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Description

A convicted sex offender in Cornwall is back in jail after being sentenced to a further two and a half years in prison for breaching a court order made previously to try and stop him offending.

Kevin Davis, aged 60, was sentenced at Truro Crown Court on Tuesday (April 2) after entering a guilty plea to a breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) last year. 

His guilty plea came as he was about to start a two-day trial over the offence. 

Davis was residing at a bail hostel in Camborne after being released from HMP Channings Wood on August 17, 2023, where he had been serving a previous sentence.

After his release, monitoring software was installed on Davis’ laptop and on October 3, 2023 police were notified that the laptop linked to Davis had been operated in a concerning manner.

Police examination of the laptop found that Davis had viewed a small number of Category C indecent images of children.

Davis, contrary to the terms of his previously issued SHPO, had also deleted search history from the device.

At the sentencing hearing Davis was reminded of the terms of his SHPO - designed to limit his access to children and stringently monitor his internet usage - and sentenced to a new term of imprisonment, for two and a half years.

He must also sign the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely and his laptop will be destroyed. 

PC Mark Kutler-Pearce from the Public Protection Unit based in Bodmin said: “Davis has a long history of offending behaviour and upon his release in August 2023 was being stringently monitored by the police Public Protection Unit.

“The further sentence given to Davis at court on April 2 has kept a dangerous individual from committing further offences towards members of the public and we feel the sentencing is just for the crime.”

Description

A man from Old Swan has been sentenced to three years in prison for child sex offences.

Brian Connor, 61, of Elms House Road, in Old Swan, was sentenced today, Thursday 4 April, at Liverpool Crown Court after pleading guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, making indecent photographs of a child and inciting a child aged under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

He was also given a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order will be on the Sexual Offender Register for life.

Connor was arrested after he was found to be interacting online with an undercover officer, who he thought was a child, and engaged in sexual communications.

Detective Constable Julia Jennings said: “The behaviour displayed by Connor is utterly appalling and he deserves to be behind bars.

“Following an investigation, we were able to gather evidence that showed Connor had interacted with someone online who he thought was a child and this communication was sexual in nature.

“If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, or know of a child being abused, please come forward and report this to police.

“We take all such reports extremely seriously and if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us we have specially trained officers who will treat you with sensitivity and compassion.”

Description

A flasher who swung his 'large' penis at women from his South London balcony claimed it was 'impossible' for a witness to hear it slapping his belly, a court heard. Joseph Mafe, 53, of Empire Square South, Bermondsey, was jailed for 10 months at Inner London Crown Court on Wednesday, March 6, after admitting two counts of exposure and breaching a suspended sentence, with the judge delivering a scathing rebuke over his repeated offending.

The drug addict was spared jail at Snaresbrook Crown Court in 2022 for multiple flashing incidents, but found himself in breach of the 23-week suspended term last autumn when he relapsed and went on a two-day 'chemsex' bender, combining alcohol with crystal meth and GBL - substances commonly used at drug-fuelled orgies.

The court heard Mafe paraded his member from his balcony on September 16, shouting 'Oi' and 'Hello' at any woman who walked by until they had the misfortune of looking up. "When they looked up he would put his hands behind his head and thrust forward until his penis touched his stomach. She described a large penis," said prosecutor Mark Gadsden.

With Mafe shouting 'yeah yeah yeah' and thrusting his organ at women and children, a witness threatened to call 999. When she later found naked Mafe still waving his penis she called the police. Mafe was arrested, charged, and pleaded guilty in the magistrates' court, then was committed to Inner London Crown Court for sentence on February 11 this year.

But on the day of the hearing, Mafe was arrested again for exactly the same behaviour. A witness heard someone saying 'Hey hey' and saw him dancing around on his balcony in a dressing gown shouting 'Yeah baby, it feels so good'. He then pulled off his gown to reveal his penis, with another cry of 'Yeah yeah it feels so good'.

"I could see his penis. I could hear his penis slapping against the rest of his body," the witness told police. When Mr Gadsden read this part of her statement to the court, Mafe shouted 'That's impossible, that's absolutely impossible'. His protests were rejected by Judge Darren Reed who allowed Mr Gadsden to continue.

After witnessing the initial naked dance, Mafe then exposed himself five more times, the court heard. "I found it quite distressing and it says more about what this incident may lead to. A lot of young girls may walk past this address. I worry they may see it," the witness added.

Defence counsel Danielle Buckett said her client's paranoid schizophrenia and drug use, combined with a lack of support by the probation service, had left him suicidal, as she called for another suspended sentence. "He said it was a cry for help and he was struggling at the time... He had been left unsupported for some months," Ms Buckett said.

Mafe addressed Judge Reed directly, telling him about alleged blackmail attempts on him, devices planted in his home, and death threats over the phone. He also claimed he had only been seen four times by South London and Maudsley NHS mental health team in 15 months, and claimed he had not seen his drug support worker for eight months.

But Judge Reed took little pity on Mafe's claims, and told him the offences were 'not caused by your previous mental health condition, but by recklessly taking drugs'.

"You told probation you had no recollection of what you had done because you had been binging on crystal meth, GBL, and alcohol for two days," Judge Reed snapped. "You detail how others have let you down but take absolutely no responsibility for your own offending. You are not a young man - you are 53 years old, with a history of these offences... It's clear to me you simply don't care about the effect your behaviour has on others, or appreciate it, and are taking no steps to stop it."

Mafe's suspended sentence was activated to run for 14 weeks consecutive to a 26-week sentence for the other two offences. It means he will serve a total sentence of 40 weeks. Mafe is also entered onto the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Description

A convicted sex offender who used to be a chef cooked up a whole load of trouble for himself when he failed to tell police where he was living as part of his annual registration requirements.

Mark Sheffield was five days over the strict time limit for registering his details every year but he cheerily claimed in court that everything was now "all good" with the police and that it had all been sorted out. He had even already put an all-important reminder note on his calendar for next time to make sure there were no more blunders, Hull Crown Court heard.

Sheffield, 29, who lives off Beverley Road, Hull, admitted failing to register his details as a sex offender under his obligations to do so after a previous sexual offences conviction in 2015.

Hannah Turner, prosecuting, said that, because of his previous conviction, Sheffield had to register his details under the sex offenders' register every 12 months. He was required to attend Clough Road police station, Hull, on August 3 last year but he failed to do so.

Sheffield was telephoned and was reminded about what he should have done. He apologised and went there the same day to complete his annual notification. He was five days outside the time limit for complying.

He admitted during police interview that he was aware of the requirements but he claimed that it simply slipped his mind.

Sheffield had convictions for 14 previous offences, including two offences of sexual activity with a girl under 15 in November 2015 and breaching a sexual harm prevention order in October 2016.

Sheffield told the court: "I completely forgot. Now I have put it on my calendar when I have to register. I have a good relationship with the police.

"I speak to my officer every week, which is a good thing for me. I have no problem with him. I have had a decent person ever since I moved to Hull.

"He has no problems with me. It's all good with the police officer that I have got. I have no problems with him at all."

Sheffield said that he had previously been homeless and he had worked in the past as a chef and doing agency work. He was now working in a kitchen but he hoped to become a chef again. "I used to be a chef," he said.

Judge Alexander Menary said: "After five days, you were outside the time limit of notifying the police of your whereabouts but, when you were told about it, you came in the same day and notified the police."

It was an oversight rather than a deliberate attempt to evade the police but Sheffield was warned that he could he jailed if he breached the order again. "It could be immediate custody," said Judge Menary.

Sheffield was given 20 days' rehabilitation and he was ordered to pay £100 costs.

Description

A South Tyneside paedophile offered a young boy ice cream before committing a sexual offence against him.

Andrew Snook asked a young boy to come to his home and remove his clothes. The 56-year-old was caught later when the young boy told his mother what had happened. Snook, who has a history of sexual offending against boys, has now been caged for the offence.

On Wednesday, Snook, of Boldon Colliery, South Tyneside, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court to be sentenced for causing a child to engage in sexual activity. He had pleaded guilty the offence.

David Povall, prosecuting, said Snook had previous convictions for sexual offending.

Snook was caught for this offence after the child told his mum he had been to Snook's flat where he was asked to remove clothing. Mr Povall said: "There had been a discussion as to whether he would get an ice cream."

The court was told that Snook has a "predilection for sexual activity with young boys" and had committed offences in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1996, he committed common assault against a young boy by putting his hand over his mouth and dragging him into a house before the boy escaped.

Geoff Knowles, defending, said Snook had been to prison twice before but had lived a "law abiding life" since then. He said: "He is a lonely man and suffered abuse when he was much younger.

"Clearly, some issues in his past contributed to this state of affairs. He knows now he will face a custodial sentence for these matters. He is sorry, and sorry for the upset he has caused."

Judge Stephen Earl jailed Snook for four years and 11 months. He was also put on the sex offender register for life and made subject to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order. He was also made subject to a restraining order.

Description

A man from Swindon has been given an 18 years custodial sentence raping a woman after pretending to be a taxi driver.

Fareed Tariq, 43, of Barnum Court, was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court today (03/04) after being found guilty by trial in February.

On Friday April 14, 2023 the victim was out in Swindon town centre with friends. She called a taxi company at around 3.15am on Saturday morning. A vehicle was sent but she was not picked up. She then got into Tariq’s vehicle, who drove her to a quiet area in Pinehurst and assaulted her.

Tariq was sentenced to 13 years in custody, of which he will serve a minimum of nine years. His sentence was extended by another five years on licence, has been put on the sex offenders register for life and has been given a restraining order from the victim for life.

James Purcell, Major Crime Team Investigator said: "This was a horrendous incident, where Tariq pretended to be a taxi driver and picked up a vulnerable woman after a night out. He took her to a quiet area and raped her before picking up her son from her friend's house.

"I'd like to thank the victim for her incredible bravery through reporting the incident and through what must have been a really difficult trial, reliving a traumatic experience. Without her continued assistance, the outcome would not have been possible.

Description

A social worker has been jailed for eight years after he was convicted for a series of rapes and sexual assaults.

Thomas Proctor was found guilty of attacking three women in Glasgow, Fife and Lanarkshire between January 2002 and August 2019.

The High Court in Glasgow heard he used his job to prey on the women, as well as threatening to have the children of two of them removed from their care.

The 43-year-old raped one woman while she was recovering in hospital.

He also took advantage of a victim after she drank water with a mystery substance in it.

Proctor, from Airdrie, Lanarkshire, had denied the accusations but jurors found him guilty of a total of 11 charges.

'Simply disgraceful'

The charges against him included the repeated rape and indecent assault of the first woman at different locations in Lanarkshire.

Proctor was found guilty of sexually assaulting the second woman at a flat in Glasgow's Maryhill.

He was also convicted of raping and making threats to a third woman in Fife and Lanarkshire.

Judge William Gallacher imposed an 11-year extended sentence on Proctor, meaning he will be in prison for eight years and under supervision upon his release for three years.

The judge told Proctor his actions were "simply disgraceful."

He added: "It is difficult to figure out the appropriate sentence due to the level of abuse carried out over a period of time.

"I will impose a significant penalty. You will have grasped that because of the gravity of this case, there is only one thing I can do."

After the sentencing, one of Proctor's victims said: "I am really pleased with the judge's reflections of the offences.

"I understand the appropriate length of the sentence however my fear is that it doesn't reflect the number of potential other victims."

An indefinite non-harassment order against Proctor's victims was granted. He was also put on the sex offenders register for an indefinite period.

In his closing speech to jurors, prosecutor Alan Parfery told how Proctor was "calculated in a predatory fashion" towards his victims.

The first woman was raped while she was recuperating in hospital from a medical procedure.

Proctor attacked the woman again at a house in Lanarkshire after he came into the room and pulled down her pyjamas.

The second victim recalled waking up to finding Proctor molesting her.

The final woman got to know Proctor having met him online.

The court heard she ended up in his company after she returned from a night out with friends at the Edinburgh Festival.

She said Proctor gave her a glass of water and they kissed, but her next memory was waking up in some pain.

Prosecutors said he had caused the woman to "ingest an unknown substance in water" to overpower her for sexual activity.

Jurors heard a similar sort of incident happened on two other occasions.

He gave her water, told her to "drink up" before she later awoke and had "flashbacks" to what had happened.

In his closing speech, Mr Parfery said Proctor spoke of his position as a social worker to make sure threats to two of the women "packed a punch".

Referring to one of the victim, the prosecutor put to him: "You told her that you held such a job and how the system worked.

"That she should be intimate with you if she wanted to keep her child. The cruellest of cruel threats."

Proctor denied the accusation adding that he never mentioned his work to "threaten" anyone.

He had latterly been a social worker in the Alloa area in Clackmannanshire before being suspended.

After the case Clackmannanshire Council confirmed Proctor was no longer employed by the local authority.

Description

A city pensioner has been jailed for historic sex offences in which he abused a young boy over a period of four years. Colin Hall, 79, from Birmingham carried out the abuse in the 1980s.

Detectives investigated Hall when the survivor came forward in 2018 to speak to the force's Rape and Sexual Violence Project, a service providing support to those who have been subjected to sexual violence in Birmingham and Solihull.

Specially trained officers then started an investigation into the allegations. West Midlands Police said that Hall admitted to seven counts of indecent assaults between 1984 and 1988 at an earlier hearing.

He was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on April 2. Following sentencing, detectives spoke of how they carried out a video interview with Hall's victim after he initially reported allegations.

The force said the details provided were crucial in securing a conviction against Hall. The victim said he met Hall when he was a young boy and he introduced him to his dogs.

They would then take the dogs for walks. He said Hall started buying him gifts and alcohol, leading him to believe Hall was a friend who treated him as an adult.

After around a year, Hall started to subject him to sexual encounters and told him to not to tell anyone or else they would get in trouble. This continued for around four years said police.

Colin Hall was jailed for 16 years at Birmingham Crown Court on April 2. Following sentencing, Detective Constable Donna Kenny, said: “Hall groomed a young boy and led him to believe they were friends, building up a strong rapport with him before manipulating him and subjecting him to several incidents of sexual abuse.

Description

The victim of a sex offender will "never be able to forget what he did to her".

Peter Griffiths appeared at Chester Crown Court on Monday 25 March where he was sentenced to eight years in prison.

The 52-year-old of Albemarle Avenue in Hartford, was previously found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a girl under 16 and one of inciting the same girl into sexual activity.

Following the sentencing Detective Constable Joanna Barclay said: "I would like to commend the victim for the bravery and courage they have shown in coming forward and talking about what happened to them.

"Nobody should have to experience what the victim has been though and while she will never be able to forget what happened to her, I hope that the fact that he is now behind bars will provide them with some closure."

In addition to his prison sentence Griffiths was also handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

Detective Constable Joanna Barclay added: "We treat all allegations of sexual offences extremely seriously, and any allegation will be thoroughly investigated, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority.

"Victims should never feel ashamed to talk about what they have been subjected to. They will receive the help and support they need from our specialist officers, as well as from other support agencies we work alongside, and all victims of sexual offences have the right to anonymity."

Description

A PAEDOPHILE has been jailed on eight child sex charges after staff at a nearby shop caught him abusing a 12-year-old boy.

Christopher Wren, 69, was arrested in July last year after Co-Op employees saw him naked in his hot tub with his victim.

Last Wednesday, Chelmsford Crown Court heard how Wren, of Hill Road, Harwich, started abusing his victim after paying the teenager to complete odd jobs around the house.

Following his arrest, Wren admitted five charges of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and three charges of sexually assaulting a child under 13.

As the charges were read out, Wren stood with his head bowed, dressed in grey joggers and a grey Puma jumper while his wife sat in the public gallery.

Christopher Martin, mitigating, said it was the first time Wren had offended and that he was in serious ill-health, having been discovered in his cell in a diabetic coma on three separate occasions by prison staff.

He said: “The defendant is a well-educated man who has, throughout his adult life, contributed to society in a manner he has enjoyed regular employment.

“He has been married for 40 years, and his wife is fully aware of the circumstances of this offending and remains supportive if not understanding in terms of Wren.

“He has several serious health conditions – he has been diagnosed with type two diabetes and has been undergoing a triple heart bypass.

“In the last three weeks, he has been rushed from HMP Chelmsford to hospital having been found in his cell at having suffered a diabetic coma – the bottom line is that Wren is not a well man.”

Judge Alexander Mills sentenced Wren to four years in prison and reminded the defendant of the impact his offending had on his victim.

He said: “It’s clear there has been an impact and remains to be impact on the victim and the family, and I have taken that into account.

“Four years is the least I can impose in the light of the seriousness of the offences in this case."

Description

Alexander Cameron Paterson, who is known as Cameron, attacked two women between 2003 and 2016.

A violent serial rapist who sexually abused a woman in a hospital, forced her to take part in group sex sessions and left another disabled and scarred for life has been caged for 10 years for the horrendous abuse.

Alexander Cameron Paterson, who is known as Cameron, repeatedly raped and assaulted the women in a 13-year reign of terror between 2003 and 2016.

The 45-year-old attacked the women, who can't be named for legal reasons, at addresses across Scotland, also abusing his second victim in a number of hotels.

He denied he'd done anything wrong but was convicted of 12 charges following a trial at the High Court in Paisley. The jury found him guilty of four charges of raping the first woman and one of leaving her scarred for life and disabled.

The jury also convicted him of six charges of rape and one of assault against the second woman, and he was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh earlier this month.

Paterson, most recently of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, carried out the first rape at a property in Paisley, Renfrewshire, in November 2003, restricting his victim's breathing by clamping his hand over her mouth and nose and restraining her hands.

His second rape of the woman took place at the same Paisley property in January 2004, and saw him pushing her onto a bed, using a belt to restrain her, and grabbing her by the hair.

Later the same month he raped her for a third time at the property after dragging her along the floor, dragging her down a set of stairs and forcing her outside, hitting her on the face and strangling her, restricting her breathing.

In April 2004 he raped her again, again at the same address, and later that month he committed the attack that left her scarred for life and disabled, after he pushed her through a glass door.

Court papers state he grabbed her by the body and pulled her back through the broken glass door, causing her to fall unconscious, before he moved her. He lifted her onto a bed and undressed her, then dressed her in other clothes.

The charge he was convicted of states "permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment" were caused to her by the attack.He first attacked his second victim in October 2007, at a property in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire.

He dragged her along a floor and onto a bed and spat on her before raping her. He also raped her on a number of occasions at the same address between January 2008 and November 2010, while she was asleep and incapable of giving or withholding her consent.

He also repeatedly sexually abused her between December 2010 and May 2014, at the Barrhead property and an unnamed hospital in Scotland. Some of the attacks took place while she was sleeping and could not consent.

In November 2012 he assaulted her, by raining punches on her face, while they were within the Barrhead home. And Between January and May 2013 he made her perform a sex act on a woman at a hotel in Lanark, Lanarkshire.

The same year, he also raped her while forcing her to take part in a foursome, with an unidentified man and woman, at a hotel in Glasgow. And in July 2016 he raped her at a hotel in Bishopton, Renfrewshire.

He was also placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for the offences and was made the subject of a Non-Harassment Order, banning him from having any contact with both victims.

Description

A vile predator took boys to McDonald's and Cheshire Oaks before subjecting them to sickening abuse.

Paedophile James Blundell embarked upon a depraved campaign of rape and sexual assaults against young boys, the Liverpool Echo reports. He groomed some of his victims with cash and sweets and took them in trips in his car before the horrendous assaults.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how he was said to have had a 'longstanding sexual interest in children', which a judge said had led to a catalogue of 'predatory sexual behaviour'. The 36-year-old has now been locked up for more than 14 years.

On Thursday (March 28), the court heard how Blundell befriended one of the children and paid him 10 in order to wash his car. The boy then carried out further chores at his home in return for 'pocket money'.

Michael Scholes, prosecuting, described how the defendant subsequently took him out in his car to buy sweets and on trips to McDonald's, Southport and Cheshire Oaks. He would often return the child home after giving him a 10 note.

But, around two months later, concerns were raised to his parents by a neighbour. This prompted his mother to ask him 'has James ever been silly with you?', at which he became 'immediately very distressed' and even 'so distressed that he was physically sick'.

He would go on to describe the vile sexual abuse he had been subjected to by Blundell - who had attempted to rape him, performed sex acts on him and performed a sex act in his presence, as well as sending him a picture of his penis. The boy recalled one incident where he was forced to perform a sex act on the pervert after he had pulled over following a drive along the East Lancs Road.

Afterwards, he warned his victim not to tell his mum as he 'would be in big trouble'. On another occasion, Blundell stopped in a car park during a trip to Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet.

Then, having bought him food from McDonald's, he attempted to touch the boy's private parts over his clothing. However, the complainant 'kept blocking him so that he could not touch it'.

It then emerged that Blundell had abused a second victim after these offences were reported to the police in November last year. This boy described how the defendant had taken him to McDonald's in Earlestown.

They then parked up at a nearby sports club, where the sex offender 'started to talk about sexual things and told him how he had had sexually transmitted diseases'. He showed the youngster pornography on his phone and asked to see his penis, although he refused.

Blundell told the boy that his own penis was 'proper small', then pulled it from his trousers and began waving it around while laughing before returning him home. He later sent the youngster a series of 'inappropriate' messages on Instagram, including pornographic images.

Following his arrest, three category C indecent images of children were found on Blundell's phone - which was recovered from underneath his pillow. An image of a person performing oral sex on a dog was also found on the device.

Blundell was previously handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for two years by the same court in 2016 after pleading guilty to attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child, distributing indecent images of children, possession of indecent indecent images of children and three counts of making indecent images of children. He was also handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

His defence counsel told the court: "He accepts that there is nothing at all I can say on his behalf to mitigate the truly horrific crimes that he has committed. He, through me, offers his most sincere apologies to the young children and their families, and everybody who has been affected by his terrible actions."

"He accepts how awful these crimes he has committed were and has shown that he is somebody who has an unhealthy interest in young children. He is also somebody who wants the help to ensure, when he is released from the sentence that awaits, that he can rehabilitate himself and ensure that he is no longer a danger to society."

Blundell admitted three counts of rape, two charges of attempted rape, three offences of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, engaging in sexual communications with a child, possession of indecent images of children, making indecent images of children, possession of an extreme pornographic image and two charges of breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

He was jailed for 14 years and five months. He was also handed an additional five years on licence.

Sentencing, Judge Anil Murray said: "It is clear that you have a long standing sexual interest in children. Lives are ruined by behaviour like this."

"Your motivation was clear. This was predatory sexual behaviour."

Blundell, of Wesley Avenue in Haydock, was also handed a restraining order lasting 15 years and an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. He must sign the sex offenders' register for life.

Description

A man from St Helens has been jailed for 13 and a half years for sexually assaulting a child and sharing images of the abuse online.

Andrew Haddock, 29, of North Road, who pleaded guilty to making and taking indecent images of a child and distributing those images to others online, was sentenced today, Thursday 28 March, at Liverpool Crown Court and told he must serve a minimum of nine years of his overall sentence.

He was also given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order, made to sign the Sexual Offender Register for life and given an indefinite restraining order.

Following an investigation, Haddock was arrested in July 2023 after he boasted about his abuse online to an undercover police officer and shared images of the offences.

He was also found to be in possession of a quantity of prohibited images of children and extreme pornographic images.

Description

A disgraced ex Met cop has been found guilty of trying to molest a child. Paedophile Thomas Thorpe was found guilty at Kingston Crown Court earlier today (March 28).

He was found guilty of three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child, and attempting to cause a child under 13 to look at an image of sexual activity. Thorpe was also found guilty of attempting to cause a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, as well as attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He was remanded in custody to be sentenced at the same court on May 14. Thorpe spoke online with a person he believed was a 12-year-old girl, but was in fact an undercover police officer from West Midlands Police.

Thorpe sent sexually explicit images to the ‘girl’ over four-week period in November and December 2019. He was arrested December 6 2019 and a search of digital devices recovered from his home found indecent images of children.

The devices also had the images that he been sent to the ‘girl’. Thorpe was suspended from duty following his arrest in December 2019. He resigned from the Met in September 2022.

An accelerated misconduct hearing took place in May 2023 and found former PC Thorpe had breached the standards of professional behaviour which amounted to gross misconduct. He would have been sacked had he not already resigned.

Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain, local policing commander in South London, said: “People rightly expect police officers to uphold the highest standards and when an officer fails to meet those standards they can expect to face the consequences of their actions through the courts and our own misconduct process.

"Former PC Thorpe’s behaviour was abhorrent and he has been convicted of serious sexual offences. Prior to his conviction misconduct proceedings established that he would have been sacked had he not already left the organisation.”

Description

A paedophile been sentenced to 24 years imprisonment for raping and sexually abusing a child aged under 13. He was described as a "predatory individual" who took advantage of a child in the "most horrific way".

Steven Felix, 36, of Bridgend, sexually abused the child between 2019 and 2020. An investigation was launched after the abuse was reported in 2021.

The defendant, of Brackla, was charged with a total of 24 counts of rape and sexual activity with a child. At Cardiff Crown Court he was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment with an additional six years on licence and a lifetime sexual harm prevention order.

Following the hearing detective sergeant Jo Williams-Smith of South Wales Police said: "Steven Felix is a predatory individual who took advantage of a child and abused them in a horrific way. The victim in this case has to live with the memory of this awful abuse.

"I’m pleased that the court have recognised this by handing Steven Felix this lengthy jail sentence which is the outcome the case deserved. I’d like to personally pay tribute to the victim for coming forward and sticking with the investigation. It is thanks to their bravery that we secured a successful prosecution.

"I hope that this sentence will serve as encouragement to other victims of sexual abuse to come forward. We will believe you and do everything we can to bring offenders to justice no matter how long ago the offences took place.

"We take all allegations of sexual abuse extremely seriously. We have specially trained teams that investigate sexual offences and provide support to victims. If you have experienced these kinds of offences you will be heard and listened to and your report will be believed.”