Latest Offenders

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A man has been sentenced to six years in custody after being found guilty of committing six sexual offences against a 12-year-old girl.

Karl Richard Walsh, 41, denied all the charges but he was convicted following a trial at Swansea Crown Court earlier this week.

The officer in charge of the case, Detective Joanne Williams of South Wales Police, has praised the 12-year-old child for the way in which she has conducted herself throughout her horrific ordeal.

“I would like to commend the bravery of the girl in this case,” she said.  “Not only has she had the courage to report what had happened to her, but she has continued to support the investigation right to the end.  As a result of this child’s bravery, Walsh will now spend years in prison to reflect on his behaviour.”

Walsh, of Burnside, Neath, will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Meanwhile the number of sex offences recorded by police in Wales has reached its highest level since 2002, according to latest crime figures. 

Statistical analysis shows that 3,973 crimes were recorded against children in Wales in the 12 months to June 2019.  This figure is up from 3,920 the previous year and the highest number since records began in 2002.  The findings confirm that the figure has more than doubled in the last five years alone.

The spike may be the result of an actual rise in the number of child abuse crimes, but it may also be linked to more victims feeling able to come forward to speak about their ordeals and also a better recording process by police.

Sexual crimes which are being committed against children include rape, sexual exploitation and the grooming of children under the age of 16.

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Jonathan Sweet, of Blyth, was caught with hundreds of child abuse images on his mobile phone A pervert who had indecent images of children as young as six months has walked free from court. Jonathan Sweet had hundreds of sickening pictures and videos of youngsters on his mobile phone when police seized it. Newcastle Crown Court heard police found the material in an app on his phone after devices were seized on October 21 2021. Neil Pallister, prosecuting, said: "After information was received, officers attended his home address. Two devices were seized and examined but nothing was found on them. Officers then attended his place of work and seized his mobile phone. When that was examined it was found to contain indecent images of children." The court heard there were 162 pictures and 69 movies of the most serious, category A, kind, 103 pictures and 44 movies in category B and 272 pictures and 13 movies in category C. The children were aged between six months and 13 years. Sweet, 40, of Rowley Street, Blyth, Northumberland, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images of children. Judge Stephen Earl sentenced him to 18 months suspended for two years with a requirement he complete a sex offenders treatment programme. He must also sign the sex offenders register for ten years and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order. The judge said the children in the images "were and continue to be victimised while those images remain and people are watching them". Sweet told probation officers he didn't download the images but said no one else had access to his phone. Jennifer Coxon, defending, said: "He fully accepts the prosecution case and maintains his guilty plea." She added: "The images were found in an inaccessible place which means they were either deleted or created by the software. He is a hard-working young man and has a long-term relationship and no children."

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A sexual predator is behind bars after his quick-thinking victims took photos and videos of him. Another brave woman also chased Ahmed Al-Razawe and punched him. Al-Razawe carried out three sex attacks in Liverpool city centre in the space of just four days last year. The creep, 24, first targeted two teenage friends sitting at a bus stop - asking them for sex and groping their thighs, the Liverpool Echo reports . He then smacked a young woman's bottom, before biting her breast after she wrestled him to the ground. A judge said Al-Razawe tried to treat the victims as his "sexual commodities" with "no regard for their rights". But they outsmarted the predator - using their mobile phones to take photos and videos of him. And one woman even chased him down the street, before landing a punch that helped put him behind bars. Attacks on teenagers Al-Razawe attacked two teenagers, aged 17 and 18, who were waiting for a taxi at Liverpool One bus station, at around 11.30pm, on Saturday, October 23. He groped their legs and slid his hand up one victim's shorts. But the other used her phone to take a photo and record a video of him, which she later posted on Facebook, to warn others and to get him identified. At the time the Syrian national - who had entered the UK illegally and applied for asylum - was living in a hostel in Upper Park Street, Toxteth. Several days later, the man running the hostel was sent a screenshot of the post when he immediately recognised Al-Razawe and contacted the police. In the meantime Al-Razawe had struck again, this time in Lydia Ann Street, at around 12.40am, on Wednesday, October 27. The drunken thug approached two women walking down the street, asking them to open a wine bottle, and when they walked on, he slapped and squeezed the bottom of one of the women. When her friend protested, he started swinging his arm at her, so the woman he had just molested grabbed him around the neck, and they both fell over. There he sunk his teeth into her left breast and hit her in the head with the bottle. Liverpool Crown Court heard a man shouted "get off" and Al-Razawe ran away. But by now the two women had been joined by another female friend, who chased after him and caught him up. Henry Riding, prosecuting, said: "There was something of a struggle before he then ran off again. During that struggle however the friend punched the defendant in the face. "The defendant suffered an injury causing him to bleed and some of his blood got on the friend's clothing. As a result of which, it was matched to the defendant as a result of DNA analysis." The third victim and her two friends also managed to take photos of Al-Razawe, before he was picked out in an identity parade. Faced with the overwhelming evidence against him, the coward admitted three counts of sexual assault and one count of assault causing actual bodily harm. The 17-year-old victim told the court she was left struggling to sleep. In a victim statement, she said: "Every time I close my eyes I could see his face." She added that she is now much more wary of people when she is out and that she was relieved neither her nor her friend had been on their own. The 18-year-old victim said she was left jumpy at the slightest noise, struggled to sleep, and woke up with a heavy feeling on her chest. Mr Riding said: "She describes how she doesn't want to get up or go out and relives what happened in her head over and over again." The third victim, in her 20s, had moved to Liverpool from a different area and described how she was left feeling uncomfortable in the city. She suffered nightmares, struggled to cope with social situations, and reacted negatively to men touching her in a friendly way. Mr Riding said: "She describes that the bite to her breast left a lasting scar, which is a permanent reminder of what happened and affects the clothing she can wear." Passing sentence, the judge Recorder Harris praised the woman who "bravely" chased after Al-Razawe and helped bring him to justice. He said the pervert would have to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for a decade. Al-Razawe, who claimed drink and drugs played a part in both attacks and that he didn't remember the first incident, was found by a probation officer to "pose a high risk of causing serious harm to women". Recorder Harris said he had shown "no insight or empathy" and had "a predatory sexual approach to women". The judge jailed him for three years. Al-Razawe will serve half of that sentence in prison, at which stage depending on the outcome of a Home Office hearing he will either be released on licence or deported.

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A Derbyshire dad who was found to have thousands indecent images and videos on his laptop sobbed in court as he was labelled a "hardened paedophile" by a judge. James Conquest's home in Lumsdale Crescent, Matlock, was searched three times by police and despite being on bail during the latter two searches, police found more images every time, including some involving children as young as three.

The restaurant supervisor lied to police by saying that he had been sent the images at random and deleted them immediately as he did not have a sexual interest in children. When he was found to have sent images to another paedophile, 33-year-old Conquest told police that he was trying to "educate" the other offender and that he was on the dark web to try and help people.

But this story was dismissed as "nonsense" by a judge as the father-of-one appeared at Derby Crown Court on Wednesday, February 13 to be sentenced for 12 separate offences committed over the past three years. Alongside the thousands of indecent images of children, he was also found to have extreme pornographic images involving humans and animals on his phone and laptop.

Sentencing Conquest, Recorder Jason MacAdam said: "You are a hardened paedophile who will blame everybody but yourself for offending of this type. I conclude that passing my public duty in sentencing you means only an immediate custodial sentence can be passed. There can be no question that that is appropriate for this sort of persistent and maintained serial offending.

"You claimed to go on to sites to educate people. I dismiss this as nonsense. You are a paedophile. You get pleasure from looking at images and films of various children. You are very obviously sexually attracted to children.

"Your mitigation matters little in light of the evil you have done in your life, by accessing this sort of disgusting, vile material and so encouraging the industry of sexual abuse of children for profit. I have to accept that your offending thus far is for non-contact offences.

"I very much fear that there is a danger that you would go on and commit contact offences. That is the natural progression for somebody like you and you shake your head, but with somebody like you, who can't stop committing non-contact offences, it would be perfectly proper for me to say that I can't predict whether the intervention of the probation service in prison will work to stop you committing further or more serious offences."

Anthony Cheung, prosecuting, told the court that police searched Conquest's home on December 12, 2019, and seized a Samsung phone. The device was found to have a 848 category A images, the most serious category, 869 category B images and 4,107 category C images, including over 200 videos across the three categories and alongside 12 prohibited and 42 extreme images.

When police searched his home again on September 27, 2021 - while Conquest was on bail - police found another 524 images on a laptop and discovered that he had distributed 36 of the sick images to other paedophiles. While awaiting sentencing for nine counts related to the two searches, officers then looked at his phone on March 3 of this year and found another 29 indecent images, which he said he had as he knew police would look and he wanted to, according to the judge, "speed the process up".

Benn Robinson, mitigating, did not contest the facts of the case but said that his client was of previous positive good character and was responsible for looking after his elderly mother at home, who has terminal cancer. He said that the isolation caused by this, as well as no longer being able to see his young son, created a "perfect storm" for his offending.

He said: "His mother has suffered with various health difficulties for a great number of years and in more recent times this has escalated. When contact with his son stopped, at around the same time his own father left his mother.

"Mr Conquest then went to live with his mother who has various health difficulties, so he shouldered all the financial responsibility. In his spare time he had to physically support her by putting food on the table, collecting medications and such.

"It is perhaps not difficult to see how isolating that sort of existence can be. Less than 12 months later we know he has been downloading this sort of images. The elephant in the room is that it persisted after he was arrested.

"They are not contact offences. He directly has not caused the children in these images any serious harm. There is no suggestion he was trying to contact children himself."

Mr Robinson's pleas for a suspended sentence were rejected by the judge, who sentenced Conquest to concurrent 45-month sentences for counts of making indecent category A images of children, distributing indecent category A images and possessing extreme pornographic images.

He was given concurrent 12-month sentences for a second count of making indecent category A images, two counts of both making indecent category B and making category C images, and single counts possessing prohibited images of children, distributing category B and distributing category C images.

He was given a 24-month sentence, also concurrent, for a third count of making indecent category A images of children. Conquest will be on the Sex Offenders Register and the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely and his devices will be destroyed. He will serve half of his 45-month total prison sentence in custody, with any time spent on remand to be taken off. He must also pay a 170 victim surcharge.

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A 41-year-old man tried to engage in sex chats with a girl he believed was 13 years old. Dean Taylor of Sawmill Close, Worcester was really talking to undercover officers working for the Metropolitan Police and using the Kik social media platform to target sex offenders and protect children from online predators. Taylor, who asked permission to leave the court by a back entrance but was denied by security staff, appeared before magistrates in Worcester today (Thursday). Inside court he indicated guilty pleas to four sexual offences. He admitted an attempt to engage in sexual communication with a child between February 14, 2019 and June 22, 2019 'for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification' (a 'child' aged 13 years); two charges of attempting to cause/incite a girl 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity between the same dates; and attempting to cause a child 13 to 15 to watch or look at an image of sexual activity, again over the same dates. Details of the offences are too graphic to print in full but involved inciting the 'child' to perform sexual acts and to take and send sexualised photos of herself to him, what he termed 'naughty photos', and also the sending of a video involving a male performing a sexual act. Mark Hambling, prosecuting, said Taylor was caught by an online operation conducted by the Metropolitan Police using the Kik platform. He explained that the 13-year-old child Taylor had been communicating with 'does not exist'. The sentencing guidelines indicated a starting point of 18 months in prison for attempted sexual communication with a child with a range available of between nine and 24 months. Causing or inciting a child has a starting point of 26 weeks and a range of a high-level community order to three years' custody. He added: "These matters should go to crown court for sentence." Mr Hambling also said Taylor was now required to sign the sex offender register. Paul Stanley, defending, said: "I have nothing to say in terms of jurisdiction." Taylor was told he must next appear at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, May 13 this year. As he had been on a postal requisition he was granted unconditional bail by the court.

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Reece Senior, of Gateshead, left the student and child petrified and has been branded dangerous as he was jailed A predator stalked a student through city centre streets and tried to drag her down a dark alley to carry out a sex attack then violently molested a schoolgirl. Dangerous Reece Senior left the woman petrified after striking in Newcastle after following her in an "ominous" way. A court heard he took hold of her and tried to manhandle her down an alley at 4am as she screamed for him to stop. She was pushed violently to the ground and even her desperately calling her boyfriend to say she was about to be raped didn't put him off, although she eventually got away. Having been bailed for that, he then subjected an 11-year-old girl to an equally shocking attack on her way to school. He pushed her against a wall before sexually assaulting her. Now the 28-year-old pervert, of Wallace Gardens, Springwell, Gateshead has been jailed after he was convicted of false imprisonment, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence and sexual assault, at Newcastle Crown Court. Locking him up for seven years, Judge Edward Bindloss said: "(The student) was a lone female at 4am walking the streets of this city and she was followed by you. You acted in a predatory, ominous way." Senior took a "strong, aggressive grip" on the woman and demanded she go down an alleyway. The judge said: "She told the jury she was on the phone to her boyfriend saying 'hurry up, he is trying trying to rape me'. "Even that didn't put you off. You repeated an angry demand that she should get in the alley with you. She struggled against your physical attempts to take her there. I'm satisfied you intended to commit rape or assault by penetration and that's how the case was put before the jury. She gave evidence she was certain you intended to rape her." A woman was woken by the screams of the victim and heard her shouting "please" and "don't" over and over again. She suffered bruising and soreness to her hand, arm, back and buttock and was still in pain eight months later. The court heard the psychological effects on the victim have been more long-lasting than the physical ones. She was left feeling unable to leave her house, had to move and now fears men. It's also affected her university studies, her job, her relationship with her family, her sleeping, her appetite and she has had panic attacks, including once when she saw someone in a beany hat in Newcastle who she thought was Senior. She said: "It was terrifying. I was followed by him for some time before he approached me. I was aware he was behind me, which made me feel uncomfortable." Prosecutor Dan Cordey added: "She was petrified about what might happen as she was followed on the streets of Newcastle." He was released on bail and went on to commit arson when he set fire to a bin. Senior then went on to commit sex attack on the 11-year-old, who was on her way to meet a friend to go to school. Judge Bindloss said: "Given her age, she was vulnerable. "CCTV shows you changing course, going down an alley near her and she said you whistled to attract her attention. You were in the alley alone and she was cornered. "She was an 11-year-old schoolgirl. You used violence against her, pushed her against a wall, put your hand on her arm and squeezed her breast very hard then touched her vagina over her school clothing. "You tried to drag her by her sleeve but lost grip and she ran off." The girl later told police she was "shocked and scared". The court heard Senior has previous convictions, including a sexual assault against a child in 2011. Pre-sentence reports said he poses a high risk of harm to children and adults Judge Bindloss said he had demonstrated "predatory sexual behaviour in relation to both offences" and had shown no remorse or understanding for his victims. He must serve two-thirds of the seven year sentence and will be on licence for an additional five years. He must also register as a sex offender for life and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the rest of his life. The court heard he maintains his innocence and says he had no sexual motive. Chris Knox, defending, said: "He clearly doesn't accept that for which he is convicted." He has ADHD and learning difficulties and was using heroin at the time.

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Police have praised the victims of prolific sexual abuser Krishna Singh after he was found guilty at the High Court.

Singh, 72, of Airdrie, abused his position as a GP to prey on his victims over 35 years of practice.

His targets included a rape victim, teenagers, and pregnant women.

They were subjected to kissing, groping, inappropriate examinations, and sleazy comments during appointments with him.

Prosecutors described how the predator was hiding in plain sight for over almost four decades.

One of his victims bravely reported him to police in 2018, sparking a massive probe into his offending. He was subsequently arrested and charged in the same year.

Singh denied the crimes during a two-month trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

He was convicted of 54 charges, spanning between 1983 and 2018, against his victims with the crimes which mainly consisted of multiple sexual and indecent assaults.

The offences mainly occurred at medical practices in North Lanarkshire, but also at a hospital accident and emergency department, a police station and during visits to patients' homes.

Detective Inspector Stephen Morris, of the Specialist Crime Division said the victims had shown 'great courage' in helping with the investigation.

Speaking after the verdict, Detective Morris added: "Krishna Singh was a doctor, and in a position of trust, at the time he carried out this sexual abuse.

"The victims have shown great courage in coming forward with vital information, making sure he was held accountable for his actions, and ultimately convicted.

"His predatory behaviour was appalling for a man in his position.

"I hope this conviction provides a sense of closure for the victims and sends a clear message that all reports of sexual abuse, regardless of the passage of time, will be thoroughly investigated by Police Scotland and victims will be supported throughout.

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George Preston, 21, of Windsor Place, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to two counts of rape of a child under 13 and one count of rape of an 18-year-old woman at Preston Crown Court on Monday.

One of Preston's victims, who cannot be named, was just 12-years-old when she was raped by him in an 'abandoned gas shelter which was dirty with no windows'. She said: "George didnt just rape me, take my innocence away and my relations, but he also killed that person I ought to have been and that person I once was. No sentence long enough could ever begin for me to bring the real me back because one day he will be walking down the road just like nothing had happened."

She told the court: "I am terrified of men, groups of people, loud noise, and people touching me. I get consistent flashbacks and every day I will have a panic attack or a breakdown... It is a constant reminder of everything George did.

countless time, to which most people are unaware of except my closest friends. I am permanently scarred by what George did to me and there is no escape of that. I will forever have to carry this along with me. I will have to grow up knowing that each day I will still have been that victim, that child who got raped.

"Theres a question I have always wanted to know the answer of and that is why.

"George has ruined my life, my views, and my mental and physical state and I do not see myself getting past this. When I look into the future all I see is a black hole. George took my life away from the first time he abused me, and I will never get my life back. I lay there at night thinking of if I had killed myself how people would move on and carry on being happy. George has taken my life away he killed the person inside that I once was, and I do not see a sentence long enough to let the lives of his victims ever build back up to how they were."

Preston was sentenced to nine years in prison, and received a 10 year restraining order preventing him from contacting either of his victims. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register.

His victim, who is now 17, said: "I was once a happy child excited to see what their future held and what they would experience. Yet instead, Im a lost teenager with no future in their eyes and no hope or aspiration for the future. I see a dark hole that I cannot reach out of. I am trapped and I will never be set free. George will always have that hold over me.

"I would have loved to see what my life held for me if I had not met George; I would have loved to know what I would have achieved and what I could have built for myself rather than it being taken away from me.

"I know there are a lot of things I could say, but to this day I am still terrified of what he may do. I might be stronger minded and stronger physically now than I was when I was 11, but I could still not face him and say what I think. That man will forever terrify me, the things that resemble him and the places where he made me go will forever be a constant reminder of what he did... I will never forgive him of what he has done."

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A Dundee man with profound learning difficulties is unlikely to face jail for raping a 13-year-old girl.

Robbie Thompson had non-consensual sex with the youngster at a gathering in the city’s Whitfield area in August 2020.

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Mohammed Iqbal spent almost a month bullying, attacking and humiliating the man in his own Wakefield flat after he built up drug debts.

Iqbal, 19, was handed a 12-year sentence at Leeds Crown Court for the vile treatment of the man between April and May of last year.

He had denied the offences but was found guilty after a trial in February.

The court heard that Iqbal took advantage of the man, who was diagnosed with severe mental problems, after selling him drugs.

Recorder Hill-Baker said: "You assaulted him repeatedly with a number of weapons, causing him multiple bruising and burnt him with a lit cigarette.

"You further humiliated him by sexually abusing him. He lived in fear of the assaults."

The court heard that Iqbal forced the man to perform a sex act on two occasions and sexually assaulted him with a vacuum cleaner.

He also threatened to give crack cocaine to the man's son if he reported the abuse to the police.

Iqbal was found guilty of sexual assault, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, holding a person in slavery or servitude, two counts of actual bodily harm and attempted assault by penetration.

It was not a single offence, it was a course of conduct, and I have come to the conclusion you are a dangerous offender."

He handed him a 12-year sentence, made up of 10 years in prison with an extended licence period of two years.

Iqbal was also made the subject of a restraining order of indeterminate length to keep him away from the victim and must sign the sex offenders register for life.

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A MAN has been jailed for 19 years after being found guilty of historic child sex offences.

David Neil Cook, 62, was convicted of two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child following a trial at Winchester Crown Court. 

 The offences were committed between April 1991 and April 1993 and involved one female child victim.

The victim first disclosed the offences to police in 2019 and Cook was subsequently arrested and charged.

Cook, of Glebe Way, West Knighton, pleaded not guilty in an appearance at Bournemouth Crown Court last year and his case was sent to trial at Winchester Crown Court where he was found guilty of the four charges by a jury last October.

He appeared again at Winchester Crown Court for sentencing this month year where a judge sentenced him to a total of 19 years' imprisonment.

The victim, who has been described as showing 'immense courage', told the Echo that she made the report to police following 'years of anxiety'.

She said: "I was too young to realise what was going on, what he was making me do."

Despite what has been a very difficult time, the victim said she was glad that the case was over and was happy with the sentence given to Cook.

She said she doesn't want other victims of abuse to feel ashamed about what happened to them or to hide behind their abuse for years.

She said: "People shouldn't keep secrets, they should not be ashamed, and they will be believed."

Detective Constable Mandy Lawrence, of Dorset Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “The victim showed immense courage in coming forward to report what happened to them to police.

“I am pleased that following our investigation, David Cook is now behind bars for his unacceptable behaviour.

“We will relentlessly tackle child sexual abuse by supporting victims, encouraging reporting and ensuring those who inflict abuse are brought to justice.

“I hope this case encourages others to find the strength to come forward to report any sexual abuse in the knowledge that they will be supported and a thorough investigation will be carried out.” 

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A MAN from Cheshire who sexually assaulted a sleeping child and shared indecent images he had taken online has been jailed for four years and four months. Craig Crowther, 31, was identified by National Crime Agency investigators as username craggy2014 who, on numerous occasions, discussed his sexual interest in children with who he believed were other paedophiles online. In May 2020, Crowther, of Tilstone Close, Northwich, told an undercover police officer posing as another user that he likes to get involved with children, and had access to a child who he had sexually abused. Frances Willmott, prosecuting in Chester Crown Court today, April 14, said he even shared indecent images of the child in order to get accepted into an online paedophile group. The court heard how on July 15, 2020, he had conversations with an undercover FBI officer and shared 10 images of children, even encouraging the officer, who he believed was another user, to take pictures of a child and send them to him. Crowther bragged he had taken a sexually explicit photo of a sleeping child who he had sexually assaulted and also admitted to videoing the child but then deleting it immediately, knowing it was wrong. Crowther was arrested in July 2021 where 56 indecent images of children were found on his phone between categories A and C, including some of him sexually assaulting a child. When NCA officers arrested Crowther, he made a number of comments including, my life is over, nobody knows, Ive been expecting you, I know what Ive done and what Ive been on and I got no sexual gratification from it. He was charged with three counts of assault of a child under 13 by touching, three counts of making indecent images of a child (ranging from category A-C), two counts of taking indecent images (category B and C) and two counts of distributing category C indecent images. Crowther pleaded guilty to all the charges on February 11 this year at Chester Magistrates Court. Defending, Brian Treadwell, told the court his client did express remorse for his actions and accepted full responsibility. Crowther was sentenced to four years and four months in prison at Chester Crown Court today, April 14. Once released, he will remain on licence for four years, as well as being subject to a lifetime sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders register for life. Sentencing, Judge Patrick Thompson said: You made it clear in conversations that you have an unhealthy interest in young children. He added that his explanations for his behaviour in his pre-sentence report were full of denial, one of those being that he only shared images online to catch out other paedophiles - a claim which the judge dismissed. It seems to me that you are not prepared to accept the reality that you are a paedophile, Judge Thompson told him. I am afraid children must be protected from men like you. NCA investigations manager Hazel Stewart said: Craig Crowthers crimes were despicable, and our intervention helped safeguard children. He was prepared to share explicit images of his victim to like-minded individuals online, bragging about his abuse to gain their respect. His actions were callous beyond belief and by his own admission, he knew exactly what he was doing. The NCA works to protect those affected by child sexual abuse and disrupt offenders who pose a sexual threat to children, ensuring they face justice.

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A pervert music teacher gave two underage girls drugs and sexually assaulted them in a tent at a Derbyshire music festival. Richard Barlow was also found to have indecent images of children after assaulting the girls at the Rock and Blues Festival at the Coney Grey Showground in Pentrich near Belper.

Nottinghamshire Live reported that one of his victims was left suicidal, depressed and anxious and another constantly relives the experience, Nottingham Crown Court heard. Barlow, 39, ran Instru-Tech Ltd in Mansfield prior to his arrest.

Sentencing him, Recorder Michael Auty QC said: "It seems that they did not take much of the cocaine. It had an immediate impact, particularly on one girl, who was unfamiliar with the drug and how to take it.

It certainly stupefied them for moments. You undressed them both and penetrated the vagina of each of them. I regard what you did as having elements of real wickedness to it."

The judge added that Barlow giving the girls the drug "is indicative of a process you must have given appreciative thought". He also said that the girls were vulnerable by way of their age".

Turning to the two victims, Recorder Auty said: "I hope you are able to make something of the life that lies ahead of you. You are two remarkable young women with bright futures and I wish you all the very best."

The date of the offence was not disclosed but Barlow, formerly of Mansfield but now of no fixed abode, was sentenced to a total of 15 years behind bars for eight offences relating to sexual activity with children and possession of indecent images.

Sarah Phelan, mitigating, said [Barlow] knows he is going to custody for a very long time".

The Rock and Blues festival at which the assaults occurred runs for one weekend a year and is held at the Coney Grey Showground in Pentrich, between Belper and Alfreton. The festival organisers have been approached for comment.

Richard Howe, Detective Constable at Nottinghamshire Police, said: Barlow exploited girls who were less than half his age. As we revealed during our investigation, he knew full well that what he was doing was wrong but carried on with his offending regardless.

His victims, who have shown enormous courage and dignity during this process, must live every day with the memory not only of what Barlow did to them, but also of the crown court trial he forced them to sit through as he attempted to defend the indefensible.

I am pleased that he has finally been exposed for what he is and hope this case also serves as a reminder to other men who think they can get away with abusing children. All it takes is one call to the police for them to be exposed and shamed for what they are.

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The dad of a vulnerable young woman with Down's Syndrome and the mental age of a six-year-old walked in on a perverted care worker exposing himself to her on a video call.

Wavertree man Peter Edge, 62, was the then director of a company offering respite care to adults with disabilities - giving parents and carers a much-needed break. The family of *Jane (not her real name), told the ECHO they had total trust in him.

Today, Preston Crown Court heard Edge, of Goswell Street, betrayed them in the most devastating way imaginable, raping and sexually assaulting her at the West Lancashire respite centre at a time when he knew it was empty. The abuse only came to light when her dad, to his horror, saw Edge had exposed his penis over the webcam while Jane was in the family home.

An investigation was launched and Lancashire Police discovered that Edge had sexually abused Jane on the very first day she was allowed out from her home after shielding from coronavirus as a vulnerable person.

The pervert was supposed to be taking her to a park to maintain social distancing boundaries, but knew the fact other staff and service users at the respite centre were there meant it would be empty. Her parents said Jane had to point out what happened to her to specially trained officers, a process which caused her stress and embarrassment.

Judge Heather Lloyd, passing sentence today, described Edge as a remorseless and manipulative offender who posed a significant danger to the public. She said: "It is a blessing that [Jane's dad] saw what you were doing. Had he not, who knows how long you would have gotten away with this criminal behaviour towards his daughter.

"She may have enjoyed the attention you were showing her... but she did not understand the gravity of what you had done to her."

During the hearing, Jane's mum bravely began to read a victim personal statement about the impact of Edge's crimes on the family - but became so emotional she asked prosecutor Richard Haworth to finish reading it out.

She said: "[Her dad] was absolutely devastated when he saw Edge expose his genitals to Jane and in that moment everything changed for Jane and us. She could no longer go to [the respite centre] for overnight stays or meet with her friends, she lost her entire care network and social life, and this was totally devastating and hard for us to explain to her."

The court heard initially the parents had no idea of the full extent of Edge's offending against their "beautiful and amazing" daughter until a detective came round to explain Jane had reported being sexually assaulted. Her mum said: "I felt physically sick. [Her dad] cried and that really upset me because as he never cries, he very rarely shows his emotions. I found it hard to process what Jane had been through and didn't know how to deal with it."

The family have since struggled to find new respite care for Jane, and lost her grandad before he could see justice. Her mum told the court: "I find it hard to digest that the person I trusted with Jane violated her in the sickest way. It's hard to believe anyone could take advantage of Jane, let alone when the perpetrator is someone I'd also thought of as a friend, someone I allowed into my home and more importantly into Jane's life to care for her and protect her whilst she wasn't with me."

Edge accepted two lesser charges, but denied raping Jane and her family were forced to endure a trial - a process which Jane's mum described as a "horrendous ordeal".

Edge claimed he felt "disgusted" with himself after acting inappropriately with her, but denied he had raped her. A jury saw through his lies and convicted him of rape, sexual assault and other offences.

Jane's mum told the court: "On the day Edge gave evidence [Jane's dad] couldn't even be in court as he was too angry and upset and he couldn't listen to what that man had to say. I did sit through his evidence. There are no words to explain how it made me feel.

"I was in complete disbelief and disgusted to hear that he had sexual urges towards my beautiful daughter. It was utterly disgusting to sit a few feet away from him and having to listen. It didn't feel like it was my Jane that was being talked about. I felt like I was watching someone else's trial except, every time Jane's name was mentioned, it hit me hard it was my daughter who was being talked about and it made it real again."

Lloyd Morgan, defending Edge, told the court that a the legal definition of dangerousness, a significant risk of future harm, was not met. He highlighted that the Probation Service classed Edge as a low risk of reoffending, and said the inevitable long prison sentence and restrictions imposed after his release would be enough to protect the public.

Mr Morgan also said the Probation Service believed Edge had displayed remorse and a desire to understand why he committed the offences. However Judge Lloyd said she could not understand how he could show remorse when he still maintained his innocence of the most serious charges.

However Judge Lloyd said she disagreed, meaning Edge would find himself spending a considerably longer time behind bars. She handed down an extended sentence of 15 years in prison, with an additional two years on licence.

The sentence means instead of being automatically released on licence at the half-way stage, Edge must serve a minimum of two thirds - 10 years - behind bars before a Parole Board can consider him for early release.

Speaking after the hearing, Detective Constable Kerry Briggs said: "Peter Edge is an offender who abused his position of trust as a carer to subject his vulnerable victim to abhorrent abuse whilst he should have been providing care.

"I would first and foremost like to commend her for her courage in speaking out and facing her abuser through the court process, and both her and her family for conducting themselves with such dignity throughout this process in the face of repeated lies and attempts by Edge to use this ladys vulnerability to try and conceal what he had done.

"The victim is a happy go-lucky individual and its heart-breaking to think that someone who she trusted took advantage of her in this way. We have worked tirelessly to secure this conviction in very difficult circumstances and I hope that this significant sentence keeps the public safe from his disgusting sick behaviour along with giving others the courage who may have suffered similar abuse to come forward."

Solicitor Kevin Donoghue, who is representing Jane and her family in a civil case against the care company, added: "My clients parents were totally taken in by Peter Edge and his company. They were convinced he had their daughters best interests at heart.

"Edge used the cover of helping her professionally to commit repeated acts of the most serious sexual abuse. He then fought the criminal charges, resulting in a Crown Court trial which compounded my clients distress. Understandably, the victim and her parents are utterly devastated."

Description

A man has been jailed after he was found guilty of a serious sexual offence against a child under five years old

At his trial on 31st January 2022, David Shaw formerly of Winsford but more recently Crewe was found guilty of committing a serious sexual offence against a young person known to him.

At Chester Crown Court he was sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment

A sexual harm prevention order was put in place to prevent him from engaging in a particular activity which includes:

- Having any unsupervised access to any child aged under 16

- Must not live in the same household as a child aged under 16 without written approval from childrens social services

- Conditions not to have any contact with the victim