Latest Offenders

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A PAEDOPHILE cried in the dock as the court heard how he encouraged a ‘teen’ to perform a sex act on herself and asked for pictures of her boobs.

Daniel Razak believed he was talking with a 13-year-old girl when he ‘quickly’ turned the conversation sexual.

But it was actually an undercover police officer from the child sex abuse unit whose role is to identify offenders with sexual interests in children.

Razak, of Mendip Avenue, Orford, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child, attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity and possession of cannabis.

Prosecuting, Alaric Walmsley said that last year, Cheshire Police received information that between September 5 and September 8, the defendant had engaged in sexual conversation with who he believed with a 13-year-old girl on Kik Messenger.

Mr Walmsley told the court how the defendant quickly sexualised the conversation with ‘Poppy’ – who was actually an undercover police officer that had selected a ‘teen chat mode’.

The 33-year-old sent Poppy, who he told he was 19, pornographic images and encouraged her to perform a sex act on herself.

He also added her on Snapchat.

After four days, the pair stopped communicating and Razak was arrested at a later date.

His Samsung phone was seized, and although no pictures of videos of child sex abuse were found, Razak’s search history showed terms such as ‘jail bait girl’ and ‘jail bait girl Twitter’.

The pornographic images he had sent to Poppy were also found on his phone, and cannabis was found on his living room table.

During a police interview, Razak, who is a dad, told officers he did not ‘fully understand’ why he had behaved in this way and that he did not believe he was attracted to children.

Mr Walmsley said that Razak has no previous convictions.

Defending, Simon Christie said how his client ‘had the sense’ to stop communicating with Poppy.

He said: “Those conversations started on September 5 and stopped on September 8, long before he could have known of any police interest.”

The court heard how Razak is ‘deeply remorseful’ for his behaviour and feels shame.

Mr Christie also said how is client is a man of previous good character who works full time and supports his family.

Concluding, judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: “You initiated the contact with her and quickly sexualised the conversation.

“These are serious matters.

“I do accept you are exhibiting a significant degree of remorse.”

Razak was handed a 20-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

He must also complete up to 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 160 hours of unpaid work.

The court also ordered Razak to sign the sex offender register for 10 years and he is also subjected to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

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A teenager launched a series of terrifying attacks on women. Joshua Lovering from Cwmbran told one of his three victims: "We're going to have sex if you want it or not."

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Joshua Lovering was 19 when he targeted an 18-year-old woman after she had drunk five to six pints of cider in Pontypool park. He made arrangements to spend the night with her at the Gateway Hotel in Newport. Prosecutor Ruth Smith said that when Lovering went to the shops, he asked if he should buy condoms, but the victim replied: "No." When he returned, Lovering became "rough and physical" and pushed the victim onto the bed and tried to put his hand up her top.

When the victim told him to stop, Lovering became annoyed and put his hand to her mouth and a pillow over her face. She screamed for help and managed to run away, but he put his hand under her top again and snapped her bra. She tried to leave the room but he stood in front of her, grabbing her.

Lovering produced a knife and held it to the victim's chin, warning: "If you don't [stop] f****** screaming I am going to use it. We're going to have sex if you want it or not." The victim told Lovering she wanted to have a cigarette, so he allowed her to go outside but continually texted her. She managed to run to a nearby petrol station and the police were called. Lovering was arrested and told police he had a knife because he was "fascinating with sharp things".

In her personal statement this victim said: "The incident has hurt me and betrayed me. He did an awful thing to me. How can I trust people the same way I did before the incident?"

In a second attack Lovering entered a woman's home without permission and pushed her onto her sofa. He then tried to pull her leggings off but the victim was able to bite him, scratch his face and kick him. The defendant penetrated her with his thumb through her leggings.

The victim struggled with the defendant and made a call via the phone app Siri to get help. He managed to rip the phone from her and tried to rip her clothes off, causing her to fall over and suffer bruises. It was only when the victim managed to pick up a glass jar and threaten Lovering with it that he left.

Lovering attacked a third woman at a Travelodge hotel in Cardiff city centre. The court heard he locked the "extremely vulnerable" woman in a hotel room and demanded she had sex with him. He used his strength to take her phone and threatened her with a knife in a 20-minute ordeal which left her crying and shaking with fear.

In her statement this victim said: "Since this incident happened I have been panicky and stressed. When he held a knife up to me and locked me in the room I honestly thought he was going to put the knife through me and seriously hurt me, I was scared for my life.

"He was much bigger and stronger than me. He stood in front of the hotel room door for five minutes but it felt like forever. I was scared to call out for help in case he suddenly used the knife on me."

The victim said she has been suffering nightmares and on one occasion punched a wall while dreaming that she was fighting the defendant off. She added: "He's a dangerous person and a danger to women. I have never been so scared of anybody in my life as Joshua."

Lovering, now 20, pleaded guilty to assault by penetration, affray, sexual assault, and threatening a person with a knife in a private place. The defendant, of HMP Parc in Bridgend, has previous convictions including sexual assault and possession of a knife in a public place. His latest offences put him in breach of a suspended sentence order.

In mitigation, defence barrister Jefffey Jones said his client was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and has low social skills. He conceded the defendant faced "serious matters" but he feels remorse and is "clearly a vulnerable person."

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke took into account Lovering's disorder and his youth but said she was satisfied he was a dangerous offender and posed a risk of serious harm. She imposed an extended sentence of 12 years in custody and an extended licence period of four years. He must serve at least two thirds of the custodial period before he can be considered for release. The judge also imposed restraining orders to protect the three victims and a 16-year sexual harm prevention order.

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A man has been jailed for a string of historic sex offences against a young boy which left his victim “frightened and confused”.

Gary Woolgar, 51, committed the offences on the child and preyed on him over the space of four years, including when he was under 13 years old.

Woolgar, a heating engineer from Lancing, denied the sexual offences but was found guilty at trial.

He also admitted to being in possession of cocaine and cannabis.

Sussex Police Detective Constable Katherine Wilkins said: “This was a complex investigation that involved working closely with partner agencies.

“Woolgar preyed on the boy, and the abuse has had an ongoing impact upon him.

“I would like to thank the victim who showed great courage to come forward and report what happened to him, and to all the witnesses who provided evidence to ensure this offender was convicted.

“This case demonstrates that we take reports of sexual offences seriously and throughout we provided support to the victim with specially-trained officers.

“We are determined to get justice for victims of sexual abuse.”

Woolgar was found guilty of multiple counts of engaging in penetrative and non-penetrative sexual activity with a boy as well as two counts of sexual activity with a child and sexual assault by touching a boy under 13.

The crimes took place between 2013 and 2017.

The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, described how the abuse left him frightened and confused and continues to impact his anxiety and stress.

At a hearing on August 3, Woolgar was jailed for 15 years. He will also be a registered sex offender for life and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed.

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A sexual predator with a “Jekyll and Hyde personality” used his position as a respected cricket coach to make advances on women, a court has heard.

David Taylor, of Upland Crescent, Truro was before Truro Crown Court this morning (Friday) for sentencing after a jury found him guilty of sexual assaults on three women.

However, this was not the first time that Taylor had been before a court for such offences.

In 2021 he was also convicted of touching a woman and a teenager without consent, but was given a suspended sentence at that time.

Today, however, Judge Simon Carr said that prison was the only option for Taylor, telling the 61-year-old that it was doubtful what good the rehabilitation activities did as: “You show no remorse or understanding of the harm you have inflicted.”

He sentenced Taylor to a total of 21 months in prison, of which he must serve half before being released on licence, as well as sign the sexual offenders’ register.

Judge Carr said that what made the case unusual was that Taylor was a highly respected cricket coach in Cornwall, saying: “One of the striking features of this case was those that were abused, despite that abuse, still spoke highly of you as a coach; of the difference you had made to theirs and others’ careers and the promotion of women’s cricket in Cornwall.

“You clearly have a genuine Jekyll and Hyde personality. On the one side you are a brilliant coach, going out of your way on a voluntary basis to assist people both near and far with their careers.

“On the other hand you are sexual predator, who uses your position within that cricket fraternity to abuse women.”

The judge said he suspected many of Taylor’s family and friends still could not accept what he did, as they had only seen one side of his character, before adding: “But anybody who saw that trial before me and those three young women giving evidence so powerfully and obviously truthfully will have seen another side.

“Each of them, independently, when asked why they didn’t speak at the time, spoke of not just a fear of being believed because of your status but the fact they would lose the one thing they valued most – being able to play cricket without people talking behind their back.

“You used that power to abuse them for your own sexual gratification and amusement.”

The trial had heard evidence of unwanted kissing and sexual touching from Taylor on the women, including while other people were nearby, and Judge Carr said he wanted to remove any idea that the offences could “in some way be described as minor”, adding: “The psychological effect has been significant.”

Earlier the court had heard two victim impact statements read out, one of which said Taylor has still not acknowledged his behaviour or offered any apology.

The other said she felt a range of emotions, from relief and anxiousness to sadness and guilty.

She said that she had felt fortunate to have someone giving quality coaching in a sport she loved, but added: “Though that cannot be taken away, it’s been tarnished at the realisation that it came as a victim of sexual assault.”

The woman said she had felt anxiety each time she went into Truro city centre, in case she saw Taylor, and would not allow herself to be in situations where she was alone with men.

She said it was important to her that sexual assault was given “a larger dialogue” and that she wanted to see measures put in place for people to be able to enjoy sport regardless of their age, gender or ethnicity.

Jason Beal, representing Taylor, said his client “remained in denial about what has happened.”

He pointed to character references during the trial, which included positive things said about him even by witnesses for the prosecution, adding: “He’s a hardworking man, even though there has been a drop in his status in recent years, he’s continued to work hard.”

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A CONVICTED rapist has been jailed after he went on to sexually assault a woman in her own home.

Mark Holmes, 38, from Newport jumped on his victim, put his hand over her mouth before he carried out two sex attacks on her.

He further “humiliated” her by verbally abusing her during her ordeal.

Holmes was found guilty of two counts of assault by penetration by a jury following a trial in May.

The offences were committed in the summer of 2021.

Holmes’ previous rape conviction was in 2002 when he was a boy.

The defendant raped a 15-year-old girl on his 17th birthday and was sentenced to an 18-month detention and training order at Cardiff Crown Court.

Owen Williams, prosecuting, read out the victim impact statement of the woman who was assaulted two years ago.

She said: “I feel like a stranger in my own home.

“I have been frightened to go out of my own front door.

“I live in fear day in day out.

“This has had a profound effect on my emotional wellbeing.

“What did I do to deserve this?”

Susan Ferrier representing Holmes said there was little she could say in mitigation.

She told Cardiff Crown Court: “He continues to maintain he wasn’t responsible for the offending.”

Miss Ferrier added: “There is another side to this man who is capable of being kind-hearted and caring.”

The judge, Recorder Mark Cotter KC, told Holmes: “You jumped on your victim, you overpowered her and you put your hand over her mouth.

“The fact that you have a previous conviction for an extremely serious offence, although that was committed many years ago, is troubling.”

The defendant was jailed for eight years and six months and will have to serve two-thirds of that sentence before being released on licence.

Holmes has to register as a sex offender for life.

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A 64-YEAR-OLD Bradford man has been jailed for 12 years after a string of sexual assaults on young children.

Brian Wylie, of Clayton Road, Clayton, appeared via video link at Bradford Crown Court to be sentenced for a total of five charges, including indecent assault and gross indecency of a child under the age of 14, and sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.

Wylie was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in total with a three-year extended licence period.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order until further notice and must register as a sex offender indefinitely.

Prosecutor David McGonigal outlined how the 64-year-old had admitted three historic offences.

One victim was so young they didn’t know what he was asking them to do was wrong, the prosecutor told the court.

He had faced a trial on further charges, and had been found guilty in March of two counts of sexual assault of a child.

His three victims were said to have suffered long-lasting trauma as a result of the attacks, including incidents of self-harm and struggling with an eating disorder.

Judge Colin Burn said in sentencing: “The effect of your offending has been long lasting.

“They have caused significant emotional disorientation to children and therefore also trauma which is likely to be long-lasting.”

Of his first victim, the Judge said: “In cases of this type it is relatively unusual for an offender of your type to come forward in this way and to make those admissions.”

Allan Armbrister, for Wylie, referred to issues that the defendant raised when his pre-sentence report was being compiled, but he did not go into further detail.

The Judge however did refer to post traumatic stress disorder or psychological damage – and that it can be “no excuse for sexual offending of this sort” and “can be little or no mitigation for ruining the lives of others”.

West Yorkshire Police states on its policies that any person reporting historic sexual abuse to the police will be treated seriously. The matter will be thoroughly investigated and historic offences could still result in the conviction of an offender.

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Harry Blake was a follower of neo-Nazi and Satanic ideologies, the Old Bailey heard.

A neo-Nazi paedophile who previously avoided a prison term has been jailed after committing further offences.

Harry Blake, from south-west London, was given a suspended sentence in 2020 after admitting 14 terror charges.

On Thursday, the 21-year-old was sentenced to three years and two months in jail after pleading guilty to a counter-terror order breach, as well as making an indecent image of a child.

Passing sentence, an Old Bailey judge said he posed a "significant risk".

Blake also pleaded guilty to possessing extreme pornography, and breaching a crime prevention order and the terms of his suspended prison sentence.

Previously known as Harry Vaughan, he is the son of a House of Lords clerk and achieved high grades at his prestigious grammar school.

'Toxic online community'

After he was arrested again last year, detectives found a laptop and a mobile phone that he was barred from owning.

Material recovered from the devices showed Blake's "continued interest" in right-wing extremism, prosecutor Dan Pawson-Pounds told the court.

Mr Pawson-Pounds said Blake had searched online for the banned terrorist groups Sonnenkrieg Division and Atomwaffen Division. He also had a book in which Adolf Hitler is revered as a god.

Blake's phone contained videos of the "violent forcing" of a sex act on women, and a film of a young boy being sexually abused by a man.

In mitigation, defence barrister Arthur Kendrick said Blake had been exposed to a "toxic online community" at a young age, and, while the views instilled in him may take time to diminish, there were some "green shoots" of change.

In 2020, Blake admitted 12 counts of possessing documents useful to a terrorist, one count of encouraging terrorism and one of disseminating terrorist publications. He also admitted having videos of young boys being raped.The judge decided against sending Blake to prison, despite concluding he was dangerous. Expert evidence had stated Blake's ideology was a "hybrid" of neo-Nazism and a violent form of Satanism.

On Thursday, Judge Sarah Munro KC said that when he was sentenced in 2020, Blake had "falsely asserted" that his "mindset had changed" since committing his initial crimes.
As well as sentencing him to a 38-month prison term, she made him the subject of a five-year serious crime prevention order.

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A YORK paedophile who corrupted a young girl over three years and got her to send him sexual videos of herself has been jailed.

The child was just 10 when Billy James Woodfine first contacted her online, said Anne Richardson, prosecuting.

He sent her hundreds of sexual messages and continued to keep in contact after police got a tip-off that he was downloading child sexual abuse, raided his home, arrested him and released him with a bail condition not to contact her.

A social worker told police the West Midlands girl was so entrenched in exploitation by Woodfine that she believed sexual abuse was normal, said Mrs Richardson.

He used WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, York Crown Court heard.

Police forensic experts found the sexual videos she made of herself, a message in his phone which read I love raping children and evidence he had been talking sexually online to a girl in the USA and two other girls.

Judge Simon Hickey told Woodfine that his sexual messages and communication with the West Midlands girl, getting her to send him sexual videos of herself and sending her sexual images was exactly the type of offending that corrupts youngsters of her age and her isolation".

Woodfine, now 22, of Danebury Drive, Acomb, pleaded guilty to three charges of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, three of having indecent images of children found on his internet devices during the police raid and one each of sexual communication with a child and having a prohibited image of a child.

He was jailed for five years. He was also put on the sex offenders' register for life, made subject to a lifetime sexual harm prevention order that enables police to monitor his online and social media activities and prohibits him from contacting the West Midlands girl and other children, and barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.

For Woodfine, Kevin Blount said his crimes had begun about the time he moved out from his parents home. He had had a difficult childhood, during which he had been abused in a non-sexual way, and had struggled to maintain relationships in the physical world.

He has formed most of his relationships from social media and online, said the solicitor advocate. He has shown to be an isolated individual.

Since being remanded in prison, he had sought help in tackling his offending behaviour.

Mrs Richardson said police raided Woodfines home on January 12 this year and interviewed him more than once during the Spring. He claimed he didnt have a sexual interest in children.

He was bailed on condition he didnt contact the West Midlands girl but her family were monitoring her phone and on May 17, saw the pair were still in contact.

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A Big Issue seller who was caught spying on a young woman as she used the toilet at a prestigious department store has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

Benjamin-Cornel Teglas hid inside a cubicle at the women’s toilets and peered under the partition after the 22-year-old victim had entered the stall next to him at the John Lewis store in Edinburgh.

The shocked woman was said to have been “frozen and alarmed” and after shouting at the pervert she ran from the toilet area and informed staff.

The 20-year-old offender was later picked up by police officers who had viewed CCTV in a bid to identify the culprit following the incident on May 27 this year.

Teglas pleaded guilty to observing the woman doing a private act when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court with the aid of a Romanian interpreter last month and he returned to the dock for sentencing on Thursday.

Defending lawyer Mary Moultrie said her client was a first offender and he “fully accepts responsibility for his actions”.

Ms Moultrie said Teglas was working full time selling the Big Issue and though he has a non-analogous outstanding matter in Romania he is planning on returning to Scotland to live.

Sheriff Peter McCormack said: “You pleaded guilty a a trial diet to a serious sexual offence whereby you entered the ladies toilets at John Lewis in Edinburgh on May 27.

“CCTV showed you were loitering for around 18 minutes and in the course of that period you looked under a partition greatly to the alarm of a young woman there. The offence meets the custody threshold but I note your age and you have no previous convictions.”

Sheriff McCormack sentenced Teglas to an alternative to a custody and ordered him to carry out 135 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Teglas, of the capital’s Wester Hailes, was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years.

Previously fiscal depute India McLean told the court the victim and her sister were shopping in the John Lewis store when they decided to go to the toilet area at around 2.20pm on May 27 this year.

Ms McLean said Teglas had earlier been spotted loitering around the area and was seen to be “checking around to see if anyone was there” before entering the female toilet.

The court heard the victim then “unknowingly” took the cubicle next to the one Teglas was in and locked the door behind her.

The fiscal depute said: “She then looked down and seen Mr Teglas with his head under her cubicle.

“She was initially frozen and alarmed and has then shouted ‘what do you think you are doing?’

“Mr Teglas held her eye contact and stared at her for a few seconds before removing his head back into his own cubicle.”

The woman fled the toilet area and Teglas was said to have “eventually peered out from his own cubicle and has then made off from the toilet”.

Teglas pleaded guilty to observing a woman doing a private act by occupying a cubicle of a woman’s toilet area and placing his head through the gap under the cubicle and look into the cubicle occupied by her at John Lewis, St James Quarter, Edinburgh, on May 27 this year.

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A NEWPORT child rapist left his young victim "depressed, torn and broken" after assaulting her at her family home.

Frantisek Mirga, 39 and of Corporation Road, Newport, appeared before Cardiff Crown Court earlier today to be sentenced.

He had been convicted of raping a girl under the age of 16.

The offence took place on November 13, 2022.

Mirga, originally from Czechia, had been drinking vodka and was given accommodation at a friend’s house on account of his not being able to drive.

He was staying in the living room of the house.

When the victim, who was aged 15 at the time, came downstairs for a drink of water, Mirga invited her into the living room where he raped her.

Two victim impact statements were read to the court, detailing the harrowing effect Mirga's actions had had on the young girl.

The first, dated February 24, read: "I’m living in fear. Absolutely horrified for what is going to happen. I don’t trust any man. I feel completely embarrassed.

"I’m not myself. Everything is different now. One day I could be fine and then everything grows on me and negative thoughts enter my mind.

"I cry every day. When I’m alone I zone out. I’m depressed, torn and broken. I feel weak."

The victim mentioned suffering flashbacks.

"The sadness wins," she said.

"Every day is a nightmare. I’m not me anymore."

A second impact statement, dated June 3, explained how Mirga's victim "has no way of coping".

She spoke of having "so much anger and sadness" and waking up with flashbacks which terrify her.

Mirga has the following previous convictions – though none are related to the offence he was being sentenced for today:

• Handling stolen goods – June, 2015
• Public order offence – September, 2012
• Theft – October, 2002
• Illegally entering a private property – September, 2004

The first two offences listed above took place in the UK, with the final two taking place when Mirga was living in Czechia.

Mitigation on Mirga's behalf "will be pithy", his barrister explained.

The defendant's partner and sister were described as having health issues.

Mirga himself was said to be remorseful "in that he understands UK law is different to that in Czechia".

The court also heard that Mirga has two female grandchildren, both of a young age.

Judge David Morgan, summing up, said: "It was your intent all along to take advantage of your victim should the opportunity arise.

"You had already sent inappropriate messages.

"You knew your victim was 15 and that the UK age of consent is 16.

"There is a 22-year age disparity between you.

"The assault took place at the victim’s home where she is entitled to feel safe."

He said there Mirga posed a “significant risk to members of the public, young girls in particular”.

Mirga was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for the charge of raping a girl under the age of 16.

He is to serve seven of those years in custody, with the three remaining years on license.

A restraining order was also put in place “until further notice”, meaning Mirga was prohibited from communicating with his victims, entering any premises occupied by her or going within 100 metres of such premises.

A sexual harm prevention order was also put in place “until further notice”.

Under this, Mirga is prohibited from living in the same household as any female under the age of 16. He is also prohibited from entering any such household without the express permission of any parent or guardian (with knowledge of his conviction) or the approval of social services.

Mirga must also register as a sex offender.

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A vile sex offender used the online alias 'Daddy Dominant Little Girls' to target children all over the world. Benjamin Lancaster claimed to be in polyamorous relationship and would scour the internet for victims.

He would give them a list of rules they had to abide by - including times to go to bed; what they could wear; who they could go out with; and which sexual acts they would partake in.

Lancaster, 33, would target extremely vulnerable children promise them a better life, cops said. He made them call him 'Daddy'.

He used the nickname 'Daddy Dominant Little Girls'. His sickening crimes were discovered when a carer of one of the children checked her online logs and uncovered indecent images and videos.

Lancaster was arrested in October 2021. Analysis of his phone and devices revealed he was communicating inappropriately with children all over the world.

Detectives suspect there may be other victims and have urged them to come forward after he was jailed. Lancaster, of Charles Street, Swinton, Salford, has been locked up for 10 years and six months at Manchester Crown Court for rape; possession of indecent images; and arranging/facilitating travel for sexual purposes in relation to two under-16 victims.

He will be on the sex offender register for life and has been made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

Det Con Emma Puckering, of Greater Manchester Police's Salford Connect Team, said: "Lancaster is going to be behind bars, and away from children, for many years to come. We would like to commend the strength and bravery of the victims and their support systems, who have supported the prosecution to conclusion.

"We know that the sentencing will never erase what they experienced at the hands of Lancaster, but we hope that it signifies the beginning of the rest of their lives, allowing them to start to heal and come to terms with what's happened."

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A judge has highlighted the bravery of a sexual abuse survivor who had to go through two trials before finally seeing her attacker jailed for eight years.

The woman, who must not be identified for legal reasons, read out a powerful victim personal statement during the sentencing hearing at Bradford Crown Court on Wednesday and described the profound effects of the crimes committed against her by sick Shahid Mehmood.

Mehmood, of Addison Avenue in Bradford, was found guilty after his second trial of causing or inciting a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity and five counts of sexual activity with a child. He was acquitted of one charge of sexual assault.

The woman told the court Mehmood’s offending had taken away her innocence as a child and she was still suffering flashbacks and nightmares of the abuse years later. She added: “I thought it was my fault and now I know that is completely false."

She said Mehmood had never accepted any responsibility and instead he had lied putting her through the added stress of having to come to court and relive the events.

Despite being found guilty of a catalogue of evil sex offences, Recorder Ben Nolan KC noted that Mehmood, 52, still maintained his innocence. He said Mehmood, who had no previous convictions, had been interviewed by police back in January 2019 and flatly denied the offences.

“Your denials have persisted to this day,” said the judge.

“It is now over four years since your arrest. There has been significant delay caused in part by the pandemic but in part caused by your own denials. The effect on (the complainant) has clearly been profound. She’s read her victim personal statement this morning very bravely and with great dignity.”

Recorder Nolan jailed Mehmood for eight years and also imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Mehmood, who will serve at least two thirds of his jail term, will have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life and he must comply with an indefinite restraining order.

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A pervert who sent indecent pictures of himself to paedophile hunters has been jailed for 18 months.

Neil Peters, 64, believed he was talking to girls aged 13 and 14 after being fooled by decoys from groups called Dank Dragons and Improved Maximum Exposure.

He started up conversations on a dating site but turned the chat towards sex.

Shamed Peters told one girl called 'Tia' he would 'marry her in a heartbeat' and be 'honoured' to be her boyfriend despite being repeatedly told she was 13.

He sent her indecent photos but warned they should keep the sordid chat secret or they would both 'get into trouble'.

Peters told the other girl called 'Lucy' she was 'gorgeous' and demanded topless photos.

He then arranged to meet but was confronted by vigilantes who streamed it on Facebook.

Peters, of Larkhall, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted communicating indecently with both girls in August last year.

He also pled guilty to attempting to meet one to engage in sexual activity.

Sheriff John Speir jailed first offender Peters and placed him on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

Depute fiscal Chloe O'Hara said: "The accused messaged Lucy and asked if she lived near to Morrisons in Anniesland as he would visit her.

"Lucy told the accused she would be at Morrisons in her school uniform and he said he would meet her outside and asked if she could wear stockings instead of tights as he preferred them.

"The accused said he would come in a white Audi and she was to wait for him outside Morrisons.

"The witness along with other members of the group attended at Morrisons the following day and they pulled up to the accused's car and contacted the police.

"Whilst awaiting police arrival, the group broadcast a live stream of the sting on Facebook."

Sheriff Speir told Peters a custodial sentence was 'inevitable'.

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A registered sex offender well known to police thought he was preying on a vulnerable child when he was actually sending sexual text messages to a police decoy.

Steven Baker, 57, has found himself behind bars again for breaching several conditions of his sexual harm prevention order when he engaged in a conversation via text messages with someone he believed to be a 12-year-old girl.

After a lengthy engagement with the undercover officer Baker was arrested at his home in Ely, Cardiff, in June by officers from South Wales Police and the regional organised crime unit Tarian. Baker pleaded guilty to the charge of engaging in sexual communications with a child at the earliest opportunity, a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard on Wednesday.

He was sentenced to 22 months in prison, half of which he will serve behind bars. Following the sentencing detective inspector Mathew Davies, of Tarian, said Baker’s case “shows we are monitoring offenders to remove the most dangerous individuals from society who continue to offend”.

DI Davies said: “There is considerable work being undertaken to identify those offenders looking to exploit children online and preying on the most vulnerable in society." He added: “It is another notable result for Tarian and South Wales Police to identify this offender attempting to target vulnerable children. By working closely with South Wales Police we were able promptly to detain Baker to prevent him for committing further offences. It is paramount that we safeguard children and the most vulnerable within our communities and working closely with all southern Wales forces we will continue to target those offenders looking to exploit children."

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A sex offender has been jailed for a string of crimes relating to children after posing as a Sheffield doctor.

Andrew Dalby was arrested by officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary, following an operation to identify offenders targeting vulnerable children online.

The 42-year-old from Gleadless, Sheffield, was jailed for more than six years after admitting sexual offences relating to children, after an operation looking into offenders in chat rooms and on social media.

Between October 20, 2022, and December 10. 2022, officers from the Child Online Safeguarding Team (COST) monitored Dalby chatting to what he thought was a 14-year-old boy, whilst claiming to be a 30-year-old doctor working in the Sheffield area.

As the conversations progressed, Dalby offered to meet the ‘boy’ offering him a health check. The nature of the chat then became sexual with Dalby booking a hotel room in St Albans so they could spend the night together.

Dalby travelled to St Albans where he was arrested by officers at the hotel he had booked. A search of his car revealed he had brought items including condoms and medical equipment. He was charged and remanded to prison whilst the investigation continued.

Checks on his phone and computer revealed further victims in Hull, Great Yarmouth, Birmingham and South Wales, who were spoken to by specialist COST officers.

Dalby admitted 10 charges. They were attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child; arranging the commission of a child sex offence; three charges of causing a child to engage in sexual activity; four charges of sexual communication with a child; one charge of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Dalby was remanded to prison and appeared at St Albans Crown Court on May 26, 2023. He was jailed for six years, nine months.

Det Sgt Jim Miller from the COST team said: “This was a very successful operation which has removed a dangerous sexual predator off the streets.

“However, I am mindful that there could still be other victims that we are not aware of, and I am keen to hear from anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Andrew Dalby or who knows of anyone who may have been targeted by him. You will be fully supported by specially trained officers.”