Latest Offenders

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Sam Picone, 24, from Caerphilly, worked with vulnerable students at a high school and volunteered at a club for gymnasts aged between six and 14.

He had been watching indecent images involving children aged between four and 14 as well as extreme pornography showing sex between adults and animals.

Georgina Buckley, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: This case relates to images found on the defendants telephone.

A search warrant was executed at his parents address on February 16 and the police were told he had moved out of the address and was likely on his way to work.

The defendant was working as a teaching assistant in a comprehensive school in the Cardiff area and it is understood that his role involved working directly with vulnerable children.

The police caught up with him at school and when confronted with the allegations he told them he had seen indecent images online on his mobile phone but had not saved them.

He then handed his mobile phone to the police and gave them access.

Miss Buckley added: Following his arrest he told the police about a section within the Snapchat app labelled For My Eyes Only.

It is relevant that within this section was a number of images that appeared to relate to the gymnastics club of which the defendant volunteered.

None of these images were indecent but were considered by the police as inappropriate It is understood the defendant volunteered at a local gymnastic club in his spare time and the children who attend there are aged between six and 14 years of age.

Picone pleaded guilty to making 13 category A images, the most serious kind, three category B and four category C images.

Both the school and club were not named at Cardiff Crown Court.

Picone also admitted possession of an extreme pornographic image.

The court was told that the defendant, represented by Ben Waters, had no previous convictions.

Judge Niclas Parry told Picone: What you need to understand, and Im sure that you do, is that everything you were viewing was actually happening to these children and these dreadful and disgraceful things happen because people are viewing them.

He added: There is significant mitigation. First of all youve pleaded guilty immediately.

Secondly, youve never been in trouble before.

Thirdly, youve lost everything your job, the career that youve trained for and the voluntary work that youve trained for.

Picone, of Maes Y Drudwen, Caerphilly, was sentenced to a three-year community order.

The defendant was made the subject of a 30-day rehabilitation activity order and he must complete the Horizon sex offender programme and carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

He will have to register as a sex offender for the next five years and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.

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A sex offender paid the price for breaching a court order when he failed to inform police he owned an iPad computer, a court heard.

Samuel Kettell was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) when he received a 16-month suspended prison sentence for downloading and distributing indecent images of children, at Durham Crown Court on March 29.

Under the terms of the ten-year order he had to notify police of any device capable of accessing the internet and make it available for inspection of its internet history.

When police went to his home address on a monitoring visit on June 7 he handed the officers an iPhone but denied having any other device.

Caroline McGurk, prosecuting, told the court that a search of his home led to the recovery of the iPad, which he had not declared having on previous police monitoring visits, on April 5 and May 18.

Kettell claimed he thought it was lost and had spent weeks searching for it, to no avail.

Miss McGurk said it had been used to access the internet, but any material obtained had been deleted, which was also a breach of the SHPO.

Kettell claimed he had used it to access music on YouTube and an adult pornography site.

A probation report prepared for the court stated that Kettells perceived risk of further similar offending is considered high, but manageable within the community.

Kate Barnes, for Kettell said the terms of the community element of the order imposed when her client was sentenced in late March had not, had time to bite.

She said Kettell has had problems over his engagement with mental health services, but she urged Judge Ray Singh to allow him time to improve his response to the orders passed as part of the suspended sentence, in March.

The 22-year-old defendant, of Hale Rise, Peterlee, admitted breaching the SHPO.

Judge Singh said at the time he came before the court earlier this year it was thought there was work which the Probation Service could do to help the defendant address his offending.

It was thought you were a person who could abide by a court order and comply.

You took that conscious decision to ignore the terms of the SHPO that was considered necessary to prevent the risk of harm, particularly to young children.

You failed to disclose there was an iPad you had and, you had been deleting the internet history.

If the use of that ipad was for itunes and legitimate pornography you would have been cautioned, but there can only be one reason you put the use of that computer to, and that would be for illegitimate use.

Judge Singh said Kettell had paid mere lip service to the court order and he activated eight months of the suspended sentence, adding four months for the breach, making a total 12-month prison sentence.

He also made a deprivation order for the offending iPad.

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A HAMPSHIRE sex offender who molested a teenager during camping trips has been spared an immediate jail term. Former Boys' Brigade leader and charity founder David Wall was handed a suspended prison sentence because he had already served time for similar offences. Wall was jailed for seven years at Plymouth Crown Court in 2017 after being convicted of indecently assaulting four boys between 1981 and 2001. The married father-of-two later established the Hampshire-based Christian charity Acts 4 Sharing. Southampton Crown Court heard that the incidents involving the teenager took place between 2005 and 2007. Peter Asteris, prosecuting, said the first offence occurred in the New Forest, where Wall touched his victim's back and bottom. The teenager tried to fend him off but the defendant had his arm around his neck and tightened his grip. Describing the second offence Mr Asteris said Wall caressed the teenager's leg and bottom. In a statement that was read to the court, the victim said he lacked confidence and suffered low esteem as a result of the defendant's actions. He added: "I feel I have completely lost my early adult life. "I find it impossible to form close, loving and intimate relationships. I have lost careers because of depression." Mr Asteris said the victim went to police after reading a newspaper account of Wall's 2017 trial. Appearing at Southampton Crown Court last month Wall denied two counts of sexual assault but was convicted and the case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports. Thomas Horder, mitigating, said his client had already served a "significant" custodial sentence for similar offences. Describing the 2005-2007 offences Judge Peter Henry said the victim was sexually assaulted on two separate occasions. He told the defendant: "They were over his clothing but nevertheless the boy found it extremely distressing. "You pleaded not guilty and he had to go through a trial, giving evidence as well as being cross-examined." Judge Henry said he had taken the defendant's age, health and behaviour in prison into account but added: "Had you not served a previous sentence I would have sent you immediately to custody." Wall, 58, of Ash Grove, Ringwood, was handed a nine-month sentence, suspended for two years, and was told to pay 2,500 costs.

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A paedophile son who was outed as a sex offender after brutally attacking his mum with her own walking stick has a shocking history of beating her black and blue.

John Skelton was this week brought to justice for attempting to groom what he believed were two 13-year-old girls. He was in fact being ensnared in a paedophile hunter sting.

And The ECHO can now reveal the extent of the 46-year-old's criminal history. His record extends to 36 convictions for 65 offences, which "on the main" have been for episodes of violence and were committed as long ago as the late 1980s.

These include counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 1999 and 2006, the latter of which he received an extended prison sentence for. Then, in 2011, Skelton received another extended sentence for wounding after breaking his mother Hazel's jaw.

His rap sheet also includes convictions for battery, drunk and disorderly behaviour and flouting court orders. Matters escalated further in September 2019 after he was banned from Ms Skelton's Wirral home for "threatening to snap her back" during an assault.

But he breached this restraining order and even moved out of a bail hostel and into the address in Rock Ferry in early 2020, telling her that the Probation Service had allowed it. Skelton's behaviour deteriorated again, and he "lost his temper" during a row in the early hours of May 15 that year.

He attacked the 66-year-old after she refused to buy him alcohol, subjecting the pensioner to a "sustained and repeated" assault. She was lying defenceless in bed when she was battered using the walking aid, which was broken in half and left covered in blood as a result.

Ms Skelton suffered a "large and deep laceration" to her head, fractures to her rib, finger and arm and bruising to the face. Despite this, her son would not allow her to call 999 and she had to wait until he had fallen asleep before sneaking out of the house and seeking refuge with a neighbour.

She was left with a permanent scar from the attack. Skelton later admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and breaching a restraining order and was handed 10 years behind bars with an extended licence period of four years in December 2020.

But he appeared in court again on Friday after a phone seized from him upon arrest was analysed and revealed lewd chats with teenage girls on Facebook. Skelton - of no fixed address, but previously from Kensington - sent the decoy profiles pictures of his penis, encouraged them to perform sex acts upon themselves and asked for indecent images of the pair.

The pervert also asked one to be his girlfriend and talked about meeting up for sex. He pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting sexual communications with a child and two of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and was handed a further two-and-a-half years behind bars, to be served consecutively to his current jail term.

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Anthony Moores sent disgusting photos of himself to the child and told her he was ‘horny’ – but it was in fact an undercover police officer.

The 33-year-old committed the crime while on police bail for no less than 17 child sex offences, failing to heed warnings after admitting the disgusting offences but before being sentenced.

After seeing his current jail sentence extended, he was told that he was clearly dangerous, and that an extended sentence was needed to safely protect the public.

Moores admitted attempted sexual communications with a child and attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity and appeared before Manchester Crown Square Crown Court to be sentenced.

Rachel Shenton, prosecuting, explained how the defendant had previously been sentenced in August 2021 to four years in prison with an extended licence period of a further four years.

This was for 17 offences including causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, making indecent images of a child, attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child committed in September 2020-.

 The court heard how he encouraged a ’vulnerable’ 11-year-old girl in residential care to send videos of herself performing sexual acts, while also engaging in sex chats with 12 other girls who he believed to be between the ages of 12 and 15, but were in fact decoys created by members of a paedophile hunter group.

The offences for which he was sentenced for in this latest hearing were committed in January last year – while on bail after being convicted of the former offences, but before being jailed for them.

He was arrested while a prisoner at HM Prison Forest Bank in Salford in November 2021, following analysis of devices seized after police visited his home on Buttermarket Street in Warrington town centre on March 23 earlier that year.

This came after he was caught having sexualised chats via online dating site MeetMe with a profile he believed belonged to Billy, a 13-year-old girl from Ipswich, but which was in fact controlled by an undercover police officer.

The profile he was chatting with had a photo of a 13-year-old girl, and on January 29 last year, the officer received a private message from the defendant’s profile, which was in his own name.

Chat messages included ‘what are you looking for’, to which the officer replied: “Some fun, but I am young.”

Moores told the officer that he was ‘horny’, and when he was told by the ‘girl’ that she was 13, he replied that he was 31.

Messages continued on WhatsApp, where the defendant told the ‘girl’ that she was ‘so cute’ and asked what ‘stuff’ she had done with her last boyfriend. 

 He asked for video chats and whether she would like to see him perform a sex act on himself, before sending a photo of such activity.

The defendant asked for a photo of her breasts, made references about her genitalia, asked if she liked the photos he sent and asked if she wanted to be his girlfriend, as well as a discussion about meeting up.

He asked her to perform sex acts on herself and himself and told her that he loved her before the messages ended on February 14.

When he was interviewed in prison, he answered no comment to most questions.

Michael Johnson, defending, spoke of how Moores’ learning disability ‘contributed to his offending in having a bearing on his conduct’.

He said that his client ‘craves intimacy’, but shields behind social media platforms due to ‘esteem issues’, and he asked for any sentence to run concurrent his current one – meaning no extra time behind bars.

Before sentencing, judge Hilary Manley said: “You engaged in sexual communications with an undercover police officer – she said she was 13 and you did not care.

“There was a significant difference in your age and what you believed her age to be.

“You failed to respond to warnings after already being caught, had pleaded guilty and was awaiting sentence, and you did it again.”

“Because you have been convicted of a specific offence, I have to consider dangerousness, and whether you present a significant risk of serious harm by committing other offences – I am satisfied that you do present that risk,” she went on to say. 

 “When I sentenced you in August last year, I took the view that you were dangerous, and this view has only been reinforced by what I now know.”

Moores, whose address in court was simply listed at HMP Altcourse, was jailed for 22 months with an extended licence period of a year.

This will run consecutive to the four-year sentence imposed in August last year, and once he has served two thirds of the total custodial term, the parole board will determine if he can be released and serve the five-year extended licence period.

He must also sign the sex offender register for life and abide by the terms of a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely. 

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Michael James Green, 80, previously of Neville Avenue in Hove, denied 12 counts of buggery and indecent assaults when he appeared at Chichester Crown Court but was convicted on July 7 after a nine-day trial.

The offences against four boys took place between 1973 and 1993 and came to light when the victims saw publicity about his previous offending and contacted police. At the time of the abuse, all of the boys were aged between 13 and 16 years of age.

Green, who was also a friend and mentor of Sarah Payne's killer Roy Whiting, met two of the boys when he worked as an insurance salesman in Brighton.

One of the boys thought of Green as a family friend but was abused in his own home.

Green gained access to the second boy through coaching an ice hockey team in Brighton, who he took him to Devil’s Dyke where he abused him. He also abused him at Green’s home address.

He forced both boys to perform sex acts and raped one of them.

Green went on to be a sports coach at a boarding school in West Sussex, where he abused the other two boys, grooming and assaulting them.

He was sentenced to 17 and a half years imprisonment by the court earlier today.

Detective Constable Nikki Thiim of the Sussex Police Complex Abuse Unit, who investigated the latest allegations, said: “We have huge admiration for the courage the four latest victims have shown throughout the investigation and this trial.

“Their resilience to help see justice fully done, and the giving of their evidence at the trial has been remarkable.

“Green always denied these allegations, which forced them to relive their experiences in court, which has been extremely difficult and upsetting for them.

“It is clear that for many years, Green has actively involved himself in families, befriending them, encouraging them to let him involve their sons in sport, giving him access to young and often vulnerable boys, who he has systematically abused.”

Green was already serving time in prison, having been sentenced to nine years in September 2018 after being convicted of 17 indecent assaults between 1980 and 1994 against seven boys aged between 12 and 16, in addition to another nine-year sentence imposed in 2014 for four counts of sexual offences against four young boys.

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A child rapist who groomed a girl with sweets and cigarettes has been jailed for 14 years.

Brian Morton, from Halewood, turned his victim against her own family in order to manipulate her for his sick sexual urges - even telling her that her parents did not love her. More than a decade later, the now 61-year-old attempted to groom another 14-year-old - although he was spared prison when he was caught out.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Friday, that he began grooming his first victim when she was 11. Morton also bought her mobile phone top-ups and took her for ride in his car, where he would sexually assault her.

The pervert would watch her while she bathed and "offer to clean her". Then, when she was aged 15, he raped her while she was sleeping in the spare bedroom of his home.

His actions had a "severe psychological impact" on the girl, who turned to drug abuse in order to "self medicate" and "block out what happened to her". In 2018, Morton was convicted of engaging in sexual communications with a child after sending a string of sexually charged messages to another teen the previous year - grooming her "in similar terms to all those years ago".

He again asked her to go out for drives in his car, while one text message he sent read "night night sexy bum". The paedophile received a community order after she reported what had happened to her, admitting the offence but "denying a sexual interest in children".

Defending, Trevor Parry-Jones told the court that his client had attempted to take his own life five years ago. He said: "He maintains his innocence.

"This is obviously a serious case, and it is a sensitive case. This defendant will receive a lengthy custodial sentence, and he accepts that.

"He will spend a considerable period of his remaining life in custody. By the time he is released from this sentence, he is going to be approaching the age of 70."

Morton, of Torrington Drive, was found guilty of two counts of rape after a trial. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he was also handed an indefinite restraining order and a lifelong notification requirement.

Judge Gary Woodhall described the "devastating impact" his crimes had had. He added: "You offered her treats she wasn't getting at home, you bought her sweets and cigarettes, took her for rides in your car and bought credit for her mobile phone.

"You suggested her family did not love her. You told her you loved her, and that she was pretty. You told her you wished you could be with her. You would even wear aftershave is if to impress.

"It's clear she was being groomed for some time prior to these rapes. You behaved as this was a normal, loving relationship when it was anything but. You knew she was someone who could not consent. She simply froze, and had to pretend it was not happening.

"She lived with the knowledge of what happened to her with feeling of self-loathing. She tried to block out what you did to her for years. She struggled to cope with the consequence of your offending. She has resorted to the use of drugs to self-medicate for her poor mental health and to escape.

"She is still struggling to process what happened."

Referring to Morton's conviction in 2017, Judge Woodhall said: "This is almost identical offending to the way you offended so many years previously. This demonstrates an established pattern of sexual interest in young girls and a willingness to act on those urges."

Morton was also handed a restraining order, preventing him from contacting the victim and her family. Detective constable Lucy Emmet, who led Merseyside Police's investigation, said: "Thanks to the determination and bravery of Mortons victim, he will now spend a considerable amount of time behind bars for his actions.

"I would like to take this opportunity to praise Mortons victim for her compelling statements when reporting his crimes and the strength they have shown throughout the whole of this investigation. While no sentence will repair the damage that Mortons abuse has caused, I hope that by seeing him sent to prison for such a considerable period of time will give his victim some sort of closure and allow them to move on with their lives knowing he cannot harm anyone else.

"We are committed to protecting victims of sexual offences and anyone who reports an incident to us will be safeguarded and supported throughout the investigation. Anyone that has been a victim of a sexual offence, is concerned for the safety of someone they know or suspects someone to be engaging in this criminal activity should come forward and speak to us.

"We have a team of dedicated staff who will expertly and compassionately deal with your reports and we will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice. Time is no barrier to reporting offences, and I would urge anyone who has been victim of a sexual offence at any time to come forward and we will do everything we can to help and support them."

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Alan Rothwell, of Heaton, kidnapped, robbed and tried to rape a woman in her 60s out enjoying a walk in a North Tyneside country park, but was jailed for less than nine years It was an attack that sent waves of shock and fear across Tyneside. When a woman walking alone in a the tranquil Rising Sun Country park was attacked by a sex predator in broad daylight an urgent manhunt was launched. Thanks to the 63-year-old victim's bravery police were able to identify and arrest evil Alan Rothwell within days. Rothwell, of Mowbray Street, Heaton, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to attempted rape, kidnap, robbery and two counts of sexual assault at Newcastle Crown Court. But today as he was sentenced for the March attack serial criminal Rothwell was locked up for just eight years and nine months, with an extended licence period of a further six years. The sentence has sparked anger among sex attack victims who believe Rothwell should be kept off the streets for longer. Wendy Forrester who was raped by evil double rapist Eric McKenna as she walked home, almost 40 years ago, said the victim will be living with the trauma of the attack long after Rothwell is freed. The 60-year-old, who has waived her legal right to anonymity, said: "It is a short sentence, but it's also average. It hard enough to report and go to court without them getting a short sentence. Things need to change, there should be a minimum of 15 years. "It's not something that you get over. She's going to have that fresh in her mind for the next 10 years and he will be walking the streets." The victim had been enjoying a pleasant walk in the Rising Sun County Park, in Wallsend when she was attacked from behind by evil Rothwell. The sex predator grabbed her so tightly she couldn't breathe before forcing her to the ground, pushing her hood over her head and forcefully trying to rape her. The woman, 63, bravely tried to fight off career criminal Rothwell, who has 152 previous convictions and was wearing blue clinical gloves to carry out the attack. She helped to snare him by scratching him, meaning she had his DNA under her fingertips. Judge Robert Spragg described the attack as "appalling" as he jailed Rothwell. However, rape victim Gemma Redhead, from Newcastle, said the sentence sends out the wrong message to both victims and perpetrators of sex offences. The 41-year-old said: "It's not a particularly positive message for other and future victims and also other perpetrators. That may seem like a reasonable sentence, but in reality you are looking at them serving half that. Then you are looking at four years for such a horrific crime. "It feels like a slap on the wrist to the offender and a slap in the face for the victim." Gemma, who has also waived her right to anonymity, suffered years of abuse at the hands of her violent partner, who went on to rape her at knifepoint in their home, in Cowgate, Newcastle. In 2011 Philip Kirby was jailed for eight years with a five-year extended licence, for his attack on Gemma. He was released after serving only four years, but was back in Newcastle Crown Court in 2015, having rung Gemma in breach of a restraining order. Kirby was then returned to prison and told he will not be released from prison until the end of his licence in 2023. Gemma fears short sentences like the one handed to Rothwell could put victims off reporting sex attacks, but she is urging women to continue coming forward "The the whole situation, the ongoing court case, then finding out the sentence is all very traumatic," she said. "Some victims might think; 'was it worth putting myself through that?' "But I would still like to push the message that it is worth it. You are taking back a little bit of strength and control from what's happened to you and you are also protecting other potential victims from these awful people. "

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A pervert has been jailed after turning up to meet what he believed was going to be a 15-year-old prostitute for sex.

Joseph Smith responded to an online advertisement which stated there was an 18-year-old woman selling sexual services in his area. When the 37-year-old called the number provided, he was told that the girl selling sex was in fact only 15-years-old. But he still decided to go and meet the teen in an area of Durham. However, what Smith didn't know, was that the advertisement was false, and had been set up by undercover police.

Smith, of Bracken Field Road, Durham, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Thursday, via link from HMP Durham, to be sentenced for attempting to arrange or facilitate a child sexual offence. He pleaded guilty to the charge at a previous hearing.

Alec Burns, prosecuting, said as part of an undercover police operation aiming to catch paedophiles, an advert on a selling website was set up that purported to be an 18-year-old woman selling sexual services whereby contact was to be made via a phone number. He said: "On April 25 the defendant called the number twice. He then sent a text message asking what time she started work."

Mr Burns said that contact was then made over the phone and that Smith called himself "Craig". During the conversation, Smith was told that the girl selling sex, was in fact only 15-years-old. Mr Burns said: "The defendant asked if any girls were over 16 and he was told no." But Smith was undeterred, and arranged to meet the 15-year-old decoy shortly before 11pm in an area of Framwellgate Moor. As soon as he arrived, he was greeted by police officers and arrested.

Mr Burns said that when arrested, Smith was found with 980, which he said was to pay for his Manchester United season ticket. He also told officers that he "wouldn't have done it" and "didn't care about kids". During interview he gave no reply.

The court heard that Smith had 16 previous convictions, including for offences of voyeurism which dated back to 2005. The court was told that one offence related to him looking under the cubicles at a swimming baths, and another involved him looking into windows and watching women undress.

Ian West, defending, asked for full credit for his guilty pleas, which were given at the first opportunity. He added that Smith has learning difficulties and ADHD, saying: "He is a man who has his own problems and limitations. He needs to have a moral compass."

Sentencing Smith, Recorder Jamie Hill QC said it was an "unusual and exceptional case", before jailing him for two years. Smith was made subject of a 10 year sexual harm prevention order and will also be on the sex offender's register for two years.

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A man who raped a woman in a town centre street has been jailed for 18 years.

Mario Sztojka, 26, attacked his victim on Lower Viaduct Street in Huddersfield in the early hours of 26 May, 2021.

He was identified as a suspect days after the attack and a major operation to track him down led to his arrest in December.

Police described him as a "dangerous and predatory sex offender" who "did everything he could to evade justice".

Sztojka, of Meltham Road, Huddersfield, was found guilty of two counts of rape following a trial at Leeds Crown Court.

He was given an 18-year jail sentence and must serve at least 12 years in prison.

Det Ch Insp Marc Bowes, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "He did everything he could to evade justice for the serious sexual assault he inflicted on his victim and was caught following persistent, methodical police work which allowed us to eventually hunt him down.

"Despite strong evidence against him, he chose to put his victim through the ordeal of a trial and this has been reflected in the sentence imposed on him."

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Michael Pick, of Holland Road, Old Whittington, approached both girls in separate incidents while they were with out with their friends.

In April 2021, Pick approached a girl and invited her to his house for a cigarette. The girl waited outside and as she lit the cigarette he had given her, he sexually assaulted her.

She pushed him away but then he grabbed her by her waist and tried to kiss her, but she managed to push him away again and run back to her friends.

They reported what had happened to police and Pick was arrested. He denied the offence during interview and was bailed.

On Saturday 4 June 2022, while on bail, the 21-year-old approached a different teenage girl who was sat with friends at a park just off Albert Avenue in New Whittington.

He commented on the appearance of the girl and her friend, said that he wanted to have sex with them and showed them a knife he had in his bag.

Pick then crawled over to the victim, pushed her to the ground and sexually assaulted her. One of her friends pushed him off. As they were walking away, he approached the victim again and sexually assaulted her for a second time.

The group reported what happened to passing patrol officers, and Pick was seen in the area but ran off from the officer.

He was arrested later the same day at his home address, charged and remanded.

Pick was convicted at Derby Crown Court of two counts of sexual assault of a teenage girl, possession of a knife and inciting an under-age girl to engage in sexual activity.

He was jailed following the hearing on Friday 7 July for 50 months with an extended post-release licence period of 24 months.

Pick was handed five-year restraining orders in respect of both victims and is also subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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A child rapist who thought he was untouchable has been branded an "arrogant predator" as he was jailed for 18 years.

James McEwen ruined the lives of two young girls by abusing them in separate attacks. Years later, they each plucked up the courage to report what he had done to them.

McEwen, 60, of Henley Gardens, Wallsend, continues to protest his innocence but a jury found him guilty of one count of rape, four counts of indecent assault and indecency with a child and he has now been locked up. He was also given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders register and he also got a restraining order.

One of the victims, now an adult, said in a victim impact statement: "I've been robbed of my innocence and the pleasure of my first kiss and first romance. Just because he has been found guilty this doesn't provide any closure, the trauma continues to be with me.

"I have trust issues and for the most part I don't trust anyone I meet and I have a fear of being left alone with other people, especially men."

The other victim said what should have been the happiest moments of her life were "covered in a black cloud" because of McEwen's "selfish actions". She said: "I felt alone and misunderstood and trapped by silence." The woman added that she "will never forgive" McEwen for taking her innocence.

Judge Robert Spragg, at Newcastle Crown Court, told him: "You acted as an entitled, arrogant sexual predator, preying on these two girls. "Your arrogance was such you clearly felt untouchable. It's had an awful effect on them."

Sue Hirst, defending, said: "He continues to deny the offences. These offences go back 20 years now. He has worked his entire life. Probation say he is a low risk of general offending and a low risk of further sexual offending."

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A 70-year-old Wrexham man is starting a six-year jail term after he admitted a series of child sex offences. William Carter, of Ffordd Estyn in Wrexham, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Wednesday for sentencing. He had previously admitted eight counts of sexually touching a child. Henry Hills, defending, said: He understands his behaviour has caused significant harm to the victim. Judge Rhys Rowlands said hed behaved repeatedly in an appalling and totally perverted way. He told Carter he had little insight into the harm hed caused. The abuse had a profound effect. A sexual harm prevention order was made and he must register as a sex offender.

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A sex offender who has been wanted by Police for almost 2 years has finally been arrested after he was found living on a boat on the Isle of Wight. James Ernest Williams also known as Alan John Appleton has been one of Devon & Cornwall Polices most wanted criminals since October 2020, with an appeal issued to locate the now 55-year-old for breaching the conditions of his release from prison. He failed to appear at Newton Abbott Magistrates Court on 9th December 2020. It was last Tuesday night that Police arrived at Folly Lane in Whippingham and arrested Williams, taking him into custody at Newport Police Station for questioning. Its unknown how he was located but it is known his appearance had changed, putting on weight and growing his hair and beard. It has been confirmed that the 55-year-old, who originally comes from Manchester, was charged with 2 counts of failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements and was remanded in custody to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on 30th June. At last Thursdays hearing, the case was sent up to the Crown Court where Williams will now appear on 5th August. He has been remanded in custody until that time. Williams or Appleton as he is more commonly known comes from the South Devon area with links to Torbay and Dartmouth. It was thought he was in the Paignton area for a time, then possibly Portsmouth or Reading. His last known address was Clarence Street, Dartmouth.

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Ethan Johnson also sent messages asking to meet for sex to an underage girl from Newcastle.

A Stockton man who was part of an online paedophile ring which shared horrific images and videos of children being sexually abused, was supported in court by his parents, before leaving with a suspended sentence.

Ethan Johnson, 20, was found to have a "mega account" with the online sharing group. His username was "project infinity" and he stored videos of naked children on a cloud account.

Teesside Crown Court has heard that the online group saw members make specific requests for footage of babies being sexually abused. Moderators threatened members with expulsion from the group, if they did not share illegal content. 

On Monday, prosecutor Richard Bennett said that police had acted after online surveillance had tracked down members of the group. Officers arrived at Johnson's home on June 26, 2020, and seized "a large number of devices."

Johnson was found to be in possession of 223 videos of children being abused - all of which were category A - the most serious level of abuse. He was also found with 107 category B images and 29 Category C images.

Mr Bennet told the court that police analysis of Johnson's mobile phone found that he had been messaging a 14-year old girl from Newcastle, on Snapchat, back in 2019. When the girl messaged that she did not send nude photos, Johnson offered to give her "some sexual healing."

After challenging him about his messages, and complaining that they were all about sex and meeting her, the girl cut him off. But police then found that Johnson had later texted the girl in 2020: "If we do end up having sex we will have to keep it quiet as I could end up getting arrested and on the sex offenders register."

Officers traced the girl and she said she had sent pictures of herself engaged in sex acts to Johnson.

Johnson, of Imperial Crescent in Stockton, pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity. The court heard that he has no previous convictions.

Victoria Lamballe, defending, said that her client's parents were sitting in the public gallery and that, "This is a young man who comes from a very supportive family. He is utterly ashamed at the position he has put himself in and for the position he's put his parents in."

Ms Lamballe said that Johnson's offending started when he was 18 and his relationship had failed. He had tried to find a new girlfriend, but failed, and had started trying to meet girls online.

Ms Lamballe told the court that Johnson accepts that he was looking for girls younger than him, but not underage girls: "He had genuine hopes for a relationship with this girl, who was 15 for the majority of the contact." The court heard that Johnson has now found work as an auto technician and is in a new relationship - and that his girlfriend's parents are aware of the charges against him.

Judge Paul Watson told Johnson: "This is not a victimless crime. There are real children often from financially and emotionally deprived backgrounds - they are subjected to unimaginable pain and abuse - so that you, and people like you, can access these images.

"The police also uncovered a conversation between you and a 14-year-old girl that was of a grossly sexual nature. But I've read some powerful testimonies about you and of course, the very moving letter from your parents - describing the other side to you, pointing out the sensitive side to your nature."

The judge handed Johnson a 13-month prison term, suspended for 18-months. He was ordered to attend 25 rehabilitation days and made subject to a five-year sexual harm prevention order, with police notification requirements for the next 10 years.

The judge added: "Probation will work around your full time job. If you start downloading images of children, or chatting to underage girls, you will start that 13 months prison sentence. Is that clear?".