Latest Offenders

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AN evil thug dragged a schoolgirl into a field and repeatedly raped her as he held a screwdriver to her neck, a court heard.

Phillip Williams planned the attack which came after forcing his victim to take cocaine and alcohol.

After raping the child, the defendant - who was also armed with a length of rope - forced the muddy and half-naked girl into his car.

He took her on a lengthy journey to secluded woodlands in Port Talbot, Wales, where he beat her up and repeatedly demanded oral sex.

Sentencing Williams to 22 years in prison, followed by an eight-year licence period, a judge told him he was so deceptive and manipulative that friends and family had no idea what he was really capable of.

Swansea Crown Court heard the incident took place in the summer of last year when Williams put into action his plan to commit child rape.

The defendant forced his victim into a muddy field in the Llandovery area and beat her before stripping her, forcing her to consume alcohol and cocaine.

He tied her hands and then repeatedly raped her while holding a screwdriver to her neck.

The court heard the child was crying and resisting Williams during the ordeal and when she asked the defendant why he was doing what he was doing he replied: "Because I can."

After attacking the girl Williams – under the influence of cannabis and alcohol – took her phone and dragged her into a car taking her to woods near Margam Park.

Once in the woods he beat up the girl and again demanded oral sex, which was refused.

The court heard the girl eventually managed to retrieve her phone from Williams and flee the woods and she then called 999.

Police were soon on the scene and found the girl – muddy, half-dressed, shoeless, and in an extremely distressed state – and took her to safety.

An investigation was launched – which included looking for evidence at the site of the rapes where the child's underwear was recovered – and 48-year-old Williams was identified.

The defendant tried to evade capture but a manhunt by Dyfed-Powys Police and South Wales Police located him and he was arrested.

He denied all the allegations against him.

In a victim impact statement read to the court by barrister Helen Randall the teenager described the devastating impact of her ordeal.

She said she used to be an outgoing girl who would talk to anyone but now feels paranoid and untrusting of strangers and is constantly worrying about people's intentions.

She struggles to sleep, has lost weight, feels isolated at school, and keeps having nightmares that Williams will find her again no matter where she is.

The teenager said "it feels like he took control of my life" and "nothing will ever be the same again".

She said she feels like she wants to change her appearance, change her name, and move away to start a new life.

Judge Catherine Richards told Williams he had subjected his young victim to a "brutal" ordeal which had caused "severe psychological harm and has affected every aspect of her life".

The defendant can apply for release after serving two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be released and on what conditions.

Williams will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Speaking after the sentencing, Dyfed-Powys Police detective inspector Dale Thomas said the defendant had thought he could get away with his crimes.

But thanks to the bravery of the victim and the efforts of the investigating team he had been brought to justice, with the jury in the case taking just 40 minutes to reach its verdicts.

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A 40 year-old man has been sent to prison for 21 years with two years on licence after he was convicted of multiple sexual offences at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday 31 January.

Mark Turner from Corbett Road, Hollywood, Birmingham, was charged with:

• Gross indecency with a girl under 16
• Indecent assault of a female under 14
• Cause/incite a child to engage in sexual activity by penetration
• Sexual assault of a child

The charges relate to child sex offences against three victims, two of whom were discovered following the initial report which was made to detectives in 2018.

Detective Constable Fiona Millership said: The verdict and the sentence handed down to Turner will I hope offer some solace and comfort to those he hurt.

Tuner is a predator of children and once our investigation was under way, we uncovered more victims who, between 2001 and 2004, he also abused and sexually assaulted.

Not only should the sentence of 23 years serve as a warning to those sexually abusing children but my hope is that it reassures other victims and survivors that they can trust us to find them justice. If you have been abused, sexually assaulted, raped or exploited, talk to us and let us help you.

If you feel you are a victim of any sexual offence you can report it to us via West Mercia's Victim Advice Line on 0800 952 3000 or visit www.victimadviceline.org.uk. This is a free, independent and confidential support service. In an emergency always dial 999.

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A 29-year-old Eaglescliffe man who pleaded guilty to five charges relating to sexual communications with four children has received a four-year prison sentence and he will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) for 10 years.

Jonathan Wall appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Friday (17th February) where he received his sentence.

Detective Sergeant Derric Wade from Cleveland Polices Child Abuse Investigation Unit said: We will continue to do all we can to protect vulnerable children from abuse whether that be in person or, as in this case, online.

Walls offending understandably had a terrible impact on the victims and on their families who then had to hear the full details in court.

On that note, Id like to pay tribute not only to the victims but also to their parents and extended family who were key to supporting the victims when they came forward to speak to specially trained officers, and for their general support throughout the investigation and court process.

I hope the fact that Wall will spend time in prison and that he will also be subject to strict conditions and restrictions for a considerable period will bring them some relief as they continue to come to terms with what happened.

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A paedophile was caught with images of children as young as five-months-old being abused, a court heard.

Sean Hammerton has a history of sexual offences involving children stretching back six years. 

The 28-year-old asked online forum users for “young selfies” and said he was “into those aged 10 plus".

When officers seized his silver iPhone they found 730 still and moving images of children, aged six months to five years.

They also found images of “extreme bestiality”.

Prosecuting, Mr Andrew Houston said that the defendant boasted online about how he “kept his images so they couldn’t be found".

Hammerton, of Bursledon Road, Southampton, appeared at the city crown court on Monday charged with possessing and distributing indecent images of children, and possessing extreme pornography.

He pleaded guilty to the offences committed between 2017 and 2020.

He also admitted to breaching a suspended sentence. 

Mr Houston told that in 2016 Hammerton was handed an 18-month suspended sentence for distributing and taking indecent images of children, sexual assault, and voyeurism.

In 2020 he was found to be in breach of a sexual harm prevention order after using an incognito private browsing mode to watch porn.

He was also caught with three prohibited images of children. 

Speaking on the previous convictions, Mr Houston said: “When the defendant was 16 he began discussing the sexual abuse of others.

“His crimes spanned over 10 years.

“He then went on to commit further offences during the period of his suspended sentence.”

Defending, Charles Gabb said that entering a guilty plea was Hammerton’s “sincerest way of expressing remorse".

He said: “The effect upon others is very reprehensible.

“Mr Hammerton has got to do something about this because it’s longstanding and a problem.

“This dark side of his life can be exposed in such a format that he learns ways to avoid it in the future.

“Sometimes, it takes people a bit longer to face reality.

“One can only hope that a new chapter of his life is about to begin.”

Passing sentence, Judge Nicholas Rowland said: "There are a number of passages of offending after your previous conviction.

"I can see you are highly manipulative and you do pose a significant risk of harm."

Hammerton was jailed for four and a half years.

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A REGISTERED sex offender who was found to be living with a two-year-old child has been put behind bars.

Jason Bell, of Firs Chase, West Mersea, was being monitored by the police due to a sexual harm prevention order imposed upon him.

Essex Police said Bell posed a “serious risk to young girls” and the order was in place to protect vulnerable people.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard the sex offender was banned from owning internet enabled devices unless monitored by Essex Police and had to notify officers of changes to his address.

But the 33-year-old tried to evade detection by residing at a new property which officers were unaware of.

In November, Essex Police received a call informing constables of Bell’s whereabouts and that there was a two-year-old child at the address.

An officer was deployed to the scene and arrested Bell after spotting him returning to the property.

Appearing before the magistrates, Bell was sentenced to one years imprisonment.

Investigating Officer Harry Callaghan said the defendant “genuinely believed” he wouldn’t go to prison.

“I acted quickly on the intelligence received and was able to attend the address," he said.

“Bell had unfortunately run away from the address after seeing the police but after a short wait around the corner, I was able to witness him return to the address I knew he shouldn’t have been at.

“Bell thought that he could continue to breach the order which we’d placed upon him to keep vulnerable people safe. He genuinely believed that he wouldn’t go to prison.

“I made sure that the courts were fully briefed about the risk he presented and am pleased that he received a custodial sentence.”

Mr Callaghan, is part of the team which manages sexual offenders and violent offenders.

He continued: “Essex Police is constantly looking at the measures we can use to keep everyone, especially young women and girls safe.

“Anyone on the Sex Offenders Register and who poses a risk will be monitored by my team.”

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A SEX offender from Newport has been jailed after being caught with explicit images of children - just months after he had been spared jail for the same reason.

James Snowden, of Chepstow Road, was handed a suspended sentence and ordered to register as a sex offender in September 2022 after being convicted of “a number of offences” involving possessing indecent images of children.

On November 29, sex offender officers paid a visit to Snowden’s home and inspected his devices to check he was complying with the order.

Snowden’s Samsung Galaxy phone was checked, and the officers found he had logged into an image sharing site on November 4, 5, and 9 – and that its history showed “at least one video” had been shared, prosecutor Martha Smith-Higgins said.

Ms Smith-Higgins told Newport Crown Court that Snowden had also created a server on the messaging service Discord, which he told officers he used to “create a chatroom with polyamorous couples”.

Further examinations of his devices revealed 38 computer-generated images which depicted penetrative and non-penetrative sex between adults and children.

Snowden was arrested on January 4 at Newport Police Station.

He told officers his failure to follow the sexual harm prevention order was “the result of misunderstanding” the order, Ms Smith-Higgins said, though he later pleaded guilty to all charges.

In mitigation, Alex Greenwood told the court that Snowden had been arrested before the courses he had been ordered to complete to help rehabilitate him had begun.

“The Horizon course was due to take place five days after the defendant was arrested,” he said.

Mr Greenwood added Snowden had attended “47 of the 55 appointments” required as part of his suspended sentence, and “had excuses for all bar one of the others”.

Snowden suffers with anxiety and depression, Mr Greenwood said, and referring to his offending, said: “He has an underlying issue clearly”.

Recorder John Philpotts sentenced 26-year-old Snowden to nine months in prison each for two breaches of a sexual harm prevention order and possession of a prohibited image of a child – running concurrently.

He was also jailed for a further nine months – running consecutively – for breaching a suspended sentence.

Snowden was ordered to re-register as a sex offender for 10 years, and was made the subject of a new sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

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A Huddersfield predator who had sex with a young girl and threatened to take his own life if she ended their "relationship" has been jailed.

Tyler Ward, 20, has been given an extended sentence for the offences which saw him have sex with the teenager in his room at his home in Smiths Avenue. The girl - who reported Ward to the police in 2021 - told officers his demands for sex were "persistent" and she "just gave in to please him."

Prosecutor Adam Walker told Leeds Crown Court on Monday: "She said sex took place several times and she didn't say she was forced but on the first occasion he tried put to force her hand to his groin and his head."

The court heard sexual activity that took place caused the girl pain and when she told Ward to stop he said: "Just five minutes more." Mr Walker said: "She said he would give her drugs like cocaine and alcohol. She says that he would emotionally control and manipulate her and said she did not want to take cocaine and he said she would and if she did not he would split up with her.

"He said he would kill himself and it would be her fault if she split up with him. He said if she called the police, any that came would be 'stabbed up' and he threatened her family."

While he was still under investigation for those offences in August last year at around 12.30am, Ward attempted to try and rob two men in a pub beer garden using a BB gun.

The court heard how Ward wore a black ski mask and "made demands for money." Mr Walker said one of the men grappled with Ward and thought he heard the gun be discharged before police arrived and Ward was arrested. She sad: "The man woke up in pain the next morning and there was an injury. He thought he had been shot with the BB gun. He also had a graze to his elbow."

Ward told officers in his police interview that he was, in fact, the victim, and he had gone to the pub with the imitation firearm "to show people" who he thought "would be interested."

Mr Walker said: "He said he had been assaulted and was drunk and had drunk Jack Daniel's whiskey."

The court was told Ward had three previous convictions for eight offences which he had been sentenced for as a juvenile. These included dwelling house burglary and non-dwelling burglary.

Anastasis Tasou told the court Ward had never received a custodial sentence and a pre-sentence report and psychiatric report had been undertaken. He said the psychiatric report diagnosed him with emotionally unstable personality disorder. The barrister said: "There are numerous incidences of him self harming and issues with his mood, with depression, with him seeking help for his issues."

The court was told Ward pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 at an adjourned plea, trial and preparation hearing in November last year. He pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm at the time of committing an offences and two counts of attempted robbery in February this year.

Mr Tasou said Ward's father is sick and has a terminal condition, meaning he has been unable to visit his son while he has been remanded into custody. He said: "He is really scared and has asked me to put across that while he is serving his sentence his father may pass away. These offences occurred when he was still very young and wasn't receiving help for his mental health as he should have done."

Judge Rodney Jameson KC made Ward the subject of an extended sentence made up of five years in custody and an extended licence period of four years.

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A child rapist has been branded a significant risk to the public as he begins a 12-year prison sentence.

Anthony Rennard, 28, raped a teenage girl in 2020. Prosecutor Richard Bennett told Teesside Crown Court that the girl "froze" and initially felt unable to report the crime, but did so six months later.

Rennard, now of HMP Holme House, Stockton, but formerly of Brougham Street in Darlington, denied rape but was convicted after a trial late last year.

The court heard that the girl still struggles to sleep, has nightmares and cannot go near the area where she was attacked. In a statement she said: "I feel low. It's affected my education, I don't want to get out of bed.

"I feel like this has changed my life forever."

Nicholas Askins, mitigating, said that Rennard started drinking when he was of primary school age and that a psychiatrist had found that he has cognitive difficulties. The court heard that while on remand, Rennard has taken courses in reading and writing in prison.

Judge Timothy Stead told Rennard that he poses a significant risk to the public and jailed him for 12 years. Rennard must sign the sex offenders' register indefinitely and was made subject to a restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting his victim or mentioning her on social media, for an indefinite period.

Rennard has previous convictions for burglary, firearms offences and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. In 2016, in Glasgow, he attacked a friend over a £30 debt.

He slashed the man's face with a Stanley knife and dragged him out of a house, kicked and punched him, before stamping on his head. Rennard served a five-year-seven-month-sentence for the attack.

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A suspect police have been hunting for more than four years in connection with an attempted rape in Kent is now among the top five most wanted men in Britain.

Detectives are trying to track down Malek Zafar following the reported attack in the Tonbridge area in 2018.

Anyone who knows his whereabouts is urged to call police on 101 quoting Wanted and reference 46/YY/11528/18.

Zafar is part of Crimestoppers' list of the top five most wanted fugitives hiding in the country.

The independent charity is appealing for the public’s help to find the five men, who are wanted for murder, rape and sexual assault, attempted rape, large-scale drug dealing and fraud.

Up to £5,000 is being offered for each of the men for information Crimestoppers receives that leads to their arrest.

Mick Duthie, director of operations at the charity, said: "These wanted individuals have managed to evade justice for too long. They are a danger and need to be found.

"These fugitives could be living or hiding near you, so if you recognise any of them, please contact us urgently. If you’re interested in a reward of up to £5,000, ask for a unique reward code when you contact our charity.

"Call our UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or fill in our simple and secure anonymous online form on our website. Nobody will know you contacted us.

"Tell us where they are and whilst we’ll protect your identity, you can help protect your community."

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Sheriff Paul Brown said twisted paedophile Logan Summers posed a "danger to the lives of the public" and has remitted sentencing to Scotland's top criminal court.

A Snapchat sex offender has been branded so dangerous to the public that a sheriff has been forced to remit his case to the High Court for sentencing.

Sheriff Paul Brown said twisted paedophile Logan Summers posed a "danger to the lives of the public" and a sheriff court sentence would be inadequate. Summers trawled social media to find young victims to sexually blackmail before luring vulnerable young girls to run away from home.

The 20-year-old helped one girl travel across country before pitching a tent on city wasteland and having unprotected sex with her. Summers, from Dundee, admitted a huge catalogue of vile offences against children as young as nine-years-old when he appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court.

His solicitor David Duncan said: "The court can properly form the view that the public would be at risk if Mr Summers was to have his liberty at this time. I fully accept custody is appropriate and inevitable and that requires to be a relatively significant period to reflect the charges.

"There is a danger he could become even more isolated or detached from society than he already is by the imposition of a considerable sentence."

Sheriff Brown said: "I should remit to the High Court of Justiciary for sentence where I hold that any sentence I impose is inadequate. The risk criteria has been met.

"The pattern of behaviour is such as to demonstrate that there is a likelihood, if he is at liberty, that he may endanger the lives or wellbeing of the public at large."

Summers - who is already serving 18 months after bragging about child rape and encouraging schoolgirls to join him in abusing children - was remitted. He admitted a total of 19 charges relating to sexual offences committed during a 12-month period from March 2021.

The Crown accepted not guilty pleas to a further 13 charges. Fiscal depute Lynn Mannion told the court that Summers trawled Facebook and Snapchat to identify young potential victims across Dundee and further afield.

In one case he managed to get himself added to a Primary Six Snapchat group before sending sexualised messages to the children. The court was told that Summers was described as one of the youngster's "boyfriend."

He met another girl through Facebook and persuaded her to send him nude pictures. When she refused to send any more he threatened to report her behaviour to her parents.

At one stage, he sent a video of himself. The court was told that the recipient of the material was "disgusted" by it.

Summers admitted luring a 15-year-old girl from her home to meet him in a park in Dundee by pretending to be just a few months older than her. He immediately tried to sexually assault her when she met him, and the girl followed Summers home to his flat because she was scared of the consequences of returning home after going missing.

Ms Mannion said: "She stayed in the accused's bedroom for a number of days. He repeatedly tried to touch her.

"He repeatedly tried to pull her trousers down. He eventually managed to pull her trousers down, before removing his shorts and exposing his penis. She was distressed and persuaded him she should leave."

Summers broke bail by continuing to communicate with the girl. Summers then bullied and blackmailed another 13-year-old girl into sending him explicit photographs and asked her to take nude images while she was at school.

When she asked him to delete the pictures, he said: "I'm keeping everything. You just need to be good and I will never post them.

"If I ask you to do something I expect you to do it. I'm willing to risk it. You belong to me now."

He then got in touch with a 14-year-old girl from Glasgow who revealed that she was unhappy and was considering running away from her foster home.

Ms Mannion continued: "He arranged to meet her on 7 March 2022 in Glasgow. They got a bus to St Andrews and then to Dundee. He brought a tent and assembled it behind Iceland supermarket.

"They spent the night in it. They spent the next day shopping and the next night returned and assembled the tent in the dark."

She said Summers had unprotected sex with the girl. Summers is already on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years after previously appearing in the same court and admitting a series of similar charges.

In that case, he sent explicit child porn images to random youngsters and told one girl to carry out a sex act on a child she had been photographed with. Summers, of Dundee, spent several months using Snapchat - where he used the moniker "DundeeShock" - to target innocent victims.

Summers messaged one victim: "Wanna see child porn? I'll rape your ass. I'm gonna get you pregnant and rape the baby."

Summers sent the girl an image of a child being abused and boasted that it was "just like" the time he raped a child he was babysitting for. "Meet up with me," he told her. "I'll just rape you then. I'll rape you like I raped a child I was babysitting." He sent a picture of a naked child.

The court heard that the girls were not known directly to the former Harris Academy pupil, but he had worked out they lived in and around Dundee from their social media profiles.

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Isle of Wight councillor, Daryll Pitcher, has been found guilty of historic child rapes.

It follows a six-day trial at the Isle of Wight Crown Court, which concluded today (Monday).

Five hours to make decision
The jury retired for its deliberations this morning and after nearly five hours had made its decision.

Pitcher, 46, has been found guilty of two counts of rape between June 1990 and March 1992.

11-1 found Pitcher guilty
The jury reached a majority verdict on the counts, as members could not all agree, with 11 to one finding Pitcher, of Norman Way, Wootton, guilty.

Earlier in the trial, Pitcher had been found not guilty of indecent assault of a girl under 14 years as the prosecution presented no evidence.

Sentencing in April
A pre-sentence report was requested by Recorder Richard Onslow before, sentencing on 12th April.

Mr Onslow told Pitcher all sentencing options were open to the court and thanked the jury for listening to the case with care, as he noted at it had not been an easy one.

Sex Offenders Register
Pitcher will now be placed on the Sex Offenders Register and was bailed to appear at the sentencing, with the condition he did not contact the victim.

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Detectives praised the bravery of child home predator Gerald Raffells three victims.

Gerry Raffell, now 74, was working in two childrens homes in Yarnton and near Wallingford when he carried out the sickening abuse against the three boys. One of the boys was molested with a rubber bullet, while others were abused in their dormitories or in the bath.

Jailing him for 11 years at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, Judge Maria Lamb said of the victims: They were in desperate circumstances: isolated, without the support of their families, and you betrayed their trust. You can read our full report from the sentencing hearing here.

Welcoming the double-figure jail time, Cowley police stations DC Martin Turner said: The victims of these abhorrent offences were vulnerable children, who should have had every right to feel safe.

Raffell abused his position of trust to commit these offences.

Even though a significant amount of time has passed since the offences, when they came to light, we commenced an investigation.

Thames Valley Police is absolutely committed to investigating offences such as these, no matter what the passage of time.

He added: The bravery of all of the victims meant that a serious sex offender has finally been brought to justice.

Raffell was responsible for assisting vulnerable children in their time of greatest need, and he callously used their vulnerabilities to his advantage in a grotesque breach of trust.

He has now been given a lengthy prison sentence, and I hope that this will serve as solace to the victims that justice has been served.

No matter how long has elapsed, we commit to investigating non-recent offences, and we will always seek to bring offenders before the courts to face up to their offending and face justice.

His comments echoed those of Judge Lamb, who told Raffell on Friday: I have heard, as we all have, the victim personal statement read out to this court which talk about the effects of what you did upon each of these individuals.

All can understand that they may feel that the sentences which this court imposes can never reflect the enormity of what was done to them.

But I hope they have at least the consolation of know that they faced their abuser in court and they were believed by the jurors that heard this case.

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A pervert who wanted to meet a child to have sex with her was snared by paedophile hunters.

Michael Hawthorne made contact with a profile purporting to be a 14-year-old girl online and quickly turned the conversation sexual. He asked for images and said he wanted to meet to consume alcohol and engage in sexual activity.

In fact it was a decoy profile being run by a vigilante group called the Child Online Safety Team and he was detained when he arranged to meet the "child". After being released on bail, Hawthorne went on to assault and intimidate a vulnerable woman and he has now been jailed.

Newcastle Crown Court heard it was in September 2021 that Hawthorne was in communication with the decoy profile. He inquired about her knowledge of sex and asked for pictures.

Annelise Haugstad, prosecuting, said: "He messaged her about meeting up and there's talk of sex taking place either in a public toilet or his shared accommodation after they had bought alcohol with her holiday money. He made repeated requests to have sex with her. He said if anyone makes inquiries about her age to tell them she was 19 and that she should wear make-up to help her look older."

After being arrested for that and released, he went on to form a short relationship with a vulnerable woman. Within two days of meeting her, he "took advantage of her kindness" and moved in. Miss Haugstad said: "He refused to leave her flat, he ate her food, made her pay for drugs and alcohol and stopped her meeting friends."

He ended up being removed and arrested and was bailed by police not to return but he then assaulted her and threatened if she didn't drop the charges he would torch her flat with her in it.

The 40-year-old, formerly of Blyth but now of High Street East, Sunderland, who has 55 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to arranging or facilitating a child sex offence, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, assault and witness intimidation. He was jailed for a total of three years and eleven months and must sign the sex offender's register indefinitely. He was also made subject to indefinite sexual harm prevention and restraining orders.

David Callan, defending, said: "He has not had an easy life, he had a rough upbringing. He has an alcohol dependency. It's the first time he has committed a sexual offence." The court heard he has some learning difficulties and mental health issues.

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A DETECTIVE who brought a despicable child rapist to justice has praised the bravery of two victims for giving evidence at his trial.

DC James Fowler, of Essex Polices Child Abuse Investigation Team, said 52-year-old Patrick Wakefield acted in a completely abhorrent way towards two girls.

Wakefield, of Twyford Avenue, Great Wakering, was jailed for 13 years at Basildon Crown Court after being found guilty at trial of a string of child sex offences, including two counts of rape.

The court heard how the predator left his victims badly scarred.

Judge Ian Graham said: You used your interest of photography to get alone time with these girls.

You bought them presents and gave them money to peruse this course of conduct.

The remorse you speak of would have been more open if you had admitted these crimes and saved these girls going through a trial.

Its clear they were left badly scarred by the experiences.

Mitigating, Christopher Martin told the court Wakefield had lived in poverty as a child which has severely impacted his life.

Mr Fowler said: Patrick Wakefield has been rightly jailed for his despicable actions.

"He acted in a completely abhorrent way towards his two victims, including forcing them to give evidence at his trial by denying any wrongdoing.

Patrick Wakefield has been made a registered sex offender and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order preventing him from going near children in the future will go some way to protecting other children."

He added: I want to praise both victims for their courage and bravery in coming forward and reporting their abuse to us, and in having the strength to give evidence at court, playing a part in stopping this man from offending against another child.

They have stood strong throughout the judicial process with the love and support of their families. I would hope that this sentence will play some part in giving their families some form of closure.

They have expressed their sincere thanks and gratitude to us for our hard work and dedication throughout the investigation, and for the support shown to their children.

I would also like to urge other victims of abuse to come forward, to report any concerns and to know that they too will be supported by our specialist teams.

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A teenager convicted of raping one girl and committing other sexual offences on another is starting a six-year custodial sentence.

Aiden Gallon was found guilty of six offences relating to one or other of the two victims, following a two-day trial at Peterlee Youth Court, in September.

He denied the offences, one count of rape, two of sexual assault and three of engaging in sexual activity with a girl, all committed at a time he was 16.

But, having been found guilty by the youth panel, the case was sent to be sentenced at Durham Crown Court, as the defendant, who was only 17 when court proceedings began, had by then turned 18 and become an adult in the eyes of the law.

He appeared at the crown court in October when Judge Jo Kidd adjourned the sentencing hearing to allow time for preparation of a psychological report on Gallon, specifically to assess his perceived “dangerousness”.

Jonathan Walker, prosecuting, said impact statements made by the two defendants referred to one having “been obliged” to move address since Gallon’s offending, while the other described having resorted to taking tablets after the offending.

The court was told the defendant has a previous offence of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered on his record, for which he was made subject of a youth referral order.

David Carmichael, for Gallon, said his client had “issues” with anger management during his school days.

Recorder Kidd said given the conviction she would make him subject to indefinite restraining orders relating to both girls.

It forbids him from approaching or contacting either girl, directly or indirectly, effectively for life.

He was also made subject to interim notification as a sex offender.

On his return to the court to be sentenced this week, Judge Kidd imposed the six-year young offenders' institution sentence.

She said the restraining orders would remain in place, while the notification requirements as a sex offender would also continue, “indefinitely”.

A £34 statutory court surcharge was also imposed.

Following the hearing, Judge Kidd confirmed that a previous “gagging” restriction order relating to Gallon, of Lancaster Hill, Peterlee, would be lifted, allowing him to be identified in reports of the case.