Latest Offenders

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Pervert Bobby Whalley sent an indecent image to a 12-year-old boy. The 25-year-old was busted after he discovered 12-year-old James was an undercover police officer.

A search of his home later uncovered an indecent video of a child. Now Whalley has walked out of Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court after landing a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Prosecutor Ben Lawrence said: "Whalley sent a friend request on Snapchat to an undercover officer posing as James. He sent a message which showed the private area of a white nude man being held in a hand. James told him he was 12. Whalley said he was 24."

It was then weeks later when Whalley sent five images to James, including one of a man not wearing a shirt with the text 'Hey' and two kisses. James responded. The defendant said he was in Stoke and he is a 'daddy to you'.

Mr Lawrence added: "He asked how old James was again. He said he was 12. The defendant sent an image of a black and white photo of a private area being held by a hand. He sent a message saying, 'Your turn. Send me a pic'."

Whalley was arrested on May 9 at his address. His phone was seized. It was found to contain an indecent video of a child at category A - the most serious.

Whalley, of Leek Road, Stoke, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and making an indecent photograph of a child.

Paul Cliff, mitigating, said Whalley had a very difficult personal history and was subjected to a dysfunctional childhood. He went to university, began to use cannabis, became isolated, and dropped out of university.

Mr Cliff said: "He began to misuse alcohol and drugs and social media."

The court heard Whalley has now stopped using drugs and reduced his alcohol intake. He is working in a pub, has accommodation, and his partner is 'shocked and disturbed' by his offending.

The suspended sentence includes a 55-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 80 hours unpaid work.

Judge Graeme Smith told him: "The contact you had with the undercover officer posing as a 12-year-old was brief. It took place on two occasions. On the first occasion you ended it as soon as it was discovered he was 12. On the second occasion you had some contact with him and you did send an indecent image.

"It was an attempt and no real children were involved. It is unusual to only find one image. Nonetheless it is serious. But cases invariably involve dozens, if not thousands, of images."

Whalley is now subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and the Sex Offenders' Register for the next 10 years.

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An army veteran plied a 12-year-old girl with cigarettes and alcohol and repeatedly molested her at remote locations around Kirriemuir.

Sinister John Tervet lured the youngster to secluded spots with promises of alcohol, sent her sexual images of his crotch and boxer shorts and told her: Come alone.

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A convicted sex offender who was recalled to prison multiple times after being released from an eight-year sentence has been jailed again.

Kurt Alexander was caught in the toilets of an Asda supermarket in Keighley in April, during the school holidays, “sweating profusely”, and in possession of three pairs of girls’ knickers.

Preston Crown Court heard the convicted paedophile had been jailed in 2011 for a range of sexual assault charges but following his release had been recalled to prison on numerous occasions for breaching his sexual offences prevention order and failing to comply with his notification requirements.

He was ultimately released in February, but just five days later he was making searches on a mobile phone relating to the ‘sexual abuse of children’ and ‘girl’s panties’.

Prosecuting, Cecilia Pritchard said that, sicne his release from prison, police had found nappies in his home as well as children’s underwear.

She said: “Then, on April 3 at 2.30pm, his offender manager was on duty and attended Keighley town centre after receiving information that Alexander had been seen entering numerous town centre shops.

“He was located in the men’s toilets in Asda, sweating profusely.

“They spoke to him about their concerns as it was half term, and he was asked to produce any devices he had on him.

“He handed over an Alcatel mobile phone, but officers asked what was in his top pocket and pulled out a Huawei smart phone.

“He was arrested having breached his sexual offences prevention order and was taken to the police station, and during the journey there he said he just wanted to plead guilty to everything.”

Ms Pritchard said a pair of girl’s knickers, aged five to six, were found in his pocket and two more pairs located in a washing powder box he had with him.

Police also found a micro-SD card which contained images of children – eight category C images featuring young girls between the ages of 12 and 14 in bikinis.

Ms Pritchard went on: “He’d also zoomed into their genital areas on these images which is where the making of indecent images comes from.

“He was interviewed and answered no comment but did in fact plead guilty at the first opportunity.”

Alexander, of Mason Street, Colne, has two convictions for 24 previous offences and pleaded guilty to two breaches of his sexual offences order, failing to comply with notification requirements, and making indecent images of children.

Mitigating, Kristian Cavanagh said his client had committed “abhorrent offences” and recognised he had done wrong.

Recorder Daniel Prowse said: “You had been monitored by the police since your release and had been found in possession of nappies, and on one occasion you were found in the children’s section of a library reading a book about child rape.

“You were also provided with anti-libido medication but had stopped taking these.

“Then in April you were found in Asda toilets during half term with two phones and three pairs of knickers, as well as a tourist leaflet with pictures of children on it.

“Your frankness with probation is to your credit but it’s very worrying as you say you are attracted to children.

“You also said you are sexually aroused by nappies and children’s underwear, and I am satisfied these were deliberate breaches.”

Alexander, 56, who appeared in the dock clutching a bible with a set of rosary beads around his neck, was jailed for two years and was made subject to lifetime notification requirements.

His previous sexual offences prevention order was replaced with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

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A "dangerous and predatory" paedophile who raped a woman while on bail awaiting trial for sexual assaulting two children has been jailed.

Michael Levy, 39, sexually abused a nine-year-old and a 13-year-old on a number of occasions between 2019 and 2021, Lancashire Police said.

He then pressured a woman into letting him into her home before raping her.

Levy has been jailed for 18 years at Preston Crown Court after being convicted in two separate trials.

He was found guilty of 13 sexual offences against children under 13 in March before being convicted of rape in July.

Warning: This article contains distressing content

Police said Levy, of no fixed address but formerly of Bamber Bridge, bombarded his first and youngest victim with WhatsApp messages telling her he loved her.

He sexually abused his second victim several times including when she was in her school uniform, police added.

After being charged with the offences, Levy was bailed ahead of his trial.

By this time, Levy had began bombarding his third victim with messages.

He then pressured the woman into agreeing to meet him for a coffee in January and then to let him come over to her house while her friend was there, police said.

After the victim's friend had left, Levy bit her, sexually assaulted her and raped her, the force said.

Levy was smirking at the victim throughout, police added.

'Sense of entitlement'

The mother of the teenage victim wrote in a victim personal statement to the court that her "very bubbly" daughter's moods had changed and she had vivid nightmares and would wake up in tears.

The woman said in her victim personal statement: "I feel scared all the time.

"I struggle to sleep and when I do it's only a couple of hours, then I am stressed at the children, it's just awful."

Det Con Jo Billington said the offences had a "profound impact" on all three of his victims.

"Levy is a dangerous and predatory offender with a sordid sexual view and sense of entitlement towards both women and girls," she said.

"He planned these offences and continued to sexually assault his victims even when they pleaded with him to stop."

Levy was handed a further five years on licence, made subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and told to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

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Hudson was caught trying to arrange to meet the girl - who was actually a decoy from an online paedophile hunting group - in June this year and arrested by police.

Officers from East Durham CID immediately launched an investigation, working a 15-hour shift to gather enough evidence to charge and remand Hudson with child sex offences.

Hudson, of Horden, was charged with attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He admitted the offences and appeared at Durham Crown Court yesterday, Monday September 4, where he was jailed for 32 months. 

He was also issued with a sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offender register for life.  

Detective Inspector Darren Wild, from East Durham CID, said: "Hudson knew from the outset that he was talking to what he thought was a 13-year-old girl and immediately set about grooming her for his own sexual gratification. 

"He is clearly a danger to children, so I am pleased he has been sentenced to time behind bars. 

"I would like to pass on my appreciation to everyone involved in this investigation, in particular those officers who worked solidly from 8am to midnight to ensure Hudson was quickly charged, remanded and put before the courts, protecting further children from harm."

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A sick rapist who sexually attacked two young girls and then admitted it in a note, is now behind bars.

Demetrios Patsalides, 73, of Carr House Road in Doncaster, has been jailed for 12 years after he admitted a sick catalogue of sexual offences. Patsalides sexually assaulted the two young girls and performed sexual acts in front of them before warning one "not to tell her friends at school".

He was interviewed by police in March this year and admitted to officers that he had written a note confessing to sexual activity with a child. He went on to plead guilty to two counts of raping a girl under the age of 13, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of assaulting a girl under the age of 13 by touching and four counts of causing or inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Patsalides was interviewed by officers on March 13, 2023, during which he admitted writing a note confessing to sexual activity with a child. Assistant Detective Sergeant Christopher Beaumont, who led the investigation into Patsalides for South Yorkshire Police, said: I want to personally commend the two victims for coming forward after several years to report this information to us.

It is difficult to put into the words the trauma and suffering they endured and their bravery must be recognised in disclosing the sexual abuse that took place at such a young age.

"Patsalides is now behind bars and facing up to the consequences of his heinous actions, and I hope this is justice served for his two victims who can now move forward with their lives.

I really hope this harrowing case shows that we will not stop to seek justice for all victims of sexual offences, regardless of when the abuse took place. It is never too late to report your concerns to us. We want you to know that we are here and we are ready to listen.

Patsalides was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

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A Weston-super-Mare man who committed lewd acts as he stared at women on a train was arrested and released on police bail. And then Matthew Powell tried to arrange sex with a 'girl aged 13', a court heard.

Mercifully, though the women were left anxious about their experience, the girl was, in fact, a decoy operating with a paedophile hunter group. And, having been arrested a second time, Powell is now behind bars.

The 48-year-old, of Newton Road, pleaded guilty to outraging public decency in November last year. He also pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child between February and March this year.

On Friday (September 1) Judge James Patrick jailed him for 42 months. He told Powell: "You are a socially isolated man, married, in a stable relationship. It is very much to her credit that your wife has been standing by you."

Powell was told to notify on the Sex Offenders' Register for life. He was also handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, designed to stop offending.

Alec Small, prosecuting, told Bristol Crown Court Powell was at Liverpool Central train station when he followed a woman onto a train bound for Chester. Having sat diagonally opposite her he stared at her legs as he put his hand on his crotch, the court heard.

When she moved seats Powell went to another carriage occupied by a lone woman, the court heard. Mr Small said it seemed as if he was trying to take a photo of her on his camera phone and she became very nervous as he started to stroke his crotch on the one-hour journey.

Police called in arrested Powell at Chester, the court heard. He was interviewed and made no comment.

In impact statements one victim said it made her feel "very anxious" and she has not been on a train since. The second said she will no longer travel by train alone and avoids Chester train station.

The court heard that, on bail, Powell had sexualised Facebook chats with '13-year-old Amy' who turned out to be a decoy with a paedophile hunter group. After Powell suggested they have sex in a hotel, the group tracked him down to his home and called in police. Powell was arrested and made no comment in interview.

Catherine Flint, defending, said her client had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, affecting his ability to communicate and understand social cues. Miss Flint said non-driver Powell liked to travel the country by train, seeing attractions.

She told the court: "I ask for any sentence is kept to a minimum. He understands the only option today is one of immediate custody."

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A paedophile has been jailed after pleading guilty to raping two schoolchildren over a number of years.

Demetrios Patsalides, 73, of Carr House Road, Doncaster, warned one of his victims to not tell her friends about what he had done.

He has now been locked up for 12 years after admitting several sexual offences against two young girls.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of raping a girl under 13, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching, and four counts of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Patsalides was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Patsalides sexually assaulted his victims and performed sexual acts in front of them, before warning one of the girls to "not tell her friends at school" about the abuse she had suffered.

Patsalides was interviewed by officers on 13 March 2023, during which he admitted writing a note confessing to sexual activity with a child.

Asst Det Sgt Christopher Beaumont, who led the investigation, personally commended the two victims for their courage in coming forward.

He said: "It is difficult to put into the words the trauma and suffering they endured, and their bravery must be recognised in disclosing the sexual abuse that took place at such a young age.

"Patsalides is now behind bars and facing up to the consequences of his heinous actions, and I hope this is justice served for his two victims who can now move forward with their lives.

"I really hope this harrowing case shows that we will not stop to seek justice for all victims of sexual offences, regardless of when the abuse took"

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A teenager was "haunted for years" after being touched intimately by a man in his kitchen. The victim was only 14 or 15 when Robert Parry committed the offence.

It was only when the victim found out Parry had been prosecuted for other sexual offences that the victim came forward, Caernarfon Crown Court heard. Parry, of no fixed address, but formerly of Anglesey, was in his 50s when he committed the offence against the teenager in the early 2000s.

Now 76, Parry admitted engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a boy 13 to 15. A judge today jailed him for six months on top of the 13 year prison sentence imposed in 2016 for other sexual offences which he is currently serving.

Prosecutor Laura Knightly told how the victim was in his kitchen when Parry reached over with his right arm and "stroked" him intimately over his clothing for a few seconds.

The victim said he felt "panic and embarrassment" and never told anyone. In a statement he said he was "haunted for years. It has been eating me up inside."

He added: "I have never felt the fear I felt that day (again) in my life." He suffers flashbacks and has sought counselling but this court case is the final hurdle to allow him to close this chapter of his life, said Ms Knightly.

Anna Pope, defending, said the incident was "mercifully short-lived". Her client is locked up for 22 hours a day in prison due to staffing issues.

He has taken a creative writing course, and entered competitions, and hopes to do more courses.

The judge His Honour Timothy Petts said he hopes this court case is an important step in the victim's recovery. The victim was alone and vulnerable, there was a disparity in age and the defendant had predatory sexual intentions.

He said Parry will be in prison or on licence until he is about 82-years-old. Even then he will be subject to sexual harm prevention order and sex offender notification requirements.

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A man who raped a vulnerable young girl has been jailed following an investigation by specialist safeguarding officers in Leeds.

Calum Stephenson, aged 20, targeted the victim, who was under 13, in June last year. 

Detectives from Leeds District Safeguarding Unit began an investigation after the girl’s mother contacted police to report the incidents. 

Stephenson was arrested and initially denied the offences but subsequently pleaded guilty to two counts of rape of a girl under 13 and one count of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity. 

Today, he was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court to eight years in prison with a one-year extended licence. 

He was also given a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life. 

Detective Inspector Carl Morrison, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said: “Stephenson preyed on this vulnerable young girl to sexually exploit her, and his depraved actions have understandably had a lasting traumatic impact on the victim. 

“This was a complex and challenging investigation where painstaking work by the officer in the case, DC Rall, was able to secure the vital DNA and CCTV evidence that ultimately led to Stephenson’s guilty pleas and conviction for these offences. 

“Despite her young age and the trauma she was put through, the victim has showed real bravery in coming forward initially and throughout the investigation. 

“We hope that seeing Stephenson brought to justice will provide some level of reassurance to her and her family as they continue to move on with their lives. 

“We also hope that the successful outcome of this case will give other victims of similar offences the confidence to come forward knowing they will be listened to and supported.” 

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A 25-year-old former primary school teaching assistant has been sentenced to over 18 years in prison for possession of indecent images of children and the sexual assault of a child under 13.

Tommy Lee Allington was arrested at his home in Penlan, Swansea, on April 28 and pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges at his pretrial hearing in Swansea Crown Court.

Today (Friday, September 1) he was jailed for 18 years and eight months, with six years on licence, and ordered to be on the sex offenders' register for life.

Detective Constable Amanda Jenkins, who investigated, said:

“Offences of this kind will always be shocking and disturbing, particularly when that person is in a position of trust.

“This will undoubtedly be difficult news for the local community but please be assured that our teams and partners have safeguarded and supported all those involved in the investigation.

“The victim’s family has shown incredible strength and courage throughout this case.”

Detective Inspector Sharon Gill-Lewis added:

“I would like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim of any form of sexual abuse to report it to us.

Please be assured that we will always treat you with the utmost sensitivity and respect.”

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A 34-year-old Ipswich man who was arrested after he had online chats about sex with members of a paedophile hunter group posing as schoolgirls has been jailed for three years.

Skye Tanswell sent naked pictures of himself to members of the Chid Online Safety Team posing as two 14-year-old girls and asked them to send him pictures of their breasts, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Nicola May, prosecuting, said that during conversations with the decoys on WhatsApp Tanswell had suggested meeting up in Suffolk and had discussed what he would do in bed with one of them.

He had also told one of them to lie or cut off contact if her parents came into the room because he would get into trouble for being in contact with someone her age.

Tanswell, of Gippeswyk Road, Ipswich, admitted three offences of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and one offence of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity. The offences took place last year.

In addition to being jailed, Tanswell was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for life and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for the same period.

Sentencing him, Judge Emma Peters said that despite being arrested for being in contact with the decoys Tanswell had resumed contact with one of them after he was released under investigation.

Joanne Eley, for Tanswell, said he had mental health issues and had learning and behavioural problems.

She said he had been in prison since March last year and was working on becoming an enhanced prisoner.

He had also been engaging with the mental health team while he had been in prison.

Miss Eley said Tanswell had committed the offences while he was bored and using cannabis.

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Yesterday, Friday 1 September 2023, Christopher McGourlay (02/07/1960), of Waithlands Road, Rochdale, was jailed for child sexual abuse of a young girl and boy, after being found guilty of 10 counts of indecent assault on a female under the age of 14, attempted rape of a girl under the age of 16 and the indecent assault of a male under the age of 14 years - in completely unrelated circumstances - by a jury at trial, on 19 July 2023.

The court heard how these abhorrent crimes, which took place in the early 1990s, had a huge impact on both victims and survivors. 

DC Elisabeth Stacey of the Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Team based at Rochdale Police Station said: "McGourlay has now begun a 15-year jail sentence for these despicable crimes against these victims and survivors, when they were both young children who had no idea what was happening to them.

"I want to thank the victims and survivors for the strength and dignity they have shown throughout this case, and the bravery they have had to bring this prosecution to a conclusion.

"Although nothing will ever give them their childhoods' back, I hope that this lengthy sentence gives them the time and space to come to terms with what they have been through and begin to heal.

"As a Force, GMP are committed to investigating, locating and charging child sexual offenders, seeing prosecutions through the courts to sentencing, just like today's.

"If you, or someone you know, have been the subject of child sexual abuse, regardless of how long ago it was, then please get in touch with us. You will be listened to and you will be believed.

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A "dangerous" sex offender who abused a string of young victims over a period of 30 years, including a teenage boy from the Humber region, has been jailed for 24 years.

Phillip Johnson, 65, was convicted of 13 counts of sexual assault against children, including attempted buggery, and eight counts of making indecent images of children following a trial in July.

Humberside Police aided Essex Police and Kent Police in securing the charges against "dangerous offender" Johnson after a thorough investigation into his historic sexual offending.

During the course of the investigation, Johnson's devices were seized and around 2,000 indecent images of children were found, including a number of the most serious Category A images of serious child sexual abuse.

He started his campaign of abuse in the late 1980s when he sexually assaulted two young boys, aged between six and eight when the offences took place, at an address in Kent. The sick abuse continued for a period of two years.

The victims stated that the abuse stopped in the late 1980s when Johnson left their lives for a period of time, but resumed when they reached 15/16 years of age.

In 2008, Johnson moved to the Humber region, where he befriended and groomed a teenage boy before later sexually assaulting him.

Struggling with what had happened, the victim did not tell anyone about the abuse for a decade, before reporting the matter to the police.

Johnson then moved to the Colchester area of Essex where he groomed and sexually assaulted two males, one of whom kept the abuse secret for a year until a disclosure from the second boy encouraged him to come forward and speak to police.

Following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, Johnson was convicted of all counts on Thursday, July 27. On Wednesday, August 30, he was sentenced to 24 years' imprisonment.

The judge deemed him to be a dangerous offender and ordered him to serve a minimum of 15 years before he can be considered for parole.

He will be subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Speaking after sentencing, investigating officer Detective Constable Lucy Percival, from Colchester CID, said: “I want to praise the courage shown by the victims in this case, who experienced a traumatic childhood due to Phillip Johnson’s actions towards them.

“The victims, now men, showed huge bravery and determination to see this process through to seek a degree of justice for what happened to them.

“Most importantly, each of their sentiments separately was to prevent this from happening to anyone else.

“There is no doubt, Johnson is a dangerous individual who showed a concerted effort to identify vulnerable children, groom them and then ultimately to sexually abuse them.

“His actions were horrific, but I am pleased he has now been held accountable for those actions which in turn will hopefully allow the victims to move forward.”

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A child abuser whose offending left a ‘scar on the soul of the community’ in Fareham has been sentenced to 26 years in prison.

Stephen Lovelock, aged 61, was charged with 15 offences relating to the abuse of a girl in Fareham, following an investigation by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Child Abuse Investigation Team (CAIT):

• Two counts of rape of a child under 13
• One count of attempted rape of a child under 13
• Two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13
• Three counts of sexual activity with a child
• Four counts of assault by penetration of a child under 13
• Two counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity
• One count of taking indecent photographs of a child

He denied the charges, but was convicted of all of them on 14 July this year at a trial which took place at Portsmouth Crown Court.

The court heard that Lovelock, of no fixed abode, abused the child over a number of years between 2015 and 2022, beginning when the child was under the age of 13.

The girl bravely found the courage to report this to police in April 2022 and Lovelock was arrested two days later following enquiries.

At Portsmouth Crown Court today (Friday 1 September), His Honour Judge Ashworth told the court that what the jurors heard during the trial leaves “a scar on the soul of the community”, before jailing Lovelock for 26 years.

DC Vicky Osborne, from the CAIT team, said: “The abuse suffered by this poor girl was appalling, and I commend her for her incredible bravery in coming forward to the police while she was still a child.

“Lovelock is a horrendous and predatory individual who ensured that this young girl endured further suffering by denying his crimes.

“This investigation, led by DC Hannah Owen in the CAIT team, has led to a dangerous man being convicted, and this is testament to the unwavering bravery of the young girl involved.

“Her courage throughout this investigation and the subsequent trial process has now resulted in Lovelock being sentenced to a lengthy time in prison.

“I hope the outcome of this case reassures other survivors of abuse that you will be listened to and believed, and we will do everything we can to support you and bring those responsible to justice.”