Latest Offenders

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A perverted courier, who delivered important documents to crown courts in Kent has been branded as "dangerous".

Michael Quenby was one of the delivery drivers used by the Crown Prosecution Service for legal items at Maidstone and Canterbury courts.

But the 37-year-old, has now been convicted of raping a child and has been given a 19 year extended sentence

Judge Philip St John-Stevens told him: "You are a highly manipulative man. It was harrowing watching your victim give evidence.

"You robbed your victim of her innocence and childhood."

Quenby, who worked for an external company which carried out work outsourced by the CPS, was given an immediate 15 year jail term and the judge added another four years which will be served on licence when he is released.

He will serve 10 years before he can apply for parole.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard how he secretly preyed on a schoolgirl and kept a stash of illegal child images together with sex toys at his home.

They were told four sex dolls and a blue folder containing indecent images of children were found at his home.

Quenby, now of Church Lane, Ripple, Deal was convicted of 12 charges of rape and sex assaults.

Prosecutor Dominic Connolly told the court how in 2018 the victim was seen by her mother to be upset and was asked the reason why.

The young child explained to her what had happened.

He said: "Her mother was shocked and horrified. She asked if what she said was true and explained the seriousness of the allegation she was making and the child said it was."

Detectives had gone to his former home in East Street, Faversham, where they discovered three laptops, a MacBook and two iPads.

In April 2018 he was further quizzed by police and told them they would find deleted indecent images of children on his computer.

Mr Connolly added that Quenby said a decade earlier he was in a chat room, where the conversation was about sex.

"Her mother was shocked and horrified..."

He added: "He said that some of the participants were talking about having sex with children.

"Without asking, he was sent indecent images."

The prosecutor added that Quenby considered himself to be "asexual in that he wasnt sexually interested in male or female."

"He has never had sex. He had never searched the internet for images of children but had searched for adult porn."

As the verdicts were delivered, Quenby turned to the public gallery where a member of his family sat but didn't say anything.

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A brave young woman bit a teenager and kicked out at him in a bid to stop a "terrifying" sex attack along a secluded footpath after he followed her, a court has heard.

Leon Campbell, 19, followed the teenage victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and sexually assaulted her in a grassed area in Thetford.

Norwich Crown Court heard the victim had walked down a path past the Blaydon Bridge in Thetford and after a short distance became aware of "footsteps behind her".

Richard Potts, prosecuting, said the victim decided to run but "became somewhat breathless" and stopped near a grassed area off Canterbury Way when she turned and saw the defendant "right in front of her".

Mr Potts said Campbell "grabbed" the victim who described how he gave her a look to say he had "all this power" and could do "whatever he wanted to do".

The victim "tried so hard to scream but it was like nothing was happening".

Campbell tried to put his hand over the victim's mouth but she bit him and broke a fingernail with the defendant in the struggle.

He then threw the victim to the floor but was kicked out at by the teenager as she tried to stop him from attacking her.

But he was able to get his hands down her trousers and also touched her breasts.

After thinking he heard someone Campbell "got up and ran off".

The victim then ran home and broke down and said she had been "attacked and nearly raped".

Mr Potts said she was a vulnerable young woman walking home at night in a secluded area.

Campbell, of Toxteth, Liverpool, appeared at court on Friday (March 11) to be sentenced having previously admitted two sexual assaults at about 11.20pm on June 3 last year.

Before Campbell was sentenced, the victim read out a statement in which she described how her life "changed the day you did this to me".

She said: "I'm now unable to have sleep and have nightmares and have to have my dog or my boyfriend with me."

The victim, who now takes anti-depressants, said she has had to lock the windows in her bedroom as she was worried someone else would be able to get in.

She said she cannot go to sleep in silence and has to have the television on as all she can hear is her "telling you to stop" and the thud as she was thrown to the ground.

The victim said "I feel like I can't get myself out of this situation and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. "I feel what you have done to me will never go away".

Sentencing Campbell to an extended 10 year sentence made up of four years detention in a young offenders institute (YOI) and six years on licence, Judge Katharine Moore said he had subjected the victim to a "terrifying ordeal" and described it as a "predatory sex attack".

Judge Moore found Campbell to be a dangerous offender who posed a significant risk of serious harm by the commission of similar sort of offences.

The judge said the victim "struggled bravely" despite suffering "abject terror" and "fearing the very worst" adding that the consequences of the offence on her have been both "profound and enduring".

Adam Norris, mitigating, said the defendant was something of an "enigma".

He said Campbell was a young man, 19 now and 18 at the time, who is remarkably inarticulate and awkward.

Mr Norris said it was opportunistic in that they happened to be on the same path at the same time rather than it being targeted and insisted there was "no significant planning".

Campbell must also sign on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

A hearing to determine whether Campbell is to be made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) was adjourned until a later date.

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Today Shannon Anderson age 24 from Seaham appeared at court for sentencing with regards to her guilty plea of sexual activity with a child where she received :

- 2 years imprisonment suspended for 2 years

- 10 years sex offenders register

- No un-supervised contact with any male under 16

Shannon has been given custody of her 1 year old child she already has and will keep the child she is pregnant with at the moment which is due in 7 weeks.

Shannon must inform her family members of her conviction if she wants to see them and they have male children under 16.

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A MAN who has been described as a "dangerous predator" has been jailed for more than two years for sexually assaulting a boy.

Martyn Quinn, 65 and of Beechwood, Fordingbridge, was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on March 10, having previously pleaded guilty to one count of assault of a boy under 13 years old by touching.

The court heard how Quinn sexually assaulted the boy at premises in New Milton, on January 2.

Quinn was sentenced to two years and three months in prison.

He was also made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and will also be placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Detective Constable David Jackson, who led the investigation, said: Quinns actions have had a lasting impact on the boy and I would like to praise him for his bravery throughout the investigation which has led to this dangerous predator being put behind bars.

I hope it reassures the public that we will do all in our power to bring sex offenders to justice and encourage other survivors of sexual abuse to speak with us.

No matter how long ago it happened, or how old you are, we will take you seriously and support you throughout the process.

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Richard James was found guilty of four incidents of rape, as well as indecency with a child and indecent assault

A 57-year-old man from Cornwall who raped a young girl when he was a teenager has been sent to jail.

Richard James, of Radnor Road in Scorrier, was found guilty of indecency with a child, indecent assault and four incidents of rape between April 1979 and April 1981.

He appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence today.

A victim personal statement was read out in court, explaining how the assaults changed the victim's life.

The court heard how the woman - who cannot be named for legal reasons - became shy and started to have nightmares.

"It felt like I had all this anger inside me that I needed to get out," her statement read.

James' victim went on to explain that she has had sexual issues with her partners ever since and that, when she eventually came forward on Christmas Day 2019, she felt really embarrassed and ashamed of herself.

"I believe this has really ripped my family apart," she added.

Prosecuting the case, Mary McCarthy also added that James once threatened to kill his victim if she did not comply.

Representing James, Piers Noseworthy said that the father-of-two has not offended since.

"He's a very different person now," he said. "All offending occurred when he himself was a child."

"He's had an exemplary conduct since."

The court was told how James has been suffering with serious medical problems for the last 10 years and has mobility issues.

Sentencing, Recorder Simon Levene said he took into account James' age and maturity at the time of the offence, evidence of good character since, as well as his health issues when considering what sentence would be appropriate.

"Although your age between the first and last date of the indictment spans between 14 years and almost 18 years, I shouldn't treat you like someone with the maturity of an 18-year-old," he said. "But the younger you were, the younger your victim was.

"I accept that there was a degree of immaturity on your part.

"I certainly think you were old enough and mature enough to know that what you were doing was wrong. After all, your victim was suffering and you threatened to kill her if she told anybody - not every time, I accept. It shows you knew you would be in trouble if it ever came out.

"To her credit, she has gone on to have a successful career. She has managed to function in society but it's quite clear from what she said in the victim impact statement that was read out today she has suffered lifelong from what you did to her.

"If you had been an adult at the time that you committed these offences the sentence would have been one of eight years of imprisonment. I reduce that to five years because of the age that you were at the time that you committed these offences. I then consider the aggravating factors and I move the sentence up to one of six years of imprisonment.

"Finally, I take into account the mitigation that I have. You have kept out of trouble for 40 years, but for me, the most important point, is that you are very poorly."

Recorder Levene proceeded to sentence James to four-and-a-half years of imprisonment.

James will have to continually update his personal details including his address with the police.

A restraining order was also made. James cannot contact directly and indirectly three named individuals until further notice.

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James Roberts, of South Shields, thought he was talking to a schoolgirl but it was actually an undercover police officer

A perverted pensioner who wanted a 14-year-old girl to go his home and offered to "train" her how to have sex has been jailed.

James Roberts, 70, began chatting to what he believed was a schoolgirl online and told her he didn't mind her age if she didn't mind his, which he said was 65.

The profile was actually an undercover police officer but Roberts thought he was talking to a child.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Roberts initially communicated with the profile on a chat app and then it moved to WhatsApp.

He told her he was at home all day drinking beer and she was welcome to join him and told her he lived near South Shields Metro station and could meet her there.

The conversation progressed to him asking about her sexual experience and he said they could have sex if she wanted to.

An arrangement was made to meet the following week and Roberts told her: "You won't tell anyone," adding a winking emoji.

He went on to ask if he would need to wear a condom and said he would get some just in case.

Andrew Finlay, prosecuting, said: "He said she was the youngest he had been with.

"They discussed what she was going to wear. He said he wanted her to wear a skirt.

"He asked if she was a virgin and she said she tried but it didn't really work and he said 'I will take it for you'.

"He then asked if she wanted him to train her."

Roberts also told what he thought to be a child that he watched pornography and how big his penis was, saying he would be gentle with her when they had sex.

After being sent a picture purporting to be her, he said she was beautiful and that he was thinking of her naked.

The conversation developed and he asked how big her breasts were and described things he wanted to do.

When she expressed uncertainty about meeting, he encouraged her.

On November 12 2020, he turned up to meet her at South Shields Metro and was arrested by police.

Roberts, of Green Place, South Shields, pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

Judge Robert Spragg jailed him for 30 months and told him he must sign the sex offenders register indefinitely and he will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

The court heard he has been married three times and has children he doesn't see and was "lonely and isolated" and was drinking at the time of the offences.

Robin Turton, defending, said: "This was a regular chat site and she made the first move.

"He was flattered and surprised she wanted to have a conversation with him given the age disparity."

The court heard he has a number of health problems including arthritis and COPD.

Roberts has 58 previous convictions but nothing for sex offences and his last conviction was in 1995 for drugs offending, for which he was jailed for 30 months.

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Kevin Askew admitted to sexually assaulting the 13-year-old girl

A man who sexually assaulted a child has been jailed.

Kevin Askew, who is also known as Sean, admitted to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl, with police stating that all the offences took place in Lancaster.

Askew, of Far Moss, Northside, Workington, has been jailed for six years, and has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life. He has also been given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, which "significantly limits his interaction with girls under the age of 16".

Askew initially denied any wrongdoing but pleaded guilty when presented with the weight of evidence compiled against him by detectives in West Child Protection Team.

A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: "We hope this case and its outcome will encourage other victims of sexual abuse no matter how historic to come forward.

You can do so knowing you will be listened to, believed and that Lancashire Police will do everything in our power to keep you safe and bring the perpetrator to justice.

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A dark web Northampton paedophile who was caught with help from the FBI in the United States has been handed 30 years in jail.

Keith McFadden, aged 57, formerly of Talbot Road, Northampton, was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court today (11 March) for historic child sex offences.

The convicted child predator was finally arrested by Northamptonshire Police detectives following an investigation of the dark web by the National Crime Agency.

Andrew Howarth, prosecuting, said McFadden had bragged about the offences and later read impact statements from McFadden's victims.

The statement said the victim had tried to take his own life and had been on "antidepressants for most of my life because of what he did to me."

Other victims described having their lives "turned upside down" by McFadden's actions.

Stephen Garbett, defending, said: "Mr McFadden is going to be in prison for a significant amount of time. By the time he is released from prison he will be extremely old.

"Mr McFadden is under no illusion that this will be the case."

Her Honour Judge Rebecca Crane said in sentencing: "There is no way of knowing whether you will engage with programmes, especially given that you continue to maintain your innocence.

"You pose a threat to young boys, as opposed to the general public."

Keith McFadden was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with a minimum time to serve of 20 years.

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A paedophile who groomed a vulnerable teenage girl from Warrington over several months has been jailed for 12 years.

Michael Smith was convicted of causing and inciting a teenage girl to engage in sexual activity following a five-day trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

The 49-year-old, of Cheetham Fold Road, Hyde, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday 28th February where the judge sentenced him to 12-years in prison after describing him as a danger to the public.

During the hearing, the court heard how Smith had groomed the teenager over a number of months before arranging to collect her from an address in Warrington on Tuesday 2 February 2021.

He then drove the girl back to his flat in Hyde where he sexually assaulted her.

The victim was located at around 5.30am the following day after she contacted police.

Following the sentencing Detective Constable Stephen Martin, who led the investigation, said: Smith knew the victim was underage and he knew that she was vulnerable.

In spite of this, he purposefully chose to take advantage of her, grooming the girl over a number of months and convincing her that she was in love with him.

After gaining her trust, he then collected her from her home in Warrington and took her to his flat Hyde where he sexually assaulted her.

Thankfully, as a result of the evidence provided by the victim and the evidence gathered during our investigation, Smith is now facing a significant prison sentence and is no longer a danger to the general public.

On top of his custodial sentence, Smith was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

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A 25-YEAR-OLD man from Ellesmere Port has been jailed after breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order by possessing indecent images of children.

Neil Webb, of Bruera Road, Ellesmere Port, was sentenced to 20 months in prison at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, March 8.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to two sexual harm breaches and breaching his suspended sentence.

Webb was previously convicted of possessing and making indecent images of children at Cheshire Magistrates Court on February 12, 2021 and sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for 24 months.

He was also subjected to the notification requirements of the Sex Offender Register and given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

DS Keith Campbell said: As a registered sex offender Webb was required to adhere to a number of conditions to deter him from reoffending. An officer allocated to monitoring him visited his home address on June 25 to ensure he was keeping to his conditions.

"Following a check of his mobile phone, she discovered it was on private browsing mode which masked his internet history - a breach of his prevention order.

The officer then checked the device, and no indecent images of children were found. But on further scrutiny of the phone, the officer discovered there were in excess of 350 bookmarked URLs (or web addresses). These related to category C indecent images of children.

On February 2, a warrant was executed at Webbs home address and a further phone, which was not registered with the police, was seized from him. This was found to contain 198 images indicative of indecent images of children.

DS Keith Campbell said: This shows the effectiveness of monitoring offenders who are subject to Sexual Harm Prevention Orders and highlights the consequences of not adhering to the conditions.

I hope it reassures people that we do carefully monitor registered sex offenders in the community and take action when a breach is discovered.

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A Peterborough paedophile who carried out horrific abuse on a schoolgirl more than thirty years ago has finally been brought to justice.

Bernard Taylors horrific abuse of the girl in Peterborough continued until she became an older teenager and he tried to rape her.

The historic offences only came to light in 2018 when Taylors victim bravely confided in someone she knew.

Taylor, now of Lisnamon Court, Londonderry, was interviewed but gave a prepared statement in which he denied any involvement in the abuse and claimed his victim was lying.

He also claimed he had never been sexually attracted to children at any stage of his life.

The 73-year-old stood trial at Norwich Crown Court in November, where jurors found him guilty of eight counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 and one count of attempting to rape a woman over the age of 16.

He was handed an 18-year sentence at the same court on Wednesday (9 March), comprising a 17-year jail term and one year on licence. Taylor was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

DC Sian Thomas, who investigated, said: Taylors horrific sexual abuse of his victim went undetected for decades and I am pleased he has finally been brought to justice.

Regardless of when it happened, we will always take reports of sexual offences, including child sex abuse, very seriously.

Protecting young people from harm is one of our top priorities and we have specially trained officers who are there to support victims and bring offenders to justice.

Taylors abuse has had a huge impact on his victim, who is now an adult, and I hope she can find some closure to this traumatic period of her life.

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Jordan Hubbock was released on licence while serving a sentence for raping three people, but cut off his electronic tag and went to ground in Essex for a month

A convicted rapist from Bushey, near Watford, considered "high risk" was at large in Essex for a month after he cut off his electronic tag following his release from prison.

Jordan Hubbock was put in jail after his conviction in 2014 for raping three people, one of whom was a child under the age of 16.

Hubbock, 26, committed the crimes between 2011 and 2013 and was released from prison on licence in 2021 and fitted with an electronic tag to track his movements, EssexLive reports.

He was also listed on the Sex Offenders' Register, requiring him to inform police of his address, telephone numbers, credit cards and social media accounts.

However, shortly after his release to the Basildon area in Essex, and later Barking, Hubbock cut off his tag.

Essex Police was informed that he was a "high risk" sexual offender and a manhunt was launched, which included appeals on social media.

Hubbock went to ground in February last year, and it was not until March 18 that he was found by police searching an address, where he had been hiding behind a sunbed.

Hubbock was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Wednesday (March 9) for breaching notification requirements.

Prosecuting, Mitchell Cohen said: "He had failed to notify police that he was using an application called Kik, and he had been using that in a different name by which he was generally known.

"The fourth breach relates to a credit card.

"It was a determined and long-lasting attempt to evade. It caused a great deal of harm when he was declared a high-risk offender."

Mr Cohen said police had located the broken electronic tag that had been dumped in a bin by Hubbock.

Mitigating, Chris Harper said Hubbock had taken full responsibility for his actions and admitted his guilt, but the use of a different name was not a "deliberate attempt" to evade and was actually his mother's maiden name.

He added: "He hasn't understood the requirements that he should have. That's no excuse, the obligation is on him but it does put this into context. He accepts his behaviour was wrong."

Mr Harper added Hubbock was undertaking a business economics degree from the Open University whilst in prison.

Judge Samantha Leigh told Hubbock: "It was a determined effort to evade detection. You were off the record for a month. You were eventually tracked by telephone data through your family."

Hubbock was jailed for 30 months, however, this will run alongside his recall to prison to serve the remainder of his original sentence, which is expected to last until at least January 2027.

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A SERIAL rapist who held his victims captive for days at a time has died in prison, it has been confirmed.

Gene Benjamin held his victims prisoner and strangled them into unconsciousness before repeatedly raping and beating them and was jailed in 2011.

He preyed on women across Bournemouth over a six-year period.

One victim was six months pregnant and another was attacked with a claw hammer. Others were threatened with knives and an axe.

Benjamin, previously of Belle Vue Road, Southbourne, was convicted of seven counts of rape, one count of wounding and eight counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court.

Judge Samuel Wiggs sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 11 years.

Due to time already spent in custody, Benjamin became eligible for parole last year.

However, on his first appearance before the Parole Board, his release from prison was refused.

It has now been confirmed that the offender died in a Yorkshire prison last month at the age of 64.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: HMP Wakefield prisoner Gene Benjamin died on February 11.

"The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has been informed.

Benjamin, who was known as Barry, was found guilty of the offences committed between January 2004 and February 2010 after an eight-week trial.

Most of the women the rapist targeted worked in Bournemouth as prostitutes.

The victims had been aged between 18 and 40 years and the attacks were carried out at 15 different locations.

Benjamin got away with his vile and vicious crimes for years because his victims were too scared to go to the police.

Judge Wiggs told him: You preyed on the prostitutes of Bournemouth. You were in their community and used intimidation and violence on them."

At the time of sentencing, the officer in the case, Detective Sergeant Lindsay Dudfield, said: Im pleased with the sentence.

Gene Benjamin is an incredibly dangerous man and this ensures the safety of Dorset residents.

She added: I commend the bravery of the women who gave evidence."

The Daily Echo can also confirm that Benjamin was refused parole last year after serving his minimum term.

A Parole Board panel it was not satisfied Benjamin was suitable for release. It also decided that the benefits of a move to open prison were considered to be limited and to be outweighed by the remaining risks that Benjamin presented.

A document detailing the Parole Board's decision said the risk factors at the time of his offending included his use and willingness to use violence and weapons and preferring sex to include violent or controlling behaviour over women.

It added he did not care about the effects of his actions on other people and said he had attitudes that support sexual violence.

The Parole Board also examined the release plan provided by Mr Benjamins probation officer and weighed its proposals against assessed risks.

The panel concluded this plan was not robust enough to manage Benjamin in the community at that stage because there were outstanding risk factors that needed to be addressed.

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A callous and calculating killer who murdered three people in six days is facing life behind bars after being convicted of raping his final victim.

Anthony Russell murdered mother and son Julie and David Williams, 58 and 32, at their flats before raping and killing Nicole McGregor, 31, who was pregnant and had shown him a baby scan.

Despite knowing she was dead, he told Nicoles boyfriend: I bet you cant wait for it to be born.

The murders took place in Coventry in October 2020 and Nicoles body was found in Leamington Spa three days after her death.

After Russell was found guilty, police released footage of the moment he was found sleeping in a stolen car which he had been using as a hideout.

Russells murder spree began on October 21 when he strangled David with a lanyard.

Four days later he murdered Julie in a violent and sustained attack, hitting her repeatedly around the head and neck.

He inflicted over 113 injuries on her and is believed to have killed her because she knew he had murdered her son.

The following day, Davids body was discovered with 87 injuries Russell would later go on to say hed killed a man who had had sex with his girlfriend.

The deaths sparked one of the biggest ever manhunts in the West Midlands.

Detective Superintendent Shaun Edwards said: This was a violent series of killings which happened over a period of just seven days, but which have left two families devastated for the rest of their lives.

We believe that David was killed due to Russells mistaken belief that he was in a relationship with his girlfriend.

When Russell went to speak to Julie about her sons disappearance, we suspect that he confessed to Davids killing. He then killed Julie to stop her from speaking to the police.

Theres no known link between Russell and Nicole, and it appears to be pure chance that he has encountered her.

CCTV footage of Ms McGregor, who lived in a flat in Leamington, was played to the jury during the trial, showing her walking alongside Russell at 7.45pm on October 26.

During her opening speech, prosecutor Zoe Johnson QC said of the footage: This is the last time Nicole is seen alive.

Just three hours after meeting the defendant it appears that Nicole has agreed to walk with the defendant into Newbold Comyn.

We suggest that the defendant lured Nicole on to the Comyn, not for sex but more likely for drugs.

The defendant murdered Nicole McGregor shortly after that image was captured, just hours after they had met.

After the murder, he pretended to help Ms McGregors partner look for her.

The killer was eventually the subject of a national manhunt, and fled Leamington by robbing a 78-year-old man of his car.

Russell rung the pensioners doorbell asking for directions, and when the victim was distracted he hit him over the head from behind with a brick, leaving him with a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain.

The killer was arrested on October 30 after police spotted the stolen Ford C-Max parked on a road near Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, and found Russell on the back seat.

While being booked into custody, he told officers: I admit it, I did it.

Russell, from Coventry, will be sentenced on Friday.

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A TWENTY-YEAR-OLD man arranged to meet an underage girl for sex, having spent months grooming her in online messaging, a court heard.

Dave Hirchfield travelled from his home in Sheffield for the liaison with the girl in her home town in County Durham, on Wednesday February 9.

Durham Crown Court heard that that several months earlier the girls mother discovered her daughter was exchanging messages on the internet with a man called Dave Hirchfield.

Elizabeth Muir, prosecuting, said although the conversations were not sexual and there was no talk of a meeting, at that stage, she blocked him on her daughters phone, but did not take it further.

But on February 9 the girl told her mother she was going out to a nearby shopping centre.

Miss Muir said some time later her mother tried to ring her, but her daughters phone was switched off.

But a second phone, of which the mother knew nothing, was found in her bedroom containing more sexualised messages with the same man, discussing plans to meet.

Miss Muir said police were contacted and the girl was considered, a high-risk missing person.

By 7.35pm that day she was spotted at the roadside and when spoken to, she seemed anxious.

She told police said she had fallen over while running and walked into a lamppost, accounting for a bruised knee and marks on her coat.

The girl was taken to a police station where her mother was waiting.

Hirchfield was located not far away and when approached by police claimed to be, Bob from Dublin, and asked the way to a bus station.

He was challenged as to his true identity and arrested.

Miss Muir told the court the girl was spoken to by police that evening and the following day, and refused to give a statement, but from the messaging it was clear sexual contact was planned.

It also emerged that Hirchfield wanted her to return to Sheffield to stay the night with him, but she made excuses why she could not go, as her mother would be suspicious and she had a hospital appointment the following day.

Miss Muir said during their rendezvous Hirchfield had kissed the girl and touched her sexually, while he also performed a sex act on himself in her presence.

In a further message he asked if she would be waiting for him for four years for when he comes out of prison.

Hirchfield, of St Elizabeth Close, Sheffield, admitted engaging in sexual communication with a child, meeting a child following sexual grooming, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, and sexual assault.

In a victim statement read to the court, the girls mother said she found it "heart-breaking" that her daughter could not talk about it with her and she felt it had affected her daughters previous bubbly personality.

Ian West, in mitigation, said the defendant, of previous good character, had a difficult upbringing and has had a harsh introduction to the world of adult punishment while on remand in custody for the last month.

Judge Ray Singh said despite being blocked from messaging the girl, in October, the defendant had not left it there and resumed communication, making concerted attempts to meet her, with the aim of having sexual contact.

Imposing a 26-month sentence in a young offenders institution, the judge also made Hirchfield subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and registration as a sex offender, both for ten years.