Latest Offenders Yorkshire

Description

A sex offender has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of rape and other sexual offences in Kirklees.  
 
Adam Martin (26) from Cleckheaton was jailed at Leeds Crown Court today (Friday November 1st) for two offences of rape, sexual assault and other offending in what has been described as a sustained and shocking attack on a lone victim.   

The 26-year-old pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to the offences which took place in a Cleckheaton cemetery during the early evening of December 7, 2023.

Aside from the two rape offences, he was convicted for attempted rape, three other sexual offences, Section 47 assault, threats to kill and two offences of intentional strangulation.

Martin will have to serve a minimum term of 13 years and nine months as part of his sentence.
 
The court heard he had spotted and then followed his victim walking home from the bus station. 

Martin followed and then dragged the victim into Whitcliffe Cemetery where a serious sexual attack then took place.
 
The victim returned home after the incident and was able to report what had happened.
 
Officers arrested Martin within hours of the offence, and later charged him for a first appearance before magistrates on December 11.  
 
The case was investigated by the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team (HMET). 
 
DI Jodie Hayes of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “Adam Martin committed a shocking attack against a lone victim, and we welcome his sentencing at court today.  
“He identified and followed his victim before committing a sustained and vicious attack.  There is no doubt whatsoever that he is a highly dangerous sexual offender who has acted in the most predatory way.  
“It is welcome that his guilty plea may have spared the victim the ordeal of a trial but, in truth, the weight of evidence against him was so substantial he had little choice but to enter this plea.”  
 
She added: “Reports of sexual offences are treated incredibly seriously by West Yorkshire Police and victims are encouraged to come forward and report incidents.  
 
“West Yorkshire Police are a victim focussed organisation, and the welfare of victims is paramount to us.  All reports are fully investigated by experienced detectives who can also signpost victims to services which can provide the help and support they may well need.”  

Description

A perverted pensioner has been branded a "sexual predator" after he brazenly ignored repeated court orders and deliberately used false names to contact vulnerable children online in highly sexualised messages.

Blatant repeat offender Stephen Sweeting was "heavily convicted" and he had a long history of sexual offending dating back to 1968 but that did not stop him from trying to outwit the police by using an online alias, Hull Crown Court heard.

Sweeting, 72, of Bubwith, north of Howden, admitted engaging in sexual communication with a child, breaching a sexual harm prevention order and two offences of failing to comply with his notification requirements as a convicted sex offender.

Oliver Shipley, prosecuting, said that Sweeting was a "heavily convicted sexual predator with an established history of sexual offending" dating back as far as 1968. He had been jailed for two years on June 17, 2020 for attempting to communicate sexually with a child and breaching a two-year suspended sentence made in June 2019.

This was imposed on Sweeting, who was living at the time in Old Goole, for offences including making indecent images of children and attempting to communicate with a child, who was really an undercover police officer.

His convictions also included sexual assault in 1968 and 1971, sexual assault and indecent exposure in 1973, sexual assault and gross indecency with a child in 1973 and sexual assault of a girl in 1974 and 1977. He had a total of 43 previous offences between 1960 and 2020, 17 of them for sexual offences and 10 for breaching court orders.

The latest offences came to light on July 24 last year when police monitoring Sweeting's activities became aware that he was having online conversations, including on Snapchat, using an alias name that was not registered with the police. He was arrested on September 25 last year for breaching his notification requirements as a sex offender.

His home was searched and he admitted using unregistered names on social media and having sexualised conversations with young children. He had intimate images of his private parts and he had received indecent images. Police from Hampshire made contact with Humberside Police because Sweeting had been traced as having had grossly indecent conversations with a 12-year-old girl. He had sent her intimate images of himself. He had got sexual gratification from his actions.

"This defendant poses a high risk of sexual reoffending and he is a high risk of serious harm to female children," said Mr Shipley. "This is a serious breach. He has a history of disobeying court orders."

Sweeting targeted people that court orders were designed to protect and he made determined attempts to avoid detection by using an alias. "His previous convictions greatly aggravate this offence," said Mr Shipley.

Ben Hammersley, mitigating, said that Sweeting pleaded guilty and he made frank and forthright admissions to the police. "He admitted to all his behaviour and then some," said Mr Hammersley.

"He does express remorse for his actions and he recognises the impact that his actions will have had on the children. There were real children reading these messages and it is likely to have an impact on them for a number of years."

There were long periods when Sweeting did not commit any offences. "When he doesn't have access to the internet, he doesn't commit offences," said Mr Hammersley.

Sweeting now had a just "brick phone" that allowed him only to make calls and send text messages. He had a "litany of health issues" and he had not worked for a long time before his retirement.

"This defendant has received almost every type of sentence and he recognises that he faces an immediate custodial sentence," said Mr Hammersley.

Judge Alexander Menary told Sweeting: "You are someone who has a long history of sexual offending. There are convictions dating from as long ago as 1968." Sweeting denied that he had a sexual attraction to children but his previous convictions suggested otherwise. "This was a very serious breach, causing or risking very serious harm," said Judge Menary.

Sweeting, who was on bail, was jailed for three years. He was given a sexual harm prevention order for life and he must register as a sex offender for life.

Description

A teenage peaodphile who persuaded a five-year-old boy to join him in a toilet then subjected him to a serious sexual assault.

Yonas Gebreab was only caught after the boy’s older sister became suspicious and confronted him.

The 19-year-old was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week after admitting the serious sexual assault.

The court heard that Gebreab had taken the boy into the toilet in March last year, but was found by the older sibling.

When she asked what they were both doing, Gebreab said he was just helping the boy wash his hands, but she noticed their hands were dry.

The boy then told her what had happened. The police were contacted and Gebreab, of Bayswater Row, Harehills, was arrested.

He confessed the sex attack to police. Forensic evidence also supported the case against him. He has no previous convictions.

Mitigating, Timothy Jacobs said there was “remorse on his part” and there was “significant immaturity”, given that he was only 18 at the time of the offence.

He said that Gebreab was also vulnerable and was partially deaf with learning difficulties. He said that given the victim’s young age “the passage of time might lessen the impact” on the child’s life.

A report into Gebreab found that he was “emotionally and sexually underdeveloped”.

The judge, Recorder Edward Legard told him: “You forced him [the boy] into a degrading sexual act in order to satisfy a perverted seuxal urge.

“Your actions will have profound consequences for the victim and others in his family.

“This kind of offending inevitably causes untold damage and distress.

“What you did was unforgivable. You took advantage of a very young child. No doubt given his tender years, he would have trusted you implicitly.”

He sentenced Gebreab to three years’ detention in a young offender institute. He was put on the sex offender register for life and given a life-long sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Description

A teenage peaodphile who persuaded a five-year-old boy to join him in a toilet then subjected him to a serious sexual assault.

Yonas Gebreab was only caught after the boy’s older sister became suspicious and confronted him.

The 19-year-old was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week after admitting the serious sexual assault.

The court heard that Gebreab had taken the boy into the toilet in March last year, but was found by the older sibling.

When she asked what they were both doing, Gebreab said he was just helping the boy wash his hands, but she noticed their hands were dry.

The boy then told her what had happened. The police were contacted and Gebreab, of Bayswater Row, Harehills, was arrested.

He confessed the sex attack to police. Forensic evidence also supported the case against him. He has no previous convictions.

Mitigating, Timothy Jacobs said there was “remorse on his part” and there was “significant immaturity”, given that he was only 18 at the time of the offence.

He said that Gebreab was also vulnerable and was partially deaf with learning difficulties. He said that given the victim’s young age “the passage of time might lessen the impact” on the child’s life.

A report into Gebreab found that he was “emotionally and sexually underdeveloped”.

The judge, Recorder Edward Legard told him: “You forced him [the boy] into a degrading sexual act in order to satisfy a perverted seuxal urge.

“Your actions will have profound consequences for the victim and others in his family.

“This kind of offending inevitably causes untold damage and distress.

“What you did was unforgivable. You took advantage of a very young child. No doubt given his tender years, he would have trusted you implicitly.”

He sentenced Gebreab to three years’ detention in a young offender institute. He was put on the sex offender register for life and given a life-long sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Description

An NSPCC tip off has led to a Yorkshire child sex offender being jailed for crimes many years ago.

In 2022, the NSPCC received a referral stating two children had been sexually abused many years ago by Darren Hinson, 55.

The information was passed to specialist detectives from Cleveland Police’s CAVA team.

Detective Sergeant Natasha Vaughan, an officer in the case, worked to identify the two women and made contact with them.

Regardless of the amount of time that had passed, police were able to take action against Hinson and they were offered appropriate support.

The women confirmed that Hinson had sexually abused them as vulnerable children between the ages of 4 and 10 years old.

This “horrific offending” then continued over a period of years, a court heard.

In 2023 Hinson was charged with 16 non-recent sexual offences against two children; the offences included sexual touching and rape.

On August 16, 2024, a jury at Teesside Crown Court found Hinson guilty of all 16 counts and he was immediately remanded into custody until his sentencing at the same court.

The 55-year-old was eventually sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Hinson will be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and he'll be subject to stringent conditions and monitoring on his release from prison.

Det Sgt Vaughan said: “Because we received the information from a third party, the victim-survivors received contact from the police out of the blue, so I had to be very mindful of this and the impact it would have on them.

“Both women displayed great courage though, and they fully supported our investigations from the outset.

“I’m so grateful for this and I hope this result brings a degree of comfort as they continue to process everything they’ve been through.”

CAVA Chief Inspector Matt Murphy King added: “I’m extremely glad and grateful that someone took the time to report Hinson’s abuse to the NSPCC. He might have thought he’d never face justice for his abhorrent actions but he has now been held accountable for what he did.

“Anyone who has experienced abuse of any nature, whether recent or non-recent, can report via this organisation if they don’t feel able to contact police.

“If you do feel able to speak to police, I can promise you my specially trained officers will listen to you, they will believe you and they will support you.

“We can also put you in contact with our excellent specialist local organisations who can also give you bespoke advice and support during the police investigation and the entire court process.”

Description

A man from Keighley has been sentenced to more than 3 years in jail after he was convicted of 13 indecent images of children offences.

Keith Marsh, 62 of Caister Grove, was found guilty of all 13 charges after a week trial.

The charges were:

• 8 charges of making an indecent photo of a child
• Possession a prohibited image of a child
• Possession of an extreme pornographic image
• Fraudulently evade any duty/prohibition/restriction
• Distribute an indecent photo of a child
• Improper importation of indecent article

On Friday 4 October he was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court to 40 months in prison, made to sign the sex offenders register for life and given a sexual harm prevention order for life.

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A former organ teacher and choirmaster at a Surrey church has been jailed for three years for historic sexual abuse of a child.

Sean McNally, 71, pleaded guilty to five sexual offences between 1973 and 1976 against the same victim, who was 10-13 years old.

He played on his victim's faith by making him swear to God he wouldn't tell anyone about the abuse, according to Surrey Police.

The Diocese of Guildford has offered its "unreserved apology to all survivors and those affected by this news".

McNally pleaded guilty to two counts of indecency with a child and three counts of indecent assault on a male person at an earlier hearing in July 2024.

He was sentenced on Monday at Kingston Crown Court.

Police said two charges involved more than 40 occasions of touching and indecent assault against the victim when McNally worked at St Peter’s Church in Hersham.

The NSPCC said McNally had used his position within the church to groom and repeatedly sexually abuse a child.

A charity spokesperson said: “That he has finally been brought to justice is thanks to the courage of the victim in speaking out about what happened to him around 50 years ago.”

In a statement, the Diocese of Guildford said it was committed to making the church a safer place and that it had taken safeguarding steps.

"But we can never be complacent," a diocese spokesperson said. "Abuse is a terrible crime and a grievous breach of trust, which has lifelong effects."

Mc Nally subjected the victim, who police say had years of therapy as an adult, to frequent abuse over the three-year period.

Using his position of trust as an organ teacher, he groomed the victim into believing he was special, that he was being taken on special trips and educated about “secret societies”, said Surrey Police.

'Listened to'

Investigating officer Emily Nurcombe, from the North Surrey Child Abuse Department, praised the victim's "courage and confidence" to report the abuse he had suffered during his childhood.

She said she hoped the victim could come to terms with what happened and start rebuilding his life now McNally was behind bars.

"We will always investigate allegations of non-recent sexual abuse, no matter how long ago the abuse occurred," Ms Nurcombe added.

"You will be listened to, you will be believed and you will be supported."

The NSPCC spokesperson said: “We hope this case will give confidence to others who have suffered non-recent sexual abuse that - no matter who the offender is and how many years have passed - if they speak out they will be listened to.”

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Dean Martin Blackwell was jailed for 21 years for a series of rapes and sexual assaults on the then young girl at York Crown Court on Friday, September 27.

The 54-year-old, now of Stokesley, was also handed an extended licence period of one year, placed on the Register of Sex Offenders for life and made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Following a trial in July, Blackwell was found guilty of two counts of raping a child and four counts of sexual assault.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is now an adult. She reported the sexual abuse she had suffered as a child to the police in 2022.

This set-in motion an intensive investigation, during which she has received ongoing support from specialist officers and partner agencies.

Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Beverley Garbutt, from Scarborough and Ryedale CID, said: “The level of trauma and pain the victim has endured throughout her young life is difficult to comprehend.

“She has shown immense bravery in seeking and securing justice. I hope the outcome at court provides additional strength to rebuild her life.”

DS Garbutt added: “As for Blackwell, the sickening child abuse he committed all those years ago has finally caught up with him with this significant prison sentence.

“He has also been made subject to robust safeguarding measures to manage his behaviour for the rest of his days.”

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Judge Sean Morris jailed Ryan Purvis, 29, for six months today (Oct 1) but said the Hawsker man would have served double that amount of time had the case not taken an “unacceptable” three-and-a-half years to reach court.

Mr Morris, the Recorder of York, said he apportioned no blame whatsoever to police for the inordinate delay but demanded that cases of this type - which included images of children being raped - reached court much sooner so that proper justice could be served.

“There will come a time when, unless the police are given proper resources to bring these cases to court in a reasonable time, then the court will find it impossible to impose an immediate prison sentence,” warned the judge.

He spoke out after jailing Purvis for making and distributing indecent images of children.

Some of the images were rated Category A - the worst kind of such material involving the sexual abuse of children.

Purvis, who worked as a cabler for an energy company, was arrested in April 2021 when police swooped on his home after receiving intelligence that he was uploading indecent images on the internet.

Prosecutor Christopher Bevan said officers seized two mobile phones on which they found 102 indecent photos and videos of children, some as young as five years of age.

Of these, 58 were Category A videos and five were Category A photos.

Forensic officers also found 16 “extreme pornography” images.

He was charged with three counts of making indecent images, two counts of distributing illicit material, one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child and possession of “extreme pornography”.

He admitted all the offences and appeared for sentence today.

Defence barrister Rhianydd Clement said that Purvis had now “lost his good character” due to the offences which had led to the breakdown of a long-term relationship.

Judge Mr Morris condemned Purvis for “the distribution of foul videos of children”.

He added: “I’m afraid for distribution, an immediate prison sentence has to follow, but this (case) is three-and-a-half years old, which is unacceptable, so I’m going to reduce the sentence.”

Purvis received a six-month jail sentence, roughly half of what he would have received if the case had reached court in a timely fashion, and which was reduced further for the current overcrowding in British prisons.

He will only serve half of that time behind bars before being released on prison licence.

After jailing Purvis, Mr Morris warned that the strain on police resources meant that it was becoming more difficult to ensure that such cases, which required forensic analysis of devices, reached court in good time.

He added: “Because of the delay in this case, (the defendant’s) sentence has been cut in half.

"To take three-and-a-half years to get a case before the courts – a case that is a guilty plea – means that it is unjust.

“It is not the fault of the police…but something is going to have to be done to get these cases analysed quicker, otherwise for distributing indecent images like this case, the sentences are literally going to be slashed.

“Three-and-a-half years from arrest to court is not acceptable.”

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A former East Yorkshire pub landlord has been jailed after he targeted and sexually assaulted three young women after he repeatedly pestered them and tried to "shower" them with cash or lavish gifts or holidays.

The victims of sex-obsessed Gerald Ellis felt powerless to speak out, but they finally did so when he was prosecuted for having indecent videos and images of children, Hull Crown Court heard.

Ellis, 64, of Primrose Drive, Filey, admitted three offences of sexual assault against one woman and two offences of assault by penetration against her between December 2013 and May 2016.

He also admitted sexually assaulting a second woman between January 2016 and December 2017 and two offences of sexually assaulting a third woman between November 2016 and March 2020.

Claire Holmes, prosecuting, said that the offences against the three young women came to light after Ellis was sentenced at Hull Crown Court in September 2020 for three offences involving downloading indecent images of children.

The case was reported in the press. "On learning of that conviction, the three complainants came forward," said Miss Holmes.

Ellis' behaviour towards the first of the women included repeatedly touching her intimately.

He trapped her against a wall and she was unable to move. He kissed her but she managed to push past him and told him to get off her. Other people saw Ellis intimately touching her.

She later described the incidents as "horrible" and she said that she came forward to report them because she did not want Ellis to do the same thing to anyone else.

The offence against the second woman happened when Ellis lunged at her and tried to kiss her. "She pulled back," said Miss Holmes. The woman later said that she had been very affected by the press report of Ellis looking at indecent images of children and this "broke her heart".

The incidents involving the third woman included hitting her on the bottom over her clothes when he passed her. He offered her £1,000 to sleep with him but she refused. The woman found the sexual assault behaviour of Ellis "weird and uncomfortable". During police interview, Ellis denied the offences.

Ellis admitted separate offences of breaching a sexual harm prevention order and breaching his notification requirements as a convicted sex offender following the indecent images conviction.

These involved allowing a girl to stay at his home when he should not have done and having an iPad that was not registered with the police.

Simon Reevell, mitigating, said that Ellis had pleaded guilty on the day of a scheduled trial. "For everyone, this is a sorry and unfortunate business," said Mr Reevell. "This is the end of a sorry period."

Judge Alexander Menary said that Ellis "targeted" the three women and "showered them" with gifts and money, including "expensive items" such as a mobile phone, a horse and holidays abroad.

"These offences are so serious that only immediate custody can be justified," said Judge Menary. "There have been no further contact offences since these offences were committed."

Ellis, who was already in custody on remand, was jailed for three years and two months and he was given a sexual harm prevention order for 12 years. He was given a 15-year restraining order and must register as a sex offender for life.

During the previous court case in September 2020, the court heard that Ellis, known as Gerry, watched videos of children being abused, including a girl of four or five being raped. Another showed a boy and girl, aged between eight and 10, being forced to perform sexual acts.

Police seized his laptop in March 2019 and videos and images were found.

Ellis, at the time, had been drinking excessively, including up to 15 pints a day, the court heard that day. His wife left him and he turned to pornography.

Ellis was given a two-year community order at the time, with rehabilitation days, and he had to register as a sex offender for five years.

Description

Jonathan Walker, 34, from Liversedge, Kirklees, subjected a young girl to “appalling offences” between 2005 and 2007.

Following an investigation by Kirklees District Child Safeguarding Unit, Walker was found guilty following a trial at Leeds Crown Court in August.

On Wednesday (Sept 25), the 34-year-old was sentenced to six years in prison for sexual offences against a child.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Natalie Green, of the Kirklees District Child Safeguarding Unit, said: “The appalling offences Walker committed against a young girl has affected her deeply, and illustrates the dreadful impact this can have on a victim.

“I would personally like to thank her for her bravery throughout this process and I hope the conclusion of this case brings her some closure on an extremely difficult time in her life.”

“I hope this sentence also provides a reminder to victims that we take all reports of sexual offences seriously and in confidence no matter when they happened. All reports will be thoroughly investigated by our specially trained officers who will also provide you with support throughout.”

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A teenage predator who sexually assaulted a woman who was "in a state of sleepiness" has been locked up.

Liam Short, 22, was 19 when he attacked the woman who had gone to bed after taking a sleeping tablet. Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday that the woman believed Short had filmed the incident after noticing "flashing" of a light during it. It was said police have not recovered any video of the incident.

The court heard Short also told her in messages the next day he felt "awful" about what had happened.

Short was found guilty of sexual assault by penetration following a trial at the court. He was acquitted of four counts of rape and a sexual assault charge. His brave victim faced him in court as she read her victim personal statement. In it, she said: "Emotionally, I have anxiety in situations where there are males of a similar age to me. I suffer sleeplessness and wake up sweating and short of breathe...I'm in fear of being alone, despite having cameras installed.

"I have a fear of going out alone and being in small spaces and a fear of showering or bathing unless a female friend is in the house in case someone breaks in and attacks me. I am a shell of myself...I have developed an unhealthy relationship with food and have lost a significant amount of weight. I struggle to perform some day to day tasks due to feeling faint."

The woman said her relationships have suffered due to the attack, and she has moved jobs a number of times because of the number of males working with her or the lack of accessible exits or CCTV. She added: "I can go weeks with no contact with family or close friends in case they pressure me to leave the house."

Mitigating, Jayne Beckett said in relation to the messages exchanged, Short was "admitting doing something wrong and the jury found that he did something singular wrong."

She added: "It is difficult to read anything more than that because there are no specifics of what he was admitted."

The court heard there was no evidence that Short knew the woman had taking sleeping medication. Ms Beckett said a pre-sentence report author found Short has a lack of insight into his offending which say they could be due to a "lack of maturity."

She said: "They think that he is not, and probably never has been, the mot sophisticated individual adult. He presents as looking younger than his years. He is someone who has engaged very well in terms of cooperation with the report and he has on more than one occasion expressed willingness to look inwards and seek self improvement..."

Recorder Mullarkey jailed Short, of Burns Hill, Addingham, for three years and referred to the messages sent after the offence when he said: "I am sure to the criminal standard that these were messages exchanged between the two of you. You say you felt awful and hate yourself for what you did and it was disgusting...You accepted when interviewed there was consensual sexual activity but denied filming her.

"In her victim impact statement, she described the profound impact your offending had on her."

The judge said Short had attacked the woman when she was "in a state of sleepiness" before jailing him and making him the subject of sex offender notification requirements for life. He also made Short the subject of a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting the victim for 10 years.

Description

A "prolific" sex offender who was arrested after an indecent image of a child was uploaded to Snapchat has been jailed for six years.

Liam Crosby, of Harewood Rise in Keighley, was found guilty of numerous sex offences against children after a trial at Bradford Crown Court.

These included making and distributing indecent images of children and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

Crosby, 31, was sentenced on Tuesday to six years in custody with a three-year extended licence period.

'Victim's bravery'

Bradford Crown Court heard he was arrested on 11 July 2022 following a referral from the National Crime Agency after an indecent image of a child was uploaded from a Snapchat account linked to him.

West Yorkshire Police said his phone was seized, and further indecent images of children and numerous sexualised communications with children were found.

After he was charged and summonsed to court in relation to a number of offences, police received information that Crosby had been linked to similar offences involving a 15-year-old victim.

He was further arrested and another device seized, and police found more images and sexualised communications with children.

He was charged with additional offences and remanded into custody.

Det Sgt Craig Stevens, of the Bradford District Online Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: "He is a prolific offender who deserves to be behind bars for a long time.

"The victim has shown immense bravery throughout this process, and I hope the conclusion of this court case brings them some closure on an extremely difficult period in their young life."

Description

A convicted sex offender is facing another jail sentence for depraved online sex chats after he was snared for a third time by a paedophile hunter group.

Alan White, 62, previously of Richmond but now of Bedale, contacted what he thought to be a 14-year-old girl who was actually an adult member of an online vigilante group posing as a child, York Magistrates’ Court heard today.

He was subject to a strict court order at the time to curb his online activities following previous convictions for similar behaviour.

Prosecutor Martin Butterworth said that on September 3, North Yorkshire Police’s child online safety team were contacted by a paedophile-hunting group in South Wales who said that “a man called Alan” had been engaging in sexual chats with an adult decoy on an internet platform called RandoChat.

The decoy had pretended to be a 14-year-old girl and gathered incontrovertible evidence which was provided to police who turned up at White’s home in South End Avenue.

During his arrest, they noticed a Samsung tablet on his bedside table. When an officer checked the tablet, the RandoChat social media platform was open with the screen clearly showing the sordid sex chat with the adult decoy.

Mr Butterworth said the sex chats began on October 31, when White, under the nickname “Chalky”, sent a message to the decoy who said she was 14 and from Cardiff.

“The conversation became sexualised, with a request (by White) for a topless picture,” added Mr Butterworth.

“The conversation continued over a couple of days.

“Chalky then asked the ‘child’ to perform a lewd act and engage in sexual activity.”

Mr Butterworth said a further message in the chatroom was subsequently deleted by White, who was charged with attempting to cause or incite a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity, attempted sexual communication with a child under 16 years of age and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

He admitted the offences when he appeared in court today, but magistrates decided that the offences were so serious that sentence should be transferred to the crown court.

The prosecution outlined White’s track record for similar offences, starting in 2018 when he received a 12-month suspended prison sentence at Teesside Crown Court for offences including sexual communication with a child and possessing indecent images of a child, after being snared by another adult decoy from a group called Keeping Kids Safe.

In February 2021, at the same court, he received a 28-month jail sentence and made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order after he was again trapped by “paedophile hunters” while trying to talk to underage girls online.

In that case, White contacted a user in an online chatroom in December 2020. The user immediately said she was a 14-year-old girl.

Despite this, White told her she was “gorgeous” and that he’d like to kiss and touch her, then asked her to take her clothes off and touch herself in a sexual manner.

He also asked her for naked pictures, promising he would later delete them.

White will be sentenced for the new offences at Teesside Crown Court on September 16.

He was remanded in custody until then.

Description

A sex offender described as a “danger to young children” has been jailed for over 18 years for sexually attacking a young girl.

David Gray, 50, from Batley was was sentenced to 18 years and eight months at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday (August 29) after admitting two serious sexual assaults against a young girl.

They were reported to police in January of this year, prompting an investigation by dedicated Kirklees child safeguarding detectives. Gray was swiftly arrested following the report and then charged.

He pleaded guilty to the offence at a hearing at Leeds Crown Court in June and was remanded in custody for sentencing. Investigating officer Detective Constable Natalie Green, of the Kirklees District Child Safeguarding Unit, said: “Gray clearly poses a significant danger to young children, and we welcome the strong sentence handed down by the court.

“The appalling offences he committed against a young victim has affected her deeply, and starkly illustrates the dreadful impact these crimes have on victims. I would personally like to thank the victim and her family for their courage and strength during the investigation and for coming forward and speaking of the crimes committed by Gray.

“We continue to urge victims of sexual assault to come forward, no matter when the offending took place. All reports will be thoroughly investigated by our specially trained officers who will also provide you with support throughout.”