Latest Offenders

Description

A predatory sex offender has been branded a "monster" after he targeted a young girl and did "horrendous" things to her that would cause lasting harm to her in the future.

James Andrew brazenly took advantage of the youngster and then tried to blame TikTok, the internet and her new mobile phone for any knowledge that she might have about sexual matters, Hull Crown Court heard. Andrew, 39, formerly of Goole, denied four offences, including three of sexual assault and another of assault by penetration, in October 2019 but he was convicted by a jury after a trial.

Judge Mark Bury said that, on two occasions, Andrew intimately touched and kissed the girl. Andrew exposed himself and made her touch him before he intimately touched her again. "You told her as you were leaving that you were sorry and shouldn't have done it," said Judge Bury. "She said nothing about what you had done for a year. You denied doing anything wrong and you deflected blame."

Andrew had claimed that the girl gained any knowledge of sexual matters from TikTok and the internet after she had recently been given a mobile phone. "The fact that you were searching for other people to blame does you no credit," said Judge Bury.

"It's impossible to tell what harm this is going to do to her. What you did has long-lasting and very real implications. You told her to keep it a secret."

A woman who knew the girl said in a statement that the offences had "broken" the girl and those who knew her. Andrew was a "monster" who had done "these horrendous things to her". She added that she had not regarded Andrew as a monster at the time.

"You never truly know what someone is capable of until it's too late," she said. The girl now struggled to trust people.

"He has taken her innocence and that's something you can never change," said the woman. "It's so hard to see the pain in her eyes every day." The girl faced a daily "trauma" because of her ordeal.

Charlotte Baines, mitigating, said that there were two separate incidents of sexual behaviour towards the girl. Andrew had suffered problems while remanded in custody after being convicted of the offences.

Andrew, recently of King Street, Thorne, near Doncaster, was jailed for six years and was given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. He was ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

Description

A convicted rapist with derogatory attitudes about females preyed on a lone woman and subjected her to a terrifying ordeal in her own home.

Ian Maclean forced his way into his victim's house after first establishing she was on her own before throttling her. The victim later said she thought the intruder was going to rape her, and she said he seemed to enjoy how scared she was. Swansea Crown Court heard Maclean has more than 120 previous offences on his record including assaults, burglaries, and a "particularly horrific" rape of a young woman who he dragged from her bed after breaking into her house.

Handing down an extended sentence, a judge told the 49-year-old he had no doubt he should be considered a dangerous offender, and he said it may be that Maclean had been motivated by his desire to regain dominance over women after a period in prison.

 The court heard that on March 31 year last Maclean was acquitted of rape following a trial at Swansea Crown Court. Later that night he burgled a woman's flat and ransacked the property, helped himself to some of his victim's alcohol, and rearranged her underwear in a dresser drawer.

Then on the morning of April 5 he left his parent's house in Llanelli and caught a train to Swansea.

Helen Randall, prosecuting, said at around 2pm a woman working in her garden became away of being watched through the hedge - thinking it may have been a neighbour she called out but Maclean replied: "I'm not lurking, I'm looking for my father, Kevin". The court heard the woman told him he had the wrong address and Maclean tried to engage her in small talk before leaving.

Later that afternoon the woman was in her house when she became aware of a man standing outside her front door - through the glass she recognised him as the same male who had been watching her earlier. The court heard Maclean opened the door and walked into her house - the woman told him he couldn't come in but he pushed past her. The homeowner tried to force him back out but he pushed her aside.

The prosecutor said the frightened woman tried to remain calm and talk to the man in an attempt to get him to leave, and when he asked for a cigarette paper she suggested he could have a smoke and a cup of tea outside. Maclean replied: "I don't want a cup of tea. That's not what I want". The court heard the woman thought the intruder was going to try to rape her, and that "he appeared to enjoy the fact he was frightening her".

The woman was able to grab her phone and flee the property with Maclean in pursuit - he chased her though the garden before catching her by the garden gate and grabbing her around the throat. The woman called out to a neighbour for help and managed to poke her assailant in the eyes causing him to lose his balance. Maclean then "calmly walked away" and the police were alerted. The defendant was located a short distance away where he became "obstructive and abusive" towards officers and had to be restrained.

In his subsequent interview Maclean said he had purchased alcohol and had gone for a walk. He denied going into the woman's house or assaulting her, and said he had been the one who was scared by her shouting and running around. He said he had walked away before sitting in a chair in a nearby garden and falling asleep.

In a statement from the victim of the Llanelli burglary she said she had been left feeling unsafe in her own home, and now locks the bedroom door at night and sleeps in her clothes in case she has to flee.

In her statement the victim of the Swansea incident said she had felt "absolutely terrified" during the ordeal, and now suffers with anxiety, has trouble sleeping, and suffers flashback where she sees Maclean's face and smells the alcohol on his breath. She said she felt "violated" at having the intruder in her house, and the experience had totally changed the way she lived her life.

Ian David Maclean, of no fixed abode, had previously been found guilty of burglary at trial in regard to the Llanelli matter and had pleaded guilty to affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) in regard to the Swansea offending when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has 44 previous convictions for 127 offences including an ABH on a partner who he kicked and punched in the face and a battery on a partner who he had throttled. He also has convictions for six burglaries of houses in Carmarthen, Llanelli and Neath, as well as for thefts and public order matters. In 1994 he was sentenced to eight years in prison and put on the sex offenders register for life after what the Parole Board described as "a particularly horrific rape" of a young woman - this had seen him braking into her house, dragging his victim from her bed, and raping her vaginally and anally while shouting: "I want you to suffer, b****. I hope you get f****** pregnant."

Lloyd Jenkins, for Maclean, said it was accepted the defendant had committed "appalling offences" which would have significant and long-term impacts on his victims. He said Maclean had told him that he struggled to cope in the community and feels he only has "stability, security and structure" in prison, and that as he approached the age of 50 he realises that "enough is enough" and he has to change.

Judge Huw Rees said hours after being acquitted of rape at Swansea Crown Court, Maclean had burgled a woman's flat in Llanelli and then, days later, travelled to Swansea where he had subjected another woman to a terrifying ordeal in her own home. He said having established that the woman lived alone he had forced his way into her home, and that in his view the defendant's intention had been "to harm that woman either physically or sexually or both".

He said reports into Maclean had identified he has extreme anger issues, derogatory attitudes towards women, a history of carrying out "revenge-type attacks on females", and has consistently failed to engage with probation, has moved around the UK frequently, and has repeatedly failed to comply with the requirements of the the sex offender register. The report had also identified Maclean has a history of targeting vulnerable woman for relationships, and also had a history of accessing student accommodation both in Wales and as far afield as Durham claiming to be campus security.

The judge said there were sinister aspects to the offending before the court, and it may have been motivated by Maclean's desire to "regain dominance" over women after spending months on remand awaiting his rape trial. The judge said he had no doubt the defendant should rightly be categorised as a dangerous offender in the meaning of the legislation.

Maclean was given an extended sentence of eight years and eight months comprising six years and eight months in prison followed by a two-year extended licence period. He must serve two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence before he can apply for release but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be released.

Description

A RAPIST who sexually assaulted a woman as they watched a war film together on Netflix has been jailed.

Sebastian Smith, 26, from Brynmawr, pinned his victim down on a bed and ignored her cries as she begged him to stop attacking her. 

After he raped her the defendant pleaded with the woman not to report to the police what he’d done to her. 

 During Smith’s trial, John Ryan, prosecuting, said the victim told her attacker: “I feel sick to the stomach. I told you to stop.”

Jurors were told the defendant replied: “I done wrong. I really hate myself.

“Please don’t go the police. I’m begging you. I’m shaking like a leaf. I’m dying here myself.”

Smith, of George Street, was found guilty of rape and sexual assault by penetration.

He had denied both charges against him.

When Smith was arrested and questioned in 2020 he gave police a prepared statement in which he said he and the woman had intercourse consensually.

He said that it was she who had started kissing him and initiated sexual contact between them.

Giving evidence in his defence at his trial at Cardiff Crown Court, Smith was asked by his barrister Jenny Yeo to tell the jury what happened.

He told them: “We were play fighting and kissing.

“She then put her hands on me between my legs.”

Smith said he had put his penis inside her but she had told him, “No”.

The defendant insisted: “As soon as she said no I went straight out.”

Mr Ryan played a recording of the 999 call the woman had made to the police following the two assaults.

She told the emergency services operator: “I went to his house to watch a film.

“He put his hand down my trousers.

“I told him to stop it.”

The victim added: “I did touch him and said to him, ‘How would you like it if I touched you?’

“I told him I didn’t want to do it.

“He pinned me down on the bed and pulled down my trousers.”

Smith was jailed for five years and five months and has to register as a sex offender for life. 

Description

A SEX offender who was prohibited by a court from looking through people's windows has been back in court after entering a woman's house uninvited.

The Leader reported earlier this year how Gabriel Olah, then of Fairfield Road in Queensferry, had been seen on CCTV footage performing a sex act on himself "outside a domestic property" when a party was happening inside.

District Judge Gwyn Jones told Wrexham Magistrates Court in March that the defendant "purposefully" carried out the sex act outside the residence and made him the subject of a seven-year sexual harm prevention order.

He was prohibited from undertaking a number of behaviours for the duration of that order, including; looking through any window of any private dwelling, entering or remaining on any premises that are not his own without the permission of the occupier (including the driveway and garden), approaching or seeking to approach any female or communicate any sexual remarks with a view to furthering sexual contact including gestures.

Olah, now aged 32 and of Church Street in Flint, appeared at Mold Magistrates Court on Thursday for sentence after being convicted of breaching a sexual risk order / risk of sexual harm order, which took place in Flint last month.

Justin Espie, prosecuting, told the court that the latest offence arose when a Flint woman was sitting in her living room watching TV and she saw a shadow at her window. 

 There was a ring at her front door and when she went to see who it was she found it open with a man standing there.

She told the man to shut the door, and he stepped in - closing it behind him.

The woman didn't understand what he was doing, as she hadn't asked him in.

He appeared to have been drinking and introduced himself as Gabriel.

He asked the woman if she was married, then asked if she was 'happily' married - to which she said she was.

He left, asking her not to call the police.

Mr Espie said the woman wasn't concerned initially, but she posted about the incident on Facebook to let other people know and was sent a news article about a male who was "sent to prison for looking in windows and doing lewd acts."

Ceri Lewis, defending, said Olah had been to a friend's house on the day of the offence and had consumed a large amount of alcohol. 

 He had become "disorientated" on his way home, she said, and approached the woman's property when he saw the light on.

She added: "He has very little recollection of the conversation, but he is extremely remorseful.

"He is aware it is a serious breach."

Ceri Lewis, chair of the bench, handed down a 26-week custodial sentence, but suspended it for 24 months.

Olah must complete the Horizons sex offender treatment programme and has been made subject to a 90-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.

He must also pay £85 costs and a £154 victim surcharge. 

Description

Andrew Herbert pleaded guilty to ten counts of indecent assault on young girls in the early 1970s.

A man who sexually abused two young girls in Bristol 50 years ago when he was a teenager has been ordered to pay them £25,000 compensation each.

But Andrew Herbert, now 67 and living in Herefordshire, was not sent to prison after pleading guilty to ten counts of indecent assault - after the judge in the case said the law required him to sentence him according to what the law and sentencing rules were at the time. One of the women he abused when she was a girl has bravely waived her right to anonymity and spoken out about her ordeal.

Sentencing at Bristol Crown Court today (Friday, November 4) His Honour Judge Julian Lambert said that, if Herbert had committed the offences now, he would be facing a lengthy prison sentence, but because the sentencing powers back in the early 1970s were not as strong, he could only be sent to prison for a matter of weeks.

Instead, the judge ordered Herbert be the subject of a community order lasting for two years, with a requirement to undertake rehabilitation activity for 50 days with sex offender treatment work. He was also ordered to observe a curfew to remain at home between 9pm and 6am every day for the next 18 months - enforced by an electronic tag.

Herbert was also ordered to do unpaid work in a community service order of 225 hours, and ordered to pay £25,000 to each of the victims in the case, to be paid within 12 months.

The judge told Herbert that the victims in the case had suffered 'lifelong oppression', which was at the forefront of his mind when sentencing him. "The repressed voices of children have now resonated through half a century of suffering and turmoil," Judge Lambert told him.

"The cruel, criminal abuse of the young is now revealed through the mists of time. It is to be remembered that you were a child yourself at the time of the offending. I recognise your own harrowing background, but you are the perpetrator in this, not the victim. You need to banish any element of self-pity and any possible victim blaming. You were considerably older than your victims and perfectly well able to distinguish right from wrong," he added.

The judge explained to the court that, back in 1970, no court could impose a prison sentence on a person under 17, but only order them to be 'detained' in a detention centre - and the maximum detention for a 15-year-old was just three months.

"With an artificially limited sentence and a requirement to give credit for (guilty) plea there would have been a release in custody within weeks," Judge Lambert said. "Whatever sentence I pass will seem hollow to the victims of the offences.

"I do not believe I can now send you to custody...These were however very serious offences with the most severe effects. I impose the least sentence commensurate with the seriousness of the offences," he added.

The court had heard Herbert was also charged with two counts of rape, which he denied. He was cleared by a jury trial of one count and the jury failed to reach a verdict in the other, and the CPS said it would not pursue this charge. He had pleaded guilty to ten other counts of indecent assault, which were prosecuted under different laws in force at the time, back between 1970 and 1972.

The case came to light in 2020 when one of the victims, Liz Roberts, reported to police what he did to her as an eight-year-old girl. After the trial and sentencing, she waived her right to anonymity to speak out about the case. She urged others to come forward to report abuse they are suffering, or have suffered.

"I waited 50 years to tell my story as I didn’t think anyone would care about what happened. That clearly isn't true and I only wish I’d reported it sooner," she said. "There have of course been times when it has brought the trauma of what he did back, and I still have a long way to go in my recovery journey, but I have no regrets.

“People like Andrew get away with it by passing their guilt and shame on to those they are meant to be protecting and literally hiding in plain sight. There is support out there and people will help whether you want offences investigated or not.

“Justice comes in many forms. Feeling the care and support of everyone around me means that I can now hold my head high – that is the best kind of justice," she added.

She praised the people who have supported her since the first day she reported what happened to her all those years ago. "From the moment I reported Andrew, I have been fully supported through the investigation and right through to the court process. This support hasn’t just been from the police but also from Safe Link, who allocated an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) to me and charities such as SARSAS (Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Assault Support) which provided free essential counselling support. They have held my hand every step of the way both physically and metaphorically and have done everything they can to ease the process for me."

The court heard emotional impact statements from both the victims in the case, who described lifelong psychological impacts of the abuse they suffered at such a young age. Both victims told the court they struggled to build relationships and suffered serious mental health effects that have lasted decades. 

The investigating officer in the case was PC Becky Norton, from Avon and Somerset police. “Andrew Herbert’s actions have had a lifelong impact on both his victims. He claimed to have experienced a tsunami of shame but that is absolutely nothing compared to what they have gone through, for they have spent the past five decades living with the trauma he inflicted on them.

“They both deserve immense credit for standing up to him in court and telling the judge exactly how deeply his abuse has affected them," she added.

Det Supt Lisa Simpson, the force's lead for Rape and Serious Sexual Assault, said: “What Liz Roberts is doing now, in waiving her anonymity, is nothing short of remarkable. Together, with our partners in the Crown Prosecution Service, we’re working hard to hold offenders to account for the vile offences they have committed and, with the help of third sector partners such as SafeLink, The Bridge and SARSAS to making sure they are ok and helping them recover from the trauma they’ve endured.”

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 A shamed former SNP councillor is behind bars after being convicted of grooming and abusing six teenage boys.

Mark Kerr preyed on victims including attempting to rape one at his home in Croy, Lanarkshire. The 40 year-old struck mostly before he was elected as a councillor in 2017 for the Kilsyth ward.

But, he went on to grope the final victim at a food bank in the village in May 2020. Kerr was eventually arrested following a police probe into the abuse.

He denied the accusations during a near two-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow. Kerr said he was the victim of a vendetta which saw him hounded out of his home of 32 years and wrecked his political career.

In often graphic detail, he insisted he was physically unable to do some of what was alleged claiming he was "a 40 year-old virgin". But, prosecutors said he was a "predator - hiding in plain sight".

Kerr was today found guilty of a total of nine charges spanning between December 2010 and May 2020. The crimes were the attempted rape as well as sex offences against the five other male victims.

He was found not proven of raping one and not guilty for a separate sexual assault against another of the six. Kerr was also found not proven of engaging in sexual activity with the teenager he was convicted of attempting to rape.

The first offender was visibly upset in the dock as the verdict was read out. Judge Douglas Brown told him: "Inevitably there will be a custodial sentence - your bail has been withdrawn and you will be remanded in custody."

Kerr was also put on the sex offenders register meantime. He will be sentenced next month.

Jurors heard how all the boys in the case were much younger than the former nationalist politician. Kerr, now of Wishaw, Lanarkshire, got to know the first when he was in his mid-teens.

The then boy looked upon openly gay Kerr as a "mentor" as he came out himself. He said sexual activity with Kerr first took place at a disused quarry when he was 15.

The victim - now in his mid 20s - said the older man then attacked him after they had earlier been at a local SNP function. He was asleep at the time at Kerr's home.

Describing the 2015 attempted rape, he recalled: "I froze once I understood what was happening. I could not control my body. It did not allow me to do anything."

Jurors heard how he later confronted Kerr at knifepoint in the street. The victim's mother had also turned up and she witnessed her son yelling: "Tell my mum what you done to me."

Kerr claimed he was innocent, but was said not to be able to meet the woman's eyes. Kerr tormented another boy from around 2012.

Referring to lurid accounts of gay sex, he stated to the youngster: "Don't knock it until you have tried it." He went on to grab the worried teenager's bottom.

The court heard Kerr joined two boys on a camping trip pitching a tent near the Boathouse restaurant in Croy. He was guilty of molesting one of them in the tent, but acquitted of raping another at that time.

However, he did sexually assault the rape accuser in 2014 in Croy while he was asleep. In 2014, Kerr targeted another of the teenagers by groping him and sending him sexually graphic messages online.

But, even after he had been elected to a position of power in the community, Kerr continued his offending. His last young victim was molested at a food bank set up to help people during the 2020 lockdown.

He told the trial: "I thought he was a nice guy. I do not see that now."

Kerr gave evidence during the trial and claimed he had been targeted after he had put a video of boys playing at a local disused quarry on his councillor Facebook page.

He said this was done purely to warn parents of the dangers. Kerr sobbed as he told how he had been filmed being forced out of his home by locals and branded the "local nonce".

But, in his speech to jurors, prosecutor Michael Macintosh said Kerr was "a predator hiding in plain sight". Mr Macintosh added: "You might come to the conclusion that behind the public persona, that friend to all, he was a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"A lot of people thought he was a good guy, but he was a man who used his position, age and role as an activist and mentor to engage in sustained grooming of teenage boys for his gratification."

Sentencing was deferred for reports.

Description

A Stamford man who tried to rape a stranger and sexually assaulted another woman has been jailed for five years and 10 months.

Caine Hull was just 17 when he carried out the offences in November 2018, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Hull, now 21, denied four offences of sexual assault on a young woman, who cannot be named, but was found guilty after a trial in July.

The jury also convicted Hull of a single charge of attempting to rape a woman in her early 40's.

Sarah Phelan, prosecuting, told the court the offence was an attempted rape of a stranger who was drunk but able to walk home.

"He targeted a vulnerable victim in the early hours of the morning," Miss Phelan said.

The victim of the sexual assaults carried out by Hull was in court to watch him sentenced today (November 2).

Miss Phelan read out a victim impact statement from the woman who described how the incidents had impacted her in many ways.

She said: "Initially I was frightened to go out either alone or with friends."

The woman added her fear of Hull got worse when she reported the matter and realised he was on bail.

She described being unable to go out in the dark until shortly before the trial and said she was "terrified" of Hull.

The woman said she had suffered with anxiety and depression since the assaults, and had also lost some friends.

She concluded her statement by adding: "I wish to move on with my life, and move on from the hell he's caused me."

Hull also pleaded guilty to an offence of attempted robbery committed in February 2021.

The court heard Hull, formerly of Northumberland Avenue, Stamford, was remanded into custody following his trial at Lincoln Crown Court in July.

Karen Walton, mitigating, told the court Hull had no previous convictions until his offending began in November 2018.

She reminded the court Hull was still then a juvenile.

He will remain on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Speaking after the sentencing. investigating officer DC Kerry Munro said, “I would like to pay tribute to the women assaulted by Hull and their bravery in coming to us and supporting the investigation.

“It’s been a long wait for them to finally see Hull face justice for what he has done.

“The delays they have endured were exacerbated by Hull’s refusal to accept responsibility for his crimes. No sentence could make up for the harm he has caused but I hope today’s result brings some peace and consolation to these inspirational women.

“This is a message to perpetrators of the consequences of their actions.

“We will do all in our power to bring offenders before the courts, no matter how long it takes.

“If you have been a victim of sexual assault, we will take your report seriously and treat you with sensitivity and respect.”

Description

A martial arts instructor who used his position to sexually abuse girls during a relentless campaign spanning more than three decades has been jailed for 28 years.

Derek Hodder, widely known in the Brixham community by his middle name Ross, raped and indecently assaulted nine girls aged between 13 and 17.

He groomed, psychologically manipulated and abused a succession of young and vulnerable victims, using his involvement in martial arts to get close to them. He pursued them for his own sexual gratification, preyed on their inexperience, turned them against their families and groomed them by buying gifts and telling them it was their 'secret'.

Hodder managed to carry out his crimes while maintaining an outwardly respectable position in the building trade and in the South Devon martial arts community. In private, he bragged about how tough he was and how everyone was scared of him.

His depraved behaviour came to light when a 17-year-old girl said Hodder had raped her. A further eight women then came forward and made similar claims. In June a jury at Exeter Crown Court convicted Hodder of 33 out of 37 offences of rape, indecent assault, sexual activity with a child and indecency with a child.

After the verdicts Hodder, who denied all the allegations, sacked his legal team, causing delays. But the 65-year-old, of Garlic Rea, Brixham, returned to court on Thursday [November 3] to finally be sentenced.

About 25 members of the public, including many of his victims and their families, watched as Judge Timothy Rose sentenced the defendant. Judge Rose said: “Your pattern was to seek and persuade them their parents were not good for them and present yourself as the caring alternative.

“You exploited any weakness you could find and once that happened you had all of them under your psychological control. This decades long pattern of offending became a way of life. You pursued one after the other as an active paedophile.

“All nine complainants were victims of your sexual offending. Four were raped on multiple occasions along with other offences. The offending started when you were in your early 30s and continued until you were 61.

“Your sexual offending proceeded virtually unadulterated for all that period of time. You were arrested in February 2018 when you had already embarked upon grooming your next victim.

“In essence all your offending had the same repeated pattern of behaviour which for you became tried and and led to the commission of many offences. Your method was to separate them from their families and develop a psychological hold, inculcating fear and establishing overwhelming control.”

He said Hodder had presented himself as someone who would care and protect the girls when in fact he was an abuser "hiding in plain sight". The judge paid tribute to the bravery of the victims for coming forward and police officers who investigated.

He said Hodder had an "insatiable desire" to exploit children and young people. The defendant was told he must serve two-thirds of his sentence before he can be considered for release.

The abuse happened between 1986 and 2018. Police began their investigation in 2018 when a 17-year-old girl made her allegations.

Many of his victims said they came into contact with Hodder through the martial arts club he ran. Some of the girls told how the initial contact was through massages or Shiatsu sessions which became sexual when he removed their clothing.

They often went to his club to boost their confidence but instead were manipulated, groped and abused by the domineering Hodder.

One woman said he had given her cannabis and boasted about how good he was at massages. She had felt uncomfortable as his hands wandered but thought it must have been an "adult thing".

The next massage session he placed candles and incense around the room and touched her breasts. His contact then progressed to sex, but she had felt too panicked and confused to stop him.

Another witness said Hodder complemented her on how pretty she was when she was 13 and this became sexual when she was 14. She now realised she had been groomed but at the time Hodder had made it feel "normal".

Another young girl who went to his martial arts club said Hodder had touched her breasts when she was 15 and told her she did not have to be ashamed of enjoying it.

Other victims described Hodder as controlling and having "a hold" over them. He would sulk if he did not get enough attention from them and preyed on their vulnerabilities. "He had to have what he wanted," said one.

In total, he committed at least 74 separate rapes on four victims. A previous trial in 2021 had to be abandoned after Hodder suffered heart problems part of the way through.

His issues persisted during the 2022 trial, causing delays while he received medical treatment at hospital. Hodder travelled to court from custody but did not appear in the dock to hear his sentence.

There were audible gasps from victims' families in the public gallery on hearing he was unwell and Ms Rachel Drake, prosecuting, said Hodder had made a "cowardly" decision not to attend. Mr Kevin Hopper, defending, said the defendant was unwell. A video link was arranged and he watched sentencing proceedings remotely.

A second defendant, Leslie Coldrick, aged 68, of Paignton, was found not guilty of two offences of rape and one of indecency with a child and walked free from court in June.

Lisa Cassidy, district crown prosecutor, said after the case: “I welcome the conviction of Derek Hodder who committed appalling offences against young victims.

“His work as a martial arts coach gave him access to young children and he exploited this over many years. He showed a clear pattern of abuse, grooming young girls and encouraging them to distance themselves from the adults in their lives.

“I would like to commend and thank the victims for their strength in coming forward to support this prosecution and in telling what happened to them. The CPS worked closely alongside our partners in the police to build the strongest possible case against Hodder to ensure he was held responsible for these devastating crimes.

“The CPS is committed to delivering justice for the victims of rape and sexual assault. We want every victim to have the confidence that their case will be fully investigated by the police and that, in every case where our legal tests are met, the Crown Prosecution Service will charge and prosecute.”

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Jerry Godfrey said: “This is the outcome of a four-year investigation by specialist officers within Torbay’s Public Protection Unit [PPU] who have worked tirelessly to ensure that the victims received some sense of justice.

“Whilst the sentence is significant and reflects the gravity of offending, it is not lost on me that the impact of Hodder’s horrific conduct will have a life-long effect on all of the victims involved. Hodder demonstrated he is a very dangerous human being, utilising his position within the community and taking advantage of these young girls whose safe spaces were compromised by his predatory behaviour.

“I commend the victims for their strength of character, resolve and their ongoing support and trust with the investigation to seek justice. I hope that today’s sentencing can provide them with a sense of closure and comfort that he can no longer harm them, or anyone else, in this abhorrent way.”

Head of PPU Detective Superintendent Sharon Donald said: “Devon and Cornwall Police are committed to supporting survivors of rape and serious sexual assault and I hope the outcome of this investigation shows that time isn’t a barrier, and no matter how long ago an offence took place, we will always fully investigate these types of crimes.

“I would urge any victims to please talk to us. We have specially trained officers who work closely with partner organisations to provide support to victims and witnesses through every step of the process, from the time of reporting right thought to the trial and beyond.”

The officer in the case [OIC] Detective Constable Diane Gaze said: “I am very relieved for all the victims and their families that this case has finally reached its conclusion. I have been the OIC for the whole investigation since the first victim came forward in February 2018 and feel privileged to have worked with each of these brave women and to have achieved a sense of justice.

“Most of the victims were adults when they came forward to speak with the police and it has been a difficult process to put themselves through. Their assistance was imperative to this investigation. I hope that the courage that they have shown in supporting this process throughout might convince others in a similar position to come forward and have their voices heard.”

Lisa Cassidy, District Crown Prosecutor for the CPS South West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, said: “Hodder’s work as a martial arts coach gave him access to young children and he exploited this over many years. He showed a clear pattern of abuse, grooming young girls and encouraging them to distance themselves from the adults in their lives.

“I would like to commend and thank the victims for their strength in coming forward to support this prosecution and in telling what happened to them. The CPS worked closely alongside our partners in Devon and Cornwall Police to build the strongest possible case against Hodder to ensure he was held responsible for these devastating crimes.

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Ashman downloaded more than 18,000 indecent images of children during lockdown, Southampton Crown Court was told.

The 42-year-old of Howard Road, Southampton was caught with 140 category A images, the most severe type, 123 category B images and 18,365 category C images of children.

It was said that there was “distress in some of the children’s actions” in the images that were all found on one single hardrive.

Ashman later admitted to downloading the images saying: “I did download some dodgy [stuff] during lockdown".

He was handed a three-year community order, ordered to do 15 rehabilitation activity days and complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

He is now also subject to a five-year sexual prevention order and was ordered to pay £300 costs and a surcharge. 

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A convicted sex offender has been jailed after he contacted a number of under-16 girls from a secret digital tablet.

Anthony Metcalfe adopted an alias in conversations with the girls on Snapchat from his home in an outhouse behind a relative’s address in Hartlepool.

The 34-year-old, who was a registered sex offender for life since he was convicted in 2015 of three sexual assaults on children, messaged the youngsters with comments, including ‘nice bum’ and ‘beautiful’.

His ban on contact with children was from a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which was also imposed in 2015 and he was later jailed for 16 months for breaching it five times, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Rachel Masters, prosecuting, said Metcalfe’s illicit tablet was discovered by police during a visit from his police offending manager on May 10. 

 She said the defendant had a list of names he classed as Snapchat friends and checks identified six were under 16 – two were aged 15, three were aged 13 and one was aged just 12.

“Direct messages had been sent to them such as ‘nice bum’ and ‘beautiful’ and this contact places him in breach of his sexual harm prevention order,” she added.

The court heard how the defendant had 25 convictions for 47 offences, including failing to tell a mother he was visiting at her home that he was a convicted sex offender.

Metcalfe, of Willow Walk, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to six breaches of SHPO and two breaches of his notification requirements. 

 Stephen Constantine, in mitigation, said his client could have an underlying mental health condition which he had hidden for a number of years.

He added: “The only real mitigation in this case is his guilty pleas to each count – given at the earliest opportunity.

“It is clear from the pre-sentence report that there may well be an underlying mental health issue.”

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Metcalfe to two years and eight months for the breaches.

He said: “Given your history, I have a real anxiety about the risk that you pose. These are serious and persistent breaches, contact with six different children, some really young and at risk of very serious harm.” 

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A man has been convicted of sexual offences and animal cruelty offences in the West Lothian and Forth Valley areas.

Kevin Vivers, 56, was found guilty of 27 charges at the High Court in Livingston today (1 November, 2022) including rapes, sexual assaults and physical abuse of seven women between 1985 and 2020.

Vivers is due to be sentenced next month and he will be placed in the sex offenders register.

Detective Chief Inspector Steven McMillan said: "I hope the outcome at court can bring some comfort to his victims and their families.

"This conviction has only been possible due to the bravery and courage of those who came forward to report this horrific abuse and I commend and thank them for speaking out.

"This was a particularly difficult case due to the horrendous nature of Vivers’ crimes and the sickening animal abuse, which spanned several decades.

"I would encourage anyone who is experiencing or has experienced abuse to come forward and report it to police.

"All reports of abuse and sexual assaults, regardless of the passage of time, will be thoroughly investigated by Police Scotland and victims will be supported throughout.”

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A man who groomed children more than two decades ago has finally been brought to justice.

Norman Phimister, 69, targeted two girls when they were aged between nine and 11 from 1999 to 2002.

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A hospital security guard who tried to pass himself off as a "Jekyll and Hyde" character to probation staff has been jailed for the "torture" of a woman which saw him sexually assault her and burn her body with an iron.

Paul Thwaites, 40, used sexual and physical violence against the woman during the offences which saw him sexually assault her, punch her genitals, burn her body, and strangle her until she was unconscious before slapping her awake again.

Twisted Thwaites - who worked as a security guard at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield - then told a probation service worker the lines between consent and excitement had become "blurred," which a judge said he had done to try and show he had little control over his behaviour.

Leeds Crown Court heard on Monday Thwaites filmed sexual activity and "blackmailed" the woman - telling her he would release the footage. Prosecutor, Alex Menary, said Thwaites "restrained her around her neck and her next recollection was waking up with a buzzing noise in her ear and she became aware he was slapping her in the face to wake her".

The court heard the woman was also "encouraged" into sexual activity by Thwaites who told her "it would be fun" and she consented but he turned aggressive. Mr Menary said Thwaites, of Leeds Road in Wakefield, also punched the woman's genitals over five times and sexually assaulted her with a curtain pole and an aerosol can, during which she asked him to stop and tried to kick out. He also forced her to perform oral sex upon him.

The woman was also subjected to burns on her breasts and stomach by Thwaites who used a pair of straighteners and an iron to cause horrifying injuries. She reported his offending to police in May this year. Thwaites was arrested a day later and denied the offending. However, he later pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by penetration, oral rape and two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to do so.

Dad-of-two Thwaites appeared in court via video link and his victim bravely faced him as she told him he had "destroyed" her life. In the victim impact statement, she said: "He completely destroyed me as a person. It doesn't matter what I'm doing, I can be washing up or driving and I have flashbacks of the things he did to me and I break down and cry.

"When I'm driving I have thoughts of letting go of the steering wheel and going into a lorry and the nightmare will be over."

The woman told the court she is on medication and has been signed off work indefinitely by her doctor. She added: "He completely killed me inside. It's going to take years and years to start getting to the old me. I observe things and realise I don't react to them as anyone else does. I have to make myself smile and laugh at things so no one worries about me but inside I just want to crawl into a ball and stop existing."

Mitigating, Michael Collins, said Thwaites is a "model prisoner" and has completed courses while being remanded into custody. A letter from Thwaites and a reference from his mother had been handed to His Honour Judge Robin Mairs. He said he had no relevant previous convictions.

Mr Collins said: "There is nothing that suggests he is going to repeat the commission of any similar offending in the future." The barrister said Thwaites accepted he had been "insensitive" to the woman's "reluctance" to engage in parts of sexual activity. Mr Collins said: "What the defendant would say upon reflecting on his conduct to which he has pleaded guilty is that he is disgusted by it. He would say that he doesn't recognise - and these are his words - 'that horrible man'.

"He is disgusted by his actions. His regret and remorse are genuine. He recognises he has done wrong and it is right he is imprisoned. He struggles to understand his behaviour and has been working and taking advantage of whatever is available in prison to begin to understand his conduct and how a man in his 40s without a history of violent or sexual offending commits these offences of such seriousness."

The court heard how the author of the pre-sentence report said Thwaite is "high risk" which had been elevated from the analytical testing available to the probation service. Mr Collins said the authors said Thwaites "failed to recognise the seriousness and consequences of his conduct" and he "doesn't understand that assessment as he has been clear that he does and can offer no explanation about why that has been put."

Mr Collins said: "He did have concerns that the author of the report wasn't listening with care to some of the answers he was giving. He doesn't know that but he's trying to explain what he thinks was a breakdown in communication. He can't fathom why the author asserts that when he clearly did."

Judge Mairs said: "Perhaps because he said the lines became 'blurred' and was at great pains to show himself as a Jekyll and Hyde character with little or no control of behaviour? Or perhaps because there was an air of confidence to portray himself as misunderstood?"

Mr Collins said Thwaites "does not shy away from what he has done and knows he is going to be punished for it".

Judge Mairs described Thwaites' crimes as "torture" as he handed him an extended sentence of 23-and-a-half years, made up of 16-and-a-half-years in custody and an extended licence period of seven years. He will have to serve two thirds of the sentence before going before the Parole Board who will determine if he is safe for release.

The judge said: "As the probation officer put it - you dismantled her emotional resilience to meet your own needs. You knew the seriousness of what you were doing." The judge said counts 2 and 3 (assault by penetration) followed consensual sexual activity. He said: "This was repeated sexual violence designed to humiliate, belittle and degrade someone for your own sexual gratification so you could enjoy your own encyclopedia of torture.

"With formidable courage she came to court today and read her victim impact statement. In her words, you took everything and destroyed her as a person. You have subjected her to a life sentence."

Judge Mairs said Thwaites' description of himself as a "Jekyll and Hyde" character was "just another persona to take blame for this offending." He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life and was made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Reacting to the sentencing, Detective Constable Matthew Sherriff, who was the investigating officer, said: I would like to thank the victim for her bravery and courage in coming forward and reporting these offences and to all those who supported the police investigation.

Thwaites is a dangerous individual who has been convicted of serious offences. These convictions will hopefully not only bring closure and justice to the victim but will ensure that he cannot harm anyone else."

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A paedophile who groomed a teenage girl by giving her sweets before sexual abusing her has been locked up.

Shop worker Shibin Vimala Santhakumar, of Pipers Hill Road in Kettering, handed her extra change and gave her free confectionery and soft drinks.

The 45-year-old then sexually abused her before the victim reported the offences to Northamptonshire Police.

Santhakumar initially denied the allegations when he was interviewed by officers and was charged with three counts of sexual activity with a child, four counts of inciting sexual activity with a child and two counts of possession of indecent images of children.

He pleaded guilty to some offences before his trial and was convicted of all remaining charges by a jury.

At Northampton Crown Court he was jailed for 11 years, with a further two years on licence.

Lead investigator Detective Constable Chris Waterfall, from Northamptonshire Police’s child protection team, commended the victim for her courage and said her support was vital to their investigation.

He said: “This case shows that sexual offences against children do not often start with an immediate offence. Santhakumar gradually built trust with this girl through offering her free items and money off her purchases. It then escalated into this abuse.

“I welcome the sentence handed out to him as it means there is one less sexual predator on our streets and one less person able to harm children. I hope this result shows the seriousness with which Northamptonshire Police takes these offences and I want to reassure the public that we will continue to work hard to bring people like Santhakumar to justice.”

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 Christopher Kelly 56 of Cranbook Street, Radcliffe was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court on Friday 28 October 2022 to 2 years in prison after pleading guilty to breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and using the internet to contact girls under the age of 18.

Christopher Kelly was arrested in September following multiple online vigilante groups who reported that they had been communicating with Kelly using fake profiles of different 13-year-old girls.

Detective Constable Adam Gosling of the Complex Safeguarding Team, Bury division, commented: “Kelly’s actions are deplorable and completely unacceptable. The safety of our children is a top priority of GMP, and I hope this result sends a stark warning to offenders that these behaviours will not be tolerated.

“I would encourage anyone who has been affected by this case to please come forward and tell us what happened to you. We will listen and take your allegations seriously. Victims should not feel they are at fault when they are preyed on by offenders.

“GMP will do their utmost to thoroughly investigate all reports of this type of crime and bring the perpetrators to justice.”