Latest Offenders

Description

A police worker sent an explicit photo of himself to a 'teenage girl' he met online.

Matthew Bowers made explicit sexual comments and encouraged the girl to perform a sex act, during a conversation on Snapchat. Victoria Lamballe, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court that the girl was actually a decoy.

Bowers, who works for North Yorkshire Police, gave sexual instructions to 'Jazz' who let him know she was 13. The 30-year-old gave himself a false name during the chat, and pretended to be younger than he is, the Middlesbrough court heard. The two met on Rambo Chat, but quickly moved the conversation to Snapchat.

Bowers, of Amberley Grove in Darlington, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child. Chris Baker, mitigating, told the court that his client had been in the navy for eight years, before he started working in IT for the force. Mr Baker added that Bowers' family are standing by him.

Judge Howard Crowson told Bowers: "You thought you were talking to a 13 year-old girl, who had been expressing ignorance about sexual matters. The person you were speaking to was an adult - he was a decoy."

The judge jailed Bowers for 28-months. He was made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, which prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with any child under the age of 16.

The order also imposes restrictions on Bowers' online use - he is banned from using virtual private networks; private browsing and cleaning software. He must declare use of remote storage or clouds to the police within three days. Bowers was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements, for the next 10 years.

Description

A serial sex offender who targeted girls as young as eight was forced to hear of the devastating impact of his heinous crimes as he was sent to begin an extensive prison sentence. 

Defendant Patrick Clogg did not say a word as he was made to listen to the statements made by the girls he abused, and then silenced, during a Sheffield Crown Court hearing held on June 26, 2024. 

Clogg, aged 50, formerly of Rotherham but latterly of Valley Drive, Branton, Doncaster, was convicted of 24 sex offences, including multiple counts of rape, at the conclusion of a trial.

One of the young girls abused by Clogg said he had ‘taken away’ her childhood, leaving her with severe psychological harm and feeling too afraid to be in the company of others; while the others he assaulted and raped described how they had turned to alcohol and self-harm and had been unable to sit crucial exams as a consequence of his offending. 

Sending Clogg to prison, Judge Rachael Harrison branded him ‘manipulative’ and said he had used a combination of ‘coercion’ and ‘threats’ to facilitate his sexual offences, and to force those he targeted to keep it a secret. 

The court heard how Clogg told the girls they ‘would not be believed’ if they reported him, and also threatened to both harm himself and to ‘chop’ one of the girl’s ‘fingers off’ in a bid to conceal his crimes.  

Judge Harrison noted that Clogg has refused to take responsibility for his crimes, demonstrated through the contents of his pre-sentence report, even after jurors returned guilty verdicts in all 24 charges he faced.

In addition to the nine counts of rape Clogg was found guilty of, jurors also convicted him of offences including multiple counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching, sexual assault and causing or inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity. 

Defending, James Baird prefaced his mitigation on Clogg’s behalf by telling the court that nothing he says is intended to ‘detract in any way from the effect those offences have had upon the complainants’. 

“There’s nothing that I could say that would,” continued Mr Baird. 

Mr Baird drew Judge Harrison’s attention to the fact that these 24 sex offences are the first crimes Clogg has been convicted of; but acknowledged that in ‘cases of this kind’ - where offending has been concealed over a period of years - it is not always to a defendant’s credit, but asked Judge Harrison to ‘bear it in mind’. 

He also said Clogg had not caused any ‘problems whatsoever’ since being remanded into the ‘prison environment’. 

Judge Harrison handed down a sentence of 28-and-a-half years - consisting of 26-and-a-half years custody and an additional two years on licence. 

She said she had considered passing a life sentence.

Judge Harrison said Clogg does meet the legal criteria for a dangerous offender, and has been assessed as posing a high risk to children - both male and female - when he is at liberty in the community. 

She concluded that the length of Clogg’s sentence, and the fact he will have to serve at least two-thirds of the custodial element behind bars, meant that she did not deem it necessary to pass an extended sentence, however. 

Judge Harrison also made Clogg the subject of restraining and sexual harm prevention orders, and told him he will also be required to register as a sex offender. 

Description

A 48-year-old man who committed sexual abuse offences against a child has been jailed for more than eight years.

Sean Begley, of Monsdale Road in Bristol, admitted ten offences, including sexual assault of a child and making indecent images of children, and was sentenced to eight years and eight months at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday (June 25).

He will also have to sign onto the Sex Offenders Register for the rest of his life and is also subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The victim of the offences first disclosed the abuse in April 2024 and this was then reported to the police.

In a victim impact statement, a family member on behalf of the victim said the trauma would be with her “for the rest of her life” and they “can never forgive him for that”.

Description

A paedophile who raped and sexually assaulted two young girls has been jailed.

John Armsby, 47, repeatedly abused the girls, who were under the age of 13, between 2017 and 2022.

The offences were reported to Sussex Police on January 24, 2022, and Armsby was arrested two days later.

Armsby of Ninfield Road in Bexhill, had his home searched and digital devices were found containing indecent images of children.

He was charged with five counts of rape of a child under 13, five counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13, assaulting a child under 13 by penetration, three counts of possessing indecent images of children and one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

A jury found him guilty of all charges at Lewes Crown Court this March 26.

At the same court on June 6, Armsby was sentenced to 24 years in prison, with another four to be spent on extended licence.

He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, indefinite Restraining Orders against both victims and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

Description

A Scarborough man has been jailed after being found guilty of rape and non-fatal strangulation.

Craig Anthony Robert Welsh, 37, previously of High Street, Eastfield, was jailed for seven years by York Crown Court on Wednesday 26 June 2024.

Following a trial at which he pleaded not guilty, a jury found him guilty of both offences that took place last year.

Speaking after sentence, investigating officer, Detective Constable Tracey Brewster of Scarborough CID, said: "Welsh denied the offences during police interviews and subjected his already traumatised victim to the ordeal of a court trial.

"She has shown courage and strength in reporting the crimes and providing the evidence to help secure justice. Welsh is a danger to women and is now rightfully serving a prison sentence for what he has done.

"While the lasting affects of the ordeal are traumatic and life-changing for the victim, I hope she can draw some strength from the outcome at court."

Welsh was also issued with a 15-year restraining order and will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Description

A musician who told horrified strangers he was 'evil' and shared warped thoughts about buying a baby to abuse is facing jail.

Cameron Shaw, 28, contacted random people via social media using different accounts and struck up conversations. But he quickly moved the chat towards the twisted abuse of youngsters.

Shaw asked one man if he knew anyone who would have a baby for him and that he would even pay 'monthly' for the child.

The fiend added: "Can you help me get a baby or a desperate woman who will have one for me."

He then said he would do 'evil stuff' to the baby and wanted to make the child 'cry a bit' because he enjoyed 'seeing them in pain'. Shaw later told a woman on Telegram that he wanted to 'have a bairn for a couple of hours' and liked to see 'bairns in pain'.

Another man was sent a video by Shaw which showed an 8-month-old baby being sexually abused. The sickened people who were contacted by Shaw in June and July last year took screenshots of what he was sending and reported him to police.

He told officers he was 'disgusted and disturbed' by the allegations being made against him and that he would 'never hurt a child'. A raid of his former bedsit flat in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, found 53 images of child abuse along with 18 videos with many at the most depraved level on various devices.

Shaw, of Fauldhouse, West Lothian, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted sending sexual communications. He also pled guilty to possessing indecent images of children between March and July last year.

The court heard Shaw had previously taught youngsters piano as a private tutor and in a formal education setting.

Describing one chat Shaw had with a stranger, depute fiscal Carla McGuire said: "The complainer states that her husband said something like 'this f****rs trying to sell a bairn' then showed her a chat with JLad123 on Telegram. She states JLad123 messaged about how he could 'have a bairn for a couple of hours' and then JLad123 wrote about being 'evil' and that he liked to see 'bairns in pain'."

The prosecutor revealed that in a chat with another man, Shaw had said: "I'm looking for some c**t who can be as evil as I am. I want to use something, someone small, in a really evil way."

Neil Kilcoyne, defending, said: "He understands the serious nature of the charges and understands the gravity of what he has done."

Sheriff Louise Gallacher deferred sentence on first offender Shaw until August for reports and continued bail. But the sheriff warned: "Bail is continued but that is not an indication of what the sentence will be, these are very serious matters."

Shaw was placed on the sex offenders' register.

Description

Norman Williams (08/05/1965) from Atherton, was jailed for his offending against three victims.

Williams was found guilty by a jury at Bolton Crown Court in March 2024 of 10 counts of indecent assault, 6 counts of rape, and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Today (Tuesday 25 June) he was sentenced to 25 years in jail. 

Two of the victims were groomed by Williams when they were approximately 12 years old and he gave them items including cigarettes, alcohol and money.

During a four-year period which began in 1998, Williams went on to sexually abuse them at two addresses where he lived in Atherton.

A third victim was also sexually abused by Williams at his home.

Detective Constable Chris Waddicar of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “Firstly, I want to thank the victims in this case for coming forward and being courageous enough to allow us to conduct a thorough investigation.

“Williams’ offending was depraved – he picked on vulnerable young children who were unable to defend themselves. 

“As an investigation team, we hope today’s sentencing can give them some reassurance that justice has been served and their perpetrator is locked up behind bars where he can no longer harm vulnerable members of our community.

Description

A PAEDOPHILE who thought his poor health allowed him not to comply with a court order has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Colin Boon, of Ashmore Close in Whiteparish, failed to register as a sex offender last year without reasonable excuse.

The 65-year-old was stung by online paedophile hunters at his previous home in Salisbury in 2018.

During his sentencing at Swindon Crown Court in 2021, it transpired that Boon had collected hundreds of child sex abuse images since 2006 and stored them on 26 devices.

The vile collection featured children estimated to be as young as 12 months.

As part of Boon's sentence, he was ordered to register as a sex offender and comply with a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

But Boon did not comply with this order and failed to complete his annual registration.

Boon pleaded not guilty to the offence but the court said he had tried to avoid the requirements and "suggested his health allowed him not to comply with a court order".

The blind paedophile sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, at Salisbury Crown Court on Thursday, June 20.

Boon must also pay £350 court costs and a £154 surcharge.

Description

A paedophile teacher jailed last week for years of sexual abuse was still running art classes for a local charity when police began investigating his perverted crimes.

Stephen Beck, 73, of Anerley Road, was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court to 12 years in prison after being convicted of 15 historic sexual offences against former male student.

“That was my biggest concern,” said the mother of the former student he abused. “He was still holding art lessons.”

By the time Beck was arrested in 2019, he had been running art classes at Anerley Town Hall for 20 years.

In 2009, the News Shopper reported that he had received a Jack Petchey Leader Award for his art classes for Bromley children. At that time, they had already been running for 11 years.

The Crystal Palace Community Trust (CPCT), which now runs the Town Hall, said in a statement: “We can confirm that Mr Beck was suspended with immediate effect as soon as the matter came to light, at which time we understood the matter was now a police investigation.

“The trust cooperated fully with the authorities and provided them with all relevant information during their investigation.”

The charity's development manager Elaine Harrison said in an interview that the trust did not even come into existence until 2001.

Mr Beck was already running his classes by then and had begun abusing his victim – a teenage boy -  in 2000.

Judge Deborah Charles said in court last week that Beck had been working as a caretaker at the Town Hall at that time. One of the attacks even occurred inside the Town Hall.

Bromley Council did not comment on these claims.

Mrs Harrison said that by the time CPCT took over the building on a 40-year lease in 2017, Beck’s classes had already been running for years for Bromley Council.

“All of us, when we heard the news of Mr Beck’s suspension, were very shocked and distressed. It’s an awful, awful thing,” she said.

“We suspended him immediately but we were actually told not to conduct our own investigation because it can hinder or influence the police investigation.”

“The room in which we held the art class is right in the front of the building,” she said. “A large room with several doors. The doors were never closed.

“All our staff who work with children have a DBS check. Staff are never left alone with children. We just don’t do that.”

Beck would have passed any DBS check as his offending was not uncovered until his victim, then in his 30s, finally came forward in 2018.

Mrs Harrison said she was unaware, until she was informed by the News Shopper, that one of his offences had happened inside the Town Hall.

We asked Bromley Council whether it had conducted any investigation of its own into Beck’s time working at Anerley Town Hall.

It said the building had not been council-run for more than 20 years.

It was converted into offices in 2003 and became known as the Anerley Town Hall and Business Centre.

Bromley did admit that it had employed Beck at Bromley Adult Education College, which it runs.

“We were obviously saddened to learn about these historic offences and are pleased that justice has now been served,” a spokesperson said.

“Whilst the investigation did not involve the council, it is a matter of public record that the offender was employed by Bromley Adult Community College, teaching only adults, for a period of time over a decade ago, including on a sessional basis.

“We remain fully supportive of any police investigation and are sure that the police would make contact if they needed to do so.”

Beck, who claimed at trial to have been a friend of David Bowie, had his own failed pop career, having released a single called For The Love Of You in 1975, under the name Steve Beck.

He was well-known in Anerley for painting shop signs and restaurant menus.

The court heard he began “grooming” his victim at age six or seven but did not start abusing him until he was a teenager.

He abused the boy every two or three weeks for years.

He will serve up to eight years in prison and the rest of his sentence on licence. He will be required to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

Description

A MAN has been jailed after sexually assaulting two young women at a train station.

Lutfullah Elham, 42, carried out the attacks at Pontypool Railway Station after "preying on his victims".

He sexually assaulted a 19-year-old after asking her for directions. 

She tried to get away from him and Elham panicked and he left when a passing vehicle slowed down.

Just days later at around 10am in the morning a woman in her twenties was walking away from the station when Elham approached her on his bike.

He grabbed her and attempted to kiss her before she managed to get away, Newport Magistrates’ Court heard.

The offences took place on Thursday June 9, 2022 and Wednesday, June 15, 2022.

Investigating officer DC Chris Bolton said: “These two incidents show an alarming pattern of behaviour from Elham, preying on lone young women going about their business.

 “Elham will have the chance to consider his actions while serving time in prison.

 “We take all reports of sexual assault seriously and with the full support of victims in these cases we can rest assured that Elham will not be able to harm anyone else.”

Elham, of Llandegfredd Way, New Inn, Pontypool was jailed for 12 months.

He will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Description

A volunteer photographer for a childrens amateur dramatics group took pictures of them and then zoomed in on their groins and chests for his own sexual gratification. Nottingham Crown Court heard how Barrie White-Miller also posted entries on his own blog in which fantasised about watching young children on the beach.

The married 61-year-old, of Nottingham, was reported to the police by his own step-daughter who found vile abuse images on his computer. And when officers examined his electronic devices they found more than 3,500 similar such images.

Jailing him for 10 months, Judge Steven Coupland said: The police were called because you had been seen watching pornography on your computer by someone standing outside your house and the fact that you did that indicates to me that you saw nothing wrong with that or behaving in that way. I have no hesitation in describing you as someone that has got a sexual interest in children and it was not just the images that were found on your computer that leads me to conclude that.

There were search terms for young children but worse than that was what you wrote on your own blog indicating you had been watching children walk past your address and having sexual fantasies about them. You also wrote on your blog about being on holiday and watching children on the beach.

And worse than that was your role as a volunteer for a childrens group who you photographed. It is of a particular concern to me that you cropped certain images (you took) and concentrated on the crotch or chest area for your own sexual gratification.

Samuel Lowne, prosecuting, said White-Miller was arrested at his home address in Burnside Drive, Bramcote, on September 17, 2022, a week before his 60th birthday. He said officers had been alerted to attend the address by the defendants step-daughter who had discovered the abuse images on one of his electronic devices.

The prosecutor said a number of items were seized and examined and in total there were 186 of the most serious category A images, 407 category B, 2,905 category C and two prohibited images of children. Mr Lowne said: There were also search terms including nymphette and Lolita and the children in the images were aged as young as three or four.

He also volunteers as a photographer for a childrens amateur dramatics group and one file was headed 'summer school and had cropped images where he had zoomed in. There were also entries on his own blog where he talked of being on the beach looking at young girls and another about people passing by the house..

White-Miller pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing prohibited images of children. He has no previous convictions of any kind.

Kevin Waddingham, mitigating, said his client stopped looking at the images before his arrest and has taken steps since to address his offending, including completing 10 treatment modules with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which works at rehabilitation sex offenders.

He said: Mr White-Miller is a man approaching his 62nd birthday and finds himself before the court for the first time for behaviour he is thoroughly ashamed of and so he should be.

In terms of his arrest, his daughter-in-law and her family were living next door and that situation has now been resolved through their property being sold. He is currently not working but had been a delivery driver but that came to an end for something completely unrelated to that prosecution.

As well as the jail sentence, Judge Coupland also handed White-Miller a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and ordered him to sign the sex offender register, also for 10 years.

Description

George Johnson and Vincenzo Montessori have been jailed after they were caught on video sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman at a house party in December 2020

Two vile teenagers who took advantage of a drunk woman at a house party were captured on video "taking it in turns" to sexually assault her.

George Johnson and Vincenzo Montessori, who were both aged 17 at the time of the gruesome crime, sexually assaulted the 20-year-old victim while at a house party on December 27, 2020. The victim could not remember the evening but was told by a friend afterwards that she had been sexually assaulted, and she subsequently reported it to police.

On video footage captured on the phone of one of the partygoers, two people can be seen sexually assaulting the woman. Johnson, of Dunkirk Lane, Whitby, Ellesmere Port in Cheshire and Montessori, of Polden Close, Little Sutton, Ellesmere Port in Cheshire were identified from the footage, Liverpool Echo reports.

Johnson and Montessori, both now aged 20, are seen to take it in turns to sexually assault the victim. The footage shows the victim in an intoxicated state and it was said in court that she was unable to consent or prevent what was happening to her. During the footage, Johnson attempted to rape her.

They were both arrested and later charged in relation to the incident. Johnson was found guilty of attempted rape and sexual assault following a week-long trial at Chester Crown Court and was sentenced to 10 years in a young offender institution.

Montessori was sentenced to five years in a young offender institution after pleading guilty to sexual assault prior to a trial. In addition to their sentences, both will be subject to a restraining order and must sign the sex offender register.

Description

A paedophile who had a mobile phone containing 140 indecent images of children has begun a 16-month jail term.

Police said Lee Courtney, 33, of North Brink, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, had thought he could "hide" the phone from them.

Courtney was jailed by a judge at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday after admitting a number of offences, a court official said.

He will remain on the sex offenders register until January 2031, police say.

Cambridgeshire Police said Courtney had been given a suspended prison sentence in January 2021, and placed on the sex offenders register, after being convicted of "making indecent images" of children.

They said officers suspected Courtney had not notified them of two email accounts and was in breach of sex offender register notification requirements.

Officers had travelled to arrest him in on 18 March - and found the mobile.

'Lesson'

Courtney had been sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on 20 June after admitting breaching a sexual harm prevention order, failing to comply with sex offender register notification requirements, and making indecent photographs of a child, the court officials said.

He would stay on the sex offenders register until January 2031 and be the subject of a sexual harm prevention order until January 2036, the official added.

“Despite having a suspended sentence and being aware of his sexual harm prevention order and notification requirements, Courtney reoffended and tried to lie about a mobile phone he thought he could hide from us," said PC Natasha Alwin.

“He clearly has not learnt his lesson."

Description

Khaliz Alshimery, 47, was jailed for 12 years imprisonment with a five year extended licence at Oxford Crown Court on Friday (June 21) for rape, assault by penetration and three counts of sexual assault after an incident on November 19 last year.

A student, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was walking home from a night out at about 2.30am when Alshimery dragged her into St Clement’s churchyard, off Marston Road, and sexually assaulted her.

Detective Inspector Krista Thompson, of Oxford CID, said:

“This was a shocking case where the victim was attacked by a complete stranger.

“Alshimery identified that the victim was alone, and took advantage of this for his own gratification.

“The victim had every right to feel safe in our city, and my belief is she was targeted because she was alone.

“I would like to recognised and pay tribute to the victim in this case. She has displayed tremendous dignity and bravery to support our investigation to bring a dangerous offender to justice.

“Alshimery will serve a considerable custodial sentence as a result of his actions that night, and removing him from the streets makes Oxford a safer place for women and girls.

“Thankfully, cases such as this are exceedingly rare."

Description

A judge who jailed a man for more than six years after he carried out a string of offences - including robbing vulnerable sex workers and asking teenage girls to have sex with him in return for £2,000 - said it was "by no means pure chance" that the majority of his victims were females.

Luke Smerdon, aged 35, from Exeter Road, Ivybridge appeared at Plymouth Crown Court after pleading guilty to a slew of offences, including robbery, attempted robbery, six malicious communication charges and causing or inciting a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity.

Sentencing Smerdon, Judge Robert Linford said he noted that Smerdon had a previous offence for robbery in Ivybridge where he threatened a female shop worker with a knife.

He handed Smerdon a series of sentences for each of the offences, totalling 77 months - six years and five months. He was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Restraining orders were also put in place.

Prosecutor Bethany Rickerby outlined the offences, including sending malicious communications to several victims, including a hand-written letter posted through the letterbox of another Ivybridge man. The letter stated: “Stop giving cocaine to children - you don't see me very often but when you do I will rip you, your friend and your family to shreds" and was signed "your secret admirer". When confronted by this victim, Smerdon claimed he'd been paid £20 to put it through the man's letterbox.

A female victim received a Facebook message from a person calling themselves Shane Blackwell - a fake account which was set up by Smerdon - stating "If you ever slag me off in the Exchange [a pub] again I will ram a knife down your throat you silly little slag". When she asked who 'Shane' was, Smerdon replied: "I will wait for you one night after you finish your shift".

Another woman was sent a message on August 8 from 'Shane' saying "I'll give you £300 for a shag". The woman wrote back telling him not to contact her again, whereupon he replied, stating he would “pop round and see your c*** boyfriend later and smash your windows in”, adding “I'm going to get someone to f***ing rape you, you whore".

The woman was later told Smerdon had sent the messages and when she asked if he wanted to apologise, he said he was going to "wait a few weeks" and then send "wine and flowers", adding "I must've been super drunk. It was a joke".

At a later police interview he admitted creating the fake Facebook profile, claiming the messages were sent when he was drunk and he couldn't remember sending them. He said the tone of the messages to the women were due to his obsession with fantasies and murder mysteries.

He was released on conditional bail not to go into Ivybridge, but he then began drinking in Plymouth, which was where one of his victims lived, which the court heard left her fearful for herself and her family.

Ms Rickerby told the court that in 2023 Smerdon approached a sex worker in Plymouth paying her a pair of wireless headphones for oral sex. However, in early July 2023 he engaged her services again, this time offering her £40 for oral sex. They headed to an abandoned car where they completed their transaction.

However, the court heard this time he threatened to stab her if she did not return the £40. Fearful for her safety she handed back the money and fled. She later told police the tone of Smerdon's voice made her believe she would be hurt regardless of whether she gave the money back or not.

Two weeks later, Smerdon sought out another sex worker in Plymouth. He drunkenly offered her £50 for sex with a condom and they headed to a nearby industrial estate car park. On the way, they spotted the first sex worker who issued a warning to her fellow sex worker about Smerdon, saying he was "dangerous" and would try and take the money back, but this was ignored and put down to jealousy.

The woman refused to get into an abandoned vehicle, telling Smerdon she was afraid he would do something, like "try and knife" her, so they had sex beside a vehicle after she had put the money into her bra. However, as she walked away he grabbed her and attempted to put his hand over her mouth, grabbing at the money he'd given her. She fled and later found the first sex worker, whereupon they both contacted police. Officers later found Smerdon asleep in another vehicle in a car park.

During interview he made a series of claims, stating that with regards the second sex worker, they had agreed to have sex for £40 but while they were having sex she had "seen his Jack the Ripper tattoos which had caused her to panic and try and leave". He said that he took issue and try to get his money back and that he "may have held [her] by the throat".

He changed this story after he was shown CCTV footage of him grabbing at her beside the vehicle, claiming that she had asked him for sex and then changed her mind "midway through" and tried to leave, causing him to become angry and take the money back, resulting in a struggle. He insisted he could not have robbed her as "she was selling an illegal act anyway".

The court heard that in early July a woman in the Noah's Ark pub in Courtney Street had her bank card taken and later found it was used a number of times, totalling £656.46. When Smerdon was arrested on July 27, 2023 the card was found in his possession.

Ms Rickerby said the final offence took place on September 11, 2023 just outside of Plymouth Pavilions. At around 5.45pm a 15-year-old girl and two 16-year-old girls were standing on a grassy area and were approached by Smerdon - who appeared to be in drink - and asked them if they would have sex with him.

The 15-year-old pulled out her phone and recorded him as he first offered them £1,000 and then £2,000 for sex, as well as a pair of AirPods for oral sex. When he was told they were all 16 or under, he replied: "I'm not worried about that."

He began to ask each one individually for sex before one girl replied: "F***, no". After further refusals he finally walked away.

Ms Rickerby said Smerdon saw CCTV footage released by police and cut off his Electronic Monitoring Service (EMS) tag, fled his address before giving himself up to police a few hours later.

During interview he first claimed he was not the man in the CCTV footage video, claiming it had been dubbed over to sound like him, then claimed he had been set up by the girls who had been waiting for him on a street corner. He also denied he had been drunk. When he was shown the footage of him approaching the girls, he said he could not be sure it was him as he had blacked out.

However, when he was eventually shown the phone footage, he admitted to making up a "cock and bull story" and admitted asking them for sex. He said he was very drunk and thought the girls were 16 years old.

In mitigation, Smerdon's advocate said the incident involving the teenage girls was incitement but there was no contact and it was a relatively short incident. In addition, while in prison on remand he had addressed a number of his "difficulties".

Sentencing Smerdon, Judge Robert Linford said the malicious communications related to "frankly hideous threats of violence and more directed towards people to whom you seem to have borne a grudge".

He cited the violence, paying someone to carry out a rape, ripping a family to shreds, threatening to kill someone. He said these were "deeply disturbing, violent, frightening messages." Judge Linford said when arrested, Smerdon admitted them, claiming they were a joke that went too far, but "none of them were funny".

While on bail for those offences he then committed robberies, which Judge Linford said had a "theme - that theme was they were sex workers". He said Smerdon threatened to stab one and she had fled "terrified". He said the second female victim was warned by the first but "unwisely, but no doubt desperate for money" she carried out the transaction.

He said that he was again arrested and interviewed yet was "inexplicably admitted to bail, again".

The final incident, again while on bail, involved underage girls, but even after they told him their age "you did not care. You were like an animal, preying on young vulnerable girls for your own selfish sexual desires".

Lead investigator Det Con Adam Fitzpatrick said: "Luke Smerdon is a dangerous individual who has made multiple attempts to target women in Devon and Cornwall. The sentence he received today at court is the result of three cases and multiple officers hard work and dedication to bring him to justice."