Latest Offenders

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A 64-YEAR-OLD man who drove a barely teenage girl to an isolated wooded area and defiled her has been jailed for 13 years.

Tariq Syed threatened his 13-year-old victim to ensure her silence before offering her mother 15,000 for the family to return to their native Romania.

Judge David Hatton QC said Syed had groomed and terrified his victim during the ordeal, which took place in September 2014.

Father-of-five Syed, of Pemberton Drive, Little Horton, Bradford, had denied charges of rape and perverting the course of justice, but a jury at Bradford Crown Court took less than two hours to find him guilty yesterday.

He was cleared of a charge of causing the girls mother actual bodily harm by attacking her with a knife at the Bradford takeaway where she worked.

During the trial, prosecutor Sharon Beattie said that Syed had befriended the girls family, giving her phones, clothes, and a computer tablet.

Her mother became suspicious but Syed told her he wanted to help as the family were not well off.

The woman confronted the child, telling her she knew the old man, as they called Syed, had collected her from school.

The police were informed when the girl revealed that Syed had forced her to have sex with him.

She was screaming but he said if she did not let him do it, he would kill her and bury her there, Miss Beattie said.

The jury heard that Syeds semen was found on the inside of the girls school trousers after the incident, and Dr Mark Dale said forensic results were in-keeping with the view he had engaged in some kind of sexual activity with her.

Syed told the police the girls mother would do anything for money and blamed her for putting her up to inventing the rape allegation.

He said his semen had already been on the trousers before he gave them to the girl, and asserted he had taken her for an abortion at a clinic in Leeds on the day the rape took place.

Ordering him to register as a sex offender for life, Judge Hatton told Syed: You took a girl barely into her thirteenth year to an isolated location. You defiled her.

You had targeted her for that specific purpose. This offence was a consequence of grooming.

You issued threats of what would become of her unless she kept her silence. You terrified her.

You intimidated her mother by threatening her and offering a significant sum of money to return to Romania to get her and your victim out of the way, anticipating you would thereby get away with it. Well, you have not got away with it.

West Yorkshire Police said the sentencing of Syed had marked a successful conclusion to a lengthy investigation which saw two detectives fly out to Romania in their pursuit of justice.

A spokesman said that when the rape was reported the subsequent investigation was immediately picked up by the Bradford District Safeguarding Unit.

Enquiries quickly established Syed as a suspect and he was arrested a short time later, but he denied the offence and was bailed pending further enquiries.

Syed was arrested again the following month after the victim's family claimed he had offered them money to return to Romania.

He was bailed with conditions not to approach the family and later charged with both offences.

But, just as the trial was due to get underway at court in August last year, the victim and her family returned to Romania unexpectedly.

Concerned that proceedings may not go ahead if the victim and her mother refused to attend court, Detective Constable Charlotte Grose and Detective Sergeant Amanda Middleton flew out to the country to make sure arrangements were in place for them to give evidence via a video link.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Howard, said: "This case shows the determination and the desire of our detectives to get justice for the victim and her family.

"Syed was an evil man who thought that by throwing money at the family he would get them to drop the case against him.

"We are delighted at the sentence he has received and hope it will give the victim and her family some closure.

"We also hope it will encourage others to report sexual offences to the Bradford District Safeguarding Unit, whose specially trained officers will investigate every report sensitively and thoroughly with the aim of bringing perpetrators to justice."

Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshires Police and Crime Commissioner, added: "I would like to commend the bravery shown by the victim and their family in coming forward to report Syed.

"His crimes were absolutely deplorable and his actions following arrest even more so.

"Tackling child sexual abuse is an absolute priority, as proven by the tireless and dedicated work of West Yorkshire Police in this case.

"I would urge anyone who feels they may have been a victim to come forward and report it to the police. You will be listened to and support will be provided."

Speaking after the sentence, a spokesman for the NSPCC said: Syeds sickening actions will have had a damaging effect on his young victim and her family.

These were calculated attacks involving a disturbing level of grooming on a vulnerable child, and Syeds lack of remorse, coupled with his attempts to evade justice, are deeply shocking.

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A Weston-super-Mare man who committed lewd acts as he stared at women on a train was arrested and released on police bail. And then Matthew Powell tried to arrange sex with a 'girl aged 13', a court heard.

Mercifully, though the women were left anxious about their experience, the girl was, in fact, a decoy operating with a paedophile hunter group. And, having been arrested a second time, Powell is now behind bars.

The 48-year-old, of Newton Road, pleaded guilty to outraging public decency in November last year. He also pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child between February and March this year.

On Friday (September 1) Judge James Patrick jailed him for 42 months. He told Powell: "You are a socially isolated man, married, in a stable relationship. It is very much to her credit that your wife has been standing by you."

Powell was told to notify on the Sex Offenders' Register for life. He was also handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, designed to stop offending.

Alec Small, prosecuting, told Bristol Crown Court Powell was at Liverpool Central train station when he followed a woman onto a train bound for Chester. Having sat diagonally opposite her he stared at her legs as he put his hand on his crotch, the court heard.

When she moved seats Powell went to another carriage occupied by a lone woman, the court heard. Mr Small said it seemed as if he was trying to take a photo of her on his camera phone and she became very nervous as he started to stroke his crotch on the one-hour journey.

Police called in arrested Powell at Chester, the court heard. He was interviewed and made no comment.

In impact statements one victim said it made her feel "very anxious" and she has not been on a train since. The second said she will no longer travel by train alone and avoids Chester train station.

The court heard that, on bail, Powell had sexualised Facebook chats with '13-year-old Amy' who turned out to be a decoy with a paedophile hunter group. After Powell suggested they have sex in a hotel, the group tracked him down to his home and called in police. Powell was arrested and made no comment in interview.

Catherine Flint, defending, said her client had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, affecting his ability to communicate and understand social cues. Miss Flint said non-driver Powell liked to travel the country by train, seeing attractions.

She told the court: "I ask for any sentence is kept to a minimum. He understands the only option today is one of immediate custody."

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A man has been sentenced to prison for sexual offences involving children following an investigation by the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU).

Iain Miller of the Green, Whitchurch, was sentenced to a total of three years in prison at Winchester Crown Court on Wednesday 14 February.

The 58-year-old pleaded guilty at a hearing at the same court in January to the following offences:

• Attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child
• Two counts of attempting to cause/incite a child in sexual activity
• Attempting to meet a child following grooming

The court heard that between 15 and 23 November 2023, Miller engaged in chats online with what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. The chats were sexually explicit in nature.

He then arranged to meet the girl in Andover, at which point he was met by police officers and arrested. Miller was charged with the offences on 24 November.

Detective Inspector Kay Hutchings, of SEROCU, said: This investigation shows exactly what happens when people try to groom children online, and it should serve as a warning.

If you engage in this sort of behaviour, there is a very strong chance that the person you are talking to is in fact a police officer, which will mean you are quickly arrested.

This will have a devastating impact on your family, career, friendships and reputation. You will face court hearings and are likely to serve time in prison.

I hope that Iain Millers case shows that this sort of offending will not be tolerated, and that our officers will take action to stop those who look to exploit children online.

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A man from Sussex who was the assistant moderator of a site dedicated to child sexual abuse on the dark web has been jailed for five years and four months.

Martin Yates, 48, from Eastbourne, was a staff member of a site called The Annex. He was identified by the National Crime Agency as part of an investigation targeting those who ran it.

The Annex, which is no longer active, had around 90,000 global members who used it to share and discuss some of the most extreme kinds of abuse material, involving hurtcore and the sexual abuse of babies and toddlers.

Yates held the rank of assistant moderator between January and September 2020, sitting just below head moderator Nathan Bake who was jailed for 16 years last week.

The Annex was run by an American man, who was sentenced to life in prison in the US in January. Kabir Garg, a psychiatrist from London, was further down the chain and sentenced to six years in prison last summer.

Like Bake, Yates played a key role in ensuring the site continued to run smoothly. He was responsible for enforcing the rules by promoting or dropping other users, provided access to private and exclusive sections of the site and advised on security measures. He also passed on training to others about the role that he himself had received.

However, Yates was less careful around his own personal security. His username on the site was yates704 and in chat logs recovered by the NCA, he also told other users first name, his age and that he lived in Eastbourne.

yates704 was also found on HACKFORUMS.NET, a clear website forum dedicated to discussion relating to hacker culture and cyber security.

Investigators found 6,000 private messages between yates704 and other users of The Annex. The conversations varied from fantasy roleplay involving the sexual abuse of children, as well as more official conversations around the moderation of the site, advice on how to post indecent images of children and techniques to evade law enforcement.

NCA officers identified Yates using these details and the email addresses associated to him and he was arrested at his home in Eastbourne in July 2022.

When interviewed, Yates made full admissions to being the controller of his moderator account, that he was a staff member on The Annex and that he had shared child abuse material as part of his role.

He was charged and pleaded guilty to six counts at Hastings Magistrates Court in November last year, including one of arranging or facilitating the sexual abuse of children, four of making and distributing indecent images of children, and one of possession of prohibited images of children.

Yates was sentenced today at Lewes Crown Court to five years and four months imprisonment, placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and give a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Jen Cruickshank, Senior Investigating Officer from the National Crime Agency, said: The Annex simply wouldnt have been able to run without people like Martin Yates. He played a pivotal role in maintaining its upkeep and ensuring users from across the globe could continue accessing its horrific content, without coming to the attention of law enforcement.

Sites such as these directly and openly encourage users to commit sexual offences against children, and those who run or access them assume they are protected by anonymity.

However, the NCA has the determination and technical capability to target those who pose a sexual risk to children and use the dark web to try and hide themselves.

We continue to work closely with international partners to ensure offenders like Yates are identified and brought to justice.

The NCA worked with a number of international partners to target this group of moderators.

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A man has been sentenced to three years and three months imprisonment after sending graphic sexual images and attempting to meet what he thought to be a teenage girl.

Nathan Graham, 29, of Matson Avenue, Gloucester, appeared at Swindon Crown Court today (22/02) after pleading guilty to:

• Attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child
• Attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity
• Arranging/facilitating the commission of penetrative sexual activity with a child
• Possession of bladed articles in a public place.

The offences took place on December 5 and 6 last year, when Graham engaged with what he thought to be a 13-year-old girl via a social media platform.

The communication was graphic and sexual, with Graham sending graphic images of himself for the girl to view.

He lied about his age, pretending to be 18, and sent maps marking out the bus stops and routes for the child as part of his planning and preparation.

Graham was detained on December 7 in Bloomsbury Park, Freshbrook, Swindon, as he was walking to meet the girl at a bus stop on Gainsborough Way.

He was arrested and subsequently charged for the offences and remanded into custody.

Today, he was jailed for the offences. He will also be on the sex offenders register indefinitely and the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 15 years.

The sentence follows a joint investigation between Wiltshire Police and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).

Det Con Sarah Greenman of the Child Internet Exploitation Team (CIET) said: There can be no place for Grahams abhorrent behaviour in Wiltshire, let alone society.

Graham was fully aware that he was talking to a girl purported to be just 13, and yet he sent her incredibly graphic images and videos of himself, before attempting to meet her for his own sexual gratification.

CIET exists within Wiltshire Police to safeguard children, and we will continue to work alongside the SWROCU, where we are totally committed to ensuring dangerous individuals such as Graham are identified and brought to justice in order to protect the public.

DI David Wells from SWROCUs Online Investigations Team, said: Graham is a harmful sexual predator that has rightly today been handed a significant jail sentence for his crimes.

We are committed to supporting UK police forces in protecting children from harm, reducing risk in our communities and ensuring dangerous individuals like Graham are identified and brought to justice.

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A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting a young woman in Wellington last year.

Mirzabek Toshpulatov, 21, attacked and sexually assaulted the woman in the White Hart Lane area of the town during the early hours of Sunday 26 February 2023.

She managed to get free of him and call the police to report to us what happened.

A media appeal seeking witnesses was issued later that day and helped officers identify Toshpulatov as the perpetrator, but he had fled the area. He was subsequently arrested in Essex in October 2023.

Toshpulatov, previously of North Street in Wellington, was sentenced on Friday 16 February at Taunton Crown Court, which is temporarily relocated to North Somerset Courthouse. He received an extended sentence of 11 years and three months, of which the final three years will be served on licence having previously pleaded guilty to sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by touching.

Along with his custodial sentence, Toshpulatov has been ordered to register as a sex offender for life, in which he must inform police of where he is living.

In a statement for the court, the woman said the sexual assault had made her feel ‘unsafe when walking anywhere’.

She said: “In the early hours of the morning on Sunday 26 February, I was attacked following a night out. I was sexually assaulted… When I ran off, I was trying to call for help but no one heard me.

“The day after it happened, I felt so overwhelmed in trying to understand what had happened to me. Everything we did for the investigation was a new experience for me and I didn’t know what would happen from it. It was a lot to come to terms with, and I am still trying to process this now.

“Not only has this left life long lasting effects on me, but also my family. They worry about me wherever I go, and fear this could happen again to me, themselves or anyone else.”

DC Natalie Norman, officer in the case, said: “Incidents of sexual assault are incredibly rare in Wellington and for it to have been committed by a stranger is even more unusual.

“We would like to recognise the courage the woman showed in reporting this to police and helping us focus on bringing this dangerous offender to justice. Had she not done so, Toshpulatov would still be on the streets.

“This incident was treated very seriously from the second it was reported to us and the positive response from the public to the witness appeal made a massive difference to helping us identify Toshpulatov and tracking his movements to Essex.

“The impact on the victim has been significant and would remind anyone with concerns around safety to please make us aware via the StreetSafe tool, which sees us work with other agencies to identify areas of concern and assist us with planning when and where to carry out high-visibility patrols.

“We welcome the significant custodial sentence Toshpulatov has received for the horrific crimes he committed last year. We hope this result gives confidence to all victims of sexual abuse that you will be believed and shows we will work tirelessly to get sexual predators into court so they can be dealt with robustly.”

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A Pulborough man who raped and sexually assaulted multiple boys and young men has been jailed.

Ian Elliott, 71, of North Heath near Pulborough, was accused of committing 92 offences against six victims in West Sussex between 1999 and 2021.

Elliott would earn the trust of his victims – who were as young as 16 – and their families.

As a well-known member of the community, Elliott was also the chairman of the local sports association and was involved in local social clubs.

He would then give his victims drugs and alcohol with the intention of stupefying or overpowering them, before subjecting them to rapes and serious sexual assaults.

Many of the attacks were filmed by Elliott himself. Footage was discovered by investigating officers, despite Elliott’s attempts to destroy it, which was used in evidence against him.

He was arrested in September, 2022 and his victims were given specialist support while the investigation continued.

In November, 2022, Elliott was charged and remanded in custody. He was charged with 92 separate offences, including 13 rapes, three attempted rapes, 13 sexual assaults and 20 counts of voyeurism.

At Lewes Crown Court on Thursday, 2 November, 2023, Elliott pleaded guilty to 11 counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, 17 counts of voyeurism, eight sexual assaults, four counts of possession of Class A, B and C drugs, one count of causing actual bodily harm and one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The guilty pleas related to four victims, aged between 16 and 28 at the time of the offences.

An additional 38 charges will lie on file, and 11 were not put forward by the Crown Prosecution Service but are covered by the sentencing powers given through the other convictions.

At Hove Crown Court on Thursday (22 February), Elliott was sentenced to 18 years in prison, with an additional five years to be spent on licence.

He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be a registered sex offender for life.

Passing sentence, HHJ Gold said Elliott had an 'innate sense of superiority' over his victims and had shown 'not a trace of empathy'. 

HHJ Gold listed Elliott's significant degree of planning, use of intoxicants, betrayal of trust, recording of the offending and attempts to destroy the evidence as aggravating factors, concluding Elliott passed the threshold for dangerousness.

In a statement given to Sussex Police, one of Elliott's victims said: “Mr Elliott is now in prison because a couple of brave men decided to speak up. If I’ve learned one thing from this case, it’s to go with your instincts and don’t be afraid to speak up if you think abuse is happening.

"Whatever the outcome or however long the outcome takes, don’t let your abuser win. Pick up the phone and report them to the police or at the very least don’t keep it to yourself and tell someone.”

Detective Constable Victoria Ashworth Kirkby, of the Sussex Police’s Complex Abuse Unit, said: “I cannot commend each of these victims enough for the incredible courage and determination they have shown.

“They deserve immense credit for their strength and resilience, which was crucial in achieving this conviction. I would like to thank them for their support and perseverance throughout this investigation.

“Elliott has been convicted for his crimes but we believe he may have more victims. If you believe you or someone you know may be a victim, please report to us online or via 101, quoting Operation Ridge. You will be believed and supported and we will investigate.

“You can also report offences to Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111 or via their website www.crimestoppers-uk.org.”

Detective Superintendent Miles Ockwell, head of Sussex Police’s Safeguarding Investigations Units, said: “Today’s sentence means that Ian Elliott will spend a significant amount of the rest of his life in prison.

"This is the only appropriate outcome given the multiple lives he has ruined as a result of his relentless campaign of sexual abuse, hidden behind the façade of a trustworthy pillar of his local community.

"I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the bravery of Elliott’s victims who came forward to help us bring him to justice. They will live with the effects of the horrendous abuse they have suffered for the rest of their lives.

"Today, Elliott had the chance to show genuine remorse to his victims in court. Instead, through his Counsel, despite saying that he acknowledges the harm he has done he sought to pass the blame from himself onto them. Elliott is not sorry for what he did – he is just sorry that he got caught.

"Despite a wide-ranging, complex police investigation, we cannot be sure that there are not other unidentified victims of abuse perpetrated by Elliott and I would encourage anyone who does think that they have been a victim to contact police.”

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Alistair Taylor, aged 28, of Pageant Drive, Telford, was sentenced to eight years in prison after taking advantage of the 15-year-old girl, telling her that he was "sex addict" and that if she did not let him fulfil his wishes, he would "cut himself".

Shrewsbury Crown Court was told how these offences were committed in 2014 and 2015, but Taylor has since gone on to receive multiple convictions for child sex offences, including possession of indecent images and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity on Facebook.

Notes which Taylor had written were also discovered, depicting his warped fantasies about certain children and how he wanted to sexually abuse them. And the court was told how Taylor was once expelled from Telford College for punching a lecturer after taking a weapon onto the campus.

For those reasons, Judge Anthony Lowe decided Taylor was a "dangerous" offender who posed a significant risk to the public, and increased his sentence.

The court was told how Taylor first met the girl when she was 14, about to turn 15, and he was 18 in Telford town centre. They began messaging and Taylor asked her out two weeks later. When they were in front of his friends, he got her to tell them she was his cousin.

They began a relationship and Taylor first had sex with the girl in a field near a lake in Telford. She was 15 at the time and he had picked her up from school.

"He started to kiss her and she said she felt uncomfortable," said Nigel Stelling, prosecuting. "He said, 'It's fine, no-one can see us'.

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A paedophile tricked a 13-year-old girl into getting into his car before driving her to a hospital car park and raping her. After the horrifying attack he laughed at her and said: "I bet you won't meet up with anyone else anytime soon".

Rhodri Llyr Griffiths, 28, raped and sexually assaulted his young victim after driving her to Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, last year. The attack left the victim traumatised and she attempted to take her own life just months afterwards.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard the victim was contacted on Snapchat by an account in the name of 'James Davies' while she was at home alone. She did not know the person but accepted the friend request. Upon doing so she received sexualised messages with the person offering her up to £750 to perform oral sex on her, which she refused.

The man behind the account asked her to send a picture of herself. She did so and told him she was 13 years old. When she asked the man: "How do I know you're not a serial killer?" he sent a video of a man which he purported was himself. He asked the victim if she wanted anything and she told him she wanted a bottle of vodka to take to a party.

Prosecutor Owen Williams said the victim arranged to meet up with the man that night after he attended an Asda store to purchase the vodka and she gave him her address. Upon arriving at a grassy area near her home the man sent a photo of his car to the victim who came out in her pyjamas to meet him.

She got into the passenger-side door of his car and seconds later realised the man in the driver's seat was not the man she had seen in the video but the defendant. She was confused at first and asked if she had got into the wrong car but Griffiths responded: "It's fine, it's fine". She told him to stop the car and let her out but he responded by passing her the vodka bottle and said: "Have this". The car doors were locked and when asked by the victim where they were going he said: "We're going for a drive."

Upon arriving at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr Griffiths parked up and told the victim to get into the back seat. She didn't want to but feared the defendant would kill her if she didn't. As he got into the back seat Griffths was smiling and began using his tongue to kiss the victim who tried to resist but she became frozen with fear. He then told her to turn around on her knees and he sexually assaulted her with his fingers causing her pain and discomfort.

The victim began to cry and Griffiths moved her onto her back before performing oral sex upon her. He then undid his trousers and put a condom on. The victim told him: "No" and tried to turn around but he screamed at her to turn back. He then raped her as she repeatedly told him to stop and get off her. He also touched her breasts with his hands and mouth. Once he had finished he got into the driver's seat and drove off leaving the victim on the back seat.

As he drove her back to her house Griffiths laughed and said: "I bet you won't meet up with anyone else anytime soon." He dropped her off outside her home and passed her the bottle of vodka. The victim ran into her home, deleted the James Davies account from Snapchat, and spoke to her friend about what had happened. Days later she broke down in tears and told her mother what had happened.

The police were called and Griffiths, of Highland Gardens, Neath Abbey, Neath  Port Talbot, was arrested the next day. In his interview the defendant claimed the sexual contact between him and the victim was consensual and denied having sexual intercourse with her. The defendant later pleaded guilty to rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault, and sexual communication with a child. The court heard he was of previous good character.

In a victim personal statement the victim's mother said: "It's a parent's worst nightmare. Lying in bed that night feeling sick to my stomach hoping what she had told me was not true. It was like my brain couldn't process that happening. How can someone do something so awful and how could it happen to my daughter? Our whole lives have changed and I'm heartbroken for my daughter. I feel massive guilt I didn't protect her or keep her safe. The thought of her going through that and I wasn't there to help her eats away at me every day."

The victim's mother said the effect on her daughter has been "horrific" with her scrubbing her skin red raw in the shower and refusing to eat or drink. She said she was no longer able to work as her daughter felt unable to attend school and her daughter had taken an overdose months after the incident in an attempt to take her own life.

The mother added: "I keep wishing it happened to me so I could take her pain away... I keep thinking: 'What if she does something one day to end her life like she's been suggesting and I'm not there to stop her?' Her mental health has been awful and she's asked when she's going to feel her normal self again and can't take the pain she feels every day. I'm constantly worried about her and what she's going to do.

"I've had an emotional breakdown myself constantly worrying and watching over her and to make sure she doesn't succeed in her plan. No mother should have on their mind their child wants to die and the thought of what would happen if she did succeed. My life would be over as well as hers."

In her statement the victim said: "I feel like my life and childhood has been destroyed. I have never hated my body as much as I do now. I have spent hours in the shower scrubbing my skin until it's red raw. When I look in the mirror or close my eyes I see him laughing.... All I want to do is sleep the day away. I will never feel happy again. Even school is too much for me...

"I can't look at another male without feeling uncomfortable, I will never trust another male again. When I see a man with glasses or a red car I panic. I don't feel safe leaving home. I wake up with gut-wrenching fear and terror. All I can think is: 'Why did I wake up? Why can't this all be a dream? Why did this happen to me?' No matter how much counselling and therapy I'll have when I am ready I'll never be the same girl again....

"I thought it would have been easier if he killed me as I wouldn't have to live every day and feel this way. I feel crippled with guilt.... He's ruined my life. My life has changed completely. I don't want to do anything anymore. I want to stay in my bedroom by myself. Life will always be a constant battle but I pray I will find some peace in my head and feel myself again but I know it will take a long time."

In mitigation Nigel Fryer said his client was remorseful for his behaviour but this was rejected by Judge Daniel Williams. He referred to the defendant's guilty pleas and of his previous good character.

Sentencing, Judge Williams said: "You were clearly enjoying what you were putting her through... I don't accept for a moment you have any regret or remorse for what you did. You have a mild form of autism but that doesn't impact your culpability with what you did. You said you had never had any sexual experience until your now-pregnant partner with whom you formed a relationship and you felt as though you'd missed out.

"You pose a high risk of serious harm to female children in the form of sexual violence... You planned this and intended to use alcohol to facilitate the offence. You have caused severe psychological harm in a prolonged incident."

Griffiths was sentenced to 10 years and six months imprisonment with an extended licence period of five years. He will serve two-thirds of the custodial sentence before he will be considered for parole. He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely and to a sexual harm prevention order and restraining order for 15 years.

Following the hearing Gwent Police detective constable Georgia Dunne, the officer in the case, said: “We’d like to thank the victim and witnesses for coming forward and reporting the incident to the police. They have shown tremendous bravery and resilience throughout the investigation and the subsequent court process. Rhodri Griffiths is a dangerous man, and we welcome the sentence provided by the courts and hope that he uses this time to reflect on his actions.”

Detective chief inspector Matthew Sedgebeer, the senior investigating officer, said: “The behaviour displayed by Rhodri Griffiths suggests that there could be more victims who may not have come forward. We hope this outcome shows anyone who is a victim of sexual assault that they will be listened to, believed, and respected. We take all allegations very seriously and if a report is made to us we investigate it thoroughly. We want to reassure anyone considering doing so that there is a whole range of support out there not only from Gwent Police but from partner agencies who can help you through the entire process.”

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A PAEDOPHILE who told someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl he was the ‘right person’ for her has walked free from court.

Nigel Lambert engaged in depraved sexualised chats with two ‘children’ – but in fact, the counts were being operated by undercover police officers tasked with rooting out online sex offenders.

The 43-year-old sent disgusting photos to the ‘young girls’ and told them he ‘needed kisses’, but he was able to leave court with a suspended sentence.

 
He appeared before Liverpool Crown Court to be sentenced on four counts of attempted sexual communications with a child and sole counts each of possessing indecent images of children, making indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornographic images involving animals

The court heard from prosecutor Christopher Taylor how three of the communications offences involve the same police officer.

Between February 10 and 22, 2022, the officer, under the guise of a 13-year-old girl called Zoe, chatted to the defendant, who was using the username Bunnies.

In messages exchanged on Kik Messenger, Lambert claimed to be a 36-year-old man living near Manchester, with ‘Zoe’ telling him she was only 13 after he asked if she would have sex with an older man.

The continued to chat on Kik, where the defendant asked the girl if she had a boyfriend, about her sexual activity and if she was a ‘good kisser’

In one chat, when Zoe said she would have sex with the right person, Lambert replied: “I’m the right person.”

Another saw the defendant ask what she was doing, and when she said schoolwork, he replied that he ‘needed kisses’ and was playing with his penis, which he described as ‘big’. 

 He asked her if she wanted to engage in sexual activity and sent her sexualised photos and a video, before asking if she was ‘turned on’ by them.

The defendant sent a video of a man performing a sex act and claimed it was himself, then asked if she could send him something similar.

The fourth communication offence involved a different undercover police officer posing as Georgia, again a 13-year-old girl, on the platform Chatiw, and later on Snapchat.

Lambert asked the girl if she was ‘horny’ and sent her a photo of an erect penis.

He was arrested at his former home on Longdin Street in Latchford on December 8, 2022, and gave no comment to questions asked of him during his police interview.

His mobile phone was seized and examined, and a Samsung account linked to both the device and Lambert was found to contain two category B indecent images of children, as well as two extreme pornographic images involving animals.

On behalf of his client, Gerald Baxter, defending, spoke of how Lambert pleaded guilty to all offences and is a man of previous ‘good character’, with no prior convictions.

“He has expressed genuine remorse. He is also deeply ashamed and embarrassed about his behaviour. He is relieved no child was harmed,” Mr Baxter said.

The barrister also said that the defendant is in ‘good’ employment, which he may lose should he be sent to prison immediately, with the same going for his privately rented accommodation.

 Before sentencing, judge Brian Cummings said: “These were attempt offences in the sense that the ‘child’ was very fortunately, including for you, not a child, but a police officer posing as a child.

“Fortunately for you, unbeknown to you but very importantly and critically in your case, the people you were communicating with were not actual children.

“If they had been, the outcome in this case would be very different.

“I cannot accept that you have shown remorse, as remorse means being sorry for what you have done, and it is clear from what you said to the Probation Service, you did not accept what you have done, and there seems to be a level of denial on your part.

“You said you do not have a sexual interest in children. That is simply unrealistic. Of course you do. That is why you committed these offences, and you must come to terms with that.”

However, having deemed the defendant to be a ‘realistic prospect of rehabilitation’, Judge Cummings concluded: “In my judgement, I am persuaded it is appropriate to suspend the sentence in your case.

“Intensive work with you, in my judgement, gives the public and children the best protection and the prospect of you being rehabilitated.”

Lambert, now of Wellington Road in Preston, was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended for two years, including 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He must also sign the sex offender register and abide by the terms of a sexual harm prevention order – both for 10 years – with an order approved to deprive him of his mobile phone.

Description

A man described by police as a "perverted criminal" has been jailed for two years after admitting he sexually assaulted a child.

Phillip Budrey, 64, from Adlard Grove in Humberston was sentenced at Grimsby Crown Court on Monday.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier court hearing to sexual assault by touching a child under 13.

Humberside Police praised the victim and her family for coming forward.

Det Con Nichola Oakley said: "Budrey is a perverted criminal who targeted a vulnerable young child and sexually assaulted her.

"He is now facing time behind bars and I hope he takes the opportunity to reflect on his depraved actions and the impact that they have had on the young child and their family."

Budrey was also entered onto the sex offenders register for 10 years and issued with a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

The force said it hoped the sentence would act as a warning to anyone else considering committing these types of offences.

Det Con Oakley said the force would "do everything in its power" to put offenders before the courts.

She added: "If you are the victim of a sexual assault, please be reassured that we are here for you. We will listen and we will support you."

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A paedophile was caught after a camera he had hidden in toilets at an Air Training Corps (ATC) centre was found.

The police investigation that followed saw Andrew Thompson, 32, from Great Sankey, Warrington, admit to sexually abusing several boys.

He also amassed thousands of images of children, some taken at a school he worked in as a teaching assistant.

Thompson was jailed for eight years at Chester Crown Court on Monday, after pleading guilty to 33 offences.

In July 2022 a member of staff at the ATC centre at which Thompson volunteered discovered the hidden camera.

'Sexual predator'

Police forensics experts found thousands of images of children on it, as well as footage of the man installing the device.

The man was identified as Thompson, of Rossall Road in Great Sankey, Warrington.

He was arrested on 23 December 2022, and police found other electronic devices that contained a number of images of children. These included images taken by Thompson at the ATC centre and the school.

Officers spoke to a number of children known to Thompson, some of whom revealed he had sexually assaulted them. Thompson was re-arrested and charged in September, 2023.

In court he pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13, 19 counts of voyeurism, two counts of making (downloading) indecent images of children, two counts of creating indecent images, and one count of possessing indecent images.

On top of his prison sentence, Thompson was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for life, is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), and was handed restraining orders prohibiting him from contacting his victims.

Cheshire Police Det Insp Simon Mills, from Cheshire Police, described Thompson as a "sexual predator".

He said: "He abused his position and it's clear that he had no regards for his victims, his only concern was to fulfil his own sexual gratification."

Description

A paedophile who abused two young girls and paid almost 5,000 for adults to abuse other children around the world has been jailed.

Nathan Lovell, 33, has been locked up for 15 years at Cambridge Crown Court

When officers arrested him, indecent images of children were discovered on his phone, including 1226 category C images or videos, 18 category B images or videos and 14 category A the most severe.

Officers also discovered screen recordings where Lovell was taking part in online conversations directing and paying for children to be abused by other adults.

In one of the recordings Lovell could be seen on the front-facing camera. In another of the conversations, he promised a puppy as payment to an adult about to abuse a young girl.

Officers carried out further enquiries with social media companies, which revealed further instances of Lovell paying for child sex abuse online. In total, he spent about 4,800 in this way.

Lovell, of Opportune Road, Wisbech, was charged with 18 counts in total, including:

• Four counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13 by touching
• Three counts of making indecent images or videos of children
• 11 counts of arranging or facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child under 13

He pleaded guilty to the three indecent image charges at his first court hearing but denied the others.

However, after an eight-day trial at Cambridge Crown Court in December, jurors found him guilty by unanimous verdict on all 15 other charges.

Lovell was sentenced at the same court on Monday (19 February) where he was handed a total of 15 years in prison, with an extended four years on licence.

Passing sentence, Judge Mark Bishop said Lovell posed a significant risk to children and there was an unpredictability to his future behaviour.

A restraining order prohibiting Lovell from contacting the two sexual assault victims was also put in place for 25 years, together with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for the same timeframe to monitor any future offending. He must sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

DC Ollie Plant, from the forces Child Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit (CAISU), said: Our thoughts are with the two young girls targeted by Lovell in the most horrific of ways, and his other victims who were targeted online.

We are pleased he has now been brought to justice and hope the sentence gives his victims and their families some closure from this traumatic period in their lives.

What Lovell did in paying other adults to abuse children across the world will no doubt be shocking to many. A child is victimised when an indecent image is taken and every time it is viewed or shared.

Protecting young people from harm is one of our top priorities and we have specially trained officers who are there to support victims and bring offenders to justice.

Description

A tech addict who hacked into teenage girls' Snapchat accounts and tried to bribe them into sending him naked pictures of themselves has been jailed.

Robert Parsons, 22, "toyed" and "teased" with his victims, who were aged between 14 and 19, and on one occasion posed as a 14-year-old boy.

His actions left the girls with severe trauma, Bradford Crown Court heard.

He was given a five-year custodial term to be followed by a closely-monitored four-year licence period.

At an earlier hearing Parsons, who carried out his offending while subject to previous sexual prevention orders, admitted 24 offences related to illegally accessing the Snapchat accounts of his victims.

The court was told how he had left the girls feeling frightened and embarrassed after accessing their private photos and, in one case, posted an intimate picture on a public platform.

The mother of one of the victims, a 15-year-old girl, said her daughter had suffered an horrific ordeal during which she was blackmailed by Parsons.

Prosecutor David McGonigal said Parsons was addicted to using internet devices and had persisted in offending with disregard for his existing court orders.

Sentencing him, Judge Andrew Hatton said Parsons had caused severe psychological trauma to the the girls and he was satisfied he met the criteria for an extended sentence as a dangerous offender.

His list of offences included attempting to cause a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, disclosing private sexual photos without consent, breach of a sexual harm prevention order, breach of the sex offender notification requirements and possession of indecent images of children.

His previous convictions included making indecent photos of children dating from when he was aged 15 and 16.

Parsons' barrister Abdul Shakoor said he was addicted to pornography and that had led him down a path of social isolation, with lockdown having made matters worse.

Fortunately, none of the complainants sent the images Parsons demanded so no sexual activity without consent ultimately took place, Mr Shakoor said.

Parsons, formerly of Wavertree Park Gardens, Bradford, but held in custody at HMP Leeds, was also given a nine-year sexual harm prevention order and must remain on the Sexual Offenders' Register for life.

Det Insp Lee Speight said Parsons posed a threat to young women and praised the bravery of victims and their families for giving evidence.

Description

A SERIAL paedophile was told by a judge to throw his laptop away in order to prevent him committing further crimes.

Andrew Davidson, 63, from Belmore Gardens, Lymington, has a history of downloading child abuse images and breaching sexual harm prevention orders.

He was jailed for ten months in 2018 in Nottingham, where he was living at the time, for possessing thousands of indecent photos of children including Category A – the most severe.

At that time Davidson was under a SHPO imposed for a similar offence in 2006, for which he was given a suspended sentence and ordered to take part in an internet sex offenders treatment programme.

In 2021 he again breached an SHPO order and was given a suspended prison sentence. Another order was also imposed.

But a jury a Southampton Crown Court heard in November he breached it again.

An offender monitoring firm were alerted in October last year that he had downloaded software on a laptop which enabled him to browse sites undetected.

It meant, said prosecutor Harvey Keely, the company could not see what Davidson was looking at on the internet. There was also no search history.

Police were alerted and went to Davidson’s home, where they seized all his internet capable devices including a Samsung mobile phone on which there were five child abuse images including three within category A.

The defendant pleaded guilty to breaching the order but denied making an indecent image of a child between 25th February 2018 and 1st June 2021. However, he was found guilty by the jury at the city’s crown court and sent to Portsmouth for sentencing.

In defence, barrister Nicholas Gammon said his client had claimed he had used the software to look for old emails and did not know how the indecent images “got there.”

The defendant cares for his partner, added Mr Gammon, who is “seriously ill” and “would not be able to cope” if he was jailed.

Mr Gammon continued: “The police are not going to leave him alone; they will monitor him very closely and he is not someone who can escape the net. My advice to him was to throw his computer away.”

Sentencing the defendant, Judge Newton-Price KC said he agreed with the barrister, adding: “You are extremely lucky to escape an immediate custodial sentence and might want to consider Mr Gammon’s suggestion to get of rid all internet devices.”

Davidson was sentenced to a total of 14 months in prison suspended for two years. He was given a 10-year SHPO and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.