Latest Offenders

Description

A pervert had his baby with him when he set off hoping to meet a child he had been sending sex chats to online.

Shaun Watson had been communicating with a profile he thought was a 14-year-old called Paige but was in fact being run by paedophile hunters.

He first contacted her on the Skout app but was not deterred when a member of the Child Online Safety Team told him Paige was underage.

He made lewd comments about what he wanted to do, including asking if she wanted to watch him masturbate.

The Paige profile disappeared but when another, similar one appeared, Watson contacted it and sent pictures of his penis, despite being told she was 14. He also asked for photographs of her genitals.

The group also set up a profile on MeetMe using the same name and picture and Watson made contact with that too around six weeks later.

He was again told she was a child but his conversation quickly turned sexual and he sent pictures of his genitals and encouraged her to carry out a sex act on herself.

The court heard he then arranged to meet her.

Prosecutor Michael Bunch told the court: "It appears the defendant did initially travel to that meeting.

"He said he was with his one-year-old daughter but before the meeting happened he said he needed to return home because his daughter would not settle."

Members of the Child Online Safety Team confronted Watson at his place of work and home and police were contacted.

While waiting for the police, he said he was an "idiot"

Conviction mentioned here: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/north-east-paedophile-sex-crime-22204589

Description

A paedophile who was told by a judge he could go on a Greek holiday while on bail has been jailed for more than 15 years.

Matthew Thompson, 48, was given permission by Judge Jonathan Gibson to go on a two-week trip to the island of Kos despite admitting to sexually assaulting two girls.

Lorry driver Thompson was told to sign the sex offenders' register before he flew out in October and report to police when he returned, according to the BBC.

The holiday abroad was not mentioned during his sentence hearing at Bradford Crown Court on Friday, and it is understood he never went on the vacation.

Thompson’s offending, which dates back almost a decade and took place in West Yorkshire, involved two girls who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Prosecutor David McGonigal said Thompson had used a sex toy, a vibrator on one girl and repeatedly had sex with the second after he’d given her alcohol and drugs.

The judge, recorder James Baird heard moving victim impact statements, read out by Mr McGonigal, in which the complainants described the devastating effects of the abuse on them.

Recorder Baird said Thompson, who has previous convictions for sexual offences, was described in a pre-sentence report as “a predatory male with a sexual interest in children”.

He said Thompson had been hiding that interest over the period of the abuse and had been preying on two vulnerable young girls.

The judge added that Thompson had started by bullying and grooming his first victim to satisfy his sexual desires.

Recorder Baird said: “You would give her money to curry favour with her and if she did not do what she was told to do she would be punished.”

Thompson, of Bentham Drive in Monk Bretton, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to assaulting a child under 13 by penetration, sexual assault of a child, sexual activity with a child and taking indecent photographs of a child.

Thompson, who now has to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, was jailed for a total of 15 years and 10 months.

The judge added an extra year of prison licence onto his sentence because he was classed as “an offender of particular concern”.

Barrister Gillian Batts, for Thompson, said it was very rare for a defendant facing such allegations to enter guilty pleas.

She added: “It is an acknowledgement from the defendant, by virtue of his guilty pleas, that these things happened and the victims are telling the truth about what happened to them.

“The victims did not have to give evidence and did not have to go through the process of being cross-examined and inevitably being called liars.”

Description

Lee Wilson, of Slatyford, admitted a series of sex offences after police found damning evidence on a mobile phone hidden in a safe inside a wall cavity

A child sex predator who groomed young girls at a Tyneside swimming pool and went on to carry out sickening sex attacks was branded a "mean man" in a letter by one of his victims.

Lee Wilson, who would often sit on the edge of the pool watching but not swimming, wheedled his way into the lives of the victims and their families in order to carry out his twisted sexual desires towards children. After winning the trust of their families, he abused it in horrific fashion, leaving a trail of trauma.

The perverted beast had branded the victims liars until police found a secret phone which he had hidden in a safe in a wall cavity, which contained damning evidence, including images of him abusing one of the victims. Now Wilson, 40, of Pooley Road, Slatyford, Newcastle, has been jailed for 11 years at Newcastle Crown Court for seven child sex offences, including sexual assault, assault by penetration and making indecent images of children. 

One of the girls bravely wrote what she labelled "a sad letter" to Wilson, which was read out as he was sentenced. She wrote: "You made me feel angry and sad. I don't want to say your name but I know what you did was wrong. I liked you. I changed and I have to live with things.

"I never want to see you again. I want to ask you why did you do this? Why in the world did you do it? Why did you think it was a good idea? Mean man." She signed it off with a sad face.

The court heard it was in September last year the first victim and her family contacted police after she revealed what he had been doing to her. Dr Chris Wood, prosecuting, said: "Each time he would offer sweets as inducement, which the Crown say was grooming."

Wilson also told the girl to keep his sexual abuse "our little secret".

The second victim was also groomed at a swimming pool, with Wilson befriending her and her family. The dad of one of the girls had noticed how he was overfamiliar and would not swim, instead sitting on the edge of the pool and watching.

When he was arrested, he denied the offences and the children were forced to go through a pre-trial process of being cross-examined by his barrister. Dr Wood said: "They were told they were lying during cross-examination. He subjected them needlessly to the court process because he would not admit he was a sexual predator of children and sexually abused these girls."

He had given police a phone but they were suspicious as it had very little on it and formed the view it was a decoy. In September last year officers searched his home and found another phone concealed in a safe in a wall cavity.

On it were indecent images of children taken by him, some with a hidden "surveillance"-type camera. There were images of the first girl and another family

The mum of one of the girls read a victim impact statement in court, saying: "The impact will be felt for years to come." She said her daughter now "freaks out" when she sees a bald man in case it's him and is now very clingy, adding: "Clothes and toys had to be thrown away because they reminded her of Lee.

She told the court: "I'm not a hateful person but I do hate this man with every part of my being. It makes me feel physically sick. He has stolen her innocence. Strangers say to me 'smile it might never happen' but it already has."

The girls dad added: "I feel hatred towards him for what he is and what he has done."

The other girl's dad said: "It's had a devastating effect on our family and I've seen a significant change in (the girl). She was a happy, care-free child without a care in the world. Since this she has a sadness about her and has become more withdrawn.

"She has drawn pictures titled before and after. The before pictures are bright and in colour and the after pictures are dark, mainly black. She can't understand how someone she thought was a friend would do something so horrible to her.

"She was terrified she had to attend court. She was having nightmares and would shout out during the night.

"He has taken everything I held close to my heart away from me for his own perverted satisfaction. I will never forgive this man."

Wilson, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to three counts of assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault, sexual activity with a child and making indecent images of a child. He was jailed for eleven years and must sign the sex offenders register indefinitely and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order and restraining order.

Recorder Toby Hedworth QC said Wilson "remains in apparent denial of your true motivation and dismissed matters as a series of bad decisions". He added: "You are an offender of particular concern."

John Crawford, defending, said he has a heart condition which lowers his life expectancy and added: "He has expressed his sincere apologies and regret, recognising that might be entirely meaningless."

Jonathan Hanratty of CPS North East said: “Lee Wilson acted in a predatory manner, often engineering the circumstances in which he was able to perpetrate the abuse of his two young victims.

“To hide what he had done, he tried to bribe both victims with sweets and told them that his actions against them were a secret that should not be disclosed.

“Despite this, his victims found the courage to tell their parents and Wilson was subsequently arrested. His phone was also seized by police, which was later found to contain an indecent image of a child.

“It is clear that Wilson had little concern for the harm that his offending would cause to either girl, seemingly caring only for his own sexual gratification.

“The impact of Wilson’s offending on his victims and their families has been significant, and we sincerely hope that today’s sentence provides some measure of comfort to them.”

Description

A “family man” was locked up after a judge heard of shocking sexual images of children which he had downloaded. Judge Niclas Parry said at Mold Crown Court that one showed a baby in “discernible distress”.

He told the defendant David Edwards, of Heol Offa in Johnstown, that: “These things were actually happening to these children. "There's a market for these images and the reason is because people like you are prepared to partake of what is available.”

Prosecutor Brian Treadwell said police removed an Apple iPhone and USB from the 32-year-old's home last May. A total of 102 Class A images, the most serious, along with 128 of Class B and 94 of Class C were discovered with files that indicated the Wrexham man had “an interest in children under 10,” he added. 

Henry Hills, defending, said Edwards was “in psychological denial” about his motivation. However, he was a hard working family man and under no illusion about the seriousness of his position. He was remorseful and there was a prospect of rehabilitation were a suspended sentence imposed.

The judge told Edwards, who had no previous convictions, that the case was too serious for a suspended term and jailed him for eight months. Seven-year orders were also imposed for reporting as a sex offender and for sexual harm prevention.

Description

A man snared by online paedophile hunters posing as 13 and 14-year-old girls has been jailed.

Jamie Overson, 37, groomed what he believed were young girls but were in fact members of a group known as Phoenix Guardians of the Innocent.

Norwich Crown Court heard he communicated with three profiles on Whatsapp, encouraging them to carry out sex acts on themselves and send him pictures.

During online chats during April and May 2021 he shared naked and indecent images of himself with a profile purporting to be a 13-year-old called Charlotte telling her “do not let anyone else see it”.

And another occasion he asked a 13-year-old called Darcey whether she would like to meet up with him in Blackpool. 

The former binman, who now works as a forklift driver, also indulged in obscene chats with what he believed was a 14-year-old called Jade.

He was eventually confronted by members of the paedophile hunter group at his home at Northumberland Street in Norwich. 

 The encounter was streamed live on Facebook and posted on the group’s website. He was arrested by police on June 12 after information was passed to police.  

He pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child, attempting to incite a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.

He also admitted making indecent photographs of a child.

Prosecutors told the court investigations had unearthed evidence of further online chats with profiles of young girls called Abby and Kim, which may have been real teenage girls.

He also attempted to lure one of these to meet him in person in Blackpool.

Jailing him for three years and three months, Judge Alice Robinson imposed a 10 year sexual harm prevent order.

She told Overson he posed a danger to children because of the “rapid escalation in your online conversations including attempts to meet up”.

Matthew McNiff, mitigating, said Overson was a “simple and rather inadequate man” who had an inability to communicate.

“He doesn’t have any friends and leads a rather insular life, living with his mother,” he added. 

Description

A pervert who trawled the internet for child sex victims was trapped after a vigilante group used decoys pretending to be as young as 12.

Lee Wright-King, 34, from Hartlepool, walked into a trap on the town's railway station where he was confronted by men from the group STOP and police.

In his pocket he was carrying a sex toy and lubricant.

Wright-King had been in daily contact for weeks with two ‘girls’ aged 12 and 14 who were women working with the group operating to catch paedophiles menacing children.

He used an alias to groom the decoys, offering to meet the elder one in Wales before settling for a meeting with the ‘12 year old’ in Middlesbrough and then Hartlepool on September 20.

In answer to his questions, she said that she had never had a boyfriend and she did not know how to kiss.

Wright-King said he would take her into the woods for sex, said prosecutor Emma Atkinson.

He asked her to wear a summer dress and he said that he could not wait to meet her, Teesside Crown Court was told.

Christine Egerton, defending, said in mitigation that he had only one previous conviction for a relatively minor offence of shoplifting.

She added: “It is fortunate that there was no actual child to be involved here.

“He has expressed genuine remorse and he is well-disposed to carrying our work to address his offending

“He tells me that he is determined not to be involved in any sort of this behaviour again.”

Judge Jonathan Carroll told Wright-King, who appeared over a videolink from Durham Prison: “You put these decoy girls under a degree of pressure not to reveal your existence because you knew full well what would happen."

Wright-King of Straker Street, was jailed for 27 months, given a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order banning contact with children and was ordered to register as a sex offender for an identical period.

He pleaded guilty to two offences of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and one of attempting to meet a child for sex.

The judge ordered the destruction of the sex toy and lubricant.

Description

A former police special constable has been jailed for trying to meet a '15-year-old girl' in KFC for sex.

Alex John Foster, 43, was caught by fellow cops in a KFC car park in Nottinghamshire with condoms and lubrication after grooming the teenage girl online.

A training officer with Northamptonshire Police at the time, Foster asked the girl, who was actually an undercover officer, what experience she had 'with lads' and said he was 'looking for someone to have sex with'.

Recorder James House KC told Foster that he was in a position of trust and his offences were bound to worsen the public's perception of police officers.

He added: “You knew perfectly well that communicating with a 15-year-old girl was not only wrong but unlawful."

Foster, from Northamptonshire, admitted three charges relating to sexual communication with a child, including arranging or facilitating and intentionally encouraging or assisting. He was jailed for two years.

Foster was also handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and placed on the Sex Offenders’ register.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct's director of major investigations Steve Noonan said: “Mr Foster’s actions were abhorrent in sexually communicating online with a person he believed to be a child and then arranging and travelling to meet them for sexual purposes.

"He has rightly received a prison sentence for his appalling behaviour. We directed the investigation by Northamptonshire Police’s counter-corruption unit and I am grateful to their officers for their professionalism in helping to bring this offender to justice.”

Description

A "callous predator" who followed a woman through a city centre and raped her multiple times has been jailed.

Abbas Abbass, 40, repeatedly attacked the victim in Peterborough in the early hours of 17 December.

He was found guilty of two counts of rape and one of assault by penetration.

Abbass, of Raedwald Court, in Peterborough, was sentenced to 18 years in prison, with a further six years on licence. He has been placed on the Sex Offenders' Register indefinitely.

Cambridgeshire Police said Abbass approached the victim in Bridge Street at about 02:00 and asked her if she wanted him to order her a taxi.

She declined but he tried to kiss her despite being asked to go away.

He left but CCTV showed him following her from a distance. When she got to Town Bridge, she suddenly felt unwell and dizzy.

As she continued along Oundle Road, Abbass caught up with her and raped her twice in the nearby recreation ground.

He ordered a taxi and took her back to his home, where she awoke the next morning feeling scared and confused. Abbass sexually assaulted her while she pretended to be asleep.

When she realised he was not going to stop, she opened her eyes and pushed him away.

He began acting like nothing had happened but she left and called a friend who took her to the police.

Det Con Jake Owen said: "Abbass is a dangerous sexual predator who carried out multiple sexual assaults on the victim, leaving lasting trauma.

"I am pleased we have managed to help put a callous sex offender behind bars and I would like to commend the victim's bravery in coming forward and supporting us with a prosecution."

Description

A pervert who groomed a schoolgirl online was caught when her dad found seedy messages and pictures while fixing her phone.

When Jamie Cobden first contacted the girl on Snapchat she was 14 and he lied that he was 18. By the second day of their communication he turned it sexual, describing what he wanted to do and asking about her school uniform.

After around four months he revealed his true age of 26 and convinced her "age was just a number" and said he wanted to be her boyfriend, which she said she didn't feel comfortable with. Cobden asked her for sexual pictures and when she refused he put pressure on her until she did. She sent video and audio of a sexual nature, later saying she felt scared to say no to him. He sent a picture of his penis to her.

Newcastle Crown Court heard he put pressure on her to meet, saying he would take her for dinner and to a hotel. She used the excuse that her parents wouldn't let her and never actually met him.

Cobden's illegal contact with the girl came to light after she dropped her phone in the bath and asked her dad to fix it. He then found the messages and images that had been exchanged when he looked at her phone out of parental curiosity.

Police were informed and she blocked Cobden although she later accepted a Facebook request from him. He said he missed her and she said she still had feelings for him but couldn't talk anymore.

When he was arrested police found 2,037 messages, some of them graphic, had passed between them. They also discovered two category C indecent images he had downloaded online showing girls aged 12-15 in a shower wearing T shirts.

In a victim impact statement, the teenager said: "I was only 14. To this day I'm very confused about how this affected me. I thought I was in love with him.

"I feel so guilty about everything and would tell myself how horrible a person I was. I was extremely lonely and he made me feel loved. Maybe he did love me or maybe he was just taking advantage of a young girl.

"A 14 or 15-year-old kid should not have those problems. I hate that I did those things at such a young age.

"My world shattered and I had to completely reinvent myself, which is not easy. I don't want another girl to go through what I did.

"I just hope Jamie has realised what he did was wrong. What happened will always be a part of me but I can move on now and help others."

Cobden, 30, of Bentinck Road, Newcastle, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two charges of inciting the girl to engage in sexual activity, sexual communication with a child and possessing two indecent images. He was jailed for 16 months and told he must sign the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

The court heard there was a "significant amount of grooming". Recorder Mark McKone KC said: "This was persistent offending over a six month period and went into graphic detail."

Jane Foley, defending, said: "The defendant was a very lonely individual. He had moved from Brighton to the North East, following the mother of his child.

"He continues to berate himself for his outrageous behaviour. His relationship with his daughter has been severely impacted and he barely sees her as a consequence.

"He suffers from low mood and deeply regrets his actions and his offending. He feels guilty about his behaviour. This is something that will continue to effect him and weigh heavily on him for many years."

Following the sentencing, the officer in charge of the case, Detective Sergeant Richie Jobson, of Northumbria Police, said: While no sentence could ever erase the trauma victims of these type of offences go through, hopefully it goes to show that we will do everything we can in our power to protect children from predators like Cobden.

I would like to thank all the officers who took part in this investigation, including the digital forensic examiners who were able to uncover what Cobden had hidden on his devices.

Everyones efforts has ensured a comprehensive prosecution case was put before the courts, meaning a dangerous offender had little option but to admit his guilt. I hope this serves as a lesson to anyone who thinks they can get away with this type of criminality.

I want to praise the victim for coming forward with the information and commend the courage she has shown throughout the process. We are here to support any victims and are committed to making sure any offenders find themselves in a neighbouring cell to Cobden.

Description

A spanking fetishist who is addicted to child abuse images has been jailed after police found his 16,000 item collection in a secret safe.

Lee Rouse kept a USB stick and a removeable hard drive in a secure box in his bedroom which was designed to look like a large book.

Police broke open the safe after finding literature about the physical punishment of children during a search of his home in Exmouth earlier this year.

He has three previous convictions for downloading child abuse material from the internet and admitted to a probation officer that he was addicted to films and photos which showed young girls being abused.

Rouse changed his name from Lidio Morrineau after being released from his most recent jail sentence but was still on licence and subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which allowed to police to check on him at any time.

They were called to his home after he had a bust-up with his brother and found the safe and the spanking literature in his room. Previous checks had found nothing on his computer because he was downloading the abuse images onto the removeable drives.

There were 16,281 items on them but forensic experts only analysed 1,017 of them before concluding they had enough evidence to prosecute. 

Rouse’s collection showed children as young as two suffering serious abuse, with some items showing children being ‘chastised’.

There were 231 movies and 140 still images in the worst category, which showed acts amounting to child rape. Just under half of the material fell into the lowest category and showed nudity or sexual posing.

Rouse has previous convictions from 2004, 2013 and 2021 and has twice been found with child mannequins dressed as little girls.

Rouse, aged 52, of Withycombe Park Drive, Exmouth, admitted three counts of possession of indecent images of children and one of possessing a Samurai sword as an offensive weapon.

He was jailed for two years and two months by Judge David Evans at Exeter Crown Court and made subject of a new, tighter, Sexual Harm Prevention order for ten years. It includes all known forms of digital storage.

The judge told him: “You had been downloading images from the internet for a considerable period of time. You last accessed them not long before the police came calling and found the concealed safe in which you had hidden two digital devices.

“That concealment was a step you have taken to minimise the risk of being caught. The probation report says you admit to having an addiction to accessing and downloading such images and that you acknowledge a sexual attraction to under age girls.”

Mr Thomas Faulkner, prosecuting, said police were called by Rouse’s brother on August 1 this year after an argument at their mother’s home. Officers carried out a thorough search and found the book-safe.

They also found literature in Rouse’s bedroom about the physical punishment of children and seized a 74 cm long ceremonial sword. Nothing was found on his phone or laptop, which appeared as if it had been taken back to factory settings.

Mr Faulkner said: “He was asked about the safe and said he had lost the key and could not remember the last time he accessed it. He gave police permission to open it but said there was nothing inside.

“The aggravating factors in this case are his previous convictions and failure to comply with orders and the discernible distress of some of the victims as a result of chastisement. Some of the images depicted spankings of children.”

In all, there were 13 category A, six B, and seven C images on the USB and 16,281 images on the hard drive. Those which were examined were categorized as 231 movies and 140 images at A; 41 movies and 74 images at B and 75 movies and 457 images at C.

They had been downloaded between February 2019 and June 26 this year. Rouse told police he had forgotten about the book safe.

Miss Mary McCarthy. defending, said Rouse is determined to overcome his problem and believes that he will have a better chance of doing so if he finds a job and stops drinking when he is released from jail.

Description

Daniel Mortimer plied 15-year-old girl with drink before raping her - then tried to strangle her and threatened her into staying at his accommodation, saying he had a gun.

A St Judes man described as "cunning" has been handed a determinate sentence of 20 years after he raped and imprisoned a vulnerable 15-year-girl he had been grooming and plying with alcohol.

A victim impact statement from the girl - who cannot be named for legal reasons - was read out by prosecutor Heather Hope at Plymouth Crown Court where Daniel Mortimer was sentenced. Mortimer was found guilty by unanimous verdict following a trial where the jury heard how had targeted the girl, plied her with alcohol, got her back to his home where gave her more alcohol and while she was in an unconscious state raped her.

When she later came around, the 39-year-old threatened her to stay, claiming that he had a gun. 

The court heard how in 2002 Mortimer - also known as Norsworthy - was made subject of a hospital order following his conviction for the offence of arson. He then spent the next 17 years in various mental health institutions where he was diagnosed withy antisocial disorder and/or borderline learning disability. His records, from his various mental health institutions, noted incidents of violence and offences including arson - although it was observed by the courts that he was never prosecuted for these offences.

However, in March 2020, he was released back into wider society and by April 2021, he was living in supported living accommodation in the city. The court heard that he was abusing alcohol and class A drugs and leading what Mr Recorder Donald Tait described as a "aimless existence on the streets of Plymouth".

The court heard that Mortimer began to befriend groups of teenage girls in Plymouth city centre and would spend a "significant amount of money" buying alcohol for the girls, knowing full well they were under the age of 16. 

Mortimer had, shortly before the rape in April 2021, even lured three underage girls back to his accommodation on the promise of giving them alcohol. Fortunately, on that occasion, a support worker at the property spotted what was going on and ejected the girls from the premises.

The following day he was back in Plymouth city centre, once again, targeting young women - including his victim who was considered to be a "troubled 15-year-old". During the trial her mother had explained her daughter was autistic, had mild learning difficulties and ADHD and suffered from depression and anxiety. As a result of her many issues she developed a significant alcohol dependency.

Recorder Tait said all these issues would have been "obvious" to Mortimer, but it was clear from the evidence presented that he "deliberately targeted" the youngster, again using alcohol to lure her to his accommodation. The jury heard that even before she got there she was already "severely inebriated" and Mortimer arranged for a taxi to take her to his address - lying to the taxi operator saying she was his sister.

The court was told that during that day there were a number of Snapchat messages passing between Mortimer and the girl and on her arrival they went up to her room where he plied her with even more alcohol to the point where she was was, to all intents and purposes, unconscious.

Mortimer then raped the girl and kept her in his room against her will. He told her she was not going anywhere and she was not allowed to leave. At one point, he attempted to strangle her and told her that he had a gun on the premises.

A few hours later, Mortimer lied to a visitor to the property looking for the girl - who had been reported missing by this stage - saying the young woman in his bed was his girlfriend.

At around 6am the girl work up with no recollection of what happened to her. She was able to pursuade Mortimer to go outside to smoke a cigarette whereupon she "ran for her life", said Recorder Tait.

She messaged and then phoned her mother at 6.43am and in hysterical state said a man was chasing her. Her mother called police and went on to trace her daughter using a phone-finding app.

On April 9, Mortimer was arrested at his address and was found to be in possession of heroin and cannabis. Recorder Tait said that while Mortimer was in custody he "embarked in a series of conflicting accounts about what happened".

Recorder Tait noted that Mortimer's "bizarre behaviour" continued through the interview process and during the court trial, with him putting forward three different defence statements - all inconsistent with one another - and claimed his DNA found in the girl's underpants was not his and that the girl had never been in his room despite her giving a detailed description of the property.

The court was told that the matter was aggravated because while he was on bail for the rape allegation, he went on to commit a further offence. He committed a sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl on August 26, 2021 in Beaumont Park.

The matter went to trial because Mortimer denied the offence. The jury heard how in that instance, Mortimer was smoking a joint and, after following the teen into the park, told the girl he could get her cannabis. The teenager said that Mortimer put his arm around her for about four seconds and then touched her inner thigh.

At his sentencing, the court was told by the judge that the incident had had "a very grave effect on her" and on one occasion not long after the incident "she tried to harm herself by consuming a bottle of bleach". He was jailed for 26 weeks for that offence and was arrested again for the rape on the day of his release from prison.

In a victim impact statement, read out by prosecutor Heather Hope at today's hearing, it was revealed that the girl said she had been left psychologically, mentally and physically scarred by the rape. She wrote how she felt "violated", "alone and scared" and horrified how Mortimer had had "access to my body without me being aware of it". She admitted she had begun self-harm with razor blades, and drinking heavily to block out the memory of the rape.

She wrote how she now cannot even stand the thought of someone touching her and flinches when people are near her. Certain worlds which were used during the incident are now triggers which causes her flashbacks and feelings of being overwhelmed. She explained she now suffered night terrors and was taking medication to try and combat it.

She also revealed how she had made "physical changes" to her appearance "for fear of being recognised" by Mortimer and was "very concerned" that he would try to contact her. She wrote how relationships with others have been affected and she finds it hard to trust people, adding that she "cannot be along with men". She explained how she now avoided certain areas of the city centre and cannot go anywhere near where he lived.

She added that she had to undergo a "intrusive physical examination" and did not know if she was going to be left pregnant. She wrote how she revisited the incident "every day and I hope that one day it will stop".

In mitigation, his advocate Katie Churcher said Mortimer had suffered abuse during his childhood and had been in institutions from a young man through to adulthood. She confirmed the offences took place not long after he was released from these institutions. However, whilst in custody he had engaged in a number of positive programs in prison, become an "enhanced" prisoner with an extra level of responsibility, securing jobs in the servery and in the prison gym.

Mr Recorder Tait told Mortimer he had read two detailed reports - one, a pre-sentence report from an experience probation officer and the other a report from forensic consultant psychiatrist Dr Christine Brown. He said Dr Brown noted that Mortimer had never been diagnosed with a mental disorder at any time and that his ability to stand trial had never been called into question.

The court was told that Dr Brown had concluded that Mortimer "knows what he is doing, and he knows when what he is doing is wrong". She went on to state that "there are no further mental health interventions or treatment that will reduce [his] risk of harm to others".

The probation report accepted that Mortimer had a "lower than average IQ" but he was also considered to have "a degree of cunning and can be manipulative". The probation officer stated that "ultimately" it was perceived that Mortimer would "very likely to offend again, regardless of the consequences to him", adding ominously that the 39-year-old poses a "high risk of harm - mostly likely to teenage girls".

The probation officer's report concluded "I have no hesitation in stating that [Mortimer] would pose a significant risk of causing serious harm", by carrying out "further specified offences whose most likely victims would be teenage girls."

Mortimer was found guilty on charges of rape, false imprisonment, meeting a child after sexual grooming, possessing a controlled drug of Class A and possessing of a controlled drug Class B.

Mr Recorder Tait told Mortimer that he had, "in effect abducted" the girl and detained her "for a long period of time". He said that there was "no shadow of doubt that [the victim] was a particularly vulnerable individual - you knew that and took advantage of that knowledge".

He told Mortimer: "Without hesitation, I consider that you pose a significant risk of serious harm from further specified offences committed by you."

As a result Mr Recorder Tait said he would impose an extended determinate sentence of 20 years - of which 15 years would be custodial and an extended licence of five years. He ordered Mortimer to be put on the Sex Offenders Register for life and be subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years.

He confirmed that at the two-thirds point of the custodial sentence Mortimer's case would be referred to the parole board for consideration as to whether he was safe to be released, but added "it doesn't mean you will be".

Following the sentencing, Det Insp Darren Roach from Devon and Cornwall Police said: "The impact of these crimes will have a lasting effect on the victim and her family. I hope that the sentence passed today offers some reassurance and that a degree of comfort can be taken in knowing that this dangerous offender has been brought to justice.

"The victim, witnesses and families have shown great courage through the course of the investigation and court trial. It is their support and willingness to stand up against this dangerous offender that enabled Officers to secure the evidence for a successful prosecution.

"I would like to recognise the skill and determination of the investigation team and specialist Engagement Officers. Working alongside colleagues from the CPS and partner agencies, such as First Light and Plymouth SARC, has ensured that the victim has been supported both before and during the trial process.

"The result of this joint partnership working is evident today with a significant custodial sentence imposed and with the jury delivering guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment."

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A man who trussed a woman to a bed moments before subjecting her to a violent rape ordeal has been jailed for 15 years.

Kevin Hood, 34, attacked the female, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at an address in Edinburgh in August 2021. The high court in the city heard last month how Hood subjected the woman to a terrifying ordeal during the attack.

He demanded her mobile telephone password to see who she had been speaking to. The court heard that Hood then prevented her from leaving a bedroom and fastened her ankles and wrists to a bed, detaining her there against her will.

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Hood then started to choke the woman before raping her. But Hoods victim plucked up enough courage to speak to the police who launched an investigation into his activities.

Detectives then found enough evidence against Hood to bring him to justice. On Wednesday, the court heard how Hood had told a social worker tasked with finding out more about his background that he used sex workers.

He also told the social worker that he liked to indulge in sex which included restraints and strangulations. Judge Lord Arthurson told Hood that as he had been assessed at being at high risk of re-offending, the only sentence available to the court was prison.

Lord Arthurson also told Hood that the risk he posed to women in general was such that hed have been supervised by the authorities for 10 years following his release from custody. Passing sentence, Lord Arthurson said: This crime is one of the worst that Ive had to deal with in my judicial career.

This was a sustained assault using sickening acts of violence undertaken with the purpose of controlling your victim. Given the circumstances of the offence, the only disposal that can be in the circumstances is the imposition of a extremely long custodial one.

The sentence being imposed is to punish you, reflect societys revulsion at such crimes and to deter others from committing them. The story emerged on last month when a jury found Hood, who lives in Edinburgh city centre, guilty of raping the woman.

He had pleaded guilty at an earlier stage in proceedings to charges of subjecting the woman he raped to threatening behaviour. He also pleaded guilty to assaulting another woman and subjecting her to threatening behaviour in 2018.

Following conviction, prosecutor Richard Goddard KC told Lord Arthurson that prior to his arrest, Hood was unemployed. Mr Goddard also said that the accused has appeared in court on previous occasions.

He added: The accused has a significant criminal record. On Wednesday, Lord Arthurson also placed Hood on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

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Havant paedophile Gregorio Valencia inflicted misery on the girl during his ‘progressive’ campaign of harrowing abuse over a year. The educated man of ‘good character’ started off by touching the child intimately.

Valencia, of Horsebridge Road, exploited opportunities to abuse the girl. Prosecutor Simon Foster outlined the acts he committed, which The News is not repeating in detail. He said the girl cried after Valencia left the room.

Valencia touched her, and also climbed on top of her, Mr Foster said, adding: ‘These were especially serious incidents. Had the alarm not been raised things may have proceeded.’

The victim, in a statement read out to court, said she felt ‘disgusted and sad’. ‘I felt really scared and strange. He was so nice to me afterwards it made me feel weird,’ she said.

The girl said she suffers ‘nightmares’ from her ordeal and blamed herself. ‘I dream a lot about what he did to me, touching me and climbing on top of me. It’s like it happened all over again. Then I wake up in silence and think about it all over again. It was terrifying.’ She added: ‘I feel guilty and like it is all my fault.’

Valencia gave no comment to police when arrested. He admitted seven offences of sexual activity with a girl and was immediately put on the sex offenders register. But when police came to check on him he was not at the address he had given - instead living in his car to save money.

Having an established address is not a pressing concern for Valencia now, though, after he was locked up for two and a half years. Judge Keith Cutler CBE told Valencia his actions caused ‘distress and anxiety’. ‘She should not feel guilty at all. There is no blame on her or anyone else,’ he continued.

‘There’s only one person who did wrong by her and that was you. And you are going to pay the price. They were progressive acts that fortunately went no further.’

Valencia, who admitted a charge of breaching his sex offender notification requirements, was handed a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years. He must sign the sex offenders register forever.

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A "dangerous" sex offender from Darwen who was found with two teenage girls in his hotel room has been jailed.

Colin Smith, of Everton Street, was arrested in 2020 when he returned to a hotel room in Bury.

Smith was putting up two teenage girls who had been reported missing at the time, and on his return to the hotel, found Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers waiting for him. 

Appearing at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on Tuesday, Smith, 59, was jailed for 12 years after pleading guilty to 11 charges against five victims.

These including offences of meeting a child following sexual grooming, making and distributing indecent images of children, and sexual activity with a child.

Among the offences, police said Smith "plied victims with alcohol in order to commit abhorrent and depraved offences".

Described as a "calculated individual", he created multiple social media accounts and aliases, identifying as a teenager, to lure his victims into trusting him. 

Following his arrest, numerous devices belonging to Smith were seized which uncovered further victims of grooming, evidence of possession and distribution of indecent images of children, and extreme pornography.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Partington, from Greater Manchester Police, said: “Firstly, I would like to publicly recognise the courage of the two young girls who were staying in the hotel room – they made contact with someone they could trust, which enabled us to safeguard them and, ultimately, secure this prosecution.

“Smith’s behaviour towards the victims was nothing short of sickening – in some cases, he plied them with alcohol in order to commit abhorrent and depraved offences.

"His prosecution and imprisonment should reassure our communities about our commitment to fighting this type of crime and keeping vulnerable people safe.”

Constable Carly Baines, of GMP's Sexual Crime Unit, added: “This sentencing is the result of a long, meticulous investigation by our complex safeguarding hub.

"Smith’s behaviour is deplorable and completely unacceptable, and I hope this result sends a stark warning to offenders that these behaviours will not be tolerated by GMP.

“I would like to thank the victims for their resilience and bravery in reporting this incident to the police and giving us the opportunity to put a dangerous and depraved man in prison, and I hope this sentencing will now allow the victims to be able to move forward with their lives.”

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Graeme Phillips also asked for a "naughty picture" and sent the decoy a picture of his penis in a "semi-erect" state and asked if she thought "it was nice".

A pervert told what he thought was a 14-year-old girl that he had a 'Big Mac in his shorts'. Graeme Phillips, 41, was caught by paedophile hunters after speaking with two decoy accounts last year.

Phillips was snared by the 'Dank Dragons Exposed' group after sending naked selfies and sick messages to what he believed to be underage girls. He was tracked to a pub where another group called Stop UK confronted him on behalf of Dank Dragons Exposed and performed a citizen's arrest.

He received a suspended sentence at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday November 15) after pleading guilty to two counts of attempting to engage a child in sexual communication. 

Liverpool Echo reports that Phillips told an account called 'Sarah' on the 'Meet4U' app that he was 40 and initially said "I think you're too old for me". However the court heard that Phillips began sending sexualised messages on December 1, 2021, after she changed a profile picture on her WhatsApp account.

Prosecution barrister Paul Blasbery said: "As a result of that picture the defendant told the decoy she was beautiful and stunning, he then sent a picture of himself naked from the waist up where he was sitting on the bed. He then told her 'I probably have bigger t***' than her, and told her he didn't care if she wore a bra or not."

Other vile comments including asking if he could "make her blush", talking about her breasts and telling her he had a "Big Mac in his shorts", referring to his penis. He also asked for a "naughty picture" and sent her a picture of his penis in a "semi-erect" state and asked if she thought "it was nice".

On December 14, Phillips also began messaging a decoy account on Meet4U called 'Scarlett', operated by an adult who also posed as a 14-year-old. Mr Blasbery told the court Phillips began making sexualised comments and told her he slept naked, and began asking about her breasts. Phillips also told the decoy "not to tell her mum".

At this point, Dank Dragons called on Stop UK to help and Phillips was confronted outside the Farmer's Arms pub in Moreton, Wirral. Mr Blasbery said Phillips, who has no previous convictions, refused to answer any questions in his police interview.

Lionel Greig, defending, said his client had been living an "isolated" existence during lockdown, with his 71-year-old mum who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. He also said his client had lost his dad in 2018.

Mr Greig urged the court to spare his client immediate custody, and order intervention to address his behaviour and prevent him from re-offending, rather than a prison sentence.

The judge, Recorder Mark Ainsworth, agreed to spare Phillips immediate custody, telling the pervert addressing his perverted behaviour in the long term would benefit society more than a prison sentence.

He said: "I have to make an assessment of the prospect of rehabilitation in this case, having read the pre-sentence report I do believe there is a good prospect of rehabilitation in this case and I have a duty to society."

Phillips, of Ivy Lane, Moreton, was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, and told he must sign the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years. He was also ordered to complete the Horizon course for sex offenders and to complete 40 Rehabilitation Activity Days with the Probation Service.

He was also told to complete 250 hours of unpaid work and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order severely restricting his internet usage.