Latest Offenders Yorkshire

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A serial rapist who subjected his victims to horrific violence has been given a life sentence after he admitted treating women like pieces of meat. Craig Gladwin, 32, from Selby, strangled one woman to the point of unconsciousness during a wicked campaign of rape, Hull Crown Court heard. Gladwin, described as manipulative and cocky, raped the three women in separate incidents at properties in Selby and Goole. Gladwin wrapped his belt around the neck of one victim, said prosecutor Mark Kellet. The victim was unwell at the time having gone through a personal tragedy. She initially kept quiet about the rape because she didnt want to relive the incident in the summer of 2018. In September that year, Gladwin raped a second woman who was strangled until she lost consciousness. When she came round, he told her: Youre not leaving this house alive. Attacked while on bail Gladwin, whose former marriage had collapsed, was arrested and released under investigation or on bail, but in January 2020 he raped another woman whom he met online. Before raping her, Gladwin grabbed hold of her as she tried to get away and told her: Well, to be honest with you, I may as well rape you: Im off to prison anyway. The victim described Gladwin as a wicked, scary man. She reported him to police and he was arrested again. In custody, he was quizzed about allegations made by all three victims but made vehement denials. One of the women none of whom can be named for legal reasons said she was now scared to go out and had stopped seeing her friends. She was still having nightmares about Gladwin and was now on medication. Another victim said she had deteriorated mentally since her ordeal and had to take three months off work due to her injuries. She had suffered such acute anxiety that she ended up moving house. She suffered nightmares and had three years of pain, anxiety and post-traumatic stress. Her social life was now just about non-existent. She said she was horrified to discover that Gladman was still living as a free man when he went on to rape a third woman. Severe impact on victims Gladman a father-of-two who has a previous conviction for assaulting a police officer and two cautions for ABH and battery ultimately admitted three counts of rape on the day his trial was due to be held in March, along with two counts of damaging property. He denied two other rape allegations one against another named woman and one of sexual assault. These allegations were allowed to lie on court file. Gladman, of Londesborough Street, appeared for sentence on Monday after being remanded in custody. Lewis Allan Kerr, mitigating, said Gladman had behaved abominably but had anger, alcohol and mental-health issues. A pre-sentence probation report noted that Gladman had had a perfect childhood, but he told officers that after his marriage ended, he wanted to have some fun and that he treated women as pieces of meat. Recorder Richard Woolfall said it was the worst case of its kind that he had dealt with during his 10 years on the bench. He noted Gladmans willingness to use violence to get what he wants and the severe psychological impact on the victims who had experienced terrifying, violent and prolonged ordeals. He said Gladwin had shown a total disregard for the (criminal) case, while his demeanour in the dock suggested he couldnt have cared less. You see (women) as sex things to meet your needs, as opposed to people with feelings, added Mr Woolfall. I consider your behaviour is so serious and manipulative and persistent that the risk you present will have to be managed for the rest of your life. Mr Woolfall imposed a determinate jail sentence of 17-and-a-half years but told Gladman he would have to serve at least two-thirds of that behind bars, adding that he could spend the rest of your life in prison. It would be down to the Parole Board to decide if and when Gladman was safe to be released after serving the minimum term and he would remain on prison licence for life, with strict conditions, should he ever be set free. Gladwin remained expressionless as he was led down to the cells by prison guards.

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A convicted sex offender who abused a 13-year-old girl after offering her a lift home has been jailed again, just seven years on from his first sentence.

John Brook, 68, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child and breaching his sexual harm prevention order at Bradford Crown Court on Friday, September 10.

The court heard how Brook, of Huddersfield Road in Ravensthorpe, had been asked to pick the 13-year-old girl up and drop her off at home on May 2 this year.

 For more news from Bradford Crown Court, click here. 

But Brook instead told the girl that he did not have enough fuel to get her home and suggested she spend the night at his house.

After they arrived, Brook sexually assaulted the child victim.

The girl was able to escape after making an excuse to go to the toilet and ran to a nearby petrol station, where she called the police.

Officers arrested Brook that same night.

The 68-year-old has now been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison. He will be on the sex offenders' register for life.

It comes just over seven years after Brook was arrested for sexually abusing a teenage girl who 'functioned at the level of an eight or nine year old.'

Brook commited various sex offences against a teenage girl with a low IQ and then sickeningly encouraged his brother Christopher to do the same.

Commenting on the sentence handed to Brook at Bradford Crown Court on Friday (September 10, 2021), Detective Olivia Connor, from West Yorkshire Police, said: "Brook's actions were horrific and calculated. He abused the trust he had built with the victim's family for his own gratification.

"I would like to commend the young victim for speaking out and contacting us as soon as she could. Her bravery has seen this man jailed for his actions, and I’m very pleased with the result.

"Offences of this nature are always taken extremely seriously, and we hope his sentence will provide reassurance to the public that we will do our utmost to bring those committing these horrible crimes to justice, and we will be on hand to support victims every step of the way."

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A former headteacher described by a judge as "a highly dangerous predatory paedophile" has been jailed after admitting child sex abuse offences. Duggie Speight, 44, sexually abused a teenage boy and secretly filmed young boys naked in a changing room. Bradford Crown Court heard that Speight, head of a school in Yorkshire, began grooming the boy by inviting him over to his flat during lockdown. He was jailed for 12 years, with an extended licence of eight years. Passing sentence, Judge Richard Mansell QC said 44-year-old Speight had used his position of trust to "cynically manipulate" the boy and his family. "Your public persona hid a very dark secret, that you are a highly dangerous, predatory, manipulative paedophile," the judge said. Judge Mansell said the offending was at the highest category of harm and that his victim would have to "live with the mental scars of what you did to him for the rest of his life". Prosecutor Tom Storey said Speight became friends with the boy's family and offered tutoring. He would give the boy alcohol and take him out and buy him expensive presents, including clothes and a laptop. Mr Storey said that after one shopping trip in April the boy took an overdose and when recovering in hospital told one of his friends about the abuse. The friend told his parents who contacted the police. When initially interviewed by the police Speight denied the allegations, but officers searched his home and discovered mobiles phones and a tablet hidden behind a wall. The court was told the devices contained footage of Speight having sex with the teenager filmed with a hidden camera. There was also a video of young boys changing at a swimming pool. 'Stolen innocence' In an impact statement, the boy's mother said Speight had "destroyed my happy family life". "He used my friendship and trust and twisted it, "she said. "He stole my son's innocence and we can never get it back."

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A convicted paedophile who planned to sexually abuse a four-year-old girl has been jailed for 10 years. John Peter Noble, 36, was arrested in Ripon in April as part of an undercover police operation after making arrangements to meet his victim. North Yorkshire Police said there was never a real-life victim and no children were ever in any danger. Noble, of North Street, Ripon, was sentenced at York Crown Court after admitting the charges in May. He was convicted of nine child sex offences and was put on the sex offenders' register for life. The court was told he had made arrangements to meet who he believed to be his victim's family on 30 April, but was arrested by undercover police as part of an online sting. Noble, who was previously convicted of possessing indecent images of children, was also charged with breaching conditions of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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A former Filey man who raped a boy, incited a girl to engage in sexual activity and filmed himself having sex with a dog has been jailed for 18 years. Kyle Stephenson, 29, now of no fixed address, was sentenced at York Crown Court on Friday after what a detective described as one of the "most harrowing and disturbing" cases he had been involved with. Stephenson - described as "vile and manipulative" by police - had been due to stand trial this week but decided to plead guilty to the offences against the boy and the girl. Stephenson also admitted committing bestiality after police recovered conclusive video evidence. The Judge took this offence into consideration when passing sentence, which also subjected him to a life-time Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed him on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely. He also has to serve an extra year on licence. Stephenson was arrested on 31 January 2021 following a complaint made by the boy and he has remained in custody since being charged. The offences were committed between then and January 2020. The dog Stephenson abused has died from an illness. Detective Constable Steve Monty, of Scarborough CID, who led the investigation, said Stephenson is now facing the consequences of his depraved actions He said: This is one of the most harrowing and disturbing cases I have been involved in. My heart goes out to the brave young victims who have endured immense trauma caused by this vile and manipulative man. Their true courage, together with support from loved ones, will hopefully give them the strength to rebuild their lives and move forward from this dreadful experience. Det Con Monty added: As for Stephenson, he has rightfully been brought to justice and is now facing the full consequences of his depraved and disgusting actions. My message to victims of child abuse, no matter when it occurred, is that the police will support you in a highly professional and sensitive way throughout an investigation and court case. Please dont hesitate to seek our help or obtain support from specialist services that are readily available to victims.

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A sex offender has been sent to prison more than two decades after he abused a girl under the age of ten. David Wilson was locked up for two and a half years after pleading guilty to indecent assault. Wilson, 47, was aged in his 20s when he committed the offence. The victim read a statement to the court describing the years of physiological torment she had suffered since her ordeal. Judge Graham Reeds QC told Wilson, of Spittal Hardwick Lane, Castleford, that he must go on the sex offender register for life. He told Wilson that he had caused the victim "significant psychological harm." The judge also praised the victim for her bravery and the dignity she had shown.

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Benjamin Middlemiss, 25, of Oxcroft, Kirkbymoorside, was released on prison licence in July last year, halfway through his sentence for indecent assault, York Crown Court heard.

As part of his licence conditions, Middlemiss was given an exemption under his bail curfew to work at a Tesco store in York, but the authorities suspected he had not been going to work and not been residing at his bail address in keeping with the provisos.

In fact, this was an “administrational error” and Middlemiss had been working at the supermarket, but when police tried to contact him to inform him that he was wanted for prison recall, he didn’t reply, said prosecutor Rob Galley.

An officer went looking for Middlemiss and stopped him in his Ford Ka in York on December 15, when it was discovered that he only had a provisional driving licence.

The officer told him he was wanted for prison recall and took him by the arm, but as he was being led to the cells in York, Middlemiss shoved her backwards and she let go of him.

He ran off and despite an exhaustive search, police couldn’t find him. The fugitive vanished for a week but finally returned to his bail hostel on December 22, where he was arrested.

Middlemiss admitted escaping from lawful custody and driving with only a provisional licence. He was recalled to Hull Prison to serve the remainder of his original sentence and appeared via video link for sentence on the new offences on Monday.

The court heard he had previous convictions for arson, theft from vehicles, criminal damage and making off without payment. He received the nine-year sentence for sexual offences in December 2013.

Defence barrister Alex Menary said Middlesmiss’s current sentence would expire in four years’ time, but there were moves to release him “sooner rather than later” because of the progress he had been making in prison.

He said Middlemiss had “shrugged off” the officer following his arrest for the driving matter and prison recall, after “panicking because he thought he had done nothing wrong and had been to work”.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said that following Middlemiss’s release on licence last summer, it appeared that he was getting his life back on track and “doing everything expected of you”.

But escaping from custody and evading capture “for about seven days” was so serious that it could only be met with another prison sentence.

Middlemiss was handed a new four-month jail term. His existing sentence for the sex offences is due to expire in January 2023, but it’s likely he could be released before then.

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A paedophile has been jailed for eight years for the rape and abuse of a child under 13.

Andrew Rutter was charged with a catalogue of child sex offences, carried out against a youngster several years ago.

In March this year, he pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child under 13, causing or inciting sexual activity with a child under 13, sexual assault of a child under 13 and rape of a child under 13.

The 41-year-old, of Goldrill Gardens in Redcar, was due to be sentenced in April however this was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday and was jailed for eight years.

Judge Paul Watson QC also imposed an additional one year on extended licence following Rutter's release from prison.

He will be on the sex offenders' register indefinitely and was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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A sick pensioner who sexually abused three boys has been jailed for nearly 20 years.

One of Robert Brady's victims repeatedly tried to take his own life after years of abuse including rape.

The determined pervert groomed two other victims with cash and even molested one of them after being released on police bail.

The 79-year-old, of Springfield Avenue, Batley, was jailed for 19-and-a-half years on Monday after admitting 11 charges in relation to historic and recent child sex abuse.

Jailing Brady, Judge Robin Mairs told him "You have nothing but callous disregard for the pain, both physical and mental, that you inflict on your victims."

Prosecutor Matthew Bean said the abuse of the first victim became penetrative and more violent over time. Speaking about one incident, the judge said: "This was degrading, violent and systemic abuse of a young child."

The victim began physically defending himself as he got older and stronger. On the final occasion, the victim bit Brady's penis. Brady reacted by assaulting him but did not sexually abuse him again. Leeds Crown Court heard the victim tried to take his own life a number of times. 

The judge said: "Those I am quite satisfied were real suicide attempts. That is the catastrophic effect of child abuse."

After the first time Brady sexually abused the second victim, he gave him £5 and told him that if he did not tell anyone he would get more money.

The next time Brady saw the boy he tried to rape him and gave him £20. The victim told him: "Get off. It burns." Brady replied: "That's what you get."

On another occasion, Brady got the second victim and another teenager alone together and told them they had 'the best two bums in Batley'. He abused them in front of each other and gave them £80.

The second victim's mother noticed that her son had topped up his Xbox Live account with £80 and asked where the money came from. The boys were honest about the abuse.

She confronted the defendant and he admitted what he had done. 

Police were called and an investigation began. Brady made no comment in his police interview.

He was released on police bail but just two-and-a-half months later he got one of the boys alone and sexually assaulted him again. Brady gave the boy £150 this time and told him that he would hurt him if he told anyone.

Again, the victim spent the money on Xbox credit, his mother noticed and she confronted the defendant. The defendant admitted that he had seen the boy but denied sexually abusing him on this occasion. She told him she was contacting police again and he said: "F**k off."

He made no comment in his second police interview.

The first victim went to police after learning that the abuse of the other victims had been reported to the police. He told police that not being believed by the adult who he had told about the abuse left him feeling defeated.

In relation to the first victim, Brady pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault, two counts of rape and one count of gross indecency.

In relation to the second and third victim, he pleaded guilty to three counts of assault by penetration, one count of attempted rape and one count of attempted assault by penetration. He has no previous convictions.

Kate Batty, mitigating, said the defendant is aware of the 'very real likelihood' that he will never be released from custody. She asked the judge to reduce her client's sentence to reflect his guilty pleas.

Brady, who appeared in court via video link from Leeds prison, was also made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Police statement
PC Alexis Stansfield, of Kirklees District Child Safeguarding Unit, who led the investigation, said:  "Robert Brady committed appalling acts against young and vulnerable victims who were in no position to defend themselves and we are pleased to see him receive a substantial sentence in court for his crimes.

"He has clearly still posed a huge danger to children will into his later 70s and is without doubt a significantly predatory offender.

"This was a harrowing investigation and I wish to pay tribute to the victims who had the courage to support our enquiries and help put this very dangerous man behind bars.

"I'm pleased his guilty plea spared them seeing the case taken to trial and hope they may gain some comfort from seeing Brady brought to justice, knowing he has received such a significant prison sentence at such a late stage in his life."

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On April 22 Shaqeel Hussain of Spen Valley Road was jailed for 12 months in a separate criminal case, also investigated as part of the wider Operation Tendersea enquiry.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to an indecent assault committed in Huddersfield between 2004 and 2005 on a 16-year-old girl.

In a previous Operation Tendersea trial in February 2020, relating to the sexual abuse of two girls in the Huddersfield area between 1995 and 2011, Hussain was jailed for eight years for the rape of a 14 year old girl. He was told he must serve the 12 months consecutive to the eight year term he is currently serving.

Manzoor Akhtar (31) from Crosland Moor in Huddersfield was sentenced to four years, six months at Leeds Crown Court on April 22 after being found guilty of raping a young girl between 2005-2006.

Akhtar became the latest man to be convicted as part of West Yorkshire Police’s multi part Operation Tendersea investigation into the sexual abuse of young girls in Huddersfield between 1995 and 2011.

During proceedings, the court heard he subjected his victim to sexual assault when she was between 13-14 years old.

Commenting on the conviction of Manzoor Akhtar, Detective Chief Inspector Richard McNamara of the Kirklees District CID, said: “Akhtar richly deserves the prison sentence he has been given after being found guilty and convicted for the dreadful sexual abuse of this young victim.

“He thought nothing of this girl’s obvious very young age as he raped her and treated her in a fashion which can only be described as callous in the extreme.”

DCI McNamara said he was also pleased that the force was now able to name Shaqeel Hussain.

He said: “Hussain was convicted for rape in an Operation Tendersea trial in February 2020 but at the time we were not able to release his identity. He has now been sentenced after pleading guilty to an indecent assault on a 16 year old victim, and can be named as reporting restrictions have been lifted.

“He will face a total of nine years in prison in total for both of these depraved offences in which he showed no regard whatsoever for his victims.

He added: “A repeated feature of these cases has been the stunning bravery of the now young women who have come forward to tell us about the abuse they suffered and then doing everything they can to support the police and CPS in taking action against those who abused them.

“The courage of victims is helping us take dangerous predators such as Manzoor Akhtar and Shaqeel Hussain off our streets, show them for what they are, and put them behind bars where they belong.”

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A teenager dubbed "paedo Jack" is facing prison after admitting a string of terrifying sex offences against teenage girls.

Jack Walker, 19, has appeared at Hull Crown Court charged with four offences of sexual activity with a child, one offence of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two offences of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Walker, of Fort Terrace, Bridlington, appeared via video link from Hull Prison where he has been remanded since August, ready for his sentencing hearing - which will take place on Friday.

As his crimes were laid out before the court, Walker regularly shook his head before pleading guilty to all seven charges, which revolved around grooming underage children.

Charlotte Baines, prosecuting, told the court the charges related to a 14-year-old girl, who at one point Walker had asked to move to Bradford with him.

She told the court that Walker had been warned by both his mum and Humberside Police to stay away from the girl.

Throughout his offending, Walker was placed under child abduction warning notices, which are used to disrupt contact between vulnerable children and an adult where there are concerns that the child may be at risk of harm including sexual exploitation.

Miss Baines said: The girl said she had been involved in a group of males for sexual contact and she said she felt sick and disgusted in herself, but felt normal when she did it. She said she felt pressured.

The girl later told officers she had often taken drugs when around Walker.

Miss Baines said that one night after smoking together, Walker had sat her on his knee and touched her [the girl]".

She told the court: "He didnt ask if he could, he just did it. He tried getting her to go upstairs with him, saying 'come on, you know you want to do it'.

She told police she had messaged him telling her how old she was and he sent her indecent pictures and asked her to do the same.

"He sent her messages about taking her virginity and making sure it wouldnt hurt. He tried to convince her to have sex with him on two or three occasions.

The court heard that after locking himself and the girl in a beach hut, Walker said her body was perfect before telling her "not to tell anyone about what he said".

Miss Baines added: He said I will get into trouble - you dont want that do you?. One friend of the girl said that everyone knew him as 'paedo Jack'."

Other charges against Walker related to another 14-year-old girl.

Miss Baines told the court that the girl had said many people around the ages of 14 and 15 would often be round at Walkers flat.

She told the court: The girl said she could often hear Walker and his girlfriend having sex and this would make her uncomfortable and she would turn the music up. She was asked to join them a few times and knew what had been meant by that.

She described how she would keep an eye on him as she knew he had ADHD, bipolar and anger issues.

Hull Crown Court heard that Walker had sex with the young girl an estimated ten times, including in a disused building, which was witnessed by a teenage boy who said he felt that he had been coerced into watching.

Miss Baines said the boy knew that it was not right that Walker was having sex with underage girls.

She told the court: He recalled a time when he had seen the defendant and one of the girls and went to speak to them and Walker had said, Im s******* this one now.

He went with them to an abandoned building and the defendant had sex with the girl. The defendant told him to sit down on a log and watch. He said he didnt want to get stabbed as the defendant had a screwdriver in his pocket.

The girl said, Does he have to watch? and the defendant had said Let him stay. He said he was scared of him and by talking to police after he said it felt like a betrayal."

Walker was first interviewed by police in June last year and said there had been no messages between him and the first girl.

The court heard that during his second interview with officers in August last year, Walker said he "did not understand what consent means", although he later pleaded guilty to all seven charges.

Paul Genney, mitigating for Walker, told how he lives with a learning disability and a low IQ and a pre-sentence report and psychological report had been issued.

Mr Genney outlined details of Walkers traumatic childhood which included living in a violent home.

He said: Hes damaged, basically. Whether he is beyond the point of redemption, it is difficult to know. He has been tearful and crying while in prison and misses, in his words his 'mummy and his Lego'.

Hes obviously something of a child himself. Hes damaged by his upbringing."

Mr Genney said Walker was not a manipulative or sophisticated", but instead, someone in need of help and treatment".

He added: Hes got the sophistication of a 14-year-old himself, with very little empathy. We cant penalise him for being unintelligent.

Talking about Walkers time in custody so far, Mr Genney said: He is vulnerable and tearful and is finding it to be the most traumatic experience. Hopefully someone, somewhere can offer him some sort of course or help that could help increase his sense of empathy or sensitivity.

Walker will be sentenced by Judge John Thackray on Friday, April 3.

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Leeds Crown Court heard there was no other evidence other than 21-year-old Jacob Daniel's admissions that he had sexually assaulted a boy and a girl.

Prosecutor, Philip Standfast, said Daniel, of Partridge Crescent, Thornhill Dewsbury, contacted police in March 2019.

Mr Standfast said Daniel told officers what he had done and "that he should not get away with it."

Daniel admitted one charge of sexual assault on a girl and one charge of sexual activity with a girl.

He also admitted one charge of sexual assault on a boy and sexual activity with a boy.

The offences took place in West Yorkshire 2018 and the children, who were both aged under 10.

The court heard how in February 2019 the girl told her mother that Daniel had kissed her and the mother called police, who interviewed Daniel.

The court heard Daniel admitted kissing the girl and was made the subject of a caution.

The following month Daniel called police and said he had committed the offences.

Mr Standfast said: "The defendant came forward and voluntarily admitted offences that had not been disclosed by either of the two children involved."

The court heard Daniel has previous convictions for possessing an offensive weapon and battery.

Kitty Colley, mitigating, said Daniel is an "immature and naive" man who had abused alcohol and cannabis.

"Miss Colley said Daniel had gone to police voluntarily, adding: "The most astonishing feature is that, but for that approach by the defendant, nobody would have known about these offences."

Miss Colley said: "He felt very bad about it and disgusted with himself. He has expressed genuine remorse."

Jailing Daniel for three years, Judge Simon Phillips QC told him: "It is on the strength of your voluntary admissions that this indictment is brought before the court and that is an indication of not only cooperation, but also remorse and contrition."

Judge Phillips said he had read a letter from a psychiatrist who saw Daniel in April 2019 in connection with an anxiety disorder due to cannabis use.

Judge Phillips said: "At the time of the offending you were using alcohol and drugs on a regular basis and to a significant extent and it appears is likely to have brought on an exacerbated your mental health issues."

Judge Phillips said Daniels' name will be the sex offender register indefinitely.

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This image shows a 64-year-old man who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl while dressed as a schoolboy.

Michael Wilson squeezed the girls bottom as he waked towards Headland School in Bridlington in January 2019.

He was later caught in an out of bounds area of the school premises.

An image of Wilson wearing a school uniform and a wig was shared among students.

The 64-year-old was arrested on January 9 where police found a number of different school uniforms in a secret room hidden by a bookcase, Hull Crown Court heard.

Officers also found a story written by Wilson titled My Life As A 13-year-old Schoolboy within the same room.

Wilson, of High Street, Bridlington, appeared in court on Friday where he was given a 12-month sentence suspended for two years.

Wearing a wig, a white shirt, a blazer and a Headlands School tie, Wilson was seen by two girls walking towards the school on the morning of January 8 last year.

Prosecuting barrister Richard Thompson said: The defendant approached and without asking anything he squeezed one of the girls bottoms before walking towards the school.

He was seen by a member of staff in an area close to the school building clearly marked as out of bounds.

"The staff member initially thought this was a student but when he approached closer he noticed he was not.

The defendant said he was looking for someone but immediately walked off down the driveway. The member of staff managed to take a picture of the defendant.

Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault and appeared at Hull Crown Court on Friday, March 6 where he was given a suspended sentence.

He must also adhere to a sexual harm prevention order for seven years that prevents him from purchasing school uniforms.

Wilson must also not go within 100m of the perimeter boundaries of any school or have any contact with children under 16 unrelated to him.

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A pervert who tried to meet up with a parent to abuse his two daughters was caught after it turned out to be an undercover police officer.

William Gerald Lenehan, from Preston, was in secret online contact with the officer for two months and used secure email accounts based in Russia so he couldn't be traced.

The 'determined and premeditated' 65-year-old also installed special software on his mobile phone making it 'difficult or impossible' to check his browsing history and also had access to the 'dark web'.

Preston Crown Court heard how police officers in Kent launched an investigation in early 2017 to 'identify and investigate individuals arranging to meet and facilitate sex offences with children'.

Prosecutor Mercedes Jabbari said Lenehan made contact with the undercover officer in May 2017 and used the email address name 'Exciting Times'.

Lenehan had email accounts with Russian-based Yandex and Protonmail and Ms Jabbari said they are 'known not to share information with local enforcement agencies'.

She told the court: "The defendant had earlier informed the undercover officer that he changes his email addresses frequently for security purposes and in fact advised the undercover officer to do the same."

Four days after making contact with the officer Lenehan told him to first send a picture of a sex act involving his daughter and then they could go on to "trade some heavy stuff".

Lenehan suggested they set up a group in a chat room application and the defendant used the name 'Gary'.

Ms Jabbari said between May and July 2017 Lenehan engaged in "explicit conversations concerning the abuse of children" with the officer.

She told the court: "The defendant was not only telling the undercover officer to perform indecent acts with his children but also expressing a description of what acts he too would wish to perform.

"He said he enjoyed their 'purvy chats' and even expressed disappointment at the situation saying 'pity this is all illegal'.

"He also tried to arrange a meeting with the undercover officer so they both could abuse the officers supposed young daughters who were three and six years of age."

Lenehan sent the officer a number of 'first generation' custom made images of children, including one of an eight-year-old girl holding a placard with the date and the defendant's Kik Messenger username.

Ms Jabbari told the court that it 'indicated the defendant had obtained them from a source not far removed from the original abuser'.

The images were later traced to a man in Torquay who was arrested and convicted, the court heard.

Officers also used Lenehan's internet provider address from Kik Messenger to trace him to an address on Devonshire Place in Preston.

The defendant was away working in France but was arrested at Manchester Airport the next day.

A mobile phone was seized containing 61 indecent images and videos of children, including one category A - the most serious - three category B and 57 category C.

Ms Jabbari said the victims were aged between five and 10 and one of the abuse videos lasted more than five minutes.

Attempts had also been made to delete the images on the phone which had been in the defendant's possession since 2012.

The prosecutor said: "The phone was found to have multiple means of secure communications and means of access to the internet making it difficult or impossible for such communications or browsing to be intercepted or detected.

"There were programmes for the effective permanent deletion of images and software to hide [Virtual Private Network] addresses making it difficult to trace the location of the user.

"There was also software to enable the user to access content on the dark web."

'Period of insanity'

Lenehan pleaded guilty to encouraging a man to take and send him indecent images of children, distributing indecent images and possessing indecent images.

Defence barrister Shirlie Duckworth said: "This was for him a period of insanity where he had no insight into the harmful effects of his behaviour.

"If the court is inclined to look at the longer term protection of the public and rehabilitation of this defendant then supervision in the community would allow rehabilitation and longer term protection."

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A sexual predator who subjected three young girls to years of abject suffering has been jailed for 30 years after a jury found him guilty of multiple counts of rape and sexual assault.

Graham Howard, 47, claimed the girls were lying but the overwhelming evidence stacked against him led to a jury returning unanimous guilty verdicts on all 18 charges he had denied.
 
They included multiple rapes and indecent assaults on the victims – one of whom was just six years old when the abuse began, York Crown Court heard.

Over a period of about 10 years, the girls were subjected to horrific sexual assaults at properties in Scarborough, York and Selby.

The evidence presented to the court was so horrific that one juror was reduced to tears.

Howard - formerly of Scarborough but now living in Knottingley, West Yorkshire - denied all charges including 11 counts of rape, as well as gross indecency with a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and indecent assault.

The victims - none of whom can be named for legal reasons - were systematically abused between the late 1990s and about 2009.

Prosecutor Mike Greenhalgh said that Howard, who at the time worked at the Rowntree factory in York, offered the victims treats such as chocolate, sweets and magazines if they kept quiet about his sickening crimes.

One victim said: “You couldn’t tell anybody because he always told you not to. He said he would just deny (the abuse).”

She said Howard forced her to carry out sex acts on him, adding: “I just froze. I didn’t know what I was doing.”

She didn’t tell anyone initially because she was “in denial, just scared, having (had) it drilled into my head that I couldn’t tell anyone”.

The girl, who began self-harming by her early teens, added: “He’d buy you things: sweets, magazines; give you money. Most of the time it was after… sex. You’d get treats for that.”

One of the victims said Howard “really creeped me out” and would often whistle at her. During one attack she was screaming with fear.

Each of the girls was raped multiple times and made to perform degrading sexual acts on Howard.

One of them said she had turned to drink and drugs in her early teens because she was struggling to cope following years of abuse.

“I had no confidence and became very timid,” she added. “When (Howard) was hurting me and sexually abusing me, I used to be so hurt and confused. I was too scared to tell anyone what was happening to me. It wasn’t until I got older that I realised that what he was doing to me was wrong.”

One by one, the girls came forward to police in about 2017 but even though Howard was finally brought to justice, they said their lives had been ruined.

One of the victims said she had suffered from depression and anxiety and still had nightmares about her childhood, as well as flashbacks to the abuse.

The girl said Howard had “destroyed my life” and even though she had managed to turn it around with the help of counselling, it was “going to take a long time to recover from what he did to me”.

Another victim said: “I was a small child, young and defenceless. At a young age I started to self-harm because I felt it was the only way to release the pain. I had anxiety and depression to the point where I couldn’t sleep at night. As an adult I still get nightmares about what happened.”

At the adjourned sentence hearing on Friday, judge Sean Morris labelled Howard a “vile” sexual “deviant” who had used the girls as his “sexual play-things”.

“You are a very dangerous man to young children and women,” he added.

He said that Howard - who had pleaded guilty to three separate charges related to the abuse of the same children before the trial - had put the girls through “mental torture” and had shown no remorse.

Howard, of Croft Avenue, Knottingley, showed no emotion as the judge handed down the 30-year sentence.

He was told he must serve at least two-thirds of the 25-year custodial element of the sentence, with an extended five-year period on prison licence. It means his very earliest release date will be in 16 years’ time, when he will be 63.

He was also placed on the sex-offenders’ register for life and made subject to a sexual-harm prevention order which bans him having any unsupervised contact with under-age children.

Detective Constable Rosie Rogers, of Scarborough CID, said after the hearing: “This is one of the worst cases of child abuse I have ever dealt with. No child should have to go through the terror and pain that they suffered at (Howard’s) hands.”