Latest Offenders

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A Gloucester man who posed as a teenager to look for 'sexual fantasy' on social media was trapped by paedophile hunters, a court heard. Ian Guest, 45, of Painswick Road, Robinswood, has been handed a community order and placed on the sex offenders' register.

At Gloucester Crown Court on Friday (April 22), prosecutor Neil Treharne said that Guest's 'child victim' was in fact an adult posing as a teenager and was a volunteer with the Stand Together as One organisation, which sets up decoy accounts to snare paedophiles. The profile of 'Olivia' was accessed by Guest between February 6 and 11 last year and he was told at the outset that she was aged 14, the court was told. Guest told her he was 16.

"The first couple of messages were innocent enough, but it soon became clear to the 'girl' that he was not 16 and he was challenged about this and admitted that he was 42," said the prosecutor. "When he was asked why he lied about his age he said was just messing about.

"He then started to drop out of the conversations until he took on a new pseudonym as 'John', a 14-year-old, and claimed he was a friend of Guest. The 'girl' felt he was trying to manipulate the situation further."

Judge Ian Lawrie QC interjected: "This shows a degree of calculation in his actions." Mr Treharne said that the conversation as 'John' started going down the route of asking the girl for topless photographs of herself. "But the decoy called his bluff and the conversation soon tapered off," Mr Treharne added.

The organisation contacted Gloucestershire Police and Guest was arrested on February 26 last year. His phone was seized and analysed and was found to still have the text messages to the decoy on his device.

The court was told that in his police interview Guest admitted that he had lied to the decoy about his age and trying to get the girl to take pictures of her breasts. The court also heard that having been interviewed by police, Guest tried to open a similar Facebook account and because of this, he was going to be subjected to a sexual harm prevention order.

Barry White, defending, said: "Guest has been candid about what he has been doing and admitted his guilt. He has no previous convictions.

"He is a man who has limitations. However, he is in full-time employment and works in a warehouse, a job he has done for almost three decades and he operates within his difficulties. He has no issues with drink or drugs."

Judge Lawrie observed: "I question his maturity, despite him being aged 45. It is bizarre behaviour from this man and meeting up with a girl in this scenario is unlikely to become reality in this situation."

Mr White added: "This is not the standard type of case. He denies any sexual intent. He expects to be publicly humiliated over this which will prevent him from doing it again."

Guest pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a girl aged between 13 and 15 to engage in sexual activity, without penetration, between February 6 and 11, 2021. Judge Lawrie told Guest: "You are a man with a good character and I am impressed that you have held your job for a very long time. You have an understanding partner and mother.

"However, you indulged into another life, probably due to a lack of appreciation of the real world, where you exercised a degree of immaturity and indulged in an exercise of fantasy. Because of your issues, I believe you have learned a valuable lesson as you know this is wrong and you will not be repeating it."

The judge sentenced Guest to a 24-month community order which includes attending 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days. He was placed on the sex offenders' register for five years and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same time period. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of 95.

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William Ormandy approached his victim as she went to get a taxi home from Liverpool Lime Street A vile man who raped an 18-year-old woman behind Liverpool Lime Street station was jailed after his "sickening" attack. William Ormandy, 31, approached and started talking to an 18-year-old woman just before 2am on Sunday, February 6 as she walked alone towards Liverpool Lime Street Station taxi rank. Ormandy said, youre gorgeous, and asked where she was going as he followed. A short while later he said, give me a kiss to which she told him no, he then grabbed her and tried to kiss her. Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, at Liverpool Crown Court, said: "She told him she just wanted to get home, but he continued to follow her asking to go back to her house with her. She told him that she lived at home with her mum and told him she was only 18." The court heard how at just after 2am he pulled her into a service alleyway near the station and continued trying to kiss her as she pleaded for him to let her go. She decided to walk up to London Road to get to the next taxi rank, Ormandy then raped the victim and left the location. When she started to walk off he told her "come here" but she left the scene and he went in the opposite direction. Luckily three women came across the 18-year-old in a distressed state and she explained what happened. One of them refused to leave her and flagged down a taxi and took her home. A major investigation was then launched by BTP detectives to trace and arrest Ormandy. On Wednesday, February 16, Ormandy handed himself in at St Anne Police Station and was arrested on suspicion of rape. In interview, he stated he consensually kissed the victim three times and denied raping her. In a statement, the 18-year-old victim explained how she must take medication to sleep and described the impact of the rape. She said: "Since the incident l have not left the house unless I am accompanied by a family member. I dont like to be left alone. I need to know where my family are at all times, and I often sleep in same bed as my sisters. "There have been times that my mum has held me whilst I cry. I am awake at all times in the night having showers, washing myself. "The incident has had a devastating effect on my education. I had been aspiring to go to university, but I have failed all my university interviews. I had clear ambitions and dreams, now I dont know what the future holds for me." William John Ormandy, 31, of Derby Court, Church Road, Halewood, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via video link on Friday, March 18 where he pleaded guilty to rape. This afternoon (April 25) Judge David Potter sentenced him to eight years and three months in prison and imposed an extended four year licence.. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life. On handing down the sentence at Liverpool Crown Court, the judge said he was satisfied that Ormandy deliberately targeted a lone 18-year-old and isolated her, showing a significant degree of planning. The court heard Ormandy has 13 convictions for 29 previous offences including a history of violence against women. He was convicted last year of assaulting and harassing a former partner and was subject to a community order at the time of the rape. Sarah Holt, defending, said that Ormandy struggles to comprehend his behaviour and has no recollection. She added: He is ashamed of himself and says he is lost for words. Miss Holt said his family is devastated and does not condone his behaviour but will support him when he leaves jail. Judge Potter told Ormandy, his previous convictions reveal a worrying attitude that you have towards those you are involved within intimate relationships. You have a violent history against women. It was a persistent incident and force was used. The pre-sentence report demonstrates a lack of insight into your offending. Judge Potter said that he agreed with the probation officers view that Ormandy represents a high risk of harm specifically to women, known to him or strangers. Senior Investigating Officer in the case, Detective Inspector Granville Sellers, said: Despite claiming he didnt commit the offence in interview, Ormandy is undoubtedly an opportunist sexual predator that preyed on a vulnerable girl and subjected her to a sickening ordeal. He realised the net was closing in as my team worked round the clock to apprehend him and he subsequently handed himself in. "The physical and emotional impact his despicable crime has had on the victim cannot be underestimated. She showed incredible bravery to report his actions to us, and we continue to support her as Ormandy faces his adequately long stint behind bars. "While crimes like this are extremely rare on the railway, they will never be tolerated. I hope his quick journey between committing the abhorrent crime and being convicted serves as a stark warning to sexual predators we will catch you and promptly bring you to justice."

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A PAEDOPHILE who sexually abused a schoolgirl when she was aged between eight and 10 around 40 years ago has been jailed. Michael Patrick, 62, from Caerphilly, committed the offences when he was a young man twice his victims age. Cardiff Crown Court heard how the defendant had learning difficulties and was childlike and interacted with children as a result. Patrick, of Gwerna Crescent, Maesycwmmer, admitted one count of indecent assault and was convicted of another charge of indecent assault following a trial. The offences were committed between 1979 and 1982 in the Caerphilly county area. Ieuan Rees, representing Patrick, said this was a sad case in many ways. In mitigation he added how his client had led a very isolated life and had already served the equivalent of a seven-month prison sentence after being remanded in custody. Judge Catherine Richards told Patrick: I have to sentence you for two occasions when you sexually assaulted and abused a young girl aged eight to 10 years of age. The impact upon her is clear the impact of offending of this kind is lifelong. You were twice her age and even though she knew you were childlike in your ways, she also knew you were an adult and you were clearly making her do things that she had no way of understanding, processing or consenting to. She added: I have to take into account your own limitations as set out in the psychiatric and pre-sentence report as they affect your culpability with the result that this should be a lower starting point for you as compared to someone without your limitations. Your victim described you as a lot more childlike and you interacted with children as a result. The psychiatric assessment confirms in particular that you have an autism spectrum disorder and a prior diagnosis of learning disabilities as well as a schizoaffective personality disorder. The judge told the defendant he was not prepared for adult sexuality in a way that was necessary for those with your difficulties. Patrick was jailed for five years. He was told he will have to register as a sex offender for life and was made subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

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A disgraceful child abuser preyed on a sleeping boy in a tent.

Michael Cullen, now 36, of Catherine Street, Widnes, faced justice on Monday at Liverpool Crown Court after jurors convicted him at trial on March 10 of one count of engaging in sexual activity with a child and one of incitement.

Henry Riding, prosecuting, said Cullen had displayed elements of planning and grooming behaviour before abusing the young teenager.

Judge David Swinnerton said that during the day before the offences, Cullen had indulged in behaviour of a type that were it to have happened between two people of the same age one might describe as flirtation.

This was namely spraying water at the boys groin, drawing a dog on his thigh, and stroking his leg with his foot.

He said Cullen had woken his victim while he was sleeping in a tent, touched him under clothes and coaxed the boy to do the same to him.

Cullens victim felt like he was having an anxiety attack and zipped his sleeping bag back up.

Mr Riding said the boy had provided two impact statements but did not want them to be read out in court.

Judge Swinnerton confirmed he had read them and the victim said the abuse had a significant impact on him, and the boy had struggled to sleep and his relationships had been affected.

Carmel Wilde, defending, said there had been no long-term grooming and no drink, drugs or luring, and although there was a disparity in age, she called it not a gross disparity - a claim later rejected by the judge.

She urged the judge to consider that Cullen had no previous convictions and showed willing to engage in the Horizon sex offender programme, adding he remained in denial.

Ms Wilde said there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and said references had been submitted to the court describing positives in Cullens character, suggesting a suspended sentence with rehabilitation could serve the public interest.

She said there had been threats in connection with the case, including that Cullen would be killed if he was imprisoned.

Judge Swinnerton sentenced Cullen to three years in prison and placed him on the sex offenders register for life alongside a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order.

Branding the abuse disgraceful, he said: There was undoubtedly a significant disparity in your ages and there are elements of planning and grooming.

Cullen must also pay a statutory victim surcharge.

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A perverted pensioner has been jailed for 17 years for his horrific sexual abuse of a young boy and girl more than 30 years ago. Paedophile Peter Byrne violently raped both his victims on multiple occasions and Judge Andrew Hatton imposed an extended licence period on top of his jail sentence after concluding that the 76-year-old was a dangerous offender. Former Calderdale man Byrne was first convicted of indecently assaulting girls under 14 back in 1970 when he was 25 and he also admitted further sexual abuse offences in the late 1980s. In 2016 at the age of 69 Byrne, now of Townsgate Way, Irlam, Manchester, travelled 150 miles to have sex with an eight-year-old girl only to find out he had been talking to an undercover police officer. Byrne was jailed for 30 months for that offence, but his court case prompted two more of his victims to contact the police and last month he was convicted of a series of serious sexual offences against them dating back to the 1980s and early 1990s. Byrne was jailed today for offences of rape, buggery and indecent assault and his own barrister David Hall said the pensioner would be a frail old man when he becomes eligible for release after serving two-thirds of his 17-year jail term. Judge Hatton said the victims impact statements made harrowing reading and by putting them through a trial Byrne had continued abusing them by requiring them to be cross-examined. Both of them have been significantly impacted by your offending, he told Byrne via a video link to HMP Leeds. Both of them clearly found the experience of giving evidence in their own ways very difficult. The court heard that Byrne plied the young girl with alcohol and also recorded some of the abuse using a camera. He said Byrne had used violence of a gross nature against both complainants, who must not be identified for legal reasons, and they had both suffered a severe psychological impact. Byrne is already subject to a lifelong notification requirement as a sex offender as a result of his previous crimes. Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Lindsay said: I would like to thank the victims for their bravery in coming forward and reporting these matters. Because of this, Byrne has got the sentence that he deserves. This case shows that, despite the passage of time, people like Peter Byrne can be brought to justice and I would urge anyone who has suffered in a similar way to come forward and to report the matter to us. We have dedicated safeguarding officers here in Calderdale who are able to support you, will believe you and will take your reports seriously.

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A man has been jailed after kissing a teenage girl who suddenly turned up at his home in the "middle of the night".

Aurimas Turcinavicius took advantage of the 14-year-old girl and started "messing around" with her after she went to his home for shelter after a "blazing row" at her home. He ignored a police warning to stay away from her and pictures of the two of them, including one where they were in bed together, were later found on her phone, Hull Crown Court heard.

Turcinavicius, 36, of Milldane, Orchard Park estate, Hull, admitted two offences of sexual activity with a child between August 17 and 27 and between October 26 and 29. The case was originally listed for trial but he changed his pleas two weeks before it was due to start.

David Godfrey, prosecuting, said that Turcinavicius groomed the teenage girl by buying her things and, on two occasions, kissed her in a sexual way. He was interviewed by Humberside Police in August because of concerns about their relationship and was warned about his behaviour, but he went on to commit the second offence.

It happened when she turned up at his home. The girl took pictures of them that seemed to be sexualised and showed them kissing in different locations. "There is one of them in bed together," said Mr Godfrey.

The girl's sister had made a statement saying that the girl had become a lot more introverted since the incidents. The girl herself had not assisted the police and did not want to do so.

Nick Worsley, mitigating, said that Turcinavicius, who is Latvian, claimed that the most that ever happened was that he and the girl kissed a couple of times and that there was no sexual touching. "I kissed her once on her birthday," he claimed. He realised that he should not have done so and he bitterly regretted his behaviour.

Turcinavicius had split up from his long-term girlfriend, with whom he had a four-year-old daughter. He was on good terms with them and had not been able to see them because he had been remanded in custody since the end of October.

"He understands that it has come about through his own actions," said Mr Worsley. "This was some ill-advised kissing on a couple of occasions. It went no further than that."

The reason that the police became involved was because the girl left her home after a "blazing row" and went round to see Turcinavicius in the "middle of the night" for shelter.

The police came knocking there because the girl had gone missing. She had become "not obsessed with him", but was pursuing him.

"It was not deliberate and persistent flouting of a shot across his bows," said Mr Worsley. "This is the girl coming to him when there had been troubles at home."

The girl took photographs of them together. "She jumped on to the bed and took a selfie with him," said Mr Worsley. "It's not him that has taken the photograph. This is not contact that was taken further. It's messing around."

Turcinavicius was hard-working and had always worked, apart from a couple of weeks, and was a "model prisoner" in custody. He had a conviction for criminal damage.

Judge John Thackray QC said that Turcinavicius kissed the girl in a sexual way, using their tongues, in what "used to be called French kissing".

He told Turcinavicius: "You became very close to your 14-year-old victim and you kissed her in a sexual way on two occasions. There was a very significant disparity in age of over 20 years. You continued to have contact with your victim despite a previous warning.

"Only appropriate punishment can be achieved by way of an immediate custodial sentence. It must be an immediate custodial sentence. A clear message must go out in cases like this."

Turcinavicius was jailed for 16 months. He was given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and must register as a sex offender for 10 years.

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A North Shields paedophile was found in possession of sickening indecent images that depicted children in "pain and distress".

Russell Liddell had already received a community order in 2011 after being found in possession of child sexual abuse images. But the 53-year-old was hauled back to Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday after being found with more indecent material after police went to his home on April 8, 2020, seized electronic items and found category A, B, and C images.

The court heard that children as young as three-years-old were found on his devices. Liddell appeared at the court to be sentenced for three counts of making indecent images of children. He had pleaded guilty to the charges at a previous hearing.

Neil Pallister, prosecuting, said an SD card, flash-drives and a hard-drive were seized when officers raided his home. A total of 17 category A, 10 category B, and 1,227 category C images were discovered, which depicted children between the ages of three and 16-years-old. Mr Pallister said some of the material included videos and showed children in "pain and distress".

The court heard that in 2011, Liddell, of Glendower Avenue, North Shields, was given a three year community order after being found in possession of indecent images. Mr Pallister said: "The defendant had left a mobile phone on a bus, which was found and examined. Indecent images were found and the phone was traced back to the defendant. His home was searched and 4,236 indecent images were recovered."

Adam Birkby, defending, said the "vast majority" of images that Liddell was found in possession of in 2020 were category C. He said: "This is a rather unusual case. He explained that some images had been downloaded as part of the last offending, not all of the images were new images." Mr Birkby said that the images had "triggered an addiction" and said he had a "complex mental health history". He added: "He leads a very isolated life and recognises he needs professional help."

The court was told that Liddell works from home for a call-centre and is a carer for his elderly father. Mr Birkby said that an immediate prison sentence would have an impact on him.

Sentencing Liddell, Recorder Ian Mullarkey said he had an "entrenched sexual interest in children" and handed him a 16 month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He ordered him to complete 55 rehabilitation activity days and made him subject of a four month electronic curfew. He must complete a sex offender programme and was made subject of a 15 year sexual harm prevention order. He will also be on the sex offender's register for 10 years.

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A waiter at a Chinese restaurant 'persuaded' a 15-year-old girl to have sex with him after taking her back to his flat.

Christopher Chan, 34, took a 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, back to his flat in Southport and had what the court was told was 'consensual sexual intercourse' with her. On two of the occasions Chan had given the 15-year-old alcohol, but a judge found that was to 'develop their relationship' rather than to facilitate the offences.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday, April 22, that Chan committed the offences while “on the bounce” after the end of a serious relationship. In an impact statement read to the court, the girl told how he persuaded her to have sex with him. 

She said his behaviour had affected her ability to concentrate at school and she went from having very good grades to poor ones which spoilt her chances of attending Cambridge University. She began self-harming and took an overdose, and has since been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and is on medication.

The girl said: "I now have trust issues with men, worrying they want to take advantage of me for their own needs."

Chan, who worked at Lings On Kings in King Street, Southport, had been found guilty of four offences of engaging in sexual activity with a child involving penetration.

Jailing him for three years Judge David Aubrey, QC, pointed out that the defendant had been twice her age and she had told him that she was under the age of consent.

He said: "You were not in a good place at the time because a long term relationship had broken down. However you knew it was against the law and wrong to engage in sexual activity with your victim

"There is no doubt whatsoever your victim has been impacted to a considerable extent by the relationship that she had with you."

Arthur Gibson, defending, pointed out that the offences took place with a two week period when the girl was three months short of her 16th birthday.

He said the offences happened after the break down of a very serious relationship. He suffers from agoraphobia and depression and it was his continual demands on her that led to her leaving him.

Judge Aubrey ordered Chan, of Manchester Road, Southport, to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

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A sex offender accused his three victims of being liars when he was arrested almost two decades after subjecting them to abuse. Sirfraz Ahmed preyed on the girls in the early 2000s when they were aged between three and seven years old. Leeds Crown Court heard how the abuse took place in different areas of the city. Ahmed, 32, was aged in his early teens at the time of the offences. The court heard how one of the victims was abused in front of other children. Another victim was abused after Ahmed took the child into a garden shed. Leeds Crown Court heard Ahmed was finally arrested in 2020 after his victim found the courage to report the offences to the police. Ahmed, now of Albion Street, Dewsbury, initially denied any wrongdoing and accused the victims of making up false reports about him. He later pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault. One of the victims read a statement to the court describing how she found the strength to report Ahmed to the police after she saw him years later and he taunted her about the abuse. She told the court: "This decision was not just to get justice for ourselves but to prevent there from being any more victims." Ahmed has previous convictions for robbery, burglary, theft and driving offences. In 2015 he was given a 78-month prison sentence for robbery. Taryn Turner, mitigating, said Ahmed pleaded guilty to the offences at an early stage. Ms Turner said the defendant was himself a child when he committed the offences. The barrister added Ahmed had been assessed by the probation service as being a low risk of reoffending. Ahmed was jailed for 28 months and told he must go on the sex offender for ten years. Judge Timothy Clayson told Ahmed that he had caused psychological and emotional harm to all three of his victims.

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Steven Hobson, aged 29, was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years in 2017 after being jailed for making and distributing indecent images of children.

Upon his release he had to agree to abide by strict rules, including notifying the police of any change of address.

Hobson is now wanted for breaching the Sex Offender Notification Requirements.

South Yorkshire Police said: As part of the terms of the Sex Offenders Register, Hobson is required to regularly update his address with police, however he has now failed to register an address with us since January 2022.

Extensive enquiries have been made to locate Hobson but despite speaking to him, he has failed to provide us with his current location.

Hobsons last known address was in Sheffield but he also has links to Rotherham, Lincolnshire and Lancashire.

Questions have been raised over why it took South Yorkshire Police so long to notify city residents that the sex offender was missing.

Jacqueline Howarth said: Why has it taken four months to release this information? I hope he is found quickly and taken off the streets again. We all have a duty of care and protection towards all children whether they are your own or not.

Addressing South Yorkshire Police, Dale Young said: So he's been missing since January, a DANGER to children and your letting the public know NOW. Wow do we not think the public should of been updated on day one of the offender missing?

Hennifer Rach added: Since January they've not known where he is and only just made the public aware.

Others are suggesting a change in the law, including sex offenders being tagged upon their release from prison.

Dawn Cartwright said: Shouldn't he have one of them things on his ankle, so they know where it is at all times?

In agreement, Julie Beales said: They should be on tag for 10 years and the register for life.

Anyone who spots Hobson should dial 999 immediately.

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A football coach who sexually abused boys after grooming them through online gaming and relentless messages has been jailed for 15 years and 10 months.

Alfie Morel, 24, from Hampshire, was found guilty of eight offences in January, including attempted rape.

A school of one of the victims and the FA both raised concerns about Morel not following safeguarding rules and travelling with boys in his car alone.

A victim's mother told the BBC it was "your worst nightmare as a parent".

Another parent said: "He was highly thought of. Everyone liked him, everyone trusted him, we thought he was great with the kids. We were totally groomed by him."

The crimes - carried out over eight months in 2020 and 2021 - came to light when one of the victims, who was 12 at the time, told his mother Morel had sent him sexual messages.

The boy revealed the coach had committed a sex act in front of him, sexually assaulted him and bribed him to perform sex acts on him in exchange for money or Fifa football video games points.

The court also heard Morel would share images with his victims on Instagram, before moving the conversations to Snapchat, allowing him to "delete compromising messages".

Prosecutors said he had targeted boys who were "vulnerable and insecure" and had divulged personal information about his own mental health to gain leverage. He carried out abuse in the victims' homes and in his car.

At one point during the sentencing hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court, the judge told Morel to "stop smirking".

'Shocking case'

One parent read out a victim impact statement and said her son had remained "tormented" since the abuse.

"Guilt, anger and sadness has taken over my life. I am totally broken. I have lost faith in systems and the ways children are protected," she told the court.

Passing sentence, Judge Richard Shepherd said Morel had "ingratiated" himself to the boys who were "football mad".

"You lied, manipulated, coerced, bribed and cajoled for your own sexual pleasure. All the victims looked up to you, you were in a position of trust." he added.

An FA spokesperson said it "welcomes the conviction and sentencing of Mr Morel and we wholly condemn the horrific abuse that this individual inflicted.

"The young victims have shown remarkable courage in speaking up and in giving evidence so that criminal justice could be delivered. Our thoughts are with these children and their families at this time," they added.

Hampshire County Council declined to reveal what action was taken after the school flagged its concern, but said the matter was passed to its children's services department.

"We do not provide information about referrals as this must necessarily remain confidential," a spokesperson added.

"Schools are responsible for undertaking safeguarding checks for staff they employ, as are any third-party organisations providing services to schools.

"However, it is important to understand that individuals who breach their position of trust do so deceptively and will do whatever they can to conceal their actions."

Det Sgt Barry Martin, of Hampshire Constabulary, said: "Even for us who work in policing, and specifically in the investigation of the abuse of children, this is still quite a shocking case."

He said that without the "character" of the victims to come forward and give evidence against Morel he might have offended further.

Morel was also found guilty of three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, causing or inciting a child into sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and two counts of sexual communication with a child.

He admitted another count of sexual communication with a child during his trial. He was acquitted of a charge of rape.

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Francis Ward, 36, of Fox Street, was jailed for 25 years at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, April 22, 2022.

A rapist looked stunned as he was jailed for 25 years for sexually assaulting two teenage girls.

Francis Ward refuses to to accept he raped one of the teenagers and sexually assaulted the other even after being found guilty earlier this year. The two girls and their families faced him down in court today and celebrated as the sex attacker was led to the cells. 

He was open mouthed as Judge Robert Trevor-Jones sentenced him to a lengthy jail term. David Birrell, prosecuting, said Ward, from Fox Street, Liverpool, committed his first attacks on one girl before then targeting the second girl. 

He said that after being arrested Ward, who turned his head away from the victims seated in the public gallery for much of the hearing, denied the attacks took place. Mr Birrell said: “He was arrested and taken into police custody. He was questioned and answered 'no comment' to each and every question."

Ward's denials continued through all of his court hearings, including the trial. Jurors found him guilty of the attacks on March 18. Jonathan Duffy, defending, said Ward still disagreed with the jury’s verdict. Mr Duffy said: “As your honour knows from having heard the trial and what is said in the pre sentence report, the defendant does not agree with the verdicts of the jury but he respects them and understands your honour will have to sentence him on the facts as the jury found them.”

One of the girls addressed the court today, explaining how Ward’s attack had made her contemplate taking her own life. A statement from the second girl, read out by Mr Birrell, outlined similar psychological trauma.

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones told Ward his actions continued to have far reaching consequences for both girls. He said: “Each of them clearly articulated an enduring trauma and scarring. As far as they are concerned, I am satisfied you inflicted serious harm on them.”

Judge Trevor-Jones added that Ward’s continued denials during his trial had forced both girls to “relive the horrors of this abuse, branding them liars in the process”. He jailed Ward for 18 years for the rape and sexual assault of one of the girls and for seven years for the sexual assault on the other.

The length of the sentence appeared to take Ward by surprise. He was open mouthed and shook his head a number of times after the verdict was announced before being taken down to the cells.

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Samuel Morris has pleaded guilty to 40 counts of sexual offences against children aged between 11-15yrs old. He was sent to prison for 11 years and has also been given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Morris offences included inciting children to engage in penetrative activity, inciting sexual activity and numerous offences of sexual communication with a child.

Morris also pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children of Category A, B, C, extreme pornography and prohibited images and to the distribution of indecent images of children online.

South Wales Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT) conducted a thorough and complex online investigation which resulted in children being identified within the UK as well as in USA and Australia.

POLIT detectives identified that Morris had been posing as a 16 year-old boy on social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat to meet children and establish a relationship.

He encouraged children to send indecent images of themselves which he captured with screen recording equipment and saved to his devices before sharing a number of these with other sex offenders via online forums.

The investigation resulted in 31 children aged between 11 and 15 years old being identified as victims.

Due to the complex and thorough investigation conducted by South Wales Police Detectives from the Specialist Crime, Police Online Investigation Team led to an early guilty plea and todays sentence.

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A “DANGEROUS” rapist who “uses his charm to do what he wants” has been jailed.

Ian Mark Whittaker, now 24, put a cloth over the victim’s face to keep her quiet and grabbed her round the neck during the Christmas rape.

Afterwards he used emotional blackmail to try and stop her going to the police, York Crown Court heard.

For two years she didn’t tell officers, but finally she got the courage to do so and Whittaker was convicted.

In her victim personal statement, she said she will never recover from what he did.

“She describes him as a dangerous man, dangerous through his charm and presenting well,” said David Lamb, prosecuting. “He uses that to do what he wants and thinks he will pull the wool over everyone’s eyes with his charm.”

Summarising the statement, the barrister said Whittaker had tried to turn others against her and made “empty promises” that he would admit his guilt and not put her through the ordeal of giving evidence.

But he didn’t and she described “being interrogated in a crown court full of strangers and the defendant forcing her to explain details of the disgusting things he had put her through,” said Mr Lamb.

During the trial “he didn’t show an ounce of remorse, he didn’t even have the decency to look at her,” the barrister said.

She had trusted him and “he had abused that trust and manipulated it to his advantage.”

After the rape more than three years ago, he claimed she would “ruin his life” if she went to police and told her she was “damaged as a result of the rape and no-one else would want her,” said Mr Lamb.

Judge Simon Hickey said the rapist had used emotional pressure to try and prevent the victim going to the police.

In the trial, the jury read several messages sent by Whittaker to the victim about the rape which the judge described as confessions.

They heard how, in a separate incident, Whittaker had put a cloth over the victim’s face and poured water over it.

Whittaker, of Bransholme Drive, Clifton, was jailed for six years and nine months, put on the sex offenders’ register for life and banned from contacting the victim in any way or posting on social media about her, also for life.

He had denied rape but was convicted at trial.

The judge said there was another side to Whittaker and quoted a reference from the defendant’s stepfather which described him as hard-working with good technical skills.

After being made redundant during the pandemic from his security job at York Hospital, he had become a delivery driver.

He had matured in recent times, said the reference.

Defence barrister Katherine Robinson said Whittaker had wanted to go in the Army but would now be unable to do so.

He had no previous convictions.

Description

A man has been given an extended 23-year-sentence after being found guilty of multiple sexual offences in Kirklees.

Adnan Afzal (35) who lived in the Dewsbury area was sentenced for six sexual offences including rape at Leeds Crown Court on Friday (April 22).

The 34-year old was sentenced for rape, attempted rape, and sexual assaults on his victim which took place between 2017 and 2019 in the Kirklees area.

One of the sexual assaults took place when the victim was a young teenager.

He was jailed for 17 years with an extended licence period of six years making for a 23 year term in total.

Afzal was arrested in by officers from the Kirklees Police Child Safeguarding Team in 2019 after the offences were first reported by the victim and her family.

He was found guilty of all six offences by a jury following a four day trial at Leeds Crown Court.

DC Samantha Smith of the Kirklees Child Safeguarding Team, said: I want to praise the courage of the victim in this case in coming forwards and reporting the offending Afzal subjected her to.

We welcome the sentence he has received which reflects the very serious nature of his sentencing and his refusal to admit his crimes against his victim and put her and her family through the ordeal of a trial.

Victims of sexual offences will always be listened to and we will do all we can with partners to support them, investigate reported offences, and seek justice for them.