Latest Offenders

Description

A child rapist from Worcester has been handed an 18-year sentence at court for a series of serious sexual offences against children.

Paul Davies, 45, was convicted at Worcester Crown Court on Friday 8 August of two counts of rape of a girl, two counts of assault a girl by penetration.

Davies was sentenced to 18 years for one count of rape and 18 for the other, to run concurrently.

He was handed a further term of 15 years for each of the sexual assault convictions, also to run concurrently.

Davies was further ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely, handed a restraining order against contacting his victim and pay a victim surcharge of £120.

Three further charges of making an indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child were ordered to lie on file.

DC Harriet Adams-Evans, of the Protecting Vulnerable People team, said:

“We are pleased to get this long sentence for Davies whose disgusting actions have had an awful impact upon his victim.

“This has brought some justice for the victim, and I would like to thank her trusting the judicial process.

“We hope this court result will encourage other victims of rape or sexual assault or those who know of such crimes to come forward and speak to us so we can attempt to bring their attackers to justice too.

“We will always listen to you and act where appropriate to bring predators like Davies before the courts with the aim of securing justice and long custodial sentences as in this case.”

Description

A man with a sexual attraction to young adolescent males followed boys and bought them vapes before touching them.

Stephen Cannon is a registered sex offender having previously been convicted of trying to rape a 15-year-old boy and then sexually grooming a vulnerable teenager he'd met on a football fans Facebook page.

A judge at Swansea Crown Court said it was clear from a detailed pre-sentence report that Cannon poses a high risk of causing serious harm to adolescent boys and that the risk is "almost impossible to manage in the community". He handed the 37-year-old defendant an extended sentence.

The court heard that Cannon followed two 13-year-old boys in Ammanford, bought them vapes, and then sexually touched them over their clothing. Statements read to the court by prosecution barrister Ian Wright set out the impact of the offending on the boys who had been left scared, worried, and fearful of encountering the defendant again.

At the time of the Ammanford offending Cannon was subject to a sexual offences prevention order which had been imposed at Ayr Sheriff Court in Scotland February 2020 and which was designed to control his contact with children.

The order was imposed after Cannon was convicted of grooming an 18-year-old male with learning difficulties and a functional mental age of around 12 or 13 who he had met through a Facebook football fan page. Using a false name to hide the fact he had a previous conviction for attempting to rape a teenage boy Cannon groomed his vulnerable victim online and then kissed and touched him after luring him back to his home in a so-called "catfish" incident.

Stephen Cannon, of Heol Marlais, Tir-y-Dail, Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, had previously been convicted at trial of three counts of sexual assault and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. For all the latest court stories sign up to our crime newsletter.

Hannah George, for Cannon, said the defendant had spent 158 days on remand in prison and had used his time productively by acting as a mentor to other inmates and undertaking educational courses "to better himself for the future".

Judge Huw Rees said it was clear Cannon had a long-standing sexual interest in young adolescent males and that until he accepted that fact and took steps to deal with it he would continue to pose a risk. He said a detailed pre-sentence report had concluded the defendant poses a high risk of serious harm to male adolescent children and that the risk he poses is "almost impossible to manage in the community".

Cannon was made the subject of a six-year extended sentence comprising three years in custody followed a three-year extended licence period. He will be eligible for release after serving two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be released.

Cannon will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life and the court heard that a 10-year sexual harm prevention order had been made on application to Carmarthenshire Magistrates' Court in March this as the sexual harm prevention order he was subject to was expiring.

Description

A 39-year-old man has been jailed for nine years for serious sexual offences in the Falkirk and West Lothian areas.

Kevin Malloy was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday, 13 August, 2025. He was convicted at the same court on Friday, 4 July, 2025, for offences against three women which took place between April 2021 and October 2022.

He was also issued with a non-harassment order.

Detective Constable Donna Smith said:

“Malloy subjected his victims to appalling abuse, and he will now face the consequences of his abhorrent actions.

“We remain committed to investigating all reports of domestic and sexual offending and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice. Anyone affected can be assured they will be listened to, supported and treated with the utmost professionalism and care by specially trained officers and our partner agencies.”

Description

A doctor has been jailed after he admitted multiple child sexual offences.

Matthew Isles, 53, of Whiston, Staffordshire, has been sentenced to three-years-and-ten-months’ imprisonment at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court today (Wednesday 13 August) after he pleaded guilty to 14 offences.

He has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Isles was first arrested at his home on 10 February 2025 on suspicion of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. We seized various devices from his house. He was charged the same day. He pleaded guilty the next day, 11 February 2025.

He was arrested again on 10 March 2025 and charged with attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to cause/incite a girl 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, possession of a paedophile manual, observe a person doing a private act and voyeurism.

Isles was also charged with three counts of distribute an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child, three counts of making indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child, two counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image and possession of a prohibited image of a child. 

When detectives examined Isles’ devices, they found thousands of indecent images including category A’ images - the most severe classification of indecent images of children.

He pleaded guilty to the additional 12 offences at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on 16 June. 

The offences took place between 2022 and 2025.

Detective Inspector Alex Glover, from our public protection unit, said:

“Isles sought out and hoarded images of the most horrific abuse of children.

“The continued circulation of child sexual abuse material normalises abuse and incentivises the creation of new content. 

“We have worked closely with NHS organisations and conducted a thorough investigation into the offences committed by Isles.”

Description

A 31-year-old man from Nottingham has been given a one year prison sentence after sexually assaulting a young woman.

Following a British Transport Police investigation, Steven Ross, DOB 1/5/1994 of no fixed address was found guilty following a trial on Tuesday 15 April and sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday 30 July.

He was handed a 12 month prison sentence, on the sex offenders register for 10 years and a five year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) alongside paying victim surcharge of £187.

The SHPO prohibits Ross from entering any railway station in UK except for the purpose of travelling with a valid ticket and cannot be in possession or drinking from any open alcohol in any unlicensed premises.

The court heard how on Sunday 16 June a 25-year-old woman was waiting for her train at Kettering railway station when she saw Ross staring at her, they boarded the same train and he continued to look at her.

On arriving at Leicester station, the young woman waited before exiting the train hoping that Ross would have already left the service. He had not, Ross moved close to her in the vestibule on the train, making her feel uncomfortable.

He then sexually assaulted her.

As he left the train he continued to keep looking back at her.

Ross was identified by rail staff and officers were able to arrest him.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Alex Price from Nottingham CID said:

"This was a totally unprovoked assault on the victim who was going about her life, the manner in which Ross watched her and waited in order to assault her is calculated and utterly disgusting

"The Sexual Harm Prevention Order should act as a warning to others that we take all reports of sexual offences and unwanted seriously and  unwanted sexual behaviour seriously and will support victims throughout our investigations."

Description

A cocaine-addicted man from Gateshead, who raped and assaulted a woman while degrading and humiliating her, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison.

David Hodgson, 34, left his victim feeling "destroyed" and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety, for which she now requires medication.

During sentencing at Durham Crown Court, the judge described Hodgson as having "unhealthy, perverse sexual desires" and noted that he used his physical strength to overpower the woman.

Hodgson, of Ryton in Gateshead, appeared via video link from HMP Durham on Wednesday.

He was convicted last month after a trial on six counts of rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by penetration, and common assault.

The court heard that Hodgson showed "no respect" for his victim and committed the offenses in County Durham.

Recorder Mark Giuliani highlighted that Hodgson was observed "smirking," "yawning," and "looking bored" during the trial.

Prosecutor James Yearsley read the victim's impact statement, in which she said Hodgson had "destroyed" her and that she is now on medication for PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

Defense barrister David Callan argued that Hodgson's expressions were due to a "nervous smile" and emphasized his "good work ethic," noting he had worked all his life.

Callan also mentioned that Hodgson suffered from PTSD following a horrific motorcycle accident and has ADHD.

He added that there was "another side" to Hodgson, reading from a character reference describing him as a "big, friendly giant with a heart of gold."

Recorder Giuliani stated that the offenses involved "significant degradation and humiliation" and that Hodgson posed a "risk of committing further offences."

The judge noted Hodgson's addiction to cocaine at the time of the crimes.

In addition to the 24-year prison sentence, Hodgson was given a lifelong restraining order and must register as a sex offender for life.

Description

A Serial Sex Offender from Derby Sentenced for Befriending and Grooming a 13-Year-Old Girl

A 24-year-old serial sex offender named Ethan Hewitt from Derby has been jailed for befriending a 13-year-old girl with mental health issues, calling her "wifey," and discussing having sex with her in a field.

During a sentencing hearing at Derby Crown Court, it was revealed that Hewitt exchanged over 3,700 messages with the victim via social media platforms like Snapchat and WhatsApp over a one-month period.

At the time of the offenses, Hewitt was under a sexual harm prevention order due to prior convictions involving underage girls.

Recorder Helen Malcolm sentenced Hewitt, who has no fixed address, to three years and four months in prison.

She stated: “Your previous record is very poor and includes previous breaches. You were on licence throughout the time I am sentencing you for.

“In that month, you were directly in contact with a 13-year-old on a number of occasions, and you also engaged in some 3,794 messages over Snapchat, WhatsApp and other services with her. You also deleted messages.

“I have read the reports which say you have no insight into the effect on your victims. You have shown what is called a ‘wilful defiance’ to authority figures and you actively seek opportunities to offend.

"You pose a very high risk of harm to young females and nearly 4,000 messages with a 13-year-old over the course of one month is a very concerning number.”

Prosecutor Serana Varatharajah explained that Hewitt, formerly of Aylestone in Leicester, was convicted in 2021 at Manchester Crown Court for sexual activity with a female under 16, leading to the imposition of the order, which he breached four times.

He was convicted again for the same offense in March 2023.

The order prohibited any contact with females under 16, but in July 2024, Hewitt befriended the victim secretly, and their interactions turned sexual.

Miss Varatharajah said: “The friendship was kept secret and developed to become sexual. He told her he loved her, he spoke to her about getting married and they spoke about having sex.

“He said they would have to wait until she turned 16 and he told her not to tell anyone about their conversations. He called her ‘wifey’ and she called him ‘hubby’.

“He said if she was not ready for sex they could just kiss and cuddle. He said, as they could not go to a hotel because of her age, they could have sex in a field.”

The victim's mother discovered the communications, leading to police involvement and Hewitt's arrest.

Hewitt pleaded guilty to breaching his sexual harm prevention order and engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Defense attorney Catherine Picardo, mitigating on behalf of Hewitt—who appeared via video link from HMP Lincoln—noted that he is undergoing medical investigations for a possible cancer diagnosis.

She added: “He knows he should not have access to Snapchat. He has a very traumatic upbringing where he was abused, and, since his time in custody, he has been given responsibilities working in the kitchens.

“There is an address available to him in Derby which will be monitored.”

In addition to the prison sentence, the judge imposed an indefinite new sexual harm prevention order, and Hewitt will remain on the sex offender register indefinitely.

Description

A convicted sex offender who hid ten phones in his mattress has been jailed.

Muhammed Idrees, 53, was being managed in the community by specialist officers when they conducted a search of his home in Peterborough earlier this year.

Idrees was forbidden from using or owning any device capable of accessing the internet or storing digital images under the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

When officers arrived at his address in April to arrest him for an unrelated matter, Idrees produced two basic non-internet, non-camera phones, permitted under his conditions.

However, a further search of his home revealed ten phones in his mattress, three of which had internet capability and seven built-in cameras.

Idrees, of Cobden Street, Peterborough, later pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching a SHPO and was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison at Huntingdon Law Courts on Monday (11 August).

PC Emily Heriot, from the specialist management of sexual or violent offenders unit (MOSOVO), said: “Idrees went to great efforts to conceal his prohibited devices, with complete disregard for his Sexual Harm Prevention Order and notification requirements, which are in place to safeguard the public. These new convictions reflect the serious sexual risk of harm he poses to children.

 “Our specialist officers work tirelessly to monitor and manage all registered sex offenders in the community and won’t hesitate to put them back before the courts if they discover any breaches.”

Description

A taxi driver, Aaron Burnicle, 36, was caught in a police sting after sending explicit messages and images to an online decoy posing as a 13-year-old girl on Kik.

Unaware he was communicating with an undercover officer, Burnicle was arrested by Police Scotland following a cross-border investigation.

During interviews, the father-of-one, who drove primary school children, denied any intent to harm children and became emotional.

At Hamilton Sheriff Court, he admitted to indecent communications with an older child. Evidence showed he accessed Kik over 2,900 times in a month.

Sheriff Liam Murphy deferred sentencing for reports, placed Burnicle on the sex offenders' register, and warned of the seriousness of the offense.

Description

A man has been jailed for eight years after being convicted of making a woman engage in sexual activity without consent.

The court heard how Potts had forced his vulnerable victim to carry out sex acts on his associates in early 2024.

The victim bravely came forward to report what happened after disclosing her experience to a friend, who encouraged her to report it to us.

Potts was arrested in May and later charged but then denied the offence in court.

During the two-week trial, the victim courageously gave her evidence via video-link, and despite his not guilty plea, the jury found Potts guilty of the offence.

Along with his eight-year prison sentence, Potts was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228 and will be subject to a lifelong sexual offender notification requirement upon his release.

Speaking following sentencing, the officer in charge of the case, Detective Constable Jessica Hill, of our rape and serious sexual offences team, said:

“Potts was unrepentant throughout the proceedings.

“The victim showed real resilience in coming forward to us and I hope now she can begin to recover from what has happened.

“This sentence shows how we will continue to do all we can to support victims and pursue sexual predators, to get them behind bars where they belong.”

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A burglar who raped a woman after entering her home in the night is back behind bars after he was caught breaking into another home following his prison release.

Milton White attacked a 60-year-old woman after he broke into her Haringey home in May 1990. 

White, of Asylum Road in Peckham, was not brought to justice until 22 years later when a DNA break through led to his conviction in 2012. 

He was jailed for 12 years for rape but by this time his victim had been dead for six years. 

White has now been put back behind bars after breaching a sexual offence prevention order. 

According to court documents, on June 12 this year he was caught entering another person’s Southwark home without their consent. 

Milton, now aged 59, appeared at Croydon Crown Court on August 6. 

He was sentenced to eight months in prison for the “deliberate breach” of the order. 

Description

A former Edinburgh Academy teacher exploited a position of trust to physically and sexually abuse young boys, a court has ruled.

John Young was found to have targeted pupils while employed as a PE teacher at the independent school in the capital between 1966 and 1993. 

The 91-year-old was deemed medically unfit to be criminally tried or to appear in court. 

However, following an Examination of Facts at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, the Sheriff ruled that Young had repeatedly abused children, with 26 charges found to be established   

Prosecutor Fiona Kirkby, of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said: 

“The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service consistently and successfully strives to secure justice for those affected by non-recent abuse. 

“John Young systematically abused young boys, over a period of 27 years, while holding a significant position of trust as their teacher at the Edinburgh Academy. 

“He had a duty of care to nurture and support these children but instead intentionally exploited his power to violate and humiliate them. 

“This Examination of Facts is a public airing of the facts and an acknowledgement that what happened to these children in the past was criminal. It should never have occurred.  

“It is now a matter of public record that Young committed offences including lewd and libidinous behaviour, indecent assault and cruel and unnatural treatment. 

“The court’s finding today also sends a clear message to abusers: no matter who you are, when the abuse happened or how long after the event it is reported, there will be a robust response from prosecutors.” 

Evidence was heard from 24 former pupils – and a further three witnesses - during the hearing. 

Some of the victims detailed how the teacher would use violence to punish pupils for perceived bad behaviour, including punching them or hitting them with a cricket bat, megaphone or wooden wedge.  

Many told how they continue to be traumatised and struggle to trust figures of authority because of the abuse they suffered.  

The court had previously determined that the accused was not fit to stand trial and ordered an Examination of Facts, where the Procurator Fiscal depute and the defence led evidence, which was tested before a sheriff. 

Procurator Fiscal Fiona Kirkby added:

“Sexual abuse and the use of force upon children is a crime. 

“To any victim of such offending, we urge you to report it when you feel ready and able to do so. Be assured you will be listened to and supported. We remain committed to investigating and pursuing those culpable to seek conclusions.”  

Description

A CALDICOT predator sent sexually explicit messages and videos to who he thought were 12 and 13 year old girls online before asking if they would meet him at a hotel for sex.

Neil Rockliffe messaged ‘Freya’ on the Just Say Hi online dating app on March 6. The account was being run by a member of a paedophile hunter group, and they told Rockliffe they were aged 13.

Despite this, they exchanged numbers and the conversation moved to WhatsApp.

During the conversation, Rockliffe referenced that what he was doing was “illegal” and that he was “too old for her”.

However he exchanged pictures with ‘Freya’, and soon turned the conversation sexual – including asking her what she was wearing and if she watched porn.

Rockliffe then began instructing ‘Freya’ how to masturbate, and asked her to send pictures of her doing so – which she refused to do.

“It seems you saw yourself as some sort of instructor or teacher,” said Judge Lucy Crowther.

Over the next few days his messages became more explicit, as he told the decoy he wanted to have sex with them. He also sent explicit pictures and videos.

In one message Rockliffe referenced her dad and asked if she wanted to sex with a man older than her father, before adding: ‘I want to be your first’.

He asked the decoy about going to a hotel with him to have sex, but said she would have to say she was his daughter if questioned by members of staff. He also asked whether the ‘girl’ would be the first in her class to have sex.

Rockliffe asked ‘Freya’ if she had any friends she wanted to join them, and she gave him the number of ‘Sophie’ – another decoy account.

The defendant started a group chat with both decoys – and ‘Sophie’ identified she was 12 years old.

Rockliffe sent messages again referring to meeting in a hotel for sex, asking the ‘girls’ for photographs, and sending explicit images.

The messages were passed on to the police, and a paedophile hunter group attended the defendant’s address.

In interview, Rockliffe said he believed ‘Freya’ was 18. He accepted sending explicit messages, pictures of his penis and a video of him masturbating, but said he was “drunk” and “had no intention to meet” as “it was just talk”.

However, he later admitted two offences each of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to incite a child to do a sexual act, and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.

Rockliffe, 55, of Birbeck Road, had no previous convictions.

“Clearly the best mitigation available to this defendant is the fact that he pleaded guilty,” said Martha Smith-Higgins, appearing for Rockliffe.

She acknowledged there was “very little” she could say to mitigate the offences, but added he was “drinking very heavily” at the time – sometimes up to 2.5 litres of vodka a day.

The defendant had been on an 18+ dating website so did not seek out children, she said, but Rockliffe accepted what he did after he found out the purported ages of the ‘girls’ was “obscene”.

Judge Crowther jailed Rockliffe for three years and one month.

A hearing will be held on August 19 to consider an application for a sexual harm prevention order.

Description

A Salisbury man has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple sexual offences dating back as far as 1994.

Michael Colin Bell (known as Colin Bell), 72, of Pinewood Way, Bemerton Heath, was sentenced on June 8 at Salisbury Crown Court for two counts of indecent assault, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of gross indecency.

The offences span several decades, with some dating back over 30 years.

During the sentencing hearing, powerful victim impact statements were read aloud in court. One victim described the lasting trauma:

"Trying to explain how this has affected me is the hardest thing I've ever done because there is no way to explain what this has done to me, all I can do is try and describe what is my life now.

"There is not a day I don't think about what happened to me. If I am not busy, I have flashbacks and I am back to being abused, like it is still happening to me. I still feel like he owns me and I am his trophy. I wake up at night sometimes and see the darkness in the corner of the room. I can't move and am frozen. I want to move, but can't.

"I hate the feeling of people touching me and this has massively affected my relationships. I have to sleep with a pillow between my legs as the feeling of my legs touching makes me feel sick.

"I hate the feeling of my own skin."

A second victim said:

"The abuse happened over a number of years.

"The person who did this to me was a trusted family friend — someone I was told I could count on, someone who was meant to protect me. Instead, he betrayed that trust in the most painful way.

"I spent years questioning myself. I asked if what happened was normal. I wondered if I had done something to deserve it. That kind of self-doubt and shame doesn’t disappear just because time passes — it settles in your bones. As a child, I didn’t have the words to make sense of what was happening. That confusion — that feeling of being lost inside your own life — stayed with me for years."

Another victim said:

"As a direct result of what I experienced, I have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and severe anxiety. I now suffer from frequent panic attacks, which have affected both my personal life and my ability to work. 

"There are times when I cannot relax, even in the safety of my own home. Memories intrude unexpectedly-triggered by sounds, smells, or even certain words.

"These flashbacks make it incredibly difficult to find peace, and I live in fear of when the next one will strike."

The case was first reported in 2022.

Investigating officer Sergeant Myles Scott, who worked on the case for four years, said:

“I am really glad that Colin Bell has finally been held to account for the abhorrent actions he chose to commit against children. This case shows that if you commit offences, they will eventually catch up with you — no matter your age or how long ago they occurred.

“I want to thank the victims for their strength and courage throughout this investigation. Their support was vital, and I hope this sentence helps them begin to rebuild their lives.

“I also hope this outcome reassures other victims that they will be believed, and that justice can be pursued regardless of how much time has passed.”

Description

A CONVICTED Shropshire paedophile has been jailed after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a child.

Kieran Bowers, 27, was jailed for six years at Shrewsbury Crown Court last week.

The crimes of the former Ellesmere man, now of Avondale Drive, Shrewsbury, came to light when a friend of his victim confronted him on WhatsApp.

Bowers was sentenced for four counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching, as well as two counts of sexual communication with a child, and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

The offences took place between July 2022 and April 2023.

He had separately admitted four charges of breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), after being found in possession of internet devices which he had not told police about.

Three charges of making indecent photographs of children were left on file.

Judge Anthony Lowe, sitting at Shrewsbury Crown Court last Friday, August 8, jailed Bowers for five years for the matters he was found guilty of at trial.

He added another 12 months in prison for breaching the SHPO imposed following the 2017 custodial sentence.  

Bowers is subject to the SHPO indefinitely and had also been ordered to sign the sex offenders register for the rest of his life following the Truro Crown Court case. Both orders remain in place.

He was told he must also pay a £228 surcharge upon his release.