Latest Offenders

Description

A man who had unknowingly been speaking to police when he was arranging to meet a child to rape has been jailed.

Joseph Hopkinson, aged 39, travelled by train from Leicester to Cheltenham in August 2022 intending to rape a 10-year-old.

He had in fact been communicating with specialist police officers who arrested him as he arrived at Cheltenham railway station on 17 August.

Hopkinson has been sentenced to seven years and two months for the offence.

He has has remained behind bars since his arrest.

The 39-year-old was also found to have cannabis on him and in his home when it was searched by Leicestershire Police.

Switched to guilty plea

The 39-year-old, of St James Road in Leicester, denied the offences and was due to stand trial at Exeter Crown Court on 13 February.

However, he changed his pleas to guilty on what was meant to be the first day of his trial.

At Gloucester Crown Court on Tuesday he was jailed for seven years and two months for arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, namely the rape of a child under 13.

He was also sentenced to nine months for two drugs offences, to run concurrently.

'Significant harm'

Detective Inspector Simon Goodenough, from the child sexual exploitation and indecent images of children teams said: "Hopkinson has a clear sexual interest in children and was intent on causing them significant harm.

"He spent months communicating with the police operative about abhorrent things he was wanting to do to young children, and it was evident that he was planning to carry out his vile thoughts and ideas."

He added that police teams work "tirelessly" to pursue sexual predators who are intent on causing harm.

Officers from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) worked with Gloucestershire Constabulary's Indecent Images and Child Sexual Exploitation teams on the investigation.

Detective Inspector David Wells, from SWROCU's online investigations team, said: "There is no doubt Hopkinson posed a serious threat to children and the sentence handed to him reflects that."

Hopkinson has also been placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life and given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Description

A pervert pinned an underage girl to the ground as he attempted to rape her in a horrific sexual assault on a Teesside beach.

Oliver Goddard was 19-years-old when he sexually assaulted and tried to rape a teenager while hidden amongst the tall grass on Redcar beach. His "helpless" victim was only able to get away after Goddard was spooked by a phone call from her father during the terrifying attack.

In a heartbreaking victim impact statement, the girl spoke of how she was terrified to leave the house and couldn't go anywhere alone. She turned to self-harm and still has panic attacks almost three years on from the assault.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Goddard, who is now 21, had met the teen for a walk where they spoke about how the vulnerable girl was struggling with a stressful time. They arranged to meet the following day and they walked along the beach until they lay down in a section surrounded by tall grass.

As they spoke, Goddard kept moving her legs across his body and when she moved them he'd get angry with her and put them back. Summarising the case, Judge Paul Reid said: "You began kissing her neck and she kept trying to move away from you."

He put his hand behind her neck so she couldn't pull away. The sexual assault continued and he pushed her down, hands around her neck so she had her head on the ground.

"She was scared. There was nothing she could do," said Judge Reid. "You were much older than her and much bigger than she was.

"You were disturbed by her phone ringing - it was her father. You jumped up and this time she was able to get away and left."

Goddard, of Durham Road, Redcar, was found guilty by a jury of attempted rape, sexual assault and engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Flashbacks

In a victim impact statement, read out by prosecutor Robin Turton, the teenager said: "I couldn't sleep as well as I could before what happened - it was going over and over in my head. It went on for some time, I went to the doctors and was prescribed anti-depressants.

"I had a phobia of leaving the house and I needed to be with someone all the time." The court heard the teenager's education was affected as she struggled to return to school and when she did found it difficult to stay in lessons.

She began to self-harm and said: "It's been almost three years and I still have panic attacks." She also can't go to the beach as it causes flashbacks.

Goddard had claimed the sexual activity was consensual and said in evidence that he believed she was 16 - claiming he only told police he thought she was younger because he was "forced".

Robert Mochrie, mitigating, said: "This is his first experience before the courts. He himself suffers psychological ailments and has been diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder. It is something he has to live with and work with to move forward."

The court heard there was a "significant difference in age" and the author of a pre-sentence report commented that he was in denial and had "little victim empathy". After the attack, he text the teenager and apologised blaming an injection which gives him too much testosterone.

He also told her that if she told anybody he would kill himself but the girl bravely spoke up and disclosed what had happened. Goddard had also sent nude pictures of himself to the girl.

Judge Reid said he believed Goddard did pose a significant risk and handed the defendant an extended sentence "to protect the public in the future". Goddard was jailed for seven years and will serve an additional three years on licence. An indefinite restraining order and notification requirement - sex offenders' register - was made.

Goddard heard he must serve two thirds of his sentence before he will be considered for release. Investigating officer Catherine McKenzie said: Firstly Id like to praise the victim in this case for her courage in coming forward and throughout the judicial proceedings.

"Goddard preyed on a teenage girl who was sexually assaulted before he tried to rape her. He took advantage of the young girl and pleaded not guilty throughout the trial.

"He will now he will spend a significant time behind bars due to his actions. Any victims of sexual assault or sexual offences can contact the police with the confidence that they will be believed and supported and that a thorough investigation will be carried out.

Description

A REPEAT sex offender from Kendal downloaded dozens of sickening child abuse images, including ones featuring victims as young as three.

Kendal man Robert Lewthwaite, 29, who committed the offences despite having the benefit of professional help through the Probation Service, was jailed after a judge ruled that he poses a continuing risk to children.

He admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order and downloading almost 300 indecent images of children, including 58 which were classified as Category A, the most serious kind of abuse images.

At Carlisle Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Barker told the defendant: These are not victimless crimes: these images depict real children, as young as three or four and five or six, who were subjected to the most horrendous, gratuitous sexual abuse.

The demand for such images by people like Lewthwaite supported the activities of the abusers who created those images.

Prosecutor Brendan Burke said the background was that Lewthwaite was given a seven-year sexual harm prevention order in February 2019, which was designed to curb his internet use and prevent reoffending.

It was part of his sentence for similar offending, when he downloaded hundreds of child abuse images, the court heard. Lewthwaite was specifically warned not to use cloud storage facilities, said Mr Burke.

But on January 14 police visited the defendant and discovered that he had done this, accessing three cloud storage sites. There was evidence that he had deleted content from his internet history and devices.

Police eventually recovered the images he had been viewing: 58 of Category A, 96 of Category B, and 128 of Category C.

Jeff Smith, defending, said the defendant, of Low Kirkbarrow Lane, Kendal, suffered autism and consequently was isolated and struggled to make relationships. He is isolated from the vast majority of his family, other than his grandfather, said Mr Smith.

He clings desperately to those who are close to him. Lewthwaite needed professional support to turn his life around, said the lawyer. The defendant recognised his failings and did not want to minimise them.

The lawyer said that group therapy would help Lewthwaite, who did not want to sink yet again to the depths of depravity.

Jailing Lewthwaite for 18 months, Judge Barker concluded that the defendant had returned to his former offending behaviour, which probation staff had described as being a highly established pattern of offending.

While accepting that Lewthwaite suffered difficulties linked to his autism, the judge said there was a pattern of offending, and he was not satisfied that at present there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

Lewthwaite will be on the Sex Offender Register for a decade and his sexual harm prevention order will last for the same period.

Description

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Description

A 'creepy' maths teacher made a schoolgirl play a game of sexual dares before luring her into bed.

Married James Stromfield, 39, who taught at a secondary school in Sussex, devised a sex game for the 15-year-old pupil to play at his home while his wife was out.

He wrote down 12 sexual dares, such as 'remove an item of clothing' or 'make out', on a piece of paper.

The teacher then produced a pair of dice and told her to roll them with the number corresponding to a sexual forfeit.

The game of sexual dares in February ended when he got her into bed where he sexually assaulted her.

Last week Stromfield was jailed for 12 years after he pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, two counts of attempted rape, one charge of sexual activity with a child and one of inciting sexual activity with a child.

The tearful victim said she had been 'sickened' and 'disgusted' by his actions and was left 'completely broken'.

Reading a statement to court she sobbed as she told how her life had been destroyed and she had been left suffering 'flashbacks and nightmares' over her ordeal.

She said: 'James Stromfield's actions have affected me and my daily life in a way I wouldn't wish on anyone. I feel like a part of me died on February 27.

'I was keeping a big secret to myself and it was destroying me day by day'.

She said: 'I wasn't the one who should have known better. I was a child and still am. Mr Stromfield is now 39.

'He has taken away many significant experiences teenage girls should be able to feel.

'I would claw at my skin as it no longer felt like it belonged to me after it had been touched by him'.

Hove Crown Court heard the girl had been a pupil at a secondary school where Stromfield taught maths.

When the teenager began to suffer problems at home, she spoke to the teacher frequently and came to trust him.

The head teacher was forced to step in and formally warned Stromfield not to have any further contact with the pupil.

But Stromfield downloaded an app, Proton, which automatically deletes messages, and continued to contact the girl using it.

Orlando Gibbons, prosecuting, said: 'The victim initially saw him as a friend, father figure as well as a teacher. Over time his messages to her became flirtatious and sexual, which she did find a little creepy.'

The court heard she put up with the messages because she did not want to lose the support and friendship of the teacher.

When his wife was out, Stromfield arranged for the girl to come to his home in West Sussex.

The pair played the game of sexual forfeits before getting into bed where sexual activity took place.

However the girl had been tracked to the address by her then-boyfriend using the Snapchat app.

Stromfield was arrested by police on suspicion of child abduction but refused to comment. He was released on bail with strict instructions not to contact the victim.

Stromfield ignored the bail conditions and the pair met again at his house in February while he wife was out.

They went to an upstairs spare bedroom where sexual activity once again took place before he drove her back in his car.

The girl's father found handwritten notes in her handbag written to the teenager by the teacher.

The note read: 'Sorry to hear things were tough for you, hopefully it helps I am thinking and missing you. If you want to meet sometime see instructions on reverse. I will be there every day at 11.00am just in case you turn up.'

A second note read: 'I miss you so much and being apart is really tough. If you do want to come and see me come alone and be 100 per cent sure you can't be tracked. Love you loads Xx.'

Two days later the victim went to his home again and went to his spare room where he raped her.

However police had already been called and turned up at the house while the victim and the teacher were naked in bed.

Stromfield ordered her to quickly put on some clothes before he answered the door.

Police found the victim curled up in a ball on the floor of the spare bedroom and the teacher was arrested once again.

He was charged with a series of serious sexual offences including rape, attempted rape and sexual activity with a child.

Jailing him Recorder Quincy Whittaker said: 'You groomed the victim. Your behaviour was abusive, exploitative and harmful to her.'

She said the teenager had suffered 'psychological trauma' that may last her entire life.

Recorder Whittaker said through 'distorted and dysfunctional thinking' Stromfield had managed to convince himself that his sexual attention was in some way helping with girl with her problems at home and self-esteem.

She told Stromfield he must serve at least eight years before being considered for parole and ordered him to pay his victim £5,000 compensation.

Description

A teenage predator who caused prolonged psychological trauma to his child victims has been jailed.

Richard Box, from Arbroath, raped a student and abused three under-age girls as part of a horrific course of conduct.

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Description

A National Crime Agency investigation found that Samuel Ward, 27, from Newmarket, Suffolk, approached victims on social media and offered to send large amounts of money in exchange for explicit images.

The investigation began with a report from a 17-year-old girl in Florida to U.S. law enforcement, who passed information onto the NCA.

She was contacted by two Instagram accounts in May 2020, offering a “weekly allowance” of $500 for sexual images and videos of her.

An additional message from one of the accounts said “well just to prove I have the funds”, and was accompanied by a doctored image of a bank account showing a balance of £98,606.80.

It then directed her to send increasingly explicit photos, but the user never revealed their true identity nor transferred any money to her.

NCA investigators identified Ward as the person controlling the two Instagram accounts, and discovered that he had proposed online ‘sugar daddy’ arrangements to a further 40 women and girls – 33 of whom were in the UK, with six in the U.S. and one in Ireland.

Many rejected the proposal, however officers identified 18 victims of his scam in total, including four aged under 18.

He approached multiple victims at a time on platforms including Instagram, Snapchat and Tinder from 2019 to 2021, employing the same method of offering money for explicit images and often sending them the same fake image of his account balance.

One 23-year-old victim was offered £3,000 by Ward in return for what he described as “non-explicit” images.

He mocked up an image of a transaction receipt showing £3,000 sent from his account to hers, and she began sending Ward the images and videos he requested.

However, upon checking her bank statement it displayed a payment for £3 sent by Ward. When she queried him on it, he replied, “3? I didn’t send 3, I sent £3,000”.

Another victim, aged 17 and known to Ward, reported to police that he had coerced and pressured her into sending a total of 57 indecent images between November 2019 and March 2020.

Chat logs on iMessage obtained by investigators revealed her nervousness to send the images, to which Ward responded with statements including, “I have needs” and “if u loved me u would have made some kind of effort”.

To counter her reluctance he offered £10,000 for ten photos. After sending him the images he demanded, she asked for the money and he sent her £1 to prove he would pay her, but never paid the full amount.

Following his arrest, NCA investigators reviewed Ward’s bank statements which showed he was in his overdraft for the entirety of his two-year offending period, and confirmed he had made the £3 and £1 payments.

Ward pleaded guilty to 19 charges in April 2023, including fraud, possession of an article for use in fraud, making indecent images of children and malicious communication.

He appeared at Peterborough Crown Court today [13 November] and a judge sentenced him to 30 months in prison and handed him a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Adam Priestley, NCA senior investigating officer, said: “Ward relentlessly targeted teenage girls and young women online with promises of payments he never intended on sending, nor had the means to do so.

“I would like to commend the victims who assisted our enquiries, including the 17-year-old from the U.S. who first reported Ward’s offending to the police. Her brave actions led to an international investigation that has seen Ward brought to justice, and identified many more victims of his abuse.

“At the NCA we are committed to catching offenders who pose a threat to vulnerable people in the UK, and this investigation shows how we work with partners around the world to tackle serious online criminality.

“We urge anyone who has been pressured or deceived into sending sexual images online to report it to the police. You are not alone, and there is always help available.”

The NCA’s CEOP Education programme supports parents, carers, children and professionals to ensure young people have safe and positive experiences online.

Anyone being pressured or threatened into sending sexual images or videos online should remove themselves immediately from the conversation, not respond further to any contact, and report the matter to police or a trusted adult.

Description

A Baxenden man has been jailed for sexually abusing two children.

Eoin Kelly, now 29, was a juvenile himself when he committed the offences but one of the victims disclosed in 2020 what had happened.

During the investigation, the second victim came forward with a complaint against Kelly.

Kelly, of Alliance Street, was convicted in June of rape, three counts of sexual assault on a child and four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The Judge sentenced Kelly to two years imprisonment.

Det Sgt Craig Atkinson of Lancashire Police, said: “These were very serious offences committed by Eoin Kelly against two young victims. He was himself a youngster at the time.

“Reports of sexual offences are always taken extremely seriously by Lancashire Police, whether they are recent or non-recent.

“If offences are reported from a number of years ago, we will always investigate fully and attempt to bring offenders to justice.”

Description

A convicted paedophile made friends with a series of unknowing parents under false names and spent time with their children. Gareth Hill, 43, was previously jailed for the possession and distribution of child abuse images and on release formed a series of friendships without telling the parents about his convictions.

Hill, from St Austell, appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence having pleaded guilty to multiple breaches of a sexual harm prevention order between 2019 and 2021.

Prosecuting the case, Heather Hope told the court how Hill formed a new relationship in Callington under the name Thomas Smallcroft. This relationship brought him into new social groups and one woman he came to know would leave her child with the defendant. She said after discovering Hill's history that, had she known about his past, she'd have never let her child anywhere near him.

In 2019, Hill and his partner struck up a friendship with a mother in a pub. They would spend time together with a child present. On a number of occasions Hill and his partner would babysit the child and even took the child to Plymouth for a day out.

Further offences included Hill being invited to a child's birthday party and other social visits to mothers, and one father - with children. One woman said she felt "sick to the stomach" when Hill's past came to light.

The final charge related to Hill lying to police about being in possession of a phone. Two mobile phones were later found at his parents' house during a visit.

Representing Hill, Rupert Taylor said: "He wanted to rebuild his life and there is no suggestion of any inappropriate behaviour with children. He was afraid to tell anyone and his past caught up with him.

"He has been gardening for elderly people and his plan is to reattend college for a landscaping course."

Sentencing Hill, Judge Simon Carr said the offending was "a long-term systematic breach of a sexual harm prevention order". Judge Carr went over Hill's offending history before saying: "Over a period of years you befriended predominately women with young children. The pattern is consistent and not a single one had a child over 10.

"You were seen as so trustworthy you were allowed to be with their children, were invited to birthday parties and on limited occasions spent time with children alone.

"You gave a false name and lied about the reason you had been sent to prison, saying it was for violence. Each and every parent was horrified when they found out about your entrenched sexual interest in children.

"You told a probation officer it was unfair you were subject to such an order and it was a breach of your human rights - it is not. You are someone prepared to manipulate the system and after all these years you will purport not to have a sexual interest in children. Your sexual interest in children is entrenched and it will never go away."

Hill was jailed for five years. 

Description

A 33-year-old man has been jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to sexually abusing underage girls in Northampton.

The investigation into Joseph Martin James Arnold, previously of Ashcroft Gardens, Northampton, formed part of Northamptonshire Polices ongoing Operation Antigua.

Op Antigua was launched at the end of June 2020 and focuses on reported sexual abuse between the years of 2006 and 2016, all originating from the statue in Abington Street where young people would gather.

Since then, multiple people have come forward to report offences against them including three young women who Arnold sexually abused when they were underage.

One of the girls was only 13-years-old when she met a 23-year-old Arnold and engaged in what she believed at the time to be a two-year consensual relationship.

During this time, Arnold sexually abused her on multiple occasions, isolated her from family members, and manipulated her into developing low self-esteem.

He would make me feel really insecure and that people didnt like me very much, she wrote in her victim personal statement which was read out at court yesterday (November 30).

At school I didnt really speak to people as I didnt think anyone would like me because of how Joe had made me feel about myself.

Whenever I see anyone or anything with the name Joseph or Arnold in it now, even the news, it brings up everything to do with him, things that have happened, or about the case.

A second woman was aged 15 when she entered into what she believed at the time was a consensual relationship with Arnold who was 19-years-old at the time.

Joseph was a master manipulator, she wrote in her statement. He made me feel so destroyed and defeated. He got away with his abuse for so long. I realise now I have a right to feel upset.

I feel like he took my childhood and my teenage years away and destroyed them.

A third woman was aged 16 when a 21-year-old Arnold lured her back to his house on the promise of a party. However, when she got there it became clear he wanted it to be just the two of them and used the evening as an opportunity to sexually assault her.

Joe was someone who just hung around with the same group of people I did on Abington Street. He made me feel special, older and cool, when in fact I was being groomed. I realise this now that I am older, when reflecting on what happened.

He completely took advantage of my innocence.

The investigation into Arnold led to him being charged with six counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15, and one count of sexual assault, all of which he pleaded guilty to at an earlier court hearing at Northampton Crown Court in September.

Yesterday (November 30) at the same court, he was sentenced to nine years in prison and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Description

An offshore worker went on to his colleagues Facebook account, downloaded intimate images of his wife and posted them to an internet porn site.

Phillip Williams, 40, was working on the Kittiwake North Sea platform when he discovered the explicit pictures on his coworkers unattended computer.The mans Facebook was left open on the device after the man had finished his shift.

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Description

A jail term of more than eight years has been imposed on a man who raped a woman he had met at a pub.

Robert Mills met his victim in New Romney one evening in August 2019 before they walked back to his home in Hardy Road, Greatstone.

Mills had offered to walk the woman home but instead led her through the woods to where he lived and once inside locked the door and raped her.

The woman was terrified after Mills had shown her he was carrying a knife, but she managed to escape from his property following the attack and ran home to safety during the early hours of the morning.

The incident was reported to Kent Police straight away and Mills was arrested the same day. Despite denying the allegations, the 28-year-old was convicted of two counts of rape following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court on 25 August 2023.

He was subsequently jailed for a total of eight-and-a-half years on Friday 8 December 2023 and will serve an additional five-and-a-half years on licence under the terms of an extended sentence.

Description

A 17-YEAR-OLD Bournemouth girl woke up to find a drug dealer raping her. 

Lamin Sanneh, 47, sexually assaulted and raped a girl at an address in Bournemouth in July 2019, Bournemouth Crown Court heard. 

The victim has fallen asleep before Sanneh sexually assaulted her after which she woke up and he raped her, police say. 

However, the defendant was was also found to have supplied drugs in September 2021 when a raid in Poole uncovered a package containing wraps of cocaine while Sanneh was there. 

A phone belonging to Sanneh had also been seized that contained messages which appeared to relate to the supply of illegal drugs.  

He was eventually arrested by detectives in March 2023 and later charged. 

At a hearing at crown court held on Thursday, December 7, the judge sentenced Sanneh, of no fixed abode, to 10 years in prison. 

He will also serve an extended licence period of a further three years. 

He had previously been found guilty at a trial at the same court of offences of rape and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. 

Description

A man has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of multiple rapes and sexual assaults spanning more than 20 years.

Jonathan Hutton, 39, of Campus Way, Lincoln, has been ordered to serve a minimum of 14 years in prison for sexual offences that took place between 2001 and 2023 across Norfolk, Cheshire, and Lincolnshire.

He appeared at King's Lynn Crown Court today after being convicted by a jury in October following a 12-day trial.

His convictions included six counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault by penetration and one count of sexual touching, against four victims over the 22 years. 
 
All of the victims said the sexual activity was not consensual as well as physically and emotionally abusive.

One victim described how Hutton pushed her down the stairs and held her head underwater in the bath.

The Judge in the case described him as sociopathic, misogynistic, calculating and a dangerous and manipulative figure who showed no remorse.

Another victim said he was 'unpredictable and scary'.

Norfolk Police conducted the investigation and arrested Hutton in April while he was a student at the University of Lincoln.

He will serve a minimum of 14 years in prison before he is eligible for parole and he will also be on the On Sex Offenders Register for life.

Detective Constable Jack Moore said: Hutton had a long history of offending which has only come to light due to the bravery of his victims, some of whom have suffered in silence for many years.

He is a clear danger to women, and I hope this sentence gives his victims some sense of justice and peace.

Their actions have doubtless saved other future victims from harm.

"The victims have been supported through the whole process through a number of support services including ISVAs (Independent Sexual Violence Advisors).

We also hope this sentence reassures victims of sexual crimes that they will be listened to if they come forward so that violent and controlling men like Hutton who have no respect for women can be given substantial jail terms for their crimes.

Description

An obsessed sexual predator was trapped after making highly explicit online suggestions to a fake 14-year-old girl and offering to be her "sugar daddy".

Father-of-five Kevin Denholm, 57, told the decoy girl that he liked younger girls but he later branded his behaviour "vile and disgusting".

He contacted the girl in the early hours and "very quickly" made "graphic" and extremely sexualised comments to her, Hull Crown Court heard.

Denholm, of Boulton Grove, Hull, admitted attempting to incite a girl to engage in sexual activity, sexual communication and a sexual act between July 30 and August 3 last year.

Michele Stuart-Lofthouse, prosecuting, said that the founder of a group aimed at stopping online contact with children posed as a 14-year-old girl.

Denholm contacted the fake girl in the early hours and said "Hi."

He told her that he worked on the railway and said: "I'm a lot older than you but I like younger girls. If you want a sugar daddy, I'm yours."

The non-existent girl replied: "I'm 14, though" but he said: "Do you want to play? Do you want to chat with me?"

They exchanged mobile phone numbers and, in WhatsApp messages, Denholm made highly sexualised suggestions.

"The defendant went into graphic detail," said Miss Stuart-Lofthouse.

"He was sexually graphic, describing numerous sexual activities. The sexual chat continued."

Denholm sent three intimate pictures of himself and a video of himself committing a sex act and others showing pictures and videos of women.

The two discussed the possibility of meeting up but nothing specific was arranged.

The online group founder confronted Denholm and the police were alerted.

Mark Savage, mitigating, said the offences happened over a relatively short period of time.

"This became sexualised very, very quickly," said Mr Savage.

"He offers no excuses for his behaviour. It was a huge error of judgement that cost him his job.

"Thankfully, he was stopped in his tracks. It is not something that he would ever commit again."

Denholm had said: "I can't imagine how any child would cope with what I have done.

"It's vile and disgusting what I have done. Whether it's a decoy or not, it's disgusting. I can never make amends."

Judge John Thackray QC told Denholm: "You thought you were engaging in sexual communication with a 14-year-old girl. Thankfully, it was a decoy.

"The actual harm was mercifully none. There was a very significant disparity in age."

Denholm had tried to conceal evidence by deleting messages.

"I accept there is some genuine remorse," said Judge Thackray.

"Only appropriate punishment can be achieved by way of an immediate custodial sentence."

Denholm was jailed for two years and was given a ten-year sexual harm prevention order. He must register as a sex offender for ten years.