Search the database
clearly and quickly

Description

A man pushed his way into a woman's caravan in the early hours of the morning and sexually assaulted her, a court has heard. James Birmingham pushed and threw the woman around the static home "like a rag doll" before carrying out a sex act on her.

Swansea Crown Court heard details of a statement from the woman in which she described the devastating emotional and psychological impact of the attack. She also described the "indignity'" of having to give evidence at her trial in front of strangers and of having her integrity challenged in court.

The court heard the assault happened in November last year at a caravan park on Gower. In the early hours of the morning the defendant knocked on the door of the victim's caravan and the woman, thinking there was some kind of problem on the site, got out of bed to see what was going on. The court heard the woman then tried to close the door on Birmingham, 47, but he pushed his way inside. During the course of the subsequent assault the defendant threw and pushed the woman around the caravan before sexually assaulting her.

In an impact statement read to the court the woman said he replays the attack over and over again in her head and said she cannot help but wonder whether it was somehow her fault. She said there is not a part of her which does not believe Birmingham was trying to rape her that night, and she said she now sees herself as a victim of a sexual assault and she feels she will never be the person she used to be. She said the Gower incident had "devastated" her life. The woman also described the "indignity" of having to go through a trial and relive the attack in front of strangers and of having her integrity challenged.

James Birmingham, of Pentregethin Road, Cwmbwrla, Swansea, had previously been convicted at trial of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and sexual assault when he returned to the dock for sentencing. He has previous convictions for motoring matters.

Hilary Roberts, for Birmingham, said "thoughtful and constructive" references before the court showed the defendant was well-regarded by people who knew him and showed he was not somebody who usually behaved in the way he had done on the night in question. He said a sentence of immediate custody would be "catastrophic" for the defendant, for his teenage son, and for his employment and he invited the court to consider suspending the custodial sentence that was due.

Judge Geraint Walters said after gaining entry to the caravan Birmingham had used "pretty relentless violence" and had thrown the woman around the caravan "like a rag doll" before sexually assaulting her. He said he had no doubt alcohol had played its part in the "hugely unpleasant" offending. Birmingham was sentenced to three years in prison and will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. The defendant will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Description

A MANIPULATIVE sex offender who abused a child has been jailed for 15 years as his victim thanked police for securing the justice she deserved.

Jan Vanderweiden, 60, appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Thursday to be sentenced in connection with five counts of sexual activity with a child.

He was jailed for 15 years and sentenced to five years on extended licence. 

The sexual abuser, of no fixed address in the Castle Point district, had admitted his crimes, which were reported to Essex Police in 2022. 

His victim has thanked officers who “helped and assisted with the case” and “have been nothing but supportive over the past two years”.

She said: “I would like to say to anybody out there who sadly may be experiencing or experienced a similar thing to please trust our police and all the services they provide; I can hand on heart say they did everything to get me the justice I deserved. 

“I am finally able to put this part of my life behind me, though it will be with me forever I can now look forward and create an amazing life for me and the people I care about the most.”

For the first count of sexual activity with a child, Vanderweiden was sentenced to nine years in prison, with five years on extended licence. For the second, he was jailed for six years to run consecutively. For the other three, he was sentenced to five years on each, all to run concurrently with the other sentences.

He was also given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and a deprivation order was made in respect of his mobile phone.

Following the complex two-year investigation Detective Constable Georgina Stroud said: “Vanderwieden is a manipulative sexual offender, and the sentence reflects this.

“The survivor has shown nothing but strength and resilience throughout this difficult process. As the judge correctly mentioned in her sentencing summary, the survivor is a remarkable woman. 

“I hope the survivor’s words encourage others to come forward. 

“We will listen to you and do what we can to ensure you receive the justice you deserve.” 

The survivor paid specific tribute to Det Con Stroud, adding: “I am forever grateful to you all at Essex Police, especially Georgina Stroud, you have been nothing but supportive for the last two years.”

Description

A man who served a previous prison sentence for sexual activity with a child began communicating with what he believed to be a 14-year-old girl earlier this year.

Richard Clark received a four-year prison sentence at Cambridge Crown Court in March 2016 for offences involving a 13-year-old girl he “met” online, in 2014.

His latest hearing, at Durham Crown Court, was given details of the 2014 offending in which the defendant arranged to meet the girl, went to her school and formed a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship during which he kept asking her for sex.

Although she refused those requests, he did give her a body massage but went no further.

Clark denied a charge of sexual activity with a child but was convicted after trial and, apart from receiving the four-year prison term, he was made subject to an eight-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) plus indefinite notification requirements as a sex offender, as part of the 2016 sentence.

County Durham man fell for vigilante group's online 'sting':

Tabitha Buck, prosecuting, told the Durham hearing that in May this year, just two months after the expiry of the SHPO, Clark used an alias, North East 33, which he had not registered with the police, to go online and contact the profile of someone purporting to be a 14-year-old female.

Unknown to Clark, it was a decoy profile posted by an online paedophile-hunting vigilante group, all members of which were aged above 18.

Miss Buck said Clark began the messages by talking about his work as a truck driver, and the correspondent made it clear she was at school and aged 14.

He said he didn’t mind her age and asked if she liked “older guys”.

Clark complimented her on her profile appearance and told her he liked, “naughty chat”, before going on to say he would like to kiss her and asked if she, “played with herself.”

He suggested they switch their conversation to WhatsApp, so she could see him, and gave her his mobile phone number.

Miss Buck said once on WhatsApp, which was in his name, he told her he liked her and wished he could see more of her.

The conversation continued before Clark blocked the profile.

Details of the exchanges were passed to police by the vigilante group and Clark was arrested before being interviewed at Durham station on May 21, when he denied committing any offences.

The, now, 39-year-old defendant of Chillerton Way, Wingate, denied a charge of attempted sexual communication with a child, when he appeared before magistrates, on May 22, and maintained that plea at his first crown court appearance, in June, when a trial date was set.

But ahead of the trial, Clark changed his plea to guilty at a hearing at the court on October 17.

The sentence was adjourned to allow for the preparation of a background report on him by the Probation Service.

Dr Chris Wood, representing the defendant, told the sentencing hearing the latest offending was over a short period and there had been no attempt to conceal the messaging.

“He accepts he initially failed to admit his offending, but he reconsidered his position and indicated to his solicitors he intended to change his plea.

“That, at least, demonstrates remorsefulness and contrition, as is reflected in the probation report.

“The offence post-dates the original SHPO, during which he complied throughout, with no breaches.”

Dr Wood said the differences between the previous offence, which Clark denied to trial, and the present proceedings, are that he has now admitted his offending and, in this case, there was no actual victim.

He said the defendant retains the support of his family, for which he is the main bread winner, but has been in custody since he changed his plea to guilty on October 17.

Judge Nathan Adams said the defendant’s offending history is, “particularly significant” in this case.

The judge said although Clark complied with the SHPO following the 2016 case, once it expired he was offending similarly within months, believing he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl, unaware it was a decoy.

“Fortunately, it was a decoy, and it was brought straight to police attention.”

The judge said had it been a real 14-year-old, “the risk of harm would have been significant”.

He said the timing of the offence was, “an aggravating feature of the case.”

Imposing a 12-month prison sentence, Judge Adams said he could not suspend it, given the defendant’s previous offence.

“I have every sympathy with your family, but you have caused harm to them.

“It’s so serious only an immediate prison sentence can be justified.”

The judge put in place a new ten-year SHPO, with Clark also made subject to registration as a sex offender, again for ten years.

Description

A sick predator who repeatedly exposed himself and sexually assaulted a teenage girl has been jailed.

Zak Livsey, 26, targeted his first victim as she sat watching TV, Leeds Crown Court heard on Monday. Livsey, of Albert Street in Baildon, exposed his penis and began to masturbate.

Prosecutor Michael Morley told the court: "The defendant had his phone in his hand at the time. He then put it away and asked if she wanted a cup of tea."

The court was told that the woman disclosed the incident to a friend and then her mother.

It was said that over a year later Livsey then targeted another victim - this time a 14-year-old girl. The court heard the girl was sexually assaulted by Livsey, who later went on to expose his penis to her while masturbating. In a victim impact statement, the girl said she "can no longer be near or around men I don't know."

She added: "I begin to have a panic attack. These have become a regular problem, not only when aware but I have PTSD and nightmares and begin crying - sometimes multiple times a night. At first I was afraid to leave the house for fear I would see him. Overall I have been in a state of anxiety and depression for the past two years of my life. I can't trust anybody anymore."

The girl said she has self harmed since the offences and has lost friendships. She said: "It has had a strain on mine and my mum's relationships. Neither wanted to speak about it in case one upset the other. I'm scared that if he walks away from all of this that he is only going to do it again, to me or another girl but if he believes he can get away with it he will."

Livsey pleaded guilty to two counts of exposure and one of sexual assault at a section 28 cross examination hearing before either victim had given evidence. In the first victim's statement, which was not read out to the court, it was heard she had mentioned his behaviour at that hearing and a plea, trial and preparation, which was disputed by his barrister Charlie Blatchford.

Mr Blatchford said that before the plea, trial and preparation hearing, Livsey was "on the verge of tears" and went to the toilet to be sick on the day of the section 28 cross examination hearing. He said: "There is reference to a certain type of behaviour that is not my experience of him.

"The pre-sentence report is a very thorough report detailing his acceptance of the offences, background to them and him as an individual, the difficulties he has had in his younger life. You will have seen that some of what he experienced as a child has impacted on his distorted thinking.

"He is supported in court by his partner and she is anxious, as they both are, of the possible outcome today." His Honour Judge Robin Mairs jailed Livsey for 23 months, telling him: "The victim personal statements from both complainants make for powerful reading. The second victim feels uncomfortable around men and has poisoned relationships and she has left her job. In the first victim personal station, there has been a very significant impact [on the woman.]

"These are offences committed against young women. You deny in your pre-sentence report any sexual interest in either. What I do find is that you got sexual gratification from masturbating in the presence of them. What is striking in your case is that your offending happened not just once, but twice."

Livsey was also made the subject of a ten-year sexual harm prevention order.

Description

A ‘creepy’ Swindon sex offender has been convicted of breaching a court order.

Dr Prabhat Sakya was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a train – effectively trapping his victims by sitting next to them, and proceeding to touch their bodies.

The pervert, of Bude Road, Swindon, denied the charges but was convicted at trial in 2021. He avoided immediate custody and was slapped with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

In 2023, Wiltshire 999s uncovered a Instagram page believed to be run by ‘creepy’ Sakya.

It featured photos of young women and girls, some with captions that raised concerns. Many of the photos posted on the social media profile were taken at the Swindon Designer Outlet.

Now, the 53-year-old has admitted breaching his SHPO – after officers found five iPhones, two computers and a tablet which had not been disclosed to his sex offender manager.

Another breach, involving the disposal of a laptop which was not disclosed to police, resulted in a ninth charge of breaching a SHPO. He admitted all offences at Swindon Magistrates’ Court.

Sakya was handed a 12-month community order with the requirement to complete 20 days of activity with the probation service. He was also fined £200.

Click here to join our WhatsApp Channel and get breaking news 

Description

A man exposed himself and performed a sex act near a school, a court has heard. Jonathan Keegan has a dozen previous offences of exposing himself and outraging public decency on his record but an experienced probation officer has been unable to find the causes of his behaviour.

Sending 53-year-old Keegan to prison a judge told him there seemed to be no sign of him stopping his behaviour. He warned the defendant that if he continues to offend in the same way the courts would lock him up for longer and longer periods.

Swansea Crown Court heard the defendant's latest offending happened at around 3pm on October 3 this year in a park near a Neath school. The court heard Keegan was seen by a woman walking in the area with his penis exposed and pleasuring himself. The court heard though there were children in the area walking home from school the offending didn't happen in front of them. The incident was reported to police and the defendant was arrested.

Jonathan Patrick Keegan, of Meadow Road, Melin, Neath, had previously pleaded guilty to exposure and to breaching a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. The court heard he has previous convictions for seven offences of indecent exposure, seven of breaching a SOPO, and five of outraging public decency. David Singh, for Keegan, said to call the defendant's history of offending "unenviable" would be an "understatement" and said even the experienced author of the pre-sentence report had been unable to gain any real insight into the defendant's behaviour

Judge Paul Thomas KC said while the defendant had clearly been under the influence of drink or drugs on the day not even an experienced probation officer had been able to get to the roots of Keegan's behaviour. He said there appeared to be no sign that the behaviour Keegan had exhibited over the years was going to change, and he told the defendant that if he continues to offend in the same way the courts would impose longer and longer sentences.

With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas Keegan was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison. He will serve up to half that sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. He will be a registered sex offender for the next seven years.

Description

A family GP who kept his job despite being on the Sex Offender Register for groping a receptionist has been struck off after leaving a female patient in tears over an 'inappropriate' medical examination.

Dr Sanjay Chatterjee, 60, had previously walked free from court and escaped with a nine-month suspension from work after he twice grabbed a receptionist by the bottom and later attempted to kiss her in three separate encounters.

But he was reported to police and the General Medical Council again after he inserted a medical implement inside a woman's vagina without her consent while examining her for suspected haemorrhoids. 

She was left in shock and burst into tears as she told her family about the consultation and  subsequently called police to claim she had been sexually assaulted.

Inquiries revealed married father-of-two Chatterjee had ignored police restrictions on his movements under the terms of the Sex Offender Register by repeatedly flying abroad using a new passport.

At the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, Chatterjee who lives in the village of Larkfield near Aylesford, Kent, was ordered to have his name erased from the doctor's register after he was found guilty of serious professional misconduct. 

A panel said his examination of the patient was 'inappropriate and not clinically indicated', but cleared him of sexually motivated conduct.

No criminal action was taken against him over the examination.

Chatterjee was initially reported to police in 2010 and charged with sexual assault after the receptionist at a clinic in Medway and a second woman made complaints about him.

The receptionist said she was working a Saturday shift at the out of hour's service clinic when Chatterjee put his hand on her right buttock while she was sitting in reception leaning forward toward her computer.

Initially the receptionist did not want to make a complaint, but later while looking for a diclofenac injection in a dispensary Chatterjee was said to have stood 'uncomfortably close behind her'.

When she turned to ask for help, she found him about 12 inches away from her face.

He started to talk about her jewellery, and grabbed her shoulders in an attempt to kiss her. 

She escaped by raising her arms in a 'trained conflict resolution move.'

At Maidstone Crown Court in 2011, Chatterjee was convicted of sexually assaulting the receptionist and was given 250 hours unpaid work, ordered to pay £1,000 costs and was ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for five years. 

He was cleared of seven sex charges involving the second woman after he insisted they were having an affair.

At the time, Chatterjee's loyal wife Sumona, an NHS manager told their local newspaper said: 'He been made to look as if he's a perverse and perverted man but he isn't. He made one silly mistake and that's it.'

Chatterjee himself said: 'I betrayed my wife and family and I am quite ashamed about that - but what has been done cannot be undone. 

'When she heard I had cheated on her she became angry and it was hell. The whole house was in complete shock - it was darkness.'

Chatterjee was temporarily banned from treating patients in July 2014 despite the GMC calling for him to be struck off. 

By March 2015 he was allowed to work again under supervision and eventually returned to unrestricted practice.

But he was back in court again after he was caught flying to Kolkata in India and also Portugal in 2016 as he needed permission from the authorities if he wished to travel abroad and notify them of any changes to his passport.

Inquiries revealed the trips had been booked using a new passport and he was given 84 days in prison, suspended for a year, and was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £200 costs for failing to comply with notification requirements.

The latest incident occurred at the Aylesford Medical Centre in May 2021 when a female patient known as Ms A was admitted for ulcerative colitis and rectal bleeding. 

She said Dr Chatterjee asked her to get on the examination couch before he picked up a speculum and squeezed lubricant gel on it.

Recalling the examination Ms A said: 'He never went into detail about any of what he was going to do - he just kind of got on with it. I went a little bit tense as it was a little bit sore. 

'He put it in had a look around and said: 'I can't see anything in there, maybe they're further up.' 

I thought 'Oh that's it now' but in the next second he just put it straight into my vagina with no warning, no explanation, nothing.

'I was just so shocked I really didn't know how to react to it at all. He didn't explain it to me.'

A student nurse who witnessed the examination said: 'I remember Dr Chatterjee's communication was really poor. 

'He didn't have an introduction with her at the start of the appointment, he didn't say hello, ask how she was, invite her to take a seat or explain what was going to happen in the appointment. He just said: 'OK get undressed.'

An expert assigned to investigate the incident later said: 'I can see no reason why a vaginal examination was clinically indicated or appropriate, given the presenting symptoms were bowel related and seemed to have nothing to do with her vagina.'

And for the GMC, Ms Jade Bucklow said: 'Patient A was left confused and feeling violated. She contacted friends and family in a distressed state and subsequently had to give evidence to the police so that they could consider whether she had been sexually assaulted.

'All of this arose from Dr Chatterjee's failure to obtain informed consent for intimate examinations and the carrying out of a vaginal examination that was inappropriate and not clinically indicated.'

Chatterjee did not attend the hearing but in a statement said he had no intention of returning to medical practice. 

He added: 'I accept that I carried out the rectal examination of the patient. A chaperone was present. If there was any contact with the patient's vagina then this was unintentional.'

His counsel Martin Forde KC said: 'The doctor resumed his career with no complaints other than the single patient in this case. 

'There was no repetition of any sexually motivated behaviour [from] 2011 to 2024, a period of 13 years.

'The proven charges relate to one patient and one consultation. Clearly, the Panel have found communication could have been better, but such a failure is easily remediable.'

But MPTS chairman Mr Graham White said: ' Dr Chatterjee's failure to obtain Patient A's informed consent caused her emotional harm, leaving her in shock and distress and feeling as if she had been violated. 

Both Patient A's daughter and friend described her as being distressed and in tears when she discussed what had happened to her.

'The fact Dr Chatterjee's registration had previously been suspended in relation to a 2011 conviction for sexual assault against a colleague was a significant aggravating factor. 

'There was no evidence that Dr Chatterjee understood the nature or gravity of his misconduct and convictions and there was no evidence of any attempts by him to address or remediate them.

'There were no expressions of regret or apology.'

Description

A man has been jailed for 16 years after subjecting a teenage girl to years of sexual abuse. Martin Falconer, of Spennymoor Court, Runcorn, was jailed on Tuesday, November 26 after being found guilty of five counts of sexual activity with a child under 16, attempted rape, sexual assault, and possession of indecent images of children.

Leah Green previously spoke to the ECHO and waived her right to anonymity to share her story after enduring the horrendous abuse at the hands of Falconer, who was her stepdad. During her early adolescence she endured inappropriate sexual behaviour from Falconer, 66.

The now 21-year-old claims Falconer put a camera in her bedroom to film her, and he later tried to rape her. Falconer came to the attention of Cheshire Police in 2019 when Ms Green reported he had sexually abused her.

This barrage of abuse occurred between 2016 and 2019, during which Falconer sexually assaulted and attempted to rape Ms Green. He also had indecent images of her in his possession on his laptop.

Speaking to the ECHO, Ms Green said: "I want my story out there. After being called a liar by my family for so many years, I want to be heard." She is encouraging others to come forward to stop abusers like Falconer damaging other children.

She said: "There are so many little girls out there losing their innocence to these vile men. There's something we can do to stop it. You should speak out if you can. You'll be protecting so many young girls. You'll be saving little girls' lives and saving their innocence."

Falconer moved into the family home when Ms Green was a toddler. For years, she called him dad, and he played the role of a doting stepdad. According to Ms Green, Falconer showered her with attention, buying her gifts, running her baths and making her hot water bottles.

"He was loving," she said, "and I liked the fact I was loved by someone. But I was loved in the wrong way. When I look back now, I think, 'that's wasn't love, that was grooming'." Following an investigation, Falconer was charged with the offences and later found guilty following a trial in June 2024.

On top of his custodial sentence, Falconer will be subject to notification requirements, a restraining order and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Detective Sergeant Lee Ellis said: “Firstly, I would like to commend the bravery of the victim in this case, and I hope the conclusion of this lengthy investigation and subsequent court process will help to bring her some closure.

Description

A man has been jailed for more than four years for child sexual offences. 

Andrew Grant, of Queen Street, Bampton, was sentenced to 54 months for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, being an adult attempting to meet a girl following grooming, arranging or facilitating sexual activity with a child and driving without third party insurance.

Grant, 58, was sentenced during a hearing at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, November 29. 

Grant was accused of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a girl under the age of 16 – namely 14 - in Eynsham between November 22, 2022 and February 18, 2023.

Between the same dates, he was accused of trying to meet the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at Oxford Train Station after a period of grooming.

Grant was also charged with arranging/facilitating commission of offence of a sexual activity with a child in Eynsham between the same dates.

His driving offences took place on February 18 last year in Park End Street, at Oxford Train Station in a Nissan X Trail.

As well as being jailed, he was given six penalty points on his driving licence for the driving offence. 

Grant was also given a sexual harm prevention order and put on the sex offender register, both indefinitely. 

He was also barred indefinitely from working with children and vulnerable people. 

Description

A registered sex offender who had online chats with teenage boys, despite an order imposed against him, is now behind bars once again, after a diligent investigation by his Offender Manager.

Mark Lee (23/01/2003) of Greenbrow Road, has been sentenced to five years in prison with an extended licence period. He has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life, with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed off.

Lee’s victims disclosed to him that they were under 16, and he knowingly continued to target children in an online chatroom using a prohibited device.

Following his conviction for indecent image offences in 2023, where he received a suspended sentence, Lee was banned from having contact with anyone under the age of 18 and prohibited from possessing any images of anyone under the age of 18. He was also subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to comply with. A case worker from our Sex Offender Management Unit conducted weekly checks on Lee from this point.

In 2022, Lee began contacting a 13-year-old boy. When using the chatroom app to speak to this boy, Lee coerced him into sending explicit pictures. He also paid a total of £1,200 to him, to try and encourage the boy into sending more explicit images. The boy tried to break things off with Lee, sensing that Lee was not 17 years old like he had originally told him. In attempts to continue speaking to the boy, Lee set up another social media account and pretended to be his own sister to communicate with the teenage boy saying to him that Lee was a good brother and good person and encouraged the boy to start speaking to him again.

At the same time, Lee was speaking to another teenage boy using the same chatroom. It was uncovered that Lee used age filters to target specifically 13-year-old teenage boys, and was pretending to be a teenager himself.

He was first arrested in November 2023 by DC Dan Foy, and placed on bail for further enquiries. However he kept up online contact and even went to meet one the boys in February 2024.

Once further intelligence came to light, we swiftly arrested him in April 2024, after his Offender Manager was made aware of a report he had made about being a victim of fraud. He reported that he’d never been paid for a laptop he sold on Ebay, but of course we knew that he should not have had that device in the first place.

On arrest, his mobile phone was inspected and found to contain images showing young teenage boys. From this, officers were able to find his victims through detective work to trace the school uniforms on a UK database along with some conducting some investigations on the phone data.

He was subsequently charged with multiple sexual offences, including engaging in sexual communication with a child, cause or incite a boy age 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, possession of indecent images of children and meeting a young boy following grooming, as well as repeated breaches of a sexual harm prevention order.

Description

A POLICE worker and kids’ football coach was caught engaging in depraved sex chats with someone he believed to be a ’14-year-old girl’.

Gary Marsden actually communicated with and shared a sexualised photo with an undercover police officer.

The 50-year-old appeared before Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, Monday, to face sentence after admitting a charge of attempted sexual communications with a child.

It was heard that, in his pre-sentence report, the dad-of-two claimed not to have a sexual interest in children except on the day of the chats.

However, this basis of plea was abandoned, allowing the case to proceed to sentence without the need for a trial of issue.

The charge arose out of internet chats that he took part in on February 8, 2023, explained Martyn Walsh, prosecuting.

Marsden communicated online with an undercover police officer who was posing as both a 22-year-old woman called Sophie and a 14-year-old girl named ‘Emz’.

The court heard how he sent a sexual image of himself in his boxer shorts and solicited a photo of the ‘girl’ in her nightie.

The officer played the roles of both Emz and Sophie during the course of the conversation, and the defendant, the Crown said, ‘believed and intended all that he wrote in those messages’.

At the time of the offending, the defendant was employed by Cheshire Police as a civilian supervisor in the motorway control unit, based off Robb Lane in Newton-le-Willows – a job he had been in since 2014.

He resigned from the force in May 2023 during an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The case against him was that he used a work computer to log into his Twitter account, and that he was in work when he was talking with the undercover officer.

The prosecution case was also that he took a photo of himself in his boxer shorts to send to the ‘child’ when he was in work.

Moreover, at the time of the offence he was the manager of a children's football team, and when he was arrested, he was living at the family home with his wife and two children.

During chats, after being told by the ‘girl’ that she was aged 14, Marsden asked to see her nightie and called her ‘cute’ after being sent a photo by the officer.

He also asked her to show him her legs, and after being sent another photo by the officer, he replied ‘hot hot hot’.

The defendant called the girl ‘babe’ and ‘very sweet’, discussed having an erection and commented “I don’t mind some risk.”

Marsden also made mention of the ‘girl’ visiting his office on work experience and ‘kissing her all over’, adding that he thought she was ‘so sexy’ and ‘perfect’, and that he ‘liked her a lot’.

Chats included references to her ‘perfect bum’ and that he was ‘excited’ by the photo of her in the nightie.

The chat with the undercover officer ended that same day, with Cheshire Police officers attending his home address the following day, February 9, and arresting him.

Items seized from the address included his mobile phone, on which authorities found the corresponding chats and photos.

When interviewed under caution on March 9 2023, Marsden admitted that the Twitter account was his profile, and that it was only used and accessed by him.

He admitted the communicating with the female profiles and sending all images within the communication, but he claimed he did not believe it was real or that he was communicating with a child.

In mitigation, it was heard from Steven Nikolich, defending, that his client, who has no previous convictions, should be given some credit for his guilty plea entered during a trial.

“Clearly, he is someone the Probation Service can work with,” Mr Nikolich said, with the court hearing that the date of sentence was a ‘seminal day’ as Marsden had admitted his sexual interest in children.

Commenting that there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation in his client’s case, Mr Nikolich asked the court to suspend the sentence of imprisonment.

Before sentencing, judge Anil Murray said: “Clearly, the threshold for custody has been crossed.

“The sentence is short enough to be considered for suspension, you are not thought to be a risk to the public, and you are a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

“On balance, I can just about suspend the sentence.”

Marsden, of Snowshill Drive in Wigan, was sentenced to nine months in prison, but this was suspended for the next two years.

During this time, he must also complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Moreover, the defendant was ordered to sign the sex offender register and abide by the terms of a sexual harm prevention order, both for the next 10 years.

Towards the cost of court proceedings, he was told he must pay £1,200, while an order was approved for the forfeiture and destruction of his mobile phone seized on his arrest.

Judge Murray added: “I reserve any breaches to myself, and if you reoffend or fail to carry out the work, we will meet again, I will remember you, and I am not likely to give you a second chance.”

Following the hearing, IOPC director of operations Steve Noonan said: “Marsden’s actions were abhorrent in sexually communicating with someone he believed to be a child.

“His actions amounted to predatory behaviour for his own sexual gratification.

“Marsden’s conviction sends a clear message for his appalling behaviour which significantly undermines the public confidence in policing.

“Our involvement ensured independent oversight of this sensitive investigation, and I am grateful to Cheshire Police’s counter corruption unit for its efforts in holding the former staff member accountable for his actions.”

The IOPC recommended Marsden had a case to answer for gross misconduct, and following a hearing in January this year, it was determined that his actions breached the police standards of professional behaviour.

This was relating to authority, respect, courtesy, discreditable conduct, honesty and integrity at the level of gross misconduct.

It was ruled he would have been dismissed without notice had he not already resigned, and he was placed on the barred list, meaning he cannot be employed in policing in the future.

Description

A convicted sex offender has had his jail term increased after another victim came forward. Damien Riley, of Ewood, Oldham, was convicted of 16 incidents of inappropriate sexual activity relating to four young boys in Oldham in the 1980s - when he was a teenager - by a jury in 2021.

The former carer was jailed for 10 years. Sentencing him at the time, Judge Angela Nield said: "The victims of your offending behaviour were four in number - they were children, children who all lived on the same estate in very different times to now, when it was commonplace for groups of children to play together on the street.

"When those children were believed, usually with good cause, to be safe by their parents, safety in numbers; sadly in this case that was far from the truth.

"Each of them was undoubtedly damaged by that behaviour and by their premature and inappropriate exposure to sexual experiences.

"All these young men were part and parcel of a group of children who should have been enjoying the delights of playing with their friends and the games that were enjoyed in the streets of Oldham, but there was a very much darker undercurrent on that street."

Following the sentencing in 2021, another victim who lived in the area at the same time, has come forward.

Amy Weir, prosecuting, said Riley, who was a teenager at the time, performed a sex act on the boy. Mitigating, Michael Johnson said his client was a child at the time, and the maximum sentence for such offences which were committed in the 1980s was 12 months imprisonment.

Jailing him for a further year, Judge Nield said: “In 2021 and following a trial in respect of four separate complainants who alleged similar types of behaviour. I sentenced you to 10 years imprisonment.

“This complainant did not come forward until much later and you chose to have a trial, which is your right. He had to give evidence about something which was very distressing to him.

“It was open to you to acknowledge your guilt and potentially to come clean and avoid the situation you have now found yourself in.”

Riley was sentenced to 12 months, to be served consecutively to his current sentence, for indecent assault on a child.

Description

A convicted child sex offender died in HMP Liverpool on the day he was due to be sentenced for new offences. John Sadler, previously of the Woodchurch area, died at the Walton prison on Tuesday, November 26.

The 32-year-old, whose address was most recently listed as HMP Altcourse, was convicted of a number of offences on Monday this week following a trial. According to charge sheets, Sadler faced communication and image charges involving both real children and police decoys.

The ECHO understands Sadler was facing the prospects of a sentence up to 10 years' imprisonment. A source told the ECHO that Sadler was due to be sentenced on video link on Tuesday afternoon but the hearing got adjourned due to a medical emergency.

Both the Prison Service and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has now confirmed to the ECHO that Sadler died. A spokesperson for the Prison Service said: "HMP Liverpool prisoner John Sadler died on 26/11/2024. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate."

Adrian Usher, Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, added: "My office are conducting an independent investigation into the death of Mr John Sadler at HMP Liverpool on 26 November 2024. We will publish our final investigation report into his death after the inquest concludes."

The ECHO has previously covered Sadler's previous appearances in court. In 2014 the then 21-year-old groomed a 13-year-old girl before having sex with her in a Wirral park. He met the victim online and chatted to her through Skype before meeting up with her on multiple occasions.

Sadler denied five counts of sexual activity with a child but was found guilty after trial. He was handed an extended prison sentence, as well as a consecutive term for contempt of court after he threatened the victim's family, telling them: "I’ll ****ing have you when I’m out."

Sadler attempted to challenge his sentence at the Court of Appeal in 2017 claiming he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice. He said his password was "known to others" and that his computer and mobile phone had been hacked. Despite the strength of the prosecution case, Sadler fought a futile battle to prove his innocence - including making representations to the Queen about his case.

The dangerous offender, branded "manipulative and calculating" by his trial judge, was refused permission to appeal, with a high court judge concluding: "These convictions are entirely safe, he has failed to identify a single valid ground." Sadler's offending time frame for his recent offences stretched between March 2019 and September 2021, according to charge sheets.

A number of separate investigations are currently ongoing by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman into deaths at HMP Liverpool. he most recent inspection report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons praised its "caring culture". The chief inspector of prisons wrote: "The prison’s strategy for reducing self-harm evidenced a good approach to care, predicated on good staff-prisoner relationships, which were a real strength at HMP Liverpool."

The Ministry of Justice's most recent performance list ranked HMP Liverpool as good. However, a whistle-blower at the prison told the ECHO staffing levels were "frighteningly low", adding the prison's resources were severely stretched, "putting staff and prisoners at risk". In response to the whistle-blower's claims, the Ministry of Justice said the prison had increased the number of officers and invested in new security measures.

Description

An unsuspecting woman was left shocked and terrified when a creepy sex pest targeted her during a "totally random" and "offensive" encounter in her car after she innocently went to an all-night petrol station.

Kevin Pexton sexually touched her before getting into the back of her car and asking her: "Can we go back to your house, babes?" He stroked her leg and boasted to her: "I'm viral. All of the girls want me."

He made an obscene suggestion to the woman and started behaving in an unpleasant sexualised way before a man who arrived on the scene quickly saw what was happening and pulled him out of the car, Hull Crown Court heard. Pexton, 37, of Kinloss Garth, Bransholme, Hull, admitted offences of sexual assault, exposure and assault on September 8.

Ben Hammersley, prosecuting, said that Pexton went to a 24-hour petrol station in the Hull area, in the early hours and walked up to the service hatch. He asked to borrow a mobile phone and used it to send a message to a woman. She did not reply.

A few minutes later, a car pulled up on the forecourt, with two women inside. The driver saw Pexton and thought that he was "just acting silly" and she went to the service hatch.

When she returned, Pexton was standing at the driver-side rear door. When she got into the car, he touched her on the bottom. She got in the car but Pexton opened the rear passenger door and got in.

He asked: "Can we go back to your house, babes?" The woman was scared and told him to get out. Her friend went to the service hatch to seek help. Pexton was sitting directly behind the driver.

She stared straight ahead, rather than look at him, as he pressed himself up behind the seat. He stroked her leg and made a lewd suggestion to her. He started committing a sex act. The woman texted her friend, who had gone to the hatch for help.

Pexton told the woman: "Turn around and look at me. I'm viral. All of the girls want me." A second car pulled up and the woman's friend told the driver of that car what was going on.

"He pulled the defendant out of the vehicle," said Mr Hammersley. Pexton shouted: "It's consensual."

There was a scuffle and the man tried to restrain him. "The defendant was swinging his fists at him," said Mr Hammersley. "They ended up on the floor and the defendant bit his leg, drawing blood. Shortly afterwards, the police arrived."

The woman later said that the incident put her "on edge" and made her worried about being in her car. She kept having dreams and the incident from that night kept coming back to her.

She did not like going out and she had been left feeling vulnerable. "I suffer from anxiety anyway and this has made me feel on edge," she said.

David Godfrey, mitigating, said that the "disgraceful acts" were out of character for Pexton. He had no previous convictions. "This is an aberration," said Mr Godfrey.

"This is plainly troubling and disgraceful behaviour, really troubling. This was disgraceful but utterly out of character.

"It's prolonged. He acknowledges that his behaviour that night was unforgivable. He has made one awful set of mistakes."

Father-of-three Pexton had lost a good job and had suffered a family bereavement in the recent past. He had been in custody on remand for about 11 weeks.

Judge Mark Bury told Pexton: "This behaviour is extremely serious. It was a random female. This is behaviour which isn't just against a person you knew.

"It's totally random and it's offensive and it's caused her significant trauma. Hardly surprising, she wants to sell her car. She can't bear to sit in it any more. The incident keeps coming back to her and she is on edge, not constantly, but more than she should be.

"All she was doing was going to an all-night garage to get some drink or something. This was in public, late at night. There was a person in the passenger seat who must have felt extremely intimidated by what was going on."

Pexton had "no business" going and sitting in the woman's car. "She must have been terrified sitting in there," said Judge Bury.

Pexton was jailed for 21 months and he must register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Description

A Swansea man has been jailed after being found guilty of multiple child sex offences.

44-year-old Christopher Norris, from Clydach, has been found guilty of two counts of sexual assault, one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

He has today been sentenced to thirty months in prison, and has been made subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). He is also subject of a restraining order against the victim for five years. He will remain on the sexual offenders register for life.

Detective Constable Joanne Williams said:

Christopher Norris is a highly dangerous individual who preyed upon his child victim with absolutely no regard for their wellbeing.

I commend the bravery of the victim in reporting Christopher Norriss actions, which was instrumental in helping bring him to justice.

I hope this sentence brings some comfort to the victim and their family, all of whom have been through a harrowing ordeal.