Latest Offenders York

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A child rapist released early from prison was found working on a children's amusement ride, a court has heard.

Stephen Wilson, 60, had served six years of a nine-year sentence for a string of sexual offences against children when he was released from prison on December 6, 2017.

Wilson was made the subject of an indefinite sexual offences prevention order, which prohibited him from working with anyone under 16, either in a paid or voluntary capacity, without the explicit permission of police.

However, on March 29 this year a detective from Humberside Police spotted Wilson operating Wacky Races, a popular amusement ride on Bridlington's promenade.

'He was physically lifting them out'

Phillip Evans, prosecuting at Hull Crown Court, said: "The defendant was the operator of that amusement. In that capacity, he was helping children off the ride. He was physically lifting them out."

Wilson later claimed the ride was aimed at older children, but Mr Evans said the officer was quite clear about what he saw.

"DC Marsh said they were between three and five years of age," said the prosecutor.

Officers waited for a "discreet moment" before moving in to arrest Wilson so as not to cause undue alarm to parents.

Wilson, of Winston Court, Bridlington, pleaded guilty, at the first opportunity, to breaching the sexual offences prevention order.

He had sexually attacked children before

Mr Evans gave the court details of the most relevant of Wilson's 22 previous convictions for 67 offences.

On December 7, 2010, at Grimsby Crown Court, Wilson was convicted of one count of rape of a child under 16, two counts of gross indecency with a child, and one count of indecent assault on a child under 16.

Dale Brook, for Wilson, said his family had disowned him following those convictions, resulting in an "isolated existence".

Since his arrest, Wilson has remained in prison, which has he has found "exceptionally difficult", said Mr Brook.

"He has been bullied," said the barrister, before admitting a pre-sentence report was "an almost entirely gloomy document".

Mr Brook made clear, however, that Wilson's motivation for working on the ride was purely financial. Wilson needed to earn money to furnish his flat, he said.

'You are anything but trustworthy'

The barrister appealed to the Recorder Richard Woolfall to hold back from jailing his client, pointing out his poor mental health and a knee complaint that requires surgery.

However, Record Woolfall said Wilson must have known working on a children's ride would put him in breach of the order.

"It appears to me you did not tell your employer of your history," he told Wilson, referring to the earlier convictions.

"It is right that parents would think anyone operating such a ride would be trustworthy. You are anything but trustworthy.

"There is compelling evidence that your risk of sexual harm is unmanageable in the community."

Wilson was jailed for two years, of which he must serve around half before he is eligible for release on licence. The sexual harm prevention order continues indefinitely.

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Mark Birtles picked up his victim, who was then aged under 18, one evening in April last year and drove to a remote area before raping her.

The 20-year-old, of Laburnum Road, Mexborough, was arrested that month after the girl went to hospital and reported what had happened.

Birtles was found guilty of rape following a three-day trial at Sheffield Crown Court, which ended on Friday, and was jailed for six years.

He was given an additional one year prison sentence for breaching a suspended sentence for harassment, though this will run concurrently with the other sentence.

Detective Constable Cheryl McCorkell, who led the investigation, said: "Birtles had offered the victim a lift one evening last April before he stopped in a remote area near Bolton-upon-Dearne and raped her.

"She has shown immense courage in coming forward and reporting what happened and was forced to endure the trial after Birtles continued to deny his guilt, despite the substantial evidence gathered against him.

"I'd like to thank and praise the girl for showing such strength and bravery as she gave evidence during the trial. The conviction is a testament to that and I hope that knowing Birtles is behind bars for the next six years goes some way in helping her to move forward with her life."

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A NORTH Yorkshire man who groomed and had a sexual relationship with a teenage girl after meeting her at a Midland riding school is now behind bars.

Stuart Moreland, 37, from Northallerton, has been jailed for nine years after admitting admitted six charges of sexual activity with a child.

The court heard that following the offences the young victim had become a shell of her former self.

The story came out after the victim revealed to someone at the school what had been happening to her in August this year.

Robert Davies, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said Moreland, who was married and a father himself, had initially sent flirtatious texts to the teenager and had challenged her to kiss him the next time they met.

He added: What took place between them then developed into a full sexual relationship for many months.

Mr Davies said on one occasion a sexual act had taken place in a field and that Moreland had told the victim to delete texts he sent to her, although police were able to retrieve some of them.

When quizzed, the teenager said it was her first sexual experience and she had been sworn to keep the relationship a secret.

The victims father told the court her ordeal had greatly affected their lives and the family had struggled to cope with the consequences.

A loving and carefree teenager has been replaced by an angry and bewildered child, he said.

"She is a shell of her former self.

Passing sentence, Judge Kirstie Montgomery told Moreland: She was described by her family as being quiet and dedicated to her passion for horses.

"You were a married man with a child at the time you began to abuse her.

"You were audacious and arrogant in the way you abused her telling her to delete texts that would trace the relationship.

"You used a form of emotional blackmail to ensure her silence. You exploited her, groomed her and sexually abused her.

"It has had a devastating effect on that family.

The judge said it had also been an aggravating feature that Moreland had a previous conviction for having sex with a teenage girl in 2000 at a youth club.

Alison Scott Jones, defending, said: He understands the blame rests fully on himself.

"He is remorseful for his behaviour.

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A PERVERT music teacher who kept a vast collection of indecent images of children was caught after accidentally posting a picture of naked girls on the social media site Pintres.

Kenneth Nelson, 55, was investigated after officers received a tip-off from the national Child Exploitation Online Protection police squad.

They had been alerted after Nelson posted the picture of two naked girls on the popular social media platform.

Nelson, who worked at a number of different schools, confessed he had done so by accident but pleaded guilty to owning a sickening horde of child porn.

The fact is you chose to search out such images and view them, you did it quite deliberately, you did it repeatedly

- Richard Wright QC

The shamed teacher escaped jail today fleeing court with his face covered by a maroon knapsack, emblazoned with the phrase Youth and Childrens Sing Choirs.

York Crown Court heard how officers attended Nelsons home on June 14 and arrested him after unearthing 16,297 vile images over several devices including pen drives, flash drives, a computer tower and a laptop.

The majority were rated Category C which included erotic pictures of naked children but he also had images of children being raped and sordidly abused.

The father-of-one, from Wistow, North Yorkshire, who split from his wife following his arrest, had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children and one count of possessing a prohibited image of children.

Recorder Richard Wright QC, who described Nelsons stash as an enormous number of images, sentenced him to six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.

He told Nelson: You had become quite literally obsessed with viewing images of that type.

The fact is you chose to search out such images and view them, you did it quite deliberately, you did it repeatedly.

The judge added: The reality is all of these children were being abused and exploited by people like you who view these images for their own perverted, sexual gratification.

Joe Culley, prosecuting, said: He admitted searching for pre-teen pornographic images for excitement adding that Nelson felt ashamed and disgusted by his behaviour.

The prosecutor told the court aggravating features in the case were the high volume of images and Nelsons deliberate internet searches.

Lee-Anne Robins-Hicks, defending, said, at the suggestion of police, Nelson had written to the parents of people he had previously been teaching to explain these proceedings.

Nelson was also handed a community order with a 20-day rehabilitation requirement and made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order to prevent him working with children and placed on the sex offenders register.

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A YOUNG man is today a convicted rapist starting five years in jail because he didnt listen to a woman saying no.

Max Liam Gregory, 21, showed no emotion as the victim told York Crown Court how his actions had left her in a bottomless pit, made her suicidal and given her more than a year of panic attacks, anxiety, depression and other problems.

She had told the jury how she had tried to push him off her and repeatedly said no as he raped her. He had responded by saying just two minutes, its fine and just 30 seconds, come on.

Gregory had claimed to a jury that he had cared for her by visiting her regularly in the week after the rape in his home in Escrick Court, Escrick, in July 2015. But Recorder David Dixon said his visits were also to try and stop her reporting him to the police.

York Crown Court heard she eventually spoke out after he went on holiday with his girlfriend.

The judge told Gregory: It was abundantly clear to you she was not consenting. You continued on regardless. You have heard the impact that you caused on her simply by not listening to the word no. In simple words, if you had listened, you wouldnt be here, she wouldnt have had the horrible time she has had, all down to you not listening.

He jailed Gregory for five years, put him on the sex offenders register for life and made a restraining order, banning him from having any contact at all with the victim for the rest of his life.

Gregory had denied rape but was convicted by a jury unanimously after two hours and 40 minutes in retirement.

Reading aloud a victim impact statement in a voice at times choked with tears, she said that after the rape: I then started to go into a bottomless pit. I started to get anxiety attacks. I still do.

She was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, suffering flashbacks, nightmares and waking up in sweats.

Her work was affected and her condition progressed until she wanted to isolate myself from the world. She said: It got too much. On December 8, I arranged everything for my suicide.

She decided to put her affairs in order, but then saw her doctor who referred her to a home treatment team who helped her and continue to visit her daily.

I think about it (the rape) every day. I dont want to think about it any more, she concluded.

At the end of the hearing, the judge said she had been very brave to read her statement in court.

Gregorys barrister Geraldine Kelly said the womans mental problems may not have been entirely due to Gregory.

His girlfriend and family were standing by him and had attended his trial. He had never been in trouble with the police before and had committed no offences since.

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A YOUNG man had an "appalling addiction" for viewing indecent images of children, a court heard.

A judge told "immature and naive" Oliver Vause, 20, that he needed to grow up.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC told Vause: "Maybe now you know how desperately serious this is. Behind every one of these films and stills is some poor child being abused.

"These children are being abused only because there are people like you who want, and-or pay, and-or share these images.

"It must stop or you will be going to prison for a long time."

But the judge said a deterrent sentence could not be given in every case.

He added: "Everybody has spoken extremely highly of you. The probation service has rightly identified the public will be better protected in the long term if you can be helped, rehabilitated, and weaned off this appalling addiction that you have."

Prosecutor Richard Walters told Bradford Crown Court that Vause, of Midgley Road, Burley-in-Wharfedale, had pleaded guilty before magistrates to 16 charges of possessing hundreds of indecent images, between November 1, 2013, and May 13, 2015.

They included five videos - two at the most serious category A level, two at category B and one at the least serious category C level. Two charges related to category A still images, three stills at category B and four category C stills.

Mr Walters said there were two separate "roll up" charges involving 287 category B still images and 184 category C stills. Vause had also pleaded guilty to one charge of distributing an indecent image. Mr Walters said the Crown accepted it was possible that image had been sent by mistake.

Vause admitted a charge of failing to comply with a notification requirement, as a registered sex offender, by failing to notify police he resided at an address where a child under 18 was living, between February 24 and 26 this year. Mr Walters said the defendant had spent a night at his 18-year-old girlfriend’s address, where her 16-year-old sister was also present.

Mr Walters said it was a technical breach and there was no suggestion anything untoward took place.

The prosecutor said Vause was a man of good character before these offences.

Vause' solicitor, Nick Leadbeater, said the probation report on his client was very good.

Judge Durham Hall sentenced Vause to a three-year community order, with a 60-day rehabilitation activity requirement and supervision. He granted a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years, to monitor the defendant’s use of the internet, and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of computer equipment.

The judge told Vause: "You are only 20, but you know better. You had a nasty habit. It’s got to be stopped and be resolved."

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A Dewsbury man has been jailed for 10 years after he sexually abused a six-year-old girl.

Leeds Crown Court heard after Nile Akram’s offending came to light he broke down and said: “I need help. I’ve got a thing for children.” He said he wanted to kill himself.

Abigail Langford prosecuting told the court that Akram, at the time aged 19, had let the youngster use his Playstation on January 22.

By chance she was being treated for a urine infection that day and when her mother later checked her for any soreness she mentioned something had happened to her when she was alone with Akram. He had told her not to tell anybody.

Her mother then used a teddy bear to get her to show her where he had touched her and what he had done.

When Akram was arrested he told officers he realised he had a sexual interest in children when he was about 10 or 11. He had started kissing the little girl and had progressed to other offences and knew what he had done was wrong.

Gillian Batts representing Akram said many of the offences against him came as a result of his own frank admissions to the police.

He had developed from looking at child pornography on the internet in the past to the physical offences involved.

“It is rare to come across somebody so very frank about their own problem. He acknowledges his wrong and the damage he has caused, his guilty plea is the best demonstration of that.”

“He knows he is going to receive a lengthy custodial sentence. What he wants is assistance, he is still only a young man and does not want to be the person he is.”

“One can imagine the effect on the complainant and her family.”

Akram, now 20, and of no fixed address, admitted four offences of oral rape, six of sexual assault and one charge of engaging in sexual activity. He was ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

Jailing him Judge Tom Bayliss QC said he had shown “remarkable insight” into his “deviant sexual tendencies” and had been candid with the police and courts, but they were serious offences.

“You began by looking at images on the internet when you were very young. You started by kissing this girl and then escalated to touching her and then these terrible acts occurred and you put pressure on her not to tell anybody.”

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Court hears he groomed girls with "truth or dare" games

A convicted sex offender has been jailed for nine years after he abused two schoolgirls following a game of truth or dare in his home.

Sentencing 50-year-old Carl Robert Whitehead at Leeds Crown Court Recorder Andrew Haslam said he had initially befriended the girls through their interest in his pet dog and then groomed them.

You developed your association with both of these girls on social media such as Facebook and contacted them over their mobile telephones.

He said Whitehead even paid for a top-up on one girls phone and they began visiting his home.

One text message suggested he had offered them alcohol although he knew they were not old enough to drink, being 13 and 14.

Recorder Haslam said a friend of Whitehead advised him to end the association and even contacted the police and they repeated that advice but he ignored them.

I am satisfied you ignored that advice because you wanted to develop an association with both girls, although you knew they were under 16, for the specific reason of taking sexual advantage of them.

You did that solely for the purpose of satisfying your own sexual desires. I am satisfied you groomed these girls for your own sexual purposes.

He said it did not matter who suggested the game of truth or dare it developed as you wanted it to. There was kissing then he suggested they remove their clothes and finally his touching them sexually.

Recorder Haslam said he believed Whitehead at least tried to go further, because he had subsequently bought them pregnancy testing kits and there was no other reason for that.

He had also put the girls through a trial and accused them of fabricating their accounts which had added to their ordeal. His behaviour had clearly had a psychological impact on them.

Whitehead, of St James Street, Heckmondwike, was found guilty by a jury on four charges of sexual activity with a child.

Kirstie Watson prosecuting told the court had previous convictions for indecent exposure in 1988, 1989 and on April 15, 2011 as well as a conviction for gross indecency with a six year old child in 1990.

Mathew Harding defending Whitehead said he still denied any offence against the girls.

He had already found his experience in prison difficult being subjected to bullying.

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A VIOLENT and sadistic paedophile who 'pranced and posed' semi-naked in ladies underwear while sexually abusing two children has been jailed for 15 years.

Derrick Hooley, 69, dressed up in black suspenders, a basque and French knickers to degrade and humiliate his young victims.

He was labelled 'a thoroughly nasty deviant' by the judge sentencing him last Thursday.

Hooley, a retired coach painter with Keighley and District Buses, was unanimously convicted of all 17 charges against him by a jury at Bradford Crown Court.

They involved the 'sustained, routine and relentless' sexual abuse of a boy three decades ago and the similar abuse of a girl over the same period.

The boy, now a man in his 30s, had been 'wholly destroyed' by Hooley, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said.

Hooley, who wore dark glasses and earphones during the trial, remained impassive in the dock as the jury's verdicts were returned.

A victim statement by the male victim said he had been robbed of his childhood and had recurring nightmares.

He still leapt out of bed taking swings at the man 'as though fighting him off'.

Hooley, of Main Street, Farnhill, abused the children in Skipton in the mid to late 1980s.

He was convicted of 12 offences of indecent assault and indecency with a child, relating to the boy, and five charges involving the girl, including indecent assault, indecency with a child, and taking an indecent photo of her.

During the trial the jury saw photographs of Hooley 'prancing and posing' semi-naked in women's underwear and male pouches.

His passion for photography cemented his downfall when the police seized pictures of him in what the judge described as 'a variety of fairly interesting positions'.

"This case is about a thoroughly nasty, deviant man who happened, inappropriately and cruelly, to parade naked and in women's clothing," he said.

Hooley told a pack of lies to the police and the jury when the evidence against him was overwhelming.

He told the court he was posing in frilly pants and bras to see if they fitted for 'a fancy dress do'.

Another outfit, of skeleton body paint, French knickers and a white cape, was to wear at a Halloween party, he claimed.

Hooley, who was born in Ilkley, had never been in trouble with the police before, his barrister Robin Frieze said.

He had been a self-employed sign writer and then worked at Airedale General Hospital, in Steeton.

During the trial, the male victim said he went to the police when Jimmy Savile's sexual abuse was made public in 2013.

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A 51-YEAR-OLD engineer has been jailed for 15 years for a catalogue of "disgusting and terrible" sexual abuse against a young girl.

Paul Yeadon preyed on the child when she was aged between six and 14, raping and assaulting her "hundreds and hundreds of times," Bradford Crown Court heard.

Yeadon was a long distance lorry driver living in Great Horton, Bradford, when he targeted the little girl almost 20 years ago, telling her it was "their secret".

His victim, now a woman in her 30s, told the court he abused her at least once a week for eight years.

He sexually assaulted her after they watched TV together "as a treat" and molested her in the cab of his lorry, prosecutor Adrian Dent said.

Yeadon pleaded guilty in November to five offences of indecently assaulting the girl when she was six or seven years old.

But he continued to deny raping and abusing her over a long period of time.

Yesterday, a jury convicted him of a further 13 charges, including three sample counts of rape, three offences of indecency with a child, six of indecent assault and one of attempted indecent assault.

Burly and bespectacled Yeadon, now of Beancroft Road, Castleford, West Yorkshire, stood impassively in the dock as the guilty verdicts were returned.

During the trial, the court heard that the girl confided to her mother what Yeadon had done to her when she was aged 14.

But although her mother was horrified and disgusted, he got away with it for decades because the teenager was about to take exams and could not face becoming caught up in a police investigation.

In 2013, she plucked up the courage to tell the police what Yeadon had done to her.

In a victim impact statement read out in court, the woman told how she struggled to come to terms with the abuse.

Stress about the case had recently ended a recent relationship she was in and she suffered broken sleep and anxiety.

The woman wept in court as Mr Dent disclosed that she had flashbacks and was seriously unwell.

"I hope this brings closure and I can move on with my life," she said.

Yeadon's barrister, David McGonigal, said Yeadon was in his 20s when he abused the girl and had since led a blameless life.

He had always worked, giving up his job as an engineer only when the trial approached.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, told Yeadon: "This was a catalogue of sexual offending against a young girl, going back to the late 1980s and early 1990s.

"Your victim was abused from when she was aged about six. You persuaded her and drove her into a position where she could not resist you."

The judge added: "This was disgusting and terrible abuse. There are hundreds and hundreds of offences spanning a considerable period of time."

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Two men who "laughed and boasted" about raping a girl outside a nightclub have been jailed for nine years.

Kristofer McLaren and Craig Whitelaw, both 21, attacked the 18-year-old on 10 August after meeting her at Club Amadeus, in Elder Road, Northallerton.

Teesside Crown Court heard the two men bragged about the assault to a taxi driver as they left the scene.

Police said McLaren and Whitelaw, both from Thirsk, treated their victim "like a piece of meat".

They were were found guilty of rape following a trial, but cleared of a second count of rape.

Whitelaw was also convicted of sexual assault, for which he was sentenced to four years in jail to be served concurrently.

'Sustained attack'
Det Insp Fiona Wynne, from North Yorkshire police said: "I am delighted that justice has been delivered for the victim.

"She was subjected to a sustained attack by McLaren and Whitelaw. They treated her like a piece of meat and left her bleeding and distressed.

"They laughed and joked about it afterwards, even boasting to the taxi driver about what had just happened when they left the scene."

The victims' parents paid tribute to the force, saying: "From the minute the police picked our daughter up she has been treated with the utmost respect and sympathy by everyone who has had contact with her."

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A family wept as the bus driver who sexually abused their teenage daughter was jailed at Bradford Crown Court today (Monday).

Dale Codling, 26, of Kirk Lane, Hipperholme, who had previously pleaded guilty to two charges of grooming and engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a 13 year old girl on October 21, 2013 was jailed for 12 months.

The offences took place while Codling was working as a First Bus driver on a school route in Calderdale.

Judge Rose, sentencing Codling - a father of one - said: The grooming of a child is not something that happens as an error of judgement or a one-off mistake - you were 25 and she was 13.

No man of your age has the right to act in such way with a child.

Codling groomed her by lavishing her with compliments on Facebook and by phone, which the prosecution said made her feel good about herself.

The court heard that when Codling took the girl for a drive on October 21, 2013, he kissed her. After she kissed him back, he then touched her inappropriately and the girl asked him to stop.

Codling drove the girl home but continued to remain in contact with her.

The girls mother later found out a month later and reported him to the police.

Gerald Hendron, defending, said Codling felt ashamed of himself and asked the judge to consider his immediate admission following his arrest and subsequent guilty plea.

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A pervert who sexually abused a 13-year-old schoolboy has been jailed for three years.

Adam Greenhough, 30, drove over to the Bradford area in January 2011 to pick up the boy after school and a judge heard yesterday that the teenager was still wearing his school uniform when he was driven on to moorland where the abuse took place.

Bradford Crown Court heard how Greenhough, who has since been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome and autism, initially contacted the boy through an internet chat site which was meant for over 18s. But before their meeting he became aware that the youngster, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was under 16.

Judge Peter Benson said despite that Greenhough, who had no previous convictions, went on to arrange a meeting with the teenager where the sexual abuse took place.

The judge said Greenhough, who was himself 26 at the time, must have appreciated that the complainant was much younger than him and a vulnerable young man.

You, nonetheless, went on to seek sexual gratification with him, said the Judge Benson.

Greenhough had always denied the offences until he entered guilty pleas in March this year and last September a previous trial at which the complainant gave evidence had to be abandoned.

Judge Benson said the impact statement relating to Greenhoughs offences indicated the strain and misery suffered by the boy and his family as a result of his refusal to accept his responsibility until a late stage.

Greenhough, of Mixenden Court, Halifax, pleaded guilty in March to two offences of sexual activity with a child and one of meeting the youngster after sexual grooming.

In addition to the three-year prison sentence, Judge Benson made an order banning Greenhough from having any contact with the boy again. And he will also have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life.

Barrister Edward Bindloss submitted that a suspended prison sentence could be considered in his clients case, particularly bearing in mind his difficulties and the impact that any prison sentence would have on him.

Mr Bindloss pointed out that the case did not involved any threats or inducements towards the young boy and Judge Benson accepted that it was not the usual case of predatory grooming.

This was out of character and there is no pattern of misbehaviour,'' said Mr Bindloss. It is a single incident and it is three-and-a-half years ago. In the three-and-a-half years there has been no repeat of this incident at all.

After the case Detective Inspector Chris Stones, of West Yorkshire Polices Protective Services Department, said: Greenhough took advantage of his victims age and vulnerability to carry out a sex attack on him. I would like to thank the victim for his courage in coming forward, and hope that the sentence passed down today will give him some closure.

West Yorkshire Police will always investigate offences involving the abuse of children thoroughly and sensitively, with a view to bringing those responsible to justice.

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AN evil rapist and paedophile who abused victims as young as eight has been jailed for 18 years - after admitting a 15-year reign of terror.

Glen Turton, 59, groomed, raped and assaulted his innocent victims.

As well as being put behind bars, he was also placed on the sex offenders' register and banned from working with children for life.

The former fairground worker and roadie pleaded guilty to a catalogue of offences.

He admitted 16 counts of rape and indecent/sexual assault over a 15-year period.

His abused victims ranged in age from as young as eight to 20.

Turton, of Burrows Grove, Wombwell, a three times divorcee, pleaded guilty to all 16 counts when he appeared at Sheffield Crown Court last month.

A friend of one of his victims spoke of fears that Turton may have subjected other victims to horrific abuse and appealed to them to still come forward.

He said: "We have good reason to believe there are other victims out there and that he has been committing offences of this type for even longer than 15 years.

"I would appeal to any victims to come forward.

"It's not likely to make much difference to his jail sentence, but it will allow those victims whose lives he has ruined to at last start to move on.

"The man was a monster, totally lacking in human compassion. He was evil personified.

"Everyone involved now want to try to rebuild their shattered lives. We all hope he rots in jail and is never ever allowed out."

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'It would be cruel to send you to jail': What lenient judge told sex offender who stalked schoolgirls

A JUDGE took pity on a sex offender and decided sending him to prison would be utterly cruel.

Andrew Jackson, 48, twice stalked schoolgirls aged 13 and 14 and attacked a disabled woman he claimed was a prostitute.

But Judge Jeremy Richardson QC allowed him to walk free, saying it would border on cruelty to jail him because he suffers from Asperger syndrome.

He told Jackson: You deserve to be sent to prison. But sending someone like you to prison would be utterly cruel.

You are very much to be pitied. You have never had a full sexual relationship. It must be very frustrating.

He added: I have a public duty, but it would be quiet wrong to impose a cruel punishment.

"Quite frankly you could not cope in prison. I have no doubt your life would be a misery.

Hull crown court heard Jackson had already been spoken to twice by police for stalking children in playgrounds and wooded areas in the seaside town of Bridlington, East Yorks.

He showed one girl aged 13 a picture of his privates.

Police said he sexually questioned two 14-year-old girls before asking: Are you legal?

He then molested a 21-year-old woman in a park.

The womans friend heard her screams and dragged Jackson off her.

Judge Richardson said he had aggravated matters by falsely claiming the woman had prostituted herself to him for 20.

Martin Sharpe, prosecuting, said police in Bridlington were so concerned about Jackson they wanted a Sexual Offences Prevention Order imposed on him to keep him out of childrens playgrounds.

Patrick Palmer, defending, said Jackson had an IQ of 75, lived at home with his parents, did not work and had suffered all his life from an undiagnosed condition.

Jackson, of Bridlington, pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual assault by touching, knowing that the woman did not consent.

Judge Richardson sentenced the pest to a two-year community order with a supervision requirement in the hope that it might alter his behaviour.

He also imposed a 10-year sexual offences prevention order on him and put him on the sex offenders register for five years.

The judge told Jackson: Young girls have to be protected in your area.

You have to learn to control yourself. I regard sexual offences as a very serious crime. Usually the men involved deserve to be sent to prison.

It would not be right here. It would be bordering on cruelty.

However, if you harass any more girls, you will end up in jail.