Latest Offenders Worcester

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A child rapist who also committed multiple other sexual abuses of children was sentenced to 27 years in prison at court yesterday (Thursday 13 August).

Luke Simon, 42, of Redditch, was found guilty at Worcester Crown Court of 22 child sexual offences that took place between in the past decade.

These were two counts of rape of a child under 13 and 20 sexual assaults on children under 13 for which he was sentenced to 27 years.

Simon (pictured) was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a restraining order was also put in place.

His offences, which were against more than one child, were brought to light in 2023 and sparked an investigation by West Mercia Police’s Protecting People Unit (PPU) which resulted in yesterday’s sentencing.

Detective Sergeant Izabela Majchrzyk from PPU said:

“We would like to pay tribute to the survivors of Simon’s vile predatory actions for their courage in coming forward and giving us the evidence that has led to this successful conviction.

“We hope today’s sentencing will help them to move on with their lives and that it encourages other survivors of sexual abuse to come forward.

“Our message to anyone who has suffered similar abuses is we will always listen to you and act where appropriate no matter how long ago the offences took place.”

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A Pershore man has today (Thursday 6 August) been sentenced to 11 years and nine months in prison for multiple non-recent sexual abuse offences against a child.

Martin Cowley, 70, of Checketts Close, Pinvin, was found guilty of 14 counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16 years at Worcester Crown Court on Thursday 14 May following a four-day trial.

Cowley (pictured below) was today sentenced to 11 years and nine months for his crimes which date back to the 1990s.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life, made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which bans him from contacting under 18s, and handed a 15-year restraining order not to contact his victim.

The offences were first reported to police in 2023 which led to the charges and trial.

Detective Sergeant Louise Sutton, of the Protecting People Unit (PPU), said:

“We are pleased to get this custodial sentence against Cowley whose victim was only a child at the time. He may have thought he had got away with his disgusting crimes but today shows he has not escaped justice.

“We would like to pay tribute to the victim for their courage in coming forward and giving the evidence to us that has led to this successful prosecution. They have waited 30 years for this day.

“We hope today’s sentencing will help them to move on with their lives and that it encourages other victims of sexual abuse to come forward.

“We will always listen to you and act where appropriate no matter how long ago the offences took place.”

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A PENSIONER who tried to incite a seven-year-old child to performing a sexual act on him has been jailed.

David Hughes, of Meadow Orchard, Broadway, near Evesham, was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court, sitting in Redditch, on Monday (July 27) for attempting to arrange or facilitate the offence of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The 77-year-old tried to arrange to get a seven-year-old girl to perform a sexual act on him between October and November 2023 in Worcester.

He denied this in court, but was found guilty in June following a trial.

At sentencing, Hughes was jailed for four years by Recorder Michael Burrows.

His Nokia, iPhone, and Computer towers were all seized, he will need to register with the police on a regular basis once released, and he was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order, which will restrict his ability to reoffend.

Hughes cannot use a device to access the internet without first allowing the police to ensure the device retains his internet history, use a device which can store digital images unless police officers can inspect it upon request, and using the internet to contact anyone under 16.

Alongside these restrictions relating to technology, Hughes is also prohibited from having unsupervised contact with children under 16, live with a child under 16, or leave England and Wales without first informing the police where he is going and for how long.

He was also ordered to pay £4,830 in costs and a £228 surcharge by the end of October.

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A paedophile who contacted a teenage girl on Snapchat asking for sexual pictures of her was sent to prison for three years and eight months at Worcester Crown Court on Monday (27 July).

Jude Maruska, 23, of Lingmell Court, Worcester, was already subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for similar offences which he breached several times to contact his victim.

Maruska was convicted of two counts of breaching an SHPO for which he was sentenced to 20 months in prison for each to run concurrently and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228, and one count of causing/inciting a girl 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity (non-penetration) for which he was sentenced to six months in prison consecutively. His mobile phone was also confiscated.

He was already subject to an SHPO which was issued to him in August 2024 when he was given a suspended sentence after also being found guilty of requesting indecent images from children on social media.

For breaching the SHPO his suspended sentence was activated, adding another 18 months consecutively to his term and bringing the total to 44 months imprisonment (three years and eight months).

The terms of the order meant Maruska was prohibited from using any application that does not retain its usage or history on his phone. However, officers from West Mercia Police’s Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders (MOSOVO) found he had used Snapchat and it had been installed on his phone, during a routine visit last month.

They analysed the content and discovered he had been offending again between May and June by contacting a teenage girl on Snapchat and asking her to send him sexual images.

On Monday 22 June, detectives from South Worcestershire CID charged him with the offences, and Maruska admitted them, adding there was a second girl he also contacted.

Detective Inspector Colin Berry from the MOSOVO team said:

“We are pleased to get a custodial sentence for Maruska who continued to offend, breaching the terms of his SHPO and despite being on suspended sentence.

“We hope this result shows our work to manage offenders is effective in monitoring their behaviour and that we will not hesitate in bringing them back before the courts to face justice if they do re-offend.”

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A child rapist from Worcester has been sentenced to a total of 22 years and three months in prison at Worcester Crown Court today (Friday 17 July).

Philip Lakey, 63, of Ombersley Road, Worcester pleaded not guilty at his original hearing but was found guilty at trial by jury at the same court on Wednesday 15 April of multiple sexual offences against one victim.

He was further ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life, will be subject to a 25 year sexual harm prevention order and received a restraining order to protect the victim.

Today he was sentenced for the following offences which took place between 2019 and 2022:

• Four counts of rape of a child under 13 years
• Two counts of assault a child under 13 by touching
• Four counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child
• Two counts of non-penetrative sexual activity with a child

Detective Constable Philippa Stevens, who investigated the case, said:

“We are pleased to get this long sentence for Lakey whose disgusting actions have had a terrible impact upon his victim.

“We hope this will feel like some sense of some justice for the victim, and I would like to thank them for trusting the judicial process.

“We also hope this court result will encourage other victims of rape or sexual assault or those who know of such crimes to come forward and speak to us so we can attempt to bring their attackers to justice too.

“We will always listen to you and act where appropriate to bring predators like Lakey before the courts with the aim of securing justice and long custodial sentences as in this case.”

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A man from Redditch who exploited his position as a photographer has been jailed for more than eight years for a string of sex and voyeurism offences.

Steven Liles, aged 60, of Weatheroak Close, appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Friday (26 June) having previously been found guilty at trial for offences spanning from 2009 to 2019.

Liles began working as a freelance photographer and videographer for private events and dance schools across the Midlands after he was made redundant from a previous job. It was through these roles he met many of his victims.

Liles converted his home garage into a photography studio and set up a hidden camera in his office, where he would ask the people he was taking photos of to get changed.

The footage was discovered by police after his devices were seized, and during the trial in April he was found guilty of three counts of voyeurism. Two of these counts relate to footage of children and the third relates to footage of an adult.

Liles also befriended women with children and exploited his relationship with the mothers to groom and sexually assault the young girls. He was found guilty of one count of sexual assault on a child under 13 and three counts of sexual activity with a child.

When handing Liles the eight years and six months jail term, Judge Jackson described the sex offender as ‘a deviant behind a mask’, and the words, ‘targeted’, ‘groomed’, ‘sexual predator’, and ‘false friend’ were heard throughout.

Detective Sergeant Shelley Aplin from the Major Investigation Unit said:

“I want to commend the victims for their unwavering courage and patience throughout the entire investigation, which has undoubtably been extremely difficult for them.

“They have told their story and should hold their heads high. Everyone who has come forward and supported this investigation has helped bring this offender to justice.

“Liles is a predator whose behaviour affected so many lives and caused immense emotional turmoil. It was right that he has been given a lengthy prison sentence.”

Liles was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) indefinitely, which prohibits him from contacting and having unsupervised contact with children once released from prison.

He was also ordered to pay £4360 in court charges.

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A paedophile who carried an envelope filled with girls’ underwear while attempting to meet a 12-year-old girl he had groomed online has been jailed for four and a half years.

Christopher Webb, 38, of Tilesford, Worcestershire, was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court after an undercover police operation.

He began communicating with someone he believed was a 12-year-old girl on social media, sent explicit images of himself, asked for similar images in return, and arranged to meet at Gloucester railway station on 26 March 2025. He made clear his intention to have sex with the child.

Officers arrested him on arrival. He was carrying a black bag containing an envelope of girls’ underwear bearing his home address. Phone searches later confirmed he knew his intended victim was underage, including web searches for “do under 16s need a train ticket?”

Webb pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child, attempting to cause or incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity involving penetration, and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

He received concurrent sentences of 10 months, four years and six months, and two years and three months respectively. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register indefinitely and given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Det Con Rich Britton, from West Mercia’s Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team, said:

"We are pleased to put this paedophile behind bars before he could carry out any of his disgusting intentions on an actual child, so this operation was a good result to protect potential victims from his depraved behaviour.

"Webb was caught red-handed, thinking he was speaking online to a girl, and we would warn any other individuals thinking of communicating with a child and attempting to arrange sexual activity like this to be warned it could be the police and you too could be sent to prison."

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A woman who waited over eight years for her rapist to be jailed said the criminal justice system left her "unheard and ignored."

The victim, a mother of two who cannot be named, reported the rape in 2017. Her attacker, Allan Peyton, 45, was sentenced today to five years at Worcester Crown Court for rape and assault by penetration.

She described her "continuous battle for justice" as leaving her "hopeless and abandoned."

The court heard Peyton entered her home in the early hours of May 7, 2017, and raped her while intoxicated. She reported it to West Mercia Police the next day.

Delays stemmed from a poor police investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) initially declining to charge due to insufficient evidence before reversing the decision, and shortages of courts and staff. Peyton was convicted in July, but sentencing was postponed three times since summer.

The CPS stated: "We recognise the profound impact delays can have on victims and this is why we are taking action by working closely with police colleagues to help build the strongest case from the outset.

"Whilst in recent years this has led to a reduction in the time taken between the CPS receiving a file and making a charging decision, we know there is still more to do and that is why last week we launched our new strategy for Violence Against Women and Girls."

Ch Supt Edd Williams of West Mercia Police said: "We expect a high standard for investigations and support to survivors and if someone feels we have fallen below this we encourage them to talk to us through our complaints process so we can learn and improve.

"We hope today's sentencing can finally bring some form of closure."

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A paedophile who raped and sexually abused a boy has today (Wednesday 12 November) been sentenced to 25 years.

Jason Lane, 44, of Old Coach Road, Droitwich, had previously been found guilty of 16 offences against his victim in June at Redditch Crown Court.

Lane was found guilty of the following ahead of today’s hearing at Worcester Crown Court where the judge described him as a “very dangerous individual”: 

• Three counts of rape of a boy under 13
• Two counts of rape of boy aged 13 to 15
• Four counts of assaulting a boy under 13 by touching
• Three counts of cause/incite a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity
• Cause/ incite a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity by penetration
• Two counts of attempt to cause/incite a boy aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity without penetration
• Causing a child under 13 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity

His total sentence was 25 years – 21 years with four on licence, and he was given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

DC Allie Thompson, of our Protecting Vulnerable People team, said:

“We are pleased to get this lengthy sentence for Lane whose predatory sexual behaviour has caused much harm to his victim and their family.

“I would like to commend the victim and their family for their bravery in coming forward and assisting with the process which has secured a conviction and ultimately taken a very dangerous individual off the streets.

“We hope the sentence will some way assist the victim in moving on with their lives with the correct support and assistance moving forward.

“I would also like to thank the officers who have worked tirelessly throughout this investigation in order to obtain this substantial sentence their hard work over several years has assisted in securing this conviction.

“We hope that today’s sentencing shows that we will always pursue sexual predators like Lane and bring them before the courts to face justice and that it will encourage other victims of sexual offences to come forward.

“We will always listen to take your concerns seriously and protect you from the dangerous offenders like Lane.”

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A sex offender pounced on a female receptionist and winked at her as he walked away after the attack, a court heard.

Adam Malinski, 48, of Lear Close, Worcester, was found guilty of sexually assaulting the woman following a trial.

At his sentencing at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court on Monday (September 22), prosecutor Liz Blacklock said the incident occurred in November last year.

The court heard the victim—who cannot be named for legal reasons—opened the office door for Malinski, who entered, sat down, and stared at her.

Reading the victim's statement, Ms. Blacklock said: "He started asking me questions. What are you doing after work?

"I told him I was going Christmas shopping with my boyfriend."

The woman then opened the door for him to leave, but Malinski lingered in the doorway, acted as if trying to kiss her, touched her arms, and groped her.

"This contact was very much unwanted," the victim said in her statement. "It was about 15 seconds but it felt like a lifetime."

Malinski then winked and waved as he departed.

Sam Lamsdale, defending, said her client could not remember the incident but was sorry, noting: "At the time of the offence he was drinking very heavily.

"He did complete an alcohol treatment programme and he has significantly reduced his alcohol abuse."

Malinski received an 18-month community order including 30 rehabilitation activity days. He was ordered to pay £100 compensation to the victim, £620 costs, and a £114 victim surcharge.

Bench chairman Brent Robinson told Malinski he would be placed on the sex offenders' register.

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A child rapist from Worcester has been handed an 18-year sentence at court for a series of serious sexual offences against children.

Paul Davies, 45, was convicted at Worcester Crown Court on Friday 8 August of two counts of rape of a girl, two counts of assault a girl by penetration.

Davies was sentenced to 18 years for one count of rape and 18 for the other, to run concurrently.

He was handed a further term of 15 years for each of the sexual assault convictions, also to run concurrently.

Davies was further ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely, handed a restraining order against contacting his victim and pay a victim surcharge of £120.

Three further charges of making an indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child were ordered to lie on file.

DC Harriet Adams-Evans, of the Protecting Vulnerable People team, said:

“We are pleased to get this long sentence for Davies whose disgusting actions have had an awful impact upon his victim.

“This has brought some justice for the victim, and I would like to thank her trusting the judicial process.

“We hope this court result will encourage other victims of rape or sexual assault or those who know of such crimes to come forward and speak to us so we can attempt to bring their attackers to justice too.

“We will always listen to you and act where appropriate to bring predators like Davies before the courts with the aim of securing justice and long custodial sentences as in this case.”

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Jose Martin Holden, aged 32, of George Street, appeared at Worcester Crown Court last week (Friday, August 1) for sentencing. 

Today (August 4), the force released a custody image of Holden for the first time.

He was found guilty of two counts of rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault following a trial at Worcester Crown Court from June 9 to June 13. 

He was found not guilty of attempting to assault by penetration. 

On sentencing, His Honour Judge Jackson deemed Holden a dangerous offender and dismissed mitigating circumstances from the defence regarding his learning difficulties. 

The Judge also told the court that the way Holden spoke about women during his arrest was "dehumanising". 

In court, the Judge said: "You have no insight into your behaviour...There is a significant risk of you causing further harm to other women."

Holden was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for count 1 (rape) with an extension of five years on licence. 

He was also sentenced to eight years for count 2 (assault by penetration), two years imprisonment for count 4 (sexual assault) and 10 years imprisonment for count 5 (rape). 

The above sentences will all run concurrently to the 20 years imprisonment for count 1. 

The court heard that Holden will have to serve at least two-thirds of his sentence before he is eligible to appear before the parole board. 

He was also handed an indefinite restraining order and cannot directly or indirectly contact the victims. 

One of Holden's victims told the court in a victim impact statement how delays in the case have made her feel as though she has “already served a four-year sentence”.

She told the court: “The consequences of his actions have rippled into every part of my life.

"You've destroyed parts of me, but you will not destroy the new life I am beginning."

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A paedophile from Worcester has been sentenced at court today (Thursday 22 May) to 14 years for non-recent sexual abuse of girls under 13.

Anthony Blewitt, 65, of Selborne Road, Worcester, (pictured) was found guilty on Wednesday by a jury for nine counts of child sexual abuse between 2002 and 2015.

Today at Worcester Crown Court, Blewitt, was handed the 14-year term, of which me must serve at least two thirds and was ordered to register as a sex offender for an indefinite period.

He was convicted of the following: -

• Assault of a child under 13 by penetration – a sentence of 14 years.
• Sexual assault of a child under 13 - five years.
• Causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity – eight years.
• Three counts of indecency with a child - eight years.
• Three counts of indecent assault – eight years.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

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Ian Cockbill, aged 59, of Wichenford, Worcester appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday (22 January) after pleading guilty to publishing an obscene article and making an indecent photograph or pseudo/photograph of a child.

Cockbill has been placed on the sex offenders register, and has been handed a sexual harm prevention order, both for 10 years.

Cockbill was arrested in December 2023, following a investigation by West Mercia Police’s Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team (OCSET). A category B indecent image of a child was found on his phone, along with evidence of a conversation in which he discussed his intention to commit a sexual act on a five-year-old child. The offences took place in April and June 2023.

Detective Constable Giuseppe Saladino from OCSET said “This was a sickening case, where Cockbill demonstrated a desire to sexually abuse and harm a very young child.

“Offenders like Cockbill have no place in our communities and we will continue to root out those intent on causing harm, and bring them to justice before the courts”

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Richard Leighfield, aged 53 of Home Meadow, Worcester was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court today. (23 January)

In December, he pleaded guilty to attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, three counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child and one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

He has been placed on the sex offenders register for life and has been handed a sexual harm prevention order.

Leighfield was arrested in August 2024, after he instigated sexual conversations with an online child profile purporting to be a 13 year old girl.  During these conversations, which took place between 30th July and 20th August, he gave instructions to the ‘girl’ to carry out sexual acts on herself and encouraged her to watch and engage in a sexual act.

At the time of his arrest indecent images, which he had made, were found hidden on his phone. These include one Category A - the highest category, eight Category B and ten Category C photographs or pseudo-photographs of children.

Detective Constable Giuseppe Saladino from West Mercia Police’s Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team (OCSET) said “Leighfield demonstrated predatory behaviour towards children and was responsible for making horrific images.

"Fortunately his behaviour was intercepted by an online child profile, but this is no way lessens the seriousness of his offences.

"We will continue to work diligently to protect children and young people from harm, by bringing predators like Leighfield to justice.”