Latest Offenders Wiltshire

Description

A former teacher at a historic Gloucester grammar school has been sentenced to a three year community order for communicating sexually with a boy whom he was privately tutoring.

Gloucester Crown Court heard yesterday (August 29) that 30-year-old Joseph Nicholson had always wanted to be a teacher and, following his training, he gained a position as an English master at The Crypt School.

He was later contacted by the parents of a boy who wanted private tuition in English for their son and Nicholson agreed to help during his spare time.

Prosecutor Alex Daymond said that, in the spring of last year, Nicholson offered to loan the boy some of his own books for additional reading. The boy and his tutor then began exchanging emails but at that time nothing untoward occurred.

Mr Daymond said: "But when Nicholson loaned the boy a copy of The City and the Pillar, a novel by American writer Gore Vidal, about a young man who is coming of age and discovers his own homosexuality, he wrote a note inside the back cover, which included his phone number, but it was incomplete as it had one digit missing. Nicholson said he wasn't sure how the boy would feel about that.

"After a subsequent exchange of emails, the missing numeral was given and the boy made contact with Nicholson. They began to message each other by WhatsApp.

"Nicholson told the boy to change the contact name for him on his phone to an alias and the name Joe Richardson was chosen.

"The boy then received numerous messages from Nicholson, asking him what books had he read. He began thinking that some of the messages were a bit weird in the way they were written. He said he would expect that sort of language from some of his friends, not from his tutor.

"On one occasion at the beginning of the summer, the boy was attending a family celebration and received his first blatantly sexual message, which stated that Nicholson was masturbating himself. Throughout the day, he received further messages from Nicholson and he began feeling uneasy and forwarded one of the text messages to a friend for his opinion.

"A few days later, the boy spoke to Nicholson about speaking language development and asked him for some pointers about it, to which Nicholson responded, 'You can do something to sweeten the deal', to which the boy made a throwaway remark about getting a bag of sweets.

"Nicholson then asked to see the boy on his own away from his home. It was at this point the boy realised that things were taking a turn for the worse. He felt strange and anticipated what was coming next, because he had seen this scenario in television dramas.

"The boy then got the courage to start saying 'no' to Nicholson, who sent another text, 'I want to see you without your top on' to which the boy said 'no' again.

"The boy then approached his mother to tell her about what was going on with his home tutor. The police were contacted about the boy's family's concerns, who in turn contacted the school about the actions of one of its teachers."

Judge Ian Lawrie KC commented: "The actions of Nicholson were an act of manipulation on many aspects. He was a teacher who behaved in a totally inappropriate way out of school. His brief teaching career is now at an end. He would have known from his training and life experiences in general, that his actions are not acceptable.

"Additionally, I know Gore Vidal's book that was referred to, which was published in 1948. It was ahead of its time, but I question its validity in this day and age. As I recall, It's not pornographic, but a journey of emotional torture.

"Why did Nicholson choose this book for the boy to read? Was there a hidden message? I feel the underlying message was an element of careful manipulation into the subject."

Ross McQuillan-Johnson, defending, said that Nicholson's career as a teacher has ceased and his current employment is also at risk, as it depended on the sentence he receives. He said Nicholson faces the possibility of further disciplinary proceedings.

Nicholson, of Fairway, Calne, Wiltshire, told the judge from the dock: "I spent the last year feeling broken. I've struggled with what I've done and have tried to rectify this with counselling for much of the past year. I've spent a lot of time waiting on the Crown Prosecution Service's charging decision.

"I now have a better understanding of things and have been able to talk to counsellors about my own issues. I've been helping others with their problems before facing up to my own mental issues.

"The sessions have enabled me to deal with my own grief and create stronger relationships. However, the biggest worry for me has been the prospect of being sent to prison. I went into teaching later in life because I wanted to wait until I was ready. I felt very good at being employed at the Crypt Grammar School."

Nicholson pleaded guilty to intentionally communicating with a boy under the age of 16 in a sexual manner, namely requesting a topless picture of the boy and making reference to masturbation.

Judge Lawrie told Nicholson: "Your public humiliation is extreme and complete. No doubt this sentencing will be reported in the media. Your teaching career, which you obviously spent time qualifying for, is now over.

"You committed a series of offences which breached the trust that the boy's parents had shown you. Two things concern me about your case. You sent that book, The City and the Pillar to your victim and I feel there was a hidden sexual motive to your actions. This causes me some concerns and makes your offending cross the custody threshold.

"However, the guidelines for this would only result in a short prison sentence, while your mitigation places you within a community-based sentence. This is both a punishment and the chance of learning your lesson."

The judge sentenced Nicholson to a 36-month community order, which includes 200 hours of unpaid work, 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 30 programme sessions and a monthly judicial review. He ordered that Nicholson pay a contribution towards court costs of £425 and a mandatory surcharge of £90.

The judge placed Nicholson on the sex offenders register for five years and made him subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same time period.

Description

A Wiltshire man who was caught by paedophile hunters has escaped a prison term.

46-year-old Gary Edge was convicted of attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.

It came after Wiltshire Police received information that between March and May last year, the defendant had been conversing with what he believed to be an underage girl.

The girl – an adult decoy set up by a group of paedophile hunters – had informed Edge that she was only 14, but he continued trying to engage her in a sexual conversation.

At Salisbury Crown Court last Monday (3 July), the defendant was sentenced to an eight-month prison sentence – suspended for two years.

He must also comply with a six-month alcohol treatment requirement, attend 20 rehabilitation activity days and pay a court surcharge of £156.

Edge, of Swaledale Road, Warminster, was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same length of time.

DS Sam Hopkinson from CID said: “I’m pleased that Edge has been sentenced and has been given a lengthy sexual harm prevention order and must be on the Sex Offender’s Register for the next decade.

“Wiltshire Police is completely committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and those who seek to do them harm.

“While there was fortunately no victim in this case, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone who has suffered a sexual offence to please come forward and speak to us as soon as you can.

“Our specially trained officers will treat you with sensitivity and compassion.

“I would also urge anyone who has concerns that a child they know may be being abused or exploited, to report this to us.”

Description

A Wiltshire man caught by paedophile hunters twice has escaped a prison sentence after spending over four months behind bars on remand.

Michael Wadley, 69, asked what he believed to be a 14-year-old girl for naked photographs, stating he wanted to print them off and put them on his wall.

The defendant also sent the girl a photograph of a penis and encouraged her to masturbate.

Unbeknown to him, he was actually talking to paedophile hunters posing as the youngster who attended his home in December 2021 and confronted him about his behaviour.

During a 40-minute-long live stream, police attended the defendants home in Bancroft, Bradford on Avon, and arrest him. He was released on police bail before being charged in late 2022.

Later appearing at Salisbury Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and making four indecent images of children three in the most serious category.

Having been released on bail again ahead of sentencing, a different group of paedophile hunters arrived at his address to confront him over new offending claiming that he had been communicating with a child online again.

He was arrested and put before Swindon Magistrates Court the following day. He admitted breaching his bail conditions by initiating contact with a 14-year-old girl and telling her she was stunning.

He was remanded into custody ahead of sentencing and subsequently, his health deteriorated significantly which resulted in the sentencing hearing being delayed multiple times.

On Monday (26 June), he was finally sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court by the judge, Recorder Neil Millard.

He said: Of concern in this case, whilst on bail you breached your bail by contacting a 14-year-old girl, resulting in you being remanded in custody.

You have served a four-month custodial sentence, which is equivalent to an eight-month sentence.

Mr Millard took into account his time spent in custody and imposed a 15-month prison sentence suspended for two years. He also imposed a ten-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

As part of the order, Wadley is banned from having unsupervised contact with any child under the age of 16 excluding one person named on the order and is prohibited from wiping his internet history.

He can continue to use the internet, including social media, but has to seek prior approval from the police and must provide them with his usernames and passwords.

Description

A Calne father who downloaded child abuse images has narrowly avoided prison.

43-year-old Martin Tyrrell was caught with the vile content after police officers seized and later examined devices taken from his former home in Devizes in late 2022.

The raid came after the force received a tip-off about his perverted digital behaviour – with a report that an email address linked to the defendant was being used to access illicit material.

Eleven indecent images were discovered on one of his electronic devices and he was subsequently charged. In an interview, he lied to officers by claiming he wasn’t home when the files were downloaded.

But at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court in March, he admitted the offending. During that hearing, defence solicitor Matthew George said his client was referred to the mental health team after his arrest.

He was referred to Stop It Now, an organisation that helps people worried about their thoughts and behaviour relating to child sexual abuse, and he completed a programme with them.

Mr George said that Tyrrell, of Lambourn Court, has “learned a good deal about himself and his offending behaviour” and added that he is “now able to stop it himself”.

On 1 June, at the same court, he was handed a 26-week prison sentence suspended for two years. Tyrrell must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 40 rehabilitation activity days.

The magistrates also imposed a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) for seven years, which bans the man from using internet devices unless approved by the police, deleting web search history and using social media or chat rooms without asking the Public Protection Unit prior and providing them with his passwords.

Description

A convicted sex offender has escaped prison despite carrying out yet another attack.

29-year-old Jason Collins was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in Marlborough following a trial held at Swindon Magistrates’ Court in January.

At a sentencing hearing in March, prosecutor Keith Ballinger said that the defendant squeezed the victim’s bottom following a verbal altercation in September 2021.

The woman – who knew Collins through family – responded by shouting: “Don’t touch my f**king bum” and police were called to the scene.

In a victim personal statement, she said that she had left her hometown as a result of the incident and now suffers from depression and anxiety, which has put a strain on her relationship.

She spoke about the assault having an impact on her eating – stating that she doesn’t eat for days or weeks at a time due to feeling disgusted with her body.

The court heard how, in January 2021, he was convicted of sexual assault and received a suspended prison sentence. Already a registered sex offender at the time of that attack, he was also prosecuted for a breach of the sex offender notification requirements.

Mr Jones, defending, said that Collins “still maintains that he did not engage in this activity at all”.

He added that this allegation is very different from his previous offending, but accepted that Collins has “a significant history of sexual offences”.

Mr Jones added that his client – who suffered a “very traumatic childhood” – has made “significant progress” over recent years. He said he had stopped drinking, is learning to drive and looking for work.

Magistrates accepted that his behaviour has improved since the date of the incident and imposed a 36-month community order. He must pay £200 costs and a £95 surcharge.

Collins, of Avro Close, Upavon, must register as a sex offender for five years. This will run concurrently with any existing registration. A 12-month restraining order was also imposed.

Description

A retired Wiltshire police officer has admitted offences relating to indecent images of children.

Robert Gabbott, 64, also known as Bob, pleaded guilty to collecting and distributing hundreds of vile child abuse images when he appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court.

The married defendant, of Elizabeth Close, Melksham, was told to register as a sex offender within 72 hours of the hearing in late November.

The case was deemed too serious to be dealt with by magistrates, with the case sent to Swindon Crown Court. He will be sentenced in January 2023.

Gabbott – who is also a member of Wiltshire Freemasons and helped out marshal at the Melksham vaccination centre – accepted two charges of distributing indecent images of a child in categories A and B.

He also accepted three charges of making (collecting) indecent images of a child – including 200 in category A, 199 in category B and 457 in category C.

Category A images – which can be moving or still – involve penetrative sexual activity, category B involve non-penetrative sexual activity and category C includes images not falling within categories A or B.

The offences were dated between 18 September 2021 and 14 January 2022.

Gabbott was released on unconditional bail until sentencing.

Description

 A PAEDOPHILE has been jailed after he downloaded indecent images of children within weeks of a suspended sentence lapsing for similar offending.

Stuart Keith Waghorne, who lived in Bournemouth at the time of his crimes, was caught with more than 3,000 images obtained across a four-month period last year.

This criminal behaviour started less than a month after a suspended sentenced he received back in 2019 had expired.

Judge William Mousley KC jailed the 50-year-old defendant for 21 months at a Bournemouth Crown Court Hearing on Friday, November 4.

Waghorne, now of Bramley Hill, Mere, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and breach of a sexual harm prevention order. 

 Prosecuting, Sophie Johns said the defendant, who has worked most of his life as a butcher, was arrested on December 14, 2021, after police received information about his suspected behaviour. An analysis of his phone was carried out by officers.

A large number of still of moving images were found – 2,342 category A (the most serious), 414 category B and 249 category C.

Ms Johns said the material, which was downloaded between August and December last year, included children as young as two, with visible destress expressed by the victims.

The images were found across two applications on the phone as well Waghorne’s email application, with the majority of the files still accessible. 

 Prosecuting, Sophie Johns said the defendant, who has worked most of his life as a butcher, was arrested on December 14, 2021, after police received information about his suspected behaviour. An analysis of his phone was carried out by officers.

A large number of still of moving images were found – 2,342 category A (the most serious), 414 category B and 249 category C.

Ms Johns said the material, which was downloaded between August and December last year, included children as young as two, with visible destress expressed by the victims.

The images were found across two applications on the phone as well Waghorne’s email application, with the majority of the files still accessible. 

 The court heard Waghorne received a suspended sentence in July 2019 for similar offences of possessing indecent images.

The offences which brought him back before the courts started just weeks after the suspended sentence had lapsed. 

 Mitigating, Rob Griffiths said his client’s actions all stemmed from the breakdown of his marriage, which he described as an “unpleasant break up”.

Mr Griffiths said the defendant had set about trying to restore his masculinity following the seperation. After starting out watching adult pornography, the offender ended up at the “taboo” which brought him before the courts.

The barrister said the suspended sentence Waghorne received in 2019 did not contain any targeted programme to work on his sexual interest in children. He asked the judge to give his client a final chance, with there being a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

Judge Mousley KC said he had concluded only the only appropriate punishment in the case was immediate imprisonment.

Alongside the prison sentence, the judge extended the sexual harm prevention order to run for 10 years from the date of the hearing. Waghorne was placed on the sex offenders register for the same period of time. 

Description

A Wiltshire rapist who treated his "terrified" victim like an "inanimate object" has been jailed for six years.

James Rumney raped the female victim twice after they met on a night out.

Rumney was out with a group with friends in September 2020 when he met the victim.

When they moved on to the home of one of the friends in the group, Rumney and the woman had consensual sex.

But, during the evening, Rumney, of Poulton Hill, Marlborough, demanded more sex which his victim didn’t want.

He forced himself on her and raped her twice before she eventually managed to leave the bedroom to get away from him.

A jury at Swindon Crown Court unanimously found the 29-year-old of guilty of two counts of rape last month.

The victim has been praised by the sentencing judge and police for her bravery in reporting the crime.

Today, two years after the incident, Rumney was sentenced to six years in prison and will be on the sex offenders register for life on release.

Judge James Townsend said during sentencing: "I do not take you had consensual sex earlier, a mitigating factor.

"The impact on your victim has been devastating. I want to pay tribute to her for revealing these matters and to go through the trauma of giving evidence."

Detective Constable Sally Booth from Wiltshire Police said: “This case has highlighted how a relatively typical situation, where a man and woman have consensual sex together after meeting up on a night out, can quickly change to the awful crime of a serious sexual assault.

“Our victim asked the perpetrator to stop on more than one occasion but he refused and continued to force himself on her, at times treating her like an inanimate object.

"She was terrified and very distressed and it took an enormous amount of bravery for her to get away from him and then report it to us.

“Situations like this where something starts out as consensual but quickly turns to non-consensual I believe are not uncommon.

"However, often a victim will feel like they cannot report it because they agreed to sleep with the perpetrator in the first place and so no-one will believe them.

“This is just not true. If you have been or ever are in situation like this, you must report it – a serious crime has been committed.

"You will be believed and treated by specially trained officers. We will investigate the crime and take every action possible to bring the offender to justice.

“I’d like to thank the victim for having the courage to come forward and report this in the first place.

"It’s not an easy thing to do but her bravery in doing this helped us investigate this crime which led to this jail sentence.”

Description

A sex offender has been locked up after using Facebook to share "extreme" indecent images of children.

Richard Baker was jailed on Thursday, March 10, for 28 months after pleading guilty to seven charges. All of his offences were connected to distressing pictures of kids.

Wiltshire Police's Child Internet Exploitation Team went to Baker's address in September 29, 2020 after receiving a tip off that the 66-year-old, of no fixed address in Bratton, Westbury, had been uploading photos to the internet. He was arrested and his home was searched.

Indecent images were discovered on two mobile phones - they were classed as 'category A', meaning they were of the most serious type. Officers described them as among the "most extreme" images shared by sex offenders online.

Det Con Sadie McCoy said: This investigation began when we received information that Baker had been using his personal Facebook account to distribute indecent images of children. We then seized multiple devices to fully understand the scale of the offending and as part of our enquiries we found some of the most extreme type of indecent images of children.

"Baker admitted to not only possessing extreme pornographic images and making indecent images, but also distributing these indecent images. The Child Internet Exploitation Team at Wiltshire Police is dedicated to identifying offenders like Baker and ensuring they are brought to justice.

"Every child pictured in the images he accessed and distributed will be a victim of real abuse and needs protecting and safeguarding. We will continue to put these victims at the heart of what we do.

As well as his prison sentence, Baker was also issued with a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to pay a 181 victim surcharge. To report child sex abuse to Wiltshire Police, call 101. More information for members of the public who suspect someone of accessing indecent images is available online.

Description

The former Deputy Director General for the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators has admitted committing three sexual assaults at a Wiltshire pub.

Appearing at Swindon Magistrates Court today (9 February), Thomas Cadman pleaded guilty to attacking two women in three assaults at The Red Lion in Castle Eaton.

Prosecutor Pauline Lambert said the 42-year-old, who lives less than a mile from the pub, in Blackford Lane, visited the establishment on 29 August last year.

Cadman grabbed his first victim by her buttocks with both hands and squeezed as he passed her in a doorway. Moments later, he did the same again but with less force.

He approached a second woman near the toilets and asked if her husband had gone in. He went on to grab her buttocks before he was pushed away.

Despite being told the stop, he then grabbed her face by her cheeks and pulled her head towards him.

The victim told the landlord about the ordeal and he spoke to the defendant about his behaviour before telling him he must apologise and leave the pub.

Cadman went over to his victim, who was with her husband following the incident and offered to buy them both a drink to make up for it. But the couple declined.

As he walked away, he stroked her buttocks and this was witnessed by another pubgoer.

No mitigation was provided and the case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report. Cadman, a qualified solicitor, will return to the same court for sentencing in March.

Description

A registered sex offender has been jailed for breaching a court order by trying to work with vulnerable teenagers.

Bruce Thomas Wayne, 33, had started to volunteer at a local community charity, despite police putting a ban on such activity.

Wayne was caught when a someone recognised him from a news story about his previous conviction.

Wiltshire Police described him as "a calculating and predatory offender".

Wayne, of Watermint Way, Calne, was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison at Swindon Crown Court.

Police said a conviction in 2010 paired with more recent concerns relating to his behaviour led them to impose a standalone sexual harm prevention order on him in October 2020.

Wayne, formerly known as Andrew Phillips, was not allowed to take on voluntary or paid work without informing his probation worker or become involved with any form of support group for children or adults.

News story

However, he was found to be volunteering with a charity which provided support for people aged 14 to 70.

Wiltshire Police praised the "responsible" actions of the Calne-based organisation, which did not allow Wayne to work unsupervised until a criminal background check had been completed.

The charity alerted Wiltshire Police after reading a news story about his previous conviction.

PC Sarah Greenman said: "Wayne tried to claim that he had misunderstood the terms of his order, but the judge rejected this claim, finding that what he was actually doing was trying to gain access to vulnerable teenagers.

"Registered sex offenders are subject to regular monitoring by the police and I hope this case provides reassurance that if and when they try to breach any restrictions that are in place, then they are dealt with robustly by the police and the courts."

Description

A BRAZEN paedophile subjected an 11-year-old girl to what a judge labelled a campaign of rape.

Jailing Luke Simpson for 18 years at Swindon Crown Court on Wednesday, Judge Jason Taylor QC said the 33-year-old had been cunning, determined, predatory and manipulative.

Simpson stood unblinking in the dock as he heard he would serve at least two-thirds of his jail time behind bars. He must serve an extended five years on licence.

The Melksham man showed little emotion throughout the hour-long hearing, only briefly placing his hands over his ears and staring towards the ceiling as prosecutor David Scutt read an impact statement from the victims mother telling of the devastation his sexual abuse had had on the whole family.

Assaults

Between January 2019 and October last year, Simpson subjected his victim then aged 11 and 12 to a campaign of abuse.

His sexual abuse had occurred too many times to count, the girl told police and included rape and other forms of assault.

Knowing the girls mother checked her phone, Simpson invented coded phrases for sexual activity like cuddles tonight? that he would send her via WhatsApp.

Mr Scutt said: He asked her if she would like what he was doing to her and if she said no, he would become in her words angry or moody with her for days.

The girl disclosed the abuse first to her younger sister then, last October, to her mother.

No remorse

Simpson was swiftly arrested but denied wrongdoing. However, he admitted to his own mum he had been in a sexual involvement with the girl and that it had been consensual.

Horrified by her sons lack of remorse, his mother gave a statement to the police. She said: I decided if Luke was not going to admit what had happened I was going to have to call it in myself. The mans father, who also gave a statement to the police, said giving the account seems like the most terrible thing ever but I know I have to.

Interviewed a second time, Simpson claimed the sexual activity had been initiated by his victim. He admitted being wrecked on drugs and alcohol, said he hadnt been living in actual reality and had been away with the fairies.

Mr Scutt made clear that Simpson had not entered a basis of plea and his sick claims to detectives were not accepted by the prosecution.

In an impact statement read to the court, his young victim said: I struggle to trust men and feel like Im not normal. As a 12-year-old girl I feel ashamed to have been treated like that. She added: He made me feel anxious, I sometimes thought he would kill me if I told anyone. I would feel safer knowing he is in prison. In her own statement, the victims mother praised her daughter and described Simpson as sick and demonic.

Simpson, formerly of Atworth, near Melksham, pleaded guilty to rape of a child, assault of a child by penetration and sexual assault.

'Cunning'

Judge Taylor said the mans offending amounted to a campaign of rape.

Imposing an extended sentence comprised of 18 years imprisonment and a further five years on licence, the judge said: Your brazen offending coupled with the risks that you were prepared to take to gratify your sexual desires is deeply concerning.

It was cunning, it was planned, it was determined, it was predatory, it was manipulative.

When seen in conjunction with your distorted and twisted view of her initiating or consenting to behaviour it reveals a troubling lack of empathy and insight which undoubtedly in my view heightens the risk to other young girls.

In my view, you will require extremely close management and monitoring on your release and an extended sentence not only manages that risk but also facilitates lengthier and more in-depth work to continue and indeed for your attitudes to be tested.

Mitigation

In mitigation, it was said that Simpson had experienced traumatic abuse himself as a child. Tabitha Macfarlane, defending, said her client took full responsibility for what hed done and pleaded guilty at an early stage. He tells me the actions were inexcusable and again I know this is cold comfort but he apologises for his behaviour and indeed he apologises through me today.

Simpson left the dock to taunts of bye from the public gallery. He will remain a sex offender for life and must abide by the terms of a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely.

Description

A "predatory" child sex offender who abused a victim for more than six years has finally been brought to justice and jailed.

Raymond Hollis, 79, was sentenced on Tuesday (January 12) to 16 years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to 12 counts of historical child sex offences dating back to the 1970s.

Guildford Crown Court has confirmed the offences took place in Surrey, Hampshire and London.

The victim, from Westbury in Wiltshire, was abused between the ages of five to 11 and kept it to themselves for 45 years before finding the strength to contact the police in 2019.

Hollis was tracked down and arrested on April 8, 2019. Following an investigation, he was charged on Christmas Eve of 2019 with six counts of indecent assault on a child under 13, and six counts of gross indecency with a child under 13 between 1973 and 1979.

He pleaded guilty to 11 of the 12 counts on November 30 last year, having already pleaded guilty to the other count at an earlier hearing.

Investigating officer detective constable Mike Powell, from the Sexual Offences Investigation Team, said: "The victim has shown remarkable courage and bravery in coming forward and reporting this offence to police.

"As a result of their actions, a dangerous and predatory sexual offender will be prevented from committing further similar crimes against others.

"This conviction sends a clear message to anyone who believes they have been a victim of sexual abuse that we will do all we can to investigate each case fully and seek to prosecute those responsible.

"Likewise I hope that this sentence sends a clear message to the perpetrators of these offences that no matter how much time has passed, serious sexual assaults will not be tolerated by Surrey Police and we will do everything within our power to hold them accountable for their actions and bring them to justice."

Commenting after the sentencing, an NSPCC spokesperson said: "Thanks to the bravery shown by this survivor of child sexual abuse, Hollis is now facing justice for his terrible actions.

"We want those who have endured these offences to know they will be listened to when they speak out, regardless of how many years have passed since their ordeals took place, or who the abuser is.

Description

A voyeur who hacked into home security cameras to spy on unsuspecting homeowners also used a hidden camera to film families in Butlins, Swindon Crown Court heard.

Sentencing John Wood, 42, to two years imprisonment suspended for two years, Judge Peter Crabtree labelled the mans crimes a systematic campaign of voyeurism over a period of six years.

Prosecutor Russell Pyne told the court Wood had been snared by the south west regional organised crime squads cyber unit during a joint investigation with the FBI into super-hacker Colton Grubbs, whose software LuminosityLink allowed users to secretly activate cameras and microphones to secretly record people in their own homes.

Detectives discovered that dad-of-one Wood had bought the software in July 2015, although there was no evidence he had used it.

But when officers analysed Woods computers they found a huge cache of secret video recordings hed made between 2011 and 2016.

He had also hacked into peoples private webcams and other camera-enabled devices to secretly watching them in their own homes. A programme, Blue Iris, more commonly used to organise CCTV feeds, had been used so he could monitor different illicitly-accessed cameras. There were 1,400 video files saved in a file named Blue Iris Videos, the majority of which showed people having sex at home. Videos linked to 45 different IP addresses had been uncovered.

One of his victims, a London man whose home security camera was accessed by Wood, said in an impact statement: It made me feel vulnerable and violated that the sanctity of our home has been accessed.

Wood also had almost 300 videos that he had shot himself. He used a camera to film women from windows in his home, devices hidden in his house and at a holiday cottage and took a hidden camera to Butlins, Bognor Regis, in November 2012, to film women in changing rooms.

One of his victims, who had been filmed using the toilet in Woods own home, said in a victim statement that she was absolutely shocked and disgusted that hed deliberately made recordings of me behind closed doors.

Another woman said: The truth is its frustrating to think there are people out there that do things like this.

The 77 videos shot over five days at Butlins showed over 167 victims - including children, although no indecent material was found on Wood's computer. None of the victims had been identified by police.

Wood, formerly of Station Road, Minety, pleaded guilty at the magistrates court to six counts of voyeurism and two charges under the Computer Misuse Act.

John Wood leaves Swindon Crown Court on Tuesday

Nicholas Wragg, defending, said his client had been diagnosed with various mental disorders including autism, hoarding disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. He was receiving therapy. He was married with a daughter with learning difficulties, had the support of his family and was the main breadwinner in the house.

Wood, who was of previous good character, had fully admitted his offending when he was interviewed by the police in 2018. He had stayed out of trouble in the three years since he was arrested.

Mr Wragg told the court: The defendants understanding of the harm he has done to others has not been done on an emotional level, because he lacks that capacity. It has been on a purely intellectual level that he had come to learn of that impact on others. That is so difficult for people who have that ability to understand and appreciate it.

The quantity and nature of the offending is serious but the defendant has recognised that and used his time well. It is of course a work in progress, but he has shown commitment and after all this time there is a reasonable prospect of rehabilitation.

He said some of the people whose cameras Wood hacked had been selling sex shows to voyeurs although the lawyer admitted his client had hacked into the video streams and was watching without the performers permission.

Judge Crabtree acknowledged Wood had mental health difficulties, but challenged claims he had not been sexually motivated. He noted the man had targeted attractive women, saying the fact he had concealed cameras and denied wrongdoing when confronted by one of his victims pointed to him knowing that what he was doing was wrong.

Under the terms of his suspended sentence order, Wood must complete the Horizon sex offender rehabilitation programme, 30 rehabilitation activity days and 100 hours or unpaid work.

He must abide by a 10 year sexual harm prevention order and sign onto the sex offenders register for 10 years.

The judge warned Wood about breaching the terms of his suspended sentence, telling him he would be jailed. "My starting point will be to say I got it wrong and Mr Wood doesn't want to be rehabilitated."

Description

A man has been jailed after sexually abusing two boys in the changing rooms of a football club in Wiltshire.

Stefon Francis Winter was found guilty of two counts of indecency and two counts of gross indecency on September 10 after abusing the two brothers in Warminster 40 years ago.

The cold case was re-opened in 2016 after advancements in DNA technology meant crucial evidence could be re-examined.

This included DNA found on one the brother's items of clothing, which was later linked to the defendant.

Det Ins Tom Straker, from Wiltshire Police, said: "This was a horrible, traumatic assault which understandably had a long-lasting impact on the two victims.

"Not only did they have to re-live the incident when the cold case was reopened, but they had to hear it all again in court due to Winter refusing to admit what he had done.

"I hope this conviction shows that no unsolved case of this nature is completely closed and that we will continue to fight to get justice for victims."

The court heart Winter had led the boys away before he attacked them.

Although the incident was reported at the time and clothing was seized, no suspect was identified.

He was arrested at his home in Goatacre, Calne, and pleaded not guilty in court but was convicted of all four charges.

He was sentenced in line with guidelines for the offences as they were back in 1980.

'A dangerous offender'

Detective Constable Chris McLoughlin, who worked on the case, added: "I want to pay tribute to the two victims in this case and thank them for the bravery they have shown in supporting the police throughout this investigation.

"Furthermore, to the scientists and archivists nationally who have so professionally made this possible.

"Winter is a dangerous offender, who has escaped justice for more than 40 years and I welcome this conviction which will see him put behind bars and ensure he no longer poses any risk to the public.

"Regardless of the passage of time, we will work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice. Let this be a warning to anyone else out there who has committed offences and has, so far, evaded the law."

Wiltshire Police has urged others victims of sexual offences to report them by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency.

Victims can also seek support and counselling from the Swindon and Wiltshire Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) - they can be contacted on the helpline 01793 781916.