Latest Offenders Yorkshire

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A man from North Yorkshire has been sentenced to 13 months in prison after National Crime Agency officers recovered indecent images of children from his computers.

John Tesseyman was identified as part of an NCA investigation targeting UK nationals making payments to a Filipino family who facilitated child abuse.

Tesseyman was detained on suspicion of child sexual abuse offences by officers from the National Bureau of Investigation in the Philippines while visiting the country.

He was later released and returned to the UK, but was arrested by the NCA several weeks later at his home in Ingleton, Carnforth. During their investigation, officers identified that Tesseyman had made 53 payments, totalling approximately £2,700, to payees in the Philippines between March and October 2017.

On his arrest, NCA officers seized Tesseyman’s computers, which were found to have over 70 indecent images of children in categories A-C (A being the most severe) stored on them, including those of a Filipino child.

His internet search history demonstrated a strong sexual preoccupation with young children and contained graphic descriptions of child sexual abuse.

Tesseyman was charged with four counts of making indecent photographs of children.

Yesterday [24 November 2023] at Preston Crown Court, he was sentenced to 13 months in prison. He was also prohibited from travelling to a list of countries, including the Philippines, for 5 years.

The couple who facilitated the abuse of the children in some of the photos were both charged with offences involving the sexual exploitation of children. One of them has since been convicted, and is serving a 15 year term in prison in Manila.

National Crime Agency senior investigating officer, Daniel Waywell, said:

“The Philippines remains a key focus of our work to prevent child sexual abuse by UK nationals, and we have cultivated a close working relationship with partners in the area to combat these crimes.

“The investigation into John Tesseyman was the result of a concerted effort from NCA officers and our colleagues overseas, demonstrating our resolve to pursue and bring to justice individuals who pose a sexual threat to children.”

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A man who had a "sexual interest in teenage girls" cynically took advantage of two to commit repeated sexual offences against them over a period of about 18 months.

Laurence Gladwin at first groomed the girls with "friendly banter" but it soon progressed to sending messages to them before "quickly escalating" to having sex with one of them in his car and committing sexual acts in the car with the other.

He encouraged them to send him intimate pictures of themselves and he sent a video to one of the girls showing him committing a sex act, Hull Crown Court heard. Gladwin, 43, of Young Street, Withernsea, admitted seven offences of sexual activity with a girl while in a position of trust and four offences of making indecent images of children.

Robert Stevenson, prosecuting, said that Gladwin initiated contact with the girls. It escalated to meeting them and committing sexual acts with them or inciting them to do so.

He kissed one of the girls and he also repeatedly intimately touched her as well as causing her to commit a sex act on him. She later said that the behaviour started with banter and then escalated to frequent messages being sent before they later met up on several occasions in Gladwin's car.

He would drive to a secluded area of a public car park. She felt "out of her depth" and "pressured" into sexual behaviour. Gladwin suggested that they could go to a hotel but she refused and that brought an end to their meetings.

The girl later came forward, and after police became involved, Gladwin's phone was seized and the offences involving the other girl came to light. The indecent images were discovered.

The second girl initially denied any involvement but later gave details. Friendly banter with Gladwin led to messages being exchanged before matters "escalated quickly".

He picked her up in his car. They had full sex in his car on one occasion and at his home when his wife and children were not there. "He told her that he loved her and she reciprocated," said Mr Stevenson.

The girl said that she was a willing participant but later realised that this was because of the "significant power imbalance" between them. They met several times, initiated by him.

"She froze," said Mr Stevenson. "She didn't know what to do. It was her first experience with anyone. There were a number of incidents, all of a similar nature.

"She felt scared," said Mr Stevenson. "She feared him a bit because he had more power. There were no threats or force." She sent "nude pictures" of herself and he sent her a video of him committing a sex act.

There were 12 indecent images of the first girl, 81 indecent images of the second and 134 of other unknown girls on Gladwin's phone.

The first girl said in a statement that it was a "burden which she had carried for some time" and she now has a lack of trust. "She feels the defendant exploited her and she feels uncertain around new people," said Mr Stevenson.

"She feels emotionally damaged. She was not eating for a period. She still has sleepless nights and flashbacks. She feels that the defendant took advantage of her vulnerability."

The second girl said that she felt "used and taken advantage of" by Gladwin. "She finds it hard to trust people." She had a "very bad memory" of the incidents.

Nigel Clive, mitigating, said that Gladwin "thoroughly regretted" his actions towards the two girls and he had pleaded guilty at a very early stage and shown remorse. He had no previous convictions.

"For some time, he would have wished to have been able to apologise," said Mr Clive. "He can't turn back the clock. Sometimes such defendants try to play it out and that causes the complainant far more distress than the proceedings have perhaps done in this case.

"He accepts that he needs to be punished," said Mr Clive. "He is very disappointed, to say the least, in himself. It's caused some internal reflection on his part."

Father-of-two Gladwin's marriage ended and some "self-destructive and ill-thought-out life choices" followed.

"He accepts that he behaved in a terrible way," said Mr Clive. "This is not a defendant who will repeat such behaviour. He knows what he has done and he is very sorry."

Judge Kate Rayfield told Gladwin: "You plainly have a sexual interest in teenage girls," said Judge Rayfield.

Gladwin had shown some remorse but, after the police got involved, he telephoned one of the girls and asked her not to say anything if she was asked. This was "selfish" and did not show genuine remorse.

"There was grooming behaviour and you retained sexual images of your victims," said Judge Rayfield.

Gladwin was jailed for six years and he was given a sexual harm prevention order for life. He will have to register as a sex offender for life.

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Registered sex offender, Samuel Moodie, 55, of Burton-in-Lonsdale has been jailed for 20 months after being found with 30,000 indecent images of children.

Due to a previous conviction in 2017 for the possession of indecent images of children, Moodie was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which prohibited him from using or possessing any device which was capable of accessing the internet, without notifying police. The order also prohibited him from accessing any type of cloud storage, without declaring and providing access details to police.

Despite this, officers conducting a search at his property uncovered 30,000 indecent images of children including category A, B and C images across three devices along with the details for a Google Drive cloud account.

He was found guilty in September of three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child and breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He was jailed at York Crown Court on 10 November 2023.

Speaking after his sentencing today, Detective Constable Kerri Jones from the North Yorkshire Police Online Child Abuse Team, said:

“Despite already serving a prison sentence for a similar offence in 2017 and clearly knowing the terms of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order placed on him at the time, Samuel Moodie blatantly flouted the order and once again accessed and saved some truly hideous images of child sex abuse.

“I’m pleased he’s back behind bars, where he cannot play a role in sharing these disturbing and harmful images. Those who obtain and distribute child abuse material directly contribute to the sexual exploitation of children, because the children involved are continually re-victimised every time the images are shared and viewed.

“I’d like to thank the expertise of North Yorkshire Police’s Digital Forensic Unit and the dedication of my colleagues who have been involved in this investigation.

“I hope the sentence handed to Moodie sends a clear message that police can and will track down anyone involved in the making or sharing of indecent images of children and we will use our expertise to uncover the unquestionable digital evidence that will lead to a conviction.”

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A KEIGHLEY man arrested following a Facebook 'sting' has been jailed for two years.

David Houldsworth, 58, of Skipton Road, admitted two charges – sexual communication with a child and causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

In addition to the jail sentence, handed down at Bradford Crown Court, Houldsworth will have to sign on the sex offenders register for ten years and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order when he’s released.

Detective Constable Adam Flaxington, from the Bradford district policing online investigations team, says: "This was a lengthy, two-year investigation and I welcome the guilty plea and sentence the court has handed down.

"In Houldsworth’s conversations he demonstrated clear intent to commit sexual offending against young children, and it is fortunate the person he thought he was speaking with wasn't a child."

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A Northallerton man has been jailed after being found guilty of 16 child sex offences.

Raymond Douglas Mackley, 81, of The Green, Romanby, Northallerton, was sentenced to 12 years in prison at Teeside Crown Court on November 6. Mackley was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life. In September, the sex offender was found guilty by jury of eight counts of sexual activity with a child, six counts of sexual assault against a child under 13, and two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Mackley's sickening acts came to lights when one of his victims told a family member she had been abused by him as a child, but kept it a secret for years. Her disclosure also led to another victim coming forward who had also suffered similar abuse.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Gillian Gowling of Northallerton CID, said: "Mackley carried out a blatant and sickening series of offences against his victims over several years, yet maintained his innocence throughout the investigation, showing no remorse for what he had done. The victims have shown great bravery in coming forward and providing the evidence that led to his conviction.

"They have lived with the secrecy of the abuse for many years and were initially reluctant to report it to the police, believing that nothing could be done or they wouldn’t be believed. The abuse and the burden of secrecy they carried has had a lasting impact on their lives that continues to this day."

Gowling added: "I hope the outcome helps them to put the past behind them, knowing that they were believed, that justice has been done, and that the only person responsible for this abuse is now behind bars. If you are a victim of sexual abuse, please do not suffer in silence, please report what is happening to you, whether it’s happening now or if it happened in the past.

"We will investigate thoroughly. Your information may also help to protect other people from abuse."

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The woman, who is in her 60s, was subjected to the terrifying attack carried out by pervert Lee Belsham, who has been handed an extended 10-year jail sentence.

The brave woman faced 38-year-old Belsham at Leeds Crown Court where she read out a statement on how the attack had affected her.

She said: “I thought I was going to die, I was so scared. That memory will live with me forever and haunts me to this day.”

Belsham followed the woman along the path on Sowgate Lane at Knottingley at around lunchtime on March 6 this year. He then “rugby tackled” her as she entered one of the small tunnels that run under the M62 and A1(M).

With her face down on the floor, he sat on her back and began to sexually assault her, touching her between her legs and putting his hands under her bra, repeatedly telling her that he would kill her if she screamed.

He dragged her to her feet told her to “drop them”, referring to her underwear. She then told him it was a busy path where people walked, and Belsham “came to his senses” before making off.

He was later arrested after nearby CCTV picked him up leaving the area, still wearing the same clothes. He was picked out by the victim and his DNA was found on her. Despite this, he continued to deny the offences, but changed his pleas to guilty, eventually admitting two counts of sexual assault and making threats to kill.

The court heard that Belsham, formerly of Ferrybridge Road, Knottingley, also admitted indecently exposing himself to two females on separate dates in June 2021, first dropping his trousers and masturbating in front of a female jogger, and then a 14-year-old girl two days later. They both happened on a towpath next to the River Calder at Ferrybridge.

He has more than 20 previous convictions, including many for violence.

Judge Simon Batiste jailed him for seven years, with a three-year extended licence period and put on the sex offender register for life. Referring to the sexual assaults, he said: “It’s clear you followed her for some distance. It’s evident the impact it’s had on her and will have life-long profound effects.”

Speaking outside court, Detective Inspector Rachel Darling from Wakefield District Safeguarding Unit said: “I would like to praise the victim for her bravery in coming forward to report the offences to police.

“She was subjected to a frightening and horrendous ordeal, but now I hope the sentence Belsham received will allow her some closure to what has happened.”

“I would also like to praise the tenacity of the investigation team here in Wakefield who worked diligently to ensure Belsham was brought to justice."

Speaking after the sentencing, Belsham’s victim, said: “I cannot fault the support and kindness that I have received from the police from the date this happened. Everything that the officer in the case has done for me is greatly appreciated.

“I have waited for this day for seven months and I feel I can begin again now and move on. I will not allow that man to destroy my life.”

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A 55-year-old former Suffolk teacher with an “entrenched sexual interest in children” has been jailed for nine years and two months for sexual assaulting a vulnerable former pupil.

Mark Langford met the girl while he was a middle school teacher in Suffolk, but he only began sexually abusing her after a chance meeting on a beach when she was 15, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Marc Brown, prosecuting, said the victim had a number of problems which made her vulnerable to abuse.

He said Langford had sent her fantasy stories and pictures of himself in his underwear.

“The sexual contact between the defendant and the victim was born out of an imbalance of power and he took advantage of her youth, naivety and sexual immaturity and groomed her,” said Mr Brown.

He said Langford had picked the girl up from school and had groped her and put his hands inside her underwear.

The court heard he had also attempted to persuade her what she should tell the police if they contacted her.

Mr Brown said police officers had found indecent images of children on Langford’s electronic devices and on-line conversations with other people with a sexual interest in children in which he described having had a "lucky perv moment" when he had looked up a pupil’s skirt when she was bending down in class and commenting: “It’s going to be a fun year”.

He also said he "a lot of kinks" that wouldn't be approved of and how shocked his pupils would be if they knew he liked looking at indecent images of children younger than them.

Langford of Ingleton Camforth, North Yorkshire, admitted eight offences of indecency with a child, two offences of indecent assault and one offence of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He also admitted three offences of making indecent images of children, possessing 109 extreme pornographic images, possessing 199 prohibited images of children and distributing indecent images of children.

The charges of making indecent images of children relate to 654 indecent images of children and 30 movies in the most serious level A category, 514 still images in category B and 1,528 still images and 11 movies in the least serious level C category which had been downloaded over a period of six years.

Judge Martyn Levett described Langford as a dangerous offender with "an entrenched sexual interest in children" and jailed him for nine years and two months with an extended licence period of four years and eight months.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life and was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

In a statement read to the court the victim described the offences as “abhorrent “ and said Langford “disgusted her to the core”.

She described him as “devious and manipulative” and said she was haunted by the way he had sexually abused her.

Juliet Donovan for Langford said he had been a maths and science teacher for 25 years and was genuinely remorseful.

She said that since his arrest he’d lost his wife, family, friends, and home and had sought help from a child protection charity.

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Anthony Insall, aged 49 from Yarm, has pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, both Category A images and Category C images, at Teesside Magistrates’ Court today, Friday 15th September 2023 and will be sentenced on 11th October 2023.

Investigating Officer, Detective Constable Barnes from the Paedophile Online Investigation Team said: “Anthony Insall searched for indecent images and content on the internet. He was found to have accessed the child abuse material over, at least, a 15-month period.

“The behaviour committed by Insall, and those who commit crime of a similar nature, is entirely abhorrent and causes significant harm to vulnerable children.

“Whilst this is an online offence, there are real victims out there living with the scars of abuse in this cycle of suffering. People who commit crimes of this nature are not invisible and we will ensure we do everything possible to bring them to justice.”

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Predator Philip Lane, who has previous similar offences in the past, latched onto the girl’s Facebook profile, but which was run by an online hunter group London Overwatch.

The 56-year-old spent five days chatting with the ‘girl’ at the end of July after sending her a friend request. He began asking her questions and even told her he was “old enough to be her grandfather” and could “get done” for talking to her, prosecutor Emily Hassell told Leeds Crown Court this week.

Predator Philip Lane, who has previous similar offences in the past, latched onto the girl’s Facebook profile, but which was run by an online hunter group London Overwatch.

The 56-year-old spent five days chatting with the ‘girl’ at the end of July after sending her a friend request. He began asking her questions and even told her he was “old enough to be her grandfather” and could “get done” for talking to her, prosecutor Emily Hassell told Leeds Crown Court this week.

He told her he was sleeping naked and named his penis ‘Sid’, and told her what he wanted to do to her with him. He sent her a photo of his genitals and said he would use a condom so she would not get pregnant.

Land, of Huntwick Drive, Featherstone, told her that in some countries children of her age get married and it should be her choice if she wanted to engage in sexual relations.

He was confronted by paedophile hunters who livestreamed the meeting live over the internet. He was arrested but tried to hide his Samsung mobile phone. He later admitted a charge of attempting to incite a girl under 13 into sexual activity.

Land has seven convictions for 38 offences, including sexual offences with children over the internet. He was already on the sex offender register for life.

Mitigating, Anastasis Tasou conceded he had little to say on Land’s behalf, other than that he “had the good sense to plead guilty as early as he could”.

He added: “He struggles to explain his behaviour. He is a stereotype for this kind of offending and lives a very solitary life. He would like to apologise to the court for his actions.”

Judge Andrew Stubbs KC jailed Land for four years and told him: “You are a cliché for this offending and you’ve done it before. There are many people who sit behind their keyboards and fantasise about what they want to do. You were involved in inciting her in to penetrative activity. You have done it before so it makes your offending much more serious.”

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An ex-Royal Marine commando who started having sexually-charged online conversations with a fake 13-year-old girl later claimed that their chats were no worse than what was taught in schools.

Retired lorry driver Frank Turner also pretended that he was gathering evidence before taking it to the police station and that he only asked the girl for explicit pictures so that he could be sure that she was definitely over the age of 18.

But it was clear "grooming" behaviour and he had previously been jailed for distributing sick images of children, Hull Crown Court heard.

Turner, 73, of Tennyson Street, Goole, admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and breaching a sexual harm prevention order between November 29 and January 16.

Benjamin Donnell, prosecuting, said that undercover police set up an online profile of a non-existent 13-year-old girl and Turner began exchanging messages with her.

The fake girl told him that she was only 13 but he continued the messages and they became highly sexualised. He asked a series of intimate questions about sexual matters, made explicit suggestions and asked if she wanted sexual pictures of him.

He told her that he would only do so if she promised him that she would not save them on her phone. He asked for intimate pictures of her but he was not sent any. "It was clear grooming behaviour," said Mr Donnell.

In a later online conversation, Turner asked the decoy girl: "Have you been practising what I taught you?" He was arrested and material linking him to the conversations, including naked pictures of him, was found on his devices.

Turner later told police that he had no sexual interest in children. He claimed that he asked for photographs of the girl so that he could check that she was over 18 and, that if she was not, he would terminate the conversation.

He claimed that the conversations were no more than what would be taught in schools. "He said that he was doing this to gather evidence to take to the police station," said Mr Donnell. Turner suggested that he was involved in "fantasy".

He had convictions from 2017 for making and distributing hundreds of indecent images of children, including 132 in the most serious category, and possessing extreme pornography of bestiality. He had been jailed for 20 months and a sexual harm prevention order had been made.

During that hearing, the court was told that Turner, a former Royal Marine commando, claimed that he was lonely and was looking for a girlfriend. He shared images of children as young as two.

There was a risk of very serious sexual harm in the new offences, said Mr Donnell.

David Godfrey, mitigating, said that it was "quite troubling recent behaviour" but the conversations took place over a relatively short period of time. Turner had worked as a lorry driver for many years.

"He is somebody who has been quite isolated and that's come through in his online activities," said Mr Godfrey.

"He was living alone with his dog. He found some solace in the internet. There was not a victim but this was luck not judgement on his behalf."

Judge Kate Rayfield said that Turner was told at a very early stage by the fake girl that she was aged 13 but he was "undeterred" and told her not to mention her age in messages.

"You quickly engaged her in sexual conversation, asking her about her own sexual experiences and asking her questions about what she had and hadn't done," said Judge Rayfield.

A sexual harm prevention order had been made in 2017. "This is a deliberate breach," said Judge Rayfield. "There was a significant disparity in your respective ages. There was no harm, in fact, and this was attempted conduct. It was a deliberate breach of your order and there was certainly some risk."

Turner was jailed for four years and one month and he was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. He will have to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

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A paedophile who sent nude pictures to three "little girls" online turned down his right to a defence in court as he told the judge "I'm sorry for what I've done".

Danny McCarthy, 49, messaged three 13 and 14-year-old "girls" on Facebook and Whatsapp while in Litherland in September 2021, sending them indecent images and videos believed to show him performing a sex act. But he had no idea he was actually chatting with three adults from a Northumbria-based "paedophile hunter" group, who made up the young girls as decoys.

McCarthy was then confronted by the group on the doorstep of the home he shared with his wife when he returned from a shopping trip.

He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today, August 16, where he pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and three counts of attempting to cause a child to watch or look at an image of sexual activity.

Peter Hussey, prosecuting, said: "The offences all arose during the course of a week in the middle of September 2021. The defendant went online, initially on Facebook messenger and then on other platforms, making contact with the profiles of three persons who, on the face of it, were either 13 or 14-year-old girls.

"In each case during that short period the defendant's initial interaction was friendly. It then became flirty and then the conversation quickly turned sexual. Soon after that, the defendant was then sending photographs of himself. There's a certain naivety about the way the defendant has conducted these offences, because not only has he sent images of his own face, but he also indicated his name, his age and his address."

This enabled the group to attend McCarthy's family home. The sting operation and subsequent arrest were broadcast live online.

McCarthy, who now lives alone in a flat in Selby, North Yorkshire, declined his right to legal representation in court, saying: "I just want to get myself over and done with so that my family can have closure."

He said: "I'm sorry for what I've done. I'm just sorry for all the hurt and aggravation I have caused my family and everyone else involved."

Judge Andrew Menary said: "There's nothing sophisticated about this offending and there's plainly a bit of naivety about it. You made no attempts to hide your identity. Nonetheless this was deliberate activity involving people you believed to be young children."

He sentenced McCarthy to a total of 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He must also complete the Horizon programme for medium risk sex offenders, attend 20 days rehabilitation, and carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years, with a five year sexual harm prevention order.

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David Salisbury was today jailed for nine years at Leeds Crown Court after being found guilty of two counts penetrative sexual activity with a child following a trial. The 43-year-old contacted the girl in the mid 2000s and declared his feelings for her after swapping messages with her for months.

Jailing him, the judge, Recorder Tahir Khan KC said: “Over the best part of a year, you groomed this child and made her think this was a relationship when it clearly was not.

It’s clear to me shew only wanted to be loved, but was vulnerable and you took advantage of that vulnerability.

"There was a complete denial of any wrongdoing and not showed a hint of regret or responsibility.”

The court heard that Salisbury, now of Beckbridge Way, Normanton, had unprotected sex with the girl twice, despite her reluctance. He had a girlfriend at the time.

In an impact statement that the victim bravely read out to the court, she said: “For years I have held a secret because I was ashamed. I found myself in this situation that I realised was wrong.

"You groomed me, abused me and sexually assaulted me. For years you have controlled my life.

"You convinced me that it was real and you cared for me. You stood there and believed you did nothing wrong, but you ruined my childhood.”

Mitigating for Salisbury, James Littlehales said that his client, although having 35 convictions for 74 offences, has never been in trouble for or even investigated for sexual offences. He said that he has also become a “model prisoner” during his time spent on remand.”

DC Reece Hampshire, from the Wakefield Child Safeguarding Unit who led the investigation said afterwards: “These offences have troubled the victim for the past 17 years whilst they attempt to process the abuse they were subjected to. The lasting impact of what took place has cost them more than can be expressed in words.

“The level of courage it takes for the victim to come forwards after so many years and report the matter to the police cannot be understated. I have nothing but feelings of admiration for their bravery and determination in the pursuit of justice for what they have been through.

“I hope that this conviction can be the start of a new beginning for the victim and that they can begin to heal from the pain inflicted all those years ago and more recently during the court process.

“The victim would like to thank everyone involved in the investigation and court processes for their actions leading to this much welcomed conviction.

“I would also like to take this time to also encourage anyone who has suffered recent or historic abuse to come forward and report it. West Yorkshire Police are dedicated in working to secure justice for anyone who comes forward and reports sexual abuse.”

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A man has been sentenced after being convicted of sexual offences against a girl in Leeds committed more than 20 years ago.

Daniel Richardson (previously known as Bedford) , 38, of Leeds Road, Lofthouse, was found guilty at trial at Leeds Crown Court of two charges of indecent assault.

He was sentenced today (Thursday, 10 August) to six years in prison

The offences were committed from 2003 onwards for a number of years against one victim.

Detective Sergeant Emma Maltas, of Leeds District Safeguarding Team, said: The victim has shown immense bravery in coming forward as an adult to report the horrific offences committed against her as a child. This mans actions have had a significant impact on her childhood and still do now, and I hope his conviction helps her as she continues to try and process this trauma.
Richardson has subjected the victim to years of sexual abuse. He is now rightly behind bars and will have conditions on him following his release.
I hope that this conviction helps demonstrate that if you have been a victim of sexual abuse then it is never too late to report it to the police. You will be listened to, you will be supported and we will try and get justice for you.

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A Wakefield paedophile who targeted a five-year-old boy was finally brought to court 37 years after committing his crimes but received just a community order.

Cowardly Jason Tasker was convicted after a recent trial at Leeds Crown Court of two counts of indecency with a child and one of indecent assault, and appeared again this week for sentencing.

But Judge Robin Mairs admitted that Tasker, who was just 14 himself when he assaulted the youngster, had to be dealt with by way of the more relaxed laws at the time he committed the offences in the mid 1980s.

He conceded that Tasker, who is now 51, may not have even been prosecuted at all back in the day and even less likely to be sent into custody.

He said: I have to look at sentence through the prism of what would have happened to a 14-year-old at the time. The maximum sentence that could have been imposed upon him at that time was four months (jail).

Its not a 14-year-old boy who sits before me but a 51-year-old man who has lived an unblemished life since then.

He handed Tasker, of Syndale Road, Normanton, a two-year community order, 20 rehabilitation days and put on the sex offender register for five years. He also ordered him to pay 1,750 prosecution costs.

The trial heard that Tasker had just turned 14 when he took the boy to his bedroom and assaulted him, before masturbating in front of him.

The victim eventually came forward and told police in 2016. He said Taskers assaults affected every aspect of my life and that he sought solace in recreational drugs to escape the pain and anxiety.

In an impact statement read out by prosecutor Julian Jones on behalf of the victim, he said: When I was only five-year-old I suffered am horrific violation of trust and innocence at the hands of Jason Tasker. As a small vulnerable child I was left with the burden of guilt, believing I had committed a terrible act. Without understanding, I believed I had done something wrong.

I lived in fear that people would discover my terrible secret. My childhood was consumed by anxiety, guilt and the overwhelming weight of keeping this secret hidden.

I will never get my time back or know know what it was to live as a normal person because of what he did to me. The defendants actions have left me with permanent scars. The pain and trauma of my past will always be a part of me.

He described Taskers constant denials as cowardly actions and added: Given the opportunity to accept and admit what he did to me, Tasker lied to me, lied to the police and lied to the court and ensured we were put through the painful experience of a trial by jury. He tried to cover his tracks.

Judge Mairs said that sentences of this kind were legally among the most difficult. He said: It was clear to anyone who saw his (the victims) evidence at trial, the impact is still live and still affecting him.

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A sick Brighouse man who raped a young girl has been put behind bars.

Benny Adams, 37, was found guilty of two counts of rape and four other sexual offences after a trial at Bradford Crown Court in April this year. The girl has been left suffering nightmares of the abuse, and her mum says she is now "very damaged" and cannot live the life of a normal child.

It was said the girl had told Adams that "it hurt" while he was abusing her and explained to officers what had happened by using a body map and doll.

The court heard on Monday that the young girl - who must not be named for legal reasons - has nightmares where Adams gets into her bed and has "red eyes." In a statement read to the court, her mother said: “I worry about what the future holds for (her) and how it will affect her in the future."

Anastasis Tasou, for Adams, told the court he will be spending a "very long time" in prison, and it would change he rest of his life. As he jailed Adams for 13 years for the abuse which happened in 2019, Recorder Doig told him: “She said she told you it hurt but you didn’t listen."

He said he had no doubt that the offending had had a significant impact on the girl.

Adams will now have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life and he will have to comply with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order following his his release after serving at least two thirds of his 13-year jail term.