Search the database
clearly and quickly

Record details

A social care worker has been jailed after preying on vulnerable children he was being paid to help.

Manipulative Graham Burgess (left) groomed a teenage victim and then sexually abused her, watched another teen girl get changed, and drew explicit pictures in front of a young boy.

The 58-year-old targeted youngsters in his role as a child care manager within a care team at Renfrewshire Council.

Burgess had responsibility for 20 to 25 children at one time, with his role involving him preparing reports for the Children’s Reporter, liaising with other agencies, supporting the child and agreeing a care plan to meet the child’s needs.

Most children in care have experienced trauma or loss and his post involved supporting kids and their carers, doing activities with the youngsters and sometimes arranging contact with the child and other family members.

He also was a duty worker in the team and would be asked to respond if there was a crisis or a worker was on holiday.

In 2015, while playing pool at a community centre in Paisley with a boy he was assigned to, he drew explicit pictures on a whiteboard, leaving the child “freaked out”.

After learning what had happened, the boy’s parents asked for Burgess to be banned from seeing him, and told his school he was not allowed to visit him.

In 2017 he barged into one teenage girl’s bedroom while she was getting changed – after she told him she was undressing and not to enter the room.

She ran to her gran after the incident and told her she no longer wanted Burgess to be her case worker.

He also preyed on a another teenager when she was aged between 15 and 17, grooming her before sexually assaulting her.

The court heard he convinced her to store his personal mobile phone number in her phone as ‘Art and Music Therapy’ and changed his profile picture to Vincent Van Gogh.

He told her that she should do that so her classmates did not know she had a case worker when she attended college.

He bombarded her with WhatsApp messages, texting her throughout the day on a daily basis, saying he was checking in and was “liking the banter”.

He regularly sent her funny videos, joking with her and saying he was getting to know her.

After giving her presents of arts and crafts items, a candle, a book and i-Pod, he cuddled her after arriving at her home, where she was alone, then said “someone’s excited” while looking at his crotch.

She noticed he was aroused by the interaction, leaving her panicked and feeling ‘like jelly’, before he put his hand around her neck, pulled her towards him and kissed her.

He later sexually assaulted her in the back of his car, after pulling over on a secluded road and convincing her to get into the back of the vehicle.

On another occasion, he grabbed her hand and made her touch his privates.

On Tuesday, Burgess was sentenced at Paisley Sheriff Court after having earlier been convicted of six offences relating to his conduct.

He was jailed for four years and 10 months, given a three year and two month extended sentence, which will see him supervised upon his release from prison, and he was also placed on the sex offenders’ register.

A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “We are deeply sorry for the harms caused by this individual and cooperated fully with the police investigation. The individual is no longer an employee of Renfrewshire Council.”

Record details

A man who tried to contact girls he thought were aged 12 and 13 for sex was today jailed for six years. Neil Doherty was in fact communicating online with undercover police officers.

The defendant, of Lothians Park, St Asaph, had denied seven offences but was convicted after a trial. Caernarfon Crown Court heard the offences happened between January 17, 2021 and May 28, 2021.

Prosecutor Nicolas Williams said the crimes relate to Doherty communicating with police decoys whom he believed were 12 and 13-year-old girls and arranging to meet two of them for sex. Specific details of the offences were not outlined in court today.

The court heard he has a criminal record including a conviction for robbery in 1985 for which he was jailed for five years. Anna Price, defending, said it was a sad case in that although her client has previous convictions there are none for sexual offences until now.

She said: "Fortunately there were no children - these were attempts rather than the full offence. It's not a case where the defendant has been apprehended en route to meeting a child."

She added that Doherty has alcohol issues and heart and back problems. The judge Mr Recorder Wyn Lloyd Jones told the defendant: "It saddens me to have to sentence someone of your age for so many offences of a serious nature."

He said Doherty claimed he believed he was messaging an adult in "role play". But the judge said: "I am entirely satisfied that you committed these offences for your own selfish sexual gratification.

"You believed you were communicating with young girls. (But) the people you were actually communicating with were police undercover operatives.

"If there had been real children you would have been grooming real children - and really vulnerable children." The judge noted Doherty's relationship with his partner had broken down.

He had been feeling low at the time of the offences and was drinking nine to ten pints a day. He lives with his elderly mother, 87, and is a father and grandfather.

His family probably think a great deal of him and the proceedings must be hard for them. He jailed Doherty for six years for two counts of attempting to incite a female under 13 to engage in sexual activity which was penetrative.

 He faced three counts of attempting to cause a female under 16 to engage in sexual communication and was given four, nine and four month concurrent sentences respectively. And he was sentenced to four years imprisonment for two counts of arranging to meet a child for a child sex offence, also to run concurrently to the main sentence.

The judge also gave the defendant a sexual harm prevention order to last indefinitely. His phone which was used for the offences will be forfeited and destroyed.

Record details

A 57-year-old man has pleaded guilty to a series of sexual offences against children that took place throughout Scotland between 1984 and 1989.

At the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday, 10 November, Rowland Reilly pled guilty to the charges including indecent assaults. He is due to be sentenced at Edinburgh High Court on Friday, 8 December.

Detective Inspector Anna Johnston said: “Rowland Reilly now faces the consequences of his despicable and distressing actions.

“The passage of time does not make these incidents any easier to talk about. His victims have been incredibly strong in coming forward and disclosing the abuse they suffered. Our thoughts remain with them and I hope Reilly’s convictions brings them some comfort and allows them to move forward with their lives.

“We remain committed to supporting victims of sexual crime and protecting children from harm and abuse. We will use all available resources to find and arrest those responsible, no matter how much time has passed. I would urge people to come forward. You will be fully supported by officers and our partner agencies.”

Record details

A paedophile who sexually abused five teenage boys has been put behind bars for 23 years. Anthony Spelman, 57, was sentenced at Chester Crown Court today, November 10, for three counts of rape, two counts of indecency with a child and 19 counts of indecent assault.

Spelman, previously of Arbour Hill Prison, Ireland, was found guilty after a 12-day trial at Chester Crown Court which concluded on Tuesday, September 5. The case against him began in 2017 when a number of men came forward to report that they had been victims of Spelman in Crewe, after seeing a court article about him in Irish news publications.

The article reported how Spelman had been handed a suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a seven-year-old boy between 1985 and 1986. All of the men in Crewe reported they had also been sexually abused by him as teenage boys while living in the town, between October 1993 and 2002.

They said Spelman would often provide them with alcohol and take them out in his car, on occasions letting them drive. An investigation was subsequently launched by Cheshire Police and Spelman was initially arrested for the offences in Crewe in 2018, while serving his suspended sentence in Ireland.

However, while officers were conducting enquiries, the Director of Public Prosecutions in Ireland appealed the sentence and Spelman was handed a custodial sentence. This was extended after more offences in Ireland came to light while he was serving.

The Cheshire Police investigation continued and in March 2023 Spelman was extradited to the UK after his prison sentence ended, meaning detectives were finally able to charge and remand him for the Crewe offences. On top of his 23-year sentence, Spelman will serve a further one year on licence. He was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for an indefinite period and must sign the Sex Offender Register for an indefinite period.

Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Lindsay Wooffitt said: “Firstly, I would like to thank the victims for their bravery in coming forward and the strength they have shown throughout the trial after Spelman refused to take accountability for his horrendous actions.

“I hope his sentence provides them with some sense of closure after carrying this on their shoulders for 20-30 years. Spelman was found guilty of despicable crimes, targeting young boys in the community where they lived, somewhere they should have been able to feel safe.

“In interview, he tried to deny the allegations, but justice has now been served and he is facing a lengthy spell behind bars. I hope Spelman’s conviction and sentencing encourages anyone who has been subjected to similar offending to report it to police.

“People should feel confident that they will receive the help and support they need. All victims will be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, and any allegations will be taken extremely seriously and thoroughly investigated.”

Record details

A Swindon meals on wheels delivery driver has been jailed for repeatedly sexually abusing a 93-year-old woman with dementia in her own home.

59-year-old Frank Greco, of Leighton Avenue, pleaded guilty to seven sexual offences including attempted rape, assault by penetration and five counts of sexual assault.

While working for Enterprise Works Community Meals in Gipsy Lane, the defendant targeted the frail victim between late-March and mid-April this year.

Unbeknown to Greco, the womans son had installed CCTV cameras in her kitchen and living room over concerns about her safety due to deteriorating health.

When he logged in to check the footage, he saw his mother being sexually abused by a man and alerted the police. An investigation was launched and Greco was arrested.

Swindon Crown Court today (Friday) heard how the defendant, on one occasion, had brought moisturising cream with him applying it to his victim before attempting to rape her. After failing to carry out the rape, he proceeded to digitally penetrate her.

In another incident, Greco removed the womans trousers and underwear before performing sexual acts. On other occasions, he touched her breasts under her clothing or kissed her on the lips.

Footage also showed him leading the victim upstairs, out of view of the cameras. On his return to the kitchen, he was seen to wash his penis over the sink and dry it with tea towel.

Two of the offences were carried out whilst a member of the womans family were present at her address, but in another room.

He told initially pleaded innocence to detectives, but when he was told about the CCTV footage, he claimed sexual activity had been consensual despite the victim being assessed a six out of seven on the Global Deterioration Scale for dementia.

Her family said that she can no longer tell the time, confuses her son with her father, struggles to recognise family members, and has confusion and forgetfulness.

Judge Jason Taylor KC said the womans son is still traumatised by what he saw, adding that it was hardly surprising.

Adding: He could not have imagined what it would record and I cannot imagine the revulsion [his family] must have felt when they discovered what had been recorded.

Regrettably, my duty as sentencing judge means Ive had to watch it as well. It is deeply disturbing.

Judge Taylor handed down a prison sentence of 14 years and four months. Greco was also classified as a dangerous offender and given an extended licence period of five years and eight months.

Continuing, he said: Your behaviour that was calculating and controlling. In stark contrast, hers was childlike and compliant. giggling like a teenager, simply responding to you and doing what she was told. Because according to Dr Warner she would have been unable to understand what was happening or make informed decisions.

[She], like any dementia sufferer, was highly vulnerable to the influences of others. Sadly, your influence was malign and self-serving.

I am sure you deliberately targeted her because she would not indeed, could not resist. And having tested the waters on the first and second occasions, you returned repeatedly. In my judgment, you actions were predatory and depraved.

Greco has a previous conviction for arson with intent to endanger life dating back to 2001.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Rachel Hardy said: These crimes represent the ultimate betrayal of trust, Frank Greco chose to repeatedly target a vulnerable woman in her own home.

The impact of the offending on the victim and her family has been enormous. It was extremely difficult for her family to learn of the abuse perpetrated by Greco whilst he visited their mother.

This has been a distressing case for the investigating team to work on. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the family of the victim who have conducted themselves with dignity throughout such a harrowing ordeal.

Our thoughts are with the victim and her family.

Record details

A man who lured teenage girls by offering them modelling work and taking them back to his flat to sexually exploit them has been jailed.

Benjamin Agyemang, of Marlborough Grove in Southwark, was convicted after a victim-survivor came forward to police ten years after the abuse.

The 45-year-old was sentenced to 13 and a half years in jail at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday (November 9).

He was found guilty on Wednesday, September 27 of one count of attempting to procure a girl under the age of 21 to have unlawful sexual intercourse, two counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and four counts of sexual activity with a child.

Detectives spent two years investigating the case which spanned over a 20-year period and led them to uncover other victim-survivors.

The court heard how Agyemang targeted the girls who were all between 14 and 16-years-old at the time of the offences.

They knew Agyemang as ‘Marshay’ who lured them by offering them modelling work and then taking them back to his flat in Elephant and Castle to sexually exploit them.

In 2021, a woman reported offences of sexual assault and exploitation which took place in 2008 when she was 14 years old.

She was approached on the street by Agyemang, under the name ‘Marshay Ramone’, who told her he could get her into modelling for music videos.

Police say she began staying at his flat for weeks at a time, manipulated and unable to leave, where she would be sexually abused by Agyemang and multiple paying ‘clients’ a day.

During this time, she witnessed him sexually exploiting other girls and young women.

Agyemang was arrested following the report and police went on to identify other victims.

A school friend of the first victim-survivor was identified and contacted by officers.

Police found that when she was 15, she had gone to Agyemang’s flat on two occasions where she was sexually abused by a ‘client’.

Through careful investigation, a further victim-survivor was identified. She described how at the age of 16 she had attended Agyemang’s flat on the promise he could help her become a model.

He took her to a bar and introduced her to an older wealthy man who he suggested was important in the modelling business.

This was a lie, instead Agyemang had “sold” her as an escort without her knowledge.

She was taken to the man’s house and seriously sexually assaulted.

In June 2022 Agyemang was further arrested and charged with offences against all three victim-survivors.

If you have been a victim of sexual assault or rape or you have information about an offender, contact police on 101 or 999 in an emergency – there are specially trained officers who will listen and investigate where needed.

Detective Constable Kate Orr, from the Met’s Specialist Crime team, who carried out the investigation, said: “I would like to commend the courage and strength of these women and I hope today’s outcome provides them with some degree of closure.

“Sexual predators like Agyemang who groom girls are often able to escape justice for years due to the fear and shame they instil in their victims.

“It’s not uncommon for it to take many years before victim-survivors feel able to report offences to police.

“The fact offences may have taken place a long time ago does not make investigating them any less of a priority.

“I hope this investigation will encourage victims of sexual offending to come forward to police.

“We have specially trained officers who will listen carefully to allegations and investigate them thoroughly, with a view to getting justice for victim-survivors and protecting future victims.”

Record details

Registered sex offender, Samuel Moodie, 55, of Burton-in-Lonsdale has been jailed for 20 months after being found with 30,000 indecent images of children.

Due to a previous conviction in 2017 for the possession of indecent images of children, Moodie was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which prohibited him from using or possessing any device which was capable of accessing the internet, without notifying police. The order also prohibited him from accessing any type of cloud storage, without declaring and providing access details to police.

Despite this, officers conducting a search at his property uncovered 30,000 indecent images of children including category A, B and C images across three devices along with the details for a Google Drive cloud account.

He was found guilty in September of three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child and breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He was jailed at York Crown Court on 10 November 2023.

Speaking after his sentencing today, Detective Constable Kerri Jones from the North Yorkshire Police Online Child Abuse Team, said:

“Despite already serving a prison sentence for a similar offence in 2017 and clearly knowing the terms of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order placed on him at the time, Samuel Moodie blatantly flouted the order and once again accessed and saved some truly hideous images of child sex abuse.

“I’m pleased he’s back behind bars, where he cannot play a role in sharing these disturbing and harmful images. Those who obtain and distribute child abuse material directly contribute to the sexual exploitation of children, because the children involved are continually re-victimised every time the images are shared and viewed.

“I’d like to thank the expertise of North Yorkshire Police’s Digital Forensic Unit and the dedication of my colleagues who have been involved in this investigation.

“I hope the sentence handed to Moodie sends a clear message that police can and will track down anyone involved in the making or sharing of indecent images of children and we will use our expertise to uncover the unquestionable digital evidence that will lead to a conviction.”

Record details

A 50-year-old man has been jailed for three years after attempting to meet a 14-year-old girl he had been grooming online.

Christopher Hill, of The Tythings, Newent, pleaded guilty to three child sex offences at Gloucester Crown Court.

He was exposed by an online paedophile hunter group who used a decoy persona to trap him.

The judge said his messages to the girl were "highly sexual and graphic" in nature.

The court heard on Wednesday how Hill had used social media to arrange to meet up with a 14-year-old girl called Sophie, who was in fact a decoy created by a member of the Leeds-based Predator Exposure group.

"Very quickly the conversation moved to WhatsApp, which is encrypted, and Hill requested that the girl send him a picture of herself," said prosecutor Lucie Stoker.

"He also asked for snaps of her not wearing any clothes and some sexy photographs.

"He revealed he was falling in love with her. He repeatedly requested that she reciprocates that love, but she doesn't," continued Ms Stoker.

Arrangements were made for 'Sophie' to travel alone from Leeds to Gloucester by train.

Hill told her he would take her to a nearby hotel and sent her a copy of the receipt.

"The girl was told that she could look forward to a lot of sex in all of its forms," said Ms Stoker.

"He was predatory in his behaviour throughout," she added.

'Bitterly regrets'

The judge, James Watson KC, told Hill: "Not only had you encouraged and groomed and planned this meeting for penetrative sex, you had offered her incentives by how you would treat her and the presents and money you would give her after you had met her.

"I've no doubt that had this been a real 14-year-old, you would have carried out what you proposed."

Catherine Spedding, defending, said Hill had suffered from loneliness after his marriage dissolved and "bitterly regrets" his actions.

"Hill met 'Sophie' on a normal social media site, he was not surfing the internet for this type of material and opportunities," argued Ms Spedding.

Hill pleaded guilty to attempting to have sexual communication with a child for the purpose of sexual gratification.

He also pleaded guilty to attempting to facilitate a child sex offence by engaging in sexual activity with 14-year-old girl that involved penetration; and attempt to meet a child following sexual grooming.

The judge sentenced Hill to three years and 11 months in prison and subjected him to the term of a 20-year sexual harm prevention order, which limits his use of the internet.

He was also put on the sex offenders register for life.

The judge also barred Hill from working with children and vulnerable adults in the future.

Record details

A trainee doctor has been jailed for sexually assaulting a young girl during a medical examination at an NHS surgery in Plymouth. Dr Gary Lawrence had a secret attraction to young children and was separately caught by a police undercover operation in which he sent explicit fantasies about child sex to a decoy officer on a chat site.

Lawrence, aged 53, retrained as a doctor in his 40s. He was working at a clinic in Plymouth as one of the final stages of his training when he assaulted the child in 2021. The girls mother was present at the examination and realised that there was no proper medical reason for Lawrence to touch her daughters genitals.

A judge at Exeter Crown Court today praised the mother for helping to bring Lawrence to justice and apologised for the delay of more than two years since the crime was committed in June 2021

Recorder Mr Donald Tait jailed Lawrence for eight and a half years and told him: It is hard to conceive a more flagrant and serious breach of trust than this.

Lawrence, aged 53, of Honicknowle, Plymouth, denied sexual assault but was found guilty at a trial at Plymouth Crown Court in July. He admitted publishing two obscene article, and five counts of making, by downloading, indecent images of children.

He made asexual harm prevention order which will prohibit any unsupervised contact with children for the rest of his life and put him on the sex offenders register for life. Lawrence will also be banned from working with children by the Declaration and Barring Service.

The judge told Lawrence: Despite your denials throughout the trial that you had no sexual interest in young children, the evidence suggested very clearly otherwise. Before the sexual assault, it is quite clear that you spent a significant period of time accessing indecent images of children and also engaged with an undercover officer.

Your private viewing of indecent images online crept into your professional life and you committed the sexual assault. It is hard to conceive a more flagrant and serious breach of trust than this. This offence is aggravated by the extreme breach of trust and the young age if the victim.

The girls mother and her family were in court and the Judge told her: On behalf of the court, I thank you for your dedication to see this man was brought to justice. It was thanks to you this was achieved. I hope you have some element of closure by the sentences I have imposed upon him.

Mr Rowan Jenkins, prosecuting, said the sexual assault happened in June 2021 and the police investigation showed he had downloaded 15,000 images or movies showing child abuse, of which 386 movies and 1,410 photos fell into the worst category.

Many of the images were of toddlers and very young children, some of whom appeared to be in distress. The mother of the child who was abused at the surgery wrote a victim impact statement saying she had suffered such severe anxiety and depression that she had been forced to stop work.

Mr Deni Matthews, defending, said he started looking at images online at a time when he was drinking too much and was drawn into accessing more and more extreme material before committing the contact offence.

He said: He understands he will receive a significant sentence. His career has ended and everything positive in his life has ended.

Police welcomed the sentence after the case. Detective Chief Inspector Simon Foster, from Devon and Cornwall Police Paedophile Online Investigation Team [POLIT], said: We are really pleased with todays sentence. The offences committed by Lawrence are the most despicable and abhorrent breaches of trust imaginable by a doctor.

He was working in a position of high responsibility where he had a duty to protect children and young people. He chose to abuse that trust and used his position to sexually assault a child.

Furthermore, Lawrence was in possession of an extremely large collection of indecent images of all categories, including images of children and extreme pornography involving animals. Of those, 2,000 were Category A images which are the most serious in nature.

A prison sentence is the only appropriate outcome for such serious offending and I welcome todays sentence. I would like to thank the victim and their family for the courage they have shown in reporting this matter. Theyve shown true strength and continual determination to see justice served in this difficult investigation.

Specialist POLIT officers have worked closely with them, providing ongoing support throughout. We have also received close support from the NHS during this investigation.

I also wish to show my huge appreciation to the investigation team, headed by Detective Sergeant Hannah Spencer and case officer Detective Constable Alicia Smith. They worked tirelessly on a difficult and emotive investigation, putting in many extra hours to ensure justice was served against this dangerous individual.

I hope this result will provide reassurance to other victims of sexual offences and give them confidence to come forward. We want victims to know that their account will be believed, they will be supported, and we will do our utmost to hold offenders to account for their actions.

This case sends a strong message to those using the internet for deviant purposes that we have the capability to use advanced technology and specially trained detectives to uncover the truth and bring offenders to justice. We are watching and we will catch you."

Record details

A 39-year-old man from Southampton has been jailed for three years for taking and possessing indecent images of children, voyeurism and possession of cannabis.

Adam Dervan, of Graham Road, Southampton was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Tuesday (7 November).

Some of the offences, for which he has been sentenced, took place in Fawley in 2014. At the time of his crimes, the victim was just eight and nine years of age.

His offending first came to light when SD cards, which contained the indecent images, were discovered hidden on top of a Venetian blind in a room he’d previously lived in.

Upon his release from prison, Dervan will be subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He is also now a Registered Sex Offender for life.

Record details

A KEIGHLEY man arrested following a Facebook 'sting' has been jailed for two years.

David Houldsworth, 58, of Skipton Road, admitted two charges – sexual communication with a child and causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

In addition to the jail sentence, handed down at Bradford Crown Court, Houldsworth will have to sign on the sex offenders register for ten years and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order when he’s released.

Detective Constable Adam Flaxington, from the Bradford district policing online investigations team, says: "This was a lengthy, two-year investigation and I welcome the guilty plea and sentence the court has handed down.

"In Houldsworth’s conversations he demonstrated clear intent to commit sexual offending against young children, and it is fortunate the person he thought he was speaking with wasn't a child."

Record details

A Chatham sex offender who targeted a child has been jailed for three years.

David Kemp was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday 1 November 2023, after he pleaded guilty to arranging the commission of a child sex offence and attempted sexual communication with a child.

He was detained by officers from Kent Police’s Paedophile On Line Investigation Team at Strood Train Station on Wednesday 13 April 2022.

His arrest followed an investigation that found Kemp had engaged in sexually explicit conversations online with a girl he believed was 13 years old.

During the conversations between 4 April and 13 April, he also sent explicit images.

When Kemp, aged 40, of Silverweed Road, Chatham, travelled to Medway having arranged to meet the girl he was arrested and later charged.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Lise Roots, said: ‘We proactively target people who seek to commit sexual offences against children and, in this case, the evidence was overwhelming.

‘By travelling to a prearranged meeting, Kemp has shown he poses a significant risk to children. The prison sentence is entirely justified and he will be also required to comply with the terms of Sexual Harm Prevention Order on his release.’

Record details

An Inverness dad was caught with indecent videos of children as young as six years old on his mobile phone, a court has been told.

Andrew Scott’s sinister secret was exposed by a police raid at a property in Croy.

Record details

A paedophile has been jailed again after police visited his home.

Ian Hobley, 55, of Town Lane, Bebington, was found to be in breech of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) when police visited his home on Friday, October 6. When officers entered his home they found an electronic device he had failed to register.

After reviewing the phone they found suspected indecent images of children and he was arrested. When Hobley’s devices were further examined, there were 450 images classed as Category A, along with 1,179 other images in Categories B and C.

There were also two Category A videos found. He was brought before Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday, November 7, having pleaded guilty to 11 offences involving making indecent images, possessing prohibited images and three offences of breaching the SPHO.

He was jailed for two years and was issued with a SHPO for ten years.

Detective Inspector Steven O’Neill said: “Hobley was arrested after officers on a routine home visit as part of his SHPO found an electronic device that he hadn’t registered with us. This led to the sickening discovery of explicit sexual images of children.
“Hobley pleaded guilty to the offences because the evidence was so strong against him.

“Officers working in the Sex Offender Unit regularly conduct visits each month to ensure that offenders on the Sexual Offenders Register living in the community are closely monitored. Officers also work closely with partners in probation and housing to ensure that the public are protected and risk of further offending is minimised.”

This isn't the first time Hobley has been in court, with previous convictions in 2003 and 2008 for indecent image offences.

A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: "Sex offending has such a huge and terrible impact on victims, and we are determined to continue looking to innovative new ways of identifying repeat offenders at the earliest possible opportunity, to prevent young people coming to further harm from abuse and exploitation."

Record details

A sex offender with a track record of breaching strict court orders has admitted breaking the rules again.

David Powell had a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) imposed at Liverpool Crown Court in 2007.