Latest Offenders

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A man performed sex acts in front of a vulnerable young girl, a court heard. David Robinson subjected his victim, who was of primary school age at the time, to the disgusting acts on two occasions.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard Robinson, 46, was found guilty on June 23 this year of two counts of sexual activity in the presence of a child when he masturbated in front of the girl on two occasions. The sick incidents were described by the judge as "appalling" while the court also heard Robinson, of Coity Road, Bridgend, had left his victim afraid to be left alone and unable to feel comfortable with men.

Matthew Cobbe, prosecuting, read a victim statement on behalf of the girl who said she now "didn't want to be anywhere on [her] own" and "feels alone" since the incidents took place. It said she had sought counselling but had struggled to talk directly about what happened and that she now "doesn't feel comfortable around men" as a result. The court also heard the girl struggled to sleep and suffered from "repetitive nightmares."

Hashim Salmman, defending, said Robinson had previous convictions related to exposure in 2008 and 2010 but asked the judge to consider the time that had elapsed since these were committed. He said the defendant was at low risk of reoffending generally and at medium risk of future sexual reoffending. He asked the judge to consider his client's lack of recent offending, adding that he had witnessed and suffered domestic violence as a child. He said Robinson had a history of alcohol abuse and psychiatric treatment and other health issues, adding that he had not worked for four years.

Judge Wayne Beard said Robinson's offending was "significant" and that there were circumstances that "demonstrated that this was a persistent pattern" when taken with his earlier convictions. "No-one can be anything other than touched by the trauma that this has impacted upon a young woman," he continued, adding that the defendant was at medium risk of future sexual offending.

Robinson was jailed for a total of two years and three months. There was also a restraining order imposed indefinitely and he is required to sign as a sex offender on the register indefinitely. A sexual harm prevention order was also imposed indefinitely as well as a £181 statutory surcharge.

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A 36-year-old man who raped his victim and set fire to her belongings has been jailed for 13 years.

Jamie Hardy, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday 19 July after he was found guilty unanimously of oral rape, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, sexual assault and multiple assaults.

He had already pleaded guilty to arson at the start of his trial.

The court heard how Hardy assaulted his victim, torched her belongings and orally raped her.

The victim was left with serious bruising, including two black eyes.

In a personal statement, the victim said she 'won't ever be able to articulate' the level of abuse she suffered.

She said she was 'constantly reminded' of what had happened and would actively avoid her family because of her injuries.

Along with his custodial sentence, the judge granted an indefinite restraining order and ordered Hardy to register as a sex offender for life. He was also barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.

Specialist rape investigator, DC Katie Winbow, said: "The bravery of the victim to report these offences should be commended.

"Her courage in coming forward and supporting a prosecution has put a dangerous and abusive man behind bars.

"We hope this sentence will give other victims of this kind of crime the confidence to report it to police so we can conduct a full and thorough investigation."

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A girl who was groomed by a sex abuser trapped him by secretly setting up a camera on her phone to record his behaviour.

Hull Crown Court heard how Lewis Harrison, 32, intimately touched the girl and kissed her during a series of incidents.

Harrison tried to pretend the girl had a ‘crush’ on him but this was deemed a ‘frankly absurd excuse’ by the judge.

Harrison claimed to have touched the girl to comfort her.

The girl wanted to show evidence of what had happened to her by recording Harrison from the secret camera on her phone.

Judge Mark Bury said Harrison was sexually attracted to the girl after coming into contact with her.

‘You will have known exactly how old she was,’ he said.

The judge said there was ‘some grooming and planning involved’, and continued: ‘You sought to say that she had a crush on you. I reject that suggestion on the evidence that I have heard. You developed a sexual interest in her.

‘You appear to me to be sexually preoccupied. It is to be hoped that she will be able to put behind her this offending by you in due course.

‘She has the comfort of knowing that her evidence has, by and large, been agreed by the jury and she will have the satisfaction of seeing you sentenced to a term of imprisonment.’

Harrison was a heavy drinker and crack cocaine addict but the judge said: ‘There is no evidence that you committed any of these offences while under the influence of drink or, indeed, drugs.

‘There is no evidence that you plied her with either drink or drugs. You had on previous occasions been inappropriate with her, but she had no proof.

‘She has been very brave to continue with this complaint.’

Stephen Robinson, mitigating, said Harrison was drinking a lot and taking drugs at the time. Harrison had previous convictions but the most recent was some time ago and there was nothing of this seriousness. ‘He has shown that he can stay out of trouble,’ said Mr Robinson.

‘There has been no previous sexual offending. He has stopped taking drugs and now hardly drinks.’

Harrison, of Biggin Avenue, Bransholme, Hull, denied four offences of sexual activity with a child, but he was convicted by a jury after the trial. He was cleared of two other offences.

He was jailed for two-and-a-half years and must register as a sex offender for 10 years. He was given a five-year restraining order.

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A child sex offender who subjected his victim to horrific violence has been jailed for eight years.

Jason Robson, from Ramsgate, forced their head into a toilet, held a knife to their throat and pushed them down a flight of stairs.

He also committed a number of sexual offences against the victim in addition to repeatedly punching and kicking them.

The historic crimes were reported to police in June 2020 and Robson, 47, of Grummock Avenue, was arrested and later charged.

He denied all the allegations but was found guilty of the attacks, alongside five child sex offences following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

Robson was jailed for eight years last Tuesday.

Investigating officer DC Chris Radley said: “The victim in this case showed tremendous courage in coming forward to report the awful offences committed against them.

“I would like to pay tribute to them for the dignity they have shown throughout, and for continuing to support the investigation even when Jason Robson refused to accept responsibility for his crimes and put the victim through the difficulty of a crown court trial.

“Robson was responsible for a number of shocking offences over a prolonged period that will no doubt affect the victim for the rest of their lives.

“He thoroughly deserves the lengthy prison sentence he must now serve for the suffering they were put through at his hands.”

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A man’s plan to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old girl for sex was foiled when he was intercepted by police and arrested.

Christopher Aubertin, 37, of Edward Street, Nuneaton was on his way to meet the “girl” on 14 June when he was stopped by police and arrested in Nuneaton town centre.

Aubertin started messaging the “girl” the day before and sent indecent images of himself.

In reality, the girl didn’t exist, and police were alerted.

Aubertin had also engaged in online chat with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl.

A search of his house led to the seizure of cannabis.

While in custody, Aubertin smeared his own faeces over the cell walls and threatened to throw cups of urine at officers.

Aubertin admitted to attempting to engage a child in sexual communication, arranging the commission of a child sex offence, possession of cannabis and criminal damage.

Aubertin was sentenced at Warwick Crown Court last week where he was handed a total of three-and-a-half years in prison.

He was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) to prevent further offending, and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Detective Constable Stephen Reading from Nuneaton CID said: “Aubertin quite clearly presents a danger to young girls; he belongs in prison.

“Social media and phones can leave children vulnerable to people who look exploit their innocence and trust. We encourage parents to speak to their children about online safety and know who they are communicating with.

“Protecting young people from harm is a top priority for us and we will do everything in our power to bring offenders like Aubertin to justice.”

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A crack cocaine addict is beginning a 20-year jail sentence for the double rape of a woman which only came to light after a police officer noticed bruising on her forehead.

Lee Murphy, 49, was found guilty of attacking his victim and raping her by a jury after a trial at Teesside Crown Court. He was arrested after an officer was speaking to the victim, who can't be identified for legal reasons, about an unrelated incident.

On Monday, prosecutor Robert Mochrie said that "the officer noticed bruising to the woman's forehead and asked her questions." The victim told police that she had been attacked and forced her to have sex twice. She had been too scared to report what had happened to the police.

Mr Mochrie said that when officers went to arrest Murphy, he initially tried to jump out of a window before hiding in a storage cupboard. Murphy has 39 previous convictions for 85 offences, which include violent offending but he has never committed a sex offence before. The court heard that he has a crack cocaine addiction.

Sentencing Murphy, Judge Jonathan Carroll told him: "You are a man who has an entrenched dysfunctional attitude towards women. This sexual violence was as much driven by your need to have power and control over your victim, as the need to have sexual power."

The judge handed Murphy, from Middlesbrough, a 20-year extended prison term. The sentence is made up of 16-years in prison and an extended licence period of four-years, which Murphy will serve out in the community.

He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements for the rest of his life and and an indefinite restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his victim, ever again.

After the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Simone Bennett, of the Domestic Abuse Unit, said: “No one should have to succumb to such violent and despicable crimes that Murphy committed against his victim. His actions towards the victim in this case were nothing less than inhumane and cruel, which I have no doubt will have a lasting impact on the victim’s life.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the victim in this case for her bravery. She has not only took that unimaginable critical step to come forward to report these incidents to police, she has also lived through this distressing time all over again throughout the trial. Without the victim demonstrating such courage Murphy would not have been convicted of these heinous crimes.”

“I would also like to thank the team for their hard work and tenacity and the jury in this case, which has resulted in Murphy receiving a lengthy sentence in prison where he belongs.”

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A "twisted" paedophile who posed as a model scout to lure child victims has admitted 88 sex offences.

David Harmes, 27, pleaded guilty to crimes involving 39 victims in the UK and six in the USA over a six-month period between July 2019 and February 2020.

He was remanded in custody at Chester Crown Court on Monday ahead of his sentencing on September 5.

Cheshire Constabulary said Harmes kept his real identity hidden, adding: "All this deceit and manipulation was to fuel his twisted obsession".

He targeted youngsters aged between six and 15, all of whom except one were female, drawing them in after spotting them on YouTube or Instagram.

Harmes, from, Winsford, Cheshire, used a number of disguises, including posing as a model scout, "Jess", and claiming to be working for major clothing outlets.

He had finished serving a sentence for similar offences around five months before he began committing more crimes.

Detective Sergeant Mark Naylor said: "Having received intelligence that Harmes was offending, his laptops, phones and other digital devices were seized in a warrant at his address, and Harmes was returned to prison for breaching his Sex Offender Notification Order on 8 February 2020 preventing him from committing further crimes."

He was linked to the crimes by his distinctive bedding, seen in images found on his devices, and footage of him accidentally opening his laptop and filming his face for just a few seconds.

The charges included possessing, making and distributing indecent images, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual communication with a child and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Detective Superintendent Simon Draco said: "This has been a complex and meticulous investigation with international based victims that has resulted in the conviction of Harmes and will bring justice for the victims of his offending."

"Cheshire Constabulary has an investigation team dedicated to targeting those who sexually abuse and offend against children online and teams across the force work with partners to educate children, parents and carers about online predators, to safeguard children from potential harm.

"We're really keen to drum home the message that parents and carers need to know what their children are doing online in order to protect them from predators like Harmes.

"We all know that we need to teach children not to speak to strangers in the street, but we need to drive home that very same message for the online world too, to prevent people like Harmes taking advantage."

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The full scale of a couples depravity only came to light when they were caught by a paedophile hunting group after they groomed a teenager for sex.

A search of Amy Scott and Gavin Marsdens home revealed they had a vile collection of child abuse videos and photographs many of which were recorded by the pair.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the sick Darlington couple had sexually abused a number of children over several years before they were finally brought to justice.

Christine Egerton, prosecuting, said that their reign of abuse came to an end when Scott started sending a 14-year-old girl sexually explicit messages and videos without realising she was talking to a decoy posing as a child.

She said Scott sent the girl a video of herself performing a sex act before encouraging her to do it to herself.

Scott then arranged for the pair to meet the teenager at Durham Railway Station in April last year but they were confronted by members of the paedophile hunting group who had already called the police.

Following their arrest, police searched their home and recovered several digital devices and a forensic examination revealed the full extent of their depraved behaviour.

Miss Egerton said a significant number of child abuse images were recovered as well as a series of messages between the pair encouraging each other to sexually assault children.

Marsden, 31, and 32-year-old Scott, both of Cobden Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to a catalogue of sex abuse charges, including distribution of indecent images of children, possession of indecent images of children and attempting to engage in sexual behaviour with a child.

Caroline McGurk, representing Marsden, said her client lived in a "fantasy land" and accepted that he had previous convictions for child sex offences.

He has acknowledged that he continues to have sexual thoughts towards children, she said.

In his pre-sentence report, he denied it in one breath and then expressed remorse with the next. We have to accept that he is a dangerous offender.

And Robert Mochrie, representing Scott, said his client was of low intelligence and had been influenced by her partner to commit the offences.

Judge Chris Smith branded Marsden as the driving force behind the couples sickening child sex abuse campaign.

He said: An examination of digital devices seized after your arrest uncovered a shocking catalogue of child abuse committed by the pair of you over a long period of time."

He said that a WhatsApp conversation between the pair revealed Marsden requesting that Scott should photograph herself performing a sickening sex act with a very young child.

He added: Other indecent moving and still images recovered after your arrest reveal how you were involved at first hand in the sexual abuse of children and in the making and possessing of child pornography.

Marsden was given a 22-year sentence 16 years in custody followed by an additional six years on extended licence.

Scott was given a 15-year sentence 11 years in custody and a further four years on extended licence.

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A WEST Cumbrian pensioner has admitted possessing illegal extreme pornography and prohibited 'cartoon' images of children being sexually abused.

Cockermouth man Ian Willis, 74, admitted the two offences during a hearing at Carlisle Crown Court, though he denied a third charge of downloading an indecent child image. The prosecution accepted that denial.

Outlining the two admitted offences, prosecutor Sarah Griffin said they were committed between July 1, 2020 and December 20 of that year. Police found the illegal images after seizing and analysing the defendant’s Samsung phone.

“There were 407 extreme pornographic images and seven prohibited images of children, which are described as being cartoon type images,” said Ms Griffin.

The barrister went on to outline the kind of images that police found. The extreme images depicted adults involved in sexual activity with animals and two of those were moving images, the court heard.

The prohibited child images were cartoons depicting sexual activity between adults and children, including children as young as eight. Marion Weir, defending, handed two character references to the court.

Ms Griffin said the defendant accepted the phone containing the illegal images was his but he denied searching for indecent child images. “He claimed that they must have been there by accident,” said the barrister.

The defendant did, however, accept searching for extreme pornographic images but claimed he did not know this was illegal.

“He said he was driven by curiosity and that he did not have an exciting life,” added the barrister.

Judge Richard Archer told Willis: “You are 74 and you have no previous convictions, and these offences are now of some age. They represent behaviour and offending committed up to and during the pandemic period of 2020, when life changed markedly for many people.

“That does not give you an excuse for behaving as you did because many people were able to bide their time as responsible adults without resorting to criminality.”

But the defendant’s blameworthiness was 'relatively low', said the judge, concluding that a custodial sentence was not necessary. Nor did the judge think it necessary to put the pensioner on the Sex Offender Register or impose a sexual harm prevention order.

Willis, of St Leonard’s Close, Cockermouth, was given an 18-month community order which includes 20 rehabilitation activity days.

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A shameless sexual predator took advantage of a woman who had joked to him about her lack of romantic luck – and brazenly told her: “I can help you out with that.”

Opportunist sex offender Brian Walters quickly saw his chance and raped the woman before cynically telling her afterwards that they could “try again” the next day, Hull Crown Court heard.

Walters, 67, who has lived in Valentine Close and Anlaby Park Road South, Hull, denied rape and two offences of indecent assault but he was convicted by a jury after a trial.

David Hall, prosecuting, said that the woman and Walters had both been drinking at the time of the rape incident on September 8, 2018.

She later said: “I had a lot to drink. I was out of it. I was drinking cans of Fosters lager. We went through nearly 30 cans between us. I could hardly stand up.”

She was sitting down when Walters told her: “I have not sh****d a woman in ages.” The woman joked: “I haven’t either” and Walters replied: “I can help you out with that.”

The next thing that she remembered was Walters having sex with her. “I can’t remember how I came to be naked but I was fully naked,” she said. She could not remember much about what happened. “I was that drunk,” she said.

Walters told her: “Come tomorrow and we will try again.” She later said: “I did not want sex with [him].” The woman later reported what had happened to a support officer. She was “visibly upset” at the time. The police were alerted in September 2021.

The court heard that Walters had been jailed in 1979 for burglary. During his defence evidence, Hull-born Walters denied any sexual activity with the woman.

“That’s wrong,” he claimed. “I never did. I’m quite sure.” When asked if he had raped the woman, he said: “There is no truth in it. No, I never.”

He was asked: “Are you lying?” but he replied: “No.” He was asked why the woman would say such things and he replied: “I haven’t a clue.”

He admitted that he had been drinking at the time, but added: “I had some beer. Fosters. I don’t count them. I just drink them.” He claimed that it was not 30 cans between them, however.

Walters was asked: “Was there a decision between you and her about sex?” He replied: “No. She wanted me to do it. I said: ‘No’. I just left her to her own devices.”

Walters, who was on bail during the trial, had been remanded in custody after being convicted of the offences.

Charlotte Baines, mitigating, said that Walters had found custody difficult. "He is struggling to cope," said Miss Baines. "There is no suggestion that there has been wider offending here."

Judge Mark Bury told Walters: "She woke to find you on top of her, having sex with her. She told you 'No'. That didn't stop you. She couldn't push you off.

"You had your full weight on her. She was drunk. You had plied her with drink to the point where she was incapable of looking after herself. She felt disgusted and ashamed. Your denials to the jury were strident."

Walters was jailed for 10 years and must register as a sex offender for life.

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A photographer who raped a woman at his central London studio may have attacked others, police have said.

Sritharan Sayanthan, 42, was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Friday after being found guilty of two counts of rape and one of attempted rape at Hendon Crown Court.

The victim, a woman in her 30s, went to Sayanthan's studio on Brompton Road in May 2022 and paid for pictures to be taken.

She met him again on 8 July 2022 for a drink, believing it to be part of a networking process after he contacted her online, Scotland Yard said.

They met at a pub in Warren Street where Sayanthan "encouraged her to drink alcohol which made her intoxicated very quickly", police said.

The Met added: "He then led the victim to his studio. Here she blacked out on the studio floor. When partially awake she was aware of Sayanthan sexually assaulting her. She was unable to respond verbally or physically."

The victim, a Chinese national, went to police on 31 July 2022.

She did not go earlier because she was unfamiliar with how rape is investigated in the UK, officers said.

CCTV was discovered showing her "noticeably unsteady on her feet".

Scotland Yard said: "Statements were gathered from studio staff and further research uncovered several other photography businesses owned by the suspect."

Detective Constable Sophie Baker said officers "believe there could be other victims of Sayanthan" and are encouraging "anyone who wants to speak to us to come forward".

She added: "No piece of information is too small and you will be listened to and supported."

DC Baker praised the victim, too, describing her as "fantastic from start to finish".

She sent on: "She was extremely nervous at the prospect of giving evidence but, with the support of an interpreter, she told the court in fine detail what happened.

"For victims, describing the incident in court can be daunting but she did amazingly and I am personally very proud of her bravery and thankful to her for coming forward."

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A part-time judge who described a convicted sex offender as "Jack the lad" during sentencing has been criticised by a Court of Appeal judge.

Recorder John Hardy used the phrase when sentencing Aaron Hewson, 33, for three sexual assaults at Norwich Crown Court in April.

Lady Justice Macur, who oversaw an appeal hearing on Thursday, said she "deplored" Recorder Hardy's indication.

Hewson's sentence was increased after being considered unduly lenient.

The Rape Crisis charity said "language really matters" when talking about sexual assault.

Hewson, from Cromer, Norfolk, had been jailed of three years and 11 months in April after a trial.

Three appeal judges - Lady Justice Macur, Mrs Justice Cockerill and Mr Justice Murray - increased that term to seven years at the Court of Appeal after concluding that the original sentence was unduly lenient.

They upheld an appeal by Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson.

'Significant flaws'

Charles Burton, who represented Hewson, had argued that the sentence was not unduly lenient and should not be increased.

Appeal judges heard that Hewson had convictions for violence and, when a juvenile, had been convicted of sex offences.

He had also admitted possessing an "extreme" pornographic image.

Lady Justice Macur said appeal judges had concluded that there had been "significant flaws" in Recorder Hardy's approach to sentencing.

She said he had indicated when passing sentence that evidence suggested Hewson was a "Jack the lad character".

"We deplore the judge's description as indicating that the defendant was 'Jack the lad'," she said.

"This offending was predatory."

Jayne Butler, chief executive at Rape Crisis, said: "Words or phrases that normalise abusive behaviour or downplay its severity are not only damaging for victims and survivors but for society as a whole.

"They play into what we call 'rape culture', where sexual assault is minimised, accepted or laughed off.

"It's crucial that sexual assault, and all forms of sexual violence and abuse, are spoken about in a way that acknowledges its immense impact on victims and survivors."

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A woman took her own life after she found a video of her partner raping her on his phone.

Tina Lewis, 24, was raped by Edward Weeks while she slept at his home in Cwmbran, Torfaen, in December.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Ms Lewis found footage of the attack on Weeks' phone the following day after he recorded the attack on motion-sensitive cameras set up in his bedroom.

Weeks, 33, was jailed for eight years after admitting rape.

Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe described Ms Lewis as "child-like" and dependent on Weeks during the course of their five-year on-off relationship.

Ms Lewis, who was autistic and described as "very vulnerable", stayed at Weeks' home just after Christmas, where he raped her after she fell asleep.

Weeks let Ms Lewis use his phone to play a game the next day when she found the video.

Mr Cobbe said it "was the processes that followed the complaint" that appeared to have had the most "extreme impact" on Ms Lewis.

"In the weeks that followed she agonised about the process itself but also about the effect it was going to have on the defendant," he added.

Ms Lewis' sister, Saffron, described the pain of losing her sister in "such upsetting circumstances".

'A very wicked act'

She said Weeks had become Ms Lewis' full-time carer and that she relied on him for many tasks.

"The effect on our family has been devastating. I have lost my best friend," she said.

"Tina was the greatest inspiration of my life."

Julia Cox, for Weeks, said: "This is a tragic case and nothing that I say in mitigation detracts from that."

She said Weeks was also autistic and described his relationship with Ms Lewis as "complex".

Weeks admitted rape and assault by penetration and judge Jeremy Jenkins told him he had committed "a very wicked act".

As well as his prison sentence, Weeks was placed on the sex offender register for life.

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A man who pretended he had post-traumatic stress disorder punched a woman to the face and sexually assaulted her in a Swansea hotel. James Davies attended the Grand Hotel with a woman on August 19, 2022, and they had consensual sex together, however the victim fell asleep, and woke to see Davies, who had taken cocaine that evening, pacing the floor in an aggressive state.

Swansea Crown Court heard how his face changed and and he began to talk in an Irish accent, something she believed was a result of his account that he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder. The court heard he told the victim how he had served in the RAF and had witnessed a friend being blown up in front of him, resulting in him suffering from PTSD, but whilst police carried out inquiries into the matter, they found that account was false.

The 36-year-old then punched the victim to the face and made threats, whilst making her perform an oral sex act on him, despite her protests for him to stop. The court was told he also urinated on her. The matter was reported to police who attended the hotel and spoke to the victim. She was taken to Morriston Hospital for treatment for her injuries - which included a swollen face, eye and jaw.

A victim impact statement was read to the court which heard as a result of her ordeal. She said: "I hope you can live with what you did to me, and always remember I am now happy and healthy with amazing support around me. I will have to live with the flashbacks but I will always be reminded of the strong courageous woman I am becoming."

Davies, of no fixed abode, appeared at Swansea Crown Court for sentencing having pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, two counts of ABH, two counts of rape, and assault by penetration.

Robin Rouch, for Davies, said: "There has been a fairly healthy period of reflection over the last year. It is going to be a healthy sentence regardless. This is his first custodial sentence and he is on a list for counselling and has asked to see a psychiatrist."

Judge Geraint Walters, sentencing Davies, described his acts as "nothing less than psychotic" and said the matter was a "terrifying incident". Davies must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, and a restraining order has been placed on him preventing contact with his victim for life. He was jailed for 11 years.

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An elderly Somerset man used the internet to try to arrange a meeting whereby he could sexually abuse a young girl. Martin Parker, 76 and from Evercreech, has been jailed for nine years - consisting of a four-year prison term with a further five years to be served on licence.

Evidence was gathered to show he had sent numerous messages in February and March this year. Parker was arrested at his home address in May and pleaded guilty to one count of arranging the commission of a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The 76-year-old was not aware that his online activity was the subject of a police investigation. This prevented any child being put at risk.

Parker was remanded in custody before being sentenced at Taunton Crown Court yesterday (July 19). As well as his prison sentence, he received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be a registered sex offender for life. His Honour Judge Edward Burgess said Parker’s actions were ‘utterly despicable and contemptuous’.

Temporary Detective Sergeant Harvey Ahern, officer in the case, said: “At Avon and Somerset Police we are committed to the protection of children and the prosecution of offenders seeking to harm them, whether be that online or in person.

“There are no safe spaces for offenders to hide that we will not find.”