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Description

A former firefighter who paid children to send him explicit images online has been jailed.

Robert Stevenson would trawl social media sites and message women online, offering them money to send naked pictures. However, many of the victims were young girls.

He even sent a photo of himself in uniform to one of his victims, claiming to be 19.

The matters came to light when one of Stevenson’s victims, a 15-year-old girl, told police that he had threatened to post an explicit picture of her online.

He had spoken to the girl via direct messages on Instagram asking her if she wanted to make £100. The conversation later moved to Snapchat with Stevenson telling her he was 17 after she told him she was 17.

Stevenson was arrested and his devices were seized. Checks on them found he had been messaging a number of girls, and had paid several of them to send him photos and videos of themselves. Analysis of his bank account found numerous payments he had made to several girls.

The 31-year-old, previously of Long Eaton, was later charged with a number of offences including cause/incite the sexual exploitation of a child aged 13 to 17; cause/incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity and making an indecent photo/pseudo photograph of a child.

He denied the charges but was found guilty after a trial at Derby Crown Court. He appeared at the same court for sentencing on 27 September when he was jailed for seven years. He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was placed on the sex offenders register.

Description

A Beckenham predator robbed a woman’s phone then used it to lure her into a secluded area where he raped her. 

Hussein Roble, 26, targeted a lone woman who was visibly drunk as she left the Earl of Chatham pub in Woolwich on November 18 last year. 

Over the course of just over an hour he sexually assaulted, robbed, strangled and raped the woman. 

First he led her to an underground car park where he partially undressed and sexually assaulted her, prosecutor Michael Hillman said.

When she walked off he caught up with her, grabbed her by the throat and snatched her phone. 

The victim chased him and pleaded for her phone back, at which point Roble scaled a fence and opened the door to the communal stairwell of a block of flats. 

Mr Hillman said: “He then told the victim she couldn’t have her phone back or leave unless she did what he wanted.” 

After he raped her Roble returned the woman’s phone at which point she ran home and phoned the police. 

Roble has a long history of violence including convictions for class A drug dealing and domestic violence. 

In 2015 he was charged with but cleared of the murder of Ahmed Ahmed in Plumstead. 

Officers were therefore able to match hand prints he left in the stairwell to Roble and he was arrested in April. 

Roble initially denied any wrongdoing but later pleaded guilty to rape, sexual assault and robbery. 

At Woolwich Crown Court on Monday (September 30) George Wills, defending Roble, said he is “genuinely remorseful” and has an awareness of his need to change. 

While a report by an experienced probation officer said Roble has gang affiliations, Mr Wills said his client is categorically not a gang member.

Sentencing Roble, Judge David Miller said: “It was a sustained incident in which you saw and, in my judgement, targeted an obviously vulnerable lone woman. 

“She was clearly intoxicated and she was on her own in the semi-deserted streets of Woolwich in the early hours of the morning."

Judge Miller said Roble is “undoubtedly” a dangerous offender who poses a risk to women. 

He therefore passed an extended sentence, meaning he must serve at least two-thirds of his term in custody, rather than half. 

The sentence will be made up of a nine-year prison sentence and an extended seven-year licence period. 

Roble, of Beckenham Road in Beckenham, will also be required to sign the sex offenders register for life. 

Description

A man has been jailed for seven years after he was convicted of attempted rape, strangulation and assault following an incident in Aldershot.

Darren Hendry, 35, of Denmark Street, Aldershot, appeared at Southampton Crown Court on Friday 27 September and was sentenced to seven years in prison, with a further five years on licence once released.

He will also be subject to ten-year restraining order and will remain a registered sex offender for life.

The court heard that Hendry had attempted to rape a woman in her 30s at an address in Aldershot in December 2023.

The woman tried to leave the property but was assaulted and struggled to breathe when Hendry picked her up by the ribs. She managed to fight him off and left the address at 5am before going to Frimley Park Hospital.

Hendry was arrested and charged with a number offences. He pleaded guilty to criminal damage and harassment but denied two counts of rape, two counts of strangulation, attempted rape and three counts of assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm.

He was found not guilty of two counts of rape, one count of strangulation and two counts of assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm. These incidents were alleged to have taken place in Brighton and Fleet.

Hendry was found guilty of one count of attempted rape, strangulation and assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm.

Description

A “prolific” and “historic” child abuser from London has been jailed.

“Shocking” sexual abuse by Christopher George Pearce began in Hammersmith back in 1984.

His two victims were aged five and seven at the time.

Pearce’s crimes continued until 1988 when he sexually abused another two children in Chelsea who were ages six and seven.

Police began investigating Pearce in March 2020 after he was caught trying to groom who he believed was a child online.

Once his arrest was posted online, two of his victims came forward and evidence was found dating back as far as 1988.

Pearce, of Cale Street, Chelsea, was sentenced to 16 years in prison by Isleworth Crown Court on Friday, September 27.

Detective Superintendent Tony Larkin for the Metropolitan Police, who led the investigation said: “I want to thank the victims for coming forward, speaking to and working with officers through a long and complex investigation.

I hope the bravery and willingness of the victims serves as an inspiration to those who may otherwise fear reporting this kind of abhorrent abuse.

“I am in no doubt that since 1984 Pearce has been an incredibly dangerous child sex offender and is now no longer free to commit offences against children.

“The officers in this case showed true determination in securing justice for all the victims - they are a credit to the Met.

“I would urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse – no matter how long ago – to please come forward to police. We assure you that you will be listened to and we will help you get support you so rightly deserve.”

Crimes of this nature can be reported online or on the telephone or in person to the police by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Description

A MAN who made plans to sexually abuse a nine-year-old child has been jailed after an undercover police sting.

Stephen Biles, 61, thought he was speaking to someone who would arrange for him to abuse the girl in a hotel, but was actually communicating with a police officer.

The undercover investigation between January and March 2020 discussed a decoy child, who did not exist.

On April 1, 2020, Biles was arrested at his home in Riverside, Ringwood, with devices seized containing 52 category C indecent images of children.

Work by the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) allowed further investigation by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabularys Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team (ICAT).

Biles was charged with making indecent images of children and two counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

He pleaded guilty to the indecent images but maintained his innocence on the other two charges.

However, after a trial at Portsmouth Crown Court on September 4 this year, Biles was found guilty.

On September 27, at Southampton Crown Court, Biles was jailed for three years and nine months.

He was also made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offender register indefinitely.

Description

A sex offender who abused a young boy and left him feeling like he had "no hope or future" has died behind bars.

Former soldier Malcolm Burwood subjected his young and "frightened" child victim to horrific sex attacks and left him so "haunted" he tried to take his own life. A court heard the youngster had been threatened to keep quiet about the abuse he suffered at the hands of Burwood, from Houghton-le-Spring.

But half a century later, in March 2019, Burwood was jailed for 12 years after being convicted of four sex offences. He was also made to sign the sex offenders register for life.

During the sentencing, Burwood's victim told Newcastle Crown Court: "I clearly remember being a very frightened child. This has haunted me, it has blighted my life." He added: "I have felt there is no hope or future. It is like a storm inside of me."

The court heard Burwood, who was 79 at the time he was jailed, had a "catalogue" of medical problems, including obstructive airways disease, renal failure and hearing loss. He also had a wife who was seriously ill in hospital.

The judge told him: "Prison is going to be harder for you to endure than a young and fit man but the central argument is, had you gone to the police at the time of this offending, you would have served your prison sentence when you were young and fit."

A Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) report published this month confirmed that Burwood died of prostate cancer on April 7, 2024. At an inquest on May 30, the coroner concluded Burwood died of natural causes.

Description

A Leicester man has been jailed for more than six years after he was found guilty of sexual assault.

In the early hours of Saturday 16 November 2019, Lee Young went into the home of his victim – who he knew – unannounced as she slept on the sofa. When she woke, Young started kissing her and telling her he loved her as she tried to push him off her. He then became aggressive, throwing items around her living room, before sexually assaulting her.

During the incident, the victim managed to contact emergency services discretely by pressing the side button on her iPhone five times – which automatically calls 999.

Young was later arrested by police nearby after being found hiding in a front garden. In interview, he remained silent during all questions put to him by police.

On Tuesday 24 September he was found guilty of one count of assault by penetration following a trial at Leicester Crown Court. On Friday (27 September) the 39-year-old was sentenced to six years and eight months’ imprisonment.

Young, of Sharpley Drive, Beaumont Leys, was also placed on the sex offender register for life.

Description

A Bootle man has been jailed for six years after repeatedly sexually assaulting a girl.

Brian Colin McCoy, 64 years, of Bootle was accused of touching a girl inappropriately on a number of occasions in multiple locations.

He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, 30 September, where he was jailed after being convicted of the following offences:

• Meeting a girl under 16 following grooming
• Assaulting a girl under 13 by touching
• Three counts of assaulting a girl by touching
• Causing/inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity
• Two counts of failing to comply with notification requirements of the Sex Offenders Register.

Description

A sick pervert who groomed a child by offering her sweets and then raped and sexually assaulted her is likely to die in prison after being handed a 20-year prison sentence.

Thomas Hobbs, 78, of Ovington, Northumberland, appeared before Judge Penny Moreland at Newcastle Crown Court on Monday September 30. He had been convicted of a string of vile child sex offences. Hobbs was convicted of 10 offences, which included at rape, sexual assaults and encouraging a child to engage in sexual activity at the same court in July.

Judge Moreland passed a custodial sentence of 20 years - this is to be made up of a 19-year jail term extended for a year due to the danger Hobbs poses to the public. Hobbs will not be considered for parole until he has served two-thirds of his sentence.

Hobbs will also be placed on the sex offenders' register for life, and has been made subject to a restraining order preventing him from contact with his victim.

He was told he will "in all likelihood" die in prison. Speaking to Hobbs, who appeared in court via videolink from Durham Prison, Judge Moreland said: "The jury convicted you of a series of serious sexual offences against [the victim]." The judge also told Hobbs the jury was satisfied he "abused her sexually and in the most serious way imaginable".

Judge Moreland said the offending had been aggravated by a number of factors including that he had gonorrhoea at the time of the offences. The judge said the defendant had begun to groom her, "by offering sweets" and then later asked her "can you give us a feel down there".

Judge Moreland then detailed the nature of the horrific offences and the impact they had on the victim. Judge Moreland added: "What you have done has had a substantial impact on her, and it has had an impact on her ability to trust and to build relationships with adult men. You have caused her immense anxiety and have affected her personality in ways she has described."

The judge said she had "no doubt" Hobbs was a dangerous offender.

The court had earlier heard a victim impact statement in which the girl - who has the automatic right to lifelong anonymity under law - said: "The abuse I have suffered has had a massive impact on my life. Firstly it has impacted my trust in men, particularly older men. There are a few males in my life but I do not feel I can build relationships with them."

She said the Hobbs' abuse had also led to her developing social anxiety. She said when her mother had told her the jury's verdict - convicting Hobbs that: "I cried and hugged my friend. It was such a relief that it was all over."

Defending, barrister Steven Reed offered no mitigation though did reference that Hobbs takes medication for a heart condition.

Description

A REGISTERED sex offender has been locked up after officers caught him using a device to view extreme pornography featuring bestiality.

Kainen Joughin-Griffiths, formerly, of Woodbine Lane in Newton-in-Furness near Barrow,  hid his internet search history and bought a new Xbox without telling the police.

He pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to three counts of breaching the terms of his sexual harm prevention order and being in possession of cannabis.

Preston Crown Court heard the offences came after the 21-year-old received a three-year community order for eight individual charges on March 19 this year.

On that occasion, Joughin-Griffiths admitted to attempting to engage in sexual communications with a 14-year-old American schoolgirl, making over 750 indecent images of children (including 502 of category A), the worst of its kind, as well as possessing 257 extreme pornographic images.

As a result, he was also made the subject of notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order for five years, the court heard.

Prosecuting the case on September 24, Richard Flook said the defendant was prohibited from using any computer or device capable of accessing the internet.

He said police attended the Skelwith Bridge Hotel, Ambleside, to arrest the defendant on suspicion of possessing extreme pornographic images on August 4.

“This was due to an eSafe safeguarding report that an account registered to the defendant had viewed extreme pornography featuring bestiality," he said.

The court heard the images were found to contain legal adult pornography, borderline images, pseudo-pornographic images but also multiple images of bestiality.

During a search of the defendant’s room, police obtained a Samsung phone, Xbox One Series S and Xbox One.

“When the various devices seized were examined, it became apparent that the defendant had breached his SHPO,” Mr Flook said.

“The Xbox Series S was examined and discovered to have been used without any monitoring software installed and the Xbox One had not been disclosed to the police.

“It also became apparent that the defendant had been using the Samsung device on secret mode which enables private browsing. Officers also found that the defendant had deleted messages on WhatsApp.”

The court was told the browsing history on the Xbox Series S showed that Joughin-Griffiths had visited an adult pornography website as well as viewing a site with the title ‘Porn Video Zoophilia’.

Recorder Michelle Brown, who originally sentenced the defendant to the community order, jailed Joughin-Griffiths for 32 months.

Description

A Wiltshire transwoman who raped a woman after a night out has been jailed.

Lexi Secker, who was born Alexander Secker, launched a sex attack on his highly intoxicated victim in a woodland in April 2021.

The incident happened in Swindon following a night out in Blunsdon.

At Swindon Crown Court back in June this year, they were found guilty of rape by a jury.

Today (Friday), the defendant – of Lowbourne in Melksham – was sentenced, with the judge handing down a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence – which they will serve in a male-only prison.

The 35-year-old committed the crimes as a male but they were on trial as a female named Lexi.

DC Corrina Wiltshire said: “I would firstly like to thank our victim in this case who has been inspirational in the way they have handled things.

“I hope this sentence gives other victims the strength to come forward and help police seek justice for them.

“This case has taken a long time to get to this point, but I’m pleased to say the victim has trusted the police throughout and stayed with this despite the hurdles.

“They have such incredible strength and I hope it shows others that they can do this too.”

Description

A former West Sussex social worker has been jailed for abusing his position and engaging in sexual communications with vulnerable children.

An investigation was launched on 3 March when sexual messages were found on a vulnerable teenage girl’s Snapchat account between her and a man later identified as Thomas Weller, 33, from Horsham.

The messages were sexual, and continued despite the girl telling Weller she was a child.

Weller also offered to buy her alcohol in exchange for sexual acts.

The investigation also found Weller had used his position to access personal data.

He was arrested on 24 March and further sexual communications were found with another teenage girl on his Snapchat account.

Weller was subsequently charged with two counts of sexual communication with a child and misconduct in public office.

He pleaded guilty to both counts of sexual communications at Lewes Crown Court on 5 July, and admitted the misconduct in public office at the same court on Wednesday, 31 July.

At the same court on Friday (27 September), Weller was jailed for 34 months and given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years.

Detective Chief Inspector Jon Gillings: “Thanks to the bravery and support of Weller’s victims and their families, we have been able to bring an extremely disturbing offender to justice.

“Weller held a position of trust, with a duty to protect vulnerable children. His crimes are a betrayal of that responsibility.

“I would again like to thank West Sussex County Council for supporting this investigation and for all involved for their work in catching Weller, putting him behind bars and securing an order that will significantly limit his ability to cause further harm.”

Description

A Doncaster paedophile who carried out a string of sex attacks on a child has been jailed.

Anthony Halstead, 35, of Baytree Grove, Auckley, was found guilty of seven counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

He was sentenced to 16 years behind bars, with an extended licence period of another year.

He will also sign the sex offender register indefinitely and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order and restraining orders for 25 years.

Description

A Tayside businessman blamed money worries and relationship troubles for his increasingly explicit sex chats with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl.

Iain Moody ordered the child to strip for him, tried to persuade her to skip school and asked if she wanted “full sex”.

Description

A sex offender stayed at a new address for too long without telling police. Tony Simmonds had to inform officers if he stayed anywhere new for longer then seven days but lived at a former partner's house for 10 days.

This breached a notification requirement of a suspended sentence. Today the 50-year-old was jailed for the breach and jailed for part of the suspended jail term.

Prosecutor Richard Edwards told Caernarfon Crown Court Simmonds had been convicted of indecent images offences at Chester Crown Court in September last year. He was given a 14-month jail term, suspended for two years.

He was also given an order to tell police if he stayed at a new address for longer than seven days. But he stayed at his former partner's home until he became "reluctant to leave" and she informed police. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here

Simmonds told officers he was staying with the woman to give his brother a break. He normally stayed with his brother in Marine Road, Pensarn near Abergele.

Sarah Yates, defending, accepted that the probation service are concerned his engagement with a rehabilitation work is "superficial and limited". But she pointed out he suffers from schizophrenia, a personality disorder and psychosis.

He has taken medication "sporadically" in the past but more regularly recently. He is "fearful" of custody and is a vulnerable individual.

But the judge Her Honour Nicola Saffman today told Simmonds, of Marine Road, Pensarn, he had not taken his medication at times nor complied with the services he had been offered.

She jailed Simmonds for six months for failing to comply with the notification requirement and for ten months of his suspended jail term, to run consecutively.