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A ‘MANIPULATIVE and abusive’ predator sexually assaulted a child over 100 times making her feel like she would ‘never be normal again’, a court heard.

Darren Richmond, from Barrow, was jailed at Preston Crown Court on November 25 after admitting nine child sexual offences - including two charges of rape.

His Honour Judge Andrew Jefferies KC said the defendant caused ‘indescribable pain and suffering’ to the victim.  

Prosecutor Olivia Beesley said: “At times he placed a dog lead on his neck to choke himself and said if she didn’t do as she was told, he would do the same to her.

“He would also threaten that he would kill himself if she told anyone.”

Ms Beesley read the victim’s impact statement into the record.

The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said: “It is clear how much this has affected me, but it is difficult to put into words. I even struggle to say his name.

"He has taken away my relationship with sex.

"I will never be normal again. I’ll just have to find a way to deal with it.”

The 41-year-old was also sentenced after admitting four offences of attempting to sexually communicate with a child online.

Ms Beesley told the court Richmond contacted girls, which were decoy profiles, on the ‘Sweetmeet’ application.

“He offered to send a photo of his genitals after they had identified themselves as 13 or 14-year-old girls," Ms Beesley said.

"He then asked them for photos. When clothed photos followed, he asked for topless ones.”

Officers arrested Richmond after being contacted by a North East-based paedophile hunter group called the ‘Child Online Safety Team’.

In mitigation, Richard Vardom said his client’s guilty plea was his best form of mitigation.

“The defendant has a manipulative and abusive past which has clearly caught up with him," Mr Vardom told the court.

“These are quite repellent offences against a young girl.

“He originally pleaded not guilty but a short time before trial, he changed his plea to guilty."

Judge Jefferies jailed Richmond for 16 years, as well as an additional five years of extended licence due to the seriousness of the offences.

Before passing the sentence, he told Richmond: “She estimates you sexually assaulted her over 100 times. I do not accept you are remorseful. You are still in denial.  That will only change with serious reflection on those who work in the prison service.

“I have come to the conclusion there is a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm. You are a dangerous offender.”

Detective Constable Faye Huddleston said: “I’d like to acknowledge the bravery of the victim for reporting these offences to the police. I can only imagine what a horrendous experience this was.

“I am pleased with the sentence given out by the courts today.

“Richmond is a predator, and I can only hope that seeing him go to prison for a substantial amount of time can bring some comfort than justice has been done.

“Cumbria Constabulary is committed to thoroughly and compassionately investigating all reports of rape and serious sexual offences, no matter how much time has passed.

“I would encourage anyone who has been victim of a sexual offence to contact police so that our officers can investigate.”

Description

A child abuse victim has been praised for her courage and dignity as the 'dangerous' paedophile responsible begins a lengthy jail term.

A judge told Anthony Collins that although his deviant behaviour had inevitably "wrecked" a period in the girl's life, it had not "broken her spirit".

Canterbury Crown Court heard how, having initially suffered in silence, she finally felt brave enough to report her attacker's depravity.

It was this, said Judge Mark Weekes, that had forced the 55-year-old to "confront" what he had done and admit his guilt in the face of "overwhelming" evidence.

Applauding the victim, he told the sex offender: "You grossly violated her at a time in her life when she was vulnerable. She was left confused and probably frightened.

"She suffered in silence for months, doing her best to cope with the situation.....hating the abuse and feeling unable to speak out....You left her for broken.

"It is beyond any argument that this has had and will have a considerable impact on her life.

“I have read with concern her victim impact statement which sets out the ways in which the abuse impacted on her.
"And yet for all that, the final victory in this case is hers.

“Her courage in coming forward to report you and give evidence against you shows that your abuse did not in fact break her spirit.

“You did not and could not remove her dignity.

"On the contrary, she can have the comfort of knowing that her evidence has been accepted and has been believed.

"She can know that she forced you to confront your own abusive nature and to admit to it.

"She is to be applauded for her bravery in coming forwards in that way. It would not have been an easy step."

Collins, of The Acre, in Whitfield, Dover, pleaded guilty in May to 14 offences of sexual activity with a child, with sentencing adjourned for the preparation of reports.

But when he returned on Friday, the court heard that despite admitting the charges, he had sought to minimise his criminality and try to blame the victim.

Furthermore, the probation officer who assessed Collins had concluded he posed a high risk of re-offending in terms of sexual abuse and exploitation of female children.

In deciding therefore that as a dangerous offender it was necessary to impose an extended sentence for public protection, Judge Weekes told him that although there was "a capacity for remorse and change", the risk he presented required "intensive management" for a long period of time.

Jailing Collins for seven-and-a-half years, of which he will have to serve at least two-thirds before the Parole Board can even consider whether it is safe to release him, the judge said: "I have reached the conclusion that you are dangerous within the meaning of the statute, despite the fact that you are of good character, and despite the letter you have written to me.

"You are no longer a young man and thus the potential for real and lasting change in you is much more limited. However nor will you be old when you are released .
"It is true that you have pleaded guilty, but I judge that to have occurred because you recognised the evidence was overwhelming.

"I also judge that you have sought to minimise your offending very substantially, and seek to attach significant blame to your victim for it.
"From that fact I draw the inevitable conclusion that you lack any deep remorse or insight into your offending."

Collins's denial of a sexual attraction to children was also criticised and highlighted as a further element of risk.

"That failure to acknowledge, coupled with the fact that you victim blame and have only very limited insight, makes you an obvious candidate for further offending if not intensively supervised, in my judgment," continued Judge Weekes.

"As the pre-sentence report author has noted, you engaged in highly risky offending, seemingly oblivious to the chance of being caught.

"It follows that in my judgment although in other respects you are assessed as having respect for the law, you engage in risk-taking offending sexually which in my judgment is apt to make you dangerous.

"You clearly have a significant sexual need and when that sexual desire is not met, or not completely met by an adult, you engage in thoughts of or actual abuse of children.

"It follows that I do consider it necessary to impose an extended sentence in order to protect the public in the future.
"I consider that as you will by no means be an old man on your release, even if you are required to serve the full sentence as you may be, the risk that you pose will need intensive management for a long period of time."

Under the extended sentence, once it is deemed safe to release Collins, he will have a further four-and-a-half years added to any licence period.

He will also be subject to indefinite sex offender notification requirements and barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.

Description

A 37-year old man has today been jailed for 17 years for committing multiple sexual offences against a child.

Ashley Lamptey, of Watling Avenue, Edgeware, Middlesex appeared at Norwich Crown Court today (Monday 25 November) for sentencing.  It followed a trial in the same court in April this year where he was convicted unanimously of two counts of rape of a girl under the age of 13, two counts of sexual assault of a girl under 13 by penetration and one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard how Lamptey targeted his victim between 2020-2021 when he was living in Dereham, with the first offence occurring when she was 6 years old.  Lamptey was arrested when the victim told her mother what had been happening and following a complex investigation he was charged.

Today he was sentenced to 17 years in prison, as well as five years on extended licence.  He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and is subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

During sentencing Judge Katharine Moore described Lampety as a dangerous offender who posed a significant risk to members of the public and children and who had caused the victim severe psychological harm.

Description

A former police worker groomed a young girl and subjected her to a seven-year-long campaign of rape and abuse, a court has heard.

Alexander Wilson - who worked for two different police forces before latterly becoming a train manager - denied his guilt and forced his young victim to go through the ordeal of trial where she was seen to be visibly upset and shaking in the witness box as she gave evidence.

A judge said the 45-year-old had caused his victim enormous psychological harm while a police officer said the damage he had done to the child was "incalculable". Wilson has been given a 20-year extended sentence as a dangerous offender.

Swansea Crown Court heard the rapes began when the girl was aged around five and continued for some seven years. Mark Wyeth KC, prosecuting, described Wilson as being "cruel and emotionally manipulative" towards the child during the prolonged period of abuse.

The abuse finally ended after an incident where Wilson had forced the child to perform a sex act on him. The court heard the girl texted her mother a "codeword" and a particular emoji the pair had agreed she should use if she felt in danger. The girl's mother later spoke to her daughter and the child disclosed what had been going on.

The barrister said as a "part-time policeman" the defendant "was certainly a man who knew the difference between right and wrong" and he described him as a "dangerous, highly skilled and manipulative paedophile". Wilson, formerly of Glais, Swansea, but now of Nightingale Court, Llanelli, had previously been convicted at trial of two counts of the rape of a child under 13 - one charge relating to a specific incident and the other covering multiple occasions of rape - and of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity when he returned to the dock for sentencing.

He has no previous convictions. Kevin Batch, for Wilson, said the defendant had been a man of not just clean character but of positive good character having worked as a civilian enquiries clerk for South Wales Police in Swansea, in a community liaison role for British Transport Police - a job which saw him regularly attending schools to give talks about the dangers of trespassing on the rails - and latterly a train manager and conductor for Arriva Trains. He said the defendant had earned enhanced prisoner status in prison and was a peer mentor helping other inmates with reading and writing.

Recorder Richard Booth KC said it was clear from everything he had read in the case and from presiding over the trial that Wilson had caused his young victim severe psychological harm. He said he would draw back from imposing a life sentence but said he was satisfied Wilson should be considered a dangerous offender and given an extended sentence.

Wilson was given a 20-year sentence comprising 17 years in custody followed by a three-year licence period. The defendant must serve two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence before he can apply for release but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be let out. Wilson will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life and was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order to control his access to children.

Speaking after the sentencing South Wale Police detective constable Chris Medlicott said: "Alexander Wilson is a dangerous child sex predator who disgustingly took advantage of a child. Thankfully, his victim’s traumatic ordeal is now over - but the damage caused to them by Alexander Wilson’s offending will be incalculable. He will now, rightly, be sent to prison."

Description

A 60-year-old man has been sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of nine child sexual abuse offences.

Anthony Dugard, of Park Drive in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on Friday (22 November), following an investigation carried out by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).

Dugard was arrested on 4 July 2024 in Swindon where he’d travelled to meet who he thought was a child with the intention of abusing them. Instead, he was met by SWROCU officers.

Dugard was arrested as part of a proactive police operation led by the Online Investigations Team at the SWROCU. This team works alongside a national network of officers tackling offences online, including child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Dugard pleaded guilty to four child sex offences and was remanded in custody.

Following his remand and upon examination of his mobile telephone, officers became aware of further offences committed against a real child.

The child, who was only 15 years old when she was abused by Dugard, was able to provide evidence that he had coerced and exploited her over a period of several months. Dugard was charged and subsequently pleaded guilty to a further five child sexual abuse offences.

Whilst handing him his sentence, Judge JN Townsend told the court: “I pay tribute to the victim in this case to her engagement to the Criminal Justice Process in bringing Mr Dugard to justice.” Dugard will also be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years.

Description

THIS convicted sex offender has been jailed due to his “unhealthy” and “degenerate” interest in children.

Wayne Mansbridge, 57, of Oak Grove in Twycross, was sentenced to a total of 14 months after being found with 149 pictures and videos of child sexual abuse on his phone.

“These images are shared extensively on the internet and they remain on the internet forever and a day,” said Judge Huw Rees, as he branded Mansbridge’s interest in children as “unhealthy” and “degenerate”.

“These are not just victims, but real children,” he said.

“The court has given you opportunity after opportunity.”

Swansea Crown Court heard that police attended Mansbridge’s home on June 26 last year and arrested him in relation to an unrelated matter.

That matter has since been discontinued, prosecutor Caitlin Brazel said, but as part of the investigation his phone was seized and analysed.

A total of 149 indecent pictures and videos of children were found on Mansbridge’s phone, of which 138 were accessible and 11 inaccessible.

Ms Brazel said the images involved children as young as eight years old.

Mansbridge attended Haverfordwest Police Station on January 5 this year relating to the unrelated matter, and was then further arrested for possession of the indecent images.

The court heard he had eight previous convictions for 11 offences, and was subject to the sex offender notification requirements at the time of these offences.

He was convicted in 2013 of possessing extreme pornography and of sexually assaulting a serving soldier who he had given a lift to in the rain between Tenby and Castlemartin in 2014. Earlier this year, he was also convicted of breaching the terms of his sex offender notification requirements after he jetted off on holiday to Morocco without notifying the police.

Wayne Mansbridge was jailed after being found with indecent images of children. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)

Mansbridge pleaded guilty to three offences of possessing indecent images of children – of categories A, B and C – and two offences of making indecent images – of categories B and C – of children.

“The defendant stands by his guilty pleas. He accepts his offending,” said Matthew Murphy, for Mansbridge.

Mr Murphy added that – despite the defendant making comments when speaking to the probation service which “ran contrary to his guilty pleas” – the author of the pre-sentence report had said there was “a prospect of rehabilitation” in his case.

Judge Rees revoked the community order the defendant was currently serving, and imposed the 14-month sentence.

Mansbridge must register as a sex offender for 10 years, and was made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

Description

A homeless South Tyneside sex offender who breaches a court order to be returned to prison has been spared fresh jail time after allegedly changing his ways.

Stanley Riches, 51, convicted of rape in 2003 and currently sleeping rough in a tent, has taken steps to turn his life around, his latest court appearance heard.

Before borough magistrates, he pleaded guilty to breaching the terms of the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

He did so by failing to inform police of his whereabouts on one weekly occasion earlier in November, as required.

His apparent lifestyle progress led to borough magistrates jailing him for 26 weeks but agreeing to suspend the sentence for a year.

She revealed previous non-compliance saw him jailed for 26 weeks in July, 15 weeks in April and 26 weeks last November.

He was also put behind bars for 24 weeks in December 2021 – and has seven other same breaches.

Riches was returned to court after being arrested on Tuesday, November 12, for failing to keep his weekly date with police.

Ms Burgess added: “The circumstances are straight forward. He must register every seven days if homeless.

“He last did so on November 4, thereby seven days was midnight on November 11. He should have gone back to register.

“The defendant was arrested and in interview he made admissions. He has 40 previous convictions from 91 offences.

“There are a number of like convictions where he has not adhered to the notification requirements.

John Williams, defending, said he had seen a marked improvement in Riches’ attitude to life.

He said: “He accepts he should have signed on but didn’t. He’s homeless and living in a tent. He fully complied between September 12 and November 11.

“He says that on the day in question he had gone to his doctors for medication and his head was all over the place and he forgot.

“He signed yesterday and thought that would be the end of it. There’s been a significant change in his attitude.”

The Probation Service also said Riches’ attitude towards his work with them had seen “vast improvement”.

Riches must pay a £154 victim surcharge.

Description

A rapist who also sexually abused a young girl has been locked up for 17 years after being convicted of a string of sex offences.

Keith Sterling’s degrading abuse took place several years ago while he was living in Darlington.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the sex offender had significantly damaged the lives of his victims and he still continues to deny his offences.

Rebecca Brown, prosecuting, said one of the rapes happened when the victim was sleeping.

In a victim personal statement, the woman said Sterling’s abuse had impacted on her mental health and would take the pain ‘to her grave’.

The child victim said Sterling’s abuse had left her struggling to come to terms what had happened to her and she still struggled to put into words the impact that his abuse had on her and remains mistrustful of male adults.

The 46-year-old, of Roker Place, Darlington, was found guilty of rape and sexual assault on a child following a trial at the same court.

Tony Davis, mitigating, said his client maintains his innocence and has made his stance clear in his pre-sentence report.

He added: “The reality of the contents of his pre-sentence report means that submissions on his behalf will be short.

“The defendant continues to deny, as he has done throughout the proceedings, any responsibility the offending.”

Recorder Aisha Wadoodi sentenced Sterling to a total of 17 years for all offences.

“The prosecution submitted that some of the offences were done in drink but there was a repeated pattern of sexual offending which was reflected by the jury’s verdicts,” she said.

Sterling was also made subject of life-long restraining orders, sexual harm prevention order and was told he would have to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Description

A NEW Forest man who shared images of children featuring the superimposed face of Harry Potter actress Emma Watson has been jailed for 30 months.

Paul Woodford (39), of Hillside Road in Pennington, admitted making and distributing indecent images of children, whose ages ranged between eight and 14.

Southampton Crown Court heard Woodford’s devices, including mobile phones and laptops, were seized by police on 25th May 2022, who had been tipped off over the images.

Investigators found Woodford had downloaded 38 category A images – the most severe – along with 25 category B and 353 category C.

He had distributed to others five category A, two category B and 19 category C pictures, the court heard. All were a mixture of stills and videos.

Prosecutor Keely Harvey told the court that in his initial interview, Woodford admitted to police that he had been part of online chat groups in which people had shared indecent images.

As an administrator of one group, Woodford would ask new users to submit three indecent images of children before they were allowed to join, Ms Harvey said.

He had asked one user for images of children aged between five and 14, she explained. Another he had asked for “upskirt” images of 11 and 12 year-olds.

The images of actress Emma Watson were superimposed onto bodies of young girls aged around 12 or 13, the court heard.

When Woodford was interviewed by police for a second time, he told them he had deleted the messaging app for a period, but added: “Old habits die hard”.

He also admitted forwarding some images to other people, but claimed the ones he had sent were not illegal as the youngsters were simply scantily-clad, rather than naked.

Ms Harvey said he had asked officers: “Would that be classed as indecent?”

He also admitted in interview that he had said “stupid stuff” in the online chats, and “people always wrote stuff they did not mean”.

Ms Harvey added: “He said he had been trying to impress people and that he felt important to be able to invite or disinvite people to the chat group as he did not have this type of authority in real life.”

She added: “Despite what he claims about them being dressed, it is quite clear the images show naked or undressed children.”

Defending, Joscelyn Lee said her client felt “a great deal of remorse”, adding: “He did not think about the harm caused [to the children] until after his arrest when his head was firmly pulled from the sand.

“He was so low, with such a hopeless sense of place in the world, that the risk was worth it. The [online] community was all he had.”

Woodford, who suffers with “significant” mental health problems, now had “a sense of relief” that the matters were now in the open and he could seek help, she added.

She also urged any sentence to be suspended.

Woodford pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and three of distributing indecent images of children between 15th May 2018 and 25th May 2022.

Handing him an immediate prison term, Assistant Judge Advocate General Jane England said: “There are other ways to feel important without asking people to send you indecent images of children.

“You facilitated the sharing of these images amongst the group and you asked people to post images, actively seeking them out over a period of four years.

“You don’t need me to tell you that any right-thinking person looking at indecent images of children would be shocked and disgusted and would want to report the people posting them – not solicit more.

“In order to create these images it is obvious a child is being abused and their innocence ripped away. Those who seek these types of images create a market for it.”

She added: “Only an immediate custodial sentence is appropriate due to the seriousness of the offending. It is the least I can impose which reflects the justice of the case.”

Woodford will be the subject of a sexual harm prevention order, aimed at preventing re-offending, and must also sign the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Description

A paedophile who raped a child in her sleep has been handed a 21-year prison sentence.

George Bellwood raped the child at least 25 times over a three-year period, on one occasion assaulting her while she slept.  

He also regularly forced her to carry out other sex acts on him, often recording the abuse on his mobile phone.

The 32-year-old’s offending came to light when the child bravely told a trusted adult what had happened, who then informed Durham Constabulary.

An investigation was launched, and Bellwood was arrested.

During the investigation, his phone and laptop were seized and thoroughly analysed by specialist police officers from the force’s Digital Investigation Team, who found more than 2,800 images of child abuse.

More than 1,000 were classed as Category A images – the most severe.

Bellwood was charged with a multitude of offences, including eight counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, all of which he initially denied, but later changed his plea to guilty.

He also admitted further charges of making indecent images of children, distributing indecent images of children, and possession of extreme pornography involving animals.

Bellwood, of Darlington, was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at Durham Crown Court today (November 22) where he was handed a 21-year prison sentence, with four years on extended licence.

He will also spend the rest of his life on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

In a victim impact statement, one of the girl’s family members described the impact Bellwood’s offending had on her.

“He has made her go through something that not even an adult should have to deal with,” they said. 

“She has had her childhood taken away from her, which she will never get back and will never fully recover from.”

Description

On Monday 18 November 2024 at Minshull Street Crown Court, Thomas Noone 30/11/1990 of Stretford, was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison after being found guilty of two counts of sexual assault by penetration against a minor and one count of sexual assault against an adult.

A brave victim of a child sex offender has helped get her rapist sent to prison after disclosing non-recent sexual abuse offences which happened when she was just 4-5- years of age.   

An in-depth investigation commenced in 2020, when the victim’s grandfather contacted colleagues in Lancashire about non-recent sexual abuse which took place at an address in Greater Manchester in 2010.  

Noone was previously convicted of a similar offence in 2016 when he was found guilty of a sexual assault of a female under 13 and received a three-year prison sentence, and was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely. 

During the course of the investigation, another victim bravely came forward to disclose that she had also been sexually assaulted by Noone back in 2014. 

One of the two victims in this case had the confidence to come forward to police after she saw a press release that had been issued about Noone. The victim disclosed that Noone had sexually assaulted her when she was a very young age at an address in Greater Manchester. 

When interviewed by detectives, Noone denied sexually assaulting both victims. During trial, Noone pleaded not guilty but was subsequently found guilty by a jury.

Description

A SEX offender who attacked a woman while wearing a balaclava has been jailed after investigators traced blood left on the victim's clothes back to him.

The victim was at the waterfront near London Road in Purfleet when she turned and saw a man, now known to be 31-year-old Marian Canuci, running towards her wearing a balaclava before grabbing her and assaulting her.

What he did not see was the victim calling emergency services on her phone before members of the public heard the incident and he fled the scene of the incident on August 24.

She, and multiple witnesses, provided police with accounts, including a detailed description of Canuci, and forensic investigators were able to trace blood left on the victim’s clothing back to him.

After six days of investigation Canuci, of Saladin Drive in Purfleet, was arrested and later charged with assault by penetration and sexual assault.

He admitted both charges on October 2, and returned to Basildon Crown Court last Wednesday where he was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison for the assault by penetration.

He was also sentenced to two years and 10 months in prion for sexual assault, running concurrently.

Description

A convicted sex offender has been sentenced to prison after ignoring measures imposed by the courts to prevent him from reoffending.

Sean Royle, 38 and of Claremont Road, Maidstone, breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and secretly used a mobile phone in attempts to groom a 13-year-old girl, Kent Police said.

In July 2023, checks by police established Royle was in a relationship with a child.

Royle has used a snapchat account on a different phone to contact a 13-year-old girl.

This was a breach of a previous SHPO previously given to him.

He asked her to be his girlfriend and sent a picture to the child showing his face and naked upper torso which had a distinctive tattoo.

The victim told her father who contacted the police.

'Clear determination'

He was arrested on 29 November 2023, when officers were able to locate and seize the phone.

When the device was analysed it was found to contain almost 200 illegal videos and images, many of which showed unknown children being sexually abused.

He was charged with multiple offences, including engaging in sexual communication with a child, repeated breaches of a sexual harm prevention order and making indecent images of children.

Royle pleaded guilty and on 21 November, he was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court to three years and eight months in prison and made subject of a new ten-year SHPO.

Description

Reece Austick (03/09/1997) of Maple Close, Salford, pleaded guilty to rape and has been sentenced to seven years and two months at Manchester Crown Square Court yesterday (Wednesday 20 November 2024).

Additionally, he has been ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

The victim was aged 14 at the time of her abuse.

Austick added his victim on Facebook in November 2018 and was speaking to them online for two or three weeks prior to arranging to meet. Austick said he was aged 15, but when she was travelling on the train to meet him, he text his victim to say that he was actually 17. In actual fact, he was 21.

He knew his victim was 14 as she had told him and it displayed her age on her profile.

Over the course of two days at Austick’s address, he sexually abused his victim by forcing her to have sex with him.

Police later arrested Austick on suspicion of rape. The victim was safeguarded and supported by specialist officers.

Description

A pervert caught "upskirting" a schoolgirl at a Tyneside Metro station had indecent images on his phone.

Lukasz Gajowski brazenly targeted the unsuspecting girl as she waited at the Gateshead station wearing her school uniform. He crept up behind her and lunged forward to take a picture of the victim, who was estimated to have been around 14.

A quick-thinking member of the public noted the time and alerted police, who caught Gajowski after a CCTV still of the perpetrator was published on ChronicleLive.

Newcastle Crown Court heard it was on December 3 2020 that a woman was at Gateshead Interchange when she noticed what Gajowski was up to, although the girl, who was leaning against a wall, was unaware the pervert was behind her.

Amber Walker, prosecuting, told the court: "(The woman) noticed that Mr Gajowski was lunging with his hand and it was outstretched towards the lower part of a skirt of a teenage girl who at the time was wearing a school uniform.

"(The woman) made eye contact with the defendant and he then quickly moved away. The teenage girl had not noticed his presence.

"The woman made a note of the time and she contacted the police and CCTV was retrieved. That footage was the subject of publicity in the local media and Mr Gajowski was recognised by a work colleague who contacted the police."

Miss Walker added: "He was using his mobile phone to record what is colloquially referred to as upskirting."

Gajowski, 39, of Brinkburn Avenue, Bensham, Gateshead, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to voyeurism and three counts of making indecent images of children. He had 21 of the most serious, category A images, 13 category B images and 17 category C images.

They were not images he had taken himself and while most of them were of young teenagers, children as young as four were depicted.

Judge Julie Clemitson said the woman who alerted the police should be commended. And she told Gajowski his behaviour towards the girl was "brazen" with "apparently no regard for the risk someone would see what you were doing".

The judge added: "It appears you have little understanding of the harm your offending might cause. Clearly if that schoolgirl had realised what you were doing it would have had some effect on her. It's impossible to say how great that harm would be but any girl might have been significantly affected by that sort of behaviour."

Gajowski was sentenced to 12 months suspended for two years with 100 hours unpaid work. He must also sign the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

The court heard he had worked until recently and is now in debt due to the cost of the criminal case and has faced "unconscionable delays" in the case being finalised.