Latest Offenders

Description

A disgraced Metropolitan Police officer who sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl after sneaking into her bedroom at night has been jailed for four years.

Andrew Kirkland, 42, crept into his victims room and pulled down her bed sheets before performing a sex act, Reading Crown Court heard.

Jurors were told that traces of his semen were found on the child's pyjamas and sheets after her mother suspected Kirkland and handed them over to police.

The jury returned a unanimous verdict Thursday following a four-day trial, finding Kirkland guilty of sexual assault on a girl under the age of 13 years.

Judge Kirsty Real sentenced him to four years' imprisonment and he will remain on the sex offenders' register for life.

Kirkland, a former neighbourhood officer based in Ickenham, London, was kicked out of the Met for theft and fraud in 2014, the court heard.

At trial, prosecutor Paul Fairley explained how Kirkland encountered a seven-year-old child in Berkshire in March 2021.

He told the jury that Kirkland had gone into the child's room at night and had pleasured himself over her, believing the little girl was asleep.

The prosecutor added: 'The next thing that the mother remembers is her daughter at the door saying 'my bed's wet' and saying someone had made it wet but it was not her.

'She said she thought a man had been taking photos of her on his phone.

'As you could imagine, her mind was going at 1,000 miles an hour and racing all over the place.'

Mr Fairley told the jury that the girl's mother immediately took the bedsheets and Kirkland's phone to the children's school, where police were called.

Officers seized the bedding, the girl's nightie and Kirkland's phone and arrested him for questioning.

DNA evidence taken from the samples given to police revealed that there were semen traces on three items, including the victim's bedsheets and pyjamas, all matching with that of Kirkland's.

Sarah Kalageros, a DNA expert, told the court: 'In my opinion, the scientific findings provide extremely strong support for the view that Andrew Kirkland had entered the victim's bedroom and ejaculated onto the bed rather than he did not.'

Kirkland maintained in his defence in court that the semen was on the bedclothes because he had performed a sex act alone earlier and may have had semen on his hands.

Less than three hours after the jury was sent out to consider its verdict, the panel filed back into crown court and convicted him on the charge of sexual assault on a child.

As the verdict was announced, loud sighs of relief could be heard from the public gallery.

Kirkland's head fell into his hands after hearing the word 'guilty.'

The prosecutor then read a statement from the child's mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

She said the child kept thinking she was seeing Kirkland and hearing him throughout the day, and that while walking down the road certain noises would make her jump.

Kirkland was dismissed from the Metropolitan Police in 2014, after having convictions for theft by an employee, taking money from the workplace and two counts of fraud by abuse of position.

One of the latter charges related to an incident were he was convicted for using his work phone to contact sex chat lines, the court heard.

Defending the former policeman, Colin McCarraher said: 'He is an ex-Metropolitan Police officer. When he goes off to serve his sentence, that will not be an easy sentence to serve. He is an ex-copper.'

Sentencing Kirkland, Judge Kirsty Real said: 'The victim was particularly vulnerable, ostensibly asleep and at a young age.'

She had earlier been told that detectives found internet searches on Kirkland's phone for porn websites which included how to get into bed with a sleeping person.

The judge added that, although the pornographic videos found on his phone 'showed contemplation, there was no significant planning.'

Kirkland, of Leicester, was sentenced to four year's imprisonment.

He was also ordered to sign onto the Sex Offender's Register for the rest of his life and a Sexual Prevention Harm Order application is to be adjusted at a later date.

Description

A dangerous sex offender who groomed an 11-year-old-girl over a period of three years in incidents dating back to the 1990s has been jailed.

John Best appeared before Judge Graham Knowles at Preston's Sessions House on Thursday, after admitting nine counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 13.

The court heard how Best, now 55, had groomed his victim from the age of 11 by plying her with sweets and cigarettes.

At an earlier hearing, prosecutor, Peter Barr said the offending 'progressed' over 12 months, starting with Best attempting to kiss his victim, before inappropriately touching her, over the top of and then underneath her clothes.

Mr Barr told the court the offending only came to light in May 2020, following an incident whereby Best had gone missing from his home.

When he was found, he was arrested and admitted his guilt.

Best, of Church Street, Accrington, has 20 convictions from 67 offences, including a long period where he was driving while disqualified and went to prison time and time again, but no previous sexual offence convictions.

It was heard that the courts had also tried something other than immediate imprisonment but to no success.

In a personal statement, Best's victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she had been affected by the incidents her entire adult life.

Her statement read: "I feel like I lost my childhood. As I grew into an adult I developed anger issues, and find it difficult trust anyone.

"It's affected my relationships with my family and friends and has caused me severe mental health issues.

"It's affected me my whole life and I am still suffering now, all these years later.

"I found the police investigation difficult but he needs to be held responsible.

"He took my childhood from me and he needs to be punished."

Best was given an extended sentence and jailed for 11 years and given 10 years on licence and placed on the sex offenders register for life.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order until further notice.

Detective Constable Vicky Heys, of Blackburn CID, said: Best abused his young victim over a number of years to satisfy his own twisted sexual desires and has robbed her of her innocence.

This conviction and sentence is justice for her and I commend her for her courage in coming forward and facing her abuser through the court process.

"It must have taken extraordinary bravery to do this, especially after so many years and she has behaved with dignity throughout this investigation.

Lancashire Constabulary remains committed to investigating allegations of this nature, no matter how historic, and no matter what the role, position and status of the alleged offender, and we would encourage anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence to come forward safe in the knowledge that they will be treated sensitively and professionally.

Description

A SEX offender taken in by a woman to give him a chance on release from prison, tried to entice her daughter to snuggle in with him on the sofa on the first night, a court heard.

Joshua Bate, who is now said to identify as a female, Lily, was jailed for seven years in 2015 for rape of a young woman after entering her flat and removing her clothing.

Durham Crown Court heard that after release on licence, Bate sexually assaulted a school girl on a bus and was jailed for a further six months, in 2020, while also having to serve the full remainder of the original seven-year sentence.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said Bate was released from prison in the Midlands on New Years Eve and after joining a Facebook group, was invited to stay at the home of a woman in County Durham, who thought he/she should be given a chance.

Having travelled by train northwards, Bate was met by her at Durham station and went to stay at her home, on January 3.

The plan was for Bate to sleep on the sofa and not to go upstairs, where her daughters were in their bedrooms.

Mr Baker said during the first night, the womans 12-year-old daughter went into her bedroom and showed her messages sent from a phone, registered as Lilys.

In them the girl was invited to creep downstairs and to snuggle in under the covers with Bate, where they could lie, face to face.

Bate also asked the girl: Do you mind if my hands wander and we kiss on the lips. Dont feel awkward. This is our secret

She was also told to only come downstairs if her sisters were asleep.

The girl replied that Bate was, being a paedo and blocked further messages.

Mr Baker told the court that on seeing the messages the girls mother got out of bed and contacted the police as well as confronting Bate, who was arrested.

When interviewed, Bate admitted having sent the messages and said they were sexually motivated.

Bate regretted it and said it would have been, limited to kissing and cuddling, but accepted posing a risk to children and being unable to control himself/herself, in the presence of children.

In her victim statement, the girls mother told the court she now regretted the snap decision to allow Bate to stay at her home, adding: He says he wishes to change sex and identity.

Hes a sex offender no matter what changes he makes.

I feel hes a danger to everybody, but particularly vulnerable people and younger girls.

Bate, 25, now care/of HMP Durham, admitted inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Peter Sabiston, mitigating, said the defendant has not sought to minimise the offending and, there was clearly immediate remorse when confronted.

It was a simple and short grooming incident, a short incitement.

Mr Sabiston said Bate, accepted there would have been some sexual contact, but certainly not serious and penetrative activity.

Judge Ray Singh said he considers Bate poses a significant risk of serious offending and, therefore, passed an extended 40-month prison sentence, to protect the public.

It means Bate must serve two-thirds of the sentence before being eligible to apply for parole and may have to serve the entire 40-months.

On release, Bate will be subject to five years extended licence period.

Bate was made subject of a lifetime restraining order relating to the girl, plus indefinite registration as a sex offender, while also being subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, again indefinitely.

Description

A convicted sex offender who searched online "how to kill a woman" before stabbing a 23-year-old in the back has been given a life sentence.

Brandon Bloice planned to rape his victim after stabbing her, but fled when she shouted for help.

He struck in Carpenter Street, Perth, minutes after following another woman, who ran away.

Bloice, 23, was given an Order for Lifelong Restriction, and must serve a minimum of four years in jail.

The order means he will only be freed when the authorities deem he is no longer a risk to the public.

Bloice previously admitted attempting to murder the woman with intent to rape, as well as threatening and abusive behaviour towards the other.

Judge Gillian Wade QC warned Bloice that he may never be freed.

She said: "This was an abhorrent and pre-meditated assault.

"These events occurred against a background of established sexual offending and stringent monitoring, but you failed to comply with the measures put in place to protect the public."

Sharp pain

The High Court in Glasgow heard that the woman was walking to a local shop at about 00:40 when she felt a sharp pain in her back.

Prosecutor Shanti Maguire told the hearing: "She screamed and turned around. She saw Bloice facing her.

"She started screaming "help, police" over and over again."

Bloice ran off in the direction of Perth Concert Hall and was traced in a city hostel the next day.

Officers examined phones and a tablet device discovered in his room.

Miss Maguire said: "During the analysis, it was established he had used the search terms "how to kills (sic) a woman stabbing" and "can a dead woman still get pregnant"."

The advocate depute said Bloice now accepted that the assault was carried out with intent to rape.

Ronnie Renucci, defending, said background reports into Bloice made "somewhat depressing reading".

The QC said: "It will be entirely up to him if he engages with the authorities to try and improve his situation."

Description

Race hate sex offender Billy Charlton has been jailed for distributing an indecent image of a child to 47 people.

Charlton was under investigation for stirring up racial hatred when he forwarded an indecent image of a young boy and an animal to contacts on WhatsApp.

A court heard it is not suggested he is a paedophile but rather than he has a "sick sense of humour".

When Charlton was jailed for 21 months for the race hate offences in 2019, he shouted at jurors: "I hope your daughters don't get raped".

He was locked up for spreading toxic lies in a series of public speeches in which he hid behind the cloak of wanting to protect women and children from sexual assault while disseminating hate-filled falsehoods about immigrants, Asians, black people and the police.

He was convicted of five counts of stirring up racial hatred after using allegations of rape, kidnap and drugging by a female to spread racist lies.

The judge who sentenced him on that occasion said he had "conflated all immigrants with rapes and sexual offending, thus peddling racist hatred based around falsehoods" and branded him a bully.

Now Charlton, 57, formerly of Seaham, County Durham, but latterly of Sidmouth Road, Bensham, Gateshead, has been jailed for three years for sending the video of a young boy aged between 10 and 14 in the summer of 2018.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

Prosecutor Ian West told the court: "It's not suggested he is a a paedophile or gained sexual gratification from watching it or forwarding it.

"He just has, it seems, a sick sense of humour."

Description

A paedophile who said he wanted to take a girl to bed has avoided jail.

Philip Street, 41, sent sexually explicit messages to a person he believed was a 13-year-old child.

He asked the supposed girl whether she would make him wear a condom if they were to have sex.

The pervert, of Bedford Avenue, Rock Ferry, was actually talking to an undercover police officer.

But a judge said his "very significant disability" substantially reduced his responsibility for the crime.

Street admitted attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Street's solicitors previously raised concerns about whether he was capable of entering a plea.

Derek Jones, prosecuting, said Street had a profile on Chat Avenue, a social media website "mainly used by teenagers aged between 13 and 18", with 13 being the minimum age.

He said Street entered a chat room called "teen chat" on February 12, 2021 and messaged the decoy profile "Kaylee13".

Mr Jones said: "The defendant told her straight away he was 40 years of age and asked her whether she had a girlfriend.

"She then informed him that she was 13.

"It was actually Kaylee who said 'we can move to Skype because we can't share pictures on here'.

"The defendant did say at that point 'I haven't asked for any pictures', but they then agreed to go onto Skype."

The prosecutor added: "When they went onto Skype, he jokingly said to her 'you will be after a picture of my d*** next' and then said 'I will show you my d*** later if you're good'.

"He then asked her whether she would make him wear a condom if they were to have sex."

Street sent a clothed picture of himself to Kaylee, before telling her: "I would like to take you to bed, I would be gentle with you."

He asked further sexually explicit questions and requested a photo of her face, to which the officer sent a generic photo, which Street said was "pretty".

Mr Jones said the pair discussed a female friend of Kaylee, and Street talked about "him being involved with the two girls".

Street did not suggest meeting up with the girl during three conversations, which lasted around an hour and a half in total.

He was traced by his email address and arrested at his home on April 13, when a police search did not reveal any illegal material.

Mr Jones said: "He was interviewed, your honour will have seen not just with an appropriate adult, but somebody acting as an intermediary.

"He accepted the messages were from him, albeit he couldn't remember some of them. He claimed to be drunk when he sent some of them and denied having a sexual interest in children."

Bernice Campbell, defending, said her client, who had no previous convictions, was accompanied at court by his uncle, who is his carer.

Judge Stuart Driver, QC, said: "This is an exceptional case Ms Campbell. The recommendation in the pre-sentence report is realistic and that's the course that I'm going to follow."

The judge told Street he would have to sign on the Sex Offenders Register and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.

Judge Driver said he would not read out the details of the order "as I think it will be hard for you to understand''.

However, he said they included restrictions on Street's use of the internet, and he must not attempt to contact, have unsupervised contact with, or live in the same house as anyone under 16, unless exceptions applied.

He said: "This is a complicated order. I'm afraid it's your responsibility and the responsibility of your carers to make sure you know the rules and that you stick to them, or you will be committing an offence for which you could be sent to prison."

Judge Driver said: "In mitigation, there was no child, this was an adult impersonating a child, and your messages were confined to a single day.

"However, the most important piece of mitigation in this case is the fact that you suffer from a very significant disability.

"You have cerebral palsy and spastic paraplegia, which substantially reduces your culpability for this offending.

"You're in your 40s and have never offended before and of course you pleaded guilty."

The judge handed Street a two-year community order, with a 15-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and a sex offender treatment programme.

Description

A "repulsive" Bedford couple who sexually and mentally abused children have been jailed for 35 years.

Nicholas Harris, 54 and Clare Buttice, 41, were jailed for 23 years and 12 years respectively for abuse that was described as "degrading" in court.

Bedfordshire Police launched an investigation after the victims came forward to report their ordeal, which also included physical violence and abuse.

The couple will have to serve at least two-thirds of their sentence before they are considered for release, must register as sex offenders indefinitely, and are banned from having any contact with the victims.

Detective Constable Nina Bradbury, from Bedfordshire Police's Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) team, led the investigation.

She said: "This was a horrific series of crimes, in which children were exploited into performing acts for the offenders' sexual gratification.

"These offences have had a significant impact on the victims, and they will carry this trauma with them for the rest of their lives. I am pleased the courts have issued such a strong custodial sentence and that this repulsive pair will spend a long time behind bars.

"This case was a lengthy and complex investigation, and is just one of many which demonstrates our commitment to tackling offenders and keeping children safe."

DC Bradbury added: "Protecting children from this kind of sickening abuse is absolutely imperative - and work that needs our collective effort to succeed. Our specialist officers and partnership services will continue to work with and support the victims as they try to move on with their lives.

"But if you have concerns that a child is being neglected, exploited or abused, these concerns are too important not to share. We must all play our part in protecting children."

Description

A THIRTY five year old mechanic from Sandwick has been ordered to carry out 220 hours of unpaid work after admitting possession indecent photos and videos of children.

Erik Stove, of Setter, had previously pleaded guilty to possessing and taking or permitting to be taken indecent photographs of children between 23 August 2014 and 8 March last year.

Lerwick Sheriff Court had previously heard that Stove had three still images and 11 videos on his mobile phone, several of which fell into the most serious category A.

Defence agent Gregor Kelly said a social work report had been full and helpful, showing that, while his wife had temporarily absented herself from the marital home, she had now returned and was supportive.

He said Stove who told police when he was arrested I know theres stuff on my phone thats borderline and I wish to f**k I didnt have it was genuinely remorseful and ashamed of his actions.

Kelly said his client was in many ways relieved to have been caught as it had forced him to address a pornography problem that left him locked in a prison of addiction.

He had been sent two videos involving moving images of children in 2014 and, during the Covid-19 lockdown, had gone on a dark pathway where idle hands precipitated a spectacular further fall from grace.

In the past year he has done much to rid himself of this addiction and is thought of highly by his peers, Kelly added.

Sheriff Cruickshank noted that the offending was unusual in that it took place over a lengthy period but only a small number of images were involved.

He handed Stove a community payback order under supervision for 18 months, during which time he will also be subject to notification requirements under sexual offences legislation.

Description

A 73-year-old man who photographed a teenage girls bottom and followed her around Tesco has been given a 12-month supervision order.

Brian Laing appeared for sentencing at Lerwick Sheriff Court today (Wednesday) having pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner at an earlier hearing.

Laing had photographed the 16-year-old girl in Tesco, Lerwick, on 21st November. He then followed the girl and her 72-year-old grandmother around the store while persistently staring at them.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank found there had been a significant sexual aspect to Laings offence. He therefore subjected Laing, of Staneyhill, Lerwick, to sex offender notification requirements for the length of the supervision order.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said a report prepared for the sentencing showed Laing had made a full and frank admission.

Mr Allan said a supervision order would benefit his client.

Theres going to be some difficult work that he has to deal with, he added.

There are a number of deep-seated issues that he would need to explore.

At the earlier hearing, procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie told the court the incident could be clearly seen on the stores CCTV footage.

Mr Allan previously said his client had suffered six heart attacks and the incident happened before he visited an Aberdeen hospital. He said Laing was on a lot of medication and had no memory of following the girl or taking the image.

Description

Osian Winters - now known as Mark Williams - has a long history of sexual offending which includes pleasuring himself while looking at mannequins in a shop window.

A sex offender with a mannequin fetish openly masturbated on a train in front of passengers including a young schoolgirl.

The child was so disgusted by what was happening she took a photo on her phone of the man and then alerted the guard.

Mark Williams - who has changed his name from Osian Winters since his last conviction - later claimed he had in fact been performing the sex act on a sex toy which he had found in a pub. The defendant was found in possession of such an item but the court heard "the colour and shape" of it did not match what was shown in the snap taken by the girl.

Williams a long history of sexual offences involving children, and of committing sex acts in public - including masturbating while looking at mannequins in shop windows - and he has repeatedly breached court orders designed to try to curb his deviant behaviour.

The 28-year-old claims he is addicted to masturbating.

Swansea Crown Court heard the defendant's most recent offending happened on a train between Carmarthen and Whitland in December last year.

Jim Davis, prosecuting, said the defendant was seen "masturbating in clear view of everybody in the carriage", including a young girl who was sat nearby. He said the youngster was able to take a photograph of the incident and when the train arrived in Whitland and Williams got off, she reported the matter to the train manager.

Police were contacted, and though Williams was wearing a Covid face mask and a baseball cap he was recognised on CCTV footage by a police officer who knows him. The court heard the girl who who reported the incident later told police she had been "disgusted" by what she had witnessed.

The prosecutor said the defendant was arrested on December 21 and in his subsequent interview denied the offence, telling officers "he had been masturbating a dildo he found in a public house". Mr Davis said Williams was found to own such an item but it was "different in colour and shape" from what was captured in the photograph taken on the train.

Mark Williams, of Lammas Steet, Carmarthen, had previously pleaded guilty to outraging public decency when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has 13 previous convictions for 26 offences, some 15 of which are of a sexual nature.

In 2016 he was made the subject of sexual harm prevention order after being convicted of six counts of causing or inciting a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity and two counts of possessing indecent images. These offences related to extensive and sexually explicit online Skype chats he had with a 15-year-old girl.

In September 2018 he was given a community order after being caught on CCTV pleasuring himself while looking at mannequins in the window of Topshop in Carmarthen town centre. On that occasion the judge told the defendant he should aim to establish an appropriate adult relationship with a partner rather than "walking around the centre of town in the dead of night being excited by mannequins".

Description

A disturbed pervert searched unrelentingly for images of children who had been kidnapped, tied up and sexually abused, a court heard.

Henry Hunter, 34, admitted possessing indecent photos of children at Lerwick Sheriff Court today (Wednesday).

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie told the court more than 1,200 of the most serious category A images had been found on Hunters mobile phone and computer.

Mr MacKenzie said it was clear Hunter, of Hoofields, Lerwick, had a particular predisposition for children who had been tied up.

The court heard he used search terms such as kidnapped little girl.

Images found on his devices featured children aged between two and 16, many of them bound and gagged with materials such as ropes, chains or dog collars.

The children were forced to have sex with adults or each other, the court was told.

Mr MacKenzie said Hunters search history revealed a disturbed mind. He was searching the internet with unrelenting regularity for material to satisfy his particular proclivities.

He said the images he searched for involved sadistic, sexual material of young children who had been kidnapped, bound and gagged.

Hunters chat room comments also showed extensive participation in what Mr MacKenzie described as seriously deviant conversations.

When asked in one chatroom what would make the perfect picture Hunter responded it would be a girl who had been hog-tied.

Mr MacKenzie told the court Hunter had been arrested after police, acting on intelligence he had child sex abuse material, obtained a warrant to search his Lerwick flat on 27th July last year.

Officers seized three of his devices a mobile phone, computer tower and external hard drive. Initial searches uncovered a significant number of images.

Hunter was arrested and interviewed by police and made a full admission.

He told officers how he had downloaded images from a number of websites, mostly registered in foreign countries.

Mr MacKenzie said Hunter admitted to police his behaviour had been going on for a number of years and had spiralled out of control.

Hunter admitted masturbating when viewing the material.

A full forensic search of his devices uncovered even more images, some of which were particularly concerning, and dated back as far as June 2005.

He visited one website, notorious among those investigating child pornography crimes, more than 5,000 times on his mobile phone alone.

Most visits were carried out between April and July last year but it appeared he had been accessing it since 2015.

Searches continued right up until when the police search warrant was executed.

As well as illegal images, police also found more than 4,000 borderline images and more than 5,000 animated drawings described as photo realistic which depicted children engaging in various forms of sexual activity.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said Hunter had co-operated with police from the start and was very much aware of the seriousness of these offences.

Mr Allan said there were issues that will need to be explored with his doctor in regard to his mental health.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank adjourned the case until 16th March for the preparation of criminal justice social worker reports and a restriction of liberty assessment.

Hunter has been subjected to sex offender notification requirements for a length of time to be determined at sentencing.

Sheriff Cruickshank granted an application to forfeit his devices.

Bail has been continued.

Description

A married sex pest who attacked a woman and teenager has walked free from court after blaming his behaviour on an earlier car crash.

Dundee Sheriff Court was told Jordan Phillips, 32, carried out sexual assaults on the woman and the teenager.

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Description

A sex offender sailor has been banned from going into parks or play parks after being caught hoarding child abuse images.

Gordon Gray, who has been in the Merchant Navy for 19 years, stockpiled thousands of files during Scotland's first coronavirus lockdown.

A court heard he downloaded and hoarded horrific videos of toddlers being raped and babies and young boys being sexually abused.

The 37-year-old kept nearly 5,000 files on an Asus laptop which was sitting on his bed when police officers arrived to investigate.

The stash of 4,779 images was built up between February 15 and October 22, 2020, Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard.

Between March 23 and May 29, Scotland was the subject of lockdown restrictions, to stop the spread of the deadly Covid-19 virus.

Gray, of Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, returned to the dock yesterday to be sentenced, having earlier pleaded guilty to two charges.

He had admitted downloading indecent images of children and being in possession of the illegal files - in breach of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

After hearing that Gray may lose his job as a result of the conviction and the fact he was being placed on the Sex Offenders' Register, Sheriff Murdo Mactaggart spared him jail.

He placed him on a three-year-long Community Payback Order which will see him supervised by social workers.

He also has to attend the Moving Forward: Making Changes programme, which seeks to help sex offenders change their ways.

He also placed Gray on the Sex Offenders' Register for three years and made him the subject of a conduct requirement, limiting his freedoms in the community.

The conduct requirement means he is not allowed any unsupervised conduct with anyone under the age of 16, unless it has been signed off by his supervising social worker.

He is also not to enter parks of play parks where he believes children may be, unless his social worker lets him, and his use of electronic devices will also be monitored.

And he has to notify those supervising him of his log-in details for his email and social media accounts and websites he uses, so they can keep tabs on what he is doing.

When he admitted his guilt, prosecutor Craig Wainwright said officers from Police Scotland obtained a search warrant for Gray's home "as a result of intelligence received".

He explained: "The accused was alone within the property.

"A search of the locus was carried out.

"A number of devices were recovered, but, in particular, an Asus laptop was on top of the bed in the bedroom.

"It was examined by officers of the Cyber Crime team. They recovered still and moving images."

Mr Wainwright said there a total of 3,161 indecent pictures, and 1,618 films had been downloaded, but all had been deleted.

Of the 4,779 files, 986 were assessed as being Category A images - showing the most extreme forms of child sex abuse.

He added: "They showed the sexual exploitation of male and female children aged between one and 14."

He said the films included a video of an 18-month-old boy being raped, a baby being sexually abused, and an eight-year-old boy exposing himself to the camera in a professional studio.

Description

A Northampton detective tracked down a suspected child sex offender to Germany after he fled from the town in a bid to escape the law.

Szymon Leszek Sieczkiewicz, aged 38, has been jailed for six years for assault and incitement involving an 11-year-old in January 2019.

The Polish HGV driver skipped the country and headed across the Channel ahead of a court appearance but was hunted down by police using a European Arrest Warrant and dragged back to Northampton.

Sieczkiewicz, whose address was not given in court, was was finally found guilty of all charges in October 2021 and last month sentenced to six years and handed an indefinite Sexual Harm prevention Order at Northampton Crown Court.

DS Selena Leppard, who led the investigation, said: I am really pleased that my relentless pursuit of Szymon Sieczkiewicz has resulted in this six-year sentence.

Sieczkiewicz thought he could escape justice by leaving the country, but this case goes to show that Northamptonshire Police will not only go beyond our county borders to pursue offenders but also cross national borders too.

The child in this case has been very brave from the beginning of our investigation and I would like to thank them and their family for their support throughout.

I hope this result, after such a drawn-out case, will allow them some closure and the ability to move forward with their life.

Description

A churchgoer who ‘blighted the childhood’ of a fellow worshipper by raping her when she was just 12 has been jailed for 20 years.

Ian Symonds started grooming the girl more than a year before the rape attack in a pub car park and went on to persuade her to have a three-year under-age relationship with him.

He brainwashed her into believing that God approved of them having sex and told her that the Virgin Mary was only 12 when she and Joseph first slept together.

He used his position as a drummer in a church band to meet and groom her and they had sex around 100 times, mainly in his works van in beauty spots including the Stover Country Park.

The girl, who was 18 years younger than him, only started having doubts about him when she watched EastEnders episodes which included a child abuse story line. Her parents became suspicious when she was 15 and restricted their meetings but Symonds set up a joint Facebook page under false names which they used to exchange messages and explicit photos. He also recorded a string of car karaoke videos in which he sang along to love songs in his van before pointing at the camera and saying ‘and I mean you’.

When she ended the relationship, he falsely claimed to have cancer to arouse her sympathies. In fact, he was a healthy bodybuilder who spent hours at a gym.

She wrote a victim personal statement which said she has distanced herself from the church and still suffers flashbacks and psychological trauma.

She said she cannot bear to be given flowers or chocolates because it still reminds her of the gifts which he showered on her when he was grooming her.

Symonds, aged 40, of Douglass Road, Plymouth was found guilty of two rapes, five counts of sexual activity with a child and one of making indecent images of the girl by a jury at Exeter Crown Court last week.

He was jailed for 20 years by Judge Timothy Rose, who put him on the sex offenders’ register for life and banned any future contact with under age girls through a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

He told him: “These were a series of profoundly serious sexual offences over three years. It is perfectly clear you developed a sexual interest and obsession with her.

“She was confused, as you would expect given her age and immaturity and the reality is that you brainwashed her into engaging in frequent and continued sexual activity.

“You bombarded her with gifts and comprehensively manipulated her in a way which blighted her childhood and has had a devastating effect on her emotional well-being.

“It was persistent and hugely damaging child abuse.”