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Description

A former Ellesmere Port care worker has been convicted of rape and child sex offences.

Following a seven-day trial which began on March 11 at Chester Crown Court, 45-year-old Kevin Cooper-Shaw, of Kingsmead Road North, Oxton, was found guilty by a jury on 21 of the 23 charges. These were:

• Seven counts of sexual activity with a child
• One count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity
• One count of rape
• One count of attempted sexual activity with a child
• Seven counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust
• One count of sexual activity in the presence of a child by a person in a position of trust
• Two counts of making an indecent photograph / pseudo- photograph of a child
• One count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity by a person in a position of trust

The court heard that Cooper-Shaw worked at a care home in Ellesmere Port between April 2018 and October 2021, where he was tasked with safeguarding and caring for vulnerable children and young people.

But during this time, Cooper-Shaw groomed a teenage girl at the care home, committing multiple offences against her.

The matter came to police attention in November 2021 and an investigation was launched by the Western Protecting Vulnerable People Unit.

Cooper-Shaw was arrested soon after the report to police. When detectives reviewed his devices, they found him to be in possession of a number of indecent images of children.

Cooper-Shaw will be sentenced on May 31.

Following Cooper-Shaw’s conviction, investigating officer DC Katie Ashcroft said: “The level of offending in this case and the acts he subjected his victim to were truly horrific.

"Cooper-Shaw was meant to be in a position of trust, safeguarding and caring for young people. Despite knowing this, and how vulnerable the victim was, Cooper-Shaw violated and betrayed that trust, abusing and deeply traumatising the young victim at a time when she should have been made to feel safe.

“I’d like to thank the victim for their immense courage and strength they’ve shown throughout this investigation – first to come forward to report the crimes, and then also to give evidence and help convict this man for his predatory and warped behaviour.

“I hope this encourages others who have been subjected to such abuse to come forward. They will get the support and advice they need to help them come to terms with their ordeal, and if they so wish, put their abuser before the courts.”

Description

A paedophile carried out a series of sexual assaults on vulnerable young girls over several decades. Dennis Yarr subjected his victims to sickening attacks leaving them suicidal, depressed and unable to feel safe around men.

The offences committed by Yarr spanned several decades and included luring a young girl into his car, sexually touching another child and forcing another to sit on his lap and perform a sex act.

A hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday, March 20 heard Yarr, who is Scottish and was working as a bus and taxi driver in the Vale of Glamorgan, accused his victims of lying before being found guilty of indecent assault and indeceny with a child at trial in February this year. Judge Timothy Petts said Yarr had shown "no remorse" for his actions and described him as "manipulative and predatory".

The court heard Yarr, 63, of Dunstan Avenue in Westage-on-Sea, Kent, carried out a series of disgusting attacks on a young girl in the 1990s. This included touching inside her underwear and on one occasion penetrating her. He then told his victim not to tell anyone in order to prevent her from reporting the ordeal.

A statement on behalf of the victim said Yarr's attacks had meant she "grew up feeling let down and disappointed" and had "affected her choices in life", adding that she still struggled with mental health issues and had been left traumatised by it taking 10 years for the offences to be brought to light. The victim said what happened had "ruined my childhood years", adding: "Every time I hear a Scottish accent, smell whiskey and see a man with a moustache it makes me think of my abuser." She said she had self-harmed as a result of Yarr's actions and had been admitted to hospital and had been "petrified" at the idea of giving evidence at his trial.

Yarr was also found to have indecently assaulted another girl in the 1990s by encouraging her to get into his car before asking her to sit on his lap while he drove, at which point he proceeded to touch her crotch area. A statement read on behalf of the victim said what happened had left her with trust issues as an adult, only being comfortable leaving her child with close family members, wary of men and feeling unsafe taking taxis unless she sat in the back seat. She said years later that she felt "anxious, overwhelmed and distressed" when the case came to court and suffered from PTSD, and that Yarr's conviction had "given [her] closure" to move on with her life.

The court also heard Yarr had carried out another offence on a girl when he was a teenager in the 1970s by getting her to sit on his lap and perform a sex act. He later pleaded guilty to indecent assault and was given a conditional discharge. A statement read on behalf of his victim said what had happened had been "difficult to deal with" and resulted in her trying to take her own life. She said it had affected her trust in men and made her struggle in relationships even into her adult life.

South Wales Police began investigating Yarr after one of his victims came forward. He was arrested in Margate, Kent, in December 2020 and two more victims later came forward. Yarr was found guilty of four counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child following a week-long trial at Cardiff Crown Court last month.

David Pernell, defending, said his client had no submissions in relation to the offences and that there had been "no change" to the position he took during trial. He said Yarr was in poor health for a man in his 60s and suffered from COPD and diabetes, adding that he had "come to court to accept his fate carrying a cocktail of prescription medication" from his GP. He summarised a letter by Yarr's partner of 18 years who said he had been "very supportive of her mental health issues" and that she would "keenly miss that support" if he went to prison.

Judge Timothy Petts said Yarr had caused "severe psychological harm" to his victims and that there was "very little" to mitigate what he had done. He said it was noted that the defendant "showed no remorse" and was "manipulative and predatory" in how he carried out the attacks and tried to prevent his victims from reporting what had happened.

Yarr was sentenced to seven years in prison and an additional year on licence. He will become eligible for parole after two thirds of his prison term has passed and will be registered as a sex offender for life. He was also banned from working with children or vulnerable adults and a sexual harm prevention order was made.

After the sentencing, Investigate Assistant Steve Gunney from South Wales Police said: “Dennis Yarr’s actions have had a devastating effect on the three women.

“But thanks to their bravery and a thorough investigation, he has been brought to justice. He has shown no remorse and during cross examination, claimed that the three women were lying and had plotted together to make false allegations."

"South Wales Police takes all reports of sexual violence extremely seriously and it is never too late to report a crime. Help and support is available for all victims of sexual violence, and we would encourage any victims; no matter how long ago the offence happened, to please come forward.”

Description

A former teacher sent pictures of his penis to what he believed was a 12-year-old girl, a court has heard. In fact Rhodri Jones was engaging in sexual conversations online with an undercover police officer.

Swansea Crown Court heard Jones' teaching career came to an end following concerns raised by parents about his "inappropriate behaviour" with girls which included flirting with a 16-year-old student and offering her private tuition. Sending the defendant to prison a judge told him he clearly had an "entrenched sexual interest in young women and children".

Sian Cutter, prosecuting, said on June 14, 2022, the defendant initiated contact with a profile on the social media platform Chatiw which purported to belong to a 12-year-old girl - in reality the profile was a decoy account being operated by an undercover police officer. The prosecutor said Jones and the decoy exchanged messages on the site before he gave the decoy his Snapchat details and the conversation moved to that app. The court heard that during the conversation Jones boasted to the "girl" about the size of his penis, and also sent her a number of pictures of his penis.

The following month officers went to the defendant's house and arrested him. Officers seized a number of electronic devices and also took a picture of the blankets on his bed, bedding which matched that seen in the background of the pictures he had sent the decoy. He subsequently answered "no comment" to all questions asked in interview.

Rhodri Jones, 44, of Phoebe Road, Copper Quarter, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communications with a child when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has a previous conviction from 2016 for sending indecent images to an 18-year-old girl. The court heard a series of concerns had been raised about Jones' conduct and "inappropriate behaviour" during his teaching career between 2003 and 2011 which included him harassing a pupil, offering to give a girl a lift in his car, and flirting with a 16-year-old girl and offering her private tuition.

Alycia Carpanini, for Jones, said the defendant was a binge drinker, and the offending happened when he was drunk. She said her client was a carer for his mother who was in ill-health, and that he works online for a university book publisher in an administration role. Jones had completed the Horizon sex offenders programme following his previous conviction, the court heard. The barrister also pointed to the delay in the case with the offending taking place in June 2022 and the matter not coming before the courts until January 2024.

Judge Daniel Williams told the defendant it was clear he had an "entrenched sexual interest in young women and girls", and said a pre-sentence report had concluded he posed a high risk of serious harm. He said he did not think there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation in Jones' case, and said the offending was far too serious for any sentence other than one of immediate custody. With a one-third discount for his guilty plea, Jones was sentenced to 12 months in prison - he will serve up to half that sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. The defendant will be on the sex offenders register for the next 10 years and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same length of time.

Description

A man has been jailed for six years for attempting to rape a woman in Salford.

34-year-old Sediq Ali from Birmingham was found guilty of attempted rape and sentenced on Monday (March 18) at Minshull Street Crown Court.

Officers were called to an address in Salford on October 30 2020, following an incident which had happened hours earlier. Ali had threatened the woman before subjecting her to an attempted rape.

Following an investigation, Ali was subsequently arrested and charged with the offence.

In addition to his sentence, he will also be required to sign the sex offenders register and be subject to a restraining order.

Description

A WIRRAL sex offender has been jailed for breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Steven Bell, 27, from Woodchurch, was sentenced yesterday (Tuesday, March 19) at Liverpool Crown Court.
 
Bell is a Registered Sex Offender and required to adhere to conditions under the Sex Offender Register and his SHPO.
 
Bell was found to have breached these condition by failing to register his home address with police, failing to register that children under the age of 18 were staying at the address and having unsupervised contact with a female under the age of 16.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Steven O’Neill, Manager of our Sex Offender Unit, said: "Sex offenders are quite rightly expected to provide up-to-date information about where they live, and strictly adhere to all conditions of their release.

"Any breaches are investigated thoroughly and it is pleasing to see that Bell has been dealt with robustly and sent back to prison.

Description

Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, a man has been jailed for multiple sex offences against a child in Reading.

Vlazimr Rybak, aged 63, of Oxford Road, Reading, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict of two counts of sexual assault by touch a child and a count each of sexual assault by penetration on a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity following a four-day trial at Reading Crown Court, which concluded on 18 January.

Returning to the same court for sentencing today (18/3), Rybak was jailed for 16 years with an additional year on licence.

The offending happened in the last ten years, the victim was sexually abuse by Rybak on numerous occasions.

The offences were reported to Thames Valley Police in November 2020 and following an investigation, Rybak was arrested on 29 May 2021.

He was charged with the offences on 28 July 2022.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Sophie Measham, of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “I am pleased that Rybak was convicted by a unanimous jury of these offences.

“The victim in this case was a very young child and Rybak betrayed trust to commit these horrendous crimes.

“Today he has been sentenced to a significant prison sentence as a result of his offending, and I hope that this offers some closure for the victim.

“I commend the bravery and courage of such a young person to come forward and trust in the police and criminal justice system to bring Rybak to account for his crimes.

“I would also like to thank the Crown Prosecution Service for working with us to secure this conviction.”

Description

A convicted sex offender who was banned from contacting any girl who was under the age of 16 brazenly ignored the court order by repeatedly trying to have sexualised chats with girls on Snapchat.

Nathan Mulvana told one 15-year-old girl that she had an "amazing figure" and asked another girl of the same age if she had ever sent nude photos online. But he was now in a "last chance saloon" and faced being jailed if he committed any more sexual offences, Hull Crown Court heard.

Mulvana, 23, of the Inglemire Lane area of Hull, admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to breach a sexual harm prevention order on August 9, 2022.

Jazmine Lee, prosecuting, said that the original sexual harm prevention order was made at Beverley Magistrates' Court on December 6, 2018. It was designed to ban him from contacting any girl under the age of 16 but, through his actions, he was in breach of the order.

Mulvana was arrested and interviewed for separate, but similar, offences on September 7, 2022 and, as a result of that investigation, his phone was seized and examined. A Snapchat account was seen and, as part of his conversations on the social media network, it was discovered that some of the accounts that police identified involved children aged under 16.

The chats seemed to be short, but Mulvana tried to engage in sexual conversations with the girls. They did not, however, appear to have engaged with him for long. He asked one of the girls if she had been sexually active but he did not receive a response.

"He also stated that she had an amazing figure," said Miss Lee. "The account clearly stated in that conversation that she was 15 years old and he claims to be 16.

"Further, he asked another account if she had ever sent nudes and she replies that she has not. The conversation ends. She, too, clearly states in that conversation that she is 15."

There was another conversation with a girl said to be aged 14, but it ended before the chat turned sexual. During police interview, Mulvana claimed that he logged out of his Snapchat account in the May of 2022, so the conversations could not have been him.

He confirmed, however, that all the Snapchat accounts investigated by police belonged to him. He claimed that he did not recall the conversations.

Mulvana had convictions for four previous offences. They included sexual assault of a child and exposure. He had been sent to a young offenders' institution for two years and four months and was given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

He also had convictions for harassment and failing to comply with his notification requirements as a sex offender. He was in breach of a one-year community order imposed for those offences.

Oliver Shipley, mitigating, said that Mulvana pleaded guilty and made admissions. He realised that he had issues that needed to be tackled with the help of the probation service. He was still young and needed to mature.

Mulvana was given a six-month suspended prison sentence, 30 days' rehabilitation and a 33-day sex offenders' treatment programme. He was given a five-year sexual harm prevention order.

Recorder Bryan Cox KC said that Mulvana would be given help to try to steer him away from further sexual offences. "If you do commit any further sexual offences, there is a very high likelihood that you will be going to prison," said Recorder Cox. "This is a last chance saloon for you."

Description

The first person in England and Wales to be convicted of a cyber-flashing offence has been jailed for 66 weeks. Nicholas Hawkes was convicted under the Online Safety Act after cyber-flashing became an offence on January 31 this year.

The 39-year-old, from Basildon, Essex, was already a convicted sex offender when he sent unsolicited images of his erect penis to a 15-year-old girl and a woman in her sixties on February 9 this year.

Southend Crown Court heard on Tuesday that that evening Hawkes asked to use his father's phone to call probation. He went into another room where he sent the indecent photo via WhatsApp to a woman in her sixties, using his father's phone.

Minutes later, on the same device, he sent an explicit image to the child over iMessage, who was said to have been left "overwhelmed and crying". Both victims took screenshots of the messages and the woman reported him to Essex Police the same day.

Prosecuting, David Barr said the offences "fall as part of an established pattern of behaviour of the defendant".

The court heard Hawkes' offending has been exclusively sexual in nature and started after he was kidnapped, stabbed and held at a £5,000 ransom demanded from his father when he was 31 years old.

He does it to 'create chaos'

Barry Gilbert, defending, argued Hawkes does not receive sexual gratification from his offending and instead "does it to create chaos when he's under personal pressure" as a result of his PTSD following the attack.

However, Judge Samantha Leigh rejected the argument that he did not receive sexual gratification and said "you clearly are deeply disturbed and have a warped view of yourself and your sexual desires".

She added: "There is a duty that I have that is a duty to protect, there is only one sentence for this set of offending it clearly crosses the custody threshold."

Despite his previous offending, Hawkes has reportedly not received any treatment. Though he was offered 12 appointments with a psychiatrist, he never received them as the waiting list was too long, the court heard.

Hawkes admitted during an earlier hearing at Southend Magistrates' Court to two counts of sending a photograph or film of genitals to cause alarm, distress or humiliation. He was jailed at Southend Crown Court on Tuesday.

Cyber-flashing can involve offenders sending people an unsolicited sexual image on social media, dating apps, Bluetooth or Airdrop.

Victims of the offence and other image-based abuses receive lifelong anonymity under the Sexual Offences Act from the point they report it.

Hawkes was already on the sex offenders register until November 2033 after last year being convicted of sexual activity with a child under 16 years old and exposure, for which he also received a community order.

On Tuesday he pleaded guilty to breaching the order and breaching a suspended sentence for another sexual offence.

He was also sentenced for those offences and will serve half of the 66 weeks in prison and will then be released on license.

He was handed a restraining order for both women lasting 10 years, and a sexual harm prevention order banning him from approaching women who he does not know on public highways and in parks for 15 years.

Description

A man videoed himself sexually assaulting a woman, a court has heard. Dean Jones then told his victim that nobody else would want her after what he had done.

Swansea Crown Court heard the 34-year-old defendant's victim had been left suffering with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Dean Jones, of Mill Street, Tonyrefail, had previously been convicted at trial of sexual assault by penetration. He has previous convictions for driving with excess alcohol and public disorder.

Tim Evans, for Jones, said his client had given evidence at trial and the jury had made its decisions and as the defendant's barrister he could not go behind that. He said Jones wanted this to be the last time he appeared before any criminal court let alone a crown court.

Judge Catherine Richards sentenced Jones to 10 years in prison. He must serve two-thirds of that sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. Jones was made the subject of a 10-year restraining order banning him from contacting his victim and will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Description

A man who was raped in a classroom by a history teacher as a schoolboy said the abuse he suffered "broke him". He said he attempted to kill himself by smoking 20 cigarettes a day and "craved for cancer".

Gareth Rogers 77, was a teacher at Caerleon Comprehensive School in Newport during the 1970s, and in his 20s, when he performed oral sex on one of the boys in his classroom before raping him behind a cupboard door. He also touched another boy's penis and masturbated him, while tutoring the victim in his bedroom.

The first victim came forward and notified the police in 2018 after disclosing the abuse to his mother and his sister. The second victim came forward in 2019 after he was told Rogers had been arrested. The defendant denied five counts of indecent assault and one count of buggery, and claimed the allegations have been "made up" by the complainants. But he was found guilty of all six counts by a jury, following a trial a Newport Crown Court.

The defendant has a number of previous convictions involving the sexual abuse of children. In 1997, he was convicted of indecently assaulting two girls under 14 years old. In February 2014, Rogers was convicted of indecently assaulting two boys in the 1980s and in March 2014, he was convicted of sexually assaulting two teenage girls.

During a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday, Rogers' first victim said: "At the time (of the abuse), I fully trusted people in a position of trust and responsibility. I knew nothing of paedophelia or of it even existing, it was the 1970s and we were not aware. I was a happy child who became an unhappy adult, the effect on me emotionally was devastating and I no longer trusted anyone. I thought this must be what adults do and I was terrified of adult males for years until I was old and strong enough to repel occurrences.

"I was untrusting of males and males in authority. My initial thought is not to trust people and keep a low profile... That level of distrust stayed with me all my life post attack and I had feelings of self disgust, low self esteem, low self confidence and ashamed of what happened...

"After being 20, I decided I could not cope with the shame, I resolved to kill myself by the time I was 50. I planned to do this naturally and craved for cancer. I smoked 20 Marlboro a day as a documentary said this would lead to an early death.... I am not the person I was meant to be and I don't like the person I have become. When I got to 50 and I wasn't dead, I couldn't cope with life anymore. I was on medication every day and went to see the doctor and opened up to him. I was stressed, anxious and depressed and have been on prescribed antidepressants....

"I struggled to see a future, all I can see is the past and the devastating effect it's had on my life. It's too late for therapy as the damage has already been done.... I would have loved to have been happily married and have kids but for reasons mentioned this hasn't happened. It's a major source of regret and I blame the attack for any inadequacies in this area, and made relationships feel sordid to me. He broke me."

Rogers' second victim also wrote a statement, read out to the court by prosecutor Ieuan Bennett. He said: "As this was a historic crime I have suffered differing amounts of emotional problems over the years. I packed the memory deep inside my mind but of course it would come back in varying degrees of time. It affected my personal life and trust of people and affected relationships with people close to me.

"I couldn't be totally honest with them, keeping what happened to me a secret. I believe it was a significant cause of me becoming alcoholic, drinking to deal with emotions and memory of abuse I suffered. My addiction slowly affected the way I lived and worked and as a result I was sent to rehab. I have been sober for seven years. Along with the guilty verdict, it allowed me to lay to rest many demons. It affected the way I trust and interact with people over the years and led to many breakdowns."

In mitigation, Ruth Smith said her client had served a number of sentences in relation to his previous convictions, but these were the most serious and the first committed in time. She said the defendant's risk has diminished because of the courses he had carried out while incarcerated, and due to his age he is no longer in positions where he is able to exploit his access to children.

Sentencing, the Recorder of Cardiff Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said: "It's clear from your convictions you have a long standing sexual interest in children over the years. You have severely damaged the lives of a number of people. The two victims in this case, you left their lives severely damaged. Your actions and consequences for them have destroyed the lives they could have led had you not done what you did."

The judge said the defendant was at "significant risk" of committing further sexual offences against children. She said she was "satisfied" he still has an sexual interest in children, and is at risk of causing "severe physical and psychological harm".

Rogers, of Commercial Street, Newport, was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment, and an extended licence period of three years. He must serve two thirds of the custodial term before he is considered eligible for release, and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.

Description

A stalker had a mould of his penis delivered to his victim, a court has heard. The unsavoury delivery was part of campaign of behaviour by Bobby Williams which saw him repeatedly turning up at the woman's house and even harassing her on a beach - all in breach of a restraining order.

The 39-year-old's barrister told Swansea Crown Court the father-of-three was ashamed of his behaviour. A judge said it was clear the defendant had a "fixation" with his victim and told him if he continued to offend in a similar way he would be facing ever increasing prison sentences.

Caitlin Brazel, prosecuting, said in July last year Williams was made the subject of a 24-month community order and a 12-month restraining order after being convicted of stalking a woman. However, within weeks of the restraining order being imposed he began breaching it. The court heard the defendant started messaging the woman on Snapchat, and then began turning up at her house. The prosecutor said on one occasion the defendant had a "gift" delivered to the woman's home which contained "a mould of his erect penis" and on another occasion he shouted verbal abuse at the woman and followed her after encountering her on a beach. He also approached a neighbour of the woman and talked about seeing her abroad as the restraining order would not apply outside the UK.

The defendant was arrested on January 3 this year and taken to Haverfordwest police station. The court heard he answered "no comment" to most questions asked in interview but when questioned about the "gift" of the penis he "simply smiled and said 'it is hers'". In a statement from the victim that was read to the court by the prosecutor the woman said the defendant's "relentless behaviour" had been "exhausting and draining" and left her feeling like a prisoner in her own home.

Bobby Williams, of Parrog Road, Newport, Pembrokeshire, had previously pleaded guilty to stalking and to five counts of breaching a restraining order when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has nine previous convictions for 22 offences between 2002 and 2023. Freddie Lewendon, for Williams, said the defendant was ashamed of his actions and wished to apologise to his victim. He said the defendant had struggled with alcohol since his teenage years and the "drinking culture" associated with his work in the scaffolding trade had been to his detriment. He added that bereavement in his teens had left the father-of-three with "abandonment issues" for which he was now receiving counselling.

Judge Huw Rees said it was clear the defendant had a "fixation" in regard to the woman and said it seemed he had little hesitancy in breaching court orders. He told the defendant if he continued to offend in a similar way he would find himself being sent to prison for incrementally longer periods of time. With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas Williams was sentenced to 16 months in prison comprising 16 months for breaching the restraining order offences and 10 months for the stalking offence to run concurrently. The community order imposed in 2023 was revoked and the defendant was resentenced to 12 months in prison for that matter to run concurrently with the new sentence. Williams will serve up to half the 16-month sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

Description

A "dangerous sexual predator" spent two decades raping and manipulating girls and young women, a court has heard. Kevin Offland subjected six different females to sexual violence and abuse in a prolonged campaign of horrific offending.

A judge at Swansea Crown Court said she had no doubt Offland presented a danger to women and said an extended sentence was necessary to protect the public. The 45-year-old defendant refused to attend his sentencing hearing – something the judge said did not surprise her as he was "both a bully and a coward".

Speaking after the sentence police praised the courage of the victims in coming forward and giving evidence and said the case should serve as reminder to everyone that "justice can still be served years after any abuse was committed". Prosecutor Andrew Davies told the court it was the prosecution position that Offland was a "dangerous sexual predator" who had preyed on females for two decades. The court heard a series of statements from the defendant's victims in which they set out the devastating impact his offending has had on their lives.

One woman described how the defendant had exploited and manipulated her and subjected her to "the most heinous abuse" and described him as a "masochistic entity". Another said Offland had "completely ruined my childhood and ruined me as a person" and had left her with complex post-traumatic stress disorder while another described how she suffered with severe depression and was now unable to trust anyone.

Kevin Offland, formerly of Black Bridge, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, and now of Nichols Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, had previously been convicted at trial of 18 offences of rape, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and sexual activity with a child when the case returned to court for sentencing. The offending took place between 1998 and 2021 at locations in Pembrokeshire and Shropshire. Nicola Powell, for Offland, said the defendant put his account to the jury at trial and maintains his innocence.

Judge Catherine Richards said she was not surprised Offland had refused to attend the sentencing hearing as he was "both a bully and a coward". She told the defendant he had dominated, abused, and raped woman and girls who "had the misfortune to come across you" and she said she had no doubt he posed a danger to woman and was a "manipulative predator". The judge paid tribute to the courage of the woman who came forward and gave evidence at trial and acknowledged no sentence a court could pass could measure the misery Offland had inflicted on them.

The defendant was given a 30-year extended sentence comprising 26 years in custody followed by a four-year licence period. Offland must serve two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence before he can apply to be let out but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be released.

Speaking after the sentencing Dyfed-Powys Police detective constable Claire Duggan, the officer who investigated the case, said: "This has been a complex case involving a number of victims and witnesses from two different force areas. Their courage and strength to firstly report the abuse, which was extremely sensitive, and also the way they have remained strong throughout the investigation and trial is to be commended. I would like to thank the jury on the guilty verdicts given and Judge Richards for the sentencing.

"This successful court result is an important reminder to everyone that justice can still be served years after any abuse was committed. I hope now that the victims and their families, who have been affected by the actions of Kevin Offland, can now try and move on with their lives."

Police investigator Ian Rutherford from West Mercia Police - the force that covers Shropshire - described it as a "harrowing and shocking" case and said the trauma Offland caused his victims would likely to be life-long. He paid tribute to the "unwavering determination and bravery" of the victims and their families, and said while he welcomed the sentence handed down by the court in Swansea no sentence could ever provide justice for the survivors.

Description

A depraved elderly paedophile raped and sexually assaulted a young girl while filming the abuse. The ordeal left the girl contemplating suicide as she felt she "didn't deserve to live anymore".

Roger Stapleton, 75, of Llantrisant, carried out a campaign of horrific sexual crimes against the victim who was of primary school age when the abuse began. He raped the girl on multiple occasions and sexually assaulted her while she was holding a baby.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard the defendant possessed videos of himself raping and sexually assaulting the victim.

When he first abused the victim, by touching her intimately with his fingers, he told her: "It's okay, this is normal". The assault caused her extreme pain and she screamed. Stapleton told her not to tell anyone what he was doing to her and groomed her by giving her money and alcohol..

The offences came to light after a family member of the victim was made aware of a page on Facebook that the defendant had followed which contained images of half dressed teenagers. This led to the victim reporting the matter to the police in 2023.

Outlining the facts of the abuse prosecutor James Wilson said when Stapleton first raped the victim she was in pain but could not scream out as the defendant placed his hands over her mouth. The rape lasted for 10 minutes, and left the victim bleeding, but Stapleton walked off "as if nothing happened". Stapleton went on to rape the victim on four other occasions

On occasions he sexually assaulted her by touching her chest, performing oral sex upon her, rubbing himself on her, and touching her while she was holding a baby. Upon being told this Judge Paul Hopkins KC said: "I just have to reflect on the enormity of the depravity in this case. It's an appalling case."

A number of cameras were subsequently seized by police including multiple camera and memory cards on which was stored videos of Stapleton raping and sexually assaulting the victim. In total there were 13 Category A images, 29 Category B images, and 26 Category C images. The defendant had also made search terms including "teen porn". The defendant was also found to have made internet searches for a phone message tracker app and had a diary in which he made reference to having sex with the victim.

Stapleton, of Llantrisant Business Park, was arrested and pleaded guilty to five counts of rape, one count of assaulting a child by penetration, six counts of sexual assault, and three counts of making indecent images. Judge Hopkins said: "He had no choice but to plead guilty. Even though the evidence was overwhelming I am still required to give him full credit although he had no alternative."

In a victim personal statement read to the court the victim said: "My mental health got so bad I started to self-harm and cut my arms or legs every day and started thinking about ending my life. I began to plan ending my life but never went through with it. It made me feel I didn't deserve to live anymore and didn't feel like I was good enough. I felt that was the reason I was alive – so he could do things to me and that was all I was good for. I constantly blamed myself for what he did although none of this was my fault and I realise that now. I felt isolated, lonely, angry, and ill-equipped to handle these feelings or do anything about them...

"He ruined my life and because of it I didn't get to enjoy my childhood and teenage years as much as I should have. I should have been out with my friends all the time actually enjoying my but I spent my time crying and self-harming in my room wondering what I had done to deserve this... He ruined my childhood but I won't let him ruin my future."

Description

A sadistic thug viciously raped one woman in a horrific attack and tied up another woman with tape before threatening to kill her. He left one of his victims unconscious after he stamped on her head and neck.

John Harding, 30, of Newport, committed brutal attacks upon his two victims which left them fearing for their lives. The defendant has a long history of violence committed against women.

A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard the first victim was attacked by Harding who threw her to the ground and stood on her head, which caused her to scream in pain. He then dragged her along the floor and kicked and punched her to the side of her head. The defendant then grabbed her throat and put his fist to her head.

Recounting the facts of the assault Judge Jeremy Jenkins said: "In an act bordering on sadistic you bent down close to her face and told her she was not scared enough. She must have been scared out of her wits."

Harding later twice raped the victim and ignored the victim's shouts for him to stop. He also used his fingers to penetrate her, which caused her "extreme pain". He then performed a sex act in a "final act of degradation", the court heard.

The second victim was just a teenager when she was assaulted by Harding who was said to have treated her with "disdain and cruelty". During the first attack he threw her to the ground, kicked and stood on her head, and strangled her until she lost consciousness.

When she came round she saw the defendant on top of her and he was hitting her chest to get her to breathe again. He then threw her to the floor a second time and kicked her. Over the next few days the victim suffered increasing swelling and bruising to her head and discovered she had broken ribs.

During the second attack upon the victim Harding took tape from a rucksack and used it to tie her up. The more she struggled the tighter the tape became. Two men passed nearby and the defendant threatened to kill the victim and the men if she screamed out. He then produced a pair of scissors and held the blade to her throat in what was described by Judge Jenkins as a "terrifying incident".

Following his arrests Harding, of Corporation Road, denied the offences but was found guilty of two counts of rape, assault by penetration, two counts of intentional strangulation, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of false imprisonment, and making threats to kill. After the trial the defendant wrote a letter to the first victim from prison, which caused her great distress.

The court heard he has seven previous convictions including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, battery, and witness intimidation committed against women. One of these occasions he put his foot on the victim's neck and threatened to "smash her head in" with a weight.

Reading out her victim personal statement via videolink the first victim said: "Every day I have to battle demons in my head which tell me to stay in bed. I have to go back to PTSD attacks. I not only see events, I feel the same emotions of being in fear for my life and feeling completely helpless."

The victim said she was suffering from flashbacks and when she leaves the house she feels overwhelmed by anxiety. She added: "I feel as though I have the word 'victim' written on my face and when I leave the house or when someone looks at me I feel they know what has happened to me. It's dehumanising....

"If you could imagine going through the worst moment of your life and having no input in how it's dealt with. That's what I go through every day... I can't put into words how this has made me feel, I don't know myself. [It has] torn scars in my soul that will last forever and even God can't heal. I have to be the final girl. If me doing this can save someone's life I'll do it 10 times over."

In mitigation Kevin Seal said his client "needs help" in custody in order to change his attitude towards women and the way he manages his problems and his life in general. He said the defendant will "need to become a completely different person" if he wished to have contact with his child.

Sentencing, Judge Jeremy Jenkins said: "These two brave young complainants have given evidence of a most frightening experience in which each suffered at your hands with a degree of violent and sexual degradation. This is deeply concerning the more so when one considers your antecedent history...

"This simply cannot be ignored. You are a danger to young women. I will go further and say with confidence that in your company no young lady is truly safe. You pose a significant risk of harm to members of the public."

Harding was sentenced to a total of 15 years imprisonment with an extended licence period of five years. He will serve at least two-thirds of the custodial sentence before he will be considered for parole. The defendant was also made subject to two restraining orders and sex offender notification requirements indefinitely.

Description

A man has been jailed after being caught with almost 400 illegal images of children on a mobile phone.

Carl Webb, formerly of Gloucester Road in Cheltenham, admitted making 240 Category C indecent images of children, 144 prohibited images, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

He also admitted failing to report to a police station and being in breach of a suspended prison sentence.

The 37-year-old was jailed for three years and three months on 14 March.

Webb, who has a history of child sex offences dating back more than two decades, was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court.

He was convicted of indecently assaulting a child in 2002 and was jailed for sexual activity with a child in 2009.

Prosecutor Alec Small said that on 28 September 2022 police visited Webb at his home to check he was complying with his sexual harm prevention order.

He volunteered that he had a borrowed phone that he had not previously declared.

The phone was seized by officers and was found to contain indecent images of children.

Mr Small added that Webb had failed to attend a police station to sign the sex offender register on 1 March 2023.

Webb is currently serving a three-year jail term imposed on him in October 2023 after he breached a community order he had received at an earlier hearing.

Defending, Catherine Spedding, said Webb is "keen to look at the root cause of his offending" by taking part in a sex offender programme.

She added: "Once he is sentenced, he hopes to be moved to a prison where he can undertake that positive and useful course. "He is looking forward to that because he wants to cease this sort of offending." Webb was also given a new sexual harm prevention order.