Latest Offenders

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John Houston appeared on Tuesday, 15 September, 2026, at the High Court in Edinburgh after being convicted at the same court last month.

The 39-year-old committed his crimes over a three-year period between July, 2020 and September, 2023.

Detective Sergeant Jim Crook said:

“Houston subjected several women to horrific sexual and violent attacks, causing lasting trauma that has had a profound impact on their lives.

“I would like to acknowledge the support provided by all victims throughout the investigation and court process, and I hope this sentence brings them some closure.

“Police Scotland remains committed to tackling sexual and violent crimes and bringing those responsible to justice. I’d encourage anyone who has been a victim of such crimes to come forward and report it to us. 

“We’ll thoroughly investigate and have specially trained officers and partner agencies to support you throughout.”

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Man has been jailed for serious sexual offences against a woman in Southport.

Klintis Duarta, 28, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today (Wednesday 16 September) after admitting attempted rape and sexual assault. He was jailed for six years and eight months and will serve a further four years on licence. 

Duarta, who is originally from Mozambique and visiting the country from Portugal, followed a woman into a block of flats on Sunday 21 June 2025 and committed the offences in the communal hallway.

He was arrested at Liverpool John Lennon Airport the following day after attempting to leave the country.

In a Victim Personal Statement, the woman said:

“I have previously suffered with nightmares anyway however since the incident I often have nightmares about the incident whereby I find I wake up feeling panicked with a sense of anxiety that last for hours. Since the incident I now take extra caution and care when entering any building.

"I ensure that I have checked the area first before opening the door and making sure that this has closed behind me and no one else has come through. I am aware that these things happen however you don't usually believe that it would be on your doorstep let alone happen to yourself.”

Detective Superintendent Siobhan Russell said:

“This was a relentless and sustained assault on a woman who was simply going about her day and visiting a friend. To be targeted in this manner by a complete stranger is utterly appalling.

“I want the public to be reassured that these incidents are rare. I also hope this sentencing shows how seriously the courts take these offences and how Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting anyone who has been subjected to such violence and sexual abuse.

“The victim has showed immense courage throughout. She managed to fight off Duarta during the incident and then went on to support the prosecution. As she detailed in her VPS, this has clearly had a huge impact on her life and I sincerely hope she can recover from what happened.

“Following the incident, we were absolutely determined to find the person responsible and carried out a thorough investigation that thankfully led to him being detained at the airport the following day.

“We take these reports extremely seriously and if you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, I urge you to please come forward and report this to police.”

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A Gravesend rapist has been jailed after admitting to multiple child sex offences.

An investigation was launched into Wayne Hodges after a young victim reported he had targeted them.

Upon his arrest in May 2025, officers reviewed his mobile phone and recovered indecent images of children.

Court

Appearing at Maidstone Crown Court in March 2026, Hodges, of Wilberforce Way, Gravesend pleaded guilty to numerous offences against the child including rape, sexual assault and making indecent images.

On Friday 11 September, he was jailed for 17 years 3 months. When he becomes eligible for parole, Hodges will be subject to a further 8 years on licence.

The 55 year old was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and has been placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Nick Pebody said:

‘Hodges appalling crimes have rightly resulted in a long sentence that we hope will give some sense of closure to the victim in this case.

‘I would like to commend his victim on their courage in disclosing their ordeal and supporting our investigation. We are pleased that the evidence presented to the court left him no other choice than to plead guilty.

‘The additional restrictions placed on him by the judge will ensure that when he is eventually released, we can monitor his conduct very closely indeed.’

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A man and woman from Neath Port Talbot have been jailed after the woman was found guilty of facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child by the man.

40-year-old Victoria Lewis, from Neath, arranged for an indecent photograph to be taken of the child in mid-2023. During the same period, she also arranged the travel of the child with a view to her being exploited, as well as intentionally arranging an act which would involve the commission of an offence under any of sections 9 to 13 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

40-year-old Shaun Lewis, from Sandfields, made numerous sexual requests and demands of the victim, both directly and through Victoria Lewis.

Victoria Lewis pleaded not guilty to charges of arranging the sexual exploitation of a child aged 13-17, arranging the commission of an offence of sexual activity with a child, and arranging the travel of another person with a view to exploitation in December 2024. However, she was found guilty of all three charges following trial in April this year.

Victoria Lewis has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Shaun Lewis pleaded guilty to two counts of arranging or facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child, one count of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, and one count of arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation.

He has been sentenced to 12 years in prison, comprising seven years plus a five-year extended licence.

Both have notification requirements for life.

Detective Constable Amanda Jenkins said:

“This has been a particularly depraved case which has involved Victoria Lewis arranging for a child to meet with a man that she knew would sexually exploit her.

“What Victoria Lewis has done is sickening, and to think about what the child has gone through because of Victoria Lewis is horrifying.

“We cannot praise the victim enough for the bravery she has shown to tell police what happened to her and secure justice against a despicable woman – and that is before even mentioning Shaun Lewis’s part in the offending.”

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A man who previously served a prison sentence for child sexual offences has been jailed again after failing to comply with his register requirements in Stoke-on-Trent.

Mark Sproston, aged 51, of Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced to two-years-and-eight-months in prison at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday (14 September) after he admitted two counts of sex offenders register – failing to comply with notification requirements.

We arrested Sproston in May last year after responding to intelligence that he was staying at an address with children inside, which he was banned from doing as part of his Sex Offenders Register requirements.

Officers acted quickly and brought Sproston in for questioning, leading to the charges and his further jail term this week.

Detective Sergeant Paul Edwards, from our Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders team (MOSOVO) said:

“This case demonstrates the robust action that officers are taking against any registered sex offenders in Staffordshire who are breaching their requirements.

“We are working proactively to ensure that registry requirements are closely followed and the risk of potential harm involving registered sex offenders in Staffordshire is addressed quickly and effectively.”

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A violent abuser has been jailed for subjecting his victim to years of physical and sexual abuse.

Martin Lloyd was jailed after carrying out what the Judge described as a 'campaign of violence.'

The woman bravely got in touch with us in October 2025 after she managed to escape Lloyd and disclosed years of abuse to officers.

An investigation was launched which found that the 39-year-old had attacked his victim with an array of weapons such as a machete, chains and a baseball bat resulting in a broken nose and leg injuries.

On one occasion, 48 hours after the woman had undergone life-changing surgery, he attacked and raped her. In another violent attack, she was left with a footprint on her face, before being raped.

Detectives arrested Lloyd and he was charged with multiple offences.

In July, Lloyd, of no fixed address, was convicted of three counts of rape, two counts of ABH (actual bodily harm), and using controlling and coercive behaviour.

On Monday (14 Sep) at Birmingham Crown Court, he was handed a total sentence of 25 years - 19 years in custody and six years on extended licence.

DC Stephen Dunford, from our Adult Abuse Investigation Team, said:

"Domestic abuse doesn’t go unnoticed and sometimes the victim is the last person to see that they are a victim. In this case, professional agencies had a history of records that, once the victim felt strong enough to approach police, could be used alongside her evidence to prove Lloyd’s conduct beyond any doubt.

"Lloyd is a dangerous individual, with a long history of domestic abuse convictions against multiple women, and he has never shown any remorse for his actions.

"We have provided the woman with support since she reported the abuse, and we commend her bravery in coming forward to share about her horrifying experiences."

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A brave victim who was repeatedly abused by a man over an 11-year period has helped put the perpetrator behind bars.

Adam Edward Eric Curtis, aged 39 and of Poole, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years after he was found guilty at trial of offences of controlling and coercive behaviour, sexual assault by penetration and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Curtis was arrested by police after his victim disclosed to police his series of abusive behaviour over a number of years, with the defendant threatening to damage personal items to upset her, controlling her movements and taking her mobile phone so she could not call the police. He would also lock her inside her address, threaten her with weapons including knives and lighters as well as phoning her repeatedly when she went out without him and threatening to kill her dogs.

He was also physically violent towards her, on one occasion stomping, kicking and punching her repeatedly, while he also sexually assaulted her.

Following the disclosure to police, detectives worked to compile evidence of Curtis’ offending and, with the support of the victim giving evidence at trial, he was found guilty of all three charges.

Curtis was jailed following a sentencing hearing at Winchester Crown Court on Tuesday 1 September 2026 and was also placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Detective Constable Jack Gibson, of BCP CID, said:

“I do not for a moment underestimate the strength it would have taken for this victim to come forward and report the campaign of controlling behaviour, violence and sexual abuse she was subjected to at the hands of this defendant.

“She has shown immense courage to come forward and disclose these offences, as well as to support our subsequent investigation and the court process.

“I hope that her bravery will inspire other victims of abuse to find the strength to come forward and report offending to us, with this case demonstrating that we will do everything we can to support victims and bring offenders to justice, even when the offending behaviour goes back a number of years.”

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Devious sex offender jailed for four years.

Relentless efforts from Dyfed-Powys Police officers have seen a dangerous sex offender jailed after a six-year investigation.

The investigation started when Thomas Spalding, a 47-year-old from Brecon, exposed himself to an 11-year-old child on Snapchat.

Described by the Judge as ‘having a clear interest in young girls on the cusp of puberty’, Spalding was already a registered sex offender when he exposed himself to the child and performed sexual acts in front of the camera. Spalding denied the offence, but the quick-thinking child screen recorded the horrendous display and reported him to Gloucestershire Police.

Snapchat confirmed Spalding’s link to the involved account. This sparked the investigation that revealed the sex offender’s nature. He consistently lied, hid evidence, and made amateur attempts to disrupt the investigation. His continued offending and constantly changing defences dragged the process out to 6 years.

The ever-changing defences from the self-declared ‘expert witness’ included,

• Blaming the 11-year-old for adding him in to a group chat.
• Admitting to being the person on the screen recording (despite initially denying it) but claiming that it was pre-recorded and being played by someone else.
• Claiming it must be a pre-recorded video because he ‘wasn’t interacting with the child’ when he was exposing himself.
• Using potentially manipulated data to show that he wasn’t at the location at the time of the offence.

His Honour Judge Jeremy Jenkins recognised the investigation team’s achievement in doggedly following the evidence and undermining Spalding’s attempts to mislead them as they meticulously disproved every defence presented.

They identified the location in the screen recording as a flat belonging to Spalding’s elderly relative. They were in hospital whilst the deviant was exposing himself to children in their home. They then seized clothing from Spalding that matched the ones worn in the screen recording.

Dyfed-Powys Police’s Digital Forensic Unit used data from Spalding’s phone to prove he was in the location at the time of the offence. He tried to deny this with false location data but failed to provide the raw data to the team to verify his alibi.

Throughout the process, the twisted offender also targeted officers with a barrage of harassment that resulted in protective measures being implemented. The unrelenting torrent resulted in over 100 abusive emails being sent to several members of the investigation team and the Crown Prosecution Service. He was so persistent that he was convicted of offences under S.127 Communications Act 2003.

Despite these deluded efforts to intimidate the team, officers utilised the resources around them in a relentless investigation to get justice.

The trial commenced in Merthyr Crown Court on 21 July 2026. Spalding’s futile efforts continued in court as he changed his defences in attempts to make a mockery of the justice system. The investigation team rose to dispute each effort and were still producing evidence to refute his testimony as the trail progressed.

A jury found Spalding guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a child and on three counts of breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

He was sentenced to four years in prison, with an extension period of 4 years. He will also be the subject of a 10-year SHPO, a 10-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), and will need to register with the police indefinitely under the Sexual Offences Act. The CBO prevents him from contacting, approaching, or mentioning on social media any Dyfed-Powys Police staff, working or retired.

The leading officer on the case said:

“This is a great result after so much work for so many people. It was a real team effort.

 “I’ve never experienced an investigation like this. The continued offending, merging of cases, constantly changing defences, and the way that Spalding has conducted himself has been a real challenge.”

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A woman has been jailed after luring a teenage schoolgirl into her home, locking her in and subjecting her to a serious sexual assault. 

The girl had been walking nearby, on 10 March 2026, when she was approached by 34-year-old Karen Murerwa who was unknown to her.

Murerwa convinced the victim to come back to her house in Seaton Crescent, Nottingham. 

She then took her into the property and locked the door behind them. 

The victim tried to look where the keys went and take in details as she was scared and wanted to go home. 

Murerwa tightened her control over the girl. Her manipulative behaviour included giving her alcohol, taking her phone and making her send a message to her mum saying she was with a friend.

She was then taken upstairs and subjected to a sustained sexual assault by Murerwa before she was eventually let out of the house. 

Inquiries were carried out after the victim disclosed what had happened to her and Murerwa was subsequently arrested and charged. 

Murerwa, who pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault by penetration and a further count of false imprisonment, was jailed for six years and four months when she appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday 10 September. 

She was also made subject of a lifetime sexual harm prevention order and must sign the Sex Offenders' Register indefinitely. 

After passing sentence, Judge James Sampson commended the girl for her bravery in reporting the matter, adding that by doing she 'may have saved another child from a similar experience.' 

Detective Sergeant Nicola Roddis-Ferrari, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Murerwa deliberately targeted this vulnerable young girl, coerced her into entering her home and restricted her movements before sexually assaulting her. 

"Murerwa's actions have had a huge impact on this girl's life. She had been kind to Murerwa and wanted to help her, only for her to repay that kindness by sexually assaulting her. 

"I hope this court result brings some closure to the victim and allows her to move on from what must have been a very traumatic ordeal. 

"I’d like to commend her bravery for coming forward, as I know it would have taken great courage to speak to our specially-trained officers about what happened and relive her horrendous experience. 

"I also hope this court result gives encouragement to any other victims that they can come forward in the confidence that we will listen carefully to them, we will investigate, and we will do everything we can to seek justice for them."

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A former Greater Manchester Police officer today received a suspended sentence after being found guilty of a string of online child sex offences.

Michael Aspinall, 35, of Salford, Manchester, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court today (Monday 14 September) after being found guilty of three counts of attempting sexual communication with a child following a trial in July.

Aspinall, who was employed by Greater Manchester Police at the time of the offences, was arrested in October 2024 by detectives from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU). He was immediately suspended from duty following his arrest.

Prior to sentencing, Aspinall had already submitted his resignation from Greater Manchester Police.

The investigation began after evidence was obtained that Aspinall had been communicating online with individuals he believed to be children. He was in fact communicating with a police officer. Following an investigation, he was charged with various offences.

In addition to his eight-month sentence, which has been suspended for two years, Aspinall will be on the sex offender’s register for 10 years, subject to a five-year serious crime prevention order, and undertake 20 days of rehabilitation.

An Accelerated Misconduct hearing held by GMP last week found that had he still been serving, he would have been dismissed without notice. He was additionally added to the College of Policing’s barred list.

An application to request forfeiture of Aspinall’s police pension has been made to the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester.

Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Humphreys, from our Professional Standards Directorate, said: 

“Aspinall’s offending was clearly unacceptable for any right-minded member of society and particularly inappropriate for a serving police officer.

“His actions put the whole police service under scrutiny, but thanks to the hard work and diligence of undercover officers, he was arrested, found guilty, and has now received his punishment.

“A misconduct panel by GMP found that he would have been dismissed had he still been serving – his actions take away from the hard work of the men and women who work so hard for their communities every day, and it is only right that anyone committing these sort of offences are rooted out.”

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A registered sex offender has pleaded guilty to breaching a court order put in place to keep the public safe.

Steven Lach, 66, of Bath Road, Swindon, was issued with a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order in 2017 following convictions of more than 30 sexual offences against children.

On Saturday (12/09) Lach was arrested for breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order after being found to be using a dating application and Telegram.

He appeared at Swindon Magistrates Court earlier today (14/09) and has been remanded in custody until October 16 when he will be sentenced at Swindon Crown Court.

PC Katie Owers, from the Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders (MOSOVO) said:

"Lach is a high risk sex offender who continues to show a blatant disregard for the restrictions imposed on him by the courts.

"These measures are in place to protect the public. His persistent offending demonstrates an ongoing risk to others, and we will continue to take action whenever he fails to comply with these conditions.

" I am pleased that the courts have remanded Lach until his sentencing, reflecting the serious nature of the offending."

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A Merseyside man has been jailed for a series of child sexual offences following an investigation by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit's Internet Child Abuse Team (ICAT).

Robert Daw, 26, of Redwing Lane, Liverpool, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court today (Tuesday 8 September) after admitting multiple offences relating to the sexual exploitation of children online. He also received a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and will remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely. 

The investigation began after Daw used social media and messaging platforms to communicate with someone he believed to be under-16 years of age. During the conversations, he sent sexually explicit messages and attempted to develop a sexual relationship.

Officers arrested Daw in December 2024 and seized a number of electronic devices for forensic examination.

Digital forensic examination of Daw's devices uncovered indecent images of children, prohibited images of children, and evidence that he had been communicating with numerous children online. Investigators recovered almost 1,500 screenshots and screen recordings of online conversations, together with indecent images and videos that had been stored on his devices. Officers were able to identify and safeguard three children aged 12 and 13, with support provided through the relevant police forces and partner agencies.

Detective Constable Naomi Puig from the NWROCU's Internet Child Abuse Team, said:

"Daw used online platforms to target and exploit children for his own gratification.

"Through detailed digital investigations, officers uncovered the extent of his offending and were able to identify and safeguard a number of children.

"This sentence demonstrates our commitment to pursuing offenders who use the internet to target children and bringing them to justice."

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A man who brutally mentally and physically abused a woman he knew over several years has been sentenced to 13 years in prison following his appearance at Hull Crown Court on Friday 11 September.

John Twyman, 28-years-old, of no fixed abode in Hull, pleaded guilty to assault and breaching a Restraining Order but pleaded not guilty to rape.

As such, a trial was set at Hull Crown Court which concluded on Thursday, 27 April 2026 leading to him being found guilty of rape by a unanimous jury.

An investigation began after our Force Control Room received a 999 call in June 2025, where a woman reported she had repeatedly been assaulted, called horrendous names, controlled, and raped, naming Twyman as the one responsible.

Officers were immediately deployed, arresting Twyman on the very same day on suspicion of breaching a Restraining Order, assault, and rape.

During interview and when questioned, he denied all allegations put to him. Saying he was the one being manipulated by the woman, and that she was trying to cause arguments with him.

He was subsequently charged the following day and remanded into custody to await trial.

Detective Constable Jan Baldwin from our Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) Unit led the investigation and said:

“We wouldn’t be here today without the bravery and strength shown by the woman who took that first step to report the brutality she had been experiencing at the hands of Twyman over a prolonged period of time.

“She is a credit to herself, and her courage cannot be underestimated because despite everything she has gone through, she has remained on board and was willing to give evidence throughout what has been a very long and protracted investigation with many complexities to enable us to stack up the evidence against Twyman.

“This result is also testament to the dedication and tenacity shown by all officers within our Protecting Vulnerable People Unit who are merciless in their pursue of vicious men like Twyman.

“Twyman was unrelenting in his behaviour towards the woman and since he was first arrested and throughout the investigation, he has shown no remorse for the long-lasting impact his actions have and continue to have on her. I am reassured that this dangerous man is off our streets and will be for a very long time.”

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Harrison Strange jailed for 13 years after raping three teenage girls

Harrison Strange, 21, of Snowdrop Close, Spennymoor, has been jailed for 13 years after raping three vulnerable teenage girls, two of them while he was on bail.

Strange was a teenager when he carried out the offences. Teesside Crown Court heard he targeted the girls when they were heavily intoxicated. He is a father of one.

Prosecutor Annie Richardson said the first victim was attacked in a field in County Durham after drinking heavily with friends. She told a friend what had happened and that recording was played to the jury. Strange was arrested but denied rape, claiming the contact was consensual.

He was interviewed again shortly before committing the next two rapes, weeks apart.

The second victim went to Strange’s home believing there was a party. The court heard he plied her with alcohol and raped her in his bedroom while her friend slept on the floor.

The third attack was at a campsite in North Yorkshire. Strange raped and sexually assaulted a teenage girl who had been drinking while her friend slept in the same tent. He also sent the youngest victim a picture of a penis.

Strange was convicted in separate trials of raping all three girls, and of assault by penetration and engaging in sexual activity with a child against one of them.

Defence barrister Peter Sabiston told the judge Strange was himself a teenager at the time of the offences.

Sentencing him to 13 years for the three rapes, Judge Richard Bennett said:

“The impact on each of these girls has been significant. Your pre-sentence report makes troubling reading.

“The complete denial of offences is not unusual for someone who has been convicted of sexual offences. In your case, you go on to victim blame – suggesting one had made a false complaint and the two others were motivated by financial gain.

“I reject all of that completely, as did the jury.

“I am satisfied there is clear evidence of sexual entitlement and misogyny. Your offending was persistent, not isolated.

“It was exploitative and the presence of others did not act as a deterrent to you.”

Strange must sign the sex offenders’ register for life. He was also given indefinite restraining orders and a 20-year sexual harm prevention order.

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Two women who were sexually abused by a man when they were children have been praised after their evidence led to him being jailed today (Friday 11 September).

Jordan Gray-Higgs committed his crimes in Leicestershire between 2012 and 2014.

His offending was brought to the attention of police in 2022, when the victims told officers what had happened. They described how Gray-Higgs had incited them to engage in sexual activity and abused them.

In interview Gray-Higgs, of Waver Close in Corby, Northamptonshire, denied the allegations and claimed that the victims must have been seeking an act of vengeance against him.

However, he was charged with nine offences and found guilty of four counts of rape, four counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching and one count of causing/inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity following a trial at Leicester Crown Court in May this year.

Forty-year-old Gray-Higgs was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment with a four-year extended licence period. He was also placed on the sex offender register for life.

Detective Constable Kam Kalia was the investigating officer. He said:

“I’m immensely proud of the courage shown by both victims throughout the investigation and court proceedings.

“The details they were able to recall about the horrific abuse they suffered served as key evidence that led to Gray-Higgs being brought to justice for his crimes.

“I hope the sentence he’s been given today provides them both with a sense of closure and allows them to move on with their lives as best they can.”