Latest Offenders

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A man who groomed and sexually abused a vulnerable teenage girl in Crewe has been jailed.

Richard Wiseman appeared at Chester Crown Court on Friday 21 November where he was sentenced to six years in prison.

He was also handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The 38-year-old, of no fixed abode in the Crewe area, had earlier pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of sexual communication with a child.

The case began when police were made aware that a teenage girl had reported being groomed by Wiseman.

Officers spoke to the victim who disclosed that Wiseman had been sexually abusing her over a seven-month period.

Wiseman was swiftly arrested but denied all offences put to him during interview. However, following telecoms enquiries, officers recovered evidence from his mobile phone that showed he had sent multiple inappropriate messages to the victim. He would also talk to her in code while referring to sexual acts to avoid getting caught.

Officers confronted Wiseman with the messages evidencing the abuse, and he answered no comment to all further questions.

After gathering a catalogue of evidence Wiseman was subsequently charged with sexually abusing the teenager.

Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Sophie Bailey, who led the investigation, said:

“To discover that your child has been groomed is every parent’s worst nightmare, and I hope that the sentence handed to Wiseman will provide the victim’s family with some closure.

“Wiseman was well aware that his victim was underage, and as a 38-year-old man he knew what he was doing was wrong, but despite this he continued with his deceitful and harmful actions.

“He was able to convince his victim that the abuse he was inflicting was normal, but in reality, he was just a sexual predator who was only interested in fulfilling his own sexual needs.

“I am pleased that this case has been brought to a swift conclusion for the sake of the victim and her family and I hope that Wiseman’s sentence and the stringent conditions of the SHPO prevent him from having the freedom to harm a child ever again.

“I would like to thank the victim for showing such bravery throughout this investigation, and her family for the support they have provided, both to their daughter and the investigation throughout.

“I hope this case and the sentence that Wiseman has received encourages other victims of sexual offences to come forward and report them to us.

“We treat all reports of sexual offences extremely seriously, and any allegations will be thoroughly investigated, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority.”

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A man has been jailed for 15 years for child sex offences in Gosport.

Police were called at 3:25pm on Thursday 30 March 2023 with reports that a man had entered into a sexual relationship with a child under the age of 16-years-old.

Following an extensive investigation Adrian Jason Cribb, 35-years-old of Green Crescent in Gosport, was charged with five offences that took place between April 2021 and May 2022.

• Engaging in digital penetrative sexual activity with a girl 13 to 15-years-old
• Engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl 13 to 15-years-old
• Engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl 13 to 15-years-old on at least five other occasions other than in the second charge
• Two counts of rape a woman 16 years of age or over

Cribb was found guilty unanimously by a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday 5 September. He appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court on Thursday 20 November where he was sentenced to a 15-year custodial sentence with a five-year extended licence.

He will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order with conditions for life, an indefinite restraining order against the victim, and must sign-on to the Sex Offenders Register for life.

The Judge commended the bravery of the complainant in court and the professionalism of the registered intermediary who supported the complainant during the trial. 

Detective Constable Nick Sandford-Smith of Operation Amberstone East said:

“I hope this result sends a clear message about the seriousness with which we treat these offences.

“We encourage other victims to come forward and speak to us. We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously and work hard to bring offenders to justice.

“We are committed to ensuring that anyone who causes harm to children faces justice for their horrendous actions, and we will pursue offenders relentlessly.”

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A Devon man has been jailed for raping a teenager in a shed. Tony Taylor, 44, of Coronation Road, Kingsbridge, forced himself on the terrified girl and ignored her pleas to stop, Exeter Crown Court heard.

He told her not to tell anyone and that it would be "their secret," but police were called and Taylor arrested.

Taylor initially refused to answer police questions but eventually pleaded guilty to rape and two charges of sexual assault. He was sentenced to six years and nine months.

The court heard he raped his victim in 2023 after drinking and groping her. She repeatedly said "no" and froze in terror during the assault, said prosecutor Mary McCarthy.

Despite DNA proof of his guilt, he refused to answer questions, the prosecutor added. Defense lawyer Emily Pitts said sex offenders often don't admit guilt and it took "a huge amount of courage" on his part to do so.

She noted he had "positive character traits," was a hard-worker and a man of previous good character, and is sorry.

Judge Stephen Climie said it was impossible to know what was going through the defendant's head at the time. "You are an otherwise decent member of society," he added.

Taylor must sign the sex offender register for life and was given a sexual harm prevention order until further notice.

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A man who subjected a vulnerable woman to a violent sexual attack and refused her medical help has been jailed for 14 years.

Today (Tuesday 25 November 2025), Kieran Naylor (12/09/85), of Bold Street, Bolton, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court after being found guilty of two counts of rape, section 18 assault, false imprisonment and theft.

The offences took place between 9 and 10 December 2024. Naylor approached the victim at a nearby petrol station and invited her to his home.

Once there, he became violent and sexually assaulted her. During the attack, the victim sustained serious injuries, including a broken wrist and femur, requiring multiple surgeries.

Despite her injuries, Naylor refused to call for medical assistance and locked her inside his property.

He later left the address, taking the victim’s bank card and attempting to make purchases in Bolton town centre.

The victim eventually managed to reach the doorway, where a member of the public found her and called emergency services. Officers arrested Naylor at the scene.

Sadly, the victim passed away before seeing Naylor face justice, but the evidence she provided ensured he received a substantial sentence.

In her impact statement, the victim’s daughter said:

“After this happened, my mum’s confidence and sense of safety completely changed.

"She became fearful of going out alone and trusting people was suddenly difficult.

“The injuries she sustained had a massive impact on the rest of her life.

"She struggled to walk properly, even with aid. At times, she felt she would never recover and that took a huge toll on her mental health.

“Before the attack, my mum was kind, strong, caring, loving, and bubbly. She lit up every room she walked into. Seeing her lose that spark was devastating.

“Our grief is deepened by remembering the pain she was in. We will always remember her as the strong and loving person she was, and we will continue to live with the pain of what was done to her.”

Detective Constable Lucy Birch, Bolton CID, said:

“This was a shocking and deeply disturbing crime. Naylor is a dangerous individual who is rightly behind bars for a long time.

“We know how difficult this has been for the victim and her family, and her bravery ensured justice was served. It is saddening that she passed away before seeing Naylor sentenced, but her courage has helped protect other women from harm.

“If anyone else has been affected by crimes of this nature, please come forward. We will take your allegations seriously and treat you with dignity and respect.”

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“Violence against women needs to stop, I believe it starts with women speaking out and holding up a mirror of justice to men like you.”  

A woman who was subjected to a horrendous catalogue of domestic abuse has spoken to the man who abused her in a powerful statement submitted to the court.

The below is an excerpt from the full victim personal statement:  

“Being the person that I am I will never be able to understand how another human being could intentionally physically and mentally torture another the way that you did. I’m glad I can’t understand that because I believe the ability to justify the behaviours you showed are what make you so extremely dangerous.  

“Before I met you, I had a large social circle, loved experiencing new things without a fear in the world. I was outspoken and confident in the person I was, and I genuinely believe these attributes are what led you to want to break me down and make me your victim of abuse.  

“One of the reasons I’m here today and have been pursuing justice is because you need to be held accountable for your disgusting actions. You need to see the immense gravity of what your actions have caused because no woman on this earth should ever experience any type of abuse let alone the level in which you were comfortable taking it too. Violence against women needs to stop, I believe it starts with women speaking out and holding up a mirror of justice to men like you.”  

Nathan Russell, aged 32, of Scott Hall Road, Leeds, was found guilty of controlling and coercive behaviour and sexual assault following a three-week trial at Leeds Crown Court. He was found not guilty of a number of other offences.

He appeared at court again today (24 November) where he was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. He will also be subject to the provisions of the Sex Offender Register indefinitely 

An investigation was launched after a woman came forward to police after disclosing domestic abuse offences to a family member.  

The court heard how the controlling and coercive behaviour she was subjected to included Russell burning her, covering her in food, urinating on her, forcing her to lick the toilet bowl, spitting at her, tying her to chairs and tables, forcing her to eat from the floor or other surfaces and hitting her, including with a metal paddle.

Detective Constable Jessica Johnston, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said:

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank and praise this victim of domestic abuse for her immense bravery and resilience. You can hear her bravery in the words she has shared with the court, and I hope the conclusion of this process is now a new fresh chapter for her and, hopefully, closure.  

“Russell’s convictions mark the end of a long, challenging and frankly traumatic investigation for all involved. I would also like to thank the many witnesses called to the stand to give evidence and all of the police officers and police staff involved in the investigation who have worked tirelessly to take a dangerous man off the streets.  

“On behalf of West Yorkshire Police, I would encourage anyone who has been subjected to any form of abuse to report the perpetrator via 101 or 999 in an emergency. Dedicated, specialist detectives are on hand to listen to you and investigate any such crimes. It is never too late.”  

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A sexual predator, Michael Wanless, has been convicted of attempting to rape a young woman during her early morning jog on Granwood Road in Eston.

The 41-year-old dragged the victim to the ground on July 17, 2023. She screamed for help, prompting local residents to rush out, pursue him, and hold him until police arrested him.

Wanless, of no fixed abode, denied the charges but was found guilty after a trial at Teesside Crown Court, where the jury deliberated for just 35 minutes, reports Teesside Live.

Judge Aisha Wadoodi recommended commendations for the brave members of the public who assisted.

Cleveland Police said their intervention "undoubtedly saved the woman from an even worse fate."

A force spokesperson added: "The man attacked the woman, pulling her violently to the ground but she bravely fought him off whilst screaming for help.

"Several local people came to her aid, chasing the man some distance until he was quickly detained by attending police officers."

Wanless will be sentenced at the same court on January 9.

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A dangerous predator from Stratford who repeatedly abused two girls has been jailed for 29 years.

We arrested 61-year-old Keith Stanley in March when a teenage girl bravely came forward to disclose that she had been sexually abused by Stanley for five years.
 
On arrest he was charged with eight different counts of rape of a girl and remanded in custody.
 
At that time, a second victim came forward, disclosing that she had been abused as a young teenager more than 20 years ago.
 
Detectives acted quickly to build the case and Stanley was then charged with 14 additional offences against the second victim – who was under 16 at the time of the offences.
 
And on 14 November at Warwick Crown Court, Stanley was sentenced to 29 years in prison, with a further six years to be spent on licence.

Detective Constable Ellena Psomadakis said:

“I would like to highlight the extraordinary bravery of the two victims who came forward and helped us to build up a strong case.
 
“I would also like to recognise the work of officers and of detectives from the child abuse team, who worked hard to make sure Stanley faced justice.
 
“Advocates from the charity Safeline also played a huge role in this – providing specialist support to both victims.
 
“Stanley is a dangerous predator, and we welcome the fact that he may now be in prison for the rest of his life.”

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A sex offender shook his head in denial as he was jailed for eight years. Daniel Dixon, 34, raped a child as a teenager, forced another to watch explicit sex videos, and raped a second victim years later.

Dixon denied the offenses but was convicted after a trial at Teesside Crown Court, where Judge Joanne Kidd said the evidence against him "had been overwhelming."

In court statements, one victim described suffering suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and depression from the abuse. The second felt "ashamed, embarrassed and dirty."

Dixon, of Hartington Road in Stockton, was found guilty of rape, child rape, and causing a child to watch a sex act.

In mitigation, barrister Victoria Lamballe called Dixon a "victim of his upbringing," claiming he was physically and emotionally abused. "A boy who has grown up around domestic violence, has gone on to abuse himself," she said.

Judge Kidd told Dixon he had shown one victim "a highly disturbing video, to try and normalise what you were about to do. You forced yourself on [the victim]." She added that he had "continued to maintain his innocence and has a lot of work to do in custody, to make sure your attitude does not go with you throughout your adult life."

Dixon was sentenced to eight years, serving two-thirds before parole eligibility, plus a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.

Detective Sergeant Claire McNeill of Cleveland Police said:

"The victims in this case suffered considerable trauma from what they went through, but I must commend their bravery in coming forward to report to police and I thank them for their support throughout our lengthy investigation.

"Dixon added to their stress and pain by continuing to deny what he had done but I’m relieved that a jury has now convicted him and that he’ll spend a considerable amount of time in prison. I do hope the victims share my relief and they can be further reassured that on his eventual release, Dixon will be subject to lifelong and strict conditions. We will be monitoring him closely and will take decisive action on any breaches."

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The man pictured is Gary Sheilds. He is a paedophile and was sentenced for his crimes earlier this month.  

In January 2024, the victim, a girl who was aged 12 at the time, was contacted on TikTok by Sheilds. Sheilds complimented the victim, and they swapped numbers and continued to communicate through WhatsApp, Snapchat and video calls. 

Sheilds, who lived in Scotland at the time, arranged to meet the victim in Penwortham on 2nd February. Sheilds drove the victim to a car park where he raped and sexually assaulted her.  

It was reported to us after the girl’s parent uncovered messages on her phone.  

Sheilds was arrested and whilst he admitted to conversing with the girl online, he denied raping or sexually assaulting her. 

He was asked if he knew how old the victim was. Sheilds said that he couldn’t remember, but he knew she was young.  

When asked if he knew the victim was wearing her school uniform at the time they met, he said that he thought so.  

Throughout his interview Sheilds blamed a drug addiction for his behaviours. When asked if he was sexually attracted to children during his drug addiction, he responded ‘could be.’ 

At the time of the offence, he was on bail by Police Scotland with conditions to not have contact with anyone under the age of 16. 

Examination of Sheild’s devices found images of the victim and google searches including the name of the victim’s school.  

There were also indecent images, and an indecent video found on his phone.  

Following a consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Gary Sheilds, 37, of no fixed address was charged with the rape of a girl under 13 and causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity.  

He pleaded Guilty at Preston Crown Court on 16th July 2025, where he was later sentenced, on the 3rd November to 9 years imprisonment with an extended licence period of 1 year. 

In a victim personal statement read to the court, the victim said:

“When I met him, I was shocked because he did not look the age he had told me, he looked older. This worried me as I thought that he would not let me out of the car if I said anything, so I felt I had to go along with it.” 

DS Jenny Cobham of Preston Child Protection team said:

“Gary Sheilds is a despicable, perverted individual. Despite saying he couldn’t remember his victim’s age, he was well aware that she was a child and still chose to prey on her. 

“Despite her young age, the victim has shown an incredible resilience throughout proceedings, and I can only commend her for her bravery. I hope the knowledge that Sheilds is now serving a significant prison sentence will allow her to begin to move forward.  

“These types of crimes will never be ok. We are committed to preventing it and bringing anyone responsible to justice.  

“If you, or someone you know, is a victim of any sexual offence, I want you to know that we will listen to you, we will investigate appropriately and we will do all we can to get you justice.” 

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A man has been found guilty of numerous sexual offences against a woman, including raping her while she was sleeping.

Following a trial by jury at Swindon Crown Court, Daniel Smith, 45, of Ladywell Close, North Leigh, Oxfordshire, was convicted of rape, sexual assault and breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

He has been remanded into custody and is due to be sentenced in January.

On November 4, 2023, Smith raped the victim – a woman in her 30s who was known to him – inside a property in Highworth while she was sleeping.

On December 9, 2023, Smith again targeted the victim, climbing into the same bed with her against her consent and groping her.

The offences were reported to the police on December 18, 2023, and Smith was arrested the same day.

He was subsequently charged with the offences, as well as for breaching the conditions of his SHPO.

Smith pleaded not guilty to the offences, forcing the victim to relive the experiences in a trial in front of a jury, but was found guilty today.

Investigating officer DC Hemns said:

“Firstly, I’d like to commend the victim for the bravery she has shown throughout this investigation.

“It has been a lengthy process to get to this point but she has always remained supportive of the prosecution and has stayed strong, even when Smith required her to relive the trauma of the sexual offences in court under cross examination.

“I hope that after two years, today’s verdict can give her the chance to start to heal and move forward, without this still overshadowing her everyday life.”

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A  21 year-old man from New Brighton has been jailed after making indecent images of children and sharing them online.

Yesterday (Thursday 20 November) Charlie Clark of Vaughan Road was sentenced to two years and four months at Liverpool Crown Court for eight counts of malicious communications - sending offensive/indecent/obscene/menacing material via a public communications network, making an image of a child, offences under section 2 of the UK's Computer Misuse Act 1990 and three counts of possession of criminal drug including ketamine and MDMA.

Clark was also handed indefinite restraining orders for life against four of his victims and a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. He will be required to sign the sex offenders' register for the next decade.

This follows an online report from a victim of Clark made in September 2023 who discovered that images of her had been uploaded to a website. The following day, a friend informed her that the images had been posted by Clark who when confronted via Instagram by the victim and admitted responsibility.

The victim also reported that Clark had accessed her Snapchat account without permission and downloaded images from her private folder, which he later uploaded online. He also extracted publicly available images from her social media profiles, edited some of them, and published them online along with derogatory comments targeting her and other females. One of the uploaded images depicted the victim at the age of just 16. Clark confirmed his actions via Instagram direct message.

Clark deleted his social media accounts but data was successfully recovered from cached sources and he was arrested on suspicion of offences under Section 2 of the Computer Misuse Act (CMA) and making a pseudo-image of a child. A search of his home address led to a further arrest on suspicion of possession of a controlled drug.

Following his arrest, seven more victims came forward, reporting that their images had also been uploaded online by Clark.

Detective Inspector John Black of the Cybercrime Investigation Unit said:

“Clark clearly had a shocking disregard for his victim’s privacy and the trauma his actions caused them.

“Following a detailed forensic examination of his device, officers uncovered an overwhelming amount of evidence relating to manipulated indecent images of his victims. The device also showed usage of deepfake-related platforms and emails impersonating staff from adult websites.

“Not only was Clark creating these images, but he was also found to have online social media accounts and access to adult websites that shared the photos.

“Each of his victims have shown immeasurable bravery in coming forward and telling us exactly what happened to them.

“I would like to thank them for supporting our investigation during what has been a difficult and distressing trial. It is thanks to them that Clark is now behind bars for his numerous crimes.”

Detective Constable Kirsty Carter added:

“Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting children and women from online sexual abuse.

“The impact on them can be significant and long-lasting.

“If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, or know of a child being abused, please come forward and report this to police.

“We take all such reports extremely seriously and if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us we have specially trained officers who will treat you with sensitivity and compassion.”

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A sex offender failed to disclose his past conviction to a new partner living with her two children.

Michael Gill, 31, of Braeside in Edmondsley near Chester-le-Street, frequently stayed with the woman and had unsupervised contact with her children during their three-year relationship starting in 2022. Durham Crown Court, sitting at Teesside, heard he once joined them on a week-long camping holiday in Scotland.

The court learned that Gill, under Probation Service supervision for part of this time, failed to inform them or his police monitoring officer about the relationship—breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and sex offender notification requirements.

These stemmed from his 2020 conviction for attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming, for which he received a three-year community order in September 2020.

Prosecutor Martin Towers said when the partner learned of the conviction, Gill claimed he was "set up by a past partner," and she believed him, unaware it barred contact with her children. As a result, the children were removed from her care.

Gill admitted two SHPO breaches and three notification failures.

In her victim statement, she said from the moment he entered her life, she was "totally gullible" and fell for his lies. He lied about his identity, name, date of birth, and place of birth, claiming it was to "disguise his identity to society." He fed her stories of an abusive ex-partner that led to his self-harming.

Her main regret: not ending the relationship sooner. "I’m angry he took advantage of my trusting nature. He groomed me to get closer to my family," she added.

In mitigation, Albany Kidd said: "He understands he should have been much more open to the police and the Probation Service, from the outset, but he denies, wholeheartedly, entering into the relationship to get closer to her children."

After "meeting" on Facebook, he learned of the children later. "He accepts having stayed at her address but claims to have misunderstood the terms of the notification requirement."

While at her home, he may have been unsupervised in a room with the children, but she was in a neighboring room. "There’s no suggestion he’s abused his position in the household with the children."

He apologizes to her, realizes the impact on her family, and "never thought about the consequences of them being taken from her into care." A software engineer working from home, he has not sought another relationship since.

Judge Nathan Adams noted Gill's "flagrant disregard" for court orders, with no disclosure over three years. "When confronted you lied about your history and previous convictions. She was vulnerable and you convinced her these were lies of an ex-partner."

"It’s right to say there’s been no suggestion you had any sexual contact with either child, but that’s not the point. There were court orders in place and you flagrantly ignored them. When matters came to light these two girls were removed from their mother’s permanent care. She was placed in that position by you."

The judge imposed a 28-month prison sentence, with Gill to serve up to half in custody. He remains on the sex offender register, and his SHPO was extended five years in September.

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A dangerous rapist who denied his “nasty and vile” crimes in a “vicious” way has begun an extended 16-year sentence.

Samuel Payne, 35, formerly of Keighley, will serve 13 years in custody followed by three years on licence. Sentencing him at Bradford Crown Court, His Honour Judge Roger Thomas KC said: “The offence of rape triggers this question that I have to answer: are you somebody who should be regarded as a significant risk of causing serious harm hereafter to others? My answer to that question is a resounding ‘yes’. There is no other sensible conclusion that I can reach.”

He added: “You quite clearly have a very deep and intractable side to you that is sheer nastiness, in simple terms. That’s reflected in these offences [which] is persistent and determined conduct of a nasty, vicious sort over a long period of time.”

Payne was convicted after trial of multiple offences, including raping one victim whom he threatened with an iron bar, held a knife to her throat, and told: “I’ll twist your neck off.” He also threatened a second victim with rape and murder.

In victim impact statements, one said “fear still lingered in her mind” and that Payne had “erased her emotions,” leaving her “broken.” The other described constant anxiety, panic attacks, and her body in “constant fight or flight” mode.

In mitigation, his barrister argued Payne had suffered “significantly,” living a “miserable life” with mood swings and inability to manage stress: “It may be that his offending is in part a product of that rather than a malevolent characteristic. [The court] is obliged to consider whether this is a cruel and sadistic history or whether there may be other factors in play.”

Judge Thomas, describing mobile phone recordings of Payne’s behaviour as “very nasty and indeed vile” and providing “a very real insight and snapshot into you,” ordered him to register as a sex offender for life. Payne, who appeared via video link from HMP Leeds with arms folded, is also subject to indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention and restraining orders.

The judge noted Payne’s “lack of empathy,” citing his refusal to engage with Probation and persistent denial: “It’s to be hoped that as the years pass by now you make some productive use of your time in prison, and you become a better man when you are released than so far you have been.”

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A former support worker has been branded a dangerous offender after sexually assaulting a man by rubbing him intimately and penetrating him from behind without consent.

The assault occurred around a decade ago at Lee O'Brien's former home in the Wrexham area. O'Brien, 52, is already serving a prison sentence in England for sex offences against another victim.

At Mold Crown Court today, he admitted assault by penetration and was sentenced to nine years, with five and a half years in custody.

Judge Rhys Rowlands heard the victim, who cannot be named, arrived expecting others but found only O'Brien. Prosecutor John Wyn Williams said they sat on a sofa, where O'Brien tried to kiss him; the victim pulled away, but O'Brien, "bigger and stronger," got on top.

O'Brien rubbed him intimately over clothes, removed his trousers, and penetrated him, causing a "burning sensation in his anus as if he needed to go to the lavatory." The victim couldn't see what it was—"it could have been a finger or it could have been an object," Mr. Wyn Williams said. O'Brien suddenly stopped, smiling. No consent was given.

Years later, work training "triggered a reaction," leading the victim to report O'Brien to police on June 22, 2023. O'Brien, interviewed September 7, 2023, claimed the behavior was "consensual" and "mutual" with no sex.

In a court statement, the victim said before the incident, "I was living my best life. The world was my oyster." Afterward, he became socially isolated, distrustful, suffered nightmares, and needed counseling. He prepared for trial but O'Brien's guilty plea denied him that: "You have taken away my voice by taking away 'my' trial." Overall: "You made me feel dirty and disgusting and I will never be able to get over this fact."

Defense barrister Matthew Dunford noted the guilty plea spared cross-examination, both had been drinking without O'Brien "plying" the victim as in other cases, and O'Brien is genuinely remorseful.

The judge cited the assault's "severe psychological effect" on the victim. As a dangerous offender at HMP Whatton, Nottinghamshire, O'Brien must serve two-thirds of the custodial term, followed by three and a half years on licence "to protect members of the public." 

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Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, a man has been convicted of rape in Slough.

Andrew Collins, aged 35, of Beechwood Avenue, Ealing was found guilty of one count of vaginal rape of a female, following a 6-day trial at Reading Crown Court on Monday (17/11).

He was found not guilty to one count of oral rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration.

Collins has been remanded in custody and is set to appear at the same court on January 16 2026 to be sentenced.

Between 6pm and 7pm on November 12, 2024, CCTV footage captured Collins, aged 34 at the time, following the victim through Slough Town Centre.

Collins shared his contact details with the victim, arranging to meet up with her later in the evening where he supplied her with alcohol and then raped her.

Collins was arrested on Tuesday 19 November 2024 and charged the following day.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Cat Sykes said:

“The victim in this case has shown immense bravery throughout this investigation and we thank her for her continued support, patience and the faith she has placed in the Criminal Justice System.

“Andrew Collins has been convicted of one of the most serious offences in our society.

“He identified a vulnerable individual and exploited those vulnerabilities to enable his offending.

“His conviction today is a testament to the commitment of Thames Valley Police to bring to justice sexual offenders and to make our streets a safe place for everyone.

“It is also the result of the tenacious work of dozens of police officers and staff, along with our colleagues in the Crown Prosecution Service and counsel at trial.

“We will continue to listen and support complaints of such offences and work relentlessly against those who think it is acceptable to perpetuate any form of violence against women and girls.”