Latest Offenders

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A convicted sex offender has been branded devious - after failing to tell police he was engaged to a woman with two boys.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that Richard Anthony Hudson had stayed overnight at her family home on 15 to 20 occasions.

He also contacted an ex-girlfriend, who unwittingly sent him a picture of her six-year-old daughter. She was left shell-shocked when she discovered his vile past.

Now 47-year-old Hudson has been given a 16-month prison sentence after admitting three counts of breaching notification requirements.

He is subject to the lifetime requirements following convictions for sex offences. It meant he had to inform the police if he took part in certain activities, such as being in a household where children resided.

Hudson, of Lewis Street, Stoke, was released from an extended prison term in 2019.

Hunter Gray, prosecuting, said: From at least August 25, 2020, the defendant was using an Instagram account under the name AntHunt37.

He had used the account to contact a former girlfriend, who had three daughters.

During a conversation, the woman sent him a picture of her youngest child, unaware Hudson was a sexual predator.

The court was told that the picture was unsolicited and the defendant did not request any other images.

She wasnt the only person to be conned by him. He had been in a relationship with another female since 2012 and they later became engaged.

Hudson stayed at her house on numerous occasions between September and December last year.

It meant he had breached the notification requirements as he was there for more than a 12-hour period. It emerged he had been regularly staying overnight.

Hudson went to some effort to conceal the relationship from police.

Mr Gray said he was classed as very high risk. His record includes 13 convictions for 19 offences, including sexual crimes.

The defendants extended licence period wasnt due to run out until July 2024. Following the latest offence, he was recalled to prison.

Rachel Pennington, mitigating, said: He wants to express his apology and remorse to the court. He knows he should have notified police.

She added that Hudson had not intended to cause either woman any harm.

He was burying his head in the sand, trying to hide his past, said Ms Pennington.

Sentencing him, Judge Paul Glenn told Hudson: You, Im afraid, have shown yourself to be a devious person.

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Jason Graham, 30, appeared at the High Court in Livingston on Wednesday to be sentenced after admitting seriously sexually assaulting and killing Esther Brown in her own home.

The 67-year-old, who has been described as “a much-loved and active member of the community”, suffered horrific injuries in the attack in the Woodlands area of Glasgow earlier this year.

Judge Lord Armstrong said Graham had committed the “gravest of crimes involving the most depraved actions” characterised by “utter brutality”.

Addressing Graham in court, he said his actions had caused “significant emotional harm” for Ms Brown’s family, adding: “Your victim was a woman who lived a fulfilling and rewarding life, devoted to helping others.”

Graham had previously been jailed for seven years for raping an older woman in 2013.

He was being monitored by police as a registered sex offender at the time of the murder after being released from prison on licence in 2018.

Graham was arrested and charged one week after Ms Brown’s body was found at her address in West Princes Street on Tuesday June 1.

She had been reported missing for four days after members of the community noticed she had failed to turn up to local events.

At a previous hearing in October, prosecutor Alex Prentice QC told the High Court in Glasgow that a post-mortem examination showed Ms Brown was “fighting for her life” during the attack and had injuries “consistent with sexual assault”.

He said she had suffered a “sustained beating” with pieces of wood from a broken chair that was damaged during the incident.

Following the attack, the court heard Graham then purchased a packet of cigarettes using Ms Brown’s bank card.

Speaking in court on Wednesday, defence lawyer Brian McConnachie QC said Graham had “no recollection” of the attack, having been under the influence of drugs and having consumed a substantial amount of alcohol.

He spoke about Graham’s PTSD diagnosis after witnessing his mother’s suicide at the age of six, and how this had a lasting impact on his life.

“There is no doubt that this adverse childhood experience is certainly a contributory factor,” Mr McConnachie said.

Lord Armstrong said Graham’s PTSD “does not stop the offender being aware of his actions”, adding: “Excessive alcohol consumption does not detract from the nature of his actions.”

He said Graham poses “a very high risk of reoffending”.

Taking into account Graham’s early plea to rape and murder at a hearing last month, Lord Armstrong reduced his sentencing for the rape charge from 10 years to six years and eight months.

He said this is to run concurrently with the sentence for murder, which totals a minimum of 19 years in prison backdated to June 7 before parole.

Speaking outside the court following the sentencing, Helen Moran, who worked with Ms Brown in the community, and Sharon McKay, who lives in the Woodlands area, said they were “disappointed” with Graham’s punishment.

“It’s a worry for the community, he (Graham) poses a danger to anybody,” Ms Moran said.

“Esther was honestly a wonderful person, we worked together preparing meals for people in need.”

Ms McKay added: “The impact of her death has been huge in the community.

“The sentencing is very disappointing as many of us in the surrounding community have been victims of perpetrators being let back into society.

“We need to see change in the justice system.”

Procurator fiscal for homicide and major crime David Green said: “This was a shockingly brutal attack on a woman in her own home.

“Jason Graham’s conviction follows diligent work by police and specialist prosecutors to identify the accused and bring this case to court.

“Our thoughts and condolences are with Ms Brown’s loved ones as they attempt to come to terms with what has happened.”

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Calculating predator Robin Elms, 23, of Hunston, Chichester, was sentenced to 20 years and six months at Portsmouth Crown Court after inflicting sexual assaults on nine children who were also spied on and video recorded.

The 20 offences between 2018 and 2020 were carried out on children aged two to 14 in five households after he secured employment via ‘reputable’ online childcare agencies.

Seven of the children, in three households, were from West Sussex and two of the children, in two households, were from east Kent.

Elms, of previous good character, had worked in other non-residential child care settings, but there was no evidence of offences against other children.

In sentencing Elms, judge Lance Ashworth said: ‘You groomed the families, moving from home to home, beguiling them and making them feel sorry for you.’

Detective Constable Chris Smith of Sussex Police said: ‘Elms used his access, and the trust placed in him by the parents, to systematically abuse children in their own homes.

‘His offences were horrendous breaches of trust, which are every parent's greatest concern. He had no previous convictions or any other DBS-related record, and the parents all had found him through reputable child care agencies.’

The child abuser pleaded guilty to 10 counts of sexual assault, five counts of taking indecent videos of children, and four counts of voyeurism and one count of sexually assaulting an adult man - not related to his work as a nanny or babysitter.

Elms will spend 15 and a half years of the sentence in prison and five years on extended prison licence supervision.

He will be a registered sex offender for life and was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) to last until further court notice.

The prosecution followed an investigation by detectives from the Complex Abuse Unit of Sussex Police which began when one of the families in West Sussex contacted police in November 2020 reporting sexual abuse.

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A Kettering man who carried out a reign of sex abuse against teenage girls has been jailed for 16 years.

Christopher Lynch, 38, was convicted following a trial at Northampton Crown Court in September during which his victims were forced to give evidence.

A Kettering man who carried out a reign of sex abuse against teenage girls has been jailed for 16 years.

Christopher Lynch, 38, was convicted following a trial at Northampton Crown Court in September during which his victims were forced to give evidence.

Lynch, formerly of St Stephen's Road, was found guilty of one count of rape, three counts of sexual assault and four counts of sexual activity with a child.

He was also found guilty of two charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one of facilitating and commissioning a child sex offence.

Today Judge Rebecca Crane jailed him for 16 years, with a further eight-year extended licence.

She said he is a "dangerous and predatory male" and told him that he would have to serve at least two-thirds of his sentence behind bars.

Upon release from prison, Lynch will spend the remainder of his sentence on licence and will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, prohibiting him from having any unsupervised contact of any kind with any female under the age of 18, or undertaking or seeking to undertake any paid or voluntary position, role, appointment or office which would or is likely to cause him to have any unsupervised contact with any female person under the age of 18.

He will also be on the sex offenders’ register for life.

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A former detective constable who admitted having sexual activity with a woman - in the presence of her child - has been jailed.

Police in Bristol investigating a separate child exploitation case uncovered a man in Hull having conversations with an offender online.

Bristol Crown Court heard police were able to trace Paul Clayton, a former Humberside police officer, and establish a series of offences relating to him.

Clayton, 45, of Anlaby in East Riding, pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting an offence to be committed, downloading and possessing child abuse images, sexual communication with a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual activity with a child and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

A woman aged 43, who Bristol Live is not naming, pleaded guilty to two charges of distributing two photos of her child to Clayton, facilitating him having sexual activity with her child and engaging in sexual activity with him in the presence of her child.

Judge Martin Picton jailed Clayton for five years and the woman for 29 months.

The judge said: "These are really serious offences.

"The harm on the victims will be life-long."

Both defendants were handed Sexual Harm Prevention Orders designed to stop them reoffending.

They were both put on the Sex Offenders Register and were barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.

Bristol Crown Court heard Clayton tried to persuade a woman to send her an indecent photo of her ten-year-old daughter.

He also admitted downloading indecent images of children.

The court was told he had improper online conversations with a girl aged 14 online, had sexual activity with a younger girl in the form of a massage and engaged in sexual activity with a woman in the presence of her child.

The judge heard Clayton's co-defendant sent inappropriate photos of her child to Clayton and engaged in sexual activity with him in the presence of her child.

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A pupil has described how he felt "totally disgusted" after being sexually assaulted by a former teacher at a Norfolk school.

Henry Golding, 32, was a teacher at Flegg High Academy in Martham, near Great Yarmouth.

Norwich Crown Court heard the teenage victim was in a class with Golding when, Richard Kelly, prosecuting, said, Golding began to touch the victim, "tickling the back of his left thigh".

Mr Kelly said that as the victim walked out of the classroom Golding "put his right hand onto his bottom and kept it there as they walked out".

As the teen left the classroom Golding said to him "don't avoid me".

Police were later informed about the incident.

Golding, of Woodland Place, Great Barton, Bury St Edmunds, later admitted sexual assault and appeared at court on Tuesday (November 16) for sentence.

He also admitted three counts of making indecent images of children relating to a total of 209 images, including four of Category A which are the most serious.

Before Golding was sentenced, the victim read out a statement in court describing how he felt shocked and embarrassed.

He said he has been betrayed by Golding whose actions have meant he lost a lot of trust in people as a result, adding: "I trusted him and now feel totally disgusted."

The mother of the victim, who also made a statement in court, said: "We as his parents feel very angry. We trusted his school teacher to keep him safe.

Jailing Golding for a total of 17 months, Judge Andrew Shaw said the offence represented "the most egregious breach of trust" against a vulnerable victim.

Hugh Vass, mitigating, said Golding, who was a man of previous good character, had made a fateful error in a "one-off" incident which had been wholly unwanted and wholly inappropriate.

He said Golding will never teach again or work with children and insisted to have a conviction like this was a badge of shame which hes got to carry for the rest of your life.

Golding was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for 10 years and must also sign on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Speaking after the case, a spokesman for Flegg High Academy said: "We are absolutely appalled by the actions of this individual, which are completely out of line with the high standards and values we uphold as an academy, and the robust processes we have in place which ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of all our students and staff.

As soon as we learned of the allegations, the individual was immediately suspended without prejudice, and following thorough investigation was dismissed."

They said they had been supporting those impacted and those who felt they needed support in the academy.

"We have also been supporting the police with their investigation throughout, which has led to todays sentencing.

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A convicted rapist blocked a girl into a set of seats on a Merseyrail train and performed a sex act next to her before following her and doing it again.

Stephen Lequesne sat next to a 16 year old girl travelling on a service from Liverpool to Ormskirk last year before rubbing his genitals while sitting next to her.

The girl, blocked in by Lequesne's legs resting on the opposite seat, was so scared she missed her own stop and waited until she could get off the train at its final destination in Ormskirk.

But when she tried to get on another train heading back in the right direction Lequesne, formerly of Tuebrook, followed her, sat next to her and did exactly the same thing again.

The 23-year-old is currently serving a sentence for rape after admitting last month to an attack on a woman in Southport.

That brutal attack on Lord Street, which saw him pull a woman into bushes late at night, was only thwarted after a brave passerby heard his victim screaming, tackled Lequesne and put him in a chokehold.

A judge sentenced him to ten and a half years in prison for that crime and he will only be eligible for release after a minimum of seven years.

While being sentenced for that crime, the court heard how he had previously performed sex acts on buses on two separate occasions in September 2020.

But today Lequesne was sentenced for a further case just a month earlier on a train between Liverpool and Ormskirk.

He spotted a 16 year old girl travelling alone on the quiet service from the city centre, sat next to her and put his feet across the seats opposite.

The girl, who described feeling trapped by how he was sitting, was then subjected to him masturbating over his clothing.

Prosecuting, Martine Snowdon said: "He made eye contact with her and was touching his genital area.

"He then moved to sit beside her. She felt trapped and could see his erect penis through his clothing.

"She was so scared she stayed on until the train stopped in Ormskirk."

Miss Snowdon said that after managing to get on a train heading back in the right direction she discovered Lequesne had followed her and he sat next to her, rubbing his genitals again.

The girl was able to alert family, who came to meet her at the station, and Lequesne was later identified in CCTV.

Lequesne was found guilty of outraging public decency in his absence last month after refusing to leave his cell for the trial, which occurred just before his sentencing in the Southport rape case.

Speaking briefly before the court, the teenager said the incident had made her nervous and anxious about using public transport and that she now carried alarms with her in case she was subjected to a similar attack in the future.

She said the fact that Lequesne had followed her had a particularly strong effect on her and left her wondering what would have happened if no one had been able to meet her at the station when she got off the train.

Lequesne had no legal representation today and spoke only briefly during today's hearing.

Sentencing, Judge David Potter said the fact that Lequesne had followed the girl back on to another train at Ormskirk had amplified the effect of the incident on her.

Judge Potter said: "You, clearly wanting to continue to engage in your behaviour, looked for her, found her and then masturbated over your clothing again.

"It is clear that this event caused her considerable alarm and distress."

Judge Potter sentenced Lequesne to 12 months in prison for one count of outraging public decency.

This will start immediately and will therefore have no effect on the date he first becomes eligible for release under the sentence he is serving for rape.

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Fareham predator Peter Clements, 53, was jailed after his efforts to entice a girl – by claiming to be a photographer – were shown up to be nothing more than a ruthless ploy to abuse a child.

Clements, of Miller Drive, attempted to seduce the officer pretending to be a girl after striking up a conversation on a site using the nickname Honey Monster between July 29 and August 3. He then offered to pay for modelling images.

The sex offender’s depraved attempts to engage the girl meant he fell foul of a sexual harm prevention order made against him for previous offences in Southampton in 2016.

Prosecutor William Saunders told Portsmouth Crown Court the defendant’s intentions were quickly laid bare when he began chatting with the undercover officer posing as a child.

He said: ‘(Clements) said he would pay for modelling images. When she said she was 12 years old there did not seem to be any concern from the defendant.

‘When the child asked what sort of images, Clements said glamour pictures. The chat continued to become sexual.

‘He sent her text messages and called the child’s number. He wanted to meet.

‘He was discussing booking a hotel room and tried arranging for other adult males to join him before saying he was struggling to get others so would she mind doing it alone.’

When police subsequently arrived at his address, Clements was resigned to his fate. ‘He slumped his shoulder and said: “I know why you are here”,’ his defence lawyer Howard Barrington-Clark said.

The barrister described the dangerous paedophile as a ‘Walter Mitty’ character due to his fantasies, before adding: ‘There was no risk of this fantasy spilling over into reality.’

Mr Barrington-Clark pleaded with the judge to be ‘bold and courageous’ and allow Clements to keep his liberty by proving he was reformed via successful completion of a three-month deferral order.

But despite also pointing out Clements had since had a diagnosis for a compulsive sexual behaviour disorder, attempts to stop the defendant being locked up fell on deaf ears.

Judge Keith Cutler said it was ‘sad to see you here’ to Clements after it was ‘quite clear for some time you had behaved yourself’.

The judge said he ‘must follow the guidelines’ before he jailed Clements for 30 months.

Clements had pleaded guilty to engaging a child in sexual communication, breaching a sexual harm prevention order, failing to complete notification requirements from a previous order, and arranging a child sex offence.

He will now have to sign the sex offenders register for life and was handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

Speaking after the sentence, an NSPCC spokeswoman said: ‘Clements depraved attempts to abuse children show the ease with which offenders can use the internet as a tool to target young people.

‘The NSPCC is calling on the government to ensure its upcoming Online Safety Bill is robust enough to protect children from offenders like Clements, and holds tech companies accountable if young people are put at risk on their platforms.’

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A music teacher was yesterday jailed for assaulting teenage girls at a boarding school with drumsticks.

James Clark, 56, former chief drum and pipes instructor in the Army, had been found guilty of common assault by hitting or touching their backsides.

He was also convicted of breach of trust by sexual activity with, or directed at, pupils and communicating indecently with a girl.

Clark was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison after attacking seven girls, aged 13 to 18. Falkirk Sheriff Court heard that he had a 'habit' of touching girls on their bottoms at the school in Perthshire.

Jurors heard that Clark engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old in 2018, kissing in her a cupboard and performing a sex act in the bagpipe store.

The victim, now 20, said Clark 'abused' her in his car, in the band hut, 'in the drying room...and at one point in the children's tuck cupboard'. She said he had put his hand up her T-shirt and under her skirt.

One former pupil, now 23, said she felt 'violated' after being regularly struck on the backside, often during tartan skirt-fitting sessions in the school shop.

She said during a music trip to Switzerland Clark, pictured, smacked her on the behind 'pretty much all the time'.

Other ex-pupils said when they challenged him about hitting bottoms with his hands, drumsticks or a rolled-up copy of the register, father-of-six Clark, known as 'Drummie', would tell them: 'I'm your school Dad.'

One victim said when she was 16 Clark cornered her at a Christmas concert in the school and told her: 'The two of us should have children together.'

He was also said to have hugged girls and entered one pupil's bedroom when she was asleep, sat on her bed and kissed her on the forehead.

Clark, of Edinburgh, had denied the charges. Sarah Livingstone, defending, said he had an 'illicit affair' with the girl, but prosecutor Cheryl Clark said the victim had been groomed.

Sheriff Alistair Brown, sentencing, said: 'Sexual activity by a man in relation to a girl under 18...in a position of trust is absolutely prohibited. There are no exceptions. It is always a crime.'

Clark, now a gardener, showed no emotion as he was led to the cells. He will never work with children again.

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Iain Gosling, of Wallsend, engaged in sickening sex chats online with what he thought were children but were in fact decoy profiles set up by police.

An online predator who targeted children for sex has walked free from court.

Iain Gosling spoke of taking 12 and 13-year-old girls to a hotel and sent a picture of his penis in sickening exchanges.

Fortunately the profiles he preyed upon were decoys being run by police so no children were harmed.

Go here for the latest reports and live updates from North East courts

Newcastle Crown Court heard he first communicated with what he thought was a 13-year-old called Hannah, on Fast Flirting, last September.

Having already asked a graphic sexual question, Gosling, who said he was 61 but who is in fact 43, was not deterred by her revelation of how young she was.

Vince Ward, prosecuting, said: "He discussed visiting her in his car and taking her shopping and to the cinema.

"He offered to buy her clothes that she could model for him.

"He said girls liked doing stuff with older people because older guys take their time."

He made a series of lewd remarks, suggested she should "go do stuff in my car somewhere quiet" and again said they should go to the cinema and shopping.

Mr Ward said: "He suggested booking a hotel somewhere where no-one would recognise them and suggested Southampton and Reading.

"He said he had booked a hotel in Reading for 150 to spend the day there but that he knew she would not be able to spend the night."

Gosling also said he would spend over 100 on one outfit for her and offered to take her to KFC and McDonald's.

Mr Ward added: "He asked if she would go all the way and reassured her it would not hurt as he would not be rough with her.

"He said she would not get pregnant because of his age."

Gosling went on to communicate with what he thought was a 12-year-old called Holly, who he sent a picture of his genitals and suggested they watch a movie in the cab of his lorry while lying down in the dark. He said he had "very naughty movies".

Around a week later he communicated with the same profile and suggested booking a hotel, shopping and watching a movie and made sexual remarks.

Gosling, of Percy Street, Wallsend, pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted sexual communication with a child and was sentenced to 15 months suspended for two years with a sexual harm prevention order and sex offender registration for 10 years.

Judge Edward Legard said Gosling couldn't complain if he sent him immediately to prison and said people would expect a deterrent sentence given the abhorrence with which such crimes are viewed . But he said he decided "by the narrowest margin" the public would be best served by a suspended sentence.

Shaun Routledge, defending, said: "His best point is his early guilty plea.

"He is in his 40s and of good character and has worked throughout his life and supports his daughter and ex partner.

"He turned to alcohol and his relationship broke down."

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A paedophile said he'd travel 40 miles to have sex with a 13-year-old girl in her mother's bed.

Barry Wiley bombarded a person he thought was a child called "Maddison" with sick texts and naked photos.

The 53-year-old offered to pay for the girl's train fare to Liverpool, then said he'd travel to her home in Rochdale while her mum was out, despite the fact Maddison told him she was "scared".

But the pervert was actually talking to a retired teacher acting as a decoy for paedophile hunter group Elusive Child Protection Unit.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Wiley, of Dacy Road, Everton, was caught out last year.

The woman placed the fictional profile on social network Hi5 and its sister app Tagged, with a photo of herself, manipulated to appear childlike.

Frank Dillon, prosecuting, said Wiley - using the profile name "TheQuietMan69" - started talking to her on June 30, 2020, when she said she was 13 and didn't have a lot of friends.

She asked Wiley if he was a teacher on July 1, when he replied: "Couldnt be a teacher wouldn't be able to focus."

The next day he talked about drink making him "horny", discussed sex, disclosed his name and offered to cook, take her shopping and buy her food and clothes.

On July 5, after asking her to download Kik Messenger, he asked Maddison to download Hangouts and give him her email address.

The next day he said "I really like you though sexually" and told her he'd like to have sex with her.

Mr Dillon said he sent her "highly sexual" messages and on July 8 told her he wanted to "make love to her for hours".

The court heard Wiley sent her a photo of a man in underwear and an explicit image which he said was of himself.

He told her he was going for a bath before she received a photo of a man in a bath holding his private parts.

Wiley said he wanted sex with her, despite her saying she would be "scared", then sent a photo of two adults having sex and a picture of female genitalia.

Mr Dillon said Wiley tried to arrange meeting Maddison in Liverpool on July 26 last year and offered to pay her train fare, before he again sent a photo of a man holding his private parts and said it was him.

Mr Dillon said: "The previously arranged meeting was re-arranged, whereby the defendant would travel to Rochdale and meet with Maddison so he could go to her house and have sexual intercourse with her in her mother's bed."

The Elusive Child Protection Unit found Wiley at a snooker club in Liverpool on July 25, when police were called and he was arrested.

Wiley gave a no comment interview, but in May this year admitted attempted sexual communication with a child, attempting to cause a child to look at sexual activity and attempting to arrange a child sex offence, namely sexual activity with a child.

That would have entitled him to a 25% reduction in his sentence, but he then tried to withdraw his guilty plea, which was refused following a hearing, meaning he only received 15%.

Kevin Jones, defending, said Wiley had been suffering from mental health problems and physical issues relating to diabetes at the time.

He said despite his denial of any sexual motivation and the offences, his client expressed a willingness to undertake any courses suggested for him, which he argued meant there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

The lawyer said the incident came off the back of a difficult mental health period for Wiley, after the breakdown of his relationship with older children and also children from another relationship, which he described as "destructive".

Mr Jones suggested "he was making a decision to do this as a cry for help".

Judge Louise Brandon said in a pre-sentence report Wiley denied the photos were of his penis, but in the chats he told Maddison they were.

She said he told Maddison he wanted sex with her, adding: "She told you she was scared to do that, but that didn't put you off."

The judge said he tried to facilitate a meeting in Liverpool, then rearranged it for her home, when told her mum would be out.

She said he didn't "finalise" those arrangements, but that was because he was arrested the day beforehand.

Judge Brandon said: "You were, by virtue of your guilty plea, attempting to arrange the meeting by which you would have had sex with a 13-year-old child."

She said he continued to deny the offences and an explanation he put forward in a pre-sentence report was "properly described" by the author as "outlandish and implausible".

Judge Brandon said: "You're a man who is clearly in denial of what and who you really are."

The judge said he "bombarded" Maddison with sexual messages for his sexual gratification, had "no insight" into the harm he would have caused her if she was real, and his remorse was only for the position he was now in.

Judge Brandon found there wasn't a reasonable prospect of rehabilitation because of his "continuing denials".

Jailing him for three years and nine months, and ordering him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely, she said: "I conclude you pose a danger to children."

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A depraved pervert blackmailed teenage girls from all over the world into performing humiliating sex acts by threatening to kill himself if they refused.

Elliot Nicklin used a web of online personas to lure his victims into his sadistic world and then abused them online, on one occasion making a girl carve his name into her breast.

Detectives believe he abused more than 70 teenage girls and have traced more than two dozen of them. Many have been left psychologically scarred by Nicklin's twisted actions and, in some cases, suicidal.

Nicklin appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, where his sentencing hearing was initially delayed after paramedics were called when he suffered a panic attack and complained of chest pains.

He was later ruled fit for the proceedings to continue after being examined at the court complex.

The 22-year-old had admitted 27 offences, including the possession of hundreds of indecent images of children.

Of those, 85 were classed as Category A, the most serious category and one that can include images of child rape.

He also sent eight pictures and videos of his victims to other contacts.

Nicklin pleaded guilty to further counts of inciting child pornography, blackmail, sexual communication with a child and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The offences took place between 2014 and the day he was arrested - May 21, 2020.

Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said: "The arrest took place due to two referrals that came from the United States of America. After that arrest had taken place the police seized a series of mobile telephones which included three Samsungs and one iPhone, together with a laptop and tablet.

"When those various devices were examined it was established that at least from 2014 onwards the defendant appeared to have been communicating with more than 70 potential victims."

The devices seized from Nicklin contained more than 1,500 indecent images of children and Ms Daley said it became clear "that a significant number of the videos and images had been sent following threats or coercion".

She added: "In terms of the scale and nature of the images, they were particularly degrading and humiliating."

An extensive 12-month Merseyside Police investigation revealed how sinister Nicklin had preyed on vulnerable children, typically befriending them online before encouraging them to perform for him.

In some cases he used multiple fake personas to develop relationships with a victim then told them either himself or one of those other bogus profiles would self harm or commit suicide unless they complied with his demands.

In other cases, once he had received sexual images and videos from a victim he then requested more - telling them the footage he already had would otherwise be sent to their family, friends, school or local police.

Nicklin therefore created a vicious circle for his victims where many felt the only way they could prevent their private images from being released was to cave into his ever-increasingly sadistic requests.

The court heard Nicklin ordered some victims to choke themselves on camera. Other demands included for one girl to hold her head in the water of her toilet bowl, one to strip in her school toilets and another carve his name into her breast.

Terrified, the victims complied.

Ms Daley said one of the images retrieved in Merseyside Police's Operation Greenband, a year-long investigation that was led by Detective Constable Wayne McGuffie and which established the true extent of Nicklin's crimes, showed the victim told to carve her breast performing the act while crying into the camera.

Among Nicklin's various personas was a female character that he pretended to be while he sent images to other people online.

In one case he even sent a photograph of a victim naked from the waist up, though with her breasts covered, to her sister along with the comment: "Go and talk to your sister and see whats going on."

Victim personal statements revealed the torment, anguish and lasting consequences of Nicklin's abuse, which started when he was a youth but continued into adulthood.

In one heartbreaking statement, read to the court on Friday, one of his victims said: "It was six years of hell... you spun a story of abuse and sick threats to kill yourself and release your pictures to my family to gain sympathy. It worked. You had me falling for you."

In reference to that victim's comments in his sentencing remarks, Judge David Aubrey, QC, simply told Nicklin: "You broke her."

John Weate, defending, started his mitigation by stressing that nothing he would say sought to diminish the severity of the impact of Nicklin's crimes on his victims.

He said his client had no previous convictions, the majority of his offences took place when he was aged between 16 and 20 and that he co-operated with police following his arrest.

Mr Weate said Nicklin, of Bebington Road in Rock Ferry, had suffered "extensive bullying", depression and anxiety and had complied with his bail conditions.

He added: "He was a young man who, with the problems associated with him, lacked the maturity to deal with aspects of his life in a proper way."

Mr Weate said a lengthy custodial sentence and the following conditions of his release may provide an opportunity for the defendant to "mature".

Judge Aubrey accepted Nicklin had indicated guilty pleas from an early stage and that some of the offending took place while he was a youth.

But, highlighting the number of victims and offences, persistence of the offending, psychological harm caused and the "sadistic element" to many of the crimes, he concluded Nicklin was so dangerous to the public he should be subject to additional sentencing conditions.

He said Nicklin "left a trail of psychological destruction" upon vulnerable girls, adding: "You were invading your way into the lives, the homes, the phones of teenagers by your charm, guile, skill and, on many occasions, subterfuge.

"In respect of some of the girls you became their knight in shining armour. At least one, if not more, fell in love with you.

"But you would coerce and encourage them into doing sexual acts upon themselves and much more.

"The coercion involved threats by many a means and if they did not comply their whole persona would be posted online, in effect for all to see across the globe."

He added: "They were unable to stand up to you and chose the humiliation and degradation and performed your demands rather than suffering public humiliation."

Judge Aubrey today jailed Nicklin for 10 years.

That sentence will consist of an initial 12 month sentence for his possession of indecent images that will run consecutive to an additional nine year sentence for his other crimes. That nine year term includes an extended licence period of five years.

This means Nicklin can only be considered for parole after serving two thirds of that sentence.

When he is released he will be under strict conditions for the remainder of that nine year period plus a further five years.

Nicklin was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register.

Concluding, Judge Aubrey said of Nicklin's crimes: "In my judgement it became an obsession to you but an obsession that had devastating consequences to so many of your victims."

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A Sheppey paedophile who was found in possession of more than 1,000 indecent images of children has been jailed for three years.

Michael Frost, 57, of Minster-on-Sea, denied three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child but was found guilty following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment on November 5 after Kent Police branded him a "danger to the public".

Frost was already the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order when he committed the offences, which meant his behaviour was being closely monitored by Kent Polices Violent and Sex Offender Register (ViSOR) Team.

As part of the regular checks, the officers became suspicious that Frost was accessing indecent materials online and detained him at his home address.

Devices belonging to him were then found to contain 1,048 indecent images of children.

Detective Sergeant Vicky Whitmill, from Kent Police, said: "Our ViSOR officers are based across the county and diligently monitor individuals who present a danger to the public.

"A particular focus is preventing offences taking place, supporting victims, and ensuring robust action is taken against those who seek to offend.

"When we learned of Frosts illegal activity, we took immediate action to detain him before a thorough review of evidence led to charges being authorised.

"The investigating officer demonstrated tenacity and commitment to build this case and her outstanding work has led to a prison sentence being imposed against a man who has shown a remorseless and determined nature to access images of child abuse.

"I additionally hope this case serves as a reminder that we will always use the full remit of our powers to keep people safe and take action against those responsible for causing harm."

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A Worcestershire man has been jailed for rape.

Daniel Jones, 28, of Hancocks Lane, Welland, was sentenced to 17 years in prison at Worcester Crown Court today (Friday 12 November).

In April 2020 Jones contacted a woman on the social media app Whisper. He travelled to meet her in Norfolk, raped her and stole her wedding and engagement rings.

Then in January 2021, following further interaction on social media, he drove to meet a women in Somerset, took her back to his home address and raped her.

Very bravely, the victims came forward to officers who were able to identify Jones and arrest him.

Following investigations, he was subsequently charged with two counts of rape and found guilty at a trial in October 2021.

Detective Constable Carl Shenton said: I would like to thank the victims for coming forward and giving their evidence, as well as the bravery they have shown in doing so.

Hopefully this sentence will offer them some sort of closure and allow them to move forward with their lives.

We urge anyone with any concerns about an incident either recently or in the past to get in touch.

We investigate all reports we receive and anyone making a report is offered full and comprehensive support from specialist staff.

You can contact the West Mercia Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre on 03456 461188.

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A child sex predator who coerced a schoolgirl into performing a sex act on him continued to try and groom her even after her mum found out.

Connor Hegarty, 27, touched the teenager inappropriately and bombarded her with indecent messages.

The girl's horrifying ordeal was only found out when her mum discovered messages between the two and confronted him, reports Lancs Live.

After the brave victim came forward about the extent of the grooming and the abuse, he left her to face a gruelling and traumatic cross-examination while he dodged court appearances and evaded police.

In a powerful victim impact statement, the girl told how she had been left suffering panic attacks and night terrors as a result of his despicable actions.

Hegarty, of Fairburn, Skelmersdale, finally faced justice at Preston Crown Court after belatedly admitting three counts of sexual activity with a child - but only after first denying it and forcing her to give evidence in court.

Prosecuting, Jacob Dean told the court that Hegarty was aged 23 and lived in Skelmersdale when the offences took place in 2017.

He manipulated the young girl into keeping their messages a secret and arranged for her to sleep in his house.

On that night, he gave her beer, touched her body and incited her to perform a sex act on him despite her trying to convince him it was a bad idea.

He also pulled her jeans down and attempted to perform a sex act on her but was told to stop and that she was going to sleep.

Mr Dean said: Over the next few days, he messaged her to say that last night was amazing, asking when she would be ready for sex and telling her not to tell anyone.

A few days later, her mum was using her iPad and received notifications of messages from the defendant.

The explicit messages included references to doing more next time and that your ar** is mine.

At the time, the girls mum knew he was older but not how much older.

She informed Hegartys mum who kicked him out the house and she also confronted the paedophile directly, at which point he admitted liking the girl but said nothing physical had happened.

The woman told him to stop messaging her daughter but he did not, this time making references to oral sex.

She shared screenshots of the messages with Hegarty and his mum but was still not aware of the extent of the contact between the man and girl.

Only two years later as they watched a soap opera with a grooming story line did the girl feel able to talk about how much she had groomed him.

Mr Dean said: At that time, they decided not to report him to the police, she was focusing on school. The defendant had moved away but moved back to the area and continued messaging her and one day they did meet.

The girl bravely told a friend at school what had happened and then told school staff before giving a video interview to the police.

Hegarty was arrested but denied being in a physical relationship with her and meeting her on that day, claiming he was out of the area.

However, his phone was seized and searched and his lies uncovered.

He continued to deny his sick actions to the point where a trial began with the girl was forced to go through the ordeal of a cross-examination in which she had to answer his claims that she had lied about the beer and sexual contact and that she had accessed his Facebook account to send the messages to herself.

All the while, he refused to attend hearings and evaded police before being arrested and jailed for six weeks for bail act offences.

In a victim impact statement, the girl reflected on the pain he caused and detailed how she now suffered panic attacks and night terrors, as well as having to face rumours about what had happened when it was first reported to the police.

She said she now struggles to trust people and fears physical contact, even from loved ones, adding that she feels she has had part of my childhood taken away from me.

Defending, Beverley Hackett said that Hegarty was deeply ashamed and embarrassed and appalled by his actions.

She said letters from him and family members detailed his own traumatic upbringing and explained why he felt more comfortable around children than adults.

Sentencing, Judge Graham Knowles QC refused to give any credit for the guilty plea, given that it had come after the trial had begun and the girl had to face his lies about what had happened.

He said: I want to be very clear what happened with [the victim] and everything that went on between you and her was not in any way or to any extent her fault. Not at all.

Judge Knowles issued an indefinite restraining order banning Hegarty from contacting her and an indefinite sexual harm prevention order which bans him from having contact with girls under the age of 16.

He also issued an indefinite notification requirement, informally known as the sex offenders register, and jailed Hegarty for six years.