Latest Offenders

Description

A pervert caught with indecent images of children blamed his addiction to pornography for his vile stash.

Nathan Stephen's sickening collection featured infants and children aged up to 16 years and he had distributed one of them to someone who later told him she was a child herself, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

When confronted by police on October 14 2020, he asked: "Is this about the girl I was speaking to because I didn't realise she was 15 until later".

Various devices were seized and he was found to be in possession of 43 of the most serious, category A, images, 52 category B and 73 category C. He also had 2,876 prohibited images and seven extreme pornography images.

There had also been more than 14,000 keyword search terms used which are associated with indecent images. When interviewed, Stephen said he was speaking online to a female in America and he started sending cartoon pornography. He said she initially said she was 19.

He then sent her one indecent image of a girl aged around 10 being abused and she told him she was a child. Stephen told police he didn't believe he had a sexual attraction to children and claimed he was just addicted to pornography.

The 25-year-old, of Brighton Road, Gateshead, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images, distributing one category A image, possessing prohibited images and possessing extreme pornography. He was sentenced to two years suspended for two years with a four month curfew. He must also sign the sex offenders register for ten years and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Tony Cornberg, defending, said Stephen has mental health issues and has voluntarily signed up to the "Stop it Now" programme to tackle his offending.

 

Description

Sex offender John Bentley has 'lost everything' after being released from jail with no support. The 45-year-old was placed on the register after being convicted of possessing indecent images of children on September 3, 2020 and making indecent images of children on March 11 this year.

Prosecutor Emma Thompson told North Staffordshire Justice Centre the defendant was released from prison 'with no support; on August 11 for an allegation of assault.

He was then given a place at Hanley's Macari Centre but failed to tell police about his new address.

Miss Thompson said: "Due to him being on the sex offenders' register, the defendant had three days to notify the police of an address but he failed to do that. He failed to notify them of his address within three days.

The defendant, of The Macari Centre, Hanley, was arrested. He said he was released but had nowhere to stay before he found a bed at The Macari Centre. He said he had no excuse and simply forgot to register his address, adding 'it will not happen again'.

The court heard the defendant previously breached the notification requirements earlier this year by failing to sign his annual registration.

Steve Hennessy, mitigating, said the defendant was on remand for six months on an allegation of assault and was then acquitted at trial. He was released and was homeless.

Mr Hennessy said: "He had lost everything. It took him a day or two to find the Macari Centre. The court may have sympathy for someone released from custody with no assistance.

"He was located at The Macari Centre without difficulty. He was not trying to avoid the authorities at all.

"The previous breach was the annual registration. There is no suggestion of the commission of further substantive offences."

Magistrates adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on Bentley. He will be sentenced on October 4 and his bail was extended.

Description

A Fife man who terrorised a woman for almost a decade and twice put her life in danger by choking her is behind bars.

Ricky Smith admitted touching the woman’s private parts to check if she had been having sex and twice injuring her by throttling her.

Read More

Description

A Wakefield man has been jailed for more than six years for historic child sex offences against two victims.

Malcolm Shipman, aged 64, of no fixed address, Wakefield, appeared at Teesside Crown Court today (Tuesday, 13 September) for sentencing after being found guilty at an earlier hearing.

Shipman, who is a former manager of the Snooty Fox pub in Wakefield, was sentenced for four counts of indecency with a child.

The offences occurred between 1988 and 1997.

He was sentenced to six years, five months in prison and ordered to sign on the sex offenders register.

Detective Inspector Paul Oldham, of Wakefield District Crime Safeguarding, said:

The investigating officers and I welcome this sentence today. The bravery shown by the victims to report this man for the truly horrendous offences carried out against them as children, must be recognised and not underestimated.

Their courage has resulted in the successful prosecution of Shipman, ensuring the safeguarding of future possible victims.

I would like to reassure others who are suffering, have suffered or those who have any information of similar offences that we have specially trained officers who will treat victims with compassion and will work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice.

You can report crime or contact us online at Contact us | West Yorkshire Police. You can also contact us by calling 101. You should always call 999 in an emergency.

There is more information about what happens when you report sexual offences and the support available on our website at: Serious Sexual Assaults Campaign | West Yorkshire Police

In a statement issued by the victims following the sentencing, they said:

We are now adults, but we were those two little girls who we feel have finally been given a voice and have got justice for the horrible childhood we had to endure.

We both never dared speak out about what this man did to us as children, we had hoped to never have to and just wanted to get on with our lives, but you never forget the past as much as you try.

We have done this to stop him hurting anyone else and to finally tell the truth and get justice for what happened to us.

It has been the most painful experience going through this trial and there is still a lot of healing to do, as hard as this has been he had to be held accountable for his own sick choices against vulnerable children.

We encourage anyone who has been through anything like this to please come forward, it is not easy, but it is the right thing to do.

The fear of speaking out and him getting away with it keeps you prisoner long after the abuse. We urge others not to be scared and come forward to show strength in numbers to these predators and that there will be consequences, no matter how long it takes.

Description

The former headteacher at Newcastle's prestigious Royal Grammar School has been banned from teaching over sexual misconduct claims.

John Fern, who held the top job at the Jesmond private school from 2017 to 2019, came before a professional conduct panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) after pupils from a school he previously taught at made allegations against him. The 47-year-old was accused of kissing two students at the boarding school, and discussing his own sexual activity with others.

He also put his hand inside a pupil's clothing, it was claimed. The allegations, which were all denied by Mr Fern, came to light after one pupil made a report of historical sexual activity with the teacher to police in 2019.

Officers also spoke to another pupil, but neither wanted to support a prosecution against Mr Fern and no further action was taken in the criminal investigation. Mr Fern was on sick leave from his role at RGS and did not return to the school.

A spokeswoman said: "These allegations relate to an entirely different school and took place 20 years ago. They were brought to our attention after being reported to police in early summer 2019.

"Mr Fern was on sick leave and, under guidance from the Local Authority Safeguarding Officer, did not return to RGS. The matter was investigated by police and no charges were brought but Mr Fern resigned in November 2019.

"He was subsequently referred to the Teaching Regulation Agency, whose formal decision has just been published. We were prevented from making any reference to the matter until the police concluded their investigation and the TRA completed its disciplinary processes.

"We were shocked and saddened to learn of the allegations and the impact they have had on the individuals concerned. Although this matter does not relate to RGS and there was no cause for concern during Mr Fern’s time here, all schools need to hear about such incidents and examine what, if anything, they can learn from them.

"While there can never be room for complacency, RGS has a range of robust and effective mechanisms in place that allow students, parents or staff to raise any issue they may be concerned about. We are proud of the open culture of our school, in which reporting safeguarding concerns is welcomed and issues acted upon promptly and decisively."

The TRA report explains how the pupil, referred to as Pupil A, made the report to police saying the sexual activity "had not negatively affected him in the long term". But he said he felt compelled to report Mr Fern to the police when he heard he had become a headteacher.

The report says: "He was concerned that Mr Fern was in a senior trusted role and had the potential to misuse that position. Pupil A did not want to support a prosecution as he did not feel that the sexual activity between Mr Fern and himself warranted any criminal sanction. His purpose in reporting this matter was to ensure the future protection of pupils."

After being contacted by police Mr Fern informed the chair of governors at RGS and resigned after being told there would be a formal disciplinary hearing. The panel found Mr Fern guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.

The report says: "Mr Fern's actions included serious sexual misconduct with more than one pupil, including some non-consensual acts. Mr Fern's behaviour was further aggravated by the significant breach of trust between that of a teacher and pupil.

"The panel is satisfied that the conduct of Mr Fern amounted to misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession."

The panel made a recommendation to the Secretary of State that Mr Fern be issued with a "prohibition order" which would ban him from teaching with immediate effect. Sarah Buxcey, on behalf of the Secretary of State, agreed that Mr Fern should be banned from teaching indefinitely and he now cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

She said: "Mr Fern breached the trust of pupils in his care, the misconduct happened over a period of time, with more than one pupil. Mr Fern’s actions mean that he presents a risk to the safety and wellbeing of pupils in the future."

Parents of children at RGS were informed of what had happened by a letter sent out this week. RGS claims to be the North East's leading Independent School.

Parents pay fees of just over £12,000 a year for junior school pupils and more than £15,000 for senior students. In 2018, five students were expelled from the school amid concerns about bullying.

Description

Former hotel worker Luke James had not told the girl's mother - who he met online - that he was a convicted sex offender A convicted sex offender showed a young girl a video on his phone of an animated singing penis. Luke James had met the girl's mum on a dating website and went to a park with the family but had not disclosed his previous conviction for sexually assaulting a teenager. As part of the suspended sentence for that assault he is banned from having any contact with females under 16 unless their parent or guardian knows about his past. David Singh, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that in April this year James met a woman who had young daughters on an online dating site. The woman and her children subsequently met the defendant at a park. But the court heard one of the daughters later told her mum James had shown her a video of "bums of willies" on his phone. Concerned at what had happened the woman searched for the defendant's name online and found out about his previous conviction. In November last year James was given a suspended prison sentence and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) for sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Tenby. This offence had seen him pulling a teenager's top away from her chest and making comments about her not wearing a bra before kissing her neck and putting his arms around her. The court heard that after the mum found out about James' past she alerted the police and told them about the her daughter and the video. The prosecutor said the 30-year-old defendant was arrested and police found a video of an "animated penis signing a song" on his phone. James told officers he thought it was only unsupervised contact with girls that he was prohibited from having. Luke William James, formerly of Knowling Mead, Tenby, Pembrokeshire but now of Winch Lane, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, had previously pleaded guilty to breaching a SHPO when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has one previous conviction for one offence, namely sexual assault by touching. For that offence the former hotel worker was sentenced to 16 months in prison suspended for 24 months, and was ordered to undergo the Horizon sex offenders programme and to complete a rehabilitation course and 250 hours of unpaid work. The defendant was also put on the sex offenders register for 10 years, and was made the subject of a SHPO which is designed to control his access to girls. Dyfed Thomas, for James, told the court that the main part of the sentence imposed last November had been the Horizon programme but that the defendant had yet to start the course as he had been assessed as needing one-to-one sessions rather than the usual group sessions. The barrister said following his previous conviction James had "moved to a new area and tried to make new friends", and said while the author of the pre-sentence report raised concerns about how candid his client was being, there was remorse on James' part. Mr Thomas also acknowledged that concerns had been raised about the defendant's "extensive messaging of woman of all ages" but he said no criminal offences had been committed. Judge Huw Rees said the background to the offending was of concern - he noted the Probation Service had begun breach proceedings against the defendant prior to his arrest as he was not turning up for appointments, he was "evasive" about his internet use, and was "messaging multiple woman in a sexual manner". He noted a report into James had identified a "high level of sexual pre-occupation", and he added that in his view the defendant had been lucky to get a suspended prison sentence last November. With a discount for his guilty plea, James was sentenced to six months in prison for breaching the SHPO, and the judge activated 12 months of the previously imposed suspended sentence to run consecutively making an overall sentence of 18 months in prison. The defendant will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

Description

A Lanarkshire paedophile who destroyed the lives of three young children when he sexually assaulted them has been jailed for 32 years.

William Dolan, 56, attacked one of his victims when she was just three years old and also abused a 10-year-old boy and a teenage school girl in sick sex crime spree in Newcastle.

After years of escaping punishment for his appalling acts, the pervert, now living in Wishaw, will finally be brought to justice, the Chronicle Live reports.

The jury at Newcastle Crown Court found Dolan guilty of a number of offences including rape and indecent assault which he refuses to confess to.

One of the survivors, who was just three at the time, said in an impact statement: The sexual abuse I suffered as a child has affected me severely. No child should go through what I did when I was a toddler.

He has ruined my life, its been a living nightmare. Your childhood is supposed to be the happiest time in your life but mine was torture. I felt ashamed and dirty.

The older female victim said: Ive struggled to move on with my life since I was a victim of sexual abuse. This has hung over me. Ive lived every day in the hope justice would be served. Im happy I found the strength to report this to the police.

I often have flashbacks to what he did. Theres not a day goes buy I dont think about what he did to me.

He preyed on vulnerable children who could not protect themselves. He is manipulative and devious and I hate him for what he has done.

The male victim said in his victim impact statement: My childhood was a living nightmare which still makes me angry and sad now. I cant forgive him for what he did.

The demons of my childhood and sexual abuse are still with me but I feel I will finally be able to move on after he is sentenced.

Dolan, of Stewarton Street, Wishaw, was found guilty of one count of rape and six counts of indecent assault in Newcastle, and was jailed for 32 years by Judge Christopher Prince.

He was told he must serve at least 21 years of that behind bars and will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

He continues to completely and absolutely and vigorously deny any wrongdoing. The court heard his wife is standing by him and he has COPD and hip and stomach problems.

Description

A 52-year-old Yeovil man has been jailed for the depraved sexual abuse of a girl which started when she was just 13. Paul Morgan carried out 'an extensive campaign' of grooming and manipulation on the young victim.

He exploited her young age and vulnerable background and threatened to kill himself for sympathy. When suspicions were raised he lied and said she was to blame. He even forced her to apologise.

Morgan admitted abusing the child on multiple occasions.. He had sex with her more than 50 times when she was aged between 13 and 16, Taunton Crown Court heard. The victim said in a statement that her childhood had been destroyed by his deviant and obsessive behaviour.

Morgan has been jailed for seven years. The defendant, of Muchelney Way, pleaded guilty to six offences of sexual activity with a child and one of sexual communication with a child.

Prosecutor Miss Mary McCarthy said Morgan manipulated the child and groomed her so that he could have sex with her on a regular basis. He was 47 when the abuse started.

He began by sending her messages with sexual comments. He 'normalised' his behaviour sending hundreds of messages and progressing to full sexual contact.

"He was the driver of all that happened," said Miss McCarthy. The abuse happened over a period of two and a half years. When sexualised photos of the child were found on his phone he said she was to blame. When the girl told him the abuse had to end he started to scream, cry and threatened to take his own life, said the prosecutor.

The girl tried to get on with her life but revealed the truth in April 2021. The victim, who was in court to see her abuser jailed, says she suffers severe anxiety and flashbacks as a result of the abuse.

"Her teenage years were destroyed," said Miss McCarthy.

Mr Harry Ahuja, defending, said Morgan fully accepts the consequences of his actions and is sorry. His family remain supportive and references 'talk about these offences being wholly out of character'. His elderly father has dementia and he also helps look after his mother and worries he will never see them again.

Mr Ahuja said there was no further evidence of an unhealthy sexual interest in children. "He wants to move on with his life when he gets out of prison," he added.

Judge Paul Cook said: "You groomed her and manipulated her feelings. You drove how matters progressed. There was significant grooming and a significant disparity in age. It was an extensive campaign of sexual abuse over a significant period."

He said Morgan was hard working and had no previous convictions. The defendant was granted a third credit for his guilty pleas reducing the sentence to seven years, some of which he will serve on licence.

He must sign the sex offenders register and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

Description

Robert Farrow, of Gateshead, had been released on licence for sexually assaulting a child and distributing indecent images when he breached restrictions placed on him A pervert who was caught with a child in his home after being released from prison on licence has been put back behind bars. Robert Farrow was released from an eight-and-a-half year jail term last year, with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and strict conditions in place, designed to keep him away from children. But Newcastle Crown Court heard in May this year police went to his home after a tip-off and found a teenage girl there with him. The 29-year-old, of Milling Court, Gateshead, admitted breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and has now been jailed for ten months.

Description

A successful interior designer has been jailed for sexual activity with a vulnerable 15-year-old girl more than a decade ago. Daniel Kelly groped the girl's breasts after kissing her at his former home in Newton Abbot.

He groomed the girl by sending her sexually explicit messages and promising her alcohol and drugs. He preyed on her youth and inexperience to 'satisfy his lusts', a court heard.

'The teenager did not tell police until 2018 but Kelly's actions caused deep emotional scars and she still suffers flashbacks. In a statement read in court she said she 'hated' him for what he did to her.

Kelly, aged 40, was 29 at the time of the offences. He has a previous conviction for very similar offences and was jailed in 2017 for two years. Exeter Crown Court was told that since then he had rebuilt his life and earned decent money as an interior designer.

But Judge Peter Johnson said his claims of remorse were hollow because he had pleaded not guilty and was convicted of two offences of sexual activity with a child at a trial in June. He jailed Kelly for two years and nine months.

The judge said: "During the summer of 2011 you sent her wholly inappropriate texts as part of a grooming process. They made reference to drinking alcohol, drugs and sexual activity. "

When the girl visited his house Kelly provided booze then kissed her and put his hand on her bottom. A few days later she visited the house with a friend but fell asleep. Kelly climbed into the bed and fondled her breasts, kissed her on the mouth and put her hand over his penis.

The girl told schoolfriends what had happened but police only got involved after she made an attempt on her own life some years later.

Judge Johnson said the defendant regarded himself at the time as a 'Jack the Lad'.

"Alcohol was employed so you could satisfy your lusts," he said. "It is said you have changed markedly and I accept that. This was ingrained behaviour. I find it very difficult to accept your remorse when you didn't accept responsibility at the trial and it sounds hollow.

Kelly, of New Walk, Totnes, was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will last 10 years.

Description

A serial child sex offender has been jailed today for a minimum of 12 years and is being sent to a women's prison - despite not being legally recognised as female.

Sally Dixon, 58, began transitioning 18 years ago and carried out the offences against seven children from 1989 to 1996 while she was a man.

She was found guilty on 30 offences of indecent assault or indecency with a child against seven victims in July, the youngest of whom was seven years old at the time.

A jury took 17.5 hours to find her guilty on the charges, and not guilty on three more.

Ryan Richter, prosecuting, described a campaign of offending against two boys and five girls lasting eight years.

He told the court: 'The defendant, living as a man in the late 80s and 90s, was a brazen and callous sexual predator.

'He exploited young males and cultivated a toxic relationship with female children who he systematically abused throughout their childhoods.'

Sally Anne Dixon, who was born John Stephen Dixon in 1963, married twice and began transitioning to live as a female in 2004.

Despite being jailed for six months in 1997 for the sexual abuse of a teenage by, it was not until a victim came forward in 2019 that Dixon's years of offending came to light.

Judge Van Der Zwart said opportunities to jail her earlier had been missed.

Lewes Crown Court in East Sussex heard Dixon will be sent to HMP Bronzefield where she will serve her sentence, despite not being legally recognised as a woman.

Wearing a pink jumper and dyed pink hair, Dixon scowled, frowned and shook her head during a sentencing hearing.

The victims were now vindicated, the judge said.

Sussex Police reopened their investigation into his earlier offending in 2019 following a new complaint from another victim.

Harrowing victim statements were read to the court by victims, now adult men and women, who described horrific abuse by Dixon.

One woman said her childhood abuse left her feeling constant anxiety.

'I was hoping he would do the right thing for once and not put me through the trial but he didn't.

'He is a coward who did not give evidence.

'He was happy to put us through it but not himself.'

Dixon lived in Crawley and Bexhill where he worked repairing TVs and as a DJ around local bars, clubs and a caravan park.

The court heard he abused the children at a lock-up garage and in a caravan on the south coast.

Dixon was given consecutive nine year custodial sentences with two one year extended licences and will serve at least 12 years in custody before becoming eligible for parole.

Detective Constable Amy Pooley of the Sussex Police Complex Abuse Unit said: 'Dixon came to know these vulnerable young children successively through family connections, and used that trusted access to systematically abuse each of them for sexual gratification, in some cases for several months at a time.

'Only when one of the victims eventually came to us in 2019 was the terrible and distressing nature of Dixon's offending over many years finally uncovered.

'As one victim escaped this predatory interest, another would take their place, but sometimes some victims would be offended against simultaneously.

'This case shows again that we will always follow up such reports, no matter how long ago the events are said to have happened, to support victims and to see if we can achieve justice for them wherever the evidence justifies that.'

His Honour Judge Mark Van Der Zwart heard in July that Dixon did not have a Gender Recognition Certificate.

She will serve time at the women's prison despite not having a gender recognition certificate - the document which allows transgender people to legally be recognised as an alternate gender. It is understood she will have all the normal opportunities other prisoners at the jail have.

Description

An insurance broker who sexually assaulted an off-duty police officer at a lockdown party is facing jail.

Andrew McNally, 34, pounced at a gathering in Hamilton, where revellers were celebrating the end of Covid restrictions. The woman, 33, fell asleep on a couch beside a female friend but was woken after being groped repeatedly from behind by McNally.

The terrified victim alerted her friend and mouthed 'help me' as the attack continued. Her friend asked 'what is going on?' before McNally told her to be quiet while his victim sobbed uncontrollably.

The pervert told her she would 'ruin his life' if she told his wife what had happened before saying 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry'.

The women left the house and the victim later reported McNally, of Hamilton, to police and he was arrested.

A forensic investigation found his DNA on her body, bra, and underwear.

McNally denied the sexual assault of June 2021 and went on trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court but jurors took just an hour to find him guilty following a two-day trial.

Giving evidence from behind screens, the woman wept as she told depute fiscal Aga Mathieson she was left 'frozen' in fear during the assault.

She said: "He was directly behind me when I woke up, I opened my eyes briefly and then closed them straight back over because I wanted to pretend that I was still asleep.

"I didn't know what he would do if I said or did anything and I was just frozen. I was scared about what might happen next.

"I don't know why I didn't shout or scream but I was just frozen still because I didn't know how he would react.

"As soon as he heard my friend ask 'what is going on?' he jumped up off the couch and started jumping all over the living room and he kept telling her to 'ssh' and to 'shut the f**k up'.

"I was hysterical."

The woman added: "At that moment in time I wasn't a police officer but a woman. My natural reaction to what had happened was to be frozen still."

The 30-year-old witness told the trial her friend had 'red-eyes' and was 'petrified' during the attack.

In evidence, McNally, who wept in the dock after being convicted, claimed he had fallen asleep on the couch before being woken up by shouting.

He added: "I fell asleep on the couch and the next thing I realised I could hear shouting and it sounded angry which startled me so I sprung myself up and asked what was happening.

"I didn't touch her at all."

Asked if the women were lying, he replied: "It is my position that they are making it up."

Sheriff Liam Murphy deferred sentence on first offender McNally until next month for reports and continued bail.

McNally was placed on the sex offenders' register.

Description

A pervert who was caught bombarding a 12-year-old girl with sexual messages after she told her mother has been spared jail.

Haydon van Henten, 19, began hounding the youngster after randomly adding her on Snapchat. He told the girl, who stays in Nottinghamshire, he was aged 13 before asking her to send him naked pictures of herself.

Creepy van Henten then sent a selfie which fuelled suspicion he was lying about his age. He then sent X-rated messages such as 'if you were in my room, I want to s**g, you' and 'I wish you were in my room so we can Netflix and chill' - slang for sexual activity.

The youngster ignored him but later revealed to her horrified mother what was happening online. The woman confronted van Henten before calling in police which led detectives to his home in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire.

First offender van Henten appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted sending sexual communications to the girl and taking indecent photos of children between January and June last year.

Sheriff Alasdair MacFadyen ordered him to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and placed him under supervision for two years. He also put him on the sex offenders' register for two years.

Van Henten told police he had been sending messages from accounts including one named 'jameoconnor3820'. He said: "I've done stupid things in the past. I deleted messages and photos before you came.

"They images were all on my phone. I deleted six Snapchat accounts including Jamie O'Connor. I've been stupid, I've f****d up." A search of his phone found he had 16 images showing sickening abuse of children.

Depute fiscal Alice Carey said: "The complainer was contacted via Snapchat by an account in the name of Jameoconnor3820.

"Early in the conversation the girl advised she was 12 years of age with Jameoconnor3820 replying that he was a 13-year-old boy.

"As the conversation developed, the account Jameoconnor3820 asked the complainer to exchange photographs, requesting naked pictures to which she refused.

"During the conversation Jameoconnor3820 sent a photograph of half his face and a bedroom in the background. The complainer believed that the person who sent the photograph to be older than 13 years of age.

"She felt scared and uncomfortable with the messages she received and began to ignore the account." The prosecutor added: "Her mother contacted the police and provided screenshots of the conversation to the police.

"A subscriber check confirmed the user of said Snapchat account email address and IP address belonged to the accused." Sheriff MacFadyen said: "These are very serious offences."

Description

The brother of Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt sent explicit images to a child and arranged to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex.

Edward Mordaunt, 44, chatted with who he believed was a 14-year-old girl called Elle on social media app KIK. Elle was in fact a decoy managed by a police officer attempting to snare sex offenders.

Leeds Crown Court heard on Thursday Mordaunt - a chartered surveyor - messaged Elle privately on May 4 this year after being in a group chat named A-Levels in Leeds with her.

Prosecutor Katherine Robinson told the court Mordaunt had already messaged another decoy said to be a girl aged 12-years-old and told her she was gorgeous.

However, his chat turned sexual when he spoke to Elle.

Ms Robinson said: [the decoy] used the group and put a message saying about school and one person she engaged with was Eddie F. The user sent a private message and the officer accepted the defendants chat request.

The court heard the picture used on the decoys account showed her wearing a white shirt and dark tie. It told Mordaunt she was 14-years-old that day.

Ms Robinson said: He said he was an adult male. Up to 27th May the officer engaged with him on a number of occasions on KIK and Snapchat.

The court heard that during the conversations Mordaunt asked the decoy if she had ever had full sex with someone, and sent images of a mans penis to her. Ms Robinson said Mordaunt also made comments about how he shouldnt be speaking to her and they had discussions about how it was wrong for him to be speaking to people her age. She added that Mordaunt even mentioned setting up a "sugar baby" fund for Elle before requesting images from her.

Ms Robinson said that during the conversations Mordaunt, of Ford Avenue, Beeston, had referred to himself as Teddy Eddie and said he was like a bear and sexy" and told the decoy she was also "sexy."

It was said that plans had been made for Mordaunt to meet the decoy, but he cancelled, and they had discussed him visiting her in Sunderland.

After May 27th, there was no further contact between the pair and Mordaunt was arrested. Mitigating Catherine Silverton said he was arrested, interviewed and kept in custody for 26 hours before his first magistrates appearance.

Recorder of Leeds Judge Guy Kearl QC said he dismissed the suggestion that as a result of the job performed by Mordaunts sister, Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt, his case had been different.

He said: I take into account that suggestion that as a result of the job performed by your sibling which is an MP your case is somewhat different to other offenders. I sit here in this court daily and view many of these cases and as far as I can see your case has not been dealt with in anyway inappropriate or different to other cases.

Ms Silverton said highly educated Mordaunt had attempted to get help following his guilty plea at a plea, trial and preparation hearing to attempting to engage a child in sexual communication. She added he had no previous convictions.

She added that he had indicated his guilty plea to the Crown in advance of the plea, trial and preparation hearing. Ms Silverton said: He accepts full responsibility and is understanding of the harm of these types of offences on victims. He is of exemplary character. He has tried to see a doctor and has tried to engage with him and is on a waiting list. He has done his own research into other psychiatrists which may be able to help him.

Ms Silverton added that Mordaunt cares for his elderly father and stepmother and references from his wife, brother and former employer had been given to the court.

The court heard Mordaunt has also taken part in the rehabilitation course.

Judge Kearl sentenced Mordaunt to six months in prison suspended for two years. He told him: I take into account you used chat rooms to escape but you didnt need to engage with a female child in order to achieve thatIf you breach that order you will be sent to prison.

Mordaunt was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement says. He was also made the subject of a seven-year sexual harm prevention order.

Description

Gary Nash, who sexually assaulted a young girl for around a ten-year period, has now faced justice with a 16-year sentence following an investigation by safeguarding detectives.

Nash, 39, of Tower Road, St Leonards, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court on Thursday (September 8), having previously admitted two offences of sexual assault and one offence of attempting to engage in a penetrative sexual activity with a girl under 13.

He was given a 16-year sentence eight years of which will be served in custody, with the remaining eight years on extended licence. He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be a registered sex offender for life.

Detective Sergeant Oliver Bali of the East Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit said: "Nash took advantage of his access to the victim to exploit her for his own sexual gratification without anyone else knowing, until earlier this year when she finally found the courage to speak out.

"We started enquiries at once, and swiftly arrested Nash, who admitted all the offences. He would undoubtedly have continued to offend against her, had she not very bravely reported him.