Latest Offenders

Description

A Lanarkshire man has been jailed for sexual offences involving children and sharing indecent images of youngsters.

Jon Jardine was handed a 20-month sentence despite his lawyer pleading for him to be given help in the community instead.

Jardine, 28, of Fraser Crescent, Hamilton, admitted possessing and sharing child porn and committing offences against a girl and a boy.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that police officers seized two mobile phones from his home in December 2021.

These contained nearly 300 pictures and videos showing children being abused.

There was also evidence that he had shared five images with fellow paedophiles.

Defence advocate Charles Ferguson said Jardine has "faced up to his guilt" and is "prepared to change".

He had endured problems during his "formative years", witnessing domestic abuse and being bullied at school.

Mr Ferguson told the court: "I suggest the public might be better protected if efforts are made to change this young man rather than send him to prison.

"He is a first offender who requires intervention. The criminal justice social work report concludes that the appropriate sentence is a community payback order."

However, Sheriff Higgins told Jardine the offences had "crossed the custody threshold".

While the identity of the children in the images might never be known, they were all "defenceless victims".

The two children he'd admitted offences against were likely to suffer "serious psychological harm".

The sheriff told Jardine: "I'm told you lead an isolated life and you are a vulnerable person, but only custody is appropriate in the circumstances."

Jardine will be on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

Court security staff had to move quickly to prevent a scuffle as sentence was passed.

A supporter of Jardine shouted 'Keep your head up, big man' and was confronted by another male in the public benches.

Other spectators shouted abuse as the accused was being led away.

Description

A paedophile who sent nude pictures to three "little girls" online turned down his right to a defence in court as he told the judge "I'm sorry for what I've done".

Danny McCarthy, 49, messaged three 13 and 14-year-old "girls" on Facebook and Whatsapp while in Litherland in September 2021, sending them indecent images and videos believed to show him performing a sex act. But he had no idea he was actually chatting with three adults from a Northumbria-based "paedophile hunter" group, who made up the young girls as decoys.

McCarthy was then confronted by the group on the doorstep of the home he shared with his wife when he returned from a shopping trip.

He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today, August 16, where he pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and three counts of attempting to cause a child to watch or look at an image of sexual activity.

Peter Hussey, prosecuting, said: "The offences all arose during the course of a week in the middle of September 2021. The defendant went online, initially on Facebook messenger and then on other platforms, making contact with the profiles of three persons who, on the face of it, were either 13 or 14-year-old girls.

"In each case during that short period the defendant's initial interaction was friendly. It then became flirty and then the conversation quickly turned sexual. Soon after that, the defendant was then sending photographs of himself. There's a certain naivety about the way the defendant has conducted these offences, because not only has he sent images of his own face, but he also indicated his name, his age and his address."

This enabled the group to attend McCarthy's family home. The sting operation and subsequent arrest were broadcast live online.

McCarthy, who now lives alone in a flat in Selby, North Yorkshire, declined his right to legal representation in court, saying: "I just want to get myself over and done with so that my family can have closure."

He said: "I'm sorry for what I've done. I'm just sorry for all the hurt and aggravation I have caused my family and everyone else involved."

Judge Andrew Menary said: "There's nothing sophisticated about this offending and there's plainly a bit of naivety about it. You made no attempts to hide your identity. Nonetheless this was deliberate activity involving people you believed to be young children."

He sentenced McCarthy to a total of 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He must also complete the Horizon programme for medium risk sex offenders, attend 20 days rehabilitation, and carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years, with a five year sexual harm prevention order.

Description

A paedophile with a fetish for young girls in school uniform used a website for train enthusiasts to groom a victim before arranging to meet her. David Flavell, 39, travelled from his home in St Austell to Snow Hill train station in Birmingham only to spot the 13-year-old with her mum and police officers.

Flavell, from St Austell, appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence via video-link from prison having pleaded guilty to a breach of a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard how Flavell was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order in 2017 after he was jailed for seven years for indecently assaulting two children. Flavell took indecent photographs of the two girls and distributed them on the internet. There were photos of girls in school uniforms in a shower and in a bath and taking part in sexual acts.

Regarding the most recent offence in April and May of last year, prosecuting barrister Victoria Bastock told the court that a moderator for the website Rail Cam UK noticed Flavell, who had been released from prison early on licence, striking up a conversation with a 13-year-old girl in the comments section.

Flavell offered her support when she said she was the victim of bullying, said he'd always be there for her, complimented her looks and personality and said he loved her, referring to her as his little sister. The girl told Flavell her age but he continued to promise to spend money on her. After the moderator shared his concerns and contacted the police Flavell moved the conversation onto another website.

It was at the other website that an arrangement to meet was made and after a first meeting was rescheduled, Flavell travelled from Cornwall to Birmingham only to see the girl with her mum and police.

He tried to escape but Flavell was subsequently arrested and in interview he said that he wasn't prepared to let the girl be bullied and he wanted to meet her to make her realise life could be so much more. Flavell, who was recalled to prison for the previous offence when he was arrested, said he knew what he was doing was wrong but his intentions were good.

Representing Flavell, Philippa Harper said: "He made full and frank admissions and admitted he was in breach of the order. His intentions were good. The majority of the conversations were about trains and no sexual photos were exchanged. He joined the site because of a genuine interest in trains and was not actively seeking out a child to speak to.

"A lot of the conversation was her confiding in him about being bullied. He wants to change and wants to offer his sincere apologies. He has a job lined up with an industrial cleaning company when he is released."

Sentencing, Recorder Mathew Turner noted that Flavell travelled a considerable distance to meet the girl, adding "there is clearly an element of grooming of a vulnerable child."

Recorder Turner said the offence was "a deliberate breach" of the sexual harm prevention order and that Flavell had been released on licence for less than a year at the time. Flavell was jailed for 14 months, but this latest sentence won't affect his recall release date for the original sentence of August next year. 

Description

The victim attended 'Mr MARRS' takeaway in OAKENGATES, TELFORD to see a friend and was told to go on a delivery with the suspect, Umar MEHDI. The victim went with MEHDI and he drove them to HORTONWOOD industrial estate. MEHDI stopped the car and indecently assaulted the victim by forcing her to perform oral sex. He has then told her to get out of the car where he has attempted to rape her vaginally. The original investigation was classified as 'Rape'. The investigation number is 22/15941/18.

Suspect description

Suspect name: Umer Hussanan MEHDI

Sex: Male

Age: 35 - 40

Build: Medium

Hair colour: Black

Facial hair: Goatee

Ethnic appearance: Asian

Crime type: Sexual Assault on a Female aged 13 and over

Crime location: Telford

Suspect name: Umer Hussanan MEHDI

Nickname: Umar MEHDI

Number of people involved: 1

CS reference: CS2303-18987

Police force: West Mercia

Additional Information

Warnings Weapons and violence.

Wanted: 2x warrants. 1x Indecent assault on a female under 16, 1x Fail to Comply with Sex offenders register.

Description

Noor is wanted for sexually assaulting an 8 year old girl in a Mosque. Can you help locate this dangerous male?

Full Details

Noor Alam was an Imam at a Mosque in Northampton where he taught religious studies to young children. Between October 2018 and October 2019 it is alleged that he was involved in sexual offences against young girls. He is considered to be a risk to children.

Crime type: Sexual Assault on a Female Child under 13

Crime location: Argyle Street, Northampton NN55LJ

Suspect name: Noor Alam

Nickname: N/A

Number of people involved:

CS reference: CS2302-18929

Police force: Northamptonshire

Suspect Description

Suspect name: Noor Alam

Sex: Male

Age: 35 - 40

Hair colour: Black

Facial hair: Beard

Ethnic appearance: Asian

Description

Shamus Harte (07/06/1996) of Lower Broughton, was today (Wednesday 16 August 2023) jailed for 12 years at Manchester Crown Court, after pleading guilty to the following offences:

• Meeting a child following sexual grooming
• Four counts of making indecent photographs of a child
• Two counts of rape of a child under 13 years of age
• Abduction of a child
• Possession of a bladed article
• Harte was also sentenced for theft and handling stolen goods offences completely unrelated to this case.

The court heard how, over a period of time, after engaging with the youngster via social media platforms, Harte obtained indecent images of her. He would also then regularly meet her in Broughton Park, where Harte would capture some of their encounters on his mobile phone.

Harte was arrested in March 2022 on suspicion of meeting a female child under 16 following sexual grooming and subsequently arrested in October 2022 for child abduction and possession of a bladed article. After reviewing his mobile devices, which contained child sexual abuse images and videos, Harte was charged with further offences of rape of a child under 13 years old and remanded in custody.

Welcoming in the sentence, DS Hannah Rudd and PS Camron Pierre, who were with the Complex Safeguarding Hub at the time of the investigation, said: "First of all, we would like to thank the victim and survivor in this case, and her family, who have shown dignity, bravery and strength in seeing this through to conviction and sentencing.

"We know that no amount of time is going to erase what Harte subjected her to, but we hope that today's result goes some way in allowing them to process what has happened and to begin to heal.

"This investigation was a long and complex one, in which the City of Manchester Complex Safeguarding Hub (CSH) worked tirelessly to gather evidence against Harte and see him subsequently locked up.

"This result showcases the multi-agency work between the CSH, social workers and local council, and we are happy that Harte is off the streets and no longer a threat to young girls.

Description

A serial child sex pervert exposed by the Sunday World after he planned to fly to London to shoot a ‘porno’ with young teenager is back behind bars, we can reveal.

Sleazy paedophile Gavin O’Kane has been caught for the third time, not only distributing vile child abuse images but also of sending a grossly offensive communication.

And he’s also being done for possessing cocaine and cannabis – in fact he blames his drug misuse for his shocking behaviour.

The 33-year-old from Market Street in Omagh, Co Tyrone was refused bail despite his barrister arguing his client’s rehabilitation could be hampered if he was forced to live amongst child perverts just like him!

In July 2020 the Sunday World exposed O’Kane for the first time after he’d been caught at Belfast International Airport where he planned to fly to London to meet a 13-year-old ‘girl’ with the aim of filming himself having sex with her.

However, he was arrested before boarding the flight to Luton and it transpired, he had been caught by a PSNI sting operation and the person ‘offering’ the 13-year-old girl for sex was in fact an undercover police officer.

At the time when we doorstepped him at his flat in Market Street, Omagh we revealed he lived just a few hundred yards from a primary school.

Now he has made admissions to the PSNI about a raft of fresh child sex offences, but he still lives at the same address.

At his trial in 2020 Dungannon Crown Court was told he also had over 6,000 vile images of children being abused and some of the pictures and videos included some of the most disturbing category.

We confronted the snivelling pervert to ask why he thought making a pornographic film with a child was acceptable behaviour.

The cocky sex beast, who was 30-years-old at the time came to his door looking dishevelled and with no top on and said he had nothing to say to us about his actions.

“I don’t want to talk to you about that,” he snapped.

O’Kane still lives in the heart of the busy town centre with shops, pubs and fast food takeaways nearby but he also lives just a few hundred yards from Omagh Primary School.

This week it emerged he is back behind bars after he was caught yet again by undercover police officers who were concerned about his recent behaviour despite the fact he’s currently subject to a Probation Order after avoiding prison last year for possessing a hoard of indecent child images.

He’s accused of 45 charges comprising 40 counts of possessing and distributing indecent images as well as a single count of sending a grossly offensive communication of an indecent or obscene nature.

He is further accused of breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by using a remote media storage device as well as possessing quantities of cocaine and cannabis.

Offending is largely alleged to have occurred on various dates between 24 July and 3 August.

A detective constable told Dungannon Magistrates Court police were made aware that O’Kane had been engaging online in highly sexualised conversation around child abuse with two males who were in fact undercover officers in England, over roughly a four-month period.

In July he sent them around 20 indecent images he had stored in an iCloud.

On receipt of this information police searched O’Kane’s home and his phone was seized along with amounts of cannabis and cocaine.

The images have yet to be categorised but, “It’s fair to say they are in the higher sector of seriousness,” said the detective.

O’Kane was arrested and made full admissions to the allegations during interview.

Objecting to bail the detective said, “He has 36 previous convictions and is currently under a Probation Order handed down by the court for similar offending. This is our third investigation into the defendant’s behaviour over a five-year period into child abuse images and he has admitted again accessing such images in recent months.”

A defence solicitor accepted the application for bail was difficult, but said, “My client took a very forthright, pragmatic approach and made full admissions therefore not putting the prosecution to the bother of further scientific and forensic examination of the devices seized.

“The discovery of illegal substances factor quite clearly and lead to the more substantive offending.”

The barrister also told the court his client could be made worse if he was placed with other child perverts like him.

“If he is remanded in custody he will be placed with persons who have perhaps committed similar type of offending and that may ultimately be a retrograde step for any potential rehabilitation,” he argued.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan however refused bail due to a risk of reoffending and failure to comply with conditions.

O’Kane will appear again by video-link at Omagh Magistrates Court in two weeks.

He first appeared under the radar of the police in 2016 when he started storing illegal videos and images on his Plat Station and laptop.

An undercover police officer was contacted by O’Kane expressing an interest in images.

Asked what age he preferred, O’Kane replied, “Five to 12-year olds but I always dream of a 10-11-12 year old.”

Later, he sent videos to the officer depicting brutal, sexual acts on female children and communication on 25 July 2016, contained particularly shocking suggestions of child abuse, too graphic and disturbing to publish.

Despite under investigation, in April 2018 O’Kane began engagement with a second undercover officer posing as living in England with a young step-daughter.

O’Kane disclosed a “Sexual interest in preteen girls” and enquired about having sex with the fictitious child.

He then booked a flight to Luton, on his understanding he would be met by the officer, whom he now referred to as “Good mate”.

But O’Kane was arrested at Belfast International Airport at 7am on 8 June 2018. His mobile phone contained thousands of images, many in the highest category.

Description

A man who followed a woman down an alleyway after she left a bar and then raped her has been jailed.

Loui Cadman, 25, filmed the woman on his mobile phone before attacking her in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, on 20 November.

He was given an extended sentence of 12 years and three months by Luton Crown Court.

Overseeing the hearing, Judge Rebecca Herbert told Cadman: "Your behaviour was predatory."

CCTV footage revealed Cadman followed the woman down an alleyway from Lake Street towards Duncombe Drive after she left a nearby bar at about 01:30 BST.

The court was told the woman had become separated from her friends that night and had lost her mobile phone.

After the attack, the woman reported what had happened to door staff at a nearby pub, which was reported to Bedfordshire Police.

Cadman was found near the scene and arrested.

Secret filming

When officers examined his phone, the intimate footage he had shot of the woman was discovered. They also found other video clips Cadman had secretly shot of young women.

The court was told since the attack the woman could no longer socialise or sleep and had suffered panic attacks.

Judge Herbert said: "I have no doubt you were walking the streets hoping to come across a vulnerable female who was very much the worse for drink."

Cadman, of Meadow Way, Leighton Buzzard, was found guilty of rape earlier this year. He had pleaded guilty to three counts of voyeurism, possession of indecent images and possession of cannabis.

He was told by the judge the extended prison sentence comprised of nine years and three months in custody and a period on licence of three years.

Det Sgt Shona Birkby, from Bedfordshire Police's rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO) team, said: "All the evidence shows Cadman had deliberately preyed on what he viewed as a vulnerable woman."

Ms Birkby commended the bar staff for helping the woman.

She said: "We all have a responsibility to help tackle male violence against women and girls.

"And their actions in supporting her and reporting what had happened to us has played a big part in this outcome."

Description

A Yorkshire woman says she has "lost track of the amount of times" she has cried when thinking about how she was raped, and suffers from nightmares years after it happened.

Last week, sick Vira Hussaini, 35, of Bradford, was jailed for four years at Leeds Crown Court after he raped a woman who was left with serious injuries in the terrifying attack in 2018.

Following the sentence, the woman told YorkshireLive she is now being supported by family and friends, but has suffered the effects of the attack since. She said: "He held me down by my wrists and raped me. He tore me, causing bleeding, which led me to seek support from the health sector. I was worried about the safety of other women and built up the courage to report him to the police in August 2019...

"We all thought he would have been given a longer sentence, however we are grateful that a level of justice has been served after many years suffering in silence."

In her victim impact statement, the woman told how she has "struggled tremendously" since the attack and said: "I feel that I have either no appetite, or spend time comfort eating. In relation to sexual health, I was worried about whether or not I had been passed a disease...Fortunately I was given the all clear."

The woman said she has since left work and has used her savings to pay for her mortgage and bills. She added: "I feel that my emotional wellbeing has been greatly affected, as I have lost track of the amount of times that I have cried when this incident has come into my thoughts. I have also suffered with graphic sexual abuse nightmares, to the point where a close friend has heard me screaming in my sleep. I must add that I have also felt panicked at times, like I am having heart palpitations."

In her statement, the woman - who cannot be named for legal reasons - said she had to have photographs taken of her genetalia and said she felt she lost her dignity during this. She said: "I feel that I have no privacy left and I am embarrassed that so many strangers from the court process are now aware of my personal matters. Sadly, the stigma of rape will always remain with me and I have to learn to continue living with that...

"I feel that my social life has been greatly affected too, as I have become more insular over the past few years. This has been due to the fact that I no longer feel confident or safe, which has left me feeling socially isolated at times. I have seen a negative impact upon my loved ones too....I have seen close and treasured family members and friends cry when taking the time to support me."

The woman said she has accessed support, including counselling, reiki, group therapy and has also engaged with an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor since the attack. She said: "Overall, the past four-and-a-half years have been immensely stressful and taken up so much energy. It has also taken up a significant amount of time, when trying to work through this trauma.

"I makes me feel sad that he could have admitted what he did and shown both acceptance and remorse a long time ago. This would have allowed me to access justice and closure, but instead I have had to endure the criminal court process, in order to fight for justice to be served.

"It is hard to describe in full how I feel after the sexual violence that I was subject to, although I have tried my best to explain...Ultimately what I am really trying to say is, I have air in my lungs, but feel like I can't breathe. And I have a heart that works, but feels broken. I now plan to rebuild myself and not allow this man to destroy me any further."

Description

Mohamed Elshamy met the victim in The Crypt, Robertson Street, in the early hours of Sunday 18 December 2022.

Within minutes, he was seen leading her out of the club and through an underpass to the seafront, where CCTV cameras captured him forcibly trying to kiss her and pulling at her clothing.

Footage then showed him further sexually assaulting the 24-year-old woman on the beach before walking away and leaving her alone and in distress.

Elshamy, 41, unemployed, of Carlisle Parade, Hastings, was identified through those CCTV images and arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.

He pleaded not guilty but was convicted following a trial at Lewes Crown Court.

At the same court on June 26, he was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment and was added to the Sex Offenders’ Register.

 Investigating officer DC Kelly Yates said: “Mohamed Elshamy had only met the victim for a matter of minutes before taking advantage of the fact she was intoxicated and in a vulnerable state, and sexually assaulting her for his own gratification.

Elshamy’s behaviour was dangerous and predatory and we’re pleased to see the severity of his actions reflected in a custodial sentence.”

Description

A paedophile attempted to rape a girl under the age of 10 in a sickening attack which she reenacted to police by using dolls. He went onto to grope a teenage girl after trying to convince her to send naked photos of herself.

Adrian Offer, 36, of Cardiff, was discovered after his youngest victim told her mother about the attack, which left her in pain and crying. When confronted, the defendant lied about committing the offence and blamed one of the victim's family members but he was disproved by a jury who found him guilty.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday heard attempted to rape his first victim by forcing her to straddle him, but he was unable to do so. He then sexually assaulted her.

When the victim told her mother, she described another incident when Offer sexually assaulted her. The police were called but the defendant denied the accusations.

It later came to light that Offer had sexually assaulted a teenage girl after she told her teacher he had groped her breasts. He also send her messages in which he tried to encourage her to send naked photos of herself, but she refused to do so.

Offer, of Kirkwall Court, Tremorfa, denied a count of attempted rape of a minor, two counts of sexual assault and sexual communication with a child, but he was found guilty of the charges following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court. The court heard he had previous convictions but none of them were relevant.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, the young victim's mother described how her daughter was seeking reassurance from staff members at her school, and will have days when she isolates herself from friends. It is was also said she had been reenacting what had happened to her with dolls, like she did in her police interview. The victim's mother said her daughter's behaviour had worsened, her routine and schooling had been disrupted.

She added: "I have been affected by this and so has my family. My mental health has suffered, I have been prescribed anti-depressants and I am unable to sleep.... I feel guilty I never knew what was happening and feel disgusted (Offer) did that. I just hope (my daughter) can forget about what has happened."

In her victim personal statement, the second victim said: "I feel safe now Offer has been arrested... My school has told my mother my behaviour has changed. I am not sure how it has made me feel. I don't like school as much as I used to and I go to my room and don't stay downstairs anymore."

The court heard there was little mitigation to be put forward on the defendant's behalf as he still maintained his innocence and accepted no responsibility for his offences.

Sentencing, Judge Lucy Crowther said: "This was brazen and persistent offending against two children.... Probation has said you are at high risk of committing further sexual offences against female young children. I am quite satisfied you are a dangerous offender and pose serious risk of harm to female children."

Offer was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with an extended licence period of four years. He will serve two thirds of the custodial sentence before he is considered for parole, and was made subject to sex offender notification requirements for life.

Description

A "sexually deviant" pensioner stood on furniture while performing sex acts out of his bedroom window as horrified children watched on.

Robin Cunningham repeatedly flashed kids outside his home over a period of more than a decade. The previously convicted sex offender was said to have "derived sexual gratification from being seen" by the youngsters, who were left "corrupted" by his sickening actions.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Wednesday, how he regularly exposed himself from the window of his home on Burnthwaite Road in Knotty Ash while masturbating. Olivia Beesley, prosecuting, described how his perverted behaviour - which persisted for some 11 years - was witnessed by children wearing their school uniform and aged as young as four, while one recorded him with her mobile phone.

Cunningham would "sometimes stand on the bed or dressers" to "become more visible" to his victims. The 68-year-old has one previous conviction for indecent exposure, being fined in 1998 after "masturbating in the street towards females".

A statement read out to the court on one complainant said he had shown a "calculated pattern of behaviour" and that she would be left "struggling for the rest of her life" as a result. She added: "I was inducted into a dark and malicious world I was not ready to experience."

Cunningham, who was said to suffer from diabetes and anxiety, formerly worked for an insurance company before taking redundancy aged 50. Tom Watson, defending, told the court: "This is a deeply troubling case.

"He has caused very severe distress by his behaviour over a considerable period of time. The evidence is that his particular sexual deviance is exhibitionism, and that anyone can be targeted.

"It may be a step too far to say it is targeted rather than sexual excitement from the knowledge someone is watching. It seems to fit someone who has become entrenched in non-consensual exhibitionism and that sexual deviance.

"He understands that has included children here. This sexual deviancy does need to be addressed.

"It seems there has been, by him, a complete cessation in this behaviour. We are now over two years from that point in time.

"He is keen to explore what is going wrong in his life. He had been a working man up until the age of 50.

"He appears to have become ever more isolated and removed from the rest of the world. His isolation appears to be a significant factor in this sexual deviancy, which is something he felt from an early age.

"He has come to court today with his bag packed. He is deeply concerned, and in particular fearful, for his wife - who is 76 and depends on him.

"He has come with the right attitude, and he has not come expecting favours. What is required at this stage is intensive and meaningful intervention. This is not a life he wants for himself. It is deeply humiliating for him and for his entirely innocent wife.

"This needs to be addressed. Although he is on the thinnest of thin ice, it might be a sentence that could be suspended.

"He has been staying out of trouble. The signs are good."

Cunningham admitted five counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and three of exposure. He was jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Sentencing, Recorder David Knifton KC said that the defendant had engaged in "disgusting behaviour" and added: "On numerous occasions over a period of 11 years, you deliberately masturbated while standing naked in your bedroom window so you could be seen. It is clear to me that you derived sexual gratification from being seen in these circumstances.

"Your actions undoubtedly had a corrupting effect. You have frankly admitted that you have had a sexual interest in exhibitionism from an early age.

"You became bored and socially isolated. To your credit, you have demonstrated a commitment to seeking to change your behaviour."

Cunningham was told to sign the sex offenders' register for life. He was also handed a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order preventing him from contacting the complainants, both of which will run for the next 10 years.

Description

Sex offender Luke Jackson who stayed in the same house as a child without informing the police has been spared jail. The 34-year-old was convicted of sexual assault and intentionally touching a woman in 2018.

He was sentenced to a community order and placed on the sex offenders' register for five years. But he failed to comply with the notification requirements of the register by staying 12 hours or more in a house without telling the authorities; spending seven nights or more at an address in Fegg Hayes without notifying the police; and failing to register a Snapchat user name of 'Jacko01p*sshead'.

Now Jackson has been sentenced to 24 weeks in jail, suspended for two years, at North Staffordshire Justice Centre. Prosecutor Shelley Galluccio said Jackson was convicted of sexual assault on October 24, 2018 and was placed on the sex offenders' register for five years.

She said Jackson completed his notification with the police on February 4. Miss Galluccio said: "However, he did not provide any alias names he had used.

"On April 20 police were made aware he had been in a relationship with a woman and was having contact with her child and staying over at an address he had not given them.

"The woman said she had met him in a bar in Newcastle. He used a social media name of 'Jacko01p*sshead' which had not been notified to the police.

"He stayed at the woman's house for five to seven nights in one block and her son had been present.

"On April 20 her ex-partner arrived and made him leave the property. The child had been present at the address during this time. The woman was not aware of Jackson's history."

Jackson, of Vale Street, Stoke, pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders' register.

Janice Sain-Reiners, mitigating, said: "It was a new relationship. He did not want to tell her of his past. That was his error. He should not have been in the company of a child without any proper notification or exploration by the authorities.

"There are alcohol issues which affect his way of thinking. He self-referred to Stoke-on-Trent Community Drug and Alcohol Service (CDAS) but they did not phone back."

She added that Jackson has the offer of work with a fencing and timber company.

Magistrates suspended the sentence as they believe there is a good prospect of Jackson being rehabilitated. As part of the suspended sentence Jackson must complete a six-month alcohol treatment requirement; an accredited sex offenders' programme and a rehabilitation activity requirement for 55 days. He was ordered to pay £185 costs and a £154 surcharge.

Description

A man who was caught by a paedophile hunting group after he attempted to meet a 14-year-old girl in Grantham was today (Wednesday) jailed for 16 months.

Steven Slater, 59, was apprehended after he attended Grantham railway station on July 24 last year and in fact met a 46-year-old woman who was acting as a decoy to target sex offenders.

The paedophile hunting group made a citizen’s arrest of Slater, who was living in Grantham at that time, and contacted Lincolnshire Police.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Slater had been in contact with the decoy on social media for two months.

The decoy had made it clear during their very first contact that Slater was talking to someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl, the court was told.

Phil Howes, prosecuting, said Slater caused the decoy to watch a sexual video on the very first day of their contact and later asked her to take a photograph of her breasts.

Mr Howes told the court: "There was evidence the defendant had tried to cover his tracks by removing many of his messages.

"He did not realise those live conversations had been recorded."

In total 23 video recordings were made over 14 different days, the court was told.

Mr Howes said there was also talk on July 8 of the girl travelling to Grantham railway station and meeting the defendant, who would take her fishing.

This progressed to the decoy telling Slater that she had bought a £45 open ticket.

"The defendant tells her he was looking forward to meeting her," Mr Howes added.

"The arranged meet on 24 July took an unexpected turn after the group contacted the police to say they had carried out a citizen’s arrest in Queen Street, Grantham."

During his first interview, Slater said he thought the girl was 17.

The court heard that since his arrest, Slater had moved to an address in Gains Close, Canvey Island, Essex, and his marriage had ended.

He admitted five offences between May 20 and July 24, 2022.

They included causing a 14-year-old girl to watch sexual acts, attempting sexual communication, attempting to cause or incite a girl to engage in sexual activity of a non-penetrative nature and attempting to meet a girl aged under-16 following grooming.

Neil Sands, mitigating, told the court Slater entered his guilty pleas at the very first opportunity when he appeared before Lincoln magistrates and argued a suspended sentence would allow him to work with the Probation Service.

"All of these offences arise during the same 61-day period," Mr Sands added.

"I have seen his shame [over] what he has done and Your Honour can no doubt see that over my shoulder.

"He is not a man who lied about his age. It was on his Facebook profile. He wants nothing more to do with the internet."

Passing sentence Recorder Graham Huston accepted no real child was involved but said the communications ran to hundreds of pages.

Recorder Huston told Slater: "In this case you attended Grantham railway station to meet a 14-year-old girl who you had been communicating with. In fact it was an adult."

"It is clear you deliberately set out grooming this girl," the Recorder added.

"You viewed her as a sexual object from the beginning."

Slater was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and must register as a sex offender for the same period.

Description

A pervert driving instructor has been convicted of sexually assaulting more teenagers during lessons after a fresh investigation.

Findlay Munro preyed on young women learning to drive in Edinburgh, touching them and making inappropriate comments.

Munro dodged a jail sentence last year after admitting targeting four victims while giving them lessons.

The 63-year-old appeared at the city’s sheriff court on Wednesday to plead guilty to offences against a further four pupils.

Two of the victims were just 17 when creepy Munro took advantage of being alone in a car with them.

The court heard how he sexually assaulted the teens by touching their legs.

Munro also made inappropriate comments to another two women while teaching them to drive.

Sheriff John Cook deferred sentence until next month for reports.

Munro appeared in court last September for sentencing after admitting the four earlier charges.

He was given two years supervision with a conduct requirement to undertake “offence-focused work”.

He was also put on the sex offenders register for two years.

But the court heard on Wednesday how further offences dating back to 2014 had been uncovered.

Munro admitted touching a 17-year-old’s leg without consent during lessons between August 2014 and April 2015.

He also pled guilty to sexually assaulting another 17-year-old by repeatedly touching her leg without consent during lessons between September 2015 and March 2016.

Munro admitted making inappropriate remarks and comments about a third pupil’s appearance for the purposes of gaining sexual gratification between September 2015 and April 2016.

And he admitted the same charge against a fourth woman between December 2019 and March 2020.

Last year the court heard how Munro, of the city’s Baberton area, repeatedly targeted four victims before a police investigation landed him in court.

Those offences took place between 2017 and 2021.

A mother previously told the Record how her 17-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by “scumbag” Munro. She paid for her daughter to receive weekly two-hour lessons from him when he was an instructor through Red Driving School.

She said: “She came back after the first lesson and told me Munro called all his pupils his ‘girlfriends’. I thought it was bizarre, but my daughter said it was fine, she just wanted to pass her test.

“Looking back, she would get really, really anxious before every lesson but I put it down to nerves.

“Then another girl said police were speaking to Munro’s pupils and my daughter said some things had happened to her.

“I got her to write it down, because it was difficult for her. It was awful to read. I was so angry and contacted the police myself to report it.”

Munro pled guilty to sexually assaulting the teen on various occasions on Edinburgh roads between December 2020 and August last year by touching her on the head and rubbing her thigh.