing more than 20 child sex offences charges has been allowed to walk free from court.

Kieran Keyworth was communicating with eight ‘young girls’ online, with vile discussions including graphic details about how he would engage in sexual activity with them.

The 20-year-old was also found with a sickening stash of indecent images of children (IIOC), with toddlers as young as three being sexually abused.

But because it is a ‘difficult world for someone with his conditions’, he was spared a custodial sentence by the courts.

The defendant was charged with more than 20 child sex offences, including communications, incitement to engage in sexual activity, making indecent images and distributing them.

Liverpool Crown Court heard from prosecutor Simon Mintz on Friday, July 7, how 159 IIOC were found across two of his mobile phones examined by police – images he had been collecting since the age of 13.

Officers also found ‘thousands of pages of texts and chats’ showing he had been having sexualised conversations with eight girls between the ages of 15 and 15.

Four of these were real children, while police were unable to verify if the other four child profiles were being operated by real children or if they were decoys, run by paedophile hunter groups for example.

Keyworth was first approached by police in February 2021, with officers seizing his Google Pixel phone for forensic analysis.

This revealed sickening images showing girls as young as three and aged up to 14 being sexually abused.

In total, 39 of the images were graded in category A – the most severe category involving child rape – while 25 were put in category B and 72 in category C.

The defendant was released under investigation, and after this he obtained a Samsung phone, which later analysis also revealed contained 23 category C IIOC.

Moreover, in August 2020, he was found to have distributed a category B video and six category C images to other paedophiles online.

Mr Mintz spoke of how the phones had a ‘sophisticated set-up’ including the use of VPN software to mask his location, demonstrating that Keyworth had a ‘high level of knowledge’.

He was using Snapchat and WhatsApp to chat with girls under the age of 16, while his search history had ‘terms indicative of this type of offending’.

Keyworth also used Omegle, which randomly pairs people to chat, Discord, Swiper and whatshalfway.com, with the latter finding a point halfway between two locations when discussing meeting up with children for sexual activity.

To one girl, he told her what sexual activity he would like her to do to him, requested a video of her and said: “Are you down to do stuff like sex?”

To another, he made repeated and persistent requests for her to send topless photos and perform sex acts on her self and described ‘in graphic detail’ how he would like to have sex with her.

To a 14-year-old girl, he said he would ‘do her senseless’, while to a 15-year-old he requested a ‘proper ass pic’ and sent her a photo of his penis.

When discussing sexual activity between them, Keyworth said: “You’re 15, I’d get slaughtered.”

In mitigation, Jim Smith told the court: “This is a unique case with a unique defendant, calling for a unique sentence.”

He highlighted how his client, who has no previous convictions, has autistic spectrum condition coupled with severe learning difficulties and/or disabilities, as well as an IQ of 68 compared to the average of 100.

Mr Smith said that Keyworth would struggle in a custodial setting and that reports prepared in advance of the hearing stated that his conditions had a ‘direct causative effect to the offences’ he committed.

He added that the defendant suffered isolation during the Covid pandemic and that this was a ‘difficult world for someone with his conditions’, but referenced that he has not reoffended in the two and a half years since.

Before sentencing, recorder Ian Harris said that the ‘choice I have to make is stark’, but chose against a custodial sentence so that the defendant could get ‘support’.

“At the time you committed these offences, your learning disability impaired your ability to exercise appropriate judgement, impaired your ability to make choices and impaired your ability to understand the effects and consequences of your actions.”

Keyworth, of Parker Street in the town centre, was sentenced to a two-year community order including 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and a 43-day programme requirement.

He was also handed a sexual harm prevention order to restrict his ability to reoffend and must comply with sex offender registration and notification requirements with the police – both for the next five years.

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A Warrington paedophile who "doesn't get any attention from women" was caught by paedophile hunters.

Pervert Andrew Carter believed he was telling a '13-year-old girl' to practice kissing using fruit. The self-confessed loner also told her age is 'just a number'.

Carter was made to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life at Liverpool Crown Court. He was sentenced on Friday, June 2, reports the Liverpool Echo.

The court heard that Carter first initiated contact with a decoy account run by Saving Our Children Online on the app Wink in September last year. David Birrell, prosecuting, described how, when told that he was communicating with a girl aged 13, Carter responded by saying that "age was just a number".

He then continued to send a string of often daily sexualised messages over WhatsApp over the period of nearly a month. The defendant - of Poachers Lane in Latchford, Warrington - said in one exchange: "I might fall in love with you.

"I kind of secretly hope you will fall in love with me. We will keep it a secret until you're old enough to marry me."

Carter asked her "are you naked" and told her he wanted to meet up with her at Warrington Bank Quay Station, saying he would give her money and adding "I could teach you a few things". He also instructed her to perform vile sex acts on herself and requested pictures of her in her underwear and a video of her naked, as well as sending photographs of his penis.

The sex offender told her to practice kissing with apples and oranges before being traced by members of the group, who livestreamed a confrontation with him on social media on October 22 then called the police. Under interview, Carter described himself to detectives as a "loner who didn't get any attention from women".

He confessed that he "knew it was illegal" but denied having wanted to sexually abuse the child during his planned meetup. Simeon Evans, defending, told the court that his "remorseful" client suffers from depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder and added: "It seems the gravity of this has hit home and he understands how wrong it was.

"This is a man who has no previous convictions, despite a bad start in life. He leads perhaps a rather sad, lonely and pathetic life, but he has not committed any offences until now."

Carter admitted arranging a child sex offence, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting sexual communications with a child. He laughed before leaning forward and resting his head on the front of the dock after he was jailed for 33 months.

Sentencing, Judge Louise Brandon said: "Your intention was clear, and it involved you inciting serious sexual activity with you receiving sexual gratification by it. You knew that what you were doing was wrong.

"This court has concerns, given your reluctance to accept that you have a sexual interest in children. I cannot conclude that, presently, there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation."

Carter was also given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. He will be required to sign the sex offenders' register for life.