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A CONVICTED sex offender has avoided jail for a second time after being caught living with a 17-month-old baby despite a court order.

Aaron Kitney, 34, was first jailed in 2019 for having sex with a 15-year-old which he claimed was a ‘consensual’ relationship at the time.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child and was jailed for eight years and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). He was released on licence in March 2022.

Kitney later moved in with a 21-year-old mum who had a 17-month-old boy. Kitney was obliged to tell the mum and the local childcare services about living with a child under 16 but failed to do so.

He was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday (February 22) for breaching the order.

Sentencing him to a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for two years, Judge Michael Gledhill said: “No one thinks you have an inappropriate interest in young male children but it was covered in the SHPO.

“If you had just told the mother and the child support services about the SHPO the likelihood is they would have said, ‘He isn’t interested in a young 17-month-old boy, let’s gets in touch with your solicitor and vary the order’.

“But you brought this all on yourself.”

The court heard that Kitney, of Gaveston Road, Didcot, had told the mum-of-one about his previous convictions but had not informed her of the conditions of his SHPO.

After hearing about her new partner, the mum’s own parents became concerned and researched Kitney.

Upon finding out about his previous convictions, her parents called the police and he has been in custody for about six months.

Kitney did have other accommodation at the time, after living homeless in a tent for about four months, but upon arrest, most of his items including clothes were found at her home.

Defending Kitney, barrister Gordana Austen said that Kitney worked as a groundworker six days a week and as a cleaning five days a week in the evenings.

“So he did try to keep himself busy,” she said.

Concluding the case, Judge Gledhill said: “It’s your own stupid fault. Just keep yourself to yourself. Learn a lesson and don’t come back before this court again.”

Judge Gledhill didn’t order ‘trail monitoring’ as it thought it would be ‘over the top’ and there were no orders for unpaid work as the judge wants Kitney to focus on his own work.

He will, however, need to complete 55 rehabilitation activity days.

Description

A Swindon ‘monster’ who filmed his rape of an unconscious woman has been jailed.

Carl Wallis, without consent, had sexual intercourse with his victim – who had passed out – in 2016.

The 38-year-old, of Brookdene, Haydon Wick, was only caught because he filmed the rape, and that footage was found on an old mobile phone six years later.

The victim contacted the police and following charge, Wallis pleaded not guilty to the offence.

At a three-day trial in December 2023, he was found guilty and returned to Swindon Crown Court for sentencing this morning (Friday).

Wallis was jailed for ten years and six months. He was also ordered to register has a sex offender for life, and a restraining order was made to prevent future contact with his victim.

In a victim personal statement, the victim said: “The day I found the video and pictures on the mobile phone… I was in total shock.

“I did not know what to think or feel, I felt completely numb. I could not believe what I had just seen I felt sick.

“I feel dirty and humiliated… I will never be free from the monster.”

DC Anna McCormack, the investigating officer, said: “Every sexual assault has a huge impact on victims. In this incident the victim discovered the offence had taken place when she was at her most vulnerable; asleep, and by someone she trusted.

“I’d like to thank her for her incredible bravery by reporting the offence and giving evidence during this trial. Without her continued assistance, the outcome would not have been possible.

“I’d encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual assault to please report it, do not suffer alone. We understand it can be difficult. You might not be completely sure what happened or how to talk about it.

“Our trained officers and partner organisations are here to listen and work together to support you in any way we can. Importantly, your information could help us bring the offender to justice and make sure you, and other people in a similar situation, are kept safe.”

Description

A PAEDOPHILE ex-football coach told a 12-year-old boy he was gorgeous and that he would love to have sex with him.

David Robb, 82, from Caerphilly sent his victim ‘Mario’ an indecent picture of another boy who had his buttocks exposed.

He was also having sexualised chats online with a 14-year-old called ‘Luca’.

The pensioner’s offending took place just weeks after he had been handed a suspended sentence after being caught with child rape videos.

A police officer supervising his sex offender order found Robb was using a tablet and mobile phone he had hidden from them when his home was visited.

Robb had also used software to “self-destruct” his browsing history within 24 hours of the search which also breached the terms of the order.

Nil Strobl, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “The defendant was communicating with a boy called Mario.

“He told him, ‘My favourite age is 12 or 13.’

“The defendant said to him, ‘I think you are gorgeous – I’d love to have sex with you.’”

Robb, of Edward Street, Cwmcarn pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child, distributing an indecent image of a child, possession of an indecent image of a child and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

They took place between August and September last year.

He has a history of sex offences committed against children.

In 1976 he received a suspended prison sentence for sexually assaulting a girl.

The defendant was convicted of a sex offence in 1990 when he was the manager of a children’s football team.

Robb had persuaded a boy to sleep in the same bed as him before an attempted sex act took place.

He was sentenced to a community order in 2015 for possession of an indecent image of a child.

Laurence Jones representing Robb said his client knew he was going to receive a long prison sentence and understood he might now die behind bars.

The court heard the defendant’s wife had passed away while he was remanded in custody awaiting sentence.

“It seems to me, having discussed matters with him, that in the past these feelings (of being sexually attracted to young boys) had been repressed by fatherhood, work and caring for his wife,” Mr Jones added.

Robb was jailed for 45 months and made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

The defendant will have to register as a sex offender until 2034.

Description

A Huddersfield man has been jailed for seven years after being found guilty of sexually abusing a girl more than 20 years ago.

Anthony Sharp, 66, of Raynor Close, Oakes, was locked up at Bradford Crown Court on Thursday for the abuse which a judge said had had a catastrophic effect on his victim. Recorder Anthony Hawks also imposed an indefinite restraining order which bans Sharp from contacting the complainant in the future and the defendant must also register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life.

The victim, who must not be identified for legal reasons, provided the court with a victim impact statement which Recorder Hawks said painted a very unhappy picture. He said: “The effect on her has been catastrophic as it inevitably is in all these cases were children are abused."

The judge said the consequences could stretch on for years, but hopefully she could now have some closure. Sharp was found guilty by the jury on five charges of indecent assault. The judge told him: “You chose to have a trial. That was your choice. You don’t receive a larger sentence because you have had a trial, but I can’t give you any credit plainly for pleading guilty and exhibiting remorse.”

Barrister Ian Howard, for Sharp, said the offending took place many moons ago and there had been no further offending in the intervening period. Sharp will have to serve at least two-thirds of his seven-year jail term before being released on licence.

Following the sentencing, PC Kate Healey, of the Calderdale District Safeguarding Unit at West Yorkshire Police, said: “Firstly, I would like to thank the victim for her bravery in not only coming forward to report these offences, but in enduring a lengthy investigation process and a trial following Sharp’s not guilty plea. She has demonstrated courage and dignity throughout the entire process, which is undoubtedly a daunting experience.

“I think the sentence reflects the seriousness of Sharp’s offending. He committed his crimes against a vulnerable victim, which was the ultimate betrayal of the trust of the victim and her family. Hopefully this sentence goes some way towards providing the victim with some comfort and closure to what has been the most horrific time of her life.

“I would also like to encourage anyone who has been a victim of any form of abuse, whether recent or non-recent, to come forward and speak with our specially trained officers. We will thoroughly investigate all reports and do all that we can to secure justice.”

Description

A PAEDOPHILE who told someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl he was the ‘right person’ for her has walked free from court.

Nigel Lambert engaged in depraved sexualised chats with two ‘children’ – but in fact, the counts were being operated by undercover police officers tasked with rooting out online sex offenders.

The 43-year-old sent disgusting photos to the ‘young girls’ and told them he ‘needed kisses’, but he was able to leave court with a suspended sentence.

 
He appeared before Liverpool Crown Court to be sentenced on four counts of attempted sexual communications with a child and sole counts each of possessing indecent images of children, making indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornographic images involving animals

The court heard from prosecutor Christopher Taylor how three of the communications offences involve the same police officer.

Between February 10 and 22, 2022, the officer, under the guise of a 13-year-old girl called Zoe, chatted to the defendant, who was using the username Bunnies.

In messages exchanged on Kik Messenger, Lambert claimed to be a 36-year-old man living near Manchester, with ‘Zoe’ telling him she was only 13 after he asked if she would have sex with an older man.

The continued to chat on Kik, where the defendant asked the girl if she had a boyfriend, about her sexual activity and if she was a ‘good kisser’

In one chat, when Zoe said she would have sex with the right person, Lambert replied: “I’m the right person.”

Another saw the defendant ask what she was doing, and when she said schoolwork, he replied that he ‘needed kisses’ and was playing with his penis, which he described as ‘big’. 

 He asked her if she wanted to engage in sexual activity and sent her sexualised photos and a video, before asking if she was ‘turned on’ by them.

The defendant sent a video of a man performing a sex act and claimed it was himself, then asked if she could send him something similar.

The fourth communication offence involved a different undercover police officer posing as Georgia, again a 13-year-old girl, on the platform Chatiw, and later on Snapchat.

Lambert asked the girl if she was ‘horny’ and sent her a photo of an erect penis.

He was arrested at his former home on Longdin Street in Latchford on December 8, 2022, and gave no comment to questions asked of him during his police interview.

His mobile phone was seized and examined, and a Samsung account linked to both the device and Lambert was found to contain two category B indecent images of children, as well as two extreme pornographic images involving animals.

On behalf of his client, Gerald Baxter, defending, spoke of how Lambert pleaded guilty to all offences and is a man of previous ‘good character’, with no prior convictions.

“He has expressed genuine remorse. He is also deeply ashamed and embarrassed about his behaviour. He is relieved no child was harmed,” Mr Baxter said.

The barrister also said that the defendant is in ‘good’ employment, which he may lose should he be sent to prison immediately, with the same going for his privately rented accommodation.

 Before sentencing, judge Brian Cummings said: “These were attempt offences in the sense that the ‘child’ was very fortunately, including for you, not a child, but a police officer posing as a child.

“Fortunately for you, unbeknown to you but very importantly and critically in your case, the people you were communicating with were not actual children.

“If they had been, the outcome in this case would be very different.

“I cannot accept that you have shown remorse, as remorse means being sorry for what you have done, and it is clear from what you said to the Probation Service, you did not accept what you have done, and there seems to be a level of denial on your part.

“You said you do not have a sexual interest in children. That is simply unrealistic. Of course you do. That is why you committed these offences, and you must come to terms with that.”

However, having deemed the defendant to be a ‘realistic prospect of rehabilitation’, Judge Cummings concluded: “In my judgement, I am persuaded it is appropriate to suspend the sentence in your case.

“Intensive work with you, in my judgement, gives the public and children the best protection and the prospect of you being rehabilitated.”

Lambert, now of Wellington Road in Preston, was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended for two years, including 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He must also sign the sex offender register and abide by the terms of a sexual harm prevention order – both for 10 years – with an order approved to deprive him of his mobile phone.

Description

A man has been sentenced to three years and three months imprisonment after sending graphic sexual images and attempting to meet what he thought to be a teenage girl.

Nathan Graham, 29, of Matson Avenue, Gloucester, appeared at Swindon Crown Court today (22/02) after pleading guilty to:

• Attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child
• Attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity
• Arranging/facilitating the commission of penetrative sexual activity with a child
• Possession of bladed articles in a public place.

The offences took place on December 5 and 6 last year, when Graham engaged with what he thought to be a 13-year-old girl via a social media platform.

The communication was graphic and sexual, with Graham sending graphic images of himself for the girl to view.

He lied about his age, pretending to be 18, and sent maps marking out the bus stops and routes for the child as part of his planning and preparation.

Graham was detained on December 7 in Bloomsbury Park, Freshbrook, Swindon, as he was walking to meet the girl at a bus stop on Gainsborough Way.

He was arrested and subsequently charged for the offences and remanded into custody.

Today, he was jailed for the offences. He will also be on the sex offenders register indefinitely and the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 15 years.

The sentence follows a joint investigation between Wiltshire Police and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).

Det Con Sarah Greenman of the Child Internet Exploitation Team (CIET) said: There can be no place for Grahams abhorrent behaviour in Wiltshire, let alone society.

Graham was fully aware that he was talking to a girl purported to be just 13, and yet he sent her incredibly graphic images and videos of himself, before attempting to meet her for his own sexual gratification.

CIET exists within Wiltshire Police to safeguard children, and we will continue to work alongside the SWROCU, where we are totally committed to ensuring dangerous individuals such as Graham are identified and brought to justice in order to protect the public.

DI David Wells from SWROCUs Online Investigations Team, said: Graham is a harmful sexual predator that has rightly today been handed a significant jail sentence for his crimes.

We are committed to supporting UK police forces in protecting children from harm, reducing risk in our communities and ensuring dangerous individuals like Graham are identified and brought to justice.

Description

A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting a young woman in Wellington last year.

Mirzabek Toshpulatov, 21, attacked and sexually assaulted the woman in the White Hart Lane area of the town during the early hours of Sunday 26 February 2023.

She managed to get free of him and call the police to report to us what happened.

A media appeal seeking witnesses was issued later that day and helped officers identify Toshpulatov as the perpetrator, but he had fled the area. He was subsequently arrested in Essex in October 2023.

Toshpulatov, previously of North Street in Wellington, was sentenced on Friday 16 February at Taunton Crown Court, which is temporarily relocated to North Somerset Courthouse. He received an extended sentence of 11 years and three months, of which the final three years will be served on licence having previously pleaded guilty to sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by touching.

Along with his custodial sentence, Toshpulatov has been ordered to register as a sex offender for life, in which he must inform police of where he is living.

In a statement for the court, the woman said the sexual assault had made her feel ‘unsafe when walking anywhere’.

She said: “In the early hours of the morning on Sunday 26 February, I was attacked following a night out. I was sexually assaulted… When I ran off, I was trying to call for help but no one heard me.

“The day after it happened, I felt so overwhelmed in trying to understand what had happened to me. Everything we did for the investigation was a new experience for me and I didn’t know what would happen from it. It was a lot to come to terms with, and I am still trying to process this now.

“Not only has this left life long lasting effects on me, but also my family. They worry about me wherever I go, and fear this could happen again to me, themselves or anyone else.”

DC Natalie Norman, officer in the case, said: “Incidents of sexual assault are incredibly rare in Wellington and for it to have been committed by a stranger is even more unusual.

“We would like to recognise the courage the woman showed in reporting this to police and helping us focus on bringing this dangerous offender to justice. Had she not done so, Toshpulatov would still be on the streets.

“This incident was treated very seriously from the second it was reported to us and the positive response from the public to the witness appeal made a massive difference to helping us identify Toshpulatov and tracking his movements to Essex.

“The impact on the victim has been significant and would remind anyone with concerns around safety to please make us aware via the StreetSafe tool, which sees us work with other agencies to identify areas of concern and assist us with planning when and where to carry out high-visibility patrols.

“We welcome the significant custodial sentence Toshpulatov has received for the horrific crimes he committed last year. We hope this result gives confidence to all victims of sexual abuse that you will be believed and shows we will work tirelessly to get sexual predators into court so they can be dealt with robustly.”

Description

A Pulborough man who raped and sexually assaulted multiple boys and young men has been jailed.

Ian Elliott, 71, of North Heath near Pulborough, was accused of committing 92 offences against six victims in West Sussex between 1999 and 2021.

Elliott would earn the trust of his victims – who were as young as 16 – and their families.

As a well-known member of the community, Elliott was also the chairman of the local sports association and was involved in local social clubs.

He would then give his victims drugs and alcohol with the intention of stupefying or overpowering them, before subjecting them to rapes and serious sexual assaults.

Many of the attacks were filmed by Elliott himself. Footage was discovered by investigating officers, despite Elliott’s attempts to destroy it, which was used in evidence against him.

He was arrested in September, 2022 and his victims were given specialist support while the investigation continued.

In November, 2022, Elliott was charged and remanded in custody. He was charged with 92 separate offences, including 13 rapes, three attempted rapes, 13 sexual assaults and 20 counts of voyeurism.

At Lewes Crown Court on Thursday, 2 November, 2023, Elliott pleaded guilty to 11 counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, 17 counts of voyeurism, eight sexual assaults, four counts of possession of Class A, B and C drugs, one count of causing actual bodily harm and one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The guilty pleas related to four victims, aged between 16 and 28 at the time of the offences.

An additional 38 charges will lie on file, and 11 were not put forward by the Crown Prosecution Service but are covered by the sentencing powers given through the other convictions.

At Hove Crown Court on Thursday (22 February), Elliott was sentenced to 18 years in prison, with an additional five years to be spent on licence.

He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be a registered sex offender for life.

Passing sentence, HHJ Gold said Elliott had an 'innate sense of superiority' over his victims and had shown 'not a trace of empathy'. 

HHJ Gold listed Elliott's significant degree of planning, use of intoxicants, betrayal of trust, recording of the offending and attempts to destroy the evidence as aggravating factors, concluding Elliott passed the threshold for dangerousness.

In a statement given to Sussex Police, one of Elliott's victims said: “Mr Elliott is now in prison because a couple of brave men decided to speak up. If I’ve learned one thing from this case, it’s to go with your instincts and don’t be afraid to speak up if you think abuse is happening.

"Whatever the outcome or however long the outcome takes, don’t let your abuser win. Pick up the phone and report them to the police or at the very least don’t keep it to yourself and tell someone.”

Detective Constable Victoria Ashworth Kirkby, of the Sussex Police’s Complex Abuse Unit, said: “I cannot commend each of these victims enough for the incredible courage and determination they have shown.

“They deserve immense credit for their strength and resilience, which was crucial in achieving this conviction. I would like to thank them for their support and perseverance throughout this investigation.

“Elliott has been convicted for his crimes but we believe he may have more victims. If you believe you or someone you know may be a victim, please report to us online or via 101, quoting Operation Ridge. You will be believed and supported and we will investigate.

“You can also report offences to Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111 or via their website www.crimestoppers-uk.org.”

Detective Superintendent Miles Ockwell, head of Sussex Police’s Safeguarding Investigations Units, said: “Today’s sentence means that Ian Elliott will spend a significant amount of the rest of his life in prison.

"This is the only appropriate outcome given the multiple lives he has ruined as a result of his relentless campaign of sexual abuse, hidden behind the façade of a trustworthy pillar of his local community.

"I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the bravery of Elliott’s victims who came forward to help us bring him to justice. They will live with the effects of the horrendous abuse they have suffered for the rest of their lives.

"Today, Elliott had the chance to show genuine remorse to his victims in court. Instead, through his Counsel, despite saying that he acknowledges the harm he has done he sought to pass the blame from himself onto them. Elliott is not sorry for what he did – he is just sorry that he got caught.

"Despite a wide-ranging, complex police investigation, we cannot be sure that there are not other unidentified victims of abuse perpetrated by Elliott and I would encourage anyone who does think that they have been a victim to contact police.”

Description

Alistair Taylor, aged 28, of Pageant Drive, Telford, was sentenced to eight years in prison after taking advantage of the 15-year-old girl, telling her that he was "sex addict" and that if she did not let him fulfil his wishes, he would "cut himself".

Shrewsbury Crown Court was told how these offences were committed in 2014 and 2015, but Taylor has since gone on to receive multiple convictions for child sex offences, including possession of indecent images and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity on Facebook.

Notes which Taylor had written were also discovered, depicting his warped fantasies about certain children and how he wanted to sexually abuse them. And the court was told how Taylor was once expelled from Telford College for punching a lecturer after taking a weapon onto the campus.

For those reasons, Judge Anthony Lowe decided Taylor was a "dangerous" offender who posed a significant risk to the public, and increased his sentence.

The court was told how Taylor first met the girl when she was 14, about to turn 15, and he was 18 in Telford town centre. They began messaging and Taylor asked her out two weeks later. When they were in front of his friends, he got her to tell them she was his cousin.

They began a relationship and Taylor first had sex with the girl in a field near a lake in Telford. She was 15 at the time and he had picked her up from school.

"He started to kiss her and she said she felt uncomfortable," said Nigel Stelling, prosecuting. "He said, 'It's fine, no-one can see us'.

Description

A paedophile tricked a 13-year-old girl into getting into his car before driving her to a hospital car park and raping her. After the horrifying attack he laughed at her and said: "I bet you won't meet up with anyone else anytime soon".

Rhodri Llyr Griffiths, 28, raped and sexually assaulted his young victim after driving her to Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, last year. The attack left the victim traumatised and she attempted to take her own life just months afterwards.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard the victim was contacted on Snapchat by an account in the name of 'James Davies' while she was at home alone. She did not know the person but accepted the friend request. Upon doing so she received sexualised messages with the person offering her up to £750 to perform oral sex on her, which she refused.

The man behind the account asked her to send a picture of herself. She did so and told him she was 13 years old. When she asked the man: "How do I know you're not a serial killer?" he sent a video of a man which he purported was himself. He asked the victim if she wanted anything and she told him she wanted a bottle of vodka to take to a party.

Prosecutor Owen Williams said the victim arranged to meet up with the man that night after he attended an Asda store to purchase the vodka and she gave him her address. Upon arriving at a grassy area near her home the man sent a photo of his car to the victim who came out in her pyjamas to meet him.

She got into the passenger-side door of his car and seconds later realised the man in the driver's seat was not the man she had seen in the video but the defendant. She was confused at first and asked if she had got into the wrong car but Griffiths responded: "It's fine, it's fine". She told him to stop the car and let her out but he responded by passing her the vodka bottle and said: "Have this". The car doors were locked and when asked by the victim where they were going he said: "We're going for a drive."

Upon arriving at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr Griffiths parked up and told the victim to get into the back seat. She didn't want to but feared the defendant would kill her if she didn't. As he got into the back seat Griffths was smiling and began using his tongue to kiss the victim who tried to resist but she became frozen with fear. He then told her to turn around on her knees and he sexually assaulted her with his fingers causing her pain and discomfort.

The victim began to cry and Griffiths moved her onto her back before performing oral sex upon her. He then undid his trousers and put a condom on. The victim told him: "No" and tried to turn around but he screamed at her to turn back. He then raped her as she repeatedly told him to stop and get off her. He also touched her breasts with his hands and mouth. Once he had finished he got into the driver's seat and drove off leaving the victim on the back seat.

As he drove her back to her house Griffiths laughed and said: "I bet you won't meet up with anyone else anytime soon." He dropped her off outside her home and passed her the bottle of vodka. The victim ran into her home, deleted the James Davies account from Snapchat, and spoke to her friend about what had happened. Days later she broke down in tears and told her mother what had happened.

The police were called and Griffiths, of Highland Gardens, Neath Abbey, Neath  Port Talbot, was arrested the next day. In his interview the defendant claimed the sexual contact between him and the victim was consensual and denied having sexual intercourse with her. The defendant later pleaded guilty to rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault, and sexual communication with a child. The court heard he was of previous good character.

In a victim personal statement the victim's mother said: "It's a parent's worst nightmare. Lying in bed that night feeling sick to my stomach hoping what she had told me was not true. It was like my brain couldn't process that happening. How can someone do something so awful and how could it happen to my daughter? Our whole lives have changed and I'm heartbroken for my daughter. I feel massive guilt I didn't protect her or keep her safe. The thought of her going through that and I wasn't there to help her eats away at me every day."

The victim's mother said the effect on her daughter has been "horrific" with her scrubbing her skin red raw in the shower and refusing to eat or drink. She said she was no longer able to work as her daughter felt unable to attend school and her daughter had taken an overdose months after the incident in an attempt to take her own life.

The mother added: "I keep wishing it happened to me so I could take her pain away... I keep thinking: 'What if she does something one day to end her life like she's been suggesting and I'm not there to stop her?' Her mental health has been awful and she's asked when she's going to feel her normal self again and can't take the pain she feels every day. I'm constantly worried about her and what she's going to do.

"I've had an emotional breakdown myself constantly worrying and watching over her and to make sure she doesn't succeed in her plan. No mother should have on their mind their child wants to die and the thought of what would happen if she did succeed. My life would be over as well as hers."

In her statement the victim said: "I feel like my life and childhood has been destroyed. I have never hated my body as much as I do now. I have spent hours in the shower scrubbing my skin until it's red raw. When I look in the mirror or close my eyes I see him laughing.... All I want to do is sleep the day away. I will never feel happy again. Even school is too much for me...

"I can't look at another male without feeling uncomfortable, I will never trust another male again. When I see a man with glasses or a red car I panic. I don't feel safe leaving home. I wake up with gut-wrenching fear and terror. All I can think is: 'Why did I wake up? Why can't this all be a dream? Why did this happen to me?' No matter how much counselling and therapy I'll have when I am ready I'll never be the same girl again....

"I thought it would have been easier if he killed me as I wouldn't have to live every day and feel this way. I feel crippled with guilt.... He's ruined my life. My life has changed completely. I don't want to do anything anymore. I want to stay in my bedroom by myself. Life will always be a constant battle but I pray I will find some peace in my head and feel myself again but I know it will take a long time."

In mitigation Nigel Fryer said his client was remorseful for his behaviour but this was rejected by Judge Daniel Williams. He referred to the defendant's guilty pleas and of his previous good character.

Sentencing, Judge Williams said: "You were clearly enjoying what you were putting her through... I don't accept for a moment you have any regret or remorse for what you did. You have a mild form of autism but that doesn't impact your culpability with what you did. You said you had never had any sexual experience until your now-pregnant partner with whom you formed a relationship and you felt as though you'd missed out.

"You pose a high risk of serious harm to female children in the form of sexual violence... You planned this and intended to use alcohol to facilitate the offence. You have caused severe psychological harm in a prolonged incident."

Griffiths was sentenced to 10 years and six months imprisonment with an extended licence period of five years. He will serve two-thirds of the custodial sentence before he will be considered for parole. He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely and to a sexual harm prevention order and restraining order for 15 years.

Following the hearing Gwent Police detective constable Georgia Dunne, the officer in the case, said: “We’d like to thank the victim and witnesses for coming forward and reporting the incident to the police. They have shown tremendous bravery and resilience throughout the investigation and the subsequent court process. Rhodri Griffiths is a dangerous man, and we welcome the sentence provided by the courts and hope that he uses this time to reflect on his actions.”

Detective chief inspector Matthew Sedgebeer, the senior investigating officer, said: “The behaviour displayed by Rhodri Griffiths suggests that there could be more victims who may not have come forward. We hope this outcome shows anyone who is a victim of sexual assault that they will be listened to, believed, and respected. We take all allegations very seriously and if a report is made to us we investigate it thoroughly. We want to reassure anyone considering doing so that there is a whole range of support out there not only from Gwent Police but from partner agencies who can help you through the entire process.”

Description

A successful businessman caught with more than 1,700 child abuse images today avoided jail after a judge heard he needs to care for his cancer-stricken wife.

Steven Bowden claimed he viewed the explicit photos while he was under a lot of 'distress' at the time due to his spouse Heather's diagnosis with an aggressive form of breast cancer.

While being investigated by police and in a moment of 'pure panic' the businessman - who owns a bespoke joinery company - destroyed a computer hard drive and dumped it in a river, a court was told.

But the 60 year old avoided jail after a judge highlighted how his wife - who has 'stood by him' - 'needs' him due to her health condition.

Prosecutor Rod Blain told Southampton Crown Court that Bowden's £900,000 home in Hythe in the New Forest was searched by police in July 2022.

But after officers visited his office in Salisbury, he removed a hard drive, smashed it and threw it in a nearby river.

James Bull, mitigating, described the destruction of the hard drive as an 'impulsive' moment.

He added: "It was a state of pure panic - it was not done as calculated as one might expect."

Bowden claimed to have gained access to the child porn after he was sorting the 'estate' of a deceased family member.

Mr Bull said: "The desktop tower that was in his possession - he received from a family member.

"He received the computer and also the content on the computer.

"He accepts at the time he should have informed the police about the content.

"Instead, he viewed the content and did not take that course of action."

Bowden was found with 1,734 indecent images of children - 145 of which were Category A, the most serious kind.

Mr Bull told the court he is a 'successful businessman' who co-owns a 'bespoke joinery company' with his son but that in 2022 his wife had received her diagnosis.

"Mr Bowden was experiencing a significant amount of emotional and psychological distress at the time," he said.

He added: "[This is] something that he did once and he accepts that it's the biggest mistake he has ever made."

Bowden pleaded guilty to three charges of making an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child and one charge of perverting the court of justice.

Judge Christopher Parker said 'the destruction of the hard drive is a very serious matter' but highlighted the case's mitigating features - in particular in 'regard' to his wife'.

He said: "She has stood by you - notwithstanding the nature of your offending - but she needs you because of her health condition."

The judge handed Bowden an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He will also have to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, pay £1,000 in prosecution costs, and complete rehabilitation activity requirements.

Bowden was also issued with a sexual harm prevention order to last for the next 10 years.

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GWENT Police have released the custody picture of a paedophile caught defying sex offender register terms.

Dewi Mortimer broke the law by not telling his supervising officer of numerous nights he had spent away from home.

The defendant stayed at the Premier Inn hotel in Caerphilly with a girlfriend 20 times.

Mortimer also breached a sex offences prevention order by deleting the internet history on his mobile phone after searching for dating sites.

He admitted both charges.

The 27-year-old was locked up for 14 months at Cardiff Crown Court.

Mortimer, formerly of Blackwood, now of Bradford Street, Caerphilly was jailed in 2020 for grooming a 15-year-old schoolgirl and sending a lewd picture of himself to her on Snapchat.

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A MAN who made indecent images of a child has been ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register.

Ryan Tinkler, 30, pleaded guilty to making 12 Category C indecent images of a child when he appeared before Workington Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Tinkler, of Valley View, Little Clifton, Workington, committed the offence between June 2022 and February 2023.

Magistrates ordered the defendant to complete a 30-day sexual offender programme and 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed with a number of conditions which include making any device with access to the internet available to police upon request, not using any online service that conceals, falsifies, or disguises the IP address and not deleting any internet browsing history records.

Tinkler is required to register with the police as a sex offender for the next five years.

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A paedophile who abused two young girls and paid almost 5,000 for adults to abuse other children around the world has been jailed.

Nathan Lovell, 33, has been locked up for 15 years at Cambridge Crown Court

When officers arrested him, indecent images of children were discovered on his phone, including 1226 category C images or videos, 18 category B images or videos and 14 category A the most severe.

Officers also discovered screen recordings where Lovell was taking part in online conversations directing and paying for children to be abused by other adults.

In one of the recordings Lovell could be seen on the front-facing camera. In another of the conversations, he promised a puppy as payment to an adult about to abuse a young girl.

Officers carried out further enquiries with social media companies, which revealed further instances of Lovell paying for child sex abuse online. In total, he spent about 4,800 in this way.

Lovell, of Opportune Road, Wisbech, was charged with 18 counts in total, including:

• Four counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13 by touching
• Three counts of making indecent images or videos of children
• 11 counts of arranging or facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child under 13

He pleaded guilty to the three indecent image charges at his first court hearing but denied the others.

However, after an eight-day trial at Cambridge Crown Court in December, jurors found him guilty by unanimous verdict on all 15 other charges.

Lovell was sentenced at the same court on Monday (19 February) where he was handed a total of 15 years in prison, with an extended four years on licence.

Passing sentence, Judge Mark Bishop said Lovell posed a significant risk to children and there was an unpredictability to his future behaviour.

A restraining order prohibiting Lovell from contacting the two sexual assault victims was also put in place for 25 years, together with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for the same timeframe to monitor any future offending. He must sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

DC Ollie Plant, from the forces Child Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit (CAISU), said: Our thoughts are with the two young girls targeted by Lovell in the most horrific of ways, and his other victims who were targeted online.

We are pleased he has now been brought to justice and hope the sentence gives his victims and their families some closure from this traumatic period in their lives.

What Lovell did in paying other adults to abuse children across the world will no doubt be shocking to many. A child is victimised when an indecent image is taken and every time it is viewed or shared.

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

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A man described by police as a "perverted criminal" has been jailed for two years after admitting he sexually assaulted a child.

Phillip Budrey, 64, from Adlard Grove in Humberston was sentenced at Grimsby Crown Court on Monday.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier court hearing to sexual assault by touching a child under 13.

Humberside Police praised the victim and her family for coming forward.

Det Con Nichola Oakley said: "Budrey is a perverted criminal who targeted a vulnerable young child and sexually assaulted her.

"He is now facing time behind bars and I hope he takes the opportunity to reflect on his depraved actions and the impact that they have had on the young child and their family."

Budrey was also entered onto the sex offenders register for 10 years and issued with a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

The force said it hoped the sentence would act as a warning to anyone else considering committing these types of offences.

Det Con Oakley said the force would "do everything in its power" to put offenders before the courts.

She added: "If you are the victim of a sexual assault, please be reassured that we are here for you. We will listen and we will support you."