Latest Offenders

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A dangerous pervert who raped a woman while she slept has been given a sentence totalling 14 years.

After committing the vile offence, Ashley Iddon, 29, then bombarded his victim with messages, some blaming her for his actions.

After we arrested him Iddon admitted what he had done to work colleagues, telling one ‘she made me do it’.

Iddon, of Well Orchard, Bamber Bridge, pleaded guilty to rape when he appeared in the dock at Preston Crown Court on the day he was due to stand trial.

Yesterday (December 5) Judge Heather Lloyd deemed Iddon to pose a significant risk to women and sentenced him to 11 years custody, with a three-year extended licence period. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. An indefinite restraining order was also imposed.

Following sentence, the victim stated she was pleased she could finally move on from this and believed that Iddon has received the sentence he deserved. She said the whole thing has caused her distress for a number of years, so it is comforting for her to know it is finally over. She said her and her family can now live comfortably knowing Iddon is finally in prison.

DC Rebecca Pugh, of South CID, said: “Iddon is a dangerous man who has warped and appalling attitudes towards women. That is demonstrated by his attempts to justify his abhorrent actions to work colleagues by blaming the victim.
“I am pleased with the sentence handed down by the court which reflects the seriousness of Iddon’s offending. Even after he is released, Iddon will continue to be monitored by the relevant authorities.

“We are committed to protecting women and girls from all forms of abuse and violence. I hope this case and its outcome will encourage other victims to come forward, knowing they will be listened to and believed and that we will do everything in our power to put their abuser before the courts.”

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Maxime Owona smashed his way into a woman's home, before pinning her down, threatening her and then raping her.

A ‘despicable’ rapist who pinned a woman down and threatened to rape her after smashing his way into her Warwickshire home has been jailed. Maxime Owona broke into the woman’s home in the Tile Hill area of Coventry in April this year, first smashing a window, and forced himself onto the woman, after he awoke her in bed.

The 33-year-old, who knew the woman, pinned her down and threatened her, making her fear for her safety, unless she agreed to his demands. He then raped her.

But after the sickening attack described by police as a ‘horrific ordeal’ the woman managed to alert a relative whole Owona was still in her home. They called the police and the attacker was arrested at the home shortly afterwards.

 DC Evie Griffiths, from West Midlands Police ’s public protection unit, said: "This was a traumatic ordeal for the woman who was left fearing for her safety in the place she should feel most safe - her home. She managed to contact a relative who alerted us to the attack.

“And we were able to swiftly arrest Owona - who initially gave us a false name. This was a despicable crime and he's now been put behind bars for a long time.”

Owona of no fixed address, was convicted of rape and trespass following a trial at Warwick Crown Court. He was put behind bars for 15 years last Monday (November 28). He will also be on the sex offender's register for life and also given a restraining order not to contact the woman.

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He has been described as one of the most evil ever.

Keith Phillips, 64, raped and sexually abused five children over several decades. (Image: NYP)

A prolific rapist raped committed a staggering 68 offences against five children in a horrific reign of terror that lasted several decades.

Keith Phillips, of Huntington in York, sexually abused and raped five children, leaving them with "irreparable damage". Phillips, 64, was convicted of five counts of rape, nine counts of indecent assault , sexual assault of a girl under 13 and sexual activity with a child following an extensive investigation by North Yorkshire Police.

Phillips, who expressed no remorse as he appeared at York Crown Court, was found guilty of 68 offences by a jury. Following the sentence, the judge described him as one of the most evil defendants he had ever encountered.

After a sentencing hearing, where Phillips was jailed for 28 years, the police's Detective Constable Alyson Thompson expressed joy that paedophile Keith Phillips had been brought to justice, saying: The judge described Phillips as one of the most evil offenders hed ever dealt with, and I would echo that. His lack of remorse after decades of unimaginable abuse shows the true extent of his wickedness.

Its difficult to comprehend the magnitude of Phillips offending and the irreparable damage he has done to his victims lives. I have nothing but praise and respect for their immense courage coming forward its helped us build a case that has put an atrocious individual behind bars, potentially for the rest of his life. He will be 82 years old before he is eligible for parole

Det Constable Thompson urged anyone who has suffered recent or non-recent abuse to come forward and seek support. He said: We have support services and specially-trained offices to help people consider their options and work through what has happened to them. We are here to help, regardless of how long ago the offences happened.

Phillips will spend the next 28 years in prison plus an extended licence period.

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A brutal "predator" has been jailed for raping a woman who awoke naked in a strange flat to find him sexually assaulting her. The victim had no memory of anything between leaving a pub where Steven Walker, 43, was believed to have approached her and the moment she woke up.

He was arrested at his flat in Quinton Lane, Birmingham, after the woman's friends encouraged her to report her ordeal to police. The West Midlands force also obtained CCTV showing him leading her out of the pub on a Saturday night in November 2019.

Walker admitted having sex with the victim through the night after he was detained, the force said.

At Birmingham Crown Court last month, he was jailed for nine years and six months for three counts of rape. He will also be placed on the sex offender register for life.

West Midlands Police said it was "really pleased to see that justice has been served against a dangerous predator who took advantage of a woman in a vulnerable condition who was not in a position to give consent". 

At Birmingham Crown Court last month, he was jailed for nine years and six months for three counts of rape. He will also be placed on the sex offender register for life.

West Midlands Police said it was "really pleased to see that justice has been served against a dangerous predator who took advantage of a woman in a vulnerable condition who was not in a position to give consent". 

"The woman has said she can now move on with her life knowing she helped prevent this happening to anyone else. We work hard at West Midlands Police to ensure women and girls can feel safe when they are out on a night out.

"This includes working with agencies to ensure people can get home safely or by working with night time venues, where staff are informed of what signs to look out for. We will always believe victims and would urge anyone who is a victim of this type of crime to have the courage to come forward.

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A British Army soldier has been sacked from the forces for sexually assaulting a teenage colleague by groping her breast and sliding his hand up her skirt while shouting 'I'm so hard' in her ear.

Lance Corporal Storm Elliott, who was in training to be a Royal Military Police officer, had been found guilty of twice touching the female soldier inappropriately during a night out clubbing.

Witnesses told a military court the 22-year-old pestered the young woman on the dancefloor and continued to grope her even after she rejected his advances.

He was described as a 'lovesick puppy', persisting even after she told him not to kiss her and pushed his hand away when he touched her breast.

LCpl Elliot had claimed the touching was consensual, but after a two day trial a board decided the attention was unwanted and he had grabbed the young woman's crotch.

At his sentencing, LCpl Elliott was discharged from the forces and placed on a three-year service community order.

The teenage victim had told his trial she had been worried about reporting the incidents because 'he was an RMP [Royal Military Police officer] and no one was going to believe it'.

She told Bulford Military Court, Wilts: 'I could feel him touching my breast in a way I didn't want him to.

'It wasn't very long because I stopped him from doing it. I was confused as to why he'd done it.

'I felt something under my dress on my underwear. I pushed his hand away. I walked straight to [my friend] and said I needed to leave.'

LCpl Elliott had become enamoured with the female soldier after the two met at the Popworld nightclub in Portsmouth, Hants, where he was on a night out from his base at the nearby Defence School of Policing and Guarding.

She continued: 'He came up to me and said I looked gorgeous. He shouted in my ear because the music was loud.'

The court heard LCpl Elliott had shouted comments in her ear - and kept trying to kiss the young woman despite being told 'no'.

She said: 'He was pushing his top half of his body towards me to kiss me. I couldn't get back any further. He asked for a kiss and I said no. He just kept on trying.'

One of the woman's friends even referred to LCpl Elliott as a 'lovesick puppy' - telling the court she had thought him 'a little strange' because he introduced himself as 'Lance Corporal Elliott'.

The victim told the trial she had been scared to tell officers about the incident due to LCpl Elliott's more senior position in the Army.

She said: 'The way I saw it was that he was an RMP [Royal Military Police officer] and no one was going to believe it.'

Judge Advocate General Alan Large told LCpl Elliot the offences were 'serious enough to warrant dismissal'.

He said: 'You were drunk and found the victim attractive. On the dancefloor you touched her on her breast when it was clear she did not want your attention.

'There are two offences - not just one. Alcohol may explain a person's behaviour, but it does not excuse it. There are two offences and clearly one of them more serious - serious enough to warrant dismissal.'

LCpl Elliott was also placed on a three year service community order - requiring him to complete 35 sessions of an accredited sexual offender behaviour programme and 30 days rehabilitation activity.

He will also be on the sex offenders register for five years.

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An Aberdeenshire man who chatted with what he believed were five underage girls has been added to the sex offenders register.

Michael Burr was caught out by vigilante paedophile hunters who posed as young teenagers on fake Facebook accounts.

The 57-year-old sent them indecent images of himself, asked the ‘young girls’ to share pictures of their bodies, and to keep conversations a “secret”.

But after the vigilantes confronted Burr at his home, he later landed in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court in September this year.

Burr, who was previously married with children, admitted communicating with decoys that were created to snare sex offenders who were looking to chat with children online.

Fiscal depute Carol Gammie told the court that Burr sexually communicated with the fake profiles from an address in Inverurie, between September 5-23 last year

She said that photographs used on the accounts were “clearly” of girls aged under 16.

On September 5 last year, Burr approached a decoy called ‘Cassie’ who identified herself as 13 and he immediately asked: “You are a young girl, do you want to chat to an old man?”

Then he asked the girl to send naked pictures of her body and sent her an image of his private parts.

‘Would you join me in the shower?’

On September 10, Burr, who claimed to be an oil and gas worker, started chatting with a second 14-year-old decoy called ‘Penny Louise’.

He also asked her for pictures, saying: “Would you like to share your body?”

Then he forwarded an image of his own private parts.

Four days later, Burr started a conversation with a third decoy called ‘Sky’ and stated: “Do you like chatting to older men?”

He also asked the girl if she was “going through puberty” and requested a picture of her in her pyjamas.

On September 16, Burr messaged a fourth girl called ‘Bethany’, who he thought was 14, and asked: “Would you join me in the shower? You could wash me and I could wash you?”

Then he asked for a naked photo and sent her an indecent one of himself.

Between September 15-23, Burr chatted to a fifth girl called ‘Stacey’.

He told the 14-year-old, “I like to look at girls” and that he would like to see pictures of her in the shower and the bath.

Once again, Burr sent an image of his private parts.

‘Great difficulty admitting guilt’

On September 27 2022, the paedophile hunter group confronted Burr at his home and contacted the police.

During previous court proceedings, Burr pleaded guilty to five charges of sending sexual communications to what he believed to be girls under the age of 16 for sexual gratification.

His defence solicitor Graham Morrison told the court that his client initially had “great difficulty admitting his guilt” due to the nature of the offences.

“Before this, he was married with children”, he said.

“But there was clearly something amiss and he became depressed and lonely. That’s how this offence has occurred.

“His expressions of remorse and regret over his actions are genuine.”

Sheriff Morag McLaughlin told Burr that she considered it “best” that he joins a sexual offenders rehabilitation programme.

“You’re a 57-year-old man who appears before the court for something which is very serious”, she said.

“You need to do that programme if your risk is to be reduced.”

As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff McLaughlin ordered Burr to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work as part of a three-year community payback order with supervision.

She also ordered Burr, of Lumphanan, to participate in a sex offenders treatment programme and placed him on the sex offenders register for three years.

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A convicted sex offender was caught deleting his internet history on his mobile phone within hours of getting it back from police.

Serial offender Ronald Harcourt was jailed in 2019 for more than two years after he was caught with a tablet computer hidden in a wash house.

He had been given an extended ten-year sentence in 2014 after it was revealed he was part of a worldwide ring exchanging child abuse images.

Harcourt, who shared indecent images with other paedophiles, had a collection of almost 4,000 images on his phone.

As a result of his latest offence, the 60-year-old, who was recalled on licence following his arrest, was sentenced to another eight months in prison.

Nigel Soppitt, prosecuting, said the defendant had deleted the browser history on his mobile phone shortly after getting it back.

Harcourt, of Raithwaite House, Helmsley Drive, Guisborough, pleaded guilty to breaching his sexual harm prevention order following his arrest on May 5 last year.

Simon Walker, mitigating, told the court that it could not be ascertained what he had deleted but reminded the judge of the short period of time his client had been in possession of his mobile phone.

Judge Jonathan Carroll said: “Having deleted your search history on the same day you received it back there was very little time for you to have committed any further offending.

“It still leaves the question what it was that you were so keen to erase.”

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A convicted sex offender was spotted in his car with two drunken teenagers high on nitrous oxide by an alert passer-by.

The woman spotted Mohammed Chaudry, 41, in his Vauxhall Astra in Liverpool city centre and saw the girls, one of whom was “foaming at the mouth.”

Liverpool Crown Court heard today (Friday, December 2) that her attention was drawn to them when Chaudry, of Stretford, called out to her, “My friends fancy you, will you get in?"

She was so concerned that she called the police and after circulating its details they managed to spot the vehicle at 2.50 am on Edge Lane on July 15 this year heading out of the city towards the M62, said Michael Scholes, prosecuting.

He was stopped and found to be a convicted sex offender registered with Greater Manchester Police. The girls in the car were found to be one who was 15 that day and a 17-year-old.

Mr Scholes said that analysis of ANPR cameras showed they had been in and around Liverpool for three and a half hours.

Chaudry was breathalysed and found to be over the limit and a small amount of cocaine and cannabis and nitrous oxide canisters were also found in the vehicle. There were also empty alcohol bottles and both teenagers were intoxicated.

“They claimed they knew the defendant as ‘Mo’ but eventually admitted they did not know him at all,” said Mr Scholes.

They said they had been driving in the Eccles area when Chaudry pulled up in his car and asked them to get in, which they did. The older girl said she went to look after her friend.

All three of them consumed alcohol and nitrous oxide and he drove them to Liverpool. After driving around for a while in the city he started kissing the younger girl and touched the thigh of her friend.

Mr Scholes said that the defendant had previously shown them a knife and the older girl said she was frightened and wanted to go home but they did not know the area.

The court heard that it was when Chaudry stopped at a shop in London Road in Liverpool’s city centre that the woman passer-by saw him and became concerned.

The younger girl refused to co-operate with police but the 17-year-old said that they had all been inhaling gas from balloons.

In a victim impact statement the 17-year-old said if the car had not been stopped she worried about what would have happened as they did not know what he was capable of doing.

Chaudry, of Chester Road, Stretford, has previous convictions including causing or inciting under age girls into prostitution in June 2013.

He pleaded guilty to sexual assault and engaging in sexual activity, possessing cocaine and cannabis and driving with excess alcohol.

Jailing him for two and a half years Judge Denis Watson, KC , said, “You took advantage of the fact they had been drinking and were drunk in order to commit these two sexual offences.”

He banned Chaudry, who appeared via video link from prison, from driving for 23 months and ordered him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

He also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Behaviour Order and a restraining order. He commended the woman passer-by for her actions.

Matthew Stewart, defending, said, “He accepts his actions were totally inappropriate.”

He explained that the defendant had been badly affected by the death of his uncle, who was a father figure, and the break-up of a six year relationship.

He cares for his disabled mum “and started drinking heavily and using cocaine and cannabis to numb his feelings.”

Mr Stewart said Chaudry has been on remand for five months and has been using his time constructively.

Speaking after the hearing, Detective Inspector Alan Nuttall said: “This was an extremely disturbing crime by Chaudry against two teenage girls which has caused them great psychological distress.

"I would like to thank the vigilant member of the public who brought this case to the attention of police, and the victims in this case for their bravery in supporting the criminal justice process. I would also like to thank our specialist officers who have supported them throughout this case.

"Thanks to their extensive investigations this despicable offender is behind bars where he will pose no further risk to other girls.

"Merseyside Police are completely committed to protecting victims from sexual assault or violence.

"If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, please come forward and report this to police.

"We have a specialist team committed to dealing with all forms of abuse, who will treat any information from you extremely seriously, and will follow up every report and any information that comes in, so please report this to us.

"I can assure anyone who reports such offences that you will be treated with the utmost sensitivity and fully supported through the entire process."

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A convicted sex offender was caught breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order TWELVE times by using a website designed for teenagers. Zulquarnain Rafique, 24, was previously before the courts in March this year when he admitted attempting to sexually communicate with a child online and attempting to incite them to engage in sexual activity.

He was handed a suspended sentence and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which stated that he must inform the police of any electronic device he had access to and register any new identity documents.

After a search at his home in June, Rafique volunteered a Lenovo laptop. Officers installed monitoring software, which later picked up on his ‘persistent’ access to a virtual world website aimed at teenagers.

A further search revealed he had other devices, and had also searched for sexually explicit content under ‘incognito’ mode on his laptop. He was arrested and has since pleaded guilty to 12 offences of breaching the SHPO.

Prosecuting, Peter Malone, said Rafique was found to have communicated using different logins on the website, Habbo. There were also multiple visits to Discord, he said.

“The website is described as a virtual world for teenagers, they can use avatars and meet new people online,” Mr Malone said.

“The information showing his regular access to the site came from the software installed on his devices by Greater Manchester Police.”

The prosecutor said on August 11, police visited his home and recovered the laptop, his phone, and other devices he had not registered with them. They also found a provisional driving licence, which he had also not registered.

Mr Malone added that Rafique was sentenced on March 18 this year to 12 months imprisonment which was suspended for two years, and the breaches of the order were committed shortly afterwards.

Defending, Hannah Forsyth said her client didn’t fully appreciate that he was not using incognito mode when he made the searches on his laptop.

She explained that in January 2019 he had an ‘unsuccessful surgery’ and was bed bound for five months, which left him ‘isolated and lonely’. He since suffers from a physical condition, she said.

“In the summer he was feeling isolated and was affected by being in the legal system for the first time. It was a seismic adjustment to his relationships,” she said.

“He has now breached that order. During the period of the suspended sentence, he did show considerable insight and progress. He put himself in a difficult position.”

Sentencing, Judge Matthew Corbett-Jones said: “You are before the court today having pleaded guilty to a number of offences of breaching a sexual harm prevention order on 12 occasions.

“Principally by accessing the same type of website used by teenagers to communicate with one another. You accessed that site over a number of days between 28 July and 8 August.

“You also made internet searches relating to a sexual context and used them on an incognito mode to prevent a record of your search.”

Rafique, of Hill Top Drive, Rochdale, was jailed for 12 months, and must sign onto the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

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Police Scotland has welcomed the sentencing of a former councillor for sexual offences involving teenage boys.

Mark Kerr was sentenced to six years in prison and placed on the Sexual Offenders Register today, Friday 2 December, 2022, at the High Court in Paisley.

On 4 November he was found guilty of nine charges involving offences that took place between May 2012 and May 2020 in Lanarkshire.

Detective Inspector Colin Moffat, of Police Scotland’s National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “Kerr was in a position of responsibility and trust as a local politician but he prayed on teenagers, one of whom he met at an official function. He befriended them and betrayed them.

“I welcome his conviction and placement on the Sexual Offenders Register. Our thoughts are very much with his victims and their bravery in coming forward is commended. I hope they now get some closure with his sentencing.

“Tackling sexual crime is a top priority for Police Scotland and we will work to remove offenders like Kerr from our communities.

“I would urge anyone who has or is the subject of any form of abuse to get in touch with us. We have specialist officers who can assist, no matter when something happened.

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A 72-year-old man is facing the next 18 years in prison after being found guilty of multiple historic sexual offences against children.

In the late 1980s to 1990, Keith Gilding, 72, of Dale Road, Dereham, abused two children, committing a total of 14 offences.

One of the victims suffered abuse repeatedly into their teens, including rape.

A second was indecently assaulted while they were still a young child.

One of the victims spoke of how it had affected them throughout their life and relationships, that they didn’t even "like cuddling", even when they became a parent, they could not show their emotions, adding: "I have flashbacks still to this day".

A second victim said it impacted on their teenage years, where they began drinking alcohol to try to forget their feelings. It was only becoming parent that helped them to turn things around but they still suffered flashbacks. 

One of the victims called police to report the abuse in June 2020 while the second contacted officers the following month.

Gilding was arrested on July 16, 2020. 

 Gilding was found guilty of eight counts of indecent assault, two counts of rape, two counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 13 and two further serious sexual acts.

He was sentenced to 18 years in prison at Norwich Crown Court with one year to be served on licence. 

DC Emma Beck said: “The sentence will hopefully go some way to seeking justice for his victims. As an adult, Gilding was in a position of trust which he abused.

“These crimes had a lasting impact on the victims, their relationships and quality of their lives. We would encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse to report or seek help.” 

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A paedophile with a persistent interest in children’s pink underwear has been jailed for 18 months for wanting to have sex with a 14-year-old schoolgirl.

Daniel Turner was snared by a member of Protecting Children Online UK who set up an account on an over 18s internet site in the name of Paige, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Prosecutor Anthony Moore said Turner, 38, contacted ‘Paige’ in October 2017 and went on to send her more than 300 messages, as well as photos of his penis and videos of him masturbating. A meeting in West Yorkshire was suggested, the court heard.

The decoy had told him she was a 14-year-old schoolgirl as soon as he got in touch. 

The court heard that Turner, of Gainsborough Avenue, Tilbury, Essex, told Paige he would be her boyfriend.

When they chatted on WhatsApp, he asked if she wore a skirt and tights to school. He wanted to know the colour of her knickers and bra and made reference to pink underwear. He sent a picture of his penis and said he wanted to have sex with her.

He tried to arrange meetings between them in London and Leeds before ceasing the contact the following month.

Mr Moore said Turner was arrested in 2020, saying he was sorry.

His phone was seized and 45 indecent images of children at Category C were found on it of girls aged ten to 13.

It also disclosed conversations between Turner and a ‘girl aged 12 living in Portugal.’ He asked for sexualised images of her in a skirt and pink knickers.

Later in 2020, there was a conversation with someone saying she was ‘Glasgow mum.’ Photos were sent to him of what she said was a girl aged nine. He said ‘very cute, what else have you got?’ “Has she got any pink knickers?” he asked.

Turner pleaded guilty to two offences of attempting to communicate with a child for sexual purposes; attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act; and making indecent images.

His barrister, Lydia Pearce, said he had no previous convictions.

He had a stable home with his mother and worked nightshifts at Asda.

He was well aware that an immediate sentence of imprisonment was at the forefront of the court’s mind.

Turner pleaded with the court to spare him an immediate jail sentence. They were attempts only with decoys and it was ‘an extreme wakeup call for him.’ Judge Jonathan Rose said Turner was in communication with adults acting as decoys to ‘wheedle out men like you.’ He had sought to have sexual intercourse with young girls and it was deeply disturbing that he had offended in 2017 and then again in 2020.

He had sent what he believed was a girl aged 14 photos and videos of his penis and him masturbating. In 2020, he had a continuing sexual interest in children, one as young as nine. His behaviour was deplorable and he had a repeated interest in pink knickers.

Judge Rose made a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years and Turner will register on the sex offender register, also for ten years.

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A convicted sex offender has been jailed after he started a relationship with a woman in York and failed to tell her about his previous convictions.

Michael Harris went under the radar for more than ten months after he hooked up with the unsuspecting woman, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The 48-year-old, formerly known as Michael Eddy, was found to have also failed to register two aliases, a bank account and a credit card with the police.

Jonathan Gittins, prosecuting, said the defendant used the online aliases Mikey J 1974 and Michael John between January 1 and November 2 this year to strike up his relationship before spending all of his time in York.

He said: “He didn’t reveal his conviction to her and she was shocked when she was contacted by the police. She had taken him to the homes of friends and family.”

Michael Harris, formerly known as Michael Eddy (Image: Cleveland Police)

Harris, of Fincham Close, Stockton, was a registered sex offender since his conviction for sexual activity with an underage girl in 2011.

He was jailed in 2013 and 2018 for previous breaches of his notification requirements.

The defendant pleaded guilty to all five breaches of his notification requirement order between January 1 and November 2 this year.

Andrew Turton, mitigating, said his client wanted to settle down with the woman and told the judge that no children were living at the house.

He added: “The meeting with other family happened on one occasion and he was never unsupervised at any time. There were no issues raised as a result of that happening.

“He did change his name by deed poll and that was registered with the police.”

Locking Harris up for 32-months, Judge Jonathan Carroll said: “The purpose of the notification requirements is to allow the appropriate authorities to manage the risk that you continue to pose and its quite clear, both by the original offence and continuing breaches and past convictions for breaches and this group of offences, that you are a continuing risk.

“You went under the radar again for a significant amount of time for these offences. The police attempted to visit you trying to carry out periodic checks and there were 12 failed visits.”

Harris was also issued with an indefinite restraining order to protect the woman.

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A paedophile who thought he was chatting to a child online has got his comeuppance after he had actually been speaking to an undercover cop.

Darran Faith, from Sunderland, made indecent images of children and attempted to engage one of them in a sexual act.

But little did he know that he was actually speaking to an undercover police officer from Northumbria Police who had been building a mountain of evident against him.

Officers seized a number of devices from the 43-year-old’s home including his laptop, which contained multiple indecent images of children.

Faith was interviewed in January 2021 after engaging in sexual communications with a child online.

He was later charged with attempting sexual communication with a child and making indecent images of children, and pleaded guilty to all counts at South Tyneside Magistrates Court on October 27.

Yesterday (Wednesday November 30) Faith appeared at Newcastle Crown Court where he was sentenced to 12 months behind bars, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to 35 days rehab, 10 years sex offender notification requirement and a 10 year sexual harm prevention order.

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A pervert who committed sexual offences against five women and girls has been sentenced to more than 26 years.

Roy Mosedale, 61, who also went by the name of Paul Higginson, carried out the offences in Morecambe and the West Midlands.

Investigations by Lancashire Police and West Midlands Police brought him to justice.

He sentenced by a judge at Wolverhampton Crown Court to 26 years and seven months – that being 21 years and seven months imprisonment, with an extended licence of five years.

Mosedale, who pleaded guilty to a number of offences including rape, indecent assault and possession of indecent images, will only be eligible for parole after serving two thirds of the custodial sentence.

The offences he committed Morecambe against two young girls were reported to Lancashire Police in March this year.

He was using the name Paul Higginson and when those offences were investigated, a social media appeal was put out to find him.

The description which was circulated included details of two distinctive tattoos he has on his arms - a cartoon parrot and a bare-chested woman with bird features.

About a week after the appeal was made, he handed himself in at Bromsgrove Police Station and revealed his real name as Roy Mosedale.

He was wanted in the Midlands under that name for sexual offences there, having failed to appear in court to face trial 20 years previously.

During the sentence hearing in Wolverhampton, his two victims from Morecambe read their Victim Personal Statements to the court.

One of them described having flashbacks and had self-harmed.

She said: “I just hope once this is all over and done with, I can hopefully start regaining my trust and get on with my life.”

The second victim said she had twice tried to take her own life having struggled to come to terms with what had happened.

In addition to the prison sentence, Mosedale was made subject of a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Det Sgt Matt Entwistle of Lancaster Police said: “This was a case involving a number of victims and justice has caught up with Roy Mosedale. The victims have been extremely brave. The sentence passed on him shows the serious nature of his offending, a dangerous offender has been taken off the streets and imprisoned.”