Latest Offenders

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Adam Ward, of Gateshead, admitted a series of offences including sexual assault, voyeurism and making and taking indecent images.

A pervert who sexually assaulted a young girl and secretly recorded children and adults in a toilet and changing room has been branded a dangerous 'monster' and jailed.

Adam Ward's vile activities were revealed when police seized his computer equipment. They found thousands of indecent images of children, including some he had taken himself and some showing he had sexually assaulted a very young girl.

Another series of images showed a different young girl using a toilet. He had also recorded a woman at the Sage music centre, where he worked, by hiding a camera in the ceiling in the toilet and filmed another woman from under a cubicle in a changing room. Recordings were also found of children in a changing room.

A pervert who sexually assaulted a young girl and secretly recorded children and adults in a toilet and changing room has been branded a dangerous 'monster' and jailed.

Adam Ward's vile activities were revealed when police seized his computer equipment. They found thousands of indecent images of children, including some he had taken himself and some showing he had sexually assaulted a very young girl.

Another series of images showed a different young girl using a toilet. He had also recorded a woman at the Sage music centre, where he worked, by hiding a camera in the ceiling in the toilet and filmed another woman from under a cubicle in a changing room. Recordings were also found of children in a changing room.

Now Ward has been branded as a high risk sex offender by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court as he was jailed for a series of offences.

The parents of the young girl he sexually assaulted and took indecent images of provided victim impact statements about the horrific discovery of what had happened. Her mum said: "I can't begin to explain the devastation and damage he has brought to our family.

"The emotions we go through include anger, sadness, guilt and heartbreak. I've not stopped crying since I found out about this.

"I feel physically sick wondering how he was able to do this and did he hurt her and scare her. I was unable to protect her, not knowing she was at risk of harm. He has shattered our lives."

The girl's dad added said he would have to live with the guilt of what happened to his "beautiful little girl" and recalled the "devastating news of what that monster had been up to".

Ward had also downloaded more than 22,000 indecent images of children from the internet, aged between six months and 15 years. There were also 33 search terms associated with people looking for such illegal material.

Ward, 28, of Milton Square, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to sexual assault, six counts of making indecent images of children, two of taking indecent images of a child, possessing extreme pornography and three counts of voyeurism. He was jailed for four years and four months with an extended licence of a further five years and eight months, by Judge Julie Clemitson. He must also sign the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Jane Foley, defending, said: "He has expressed remorse, albeit there's evidence of a lack of victim empathy. He is intelligent and had a good job working in finance."

Miss Foley added that Ward has autism and other mental disorders, including personality difficulties, anxiety and depression.

Detective Constable Elizabeth Biggins, one of the officers leading the investigation, said: “Ward’s actions are despicable, but we have been able to strike and secure the evidence needed to secure a conviction. I would like to thank the families involved for their assistance, resilience and patience throughout the investigation.

“I hope this sends a firm message to other potential offenders that our robust stance on this deplorable type of crime remains strong, and that the next person at your door could very well be us.

“I would always encourage anyone with information about this type of offending, or anyone who thinks they have been a victim, to come forward and talk to us. “You will be heard and supported, and we will work hard to ensure any offenders have their day in court.”

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A perverted partner sexually assaulted his sleeping girlfriend after she refused to have sex with him, a court heard.

James Skelton had sent his victim a message earlier pleading with her, Livingston Sheriff Court was told.

That weekend the young woman went to bed alone, leaving Skelton talking to her nieces and their mum who were staying over in their home.

Roshni Joshi, prosecuting, said the accused's girlfriend had fallen asleep in their bed on her right-hand side as normal, but at 3am she stirred and went to turn around.

When she woke up she was on her left-hand side and the accused’s right arm was over her side.

She was then sexually assaulted.

“She shouted at the accused: ‘What the f**k are you doing?’ She did not see him but could hear him saying: ‘I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!’ She left the room.”

Miss Joshni said the woman was aware of her phone vibrating as it received messages that night but did not look at them until later the same day.

The texts included messages from Skelton who told her: “I’m so, so, so f*****g sorry. I thought you were awake. I feel quite sick right now.

“You moved your hand out of the way and made a few noises. I’m so ff*****g sorry.”

A later message read: “You know I wouldn’t do anything like that without your consent.”

Skelton's victim told her aunt the next day what he had done and Skelton handed himself into police but on legal advice gave a 'no comment' interview.

Skelton, 26, of Bathgate, West Lothian, pleaded guilty on Monday to sexually penetrating his former girlfriend at an address in West Lothian on 30 August while she was asleep and incapable of giving or withholding consent.

He admitted that the offence was aggravated by involving abuse of a partner or former partner.

Sheriff Douglas Kinloch ordered that his name be added to the sex offenders’ register with immediate effect and adjourned the case until 4 November for a criminal justice social work report to be prepared before sentencing.

He told Skelton: “I’m not going to pass sentence today because as a matter of law I have to obtain a background report before sentence is passed.

“You must also as a matter of law be placed on the sex offenders’ register in relation to this case and the length of time you’ll remain on the register will be decided when sentence is actually passed.”

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A FORMER vicar has been jailed for possessing indecent images of children just a few years after a 10-year order against him for the same offence expired.

Peter Leslie Benson, 62, of Duckworth Lane in Bradford, pleaded guilty to four counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child on September 1.

On Monday, he was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court.

Benson – who appeared in the dock wearing a stripey blue top and had a thick grey beard with the same colour hair – was caught with 67 illegal images on devices seized by police. 

 These included nine category B images – those of children which involve non-penetrative sexual activity, and 58 category C images – footage which does not fall into the more severe categories.

There was also a category B video.

Police received a referral on August 22 this year from the National Crime Agency (NCA) stating a Twitter account associated with a similar address to Benson had uploaded indecent media, the court heard.

There had also been uploads made on Facebook, on an account registered to a “Peter James”, which police later linked to Benson.

He was arrested on August 30 and a number of items and devices were seized.

The court heard indecent images of children were found and there was evidence indicative of Benson having chats with children on Facebook.

The court records show Benson had possessed the images between September 19, 2014 and August 30, 2022.

But the prosecution said the 62-year-old claims he did not download them in 2014 – when Benson was the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order in relation to a conviction in 2010 – and that they may have been made then.

Benson’s defence lawyer said: “This is someone from an early age who has struggled with his sexuality.

“It’s clear he’s had difficulty to deal with that.”

He added: “If it was adult males it wouldn’t be a problem but it’s young boys and that’s what he needs to sort out.”

The court heard: “It’s not the strongest point but he hasn’t in the last 12 years reoffended, it’s clear if he has supervision and help it’s likely he won’t reoffend again.”

The magistrate said: “I’ve heard and read a lot about you, it goes without saying it goes across the custody threshold.”

He added: “This has happened 12 years after you were sentenced fpr previous sexual offences.

“I accept what your advocate again says that you haven’t been before the court in that time but it was right to say that once up, the sexual harm prevention order for your previous conviction you had, you have, on the face of it, reverted to type.”

The court also imposed a new Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will last indefinitely, preventing Benson from using any device that can access the internet unless it is registered with police, who can use software to monitor his activity.

The magistrate said this was to protect the public from harm and Benson.

He added the indefinite nature of it was “made on the facts in this case” and what happened at the end of the last order.

Benson was handed a nine-month jail term, suspended for two years, back in 2010 at Carlisle Crown Court for downloading 38 indecent images of children – who were aged between six and 16.

He was also made subject to restrictions under a sex offender’s prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Benson was a vicar at the time and lived in the Cockermouth area of Cumbria, serving parishes including St Bridget Church in Brigham, Christ Church in Great Broughton and Columba Church in Broughton Moor.

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Carlisle revealed Benson was suspended when he was arrested in November 2009 and was asked to resign when he pleaded guilty to the offences.

The spokesperson said:  “We are appalled to learn that Peter Benson has re-offended and are shocked and saddened to learn of his further crimes.

“They are crimes, of course, which have seen the terrible mistreatment of children and young people.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who are abused and violated in this way and we must continue to do all we can to protect these victims.

“As a diocese we continue to place the utmost importance on upholding all necessary safeguarding protocols and procedures.

“In Peter Benson’s case as soon as he was accused of his original crimes he was suspended and moved from the vicarage in which he was living.

“In August 2010 he received a suspended sentence and two years’ Supervision Order (Probation).

“He was also subject to a Sexual Offences Protection Order.

“He was prohibited for life from ministry and subsequently left the Church of England.

“All appropriate safeguarding plans were enacted should Benson have wished to attend church.” 

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A Helensburgh man who assaulted a dog with a sex toy has now also admitted sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl.

Rory Knox preyed on the child between January 2019 and March 2021.

The 39-year-old repeatedly asked her to open her legs before moving them apart.

Knox also made sexualised comments to her about her friends.

Knox hit the headlines earlier this year when he admitted abusing his partner's dog with a 10cm sex toy. 

He claimed that he was playing with the pet before the toy got "stuck" inside of her.

Knox begged his partner not to take the "stressed" dog to the vet in fear that he would be arrested.

He was later tagged and put under supervision for a year.

Knox pleaded guilty on Tuesday, October 11, to sexually assaulting the 10-year-old girl at a property in Milton of Campsie, East Dunbartonshire.

He also admitted directing sexual communication at a child for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification or to humiliate, distress, or alarm the girl.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard the girl came forward to police about Knox's behaviour towards her.

Prosecutor Hannah Sweeney said: "She recalled being in the kitchen with Knox and she was sitting on the fridge while fully clothed.

"Knox told her to open her legs and she said no.

"She recalled another occasion when she was sitting on the living room couch and she was asked to open her legs.

"She said he put his hands on her knees and parted them before she told him to stop as she didn't like it."

The girl also told officers that Knox made comments such as "I wonder how big their breasts are" after a WhatsApp video call to her friends.

Police later arrested Knox.

Sentence was deferred pending background reports by Sheriff Tom Hughes, who put Knox on the sex offenders register.

Knox had his bail continued meantime.

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A reign of terror aided by criminal brothers saw Dominic Noonan intimidate the public and police alike as his family made £50,000 a night from the the late 80s and early 90s clubbing drug scene.

An infamous paedo gangster who preyed on young boys got away with his sexual offences for years because police turned a blind eye, according to a former detective.

Rick Mortimer has told an employment tribunal that once, when he suggested his Greater Manchester Police colleagues intervened after spotting a suspected paedophile was leading a boy into a house, he was told: "What we can't see, we don't know about."

It is believed that man was Dominic Noonan who was, eventually, at the age of 53, found guilty of 13 historical sex offences against four boys as young as 10 and handed an 11-year sentence, Manchester Evening News reports.

But who was Noonan and why did the police fail to bring him to justice sooner?

Born to Irish parents and raised in the Manchester's Whalley Range suburb, Noonan was one of 14 siblings whose names all began with the letter D.

He and his brothers Damien and Dessie quickly developed reputations for armed robbery.

In the late 80s and early 90s, they also ran the city's doors including at the famous Hacienda night club, controlling who could sell drugs inside, while taking their own cut of around £50,000 a night.

Dessie was the enforcer and hitman, Dominic the cunning and charismatic entrepreneur and Damien cemented loyalties with donations to community causes. 

Their empire was rocked in 1991 when Dessie was accused of shooting rival gang leader "White Tony" Johnson dead in a pub car park.

But the trial collapsed amid rumours of jury tampering and Dessie was acquitted at a retrial.

Dominic, meanwhile, did his bit to deter pretenders to the Noonan's gangster crown in Manchester – using a machete to decapitate a rival gang's dog outside a pub before placing its head on a pool table inside.

His fear factor would diminish, though, when Damien and Dessie died in consecutive years – the former following a motorcycle crash in the Dominican Republic in 2004 and the latter, by then an alcoholic crack addict, when he was stabbed to death by a crack dealer.

Their brother's predatory sexual ways did not cease, though, nor did his criminal tendencies.

In 2005, he was jailed after a revolver and ammunition were found in his Jaguar.

He was freed on licence in 2010, claiming to have found God and even had a crack at stand-up comedy, but was soon back in prison after going berserk at a woman motorist who beeped at him as he crossed a road.

He reportedly tapped her car window with a copy of the a newspaper, which featured a story about him, and shouted: "Do you know who I am?"

Having been let out again, he was back inside for being a suspected ringleader during the 2011 Manchester riots. 

Then, while out of prison on licence in 2014, Noonan climbed 100ft up the city's Big Wheel in protest at the latest efforts to recall him.

Up there for six hours, he drew a 1,000-strong crowd, with some shouting "nonce", suggesting that fewer people were now as intimidated by him.

But Noonan escaped prison on that occasion and in 2016 he was found not guilty of engaging in a sex act in front of a minor, although he was convicted of perverting the course of justice by offering £5,000 to the boy’s family to get the charge dropped.

Two years later, though, police had compiled enough evidence to convict him for his sex crimes and Noonan could be locked up for most of his remaining life, having been handed a separate 11-year sentence for other crimes such as arson and blackmail. 

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A former senior Anglican clergyman in the North-East is facing a potential third prison sentence in six years after his latest conviction for indecent assault.

The retired Archdeacon of Auckland, George Granville Gibson, received sentences of 12-months and ten months, following convictions after trials at Durham Crown Court and Teesside Crown Court, in 2016 and 2019, respectively.

After a subsequent report and review into the Church’s handling of complaints against Gibson, dating from the 1970s and 80s, the Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverent Paul Butler, expressed, “deep shame and regret”, at his, “terrible crimes.” 

 The incidents involved young men, some classed as, “vulnerable”, who Gibson came across in his role in parishes across the Durham diocese, including St Clare’s at Newton Aycliffe, in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The now 86-year-old former churchman, of Worsley Park, Darlington, was back before Durham Crown Court this week, to face trial for three further counts of indecent assault dating from the late 1970s.

In this case the complainant was a man, then in his late teens, who was recruited from a local drama group to perform in a Christmas pantomime at the church.

He described how Gibson would be present for rehearsals in the church hall and, while often in a group situation, he would massage the complainant’s shoulders and move his hand further down his back.

It culminated in Gibson allegedly pulling the complainant towards his midriff and rubbing against him.

The victim said there were other similar incidents, in either the church kitchen or office, and at the home of another cast member at an after-show party.

He told the court he did not consent to any of the unwanted touching and was “shocked” but did not consider reporting it at the time as he felt he would never be believed.

The victim told the court it all came back to him when he read of Gibson’s 2016 conviction in a newspaper, and later, after he read of the allegations being brought that resulted in the second trial, in 2019.

He finally broke his silence and told his wife in 2018, after which he reported it to police.

When arrested Gibson said he could not recall the victim and denied the allegations, claiming he had no sexual interest in men at the time.

He said there came a period, in about the mid-1980s, when he was, “all mixed up” as to his sexuality, but he denied having behaved, as, “a predatory sex offender”. 

 Gibson, who maintained his denials when cross-examined, pointed out that he had been acquitted of some other allegations at his two past trials, and continued to protest his innocence to all the offences he has been convicted of in recent years.

He denied the latest three allegations of indecent assault, and, after three-hours’ deliberation was convicted of two of the offences on unanimous jury verdicts.

Addressing Gibson’s counsel, Robert Mochrie, Judge James Adkin said: “To an extent there’s an inevitability about the sentence.

“The only thing to make me hesitate is to the state of the defendant’s (medical) treatment, at the moment, and how that may be affected by the verdicts.”

Mr Mochrie said the defendant, “a man in his mid-80s in poor health”, begins a specific bout of three-rounds of chemotherapy treatment next week, but said he does understand he faces another immediate custodial sentence.

But Mr Mochrie said he would make submissions as to whether it should be immediate, given the prison terms Gibson served after the 2016 and 2019 convictions.

Judge Adkin said the defendant could have admitted the full extent of his offending after his trial in 2019.

“He didn’t and he could have done,” added Judge Adkin.

Bailing Gibson to return for sentence on November 24, the judge said he would hear submissions from prosecution and defence counsel before deciding if the latest sentence is to be an immediate one. 

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A man who sexually assaulted schoolgirls as young as 12 years old on buses has been jailed.

Albert Gago, 65, from Hackney, was sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday, 7 October for a series of attacks he committed on London buses.

The court heard he sexually assaulted eight girls, aged between 12 and 16, on services in Enfield, Hackney and Camden between September 2021 and June 2022. He will now be on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Officers launched an investigation into Gago after receiving reports of the assaults. He was later arrested at his home in Hackney and clothing at his address matched that of a man seen in CCTV recordings of the incidents.

Detective James Eccleston, who led the investigation, said: “Gago was a prolific offender who targeted young girls as they used public transport. He is dangerous and I am pleased this offending has resulted in a custodial sentence.

“I would like to praise the bravery of the young victims, who reported the offences to police and supported us throughout the investigation as we took Gago to court. We have supported them along the way.

“The Met is tackling violence against women and girls in all its forms. Women and girls have the right to feel safe, at any time day or night, in public or at home and no one should have to put up with sexual behaviour.”

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A paedophile from Stafford who was caught with 50,000 vile child sex abuse pictures has been locked up. Oliver Cadden had 'almost an industrial scale' of disgusting indecent images.

Many of the images downloaded by the sex offender, 43, were of children under the age of 10, Stafford Crown Court heard. Police found images and videos of abused youngsters on a storage tower and external hard drive in Stafford.

Cadden has now been jailed for 16 months for his offending. It comes after a judge said he had a 'deep-seated' sexual interest in children.

 The material was downloaded between August 24, 2019, and April 7, 2020, StaffordshireLive reports. Cadden admitted three counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of children and another charge of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

He also admitted a charge of possessing extreme images. Prosecutor Andrew Wallace said the images involved girls and boys.

Cadden used search words such as "pre-teen" and "hardcore". The defendant was caught with 12,163 of the most serious category A images, which included 831 being videos.

There was also 8,458 category B, with 410 videos and 31,800 that were category C with more than 400 videos. During a police interview on September 27, 2021, Cadden accepted responsibility for downloading the images on the devices and replied no comment to questions about sharing the files.

Jason Holt, defending, said Cadden had sought help for his offending and was remorseful for what he had done. He had written to the judge along with his father, brother and ex-wife, who he still has a good relationship with.

Mr Holt said: "He doesn't shy away from what's behind his offending and sorting these problems out. He's starting to come to terms with that behaviour."

Judge John Edwards said he would give full credit for the guilty plea and how honest he was in the letter and told Cadden he could 'see you are genuinely remorseful', adding this was his first kind of any criminal activity he had been involved in.

However, he said those that go into this "cesspit from the dark web" only encourage the abuse of children to continue.

The judge said that the volume alone suggested a 'deep-seated, engraved sexual interest in children'. Cadden, of Elworthy Close, in Beaconside, Stafford, was jailed for 16 months and made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order and will spend 10 years on the sexual offences register.

It was ordered that the computer and all of the materials were destroyed.

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A sex attacker who plied a woman with alcohol then raped her when she was unconscious has been jailed.

Ian Howdon waited until the victim was heavily intoxicated before taking advantage of her. When she came round during the degrading attack, she was horrified at what he was doing.

Howdon, just 19 at the time, denied any wrongdoing but was convicted by a jury of two counts of rape. Now the 21-year-old, of Hendon Burn Avenue, Sunderland, has been jailed for eight years and three months by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court.

Judge Robert Spragg told him: "You were plying her with alcohol that night, I'm satisfied you were trying to get her drunk. You fully intended to have sex with her that night.

"She became increasingly drunk, she describes herself as passed out drunk and a friend said she was nine out of ten drunk. You didn't care by this stage she was so drunk she couldn't possibly have consented.

"She had been sick and was essentially passed out when you raped her."

The court heard a camera outside the window of the room where the attack happened picked up an audio recording, which the judge said was "absolutely harrowing".

In addition, the court heard there was a recording of the 999 call made by the woman after she realised what was happening. Judge Spragg said: "The terror in her voice was awful to hear."

The court heard Howdon has never been in trouble before and handed in references, including one from a rugby club, about his ordinarily positive character. Gavin Doig, defending, said Howdon's behaviour in custody has been exemplary" and he has been praised by prison officials after he assisted another inmate during a medical emergency. Mr Doig added that Howdon is still young and was "immature" at the time he committed the offence.

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A HEATWAVE peeping tom has been jailed for spying on a 17-year-old girl as she slept on her bed naked at 6.30 in the morning.

The horrified teenager woke up to hear the sound of a camera phone snapping and saw a figure peering through a narrow gap in the blinds that covered her ground floor window.

She called her mother who shouted at prowler Kristoffer Roberts, pictured, causing him to flee. He was identified from doorbell video footage and his fingerprints were found on a beer bottle he dropped at the scene.

Roberts was already a registered sex offender, having previously been jailed in 2014 for using a phone to take 657 ‘upskirt’ pictures or videos of unsuspecting women.

He went on to attack his girlfriend so violently while high on drink and drugs that she was left traumatised and unable to carry on her training as a nurse.

Roberts, aged 29, previously of Drum Way, Heathfield, Newton Abbot, but now of Abelia Close, Paignton, admitted voyeurism, strangulation and battery.

He was jailed for a total of 22 months and put on the sex offenders’ register for a further seven years by Judge Peter Johnson at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him: ‘The victim of your voyeurism was a 17-year-old girl lying in her own bed asleep and naked because of the temperature. She became aware of someone standing by the window and of a clicking noise being made by a mobile phone taking photographs.’

Miss Felicity Payne, prosecuting, said the girl’s mother called police during a spell of very hot weather in August 2020 to report that a prowler had been taking pictures of her daughter through a small gap in the blinds.

He was identified through CCTV footage and arrested wearing the same baseball cap. He also dropped a beer bottle at the scene with his fingerprints on it.

Miss Payne said Roberts put his partner’s neck in an arm lock and strangled her three times with increasing force after she told him to leave her home in Torquay because he was drunk.

She was so badly affected by the ordeal and by his behaviour during their relationship that she failed nursing exams and is now appealing to be allowed to continue her degree.

Mr Martin Salloway, defending, said Roberts’s problems arose from his abuse of alcohol and drugs to mask the psychological effects of a violent and unhappy childhood. He is now addressing all these issues in custody and is truly sorry for the harm he has caused.

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A community centre cleaner, who raised thousands for charity, has been jailed for sexually abusing a child.

Peter Gibbons, from Exeter, worked at the Wonford Community and Learning Centre when the offences took place, Exeter Crown Court heard. Police arrested him when they found pictures of the naked child on his phone and drawers filled with children's pants.

Gibbons is well-known in the community for the annual Christmas lights switch-on and charity fundraising, Devon Live reports. Some members of the public who were in court for the sentencing had to be told to be quiet during the hearing on Friday (October 7).

The court heard that Gibbons has been at the centre of a "great deal of vitriol within the community" since pleading guilty. He admitted to six serious sexual offences against a child, including oral rape and making indecent images and was jailed for six years.

Exeter Crown Court was told Gibbins has a low IQ and "reduced cognitive functioning". Judge Peter Johnson said: "This was sexual abuse of a young boy by a man with significant intellectual difficulties."

Prosecutor Mr Peter Coombe said the abuse came to light earlier this year when the child revealed what had been happening. The defendant had frightened the child into silence by saying there would be trouble if anyone found out.

When police went to Gibbins' home they found him sobbing and saying sorry. In his drawers, they found sexual aids and bags of children's pants. Miss Virginia Cornwall, defending, said Gibbins was a man with limitations who would find it more difficult than most to be in prison. He lived with his mum and until this offending had not been in trouble before.

She suggested his behaviour did not amount to grooming but Judge Johnson disagreed and said grooming was a feature of the case. He added that the defendant's intellectual defects had to be taken into account when sentencing. Gibbins was also given credit for his guilty pleas.

He said the defendant was not dangerous within the legal meaning of the word but was an offender of particular concern and would have to serve a further 12 months on licence once he is released from jail. He must serve at least half of the six-year sentence before the parole board considers whether it is safe to free him.

Gibbins, formerly from Exeter but lately of Cockington Lane in Torquay, was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to restrict his contact with children in the future and must sign the sex offenders register.

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 AN on-the-run child sex offender whose disappearance from Cumbria prompted an appeal on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme has appeared before a Carlisle court.

Paul Hunter Redpath, 51, admitted three offences when he appeared via a video link before the city’s Rickergate court.

The court heard that the defendant, whose past offences include convictions for sexually abusing two teenage girls, put himself in breach of sexual harm prevention order by leaving Cumbria without the permission of his offender manager.

He admitted that offence as well as two allegations of failing to complete his annual Sex Offender Notification form for the police.

When he went missing, police issued an urgent appeal, stating that Redpath was last seen in the Kendal area but also had links with west Cumbria, Preston and Scotland.

He was described as being 6ft 4ins tall and having a distinctive grey beard.

George Shelley, prosecuting, said: “Essentially, since a date in 2019, Mr Redpath has been at large in respect of his monitoring and management of his risk in the community.

“It’s a persistent breach which had gone on for two years plus.” 

 The starting sentence point for the offences admitted by Redpath was one year’s custody, said the prosecutor, who asked for the case to be sent to Carlisle Crown Court given the more limited sentencing powers available to the magistrates.

Magistrates agreed with the prosecution assessment and sent the case to Carlisle Crown Court for a hearing on November 4. The court heard that the defendant had been recalled to custody and had been due for release from prison on October 11.

His criminal record comprises 63 past offences, with the last conviction being a breach of his sexual harm prevention order in 2018.

Defence lawyer Anthony Wilson said the defendant took a 'practical view' of his situation, and did not wish to apply for bail before he is sentenced.

In September 2018, Redpath was featured on BBC Crimewatch, named as one of seven men who were wanted by Cumbria Police.

Over his video link from Lewes Prison in East Sussex, the defendant said he wanted to return to Carlisle to be sentenced in person because of his situation in that at jail, saying: “I’m banged up 23 hours a day.”

Originally from Stranraer, Redpath has previously gone missing, prompting earlier appeals for information about his whereabouts. In 2009, The Belfast Telegraph described him as a 'dangerous sex offender'.

He had fled from a probation hostel, triggering a manhunt.

Redpath was jailed in 2006 for three years after he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing teenage girls, aged 13 and 15, at waste ground on the Killough Road in Downpatrick.

The Telegraph’s report stated: “Police have not said how long Redpath, who is known to abuse alcohol and is considered to pose a serious risk to vulnerable children and young people, has been missing.

"They said numerous attempts have been made to locate him and have warned the public not to approach him.” 

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A serving soldier’s career is over after he took part in sexual communication online with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

Steven Lancaster’s downfall was making contact with what, in reality, was a non-existent girl, ‘Megan’, via the Kik app, in October 2020.

Durham Crown Court was told the profile of ‘Megan’ was posted on the site Young Girls and Older Men by a member of the online child protection group Innocent Voices.

Christopher Bevan, prosecuting, said it was made clear to Lancaster, who was 34 at the time, that ‘Megan’ was purporting to be aged 14. 

 Mr Bevan said over a period of more than a month, it was, “prolonged and consistent communication”, where the subject matter was, “of a nature inappropriate for a person who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.”

The defendant sent her pictures of naked women and of a couple having “graphic” sexual relations.

Innocent Voices reported his conduct to police and when he was arrested officers seized his phone, on which they found indecent videos of children in the ten to 14-year bracket, two each in the most serious categories, A and B, and one in C, along with an indecent image of a child, also in the C bracket.

Mr Bevan said the videos were of between 30 seconds and one minute 59 seconds in duration.

Lancaster was interviewed and fully admitted the offending, but he denied having any sexual interest in children or that he gained any sexual gratification from the images.

The defendant, now 36 and of previous good character, admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, plus three counts of making (possessing) indecent images of children.

Amrit Jandoo, representing the defendant, pointed out that it was, “an attempt” as the child he believed he was communicating with did not exist.

Mr Jandoo conceded the images found on Lancaster’s phone were “abhorrent”

He said the background was the deep depression Lancaster suffered due to injuries suffered as a serving soldier.

“Despite him serving his country well, as seen by the references before the court, his career is at an end because of the offending behaviour.

“It’s very disappointing for him.

“His motivation is to recognise these are serious offences and probation can work with him.” 

 Judge James Adkin told Mr Jandoo: “He thought he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl.”

Mr Jandoo replied: “A Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) may assist with him behaving in that way.”

Judge Adkin said given that the risk thought to be posed to the public by Lancaster was “moderate”, and given the, “strong character references I have read, plus his medical problems and depression”, he could suspend the eight-month prison sentence for two years.

But the defendant, of Warner Avenue, St Helen Auckland, must complete 50-hours’ unpaid work, attend 30 probation-led rehabilitation activity days and a sex offenders’ group work programme.

He was also made subject of notification as a sex offender and a SHPO, both for ten years. 

Description

A paedophile subjected a young boy to years of sickening sexual abuse. The victim suffered in silence for more than two decades until he heard that his abuser had been convicted of online child sex offences, and he decided to go to the police to report what had happened to him as a youngster.

Gary Fisher has now been handed a 20-year extended sentence as a dangerous offender for the abuse his carried out on his young victim in the 1990s, abuse which the victim said had stolen his innocence.

Matthew Cobbe, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that Fisher carried out a campaign of sexual offending on his victim which began when the boy was aged under 10, and which continued for years. The offending included the attempted rape of the child. The court heard the boy would cry and say "no" while being abused but the defendant continued anyway, often placing a piece of material over the child's head during the attacks.

The prosecutor said the offending went unreported until earlier this year when the victim learned that Fisher had been convicted of attempted sexual communication with a child, an offence which had seen the 62-year-old asking what he believed to be a 12-year-old boy he met online for pictures of his penis. The boy was actually a decoy account being run by the the police. The court heard Fisher has already been given a suspended sentence for the communication offence.

In an impact statement, which was read to court, the victim said the years of abuse had destroyed his life. He said he had lived with the secret of what had happened for 20 years, shutting out the world around him and battling to keep the demons at bay. He said he had not sought counselling because he did not want to relive the memories of the abuse, and he said it was impossible to know what kind of person he would have been had the defendant not done what he did to him.

Gary Fisher, whose address in court was given as the Twelve Knights pub and hotel in Margam, Port Talbot, had previously pleaded guilty to 11 counts of indecent assault of a child, attempted buggery of a child and attempted rape of a child when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. Stewart John, for Fisher, said the defendant had indicated his willingness to seek help while serving the inevitable lengthy custodial sentence he was facing.

Judge Geraint Walters told Fisher that effects of abuse on the scale he subjected his victim to lasted a lifetime, and said his victim "Will take those memories with him to his last breath". The judge said he could not better the three words the victim had used in his statement to the court of "stole my innocence" to describe what happened.

The judge said as a matter of law he could not exceed the maximum sentence which would have been applicable for the offences at the time they were committed, even if the modern equivalent of those offences carried a greater maximum. He said the conviction from earlier this year showed that more than 20 years after the sexual abuse of his victim, Fisher was still seeking to engage with children in sexual way - he said in those circumstances he could come to no other conclusion than that the defendant posed a risk of causing serious harm by the commission of further specified offending.

With a one-quarter discount for his guilty pleas, Fisher was sentenced to a 20-year extended sentence as a dangerous offender comprising 15 years in custody following by an extended five-year licence period. The defendant can apply for release after serving two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence but it will be up to the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be released.

Description

Jason Sweeney, 25 of Chelmsford Avenue, Southend has been sentenced to four years and three months in prison, after demonstrating multiple instances of predatory behaviour and repeatedly breaching a court order placed on him that was secured by Essex Police MOSOVO (Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders).

Sweeney first came to the attention of Essex Police in 2020, when he had caused concerns around his behaviour towards children and vulnerable adults. Essex Police had issued Sweeney with a Child Abduction Notice, an early intervention tool to prevent predatory behaviour from an adult.

Officers had also secured a Sexual Harm Prevention Order on Sweeney and following a routine check on 28 August 2020, he was arrested on suspicion of six counts of breaching this as well as two counts of not complying with his sexual offender notification requirements, which had also been imposed on him. Following his arrest, investigating officers identified evidence of sexual offences which had been committed against children by Sweeney.

He was charged with eight offences relating to the breaches whilst MOSOVO continued to investigate the further offences including engaging in sexual communication with a child and meeting a girl under 16-years following grooming.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight months imprisonment for the breaches. Just two weeks after being released from prison on license in February 2021, Sweeney continued to demonstrate dangerous and predatory behaviour. Essex Police’s MOSOVO conducted a risk assessment and found that Sweeney had come out of prison, and almost immediately began to groom a young female victim. He was arrested again and charged with breaching his sexual harm prevention order. Sweeney was recalled to prison where served the rest of his original sentence and then remained in custody on remand. 

Last Friday (30 September 2022), Sweeney appeared at Basildon Crown Court and was sentenced to four years and three months imprisonment. Sweeney has been subjected to a Sexual Offender Notification for life and issued with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.