Latest Offenders

Description

A Sheffield child sex offender who bragged about being too clever for the police has now been jailed.

Luke Whitfield was arrested by officers after they received information about him and they went on to analyse his digital devices. The police found they contained more than 100 indecent images of children.

South Yorkshire Police also say the 34-year-old man had shown another man evidence of conversations with underage girls and a number of photos of young children. Chats also showed he had arranged to meet one underage child.

The police say he laughed and asked "how old do you think they are?". He also said he had "downloaded multiple photos and videos".

Whitfield, who was previously of Grimesthorpe Road in Sheffield, showed another man a video, telling him it was "our little secret", before he boasted of being "too clever for the police". During questioning by officers, he claimed he had been "set up" and he denied arranging to meet an underage child despite the evidence on his phone.

He then pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and 13 counts of attempting to incite or engage in sexual communication with a child.

Whitfield was jailed for five years and nine months at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday, March 14. He has also been subjected to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and must sign the Sex Offenders' Register.

Description

A paedophile who sexually abused a teenager has been jailed for more than two years.

Clinton Woodcock, from Chatham, had previously denied the offences but was found guilty by a jury at Maidstone Crown Court on March 14.

He was convicted on three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child aged 13 to 15, and one count of sexual activity in the presence of a child aged 13 to 15.

Woodcock, of Eden Avenue, committed the offences in Gillingham between 2016 and 2018.

The 50-year-old sex offender was also charged with two counts of voyeurism in 2021 and admitted those offences.

Woodcock was jailed for two years and 10 months and handed a ten-year sexual harm prevention order.

He was also added to the sex offenders’ register for life.

Description

A man who attempted to rape a woman in the woods in Falkirk has been given an Order for Lifelong Restriction and will serve a minimum of 32 months in prison.

Maximiliano Moreno, 22, grabbed a 20-year-old stranger from behind as she walked home from work in 2022, admitting the intention to rape her.

He was in possession of a knife and a rucksack which contained what prosecutor Angela Gray described as a "rape kit".

The bag contained cable ties, condoms, a pare of pliers, latex gloves and two scarves.

Moreno was given an Order of Lifelong Restriction at the High Court in Glasgow, an indeterminate sentence which sees convicts supervised by electronic monitoring for the rest of their lives.

He was also sentenced to an indefinite prison term as part of the order, and will serve a minimum of 32 months.

Description

A "TRULY depraved" teenager whose attitude to sex has been "warped" by access to graphic pornography has been jailed for his behaviour towards two young girls. 

Nathan Mainwaring, of Llys Maes Teg in Greenfield, appeared at Mold Crown Court for sentence on Tuesday morning.

The 18-year-old, who appeared via video link from HMP Berwyn, had admitted a number of offences at a previous hearing, including: causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sending threatening communication, making indecent images of a child, sexual exploitation of a child and make/supply article intended for use in commission of computer misuse offence.

Frances Wilmott, prosecuting, told the court the majority of Mainwaring's offending related to his behaviour towards two female children he spoke to online when he was aged 16 and 17.

In both cases, the communication was highly sexualised and graphic - with Mainwaring making degrading remarks and instructing the girls to commit sex acts.

However in the case of the second victim, it was said Mainwaring had admitted his guilt on the basis he had believed she was older than she was - which was accepted by the court.

In interview Mainwaring denied he had a sexual interest in children.

When his computer was examined, it became apparent by the programmes he had that the defendant had also been seeking to access stolen credit card details, as well as stealing passwords and hacking into other computers.

He told police he was "knowledgeable about computing" and that he'd only acquired the programmes as he was "interested in learning," but that over time he'd begun to use them.

Myles Wilson, defending, told the court: "The pre-sentence report assessed him as 'immature' and he is only 18 - but he seems especially immature.

"He's learned about sex, it seems, from the internet. He's a part of this generation which has been exposed to and has had access to eye-wateringly graphic pornography that has never been available so easily before.

"It will have warped his attitude to sex."

Mr Wilson said in some instances, the conversation on the part of both defendant and victim had been "very peculiar."

And he shared his concern that the two children became victims around a year apart - as there was a delay in bringing his client to court.

He said: "In an ideal world, he'd have never got around to committing the offences against [the second victim] over a year after he made admissions to the police about [the first victim].

"Ideally he'd have been getting rehabilitation rather than being on police bail and committing these further offences."

Judge Rhys Rowlands said Mainwaring's behaviour was "really worrying," and "beggars belief."

He told the defendant: "This is all part and parcel of an inadequate young man seeking to exercise a degree of power and control over others.

"Although you were, and remain, a young man - it's plain you were very far from functioning as one would imagine an innocent 16-year-old to behave.

"You were behaving as a sexual predator, displaying a degree of sophistication far beyond your chronological years. It is truly depraved behaviour.

"It has taken the police and CPS far too long to bring the sexual offences to court.

"The impact on the two victims has been profound."

Overall, Mainwaring was handed a 42-month term of detention in a young offenders institute.

He was made subject to a ten year sexual harm prevention order to monitor and control his use of the internet, as well as having to register as a sex offender.

A ten year restraining order was also imposed to protect the victims.

Description

A man tried to kill himself several times after he admitted sexually assaulting a girl over the age of 16, a court heard. When confronted with the allegations he said: "I'll be dead within the hour".

Gareth Mitchell's offending came to light when his victim confided to a counsellor about the attack and the police were informed. A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard the 41-year-old defendant, from Cwmbran, was challenged about those allegations and replied: "I did it." He added: "I will be dead within the hour."

Prosecutor Alex Greenwood said police located Mitchell in a car as he was attempting to take his own life. He was taken to a custody suite where he made a further attempt on his own life. He was taken to hospital and after he was released the following day the defendant was interviewed. He provided a prepared statement in which he admitted the offences, apologised for his actions, and said: "It will never happen again".

Mitchell later pleaded guilty to sexual offences including assault by penetration. The court heard he was of previous good character.

In a victim personal statement read to the court by Mr Greenwood the victim said: "I have been suffering as a result of what he did to me... As a result of his actions against me my mental health has got a lot worse. I have been self-harming every week at least once a week. I was bullied at school and self-harmed from an early age. Prior to this incident I had a degree of stability in my mental health – I was in a much better place and had a good circle of friends...

"I restarted self-harming. I am also looking around everywhere to make sure the defendant is not around or anyone who could possibly hurt me. I am incredibly anxious, scared to leave the house, and prefer somebody to be with me... I'll never forget what's taken place. I want to get my life back on track and be the best person I can be."

In mitigation Jeffrey Jones said his client made admissions upon first being confronted about the allegations and had tried to end his own life. He said this was indication of the remorse the defendant felt and described his life as "likely to be altered forever with natural hostility and isolation".

Sentencing, Recorder Greg Bull KC said: "This was not a long-lasting incident but one of profound effect [on the victim]." He sentenced Mitchell to three years imprisonment. The defendant was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and sex offender notification requirements indefinitely.

Description

A warehouse worker has been jailed after being found guilty of rape.

Russell Beatty, 28, appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced following a trial by jury. The court heard the Middlesbrough man subjected the woman to "domination and violence" and left her feeling frightened to leave her home.

In a victim impact statement, the woman - who cannot be named for legal reasons - said the stress of the investigation has impacted her health. She said: "I feel nervous all the time. I feel trapped due to what he's put me through. The incident has had a dramatic impact on my life - I feel frightened and scared to leave my address.

"I have been suffering medical problems in relation to my heart and chest pains. I have been told that the issue I have had is due to stress and anxiety."

The court heard the defendant, who still denies the offences, is previously of good character and Beatty's barrister asked Judge Howard Crowson to take into account the defendant's youth. It was also claimed the defendant has not had any difficulties with his fellow inmates, has a mortgage and works in a warehouse.

Sentencing, Judge Howard Crowson said: "There was an act of sexual intercourse which you forced upon her. It was a selfish act committed for your pleasure alone."

Judge Crowson jailed the defendant, of Hills View Road, Eston, for eight years. He was also banned from contacting the victim.

Description

The victim of a perverted serial sex offender has been damaged so badly by his "terrible ordeal" that it has "blighted his life in every way imaginable".

He still suffered nightmares and sometimes "shut himself away" from others, Hull Crown Court heard. He found it difficult to show his emotions and trust people and he believed that the problems he had endured had affected him for life.

Anthony Jones, 40, formerly of Bridlington, admitted raping a boy and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Andrew Petterson, prosecuting, said that the offences took place in Bridlington. The victim did not report them at the time but, when he became an adult, he felt strong enough to tell the police. Jones was arrested, but during police interview he denied that any sexual activity took place.

In a statement, the victim said that the offences made him feel "terrible". He felt that nobody would believe him. The offences had affected him for life.

"I find it really hard to trust anyone," he said. There had been a "devastating effect" because of the offences.

Jones previously served two jail sentences for sexual offences. He was jailed at York Crown Court for nine years in April 2014. In April 2015, he was jailed at Hull Crown Court for 11 years. He was known at the time as Anthony Vowles, but he later changed his name.

Helen Chapman, mitigating, said that offences of this type inevitably caused damage to those who suffered it. Jones had served two lengthy prison sentences, but he had been at liberty for about three years since then and he had committed no further offences. "He has served an enormous period of his life in custody," said Miss Chapman. "That period of his life is well and truly over."

Recorder David Kelly said of the victim: "Your actions have blighted his life in every way imaginable. Even now, he continues to have nightmares about what you did to him.

"He finds it difficult to trust others. He finds it difficult to show emotion and has periods of low mood when he shuts himself away. All this continues to blight his life after the terrible ordeal that you subjected him to. He is determined to see himself as a survivor and not a victim."

Jones, recently of Kings Road, Harrogate, was jailed for nine years. He was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and an indefinite restraining order.

Description

A Perthshire roofer was caught with a hidden cache of child abuse videos in which victims were as young as four years old.

Liam Thornber was placed on the Sex Offenders Register when he appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted having obscene files stored on his phone over a 10-week period.

Description

An "abusive and possessive" sexual predator is a "significant danger" to women everywhere, a court ruled.

Martin Marko, 35, subjected the terrified woman to three hours of horrific abuse after imprisoning her in his Seaforth Road flat in the early hours of August 15 last year. He threatened to kill her, forced her to strip, sexually assaulted her, brandished a kitchen knife in her face and beat her with a shoe. He also choked her, punched her, and threw a bowl full of urine at her.

The prolonged attack was caught on CCTV, in which the woman could be seen cowering and falling to her knees with her hands in a praying position. On two occasions she attempted to escape by climbing out of the first-storey window before returning to the locked flat, where Marko continued to abuse her.

Afterwards, he sent a slew of texts to the woman both apologising and threatening her as he tried to convince her to take back her report. He urged police officers to check the CCTV footage - in which his horrific crimes could clearly be seen.

He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, March 18, where he pleaded guilty to sexual assault, assault causing actual bodily harm, and making threats to kill.

Judge David Aubrey said: "Your victim was petrified and in fear to the extent she even contemplated escaping from your violence, from your threats, through a window of the flat, which I'm told was a first floor flat.

"In my judgement, you are an abusive and possessive person. You are demanding. You were treating your victim as a chattel, as an object. You were abusive to her. You degraded her.

"This case has been fully opened and if this sentence were ever to be reviewed elsewhere, then in my judgement it's absolutely essential that the footage is examined.

"You have a number of issues, but important in respect of these issues is how you treat women, and how you treated this particular victim. On this particular evening, over a protracted period of time, you were demeaning her, you were controlling her, you used violence. You had a knife in your hand on a number of occasions. You were brandishing that knife towards her face. You were threatening her with it. You were being abusive. You were gesturing towards her in a stabbing motion. On one occasion, you threatened to kill her.

"There she was in fear of you over a considerable period of time. She backed away. She was seen cowering in a corner. You threw a potty of urine over her. You hit her. You slapped her with a shoe. I have also had the opportunity of examining the injuries she received. And there came occasions when I have no doubt you were instructing her either to remove her top or her lower garments.

"In the aftermath you sent to her numerous texts, no less than 43, some of which were of a menacing nature, some of which may have been conciliatory. But your intention was to ensure that she didn't speak to the police. Fortunately, while you may be a coward, your victim is a courageous woman. She did make a statement to police. She didn't retract that statement, notwithstanding the pressure she was under from you.

"And then there was much victim blaming and much seeking to minimise that which you did. I return to that footage, which ironically came to this court because you had insisted on it being produced.

"The court accepts that you now show some remorse, but that remorse must be assessed against that which you said to the probation officer in seeking to blame your victim and minimise your culpability in what occurred under the influence of drink and/or drugs.

"There was much degradation. There was much humiliation. In my judgement, these offences occurred over a sustained period to time. There was violence. There were threats of violence. And your victim was particularly vulnerable.

"Your issues are deep rooted. Almost within your DNA is the domination and controlling of women. And so it's notwithstanding you're not highly convicted, and notwithstanding you have never come before the court for offences as serious as this. Everything I have seen from that footage, this court does find that you represent a significant risk of harm to the public, and in particular women."

He sentenced Marko, of Seaforth Road, Seaforth, to a 12-year extended sentence, ordering him to serve nine years in custody and an extended three years on licence. He also made a restraining order banning him from contacting the woman.

Description

A Worthing man who groomed two children on social media and engaged in sexual activity with one of them has been jailed.

Jack Laingchild, 36, of Pond Lane in Worthing, began communicating with two girls – aged 14 and 15 at the time – via social media in the summer of 2018.

Laingchild sent sexualised messages and pictures of his genitals, before meeting both of the girls on multiple occasions, giving them cannabis before engaging in sexual activity in his car.

Both girls reported the incidents to their parents, who informed the police, and an investigation was launched while both children were safeguarded.

Laingchild was identified as a suspect and subsequently arrested.

At Lewes Crown Court on 17 January, 2024, he was found guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a child and two counts of engaging in sexual communications with children. A charge of rape was ordered to lie on file.

At the same court on 8 March, Laingchild was jailed for four years, ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register and was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order significantly reducing his access to and ability to harm children.

Detective Constable Katie Brixey said: “Jack Laingchild showed a calculated plan to groom his victims, isolate them with the offer of illegal drugs and exploit them for his own sexual gratification.

“Thankfully they had the courage and foresight to report his offending to their parents, who in turn came to the police so they could be safeguarded and Laingchild brought to justice.

“He now faces a period behind bars and is subject to orders designed to stop him causing further harm to young people.”

Description

A 46-year-old man sexually assaulted a lone woman at a London Underground station and spat at a police officer. The incident happened on May 24 last year at Seven Sisters Tube station as Nathan Gordon, of Wightman Road, Hornsey, was later caught lying down on a bench in the same station after the attack.

Immediately after the incident, he was reported to a member of station staff who challenged him before he left the station. Later the same day officers were alerted to the suspect lying on a bench at the station, who was identified by staff as the same man.

Officers recognised Gordon from an incident back in March 2023 when he was arrested for a separate offence and spat at an officer while in custody.

Investigating officer DC Stephen Allen said: “Gordon’s blatant intimidation and harassment of this woman was both unnerving and sickening. Thanks to her bravery for reporting the incident immediately, despite being understandably upset, meant that officers were able to attend the location and identify and arrest Gordon within hours of the offence.

“He’s now been issued with a SHPO which will go some way to protecting women on the rail network once he is released from jail.

“We will stop at nothing to deter, pursue, arrest and bring sex offenders on the railway network to justice. Every report is important. We urge everyone to save 61016 to their phones and download the Railway Guardian before you travel so you can discreetly get in touch with us if you need us.”

Nathan Gordon pleaded guilty to sexual assault and assault of an emergency worker and was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on Monday 11 March.

He was also handed a seven year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which prevents him from approaching, touching or making any attempt to communicate with any lone female traveling on the railway network.

He must also leave any station immediately after leaving a train or make his way directly to the next available connecting service.

Description

A man who raped and strangled a woman in an alleyway behind a row of shops in Barking has been jailed. Daniel Jordan, 28, was identified using DNA and was revealed to be a known offender.

Jordan had carried out the violent and sustained attack in Barking in October 2022, and, since then, the woman has received support from a team specialising in investigating sexual offences. The woman who was attacked called police to say she had been raped and that her attacker had fled the scene.

Police immediately responded and set into motion the appropriate steps to look after the victim survivor, and gather vital evidence.

She told officers how a man had approached her and quickly began a physically and sexually violent assault in an alleyway behind a parade of shops on Longbridge Road. She described how, at one point, he had strangled her so she fell in and out of consciousness.

Detective Sergeant Charlie Yexley, who works in Met Police's east London office investigating sexual offences, said: “This was a horrendous attack and I have the utmost respect for the victim survivor, as she has worked to come to terms with the extreme violence she was subjected to.

“She has demonstrated grace and tenacity through this trial and I hope it brings some comfort that a jury unequivocally saw this man for what he is.”

Officers swiftly arrested him at his home seven days after the attack. He was charged and remanded the next day.

Jordan was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on March 15 to ten years’ imprisonment with an extended license period of five years, and a 30-month sentence for both the non-fatal strangulation and assault.

He will serve both sentences concurrently and will also be on the sex offenders' reregister for life. The woman has received support from a team specialising in investigating sexual offences.

Description

A sexual predator has been convicted of raping and sexually assaulting two males and a female under the age of 18 more than 20 years ago. He was brought to justice after one of his victims reported the abuse to police in 2019.

John Webb, 70, was arrested at his home in Neath after an investigation was launched by the force. A further two victims were also identified and provided statements. All three victims were under the age of 18 at the time of the abuse, which took place in Cardiff in the 1990s.

The defendant faced trial at Cardiff Crown Court last year and was convicted of 21 charges including three counts of rape, five indecent assaults, and seven counts of indecent assault on a male. He was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment, at the same court, on March 8.

Following the hearing, detective constable Jenna Hargraves, of South Wales Police, said: "Webb’s actions have taken a massive emotional toll on all three victims. For one of them, their life headed towards criminality because they struggled to cope with what had happened. Another victim described Webb as a violent man. But thanks to their bravery and a thorough investigation, he has been brought to justice.

"South Wales Police takes all reports of sexual violence extremely seriously and it is never too late to report a crime. Help and support is available for all victims of sexual violence, and we would encourage any victims; no matter how long ago the offence happened, to please come forward. If anyone has any more information about this or similar matters, and they have not yet spoken to police, please come forward."

Description

Brett Sitch, aged 52, was convicted of 12 charges following a lengthy investigation led by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s specialist Operation Amberstone team.

The charges are as follows:

• 10 counts of indecent assault on a boy under the age of 16
• 2 counts of inciting a boy under the age of 14 to commit an act of gross indecency

The Amberstone investigation began on 9 January 2020 when one of the victims – now an adult man – bravely contacted police to disclose that he had been abused by Sitch once or twice a week over a period of two years at an address in Gosport.

Through subsequent enquiries, police spoke with other men who were believed to have been abused by Sitch as children. Some reported that when they were children, Sitch had encouraged them to carry out sexual acts upon him, and to play ‘dares’ which involved them having to commit indecent acts on the other boys.

Sitch, of Hammond Road in Fareham, denied all of the abuse, and the case went to trial on Monday 20 November 2023 at Portsmouth Crown Court. Sitch was found guilty of 12 offences on Friday 7 December. Appearing at the same court for sentencing today (Friday 22 March), he was jailed for 30 years.

DC Sam Couchman, from Operation Amberstone, said: “What these children, now grown men, experienced at such a young age was appalling. The bravery shown by the victims in this case has been commendable. I want to praise them for the courage they have shown through the investigation, and for talking to Police about what had happened to them to help bring Sitch to justice. Sitch completely took advantage of these children, using the façade of dares to mask his abuse and normalise his disturbing sexual behaviour.

Description

A sex offender who committed 'abhorrent' crimes against a child has been sentenced to seven years in prison.

Scott Grineau, aged 38, of Pegasus Close in Thatcham, was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict of five counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity following a trial at Oxford Crown Court, which concluded on Friday (March 15).

He was acquitted of a further count of sexual activity with a child.

Grineau was jailed for a total of seven years with 12 years on licence.

He will also be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

The offending took place in Witney over one night in September 2021 and the offences were reported to the force on September 15 that year.

Grineau was arrested on September 16 2021 and was charged via a postal requisition on December 23 2022.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Samantha Hunter of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit said: Scott Grineau has now been held to account for some abhorrent offences against a child.

I would like to place on record my praise for the victim in this case for having the courage to support the investigation to ensure that Grineau is sent to prison where he belongs.

We will always investigate offences of this nature and seek to bring offenders to justice.