Latest Offenders

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A man who raped and abused a woman has been sentenced to 12 years in jail, but still said to the court 'I'm the victim'. Ashley James Barton, 37, of Bute Gardens, Hammersmith, left his victim fearing for her life after he raped her and gave her a black eye, the court heard today (July 28).

In December 2020, Barton punched her in the face for no reason which resulted in a black eye. On February 15 2021, he also raped her. The victim told the court that she feared for her life in a moving statement.

The court heard how Barton showed no remorse for his actions and on several occasions when giving his evidence in court, he referred to himself as the victim. He claimed that the allegations were lies being told by the victim and that she was the abuser in the relationship, not him. The jury rejected this defence.

He was sentenced for two counts of rape and one count of assault by beating at Isleworth Crown Court. The offences were committed in December 2020 and February 2021 against a woman. Barton was originally tried for these matters in November 2021, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the rape offences. He was, however, convicted of assault by beating. But following a retrial in May of this year, he was found guilty of the offences.

During sentencing, Judge His Honour Justice Duncan said: You did not care how much you were hurting her. You have always maintained an account that she was lying and unstable. You portray yourself as a knight in shining armour but with the complainant you did your best to undermine her at every opportunity.

"You gas-lighted and insulted her and her self-confidence is in tatters because of you. You are manipulative and lack insight both then and now. You display an entrenched form of misogyny in your past and in your current behaviour.

"You show a pattern of behaviour which is deeply disturbing. You have shown no acceptance of responsibility which is of deep concern. There is a significant risk of you committing further offences against women."

Barton was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and one of the conditions of this is that he has to inform the Police of any intimate relationships he enters into. There is no expiry on this. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Detective Constable Chris Willey of the Central West rape and serious sexual offences unit based at Charing Cross police station said: Barton is a dangerous serial offender who has previously been convicted on multiple occasions of violently assaulting women. His criminal behaviour has escalated over time with the physical assaults becoming more frequent and violent eventually leading to him committing the rapes against the victim in this case.

"He is a very violent man who directs his anger at women when they are at their most vulnerable. It is completely right that he has been given a long custodial sentence during which he will not have the opportunity to victimise women again.

"On release his ability to offend will be severely hampered due to the Sexual Harm Prevention Order that has also been imposed on him. The bravery of the victim in this case has been outstanding.

"She has, unfortunately, had to relive her trauma twice in court and the courage it takes to do this cannot be understated. I hope that she can find some closure and make a fresh start now that proceedings have concluded. We will continue to support her in any way that we can."

PC Sol Bhugaloo, who supported the victim throughout the investigation, added: "It is my sincere hope that the bravery shown by the victim in this case will encourage all victims of sexual violence of any kind to speak to us. You will receive dedicated support from specially trained officers such as myself, you will be listened to and you will be heard."

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A paedophile was caught with hundreds of sick images of child abuse and bestiality on his phones as well as a story depicting a "sexual fantasy" about a drunken teenager.

Jonathon Byrne, 34, was arrested at home on January 9 last year when officers arrived with a search warrant. Jamie Baxter, prosecuting at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday, said the unit from Cheshire Polices online child abuse investigation team seized two Samsung phones and took Byrne, of Widnes, into custody for questioning.

Byrne confirmed his personal details but denied having seen any indecent image of a child or having any sexual interest in children. He claimed he didnt believe any such matter would be found on his devices.

Mr Baxter told the court: How wrong he was.

After initially being released under investigation, Byrne was interviewed again on November 5, when he gave no comment answers to detectives after a large number of abuse images were found on his phones.

In total, there were 283 images and six videos in Category A - the most serious type, 270 still and six moving images in Category B, 186 images and 14 videos in Category C, plus 24 still images and 40 videos of extreme pornography - namely of bestiality.

Listing aggravating case features to the court, Mr Baxter said the abuse images showed very young children enduring gross sexual acts, and in discernible pain or distress.

The sexual fantasy story, stored in the notes section of one of his phones, had a creation date of March 3, 2019, and depicted an incident from the storytellers viewpoint in which they were engaging in penetrative sexual activity with - or indeed raping - a drunken teenage girl under 16 years of age.

Mr Baxter said no offence arose as a result of the depraved tale and there was no suggestion it was based on real abuse, but would be relevant when considering a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Byrne pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to one count of possessing indecent images of children, three of making child abuse images, and one count of possessing extreme pornography. The word making refers to the act of obtaining or downloading such material.

Matthew Howarth, appearing for the defence, urged the court to consider Byrnes lack of any previous convictions, a pre-sentence report classing him as a low risk, a reference from Byrnes father, and a note from Byrne himself, who had also quit using alcohol and cocaine since his arrest.

He argued any prison sentence could be suspended so Byrne could undertake rehabilitation that would not be available behind bars.

Mr Howarth said that since police put the phone evidence to his client, Byrne had been utterly contrite and remorseful, which he said was reflected by his guilty pleas.

He said unpaid work and a curfew could be imposed as part of any punishment in addition to rehabilitation, which Byrne had already sought privately but couldnt afford.

Recorder Mark Ainsworth said the volume and nature of the images were too serious for a suspended sentence as he jailed Byrne for 16 months to be served immediately.

He said some of the abuse victims featured in the sick haul were as young as between five and seven years of age and in pain.

During his sentencing remarks, Recorder Ainsworth said: The important point to remember in these cases is: behind every image is a child being sexually abused.

Behind every image is a victim of sexual abuse, and here we are concerned with hundreds of images, and one has to assume if there was not a market for these images from people like you that much or all of this abuse would not take place.

Thats why the courts take such a serious view of these offences.

He added: It seems to me the nature of the images and the number of the images in these offences are so serious that only a period of immediate imprisonment can be justified.

The judge also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to last 10 years, alongside placing Byrne on the sex offenders register for the same length of time.

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A twisted sex offender who targeted three lone victims in three days has been jailed after a transport police investigation.

The incidents occurred in March on-board trains in Essex.

In the early hours of Tuesday, March 15, the first victim was travelling on a London to Southend service when Izat Ullah, of Queens Road, Hull, approached and sat opposite her.

During the journey the 25-year-old began touching himself over his trousers and as the victim got up to leave he blocked her path, grabbed her and threw her back into the seat.

He then put his hand on the victims upper torso and attempted to kiss her before she managed to break free and run into another carriage.

Officers arrested Ullah at Southend Victoria station and conveyed him to custody for questioning.

In interview Ullah refused to speak but laughed throughout.

At just after 8am on Wednesday, March 16 he was released on conditional police bail stating he could not use the railway network in England or Wales.

Later that day, at around 8.30pm, Ullah was again on a train in Essex and approached the second victim, an 18-year-old woman who was on her way home.

As he was sat opposite her, he exposed himself before placing his hand in his trousers and began masturbating.

He then leant over and tried to touch the victim who said, dont touch me, to which Ullah replied, Im sorry, Im sorry.

The victim then moved away from him and as she did so he touched her inappropriately.

Just hours later, in the early hours of Thursday March 17, Ullah approached the third victim on a service travelling to Southend.

Throughout the journey he continuality stared at her and when she alighted at Southend East station he followed her until she got in a taxi outside the station.

He was arrested outside a childrens nursery the same morning for failing to comply with the Sex Offenders Register.

Ullah appeared at Hull Crown Court on July 1 where he admitted to three counts of sexual assault, one count of exposure and failing to comply with the sexual offence register requirements.

A judge at the same court sentenced him to 16 months imprisonment on July 20.

He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

Detective Constable, Lucy King, said: Ullah is a twisted offender who prowled the railway targeting lone victims for his own sexual gratification.

He is clearly a danger to women and their right to travel safely and without fear. Im pleased we were able to quickly arrest Ullah and put him before the courts.

I would like to thank the three victims who bravely reported his actions and supported our investigation. No one should be subjected to this abhorrent behaviour on the railway.

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A Derbyshire dad-of-two took his "flirtatious" behaviour too far when he sexually assaulted a colleague at the factory where they worked together. Derby Crown Court heard how Stuart Smith told the victim "I would do anything to get alone with you" before grabbing their hand and forcing it against his groin.

The 43-year-old then told them not to tell anyone "as we will both get into trouble". Handing him a three-month jail term, suspended for two years, Recorder Jason Macadam said: "Let's make no odds about it, you have worked in this industry for a long time, but it has never been acceptable to do what you did. In the old days you might have been quite rightly punched in the face and told where to go by some victim who might react that way.

"But all will be shocked and outraged and unchecked, your attitude would pose a sexual threat and it needs addressing."

Caroline Bradley, prosecuting said at the time of the offending Smith and the victim worked together at Loscoe Chilled Foods Ltd, in Heanor Road, Heanor, which calls itself one of the UKs largest manufacturers of meat products. She said the defendant became "flirtatious" with the complainant, telling them how attractive they looked and on one occasion pulling the victim towards himself and giving them a hug.

The prosecutor said: "(The victim) complained to their manager about his flirtatious behaviour. On one day he asked them to borrow a fob to gain access to a room telling them 'I will do anything to get alone with you' and they challenged him.

"He followed (the victim) out of the office asking if they were naughty, grabbing their hand and putting it against his (private parts). He then grabbed it himself and said 'look at this' then later saying 'you are not going to tell anyone are you because both of us will get into trouble'."

Mrs Bradley said the victim reported what had happened to their manager and an investigation began. She read out a victim impact statement in which the complainant told how they "felt sick and distressed and uncomfortable".

Smith, of Pear Tree Avenue, Ripley and who has no previous convictions of any kind, pleaded guilty to sexual assault against the victim, whose identity is protected by law. Sonal Ahya, mitigating, said her client has a partner of 16 years and they have two young children together.

She said at the time of the offence he was going through "a particularly difficult time in his life". Miss Ahya said: "In his pre-sentence report he tells how it was 'a factory thing' and 'banter'.

"His work is old school and (he) displayed attitudes that were incredibly outdated. He lost his job for 24 years because of this arrest and these proceedings."

As part of the suspended sentence, Recorder Macadam ordered Smith to attend a 43-day accredited program to address his offending. He also ordered him to attend 55 rehabilitation sessions with the probation service, to pay 250 prosecution costs and placed him on the sex offender register for seven years.

Derbyshire Live has contacted Loscoe Chilled Foods Ltd and is awaiting a response.

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A calculating rapist who stalked social media to blackmail children for vulnerable images of themselves has been jailed.

Daniel Noelken, of Sandwich preyed upon school-aged children online, and secretly filmed other young boys naked in a changing room, between 2017 and 2019.

The 23-year-old was convicted unanimously at Canterbury Crown Court following a trial in September last year.

Noelken was jailed for 12 years at the same court on Friday and handed an extended four year licence period.

Posing as a child on social media, Noelken tricked his victims into sending him illicit images of themselves.

He threatened to send the material to their Instagram friends if they refused to hand over more.

Noelken would also use Facebook to infiltrate a family and rape a boy with learning difficulties after offering to mow their lawn and babysit.

Another potential victim's mum told jurors during the trial how he pestered her for months on the social networking site, repeatedly asking to baby-sit her son.

But Noelkens string of chilling private messages prompted her to become suspicious and cut contact.

The offending surfaced after the boy he raped disclosed to adults the extent of abuse he suffered at Noelken's hands.

After police arrested Noelken, forensic testing showed the victim's clothes contained his DNA.

And computer hard drives were discovered containing folders named after different children, each containing indecent images.

Social media transcripts showed Noelken blackmailing and threatening two children, one of whom he tried grooming to meet, prosecutor Serena Gates explained during the trial.

One victim stated he received an Instagram direct message from a person saying she was 11 and lived in Thanet," Ms Gates said.

The account spammed him with photos, the victim sent photos and videos of things the account asked him to do.

Growing increasingly uncomfortable with the demands, the child blocked the account prompting Noelken to hatch a new plan.

The schemer befriended a young girl on social media then blackmailed her to send illegal photos of herself.

"We commend all of the victims who spoke to us and left the court in no doubt as to the severity of Noelkens predatory offending ..."

He then found a way to send the images to his male victim and demand more in return, while threatening to publicly release videos which would embarrass the child.

In video evidence played in court, the victim told officers he just wanted it to stop, adding: The account threatened to send photos of me to my friends, then I got loads of random accounts following me.

Ms Gates told jurors the prosecutions case hinged on four points; the progression of Noelkens offending, his careful calculation, the authenticity of his victims evidence and the unlikelihood of coincidence.

Noelkens victims were unknown to each other.

Ms Gates told jurors his sexual urges were "becoming stronger as time went on."

Defending, Eloise Marshall QC argued Noelken had not inappropriately touched or raped a child, and social media dialogue showing him attempting to meet one victim was merely a fantasy.

She added Noelkens attention deficit disorder and autism symptoms were extremely complex.

It doesnt mean Daniel is completely incapable, it goes deeper than that, in many ways Daniel Noelken is very capable.

He can drive, he can do first aid, he has worked for a private first aid company and has been proactive in getting on with his life, she continued.

Jurors unanimously convicted Noelken of raping a child under 13, two counts of sexual assault and attempting to arrange or facilitate a child sex offence.

He admitted before trial two counts of blackmail, voyeurism and 10 other non-contact sexual offences involving children, including inciting a child under 13 to engage in a sexual act.

Speaking after the sentencing hearing, investigating officer DC Sue Kingsnorth, said: "We commend all of the victims who spoke to us and left the court in no doubt as to the severity of Noelkens predatory offending.

"We have a team who are dedicated to investigating child abuse and ensuring that those who try to take advantage of children are found and brought to justice.

"If anyone has any concerns that a child might be at risk of abuse, we urge them to report it and get the help and protection that they deserve."

Noelken, of Whitefriars Meadow, will be subject to a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order on release.

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Myles Allan, 44, snapped two images and two video clips of the womans thighs while she sat at her desk in an office in West Lothian.

Allan - who had a short stint in charge of Berwick Rangers - claimed he had taken the pictures accidentally by brushing his hand against his phone in July 2019.

But he was found guilty of a voyeurism charge following a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court earlier this year and sentence had been deferred

Allan, from Dunfermline, returned to the dock to hear Sheriff Graham Primrose QC state that he had committed a serious offence within the workplace.

The sheriff said: You were found guilty after trial of the offence of voyeurism.

I noted during the trial the complainer herself stated she did not consider there to be a sexual element to the offence.

Instead she considered against the background of you being reprimanded about your performance that day that the taking of the images were designed to humiliate her rather than to provide you with sexual gratification

Allan was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and a supervision order for nine months and also ordered to pay his victim 400 in compensation.

Allan started his football management career at Burntisland Shipyard and Dundonald before moving on to Sauchie and Rosyth Juniors.

He then joined Berwick Rangers as a first team scout in 2016 and was later promoted to first team coach.

After leaving the Shielfield Park outfit Allan, a married father-of-two, was appointed to the coaching staff team at Jeanfield Swifts womens team in March 2019.

During the trial, the football coach admitted taking the pictures following an argument between him and his boss but said he had immediately deleted them.

He was caught out after copies of the images were uploaded from his phone to his work laptop through the iCloud function.

He was then sacked from the firm soon after and after handing back his computer equipment a ex-colleague subsequently found the images stored within a folder on the laptop.

Allans former manager, who cannot be identified, told the court she was made aware of the images and had felt disgusted and humiliated on viewing them.

She said: They [the images] were taken of the top of my thighs when I was wearing a dress. My legs are under my desk and showing my underwear.

When my colleague showed me I was shocked and I was in disbelief it was there. I felt disgusted, humiliated and very angry.

How could he think it was as acceptable to do that? I felt physically sick at what I should do.

I trusted him and I felt betrayed.

After contacting her husband the woman called in the police and Allan was subsequently arrested and charged.

Allan was found guilty of operating equipment beneath the clothing of a woman with the intention or enabling himself or others to observe her genitals, buttocks or underwear and did position a mobile phone and take two photos and two videos showing the legs and underwear of the woman at a premises in West Lothian on July 16, 2019.

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Kenneth Harper was jailed for eight years in 2008 for serious sexual offences in Oxford. He denied the latest allegations but was convicted by a jury in June of four charges of sexual assault

A convicted sex offender has been jailed for groping two vulnerable women in Plymouth. Kenneth Harper assaulted his victims while visiting the residential block where they lived.

The 59-year-old took advantage of the women's vulnerable state to touch them on the legs, bottom and breasts. The defendant, of Henderson Place, has a previous conviction for serious sexual offences and regarded the women's accommodation as a place where he could 'misbehave with confidence.

A trial at Plymouth Crown Court heard the offences only came to light when he was spotted groping one woman. The second victim then came forward to say she had been touched by him.

Harper was jailed for eight years in 2008 for serious sexual offences in Oxford. He denied the latest allegations but was convicted by a jury in June of four charges of sexual assault. He returned to court in Exeter on Monday [July 25] to be sentenced.

Deputy Circuit Judge Neil Davey QC said he had caused his victims serious psychological harm and still denied his guilt. Harper was jailed for 15 months.

Judge Davey said: "You are nearly 60 and for the second time in your life you have been convicted of sexual offending against vulnerable victims. Although the seriousness has diminished your willingness to continue offending, sadly, has not. It is plain to me from the evidence that you also regarded it as a place where you could misbehave with confidence where no one would complain."

He said both victims were vulnerable adults, one aged in her 20s and the other in her 50s. Harper assaulted one woman by putting an arm around her and squeezing her bottom on two occasions. He grabbed and squeezed the second victim's breasts when she was sat next to him on a bench. On another occasion he ran his hand up her leg towards her groin.

In a statement she said his offending had made her feel violated and Harper acted like someone who could do whatever he wanted. She had a traumatic background and his actions had 'ruined my life' and destroyed her trust in men.

Mr Jason Beal, defending, said the judge could suspend the sentence because Harper was a carer for his partner and jail would result in hardship for others. He said Harper was 'almost a hermit' with his own difficult background.

The judge said: "It is plain to me that immediate custody will result in some harmful impact for your partner for whom you are a full-time carer but in my judgement you have no strong personal mitigation and you continue to deny offences and call the victims liars.

"You chose to commit further sexual offences against vulnerable people with particularly harmful consequences."

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A Lossiemouth sex offender began downloading child abuse videos the day after his home was raided by police.

Christopher Nagle, 26, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing almost three years after being convicted of possessing extreme images of teens and toddlers being abused.

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A man from Surrey who raped two women he met after targeting them on the dating site Tinder has been jailed for 12 years.

Prince Darkwa, 26, of Yeomans Lane, Blackwater, Camberley, was found guilty of two counts of rape against two different women at Guildford Crown Court on 17 May following an eight-day trial. He was found not guilty of a third charge of rape against a third woman.

The court heard how Darkwa met both women on online dating apps in October 2021.

He was arrested on 6 October 2021 when one of the victims came forward to report that Darkwa had raped her at her home after they had met on Tinder. Within minutes of meeting up with Darkwa, the victim expressed concerns about his behaviour in a number of text messages to one of her friends.

Darkwa was interviewed and released from custody the next day.

On 5 November 2021 police received another report of rape in which the second victim alleged that she'd been out for dinner with Darkwa on 18 October 2021. The court heard he insisted on accompanying her home where they both began drinking.

The victim said that the next thing she remembered was waking up with Darkwa smiling at her and stroking her face. She was bleeding and was in a lot of pain.

The victim said she had initially been reluctant to come forward because she had been unconscious when Darkwa forced himself on her and so had doubted her own belief of what had happened.

Detective Constable Alastair Bagshaw from the Sexual Offences Investigation Team (SOIT), who investigated the offences, said: Darkwa is a sexual predator who deliberately targeted women on dating sites with the sole purpose of meeting up with them for sex.

"Whether or not they consented to this was irrelevant to him.

"The prison sentence he has received today will ensure that he will be behind bars and will not be able to do this to anyone else. I hope that this will also give him time to reflect on his attitude towards women and his perceived entitlement when it comes to sexual activity.

Both women expressed reservations about coming forward and reporting this to police but they must be commended for having the courage and strength to speak out and ensure that Darkwa was brought to justice for his vile and predatory behaviour.

I would also like to thank the team of officers who worked on this case it was a fast-moving and intensive investigation but our determination has paid off by the fact that Darkwa has now been brought to justice for his offending.

"I would encourage anyone who has been subjected to a sexual offence to report it to the police it will be taken seriously, it will be investigated thoroughly and every possible effort will be made to bring the offender to justice where possible.

Detective Inspector Mark Butterworth from the SOIT, who oversaw the investigation, said: I would like to pay tribute to both victims and the witnesses involved in this case who were brave enough to come forward and give evidence, which meant re-living the ordeal they had endured as a result of the Darkwas actions.

Darkwa used the internet to meet his victims before he raped them. They were alone and when they first reported the incidents to us, the defendants identity was not known to them. The team worked quickly to identify the suspect and link the cases together. We then worked in conjunction with the CPS to ensure that he was remanded in custody to protect the public from further offences while the investigation was progressed.

I would also like to thank all those involved in the investigation for their hard work and dedication. Bringing together such a complex case within six months is a huge achievement, and without this co-ordinated teamwork, this would not have been possible.

I hope that Darkwas conviction sends a clear message that we will always do everything we can to ensure allegations of rape are investigated thoroughly and that we will leave no stone unturned to get to the truth and bring offenders to justice, as well as demonstrating to potential offenders that the internet does not provide you with an opportunity to evade detection and ultimately imprisonment.

Sally Lakin from the Crown Prosecution Service said: This is a truly appalling case, where the defendant demonstrated a horrifying pattern of entitlement. Darkwa is a sexual predator, who manipulated the situation to intimidate and control his victims in order to rape them.

"It wasnt that Darkwa didnt know his victims werent consenting, to the contrary, he was left in no doubt that the sex was not consensual, even asking one of his victims if he would get a visit from the police. He simply did not care.

I commend the bravery of the victims in reporting and supporting the prosecutions case which meant Darkwa was found guilty and sentenced today for his abhorrent crimes. I hope they can take some comfort from todays sentencing.

I want to encourage victims to please report these crimes; you will be taken seriously and where our legal test is met, we wont hesitate to prosecute.

Darkwa was sentenced to six years imprisonment (to run concurrently) for the offence committed on 5th October 2021. He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment with an extended license period of four years under the Dangerous Offender Provisions for the offence committed on 18th October 2021.

It means he will have to satisfy a parole board before being eligible for release.

Darkwa was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a Restraining Order against both victims for an indefinite period and will have to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

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A SEX offender from Worcester has been jailed after sending indecent messages to teenage girls.

25 year-old Jacques Doldersum was jailed on Friday after being caught by undercover police officers on online messaging service Kik.

There, he had been messaging what he believed were a 12 and a 13 year-old girl.

However, they were in fact undercover officers, catching him encouraging them to send him indecent images, as well as sending them an indecent image of himself.

In addition to the undercover officers, he also made contact with a vulnerable 14 year-old girl.

Doldersum also sent indecent images of himself to her and encouraged her to send indecent images to him.

Kik, which is an online messaging service, says teenagers between 13 and 18 should not use the app without their parents' permission.

Despite this, users can communicate without revealing their actual names or numbers.

The app also does not track the content of messages or the phone numbers of its users.

Doldersum was arrested in November 2021 and analysis of his mobile phone discovered he had made indecent images of children.

He was subsequently charged with 12 sexual offences.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Monday, June 27 at Worcester Crown Court.

Doldersum, of Sandpiper Close, Worcester, was jailed for three years and eight months.

He was also issued a sexual harm prevention order and will be included in the Sex Offenders' Register.

Detective Inspector Matt McNelis said: "This case was part of our ongoing work to keep children and young people safe online.

"We warn anyone attempting to engage in this type of behaviour that you are being watched and will be investigated.

"We also urge everyone to act with caution when using social media and to verify the identity of anyone you may have contact with."

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A predator raped two 12-year-old girls after meeting them on Snapchat and plying them with booze and drugs. Solomon Asemota, 30, initially began by grooming the girls online.

He raped one girl during a game of ‘Truth or Dare’, then raped both girls in his car on another occasion, Manchester Crown Court heard. When they asked how old he was, and if he was 18 or 19, he told them: “I can be”. The rapist, who was 27 time at the time, admitted that he never told them his age.

Asemota, of Longsight, pleaded guilty to seven offences of rape and was jailed today for 10 years with an extended licence period of a year. 

Prosecuting, Simon Blakebrough said police were called on January 9, 2020 when one of the girls was reported missing. After further calls they tracked down one of the girls to a house in Cheetham Hill, and she was told to come home.

One of the girls did, and told police that the other girl was at ‘Prince’s house’. The officers asked her where the house was, and escorted her there. They found the other victim in bed with a man, who was later arrested.

There was no scientific evidence linking him to the sexual acts with the girls and no further action was taken, the prosecutor said. Though forensic evidence later linked Asemota to the girls.

The girls were spoken to and ‘Prince’ was identified as Asemota. He was arrested and after arriving at the police station he was told of the allegation and responded: “I’m shocked at the ages, I didn’t know they were that young.”

“He was interviewed and admitted meeting [them] on Snapchat,” Mr Blakeborough said. “He said he was sent some pictures of them and thought they were 16 or 17 but ‘looked young’. He added that they 'couldn't be as young as 12'.

“He said they asked him how old he was and whether he was 18 or 19, and he answered: “I could be”. He accepts he never told them his real age, which was 27.”

He met the first victim and had sex with her after playing a game of ‘Truth or Dare’, the prosecutor said. He also admitted having sex with the girls in the back of his car, and admitted engaging in sexual acts on one in front of the other.

Asemota admitted to the police that one of the girls was drunk and said he ‘always kept vodka in his car’. He also said after one encounter he dropped a girl off at her friend’s house, and was approached by the friend's mum who banged on the car window and 'forcefully informed him he had a child in the car.

When asked why he thought she said that, he said: “Maybe she was not 18 or she was just angry”.

On January 9, he said one of the girls had been kicked out and so he took them both to his aunt's house where they smoked cannabis. He said he then took them to friends house in Cheetham Hill and had sex with one of them after suggesting his friend to have sex with the other. He admitted not wearing a condom.

Analysis of his mobile phone also showed he had taken intimate videos of the girls.

In victim impact statements, one of the girls, now 15, outlined her troubled home life at the time and said she felt like she couldn’t tell anyone what was happening as she was scared. She said she didn’t know what to do and didn’t want to report it due to the fear of repercussions.

The other girl, now 14, said she cries herself to sleep, has flashbacks and has trouble trusting people - especially men. “I feel like I’m to blame, but I know I am not,” she said.

A specialist nurse who supports children who are sexually exploited said both girls had experienced ‘significant trauma’ and said they felt a sense of ‘guilt and shame’. “The impact upon them will be sustained and life long,” they added.

Mitigating, Michael Johnson said Asemota was candid in his police interview and made ‘significant admissions’. “This is a man who’s never been to prison before, it will inevitably be painful. He is entirely the author of his own misfortune,” he said.

Jailing him for 10 years with an extended licence period of a year, Judge Rachel Smith said: “Both victims were highly vulnerable and highly susceptible to exploitation. Your relationship with each of the girls was predatory and opportunistic.

“You exploited each of them for your own gratification. You spent sufficient time with them to know what they were like, and there is evidence of grooming, providing them with company, transport, food, and later alcohol and drugs.”

She added that a pre-sentence report concluded that he was a high risk of causing serious harm to children and that he had adjusted his behaviour to appear younger in an effort to ‘indulge’ the grooming.

Asemota, of Queens Grove, Longsight, was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 20 years and must sign onto the Sex Offenders Register for life.

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A married taxi driver deliberately got a teenage girl drunk before having sex with her at a house in Birmingham. As a result of the incident the victim had attempted suicide.

Mohammed Zubair, 58, of Crowther Road, Erdington, who had previously admitted sexual activity with a child, was jailed for six years. He was also put on the sex offender register for life.

Sarah Allen, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said: "She recalls that he was talking inappropriately about sex life with his partner, making sex videos and about other underage girls. It was all highly inappropriate sexualised conversation that should not have been taking place."

Miss Allen said the 14-year-old had been on a sofa and that she became so unwell that she was sick. "It was during that time he took the opportunity to take advantage of her," she added.

Miss Allen said the girl was "conscious and was able to understand what was going on." Miss Allen said Zubair then had sex with the teenager and that it was her first sexual experience. A couple of days later she told a friend what had happened.

She said that it had had a detrimental effect on the victim's mental health who had counselling. In passing sentence Judge Richard Bond said: "Although you are a gentleman who does not drink alcohol yourself I have no doubt you were fully aware of what the effects of drinking alcohol would have been on such a young girl.

"The incident has had a real effect upon your victim who has talked about wanting to go to hell and feeling disgusted by what you did. You targeted a particularly vulnerable girl.

"You ensured she would comply with your urges by ensuring that she was drunk and having seen that she had been sick you took complete advantage over her. You were made aware on at least one occasion that she said no during the incident."

Jonathan Barker, defending, said Zubair had no previous relevant convictions and that his last conviction was in 2014 which related to his work as a taxi driver. He said he suffered from ill health and went on "The offence was out of character. The defendant regrets his behaviour and is remorseful."

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A paedophile turned up at a crematorium to meet an 11-year-old girl for sex. Nicholas Tarbard was in possession of a hunting knife, a screwdriver, two pairs of scissors, sex toys, and a condom as he waited for the child.

A court was told he thought he had been talking to three girls aged 11, 12, and 13 on social media. Tarbard had several conversations with each of them, many of a sexual nature, and he had requested inappropriate images of them. He had even sent indecent images of himself during the conversations.

But he had actually been snared by paedophile hunters. On Sunday July 18th 2021, Tarbard had arranged to meet up with who he thought to be the youngest girl, aged 11, at Macclesfield Crematorium. However, unbeknown to Tarbard, he had actually been speaking online to three adults acting as decoys.

As he was was waiting at the Crematorium he was confronted by the decoys who then called police. Tarbard, 35, of no fixed address, appeared at Chester Crown Court where he was sentenced to four years imprisonment and four years on licence after pleading guilty to four counts of attempting to engage sexual communication with child, attempt to arrange to facilitate child sex offence at an earlier hearing.

In a statement Cheshire Constabulary said: "When officers arrived at scene, they searched Tarbard who was in possession of a hunting knife, a screwdriver, two pairs of scissors, sex toys and a condom. During questioning, he answered no comment to everything posed to him by officers, even when shown messages that he had sent to the three different decoys.

"He was arrested and subsequently charged with arranging the commission of a child sex offence and possession of a bladed article in a public place. As well as being sentenced, he was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for an indefinite period and received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order also for an indefinite period."

Detective Constable Jamie Roberts, who led the investigation, said: Tarbard is an extremely dangerous individual who was intent on sexually assaulting young girls. Thanks to the work of the decoys, we were able to arrest and question Tarbard. Although he answered no comment to all of our questions, the evidence against him was damning.

I would like to thank the courts who have helped keep Tarbard off our streets with the sentence that was handed down to him today. Tarbard was talking to decoys but these could have easily been innocent children. I hope this case acts as a reminder for all parents and guardians to warn their children about the dangers of communicating with people online and to ensure that they are using the internet safely.

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A violent sex offender has had his prison sentence extended after he assaulted a vulnerable person and verbally abused a bus driver.

Zeshan Akhtar, aged 36, has had three months added to his seven-year prison sentence, which he was already serving for sexually assaulting a teenager.

The prisoner was produced at Wycombe Magistrates' Court on June 30 where he admitted to assaulting a vulnerable woman in Milton Keynes on March 10 last year.

Akhtar, of Gaddesden Crescent in Milton Keynes, also admitted to using abusive language and behaviour towards a bus driver on December 2, 2020. This older offence also took place in Milton Keynes,

The offender had initially denied the two charges but changed his plea at the hearing in June.

Sentencing him, the magistrates added three months to the lengthy sentence he is already serving.

Akhtar was sent down for seven years on May 5 after he was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault and one count of assault by penetration at Luton Crown Court.

The court heard how on August 16, 2021, in Bedford town centre, Akhtar approached a distressed teenage girl and attempted to kiss her.

When she tried to run away, Akhtar grabbed her and sexually assaulted her. Afterwards, he walked her home while holding her hand, and sexually assaulted her again just 160 yards from where she lived.

Akhtar had denied the charges against him but was found guilty by a jury following a trial at Luton Crown Court.

The investigating officer in the case, DC Katie Tavener, said: "No woman or girl should ever be made to feel scared and helpless.

"Akhtar took advantage of a situation to sexually assault a vulnerable young girl. When she said no, he ignored her, and no will always mean no.

"The victim showed true bravery by coming forward and reporting what had happened."

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AN SEX offender was jailed after a court how he sexually assaulted a particularly vulnerable victim at his home.

Robert Denny (pictured), of Bondfield Crescent, Wombwell, will serve 14 months in jail for preying on a girl who visited his house in July 2020.

Judge David Dixon told Sheffield Crown Court the victim had gone to Dennys house with her friends for what she thought it was going to be a celebratory event.

The judge added the victim had been wearing loose-fitting clothing because she had a fake tan on and Denny (37), seen an opportunity.

The judge said: You took advantage of her.

You preyed on this woman by touching her inappropriately.

You were squeezing her bottom in an inappropriate way.

You then took it further and picked her up and touched her bottom with two hands, and then ran your hand up to her breasts.

She was particularly vulnerable.

Judge Dixon said the ordeal had had a huge impact on the victim.

Denny was convicted of three counts of sexual assault.

He was sentenced to 12 months for one offence, a further two months for the second and a concurrent sentence of one month for the third.

Judge Dixon also issued a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order banning Denny from contacting the victim.