Latest Offenders

Description

A paedophile’s cover story was busted when police officers heard the ringtone of the mobile he pretended he had sold.

Leon Clark claimed he no longer owned the phone that investigators had linked to his home.

But his lie was quickly exposed and the recovery of the device led to the discovery of horrific images of children being sexually abused.

Police raided Clark’s Wirral home in June of last year after his email address and phone number were linked to the property.

The 46-year-old denied downloading indecent images of children and claimed he had sold his mobile.

But when the officers called his number they heard it ringing and found it hidden behind a radiator.

Ken Grant, prosecuting, said dozens of indecent images of children were recovered when it was examined, the most serious involving the abuse of a little girl of around three-years-old.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Clark had 39 convictions for 88 offences - including being jailed for two years in 2010 for sexually assaulting a girl under 13, and for downloading indecent images of children.

His convictions also include repeatedly failing to comply with the requirements of the Sexual Offences Register.

Clark, of Lingdale Road North, Birkenhead, pleaded guilty to possessing a total of 58 indecent images on the day of the raid and three offences of making indecent images of children in the previous three months.

Jason Smith, defending, said his client’s previous offences of non-compliance with the Sex Offenders Register related to homelessness but that he now had a more settled lifestyle and the ability to comply with court orders.

He added that Clark wanted to co-operate and: “do something to deal with what he accepts is a problem. He wishes to address the problem and show maturity.”

Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, pointed out: “All he needs to do is stop looking at pictures of children.”

The judge jailed Clark for a total of 18 months, including activating a 16-week suspended sentence imposed in April last year for again breaching requirements of the Sex Offenders Register.

The judge said he accepted the number of indecent images of children found on Clark’s phone was not particularly large but he said: “You have an extensive record for other forms of criminality.”

He pointed out that a probation officer said Clark “holds a negative attitude and poses a high risk of re-offending and a medium risk of serious harm to children”.

In an earlier pre-sentence report another officer said the defendant had little motivation to engage with the probation service and Judge Flewitt said he had not seen anything to show a change.

The judge ordered Clark to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same length of time.

He said he imposed the latter order “in the hope that over that period you mature and change your attitudes and no longer pose a risk to children. If it is considered you do, an application can be made to extend the order.”

Description

A CONVICTED sex offender used specialist software to turn his phone 'incognito' and downloaded illegal images of children.

Carlisle Crown Court heard of Lloyd James Christopher Ditchburns disturbing past as he was sentenced on Tuesday for fresh offences.

In 2014 as a juvenile, Ditchburn was punished for distributing indecent images of youngsters.

Then, in 2020, came a conviction for making more perverted pictures and outraging public decency as he committed a crime known as 'up-skirting'.

On September 1, 2021, there was a routine meeting between him, his probation officer and a detective constable tasked with risk monitoring, prosecutor Brendan Burke said of the latest crimes.

The officer asked him for his phone, opened it and it immediately became clear he was running incognito software.

This was in breach of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) imposed for past crimes.

So, too, was 24-year-old Ditchburns use of social media specifically a platform used by children as it had no age requirements.

Initially in interview, he spoke of 'accidentally' switching on the incognito mode. He then started making very full admissions, said Mr Burke. He said police monitoring software on his phone had crashed.

That gave him the confidence, effectively, to start doing what he wanted, including installing the incognito software.

The police monitoring software reactivated itself but he found a way to disable it. He went on to say he was using it to access the (social media) platform, in particular a group called schoolgirls 12 to 18.

He further admitted distribution and exchange of images, added Mr Burke. He ended the interview by saying that he needed serious help.

Ditchburn, of Vulcans Lane, Workington, had further downloaded two indecent images of children classed in category A the most serious and eight in category C. He admitted two SHPO breaches and making the illegal pictures.

Anthony Parkinson, defending, said Ditchburn had been in custody since September but hadnt begun rehabilitation work due to the pandemic. He was willing to engage.

But Judge Nicholas Barker noted that previous offers of help had not been taken, and jailed him for 32 months. It is clear to me that you have an underlying and deeply unhealthy attitude to children as objects of sexual desire, said the judge.

Ditchburn must now sign the sex offenders register for life.

Description

A paedophile is facing jail after he was found with a sick stash of child sex abuse images and videos.

Shamed Sean Courtney amassed his vile collection over a four-year period until police seized his electronic devices in 2019.

A total of 178 disturbing pictures and 105 movies had been downloaded by 32-year-old.

Newcastle Magistrates' Court was told that 28 pictures and 70 videos were category A, the most serious kind involving sexual penetration.

Extreme pornography depicting women with dogs was also found in Courtney's possession.

Now, the pervert, of Losh Terrace, in Walker, Newcastle, will spend Christmas fearing her will be sent to prison after he pleaded guilty to three count of making an indecent image of a child and one of having extreme porn.

Prosecutor Jonathan Stirland said Courtney downloaded the vile material between August 1 2015 and April 16 2019.

He added: "The Crown would say this isn't suitable for this court and should be committed for sentence."

Gregg Stephens, defending, said Courtney suffered from mental health issues.

The solicitor continued: "The starting point is 12 months custody for category A images, so I anticipate this will go to the crown court.

"Mr Courtney doesn't have any convictions but does have severe mental health issues."

District Judge Paul Currer committed Courtney to Newcastle Crown Court for sentence.

He said: "You have pleaded guilty to these offences. They are so serious, they need to be dealt with in the crown court.

"You will appear there on January 19. Please attend at 10am. If you fail to attend, you commit an offence for which you could be prosecuted. Please make sure you attend."

In the meantime, Courtney was released on conditional bail, where he must reside at his home address.

Description

A female paedophile involved in a sickening ring is to be released from prison, the Parole Board has confirmed.

Angela Allen was one of four female accomplices, including nursery worker Vanessa George, who were convinced by Colin Blanchard to sexually assault young children and share the images.

Allen, from Nottingham, pleaded guilty to four child sex assaults and one count of distributing an indecent image in 2009.

She was handed an indeterminate sentence and told she must serve at least five years in prison before she could apply for parole.

A spokesman for the Parole Board confirmed that an oral hearing had been held last month, which ruled Allen could be released.

Allen, George and ring leader Blanchard, along with Tracy Lyons and Tracy Dawber, were all jailed for their role in the abuse, which prosecutors described as one of the most sickening paedophile rings this country has seen.

IT consultant Blanchard was described as warped, wicked, dangerous, devious and manipulative as he was sentenced to an indeterminate sentence with a minimum term of nine years in 2011.

George, who abused young children at Little Teds nursery in Plymouth, where she worked, was released from prison last year.

Police described jobless mother-of-one Allen as sinister and evil and said she was living on the fringe of society in a run-down house with no furniture.

Detective Superintendent Adrian Pearson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said as she awaited sentence: Angela Allen is a sinister and totally evil individual.

She has shed not a tear of remorse for her victim.

A spokesman for the Parole Board said: We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Angela Allen following an oral hearing in December 2019.

Parole Board decisions are solely focused on whether a prisoner would represent a significant risk to the public after release.

The panel will have carefully looked at a whole range of evidence, including details of the original evidence and any evidence of behaviour change.

We do that with great care and public safety is our number one priority.

Description

An online paedophile predator has been jailed after he struck up a sexual conversation with whom he believed was a 14-year-old girl and arranged to meet her.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Mark Hargreaves, aged 34, contacted and communicated sexually with whom he thought was a 14-year-old.

But he was actually communicating with a fake profile run by members of the public to snare paedophiles.

Nicola Quinney, prosecuting, said Hargreaves told the profile she was the kind of girl he would like to have sex with when she was older and he would teach her. He also sent a picture of a penis purporting to be his.

Ms Quinney said Hargreaves arranged for them to meet at Barnsley bus station but when he failed to turn up the group behind the fake profile visited his home and alerted the police.

Judge Peter Kelson QC told Hargreaves: Against that background, you as a predator prowling the internet looking for underage girls - found her and you quickly turned conversational matters sexual.

Hargreaves, of Emblem Terrace, Wakefield, who has no previous convictions, admitted attempting to communicate sexually with a child between September 2019 and February 2020.

Richard Canning, defending, urged Judge Kelson to consider a rehabilitative sentence.

He said: This was a wake-up call for him and he has turned his life around and made some very positive steps and I ask your honour to allow him to continue down the right path.

But Judge Kelson said a suspended prison sentence is not appropriate when an adult is prowling the internet looking for innocent children and he sentenced Hargreaves to 12 months of custody.

Description

A MAN crept into student accommodation and broke into a flat before sexually assaulting a woman.

The victim told her attacker, who also attempted to sexually assault a second female, he took away their right to privacy and the right to sleep without being sexually assaulted.

Akash Krishna Shrestha, 25, of Portland Road, Bournemouth, admitted sexually assaulting a woman and trespassing with the intent to sexually assault in Bournemouth in September 2021.

He appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing on Monday, December 20.

The defendant wrote a letter to his victims, claiming his drink was spiked after a night in Cameo.

Prosecuting Andy Houston said the defendant recently graduated from Arts University Bournemouth.

The two women had been in bed since about 11pm when Shrestha crept into the building behind a group of people at around 5am.

Footage played in court showed the defendant tensing his muscles in the mirror before getting out.

Mr Houston said: [The victim] woke with the lights off, she had gone to sleep with them on.

She saw a figure standing over her in her room. She had no idea how long he had been there.

The victim tried to cover herself with the duvet when the defendant took off his trousers and underwear and got onto her bed.

She said he squashed me into the corner, started kissing me and put his hands into my knickers, the prosecutor added.

The victim eventually managed to get away and went to find a security guard.

Shrestha then went into another room and pulled the blanket off the woman.

She shouted at him and he left the room.

A victim impact statement from the first victim said: I want him to know how he has affected innocent peoples lives because he cant control himself.

I never deserved any of this.

Because he thought it was okay to trespass into an innocent persons home he took away their right to sleep safely, their right to privacy, to dignity and how about the right to sleep without being sexually assaulted?

The second victim said she dreamt of studying in Bournemouth but the defendant had ruined her experience.

Mitigating, Robert Grey read letters from the defendant to the victims where he apologised, said he was shocked by his actions and that he believed his drink was spiked.

He said this behaviour was out of character and his family describe him as kind.

Despite this, Judge Brian Forster QC sentenced Shrestha to four and a half years imprisonment with an extended licence period of five years.

He will also have to notify as a sex offender indefinitely.

Judge Forster QC said: The offences have had a considerable impact on the two victims.

They were terrified at the time that the incident took place.

What has taken place has had a very significant impact on their day to day lives.

They have understandably lost confidence.

They have trouble sleeping, they fear for their safety.

Description

A MEMBER of an internet paedophile ring from North Tamerton filmed himself abusing the five-year-old daughter of a friend and then sent the picture to a fellow pervert.

Nicholas Stansfield had been exchanging messages with at least three other men for months before he carried out the assault on the sleeping girl, who remains unaware of what happened.

He was staying as a guest of her parents at the house in West Devon when he went into the little girls room and took the image which showed his genitals touching the girls mouth.

He also took a picture of the girl and her sister off the parents Facebook page and sent that to the other paedophile.

Police were able to trace the girls from the school uniforms they were wearing but the family were unaware of the sexual assault until Stansfield admitted it during interview.

The girls mother said she was devastated and the whole family have been torn apart by the revelation.

The images which he downloaded and distributed included 268 videos and photographs which came into the worst category, some showing the assault of young babies.

Stansfield, aged 25, of Victory Road, North Tamerton, near Holsworthy, admitted sexual assault, six counts of distribution or making indecent images, and possession of five knives and two air rifles.

He was jailed for two years and six months by Judge David Evans at Exeter Crown Court, put on the sex offenders register for life and made subject of a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which banned contact with children and restricts his use of the internet.

The judge told him: It is clear from the girls mothers statement how your sexual assault on a sleeping five-year-old girl has damaged the family and caused really significant upset and distress.

Mr Brian Fitzherbert, prosecuting, said Stansfields home was raided in September 2019 after the National Crime Agency discovered that images of very serious abuse had been sent from his IP address.

An examination of his phone and computer showed he shared fantasies or images with three other men in which he claimed to have abused a baby girl who he described as sexy and beautiful.

He had a total of 778 images of which 268 were in category A and 24 had been distributed with seven images of serious abuse being sent to himin return

A photograph of two young girls in school uniform were found among the images he sent and police traced the parents, who said he had stayed at their house for a time in 2018.

He later admitted going into the five-year-olds room as she slept and taking a picture of his penis touching her mouth. He also admitted piggy-backing on the familys Wi-Fi to download images while he was staying there.

Police found an arsenal of weapons in his car when they arrested him which included two air rifles, two hunting knives, a flick knife and two kitchen knives.

Mr Rupert Taylor, defending, said Stansfield had experienced a troubled and abusive childhood which led to developmental issues and left him lacking maturity.

He has moved on with his life since 2019 and now has a partner, a job at a shop, and is seeking treatment and counselling for his psychological problems.

Description

An Aber­deen mum had sex with a 15-year-old boy after invit­ing him into her home and telling him to “down” a glass of wine.

Jac­queline Milne (Jackie Milne) was 33 when she had sex with a teen­ager on three dif­fer­ent occa­sions.

Aber­deen Sher­iff Court was told she and her vic­tim had been at the same party together and he had walked her home.

She invited him in for a drink, poured a glass of wine and instruc­ted him to “down it”.

Fiscal depute Lynne MacVicar said Milne then told the boy to take off his top before kiss­ing him and tak­ing him to her bed­room.

She then per­formed a sex act on him before the pair had inter­course that even­ing and again the fol­low­ing morn­ing.

She then per­formed a sex act on him before the pair had inter­course that even­ing and again the fol­low­ing morn­ing.

“Over the fol­low­ing weeks, the accused was in con­tact with him and they had inter­course on one fur­ther occa­sion around the end of May 2019 fol­low­ing com­mu­nic­a­tions from the accused,” the fiscal added.

Milne – who is now 36 – was con­fron­ted about her beha­viour by the woman who had hos­ted the party after hear­ing rumours about the pair.

She ini­tially denied it but later admit­ted to hav­ing inter­course with the boy.

Police were con­tac­ted when the boy’s par­ents heard the same rumours and found mes­sages on his Face­book app which sug­ges­ted sexual acts had taken place.

One mes­sage showed the boy mak­ing con­tact with Milne and stat­ing he wanted to fight another man.

One mes­sage showed the boy mak­ing con­tact with Milne and stat­ing he wanted to fight another man.

She later replied: “You came to my house when I was drunk, had sex with me which I have no memory of what­so­ever ... that can be classed as rape, so stop threat­en­ing me please.”

In a police inter­view, Milne told officers she thought the boy was 17.

Milne, of Well­heads Avenue, Dyce, ini­tially denied a charge of enga­ging in sexual activ­ity with someone under the age of 16, but changed her plea before a trial last month.

Defence agent Liam McAl­lister said the boy was “never in any way inter­ested” in going to the police but was “more than happy” for their rela­tions to become pub­lic.

Sher­iff Morag McLaugh­lin ordered Milne to remain under the super­vi­sion of social work­ers for two years and carry out 225 hours of unpaid work.

She was also placed on the sex offend­ers register for two years.

Description

An "arrogant" child sex offender who went through the Mersey Tunnel up to 40 times to visit a woman failed to tell police where he was staying.

Calum Teeson, 26, had a conviction for possessing indecent images of children and had had to keep the authorities informed if he stayed away from his home in North Wales for a certain period of time.

But he breached that order in staying in Liverpool and not reporting it between August 3 and November 9, Mold Crown Court heard today.

He had already pleaded guilty to failing to comply with notification requirements. A judge today jailed him for six weeks. He will be released today due to time served.

Prosecutor Dafydd Roberts said in August Teeson had received an eight-month jail term, suspended for two years, for making indecent images of children.

But police checked with Mersey Tunnel staff and found he then visited Liverpool 30 to 40 times between August and November.

And because it was over a period of more than seven days, and he had not informed the authorities he was staying away from home, then he was in breach of the notification requirements of his conviction.

The prosecutor said Teeson told police he had a friend in Liverpool with whom he stayed. His friend did not know about the conviction and he did not want to lose that friendship.

Teeson, of Bryn Eithin, Pentre Halkyn, was not represented by a barrister in court.

But he addressed the court himself from HMP Berwyn via videolink.

He told the judge: "I accept I have made a very stupid mistake, and being in here has made me realise that more, by being deceiving to the (police) officers that were in charge of myself."

He said that if he is released he still has a job open to him.

"I would like to do everything I can to fix this."

But the judge, His Honour Judge Niclas Parry, jailed him for six weeks.

He said: "The reason I have imposed a custodial sentence is because this was a deliberate and arrogant breach."

He said police officers had texted him to remind him of his obligations.

The judge warned the defendant that he must keep to the terms of his original suspended sentence, including doing unpaid work and observing the notification requirements, or he will face custody.

Description

A convicted paedophile failed in his bid to evade justice by changing his name and moving to a different part of the country.

Donald Maxwell Boyle is now starting a second spell in prison after admitting to sexually abusing a child.

In April 2019 an investigation into the activities of Boyle was launched after a victim came forward to say she had been abused by him in Ormskirk in the 1980s.

At that time Boyle went by the name of Donald Maxwell Wells but changed his name by deed poll after being jailed for abusing a child in the late 1980s, later moving to Wales.

While abusing the girl in Ormskirk, Boyle would instruct her in detail of exactly what he wanted her to do to him. He also made threats towards her to ensure she did not tell her parents what had gone on.

When Boyle, 71, of Llewelyn Street, Aberffraw, Ty Croes, Gwynedd, Wales, was interviewed by police, he denied any wrongdoing.

Boyle appeared at Preston Crown Court earlier this year, where he pleaded guilty to charges of indecent assault and indecency with a child.

Last week he was sentenced to five years in custody.

He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and told to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

DC Kelly Rosenthal, of Ormskirk CID, said: "Boyle is a manipulative and controlling individual who abused his young victim for his own sordid sexual interests. He went to great lengths to try and evade justice, first threatening his victim and then changing his name after being released from prison.

"Thanks to the bravery of the victim in coming forward and the determination and dedication of all the officers involved in this case, Boyles past has well and truly caught up with him.

"I hope this case and its outcome will encourage other victims of sexual abuse no matter how historic to come forward. They can do so knowing they will be listened to, believed and that Lancashire Police will do everything in our power to keep them safe and bring the perpetrator to justice."

Description

A stalker has been jailed after repeatedly tracking down a woman he met through a dating website and offering to pay her for sex.

Sheffield Crown Court heard on December 22 how Craig Lawrence, aged 46, of Oakroyd Crescent, Grimethorpe, Barnsley, initially met the complainant only four times during two weeks via a dating website before he started stalking her over eight years.

Richard Davies, prosecuting, said during Lawrences offending he entered her home on three occasions while she had been in bed and on two occasions he shone a light through a window.

Judge Peter Kelson QC told Lawrence: This case is as serious an example of its kind that I have ever seen. The extent of your stalking of your victim which as the offence states causes fear, alarm and distress is for the remarkably long period of time from May, 2013, to June, 2021.

"It includes public humiliation. It includes the multiple location of her changed address. No matter how many times she has changed her address you have found her. It includes multiple intrusions into her home or on the doorstep of her home. Those intrusions are in themselves terrifying.

Mr Davies said Lawrence attempted to contact the woman by social media and she received notes at her home in Doncaster, saying he would pay for sex.

Lawrence also came into her home when she was in bed with her partner in 2016, according to Mr Davies, and he drove past the complainant in Doncaster town centre and asked if she wanted sex.

Even after the complainant moved address she was mortified to find Lawrence at her door in 2018 and he visited her on two or three different occasions in August that year, according to Mr Davies.

Mr Davies said Lawrence walked into her bedroom in October, 2018, while he was under the influence of alcohol and she had been watching television in bed.

The complainant moved to another address but in May, 2019, she found a note from Lawrence offering 70 for sex and weeks later he appeared in front of her window, according to Mr Davies.

Lawrence again offered the complainant money for sex after he appeared at a Chinese restaurant in October, 2019, and in March, 2020, he appeared at the complainants bedroom window and on two further occasions in 2020 he shone a light into her home, according to Mr Davies.

Mr Davies added Lawrence also contacted the complainant at a takeaway and approached her while she was in a shop.

Lawrence also visited the complainants home when she was looking after grandchildren, according to Mr Davies, and she was in bed when he offered to pay for sex with her.

The defendant, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to stalking.

Edward Moss, defending, said: He knows this contact that he instigated - although sometimes it was random and at times it was clearly planned - was wholly unwanted by the complainant and perhaps for the first time he understands that.

Judge Kelson sentenced Lawrence to four years of custody and imposed a lifetime restraining order.

He told Lawrence: She has been advised by the police to move yet again and all of this stemming from a meeting from a dating website.

Description

A sex offender has appeared in court days before Christmas - dressed as an elf.

Janiel Verainer was allowed to sit next to a helper in the public gallery rather than in the dock at Maidstone Crown Court.

The 60-year-old was dressed in a red and green seasonal outfit, together with a woollen cardigan with a Santa Claus badge, and a red and green elf-like cap.

As Verainer - who was addressed as she throughout the 15-minute hearing - walked into court, together with a helper, bells jangled from the costume.

Thumb-sucking Verainer, of High Street, Chatham, admitting a breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Judge Philip St-John Stevens heard that between December 18, 2019, and January 31 this year Verainer approached two children.

He was told that the incidents - which involved kissing the girls on the lips - was in breach of an order imposed at Canterbury Crown Court in November 2016 - which meant Verainer had to stay away from children.

Details of the breaches were not outlined in detail before the judge adjourned sentence until February 25 next year for a probation report to be prepared. A psychiatric report has already been done.

Three other charges of failing to comply with the SHPO will remain on file.

At an earlier hearing - appearing in pigtails and sucking a dummy - Verainer had denied the charges.

In November 2016 Verainer was given a ticking off from a judge - after sitting in the dock during a case hugging a large doll.

Judge Adele Williams told defence barrister Paul Hogben: That is totally inappropriate and I make it plain she will not be doing that for the rest of the hearing.

On that occasion Verainer, asking to be called Jorven Seren and claiming to identify as a five-year-old girl, was jailed for 15 months for kissing a girl outside a cafe in Thanet.

Then living in Grotto Hill, Margate, indecent images were also found on Verainer's phone.

At the time psychiatrists concluded the defendant had personality problems but no mental health issues.

Description

A serial sex offender deemed to have "psychopathic traits" has been given a life sentence after he was assessed as posing a high risk to the public.

John Bermingham, 55, was convicted of subjecting three victims to abuse during their childhoods in Edinburgh, following a trial earlier this year.

He was previously jailed for 12 years in 2002 for carrying out sex attacks on a teenager and an 11-year-old girl.

On his release he was jailed twice for breaching court-imposed orders.

He was acquitted of attempting to abduct two young girls at Hallglen, Falkirk, in Stirlingshire, following a trial in 2018. After his arrest he was found to have sweets, sleeping pills and condoms in his possession.

Following his latest conviction, the trial judge, Lord Fairley, called for a full risk assessment report to be prepared on the former boxer and career criminal.

High risk

Dr John Baird, a former consultant forensic psychiatrist at the State Hospital at Carstairs, concluded that Bermingham was a high risk.

Advocate depute Lisa Gillespie QC asked him if he was in any doubt about that he replied: "I have to say I am not."

Dr Baird added: "He has got, I would suggest, quite a number of psychopathic traits."

He told the High Court in Edinburgh he had come to the inevitable conclusion that Bermingham's risk could only be managed when he was confined in a closed prison.

Dr Baird added: "He appears to believe that he was the subject of sustained police harassment and successive miscarriages of justice."

Lord Fairley imposed an Order for Lifelong Restriction which he said was necessary to protect the public from harm.

The judge told Bermingham: "I am quite satisfied that you do, as Dr Baird concluded, meet the threshold for psychopathy."

Indeterminate sentence

He ordered him to serve a minimum of four years imprisonment under the indeterminate sentence but emphasised that was the period to be served before the Parole Board could consider his case.

He told Bermingham: "It certainly does not signify you are likely to be released at the end of that period or that you will ever be released. That is, as I have said, for others to decide."

Bermingham's latest convictions were for three charges of indecent conduct towards two girls who were subjected to repeated sexual acts by him from the ages of eight and 14 at addresses in Pilton and Muirhouse in Edinburgh in 1999.

He was also convicted of a further indecency offence against a boy, aged 13 or 14.

Bermingham, who denied the charges, was also found guilty of assaulting an adult woman. She was punched on the head and body on various occasions between 1999 and 2001 at addresses in Edinburgh

He was told that he would be on the sex offenders register indefinitely following the sentencing.

Description

A paedophile has been sent to prison for 20 months for getting high on cocaine and having group sex with an Alsatian.

Trans woman Claire Goodier - who was previously known as John and convicted of child abuse images as a man in the past - admitted the offence in an earlier hearing.

Goodier, 60, was described as 'manipulative' and 'deceitful' by a probation officer at the Chester Crown Court sentencing today.

The pervert was listed under a male name but with a note added to be addressed in the hearing as Claire.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order is under her new name, but it is not clear whether she will serve time in men's or women's prison.

Judge Steven Everett called the crime in taking part in the dog act with other adults as 'despicable' 'disgusting' and 'depraved' as he jailed the pervert for 20 months.

Goodier has twice been convicted of possessing indecent images of children, back in 2006 and 2009, with the judge admitting the defendant had been 'astonishingly lucky' to avoid previous spells behind bars after receiving suspended sentences.

Paulinus Barnes, prosecuting at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday, December 22, said the police had called to Goodier's home on July 19, 2019, to carry out a routine check due to being on the sex offenders register for life, reported the Northwich Guardian.

Officers took a laptop which contained evidence Goodier had searched the internet for bestiality content and when a full analysis of the equipment was finally completed some two years later, it emerged hidden folders contained 31 indecent images of a sex act with an Alsatian breed of dog.

Mr Barnes said: 'She admitted possession of the images.

'She said she had fantasised about it for a number of years and after talking about it with people in Northwich, was put in touch with others in Bournemouth.

'She travelled down there in December 2018 and took part in the sex act with other people and the Alsatian dog.'

On arrest on June 17 this year, police also found another pen drive in a handbag containing the same images and 3.5 grammes of cocaine.

When the sex act was committed between December 15 and 16, 2018, Goodier had also been in breach of a suspended sentence order, which had been imposed in May of that year for failing to adhere to the terms of a sexual harm prevention order.

Simon Mills, defending, said his client had always been 'frank and honest' with the probation service and although accepting the behaviour had been depraved and disgusting, called on the Judge to consider another suspended sentence.

He said: 'This incident took place some three years ago. 'The picture now is one of sporadic offending.

'This is not a case where the offending is getting more and more serious.

'She will do everything asked of her by the court and there are tentative signs of improvement in her attitude and approach.'

Goodier had also failed to comply with the terms of the sexual harm prevention order in November of last year, when she was 13 days late, blaming being in isolation due to Covid guidelines.

Judge Everett told Goodier he did agree with the probation service assessing her as being a low risk of re-offending as he sent her to prison.

He said: 'You are a long, long way from changing your life.

'You deceitfully took part in a cocaine-fuelled incident with other persons.

'Since the terrible offence took place you kept the images unashamedly for your own sexual gratification.

'In the middle of all this, you failed to comply with the terms of an order, which some might say is a minor breach, but it's not for the first time.

'Your record is appalling and it could be said you were astonishingly lucky not to go to prison previously.

'A message must go out that if you commit such disgusting behaviour then you must go to prison.'

Goodier sobbed after learning of the 20 months sentence, ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and order to sign the Sex Offenders' Register.

Description

A primary school deputy head teacher and her partner have been jailed for dozens of child sexual abuse offences, including nine counts of rape.

Julie Morris, 44, the safeguarding lead at a school in Wigan, and David Morris filmed themselves abusing and raping a girl under the age of 13.

The teacher was jailed for 13 years and four months.

Her 52-year-old partner, of St Helens, admitted 34 offences at a previous hearing and was jailed for 16 years.

Julie Morris, of Hindley, worked at St George's Central C of E Primary School in Wigan but the charges are not related to her employment.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the videos showed Julie Morris giggling as the abuse took place.

Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Andrew Menary, said: "Every now and again you see cases, the circumstances of which are almost beyond belief. This is one of those cases.

"It demonstrates that human depravity really knows no depths."

'Disgusting and depraved'

The Crown Prosecution Service said it was one of the most horrific cases they have had to deal with.

"It truly appears like both of them were equally involved," district crown prosecutor Damion Lloyd said.

"They've formed this horrendous sexual interest in children and they've acted out their most unpleasant fantasies on the victim.

"It feels like the relationship between them is just a self-feeding cycle where they have effectively driven each other on to worse and worse acts."

In his 20 years of prosecuting, he said it was the "pinnacle" of the most "disgusting and depraved types of acts that people can discuss and do".

Prosecutor John Wyn Williams said the couple met on dating app Plenty of Fish in 2016 after both had separated from their partners and the relationship "quickly became intensely sexual".

"The communication between them became graphic and depraved which led to some of their sexual fantasies becoming a reality," he said.

Mr Wyn Williams said the couple's "sordid secret" was revealed when police found a conversation about sexual abuse of children involving David Morris in a phone seized during a search warrant.

He was arrested but cautioned and released and a number of devices were seized, which showed the recordings of rape and sexual abuse, the court heard.

Mr Wyn Williams said both defendants were arrested the following day as they appeared to be trying to evade police.

"They were on their way to the Lake District in a camper van with £10,000 in their possession," he said.

As well as videos and images on David Morris's phone, officers trawled through 175,000 pages of messages between the couple, revealing sexually explicit communications, which spanned three years.

The pair also set up a group chat with the victim in which they would talk about how they would abuse her, the court heard.

In a statement, Wigan Council said it had sought reassurances from police that there was no evidence any children at the school were harmed.

"We fully understand the school community will be appalled.

"These are despicable offences and behaviour, especially from someone in a position of trust."

Det Ch Insp Bev Hyland of Merseyside Police said the "deplorable" offences had had a "devastating impact on the victims and their families", adding that the couple were "fully aware of their actions" when committing them.

The pair were both given indefinite sexual harm prevention orders and must sign the sex offenders' register for life.

The charges:

Julie Morris admitted two counts of rape, nine of inciting a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity and two of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

She also admitted three counts of taking indecent images of a child, one of engaging in sexual communication with a child and one of possessing indecent images of a child.

David Morris admitted seven counts of rape, 13 counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and two counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

He also pleaded guilty to taking indecent images, of categories A, B and C, possessing and distributing indecent images and two counts of engaging in sexual communications with a child.

He also admitted three counts of voyeurism, possession of an extreme pornographic image and possession of a prohibited image of a child.