Latest Offenders

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A MAN branded as dangerous by detectives has been sentenced to 12 years after admitting child sex offending.

Ryan Baskerville, 30, from Liversedge, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday after admitting sex offences against a young child.

The 30-year-old was sentenced to seven years in prison with five years on licence, and was also made subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Baskerville's offending came to light after the victim spoke of what had happened prompting a report to be made to Kirklees Police.

A full investigation was launched by the Kirklees District Child Safeguarding Unit resulting in Baskerville being arrested and later charged.

DC Angus Whitehead, of the Kirklees Child Safeguarding Unit, who led the investigation, said: “I would like to praise the courage of the victim.

"They have shown great fortitude throughout the investigation and court processes.

“I welcome the sentence handed down by Leeds Crown Court to Baskerville for his abhorrent crimes.

"He is dangerous and manipulative offender.

“We would encourage any victims of unreported sexual offences whether recent or non-recent to come forward and contact the police. We handle all reports with the utmost sensitivity.”

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An Evesham man was sentenced to seven years in prison for two counts of rape at Worcester Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday 9 January).

Jason Harris, 37, of Peewit Road, Evesham, was convicted of the two offences with seven-year terms to run concurrently and handed a restraining order of 15 years in respect of his female victim.

Harris was acquitted of a further rape charge and two sexual assault charges against a different woman and cleared of a sexual assault of a third woman.

He was ordered to be a registered sex offender for life, meaning he will have to notify the police of certain information such as his home address when he is released from prison, and he will also be managed by a specialist officer upon his release.

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A convicted sex offender is back behind bars after repeatedly breaching the terms of his court order.

Colin Luke harassed and stalked people living and working in Langley Park over a four-week period in October last year.

The 69-year-old exposed his genitals to shoppers at the village’s Premier Store on one occasion, and then repeatedly harassed staff at the Co-op store and a hair salon.

He visited both businesses an excessive number of times, commenting on the appearance of staff members and invading their personal space.

He also talked to several children in the village and visited a children’s play park, which breached the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) prohibiting him from having any contact with children.

Luke had only just been released from prison when the offences occurred, after serving a sentence for the abduction and sexual assault of a schoolgirl in Bowburn in 2014.

Officers from Durham Constabulary’s Public Protection Unit launched an investigation and Luke was quickly arrested.

He was later charged with six offences, including exposure, stalking, harassment, and breaching a SHPO, which he admitted.

He appeared at Durham Crown Court today (January 10) where he was jailed for two years and four months.

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Police have welcomed the conviction of an Exeter rapist - and praised the courage of the woman he assaulted. Christopher Murphy, aged 35, has been jailed for eight years and nine months by a judge at Exeter Crown Court.

He raped a woman at her home in 2019. A jury found him guilty of three offences at a trial last year and he returned to Exeter Crown Court to be sentenced on Tuesday (January 9).

The judge said he has a "closed and inflexible" attitude to the incident which allows him to hold on to a "high opinion of yourself." She added an extra four years licence to his sentence due to the risk he poses.

Investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Andy Boundy said afterwards: “We would like to take this opportunity to praise the courage shown by the victim in coming forward to report the offences and her support throughout the court process.

“We welcome the verdict and hope that the conviction and subsequent sentence bring about a sense of justice for the victim. We would urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault to come forward and report to police. We will support you

The trial was told Murphy took advantage of the woman while visiting her home, first kissing and then refusing to leave before committing the offence.

She said the assault had an ongoing impact on her life. She has panic attacks and is hypervigilant of her surroundings. But she has "already begun to heal" and hopes to move on with her life, the court was told.

Murphy, of King William Street, was convicted of rape and assault by penetration. He has previous convictions for battery, sending offensive communications and assaulting someone in a pub with a glass.

But references from friends also described him as "a wonderful person" and "big-hearted" who had overcome a difficult start to life.

"It will take considerable time to make you open to rehabilitation," said Judge Anna Richardson.

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An international rugby player who had been due to play for the Barbarians has been sentenced to two years and 10 months for a series of sexual offences.

Api Ratuniyarawa, 37, admitted two counts of assault by penetration and one charge of sexual assault at a hearing in December in relation to three young women.

The Fiji lock had been due to feature on the bench for the Barbarians in their match against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 4 November 2023.

Cardiff Crown Court previously heard the offences took place between 31 October and 2 November last year.

Ratuniyarawa, who lives in Northamptonshire, denied two further charges of sexual assault relating to one of the three women.

The court previously heard the father-of-four had been without a club since the summer when premiership side London Irish went into receivership.

A sentencing hearing on Tuesday was told Ratuniyarawa had travelled to Cardiff ahead of the Barbarians match, "to attend media commitments and training for the fixture".

Prosecuting, Heath Edwards KC said "the defendant appears to have spent many of his nights socialising" in the week prior to the game.

The prosecution said Ratuniyarawa attended the Revolution bar in Cardiff on the evenings of 31 October, 1 November and 2 November.

The court was shown CCTV footage of all three incidents from the bar's VIP area.

One of his victims read her impact statement in court.

"My attack came out of the blue. It was sudden, shocking," she said.

"I feel degraded, embarrassed and humiliated. I still do."

She said the incident had "started not just to impact [her] but [her] family".

"I should be excited to be going out with my friends, but I can't stop thinking about what has happened," she added.

"He's ruined my life by what he's done, and I feel like I'm in my own personal hell."

She told the court she had been "such an independent person" prior to the incident.

"I couldn't shower until I'd been examined and all I wanted to do was wash that man off me," she said.

"This man had his whole career ahead of him, and such a high-profile person. He did this to me."

In mitigation, Ruth Smith KC said the defendant would like to apologise for his actions but that he had "limited recollection" of the incidents.

"The defendant would like, through me, as an initial statement, to apologise to each of the victims in this case," she said.

"The consumption of alcohol for him in such quantities was completely out of character."

Ms Smith told the court Ratuniyarawa had "never drunk that much before in his entire life".

"This incident fell at a time of upheaval in the personal life of the defendant," she added.

"He was without employment. He is a gentlemen that supports not only his immediate family financially, but a range of others financially. And it resulted in a situation of stress for him," Ms Smith said.

The court heard the defendant had been described "by those that run Fiji Rugby as a dedicated and valuable asset".

"He knows his legacy is forever tarnished with behaviour that is reflected in these counts," Ms Smith added.

"He has not only let himself down, his family, but also his country in respect of his behaviour."

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke also granted a restraining order of three years in relation to one of the victims.

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A man raped a woman after spraying her with his aftershave, telling her: "I want you to smell like me." Abdul Qadir, 21, met the woman on a social media dating site.

After exchanging details, he invited her to his flat. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told her friends and family where she was going, before getting a taxi to the property in Stockport.

Qadir and the woman chatted and kissed on the sofa, before he sprayed her with his aftershave. She said it was 'weird behaviour'. He then took her to his bedroom, before touching her intimately.

The woman said he was rushing and that it was 'too much', Minshull Street Crown Court heard. Qadir pulled off her leggings and underwear before raping her.

"You said no, I should have listened," he told her after the attack. After the woman reported Qadir to the police, he told them: "I met the girl on social media, I asked her to take her leggings off, she said 'no', I had sex with her... I got carried away."

Qadir, of Buxton Road, Great Moor, was jailed for three years and two months. He earlier pleaded guilty to rape.

Daniel Calder, prosecuting, told the court Qadir met the woman online last year. They exchanged numbers and chatted on WhatsApp. They then arranged to meet at his flat.

"They kissed and then the defendant sprayed her with aftershave, telling her 'I want you to smell like me'," Mr Calder said.

"He then gave her a tour before they sat on his bed and kissed again. He then attempted to remove her clothes before she told him it was too much and that he was rushing."

Qadir asked the woman if she was on the pill before taking his clothes on and getting a condom. "She told him they were not going to have sex," the prosecutor continued.

He told her he was 'horny' and climbed on top of her. After being raped, the woman went to the bathroom and told her family what had happened.

The woman recorded Qadir on her phone admitting he had raped her and apologised. He later sent her messages asking if she was okay.

Qadir was arrested that afternoon. He told police what he had done, saying he got 'carried away'.

'What happened to me will always be with me'

In a statement, the woman said the incident is always on her mind, adding: "I keep thinking about how I could have stopped it. I just want to forget about it and move on with my life.

"I was looking forward to the date. Now it takes me back to what happened and I relive the trauma all over again. My sleeping pattern is all over the place, for a while I struggled to eat and I worry about strangers.

"Something so private and personal was taken from me and I will never get it back. What happened to me will always be with me - it feels like a physical scar."

David Bruce, for Qadir, said the fact his client pleaded guilty showed 'courage rarely seen in cases such as this'. "This is a relatively young man with no previous convictions," he said.

"He made a mistake, a bad mistake... an unlawful mistake. He acted out of character and he does show remorse."

Mr Bruce said Qadir came to the UK Kingdom from Iraq when he was 16, before going into the care system. His application for asylum was turned down and he was planning to rea-appeal before he was remanded into custody.

Judge Angela Nield told him: "She did not wish to engage in intimate sexual relations with you. She told you 'no' on a number of occasions. She was a stranger and vulnerable. It's clear that you fully understood what she was saying because you subsequently, and very quickly, apologised to her.

"There is no doubt what happened to her. You told the police you would tell them the truth - that you had raped her."

Qadir was jailed for three years and two months; ordered to sign to the sex offender register for life and banned from contacting the woman. The case will be referred to the Home Secretary who will decide if and when he is deported.

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A PAEDOPHILE has been locked away by the courts after he was found to be in possession of a sickening stash of photos.

The photos found on a laptop belonging to Keith Secker involved children being sexually abused.

The 46-year-old was later charged with three counts of making indecent images of children (IIOC), one of possessing IIOC and one of breaching a suspended sentence order.

He indicated guilty pleas to all charges before the magistrates’ court, with the case committed to Chester Crown Court for sentence.

The court heard from Karl Scholz, prosecuting the case, how the matters came to a head in February last year.

Police seized Secker’s laptop in Runcorn and submitted it for a forensic examination, with the results confirming the presence of child sex abuse images.

In total, 83 IIOC were discovered, with examples from each of the three categories such images are graded.

Of the 83, 37 were classified as category A – the most severe category involving child rape – while 29 were category B and 17 were category C.

Before sentencing, judge Simon Berkson remarked that the only appropriate sentence he could impose was one of immediate custody.

This was due to the severity of the offences and due to the defendant already being made subject to a suspended sentence order at the time the offences were committed.

Secker, of East Lane in Runcorn, was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment and ordered to sign the sex offender register for the next 10 years.

It was also ordered that he pay a statutory surcharge to fund victim services of £187, while a further order was approved to deprive the defendant of his laptop seized during the police investigation.

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A convicted sex offender who knew he was not allowed any contact with girls under the age of 16 let a young child sit on his knee at a church.

Derby Crown Court heard how Richard Clarke chased a second young victim around the same place of worship and spoke to a third one in a local cafe knowing full well he was forbidden from doing so by a court order.

The 70-year-old, of Matlock, was jailed for 30 months in 2014 for possessing sick child abuse images of underage girls. Now he has two years to stay out of trouble or risk being returned back behind bars for another stint.

Handing him a 16-month prison term, suspended for two years, Judge Martin Hurst said: “When I read this case last night I thought ‘this man is going to go to prison’ because he’s had contact with three different children, two at the church and one at the cafe. I don’t accept for one minute your claim that she’s (the first victim) climbed on your knee.

“You know you are not allowed to have any contact and you knew you were not allowed to chase (the third victim) around the church to do up her shoelaces. This would have led to your head being near her groin area and you have come close to committing a touching offence which, if you had committed one, would unquestionably have led to an immediate prison sentence.

“You make sure you have nothing to do with young children and you go to that church just to worship.” Annabel Lenton, prosecuting, said all three offences happened during April and May of 2023.

She said the first one took place when he was spotted with a young girl sitting on his knee at the church and when it was noticed the girl was removed. The prosecutor said: “In interview, he said the girl had climbed onto his knee.

“The second offence happened when a 13-year-old girl was in a cafe in Matlock with some friends and as she left the defendant said hello to her. She returned home and told her parents.

“The third offence happened at the same church (as the first one) when he was seen chasing a young girl around as her shoelaces were undone. He caught up with her and tied her laces and he later said he did this as he did not want her to trip over.”

Miss Lenton said Clarke, of Dimple Road, was jailed for 30 months in 2014 for a number of counts of possessing indecent images of children. She said as part of that punishment he was handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and was placed on the sex offender register, also for 10 years.

The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching the order. Sam Lowne, mitigating, said his client had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity when he appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court.

He said: “Speaking plainly, from the conversation I had with Mr Clarke, it does appear that over the years, since the order was imposed, an element of complacency has crept in.”

Clarke’s order will remain in place and he will remain on the sex offender register.

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A convicted sex offender who had twice been spared prison in just eight months completely ignored the chances that he was given and soon started sending highly sexualised messages to a decoy 12-year-old girl.

Heavy drinker Brian Greenaway thought that he was talking to a real girl and he sent explicit pictures of himself to her. He even warned her that she ought to be careful who she chatted to online because she was young, Hull Crown Court heard.

Greenaway, 58, of Spring Bank West, Hull, admitted attempting to engage in sexual contact with a child, attempting to invite a child to engage in sexual activity and failing to comply with his notification requirements as a sex offender. Stephen Welch, prosecuting, said that a member of an online anti-child abuse group became aware of communications by Greenaway with a decoy 12-year-old girl on Facebook and then WhatsApp between September 1 and 4 last year.

Greenaway used his correct name and said that he was 57. His profile contained details about him and it included his date of birth and his home city. These correctly matched Greenaway's actual details.

He sent a clothed picture of himself, saying "That's me" and he warned the fake girl: "Just be careful who you chat with on here." He told her "You're young" and asked if she had a boyfriend.

Greenaway contacted her again and said: "Hi, it's Brian". The conversations became more sexualised and he started using more graphic language. He told her where to find an intimate part of her body, but he asked her to delete the messages, saying it was "because I'm an adult and you're a minor".

He sent a picture of his private parts to the decoy girl and he asked her for an intimate picture of herself. He also sent a video of himself committing a sex act and he talked about sexual matters.

He was arrested on September 6 and his phone was seized. He had convictions for 80 previous offences, including indecently assaulting a girl and gross indecency with a girl.

He also had convictions for failing to register his details as a sex offender in 2003 and 2005 and engaging in sexual communication with a child in West Park in January last year, when he was given a suspended six-month prison sentence and ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years.

He was back in court in August last year for breaching the order, but it was allowed to continue. The latest offences were in breach of that order.

'Lonely and naive'

Hannah Turner, mitigating, said that the offences took place over a short period of time spanning seven days and Greenaway admitted that there was a "disparity of age" between him and the fake girl. He had a worrying list of previous convictions, but he was lonely, naive and perhaps vulnerable at the time.

He had shown significant remorse for his actions. "He has readily acknowledged that he has a problem with alcohol," said Miss Turner.

Judge Mark Bury told Greenaway: "You contacted who you thought was a 12-year-old girl. Before very long, the conversation became more sinister and sexual. You knew what you were doing because you asked her to delete your conversations.

"There was no actual harm done to any child because there wasn't one. It was a decoy. I can't ignore your intention. You knew full well that you were talking to a 12-year-old girl and you were instructing her to carry out sexual acts for your own sexual gratification.

"This wasn't just once but a number of times, albeit over a short period of time. The time now has come where you have to serve a prison sentence.

"You haven't complied with the suspended sentence order. You have reoffended. You fully believed that it was a real 12-year-old. You were sending to her pornographic pictures."

Greenaway, who was already in custody on remand, was jailed for two years and four months. The sentence included a consecutive six months after the suspended sentence from last year was activated. The phone will be forfeited.

Approached children in West Park

At a previous hearing in August, the court heard that Greenaway landed himself in hot water after going to probation service meetings while "under the influence of alcohol" and drinking while he was there. He was also "making sexual innuendos to people" and it "could not be more ironic" that he was doing that in view of why he was actually there, the court heard that day.

Greenaway had originally been spared prison for making completely inappropriate sexually charged comments to children in West Park, Hull. He had admitted engaging in sexual communication with a child at the park in 2020.

Greenaway had been brought back before the court in August when he admitted breaching the order. He either failed to attend the Horizon sex offender programme or had been drinking before doing so. He attended while under the influence of alcohol and then drank while he was there.

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A paedophile former social worker has been jailed for abusing boys who were in his care.

At North Somerset Courthouse, 73-year-old Raymond Poyner was sentenced on Friday 5 January for sexual abuse he carried out on two boys in the 1970s and 1980s.

The two men, who are now both in their 50s, said their memories of the abuse they were subjected to will never ‘go away’.

Poyner, from Weston-super-Mare, worked as a residential social worker in the 1970s in Cornwall where he groomed and sexually assaulted a boy in his care at a children’s care home.

When informed by police that Poyner had pleaded guilty shortly before a trial was due to begin, the man who was abused broke down in tears.

In a victim statement, prepared for the sentencing hearing, he said: “Since my childhood, what Poyner did to me sticks in my mind, it consumes a lot of my thinking and the way I view my life.

“I still have no trust in anyone, and even after all this time, I find it difficult to form relationships. I just cannot allow anyone to get close to me; I cannot take people into my confidence.

“Now Poyner has been sentenced there is some closure to this episode. Having said that, I don’t think I will ever put behind me the thoughts of what Poyner put me through.”

Poyner subsequently moved to the Axbridge area where in the 1980s he indecently assaulted a second boy.

The man who was abused approximately 40 years ago says the sexual abuse committed against him continues to affect his professional and personal lives, despite his wife’s love and support.

He said in a victim personal statement: “My whole life has been centred around what Poyner put me through. I have little trust in those in authority, this view is jaded by the fact Poyner was a social worker, a position of authority.

“I have always felt somewhat of an outsider, and found it difficult to form relationships.

“A lot of people think I am an extrovert, and have self-confidence. However, this is a disguise, and I am still a terrified teenage boy inside.”

He added that what Poyner did will ‘stay with me for the rest of my life’.

Poyner pleaded guilty in October to two counts of indecent assault on a male person.

Poyner also pleaded guilty to a third charge of possession of indecent photos of children relating to three images and one video he was found to have in January 2021.

He was sentenced at North Somerset Courthouse to a total of five years and one month in prison. Poyner remains subject to a lifetime sexual harm prevention order and barred from ever working with children.

The judge, Recorder Jaron Crooknorth, stated Poyner was a predatory offender who abused a position of trust to groom young boys.

DC Mike Tarling said: “Raymond Poyner sexually abused two children the best part of 50 years ago but the impact of his crimes continues to be felt by those two men.

“Both have shown incredible strength and courage to report what happened. Without that, Poyner would never have been brought before the courts again. Poyner was convicted of a similar offence in the 1980s involving a different child and his clear predatory behaviour led to him more recently being made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

“We hope the conclusion of these proceedings after several years of investigation and court hearings helps both men to move forward with their lives, with the ongoing support of their families and friends. But we should not pretend it wipes away the pain they continue to experience.”

DC Tarling added: “Investigating non-recent sexual abuse is among the most challenging enquiries we face, but cases like this show abusers can be brought to justice no matter how much time has passed.

“We urge anyone who have been abused to report what happened to us, no matter when it happened.

“You will be believed, your report will be taken seriously and we will focus on bringing the perpetrator to justice.”

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A serial rapist who targeted a woman as she slept tried to challenge his lengthy jail term.

Callen Chandler-Jones took advantage of the woman, who cannot be identified, leaving her "completely broken" and feeling as though she had been "treated like an object" in her own words.

Chandler-Jones, 31, was handed an extended sentence at Liverpool Crown Court in April, where a judge heard how he raped his "extremely vulnerable" victim while she was asleep on at least 11 occasions over the space of several years. Charlotte Kenny, prosecuting, described how the woman became suspicious and began leaving her phone under her pillow recording when she was sleeping.

When she later confronted Chandler-Jones, he apologised and said that he had been having "irresistible urges". He later made "partial admissions" to the attacks, which occurred at an address in Merseyside.

Chandler-Jones was jailed for 20 years, with an extended licence period of eight years, after admitting two counts of rape. The court heard the second count encompassed a number of different occasions.

That sentence means that Chandler-Jones must serve at least two thirds of his jail term before becoming eligible for parole, and will only be released early if a Parole Board are convinced he is safe to live in the community.

However the pervert launched an appeal against his sentence, claiming the judge had no right to impose such a long prison term.

A judgment handed down by the Court of Appeal after a hearing in the Royal Courts of Justice revealed that Chandler-Jones lodged two grounds of appeal. According to Lady Justice Whipple, Chandler-Jones argued "it was manifestly excessive given the facts of the case and the overall criminality involved".

He also argued imposing an extended sentence was unnecessary given the length of the custodial sentence. However Justice Whipple wrote: "The index offences are very severe. Their repeated nature makes it reasonable to go above the upper limit of that category by some margin.

"This sentence was for a series of rapes (at least 11) over a lengthy period, committed despite [the complainant] asking the applicant to stop and expressing her deep upset at what was occurring. These rapes were committed while she was asleep and unable to resist."

In regard to the extended sentence, she wrote: "The judge had good reason to impose an extended sentence in this case. The applicant plainly does present a real danger to the public."

Back in April. the victim bravely read out a statement to the court, in which she outlined the devastating impact of his assaults. She tearfully said: "I don't know how to put my feelings into words.

"This has completely broken me as a person. I am doing all I can to put the pieces back together. The hardest thing to get my head around was why he would want to cause me such distress time and time again. My confidence and my heart and soul was completely stripped from me.

"He treated me like an object to give pleasure. It broke my heart. I really struggle to understand how he could disregard me and my body. I want to ensure he never hurts anyone ever again.

"I refuse to be hurt by him anymore. I completely lost who I was."

Heroin and crack cocaine addict Chandler-Jones has a total of 19 previous convictions, including for assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Judge David Swinnerton, who passed the original sentence, said: "You raped her in circumstances where she was exceptionally vulnerable. You used her like an object.

"You ignored her humanity completely and completely disregarded her as a human being. You treated her as a sexual play thing to do with what you wanted."

Chandler-Jones was also given a restraining order, preventing him from contacting the complainant indefinitely. He must sign the sex offenders' register for life.

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A REGISTERED sex offender has been brought back before a court after he failed to notify police he had been using an online dating app.

William Kirkbride, 59, is required to notify police of any names or aliases he uses within three days under the terms of a 10-year sex offender notification requirement.

He was jailed for 21 months in June 2022 for facilitating a child sex offence and was released on licence on August 10 last year.

Kirkbride had used the gay dating site, Grindr, between August 28 and September 11 and had not notified police, Workington Magistrates’ Court heard.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said the defendant was spoken to by the police officer who had examined his mobile phone.

He admitted using Grindr and accepted he hadn’t told his offender manager the username.

Ms Fee said it was a deliberate failure to comply with the requirement.

Kirkbride, of Queen Street, Whitehaven, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders’ register.

John Cooper, defending, said: “On release, there is no restriction on him being allowed to use the app. He is allowed to use it but has to tell police all his details – his passwords and usernames.

“He has been in conversation with a probation officer and said he was using that app. There has been no attempt to hide it.

“There is monitoring software on his phone so it would have been discovered.”

The court heard a decision had been made not to recall Kirkbride to prison. He remains on licence until October 9 this year.

A probation officer said Kirkbride had been compliant and had engaged with several partnership agencies including a GP and mental health services. Citizens Advice were also involved to assist with the sale of Kirkbride’s property.

Magistrates imposed a nine-week curfew, to run daily from 6pm until 6am. Kirkbride was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

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A pensioner who volunteered at an attraction popular with families has been caught with hundreds of child abuse images. David Donkin, who had helped out at Foxfield Railway, near Blythe Bridge, since 1966, viewed sickening photos of children as young as three being exploited over a six-year period.

But it came to an end when police visited his home in December 2022 and seized his electronic devices. They were found to contain a total of 2,430 indecent images of youngsters at categories A to C and 295 prohibited images of children.

Now 79-year-old Donkin, who has undertaken a lot of work through the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a child protection charity dedicated to preventing child sexual abuse, has been sentenced to a two-year community order at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. As part of the order he must complete a rehabilitation activity requirement for 20 days and 80 hours unpaid work.

Prosecutor Salek Ahmed said police from Operation Safenet attended at Donkin's Blurton home on December 14, 2022, after receiving intelligence that the occupant had uploaded a category C image of a child.

Mr Ahmed said items including a computer tower and a mobile phone were seized and analysed. They were found to contain:

• 239 still indecent images of children and 39 moving images at category A, the most serious;
• 234 still images and 43 movies at category B;
• 1,858 still images and 17 movies at category C;
• 265 prohibited still images of a child and 30 prohibited moving images of a child.

Mr Ahmed said Donkin made full and frank admissions in his police interview. He added that some of the children in the images were as young as three or four and the offending spanned six years, from 2016 to 2022.

Donkin, of Waterside Drive, Blurton, pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent photographs of a child and one charge of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

Stuart Muldoon, mitigating, said when the police seized Donkin's devices officers provided him with the details of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation. Mr Muldoon said: "He started engaging and did not replace the items seized by the police. For almost a year he was involved with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

"At the moment he has no devices that can access the internet. The offending has a lot of stigma."

He said Donkin, who worked at Creda, has been involved with the steam railway since 1966. But he has been suspended as a result of the police investigation. Mr Muldoon said: "There is no suggestion there has been any contact with children. He is hopeful he will be able to go back there.

"He is very proud of his achievements in his paid working life and his voluntary working life. He is ashamed, guilt ridden and upset that he is before the courts.

"He accepts he became desensitised to what he was looking at and became addicted to pornography."

Recorder Julian Taylor said: "You are 79 and of previous good character. These are real children. These disgraceful, horrible images are exploitation of children. Some were as young as three or four."

Donkin was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years and was placed on the sex offenders' register for the same period.

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Mark Warcup targeted the boys, were both under 12, in 2020 but continued to deny any wrongdoing while providing a “ludicrous story”, before he eventually confessed. The boys had already given their recorded evidence in preparation for the trial which was due to start in September last year.

The 45-year-old has now been jailed for more than four years at Leeds Crown Court. Prosecutor Christopher Rose said he showed the first boy videos of men having sex on his phone, made the youngster touch his penis and would try to pull the boy’s underwear down.

The second victim said that the defendant had tried to force the boy to touch Warcup’s penis through his jeans. Further details cannot be disclosed to help protect the identity of his victims.

Victim impact statements were read out for the boys, with one saying he regularly felt suicidal, and said of Warcup: “It makes me want to kill him.”

Warcup, of Colenso Gardens, Holbeck, eventually admitted engaging in sexual activity in presence of a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act, two counts of sexual assault of child under, and two of causing/inciting child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

He also admitted two counts of possessing indecent images of children after more than 130 images were found on his phone after he was arrested. This included two category A images – the most serious – and 129 category C.

Mitigating, Stephen Uttley said there had been no further offending from Warcup and there was no suggestion of any other victims. He said that Warcup himself suffered an “appalling” childhood, and was subjected to sexual and physical abuse.

He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and has previously attempted suicide. He said Warcup was also drinking heavily at the time of his offending, had a gambling addiction but had become involved in the church.

The court was also told Warcup had learning difficulties. He has no previous convictions but a caution for making indecent images of children.

Judge Tom Bayliss KC told him: “It involved the sexual abuse of two very young boys. Your attitude was to abuse them. You had an opportunity to admit your wrongdoing, and you are not even admitting it now to the probation officer.

"It was only in September 2023, three years after, that you pleaded guilty when it was listed for trial. You came up with a ludicrous story and denied any form of wrongdoing.

"It was highly-manipulative behaviour and grooming behaviour in my judgement. You have intellectual difficulties and have a low IQ. But you, of all people who suffered abuse, should have realised what you were doing.

"You created opportunities to sexually abuse them. It was calculated and manipulative behaviour.”

He jailed Warcup for 51 months, put him on the sex offender register for life, and also made him subject to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Description

A takeaway chef faces the prospect of time behind bars after being found guilty by a jury of chatting up young girls on social media before going on to touch them inappropriately. Rajon Ahmed, 40, also sent pictures of himself naked and suggested he meet one of the girls for sex.

Ahmed, from St Ives, has been on trial this week at Truro Crown Court and was after a short period of jury deliberation found guilty of sexual communications with a child, two sexual activity with a child charges and sexual assault. He was found not guilty of a second sexual assault charge.

Ahmed was bailed ahead of sentencing in February under the condition that he surrender his passport. Judge David Evans warned him that custody is the most likely outcome.

By convicting Ahmed the jury rubbished his account that he chatted to the girls thinking they were 18 and that no sexual activity took place. Judge Evans commented on how Ahmed took the matter to trial despite the overwhelming evidence again him.Prosecuting the case, Brian Fitzherbert said that Ahmed was well aware of the ages of the two girls, who were 16 and 13 at the time.

Mr Fitzherbert opened the case by outlining the now proven allegations made by the first victim. He said that at first conversation was friendly and normal before Ahmed asked the girl how old she was. She replied that she was 13, to which Ahmed replied "you don't look 13".

Ahmed followed her on Instagram and they began to message before the conversation moved to Snapchat. Mr Fitzherbert said: "He began to offer her cigarettes and cannabis and asked if she wanted to see his penis. She said no but he sent a picture anyway and did this three or four times. The images were of him naked saying he wished she was with him."

Ahmed asked to meet the girl and have sex with him. They met twice and on the second occasion Ahmed hugged her and as she pulled away he kissed her on the mouth and grabbed and squeezed her breast.

The second, older, victim says that Ahmed was "lovely and friendly" at first. He connected with her on Snapchat and began to comment on her Instagram posts saying "sexy" and "gorgeous". He offered her cigarettes and on one occasion, hugged her and as she moved away touched and squeezed her breast.

The jury heard how a third young girl says Ahmed also communicated with her, although no sexual offending took place.