Latest Offenders

Description

A paedophile who sexually assaulted four children - including one who was just two years old - has been sent to prison. During a sentencing hearing at Taunton Crown Court yesterday (June 8), Karl Pitcher was jailed for 10 years and four months after being found guilty of 11 counts of indecent assault of four children in the 1990s and 2000s.

The 54-year-old of Great Orchard, Ilchester, has also been given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He has also been ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

During proceedings, the court heard how Pitcher - who has been described as a "predator" by Recorder Judge Millard - had abused four girls between the ages of two and 14 on a number of occasions. Avon and Somerset Police said the force was approached by two of his victims in 2020, leading to an investigation.

Police enquiries led to two more cases being unearthed from the early 2000s which had been investigated at the time. However, police said they were "unfortunately unable to prosecute" at the time.

Two of Pitcher's victims spoke about the impact his sexual abuse had on them. One victim said: "I was a vulnerable young girl all those years ago and he knew it. He used that to his advantage to be able to behave how he wanted towards me.

"He destroyed my confidence. I spent all those years rebuilding my life and was then made by him to relive it all again during a trial.

"I wanted to say thank you to the police for all their hard work and for the result we got. It’s been such a relief to know, after all this time, I have been believed by you all."

Another victim said: "The day we found out the jury had reached a guilty verdict, I cried with relief. Relief that the truth had been told and heard and that, as victims, we were finally getting the justice we deserved.

"I hope that, by me going through the process of this trial, it will help and support other victims with coming forward and having their story heard."

Speaking after the sentencing hearing, investigation officer PC Victoria Doble said: "The victims have shown incredible strength to report these incidents and support the police investigation. They have shown such courage throughout the trial and have bravely taken the stand to get the justice they so rightly deserve.

"Pitcher is a horrendous criminal, who has taken advantage of young children and impacted their lives, even beyond his offending. I hope more victims of recent and non-recent sexual offences read about this conviction and are encouraged to come forward and seek justice, and I hope this sentence will give Pitcher’s victims some closure."

Recorder Judge Millard also commended the "strong women" who came forward to give evidence against Pitcher. He also blasted the paedophile for his actions and lack of empathy towards his victims.

"You are a predator of young girls," Judge Millard said. "Over 10 years, you demonstrated a long-term commitment to abuse young girls. You’ve displayed no victim empathy in this case. They are strong women.

"It takes strength and courage to report the offences and come to trial. I commend them for it. They do not deserve to hear your continual denial."

Description

A MAN committed lewd sex acts under his clothing in front of three distressed teenage school girls in Carlisle during a spate of perverted offending while on bail.

Samuel Ramos, 27, was first witnessed by a care worker in a city building on February 20 to be exposing himself through the window of a nearby upper-storey property.

“She was particularly concerned,” prosecutor Brendan Burke told Carlisle Crown Court, “that during the course of that he appeared to be fixing his attention looking up the street towards a primary school.”

 
It had been half-term that week, and no children were reported to be in the area.

But Ramos was caught as he committed further similar offending inside Carlisle’s Primark store on two different dates. On February 28 he was spotted by a shocked 15-year-old girl who was with a friend after both had been followed around by Ramos.

In an impact statement the girl said she was on the shopping trip to regain independence after suffering difficulties, but told how the incident in the shop had “really set her back”.

On March 2, Ramos was back in Primark and seen on CCTV engaging in similarly lewd conduct near obvious other shoppers by a security guard monitoring footage.

And a week later there was a further incident on a Carlisle street with Ramos carrying out a copycat crime in front of two 13-year-old girls walking to school. “They ran into the school in an immediately distressed state and crying, and reported the matter,” said Mr Burke.

Ramos had been arrested after the first incident, and committed the next three offences while on police bail. He admitted one charge of exposure and three of committing acts outraging public decency.

Anthony Parkinson, giving mitigation, said Ramos had served the equivalent of a six-month prison sentence on remand. He had completed a raft of courses in custody but none of these were aimed at reducing the risk of further sexual offending.

If sent to prison and released on post-sentence supervision, any work done with him would not come close to that being proposed by the probation service if he was allowed to return to the community.

Intense rehabilitation work would best serve Ramos and the public in general, suggested Mr Parkinson. He added: “It is clear he acts on impulse. It is clear he was unable to resist the impulse on these four occasions. This is a case that is crying out for rehabilitation-based work with him so that the next time these impulses arrive he has a better and lawful way of dealing with them.”

The judge, Recorder Mark Ainsworth, said he was presented with a “very difficult” decision. But in view of Ramos’s “very concerning” conduct he concluded that appropriate punishment could only be achieved with an immediate 18-month jail term.

Ramos, of London Road, Carlisle, was made subject to the sex offender notification requirements and strict terms of a prevention order, both for 10 years.

Speaking after the sentencing hearing, PC Rebecca Lynch, of Cumbria police, said: “We take all reports of sexual offences seriously and work hard to do our best for all victims of such crimes.

 “I hope that this case encourages victims of such crimes to report incidents such as these to the police. Victims will receive support from sensitive professionals.”

Description

A sex offender phoned the police to confess to years of abuse against two young girls – minutes after denying the offences in a formal interview.

John Morrell, aged 73, was arrested by Nottinghamshire Police after one of his victims told a school friend about his offending.

Police were informed by a teacher and a criminal investigation was started by specialist child abuse detectives.

Morrell repeatedly abused the girls over several years and was finally arrested in March 2021.

At his initial police interview at Mansfield Police Station he denied all the allegations against him and suggested they were being made up.

Shortly after the interview had finished he left a message with detectives asking them to call him back.

He then told them that the allegations were true and later admitted to multiple offences in a second interview.

A forensic examination of his personal computer also uncovered hundreds of child sexual abuse images – some of them depicting the most serious acts of abuse.

Further examination of his internet browsing history confirmed that he had a clear sexual interest in children.

Morrell later pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault and three counts of making an indecent image of a child. The indecent image offences relate to the storage of images on his computer.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday (6 June), Morrell, of Milner Street, Newark, was jailed for eight years and added to the sex offenders’ register for life.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order that will closely restrict his future behaviour and access to children once he is released from prison.

Detective Constable Alan Braisby, of Nottinghamshire Police’s child abuse investigation unit, said: “Morrell was responsible for an appalling catalogue of abuse over a sustained period of time.

“When this abuse started his victims were simply too young to understand what was happening to them. As they got older they realised that what had happened was wrong and the truth was revealed.

“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of children, so when cases like are reported to us we will take them seriously, we will follow the evidence and we will do whatever it takes to bring offenders to justice.”

Description

A DOUBLE rapist has been labelled a dangerous offender and given an extended prison sentence of 15 years and six months by a judge at Bradford Crown Court today.

Matthew Wilson, 43, was jailed for ten years in 2005 for raping a sex worker when he began strangling his terrified victim.

He was released from that sentence in 2014 and went on to rape a second woman in the Calderdale area.

At the time of the second rape, he was on bail for an assault on another woman during which he had put her in a stranglehold.

Judge Colin Burn said Wilsons second rape victim had been subjected to a sustained piece of violence before the attack.

He had punched her, dragged her across the floor and bashed her head against a wash basin, rendering her either fully or semi-conscious.

Wilson, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and a personality disorder, was remanded in custody following his arrest in 2017. He was later transferred to Rampton high security hospital because of his mental state.

At a hearing at Bradford Crown Court earlier this year, he admitted charges of rape, assault and making threats to kill after he was assessed as being fit to plead.

Formerly of Sowerby Bridge, he appeared in court today via a video link to a medium secure hospital in Stevenage where he is currently being treated.

I find that you are a dangerous man, particularly when mentally or emotionally unwell, Judge Burn told Wilson. His victim was traumatised by the offending and had been in survival mode for years.

The judge said Wilson posed a high risk of serious physical and sexual violence towards women as demonstrated by his previous convictions.

He was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison with an extended licence period of six years.

Wilson will remain at the hospital unit but he could be moved to prison depending on his mental state.

Judge Burn said he would have to serve two thirds of the custodial term before he could apply for parole but he would not be released automatically at that stage.

He will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and comply with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order to protect women from him in the future.

Description

A man who spent years subjecting a schoolgirl to sexual assaults has been jailed still protesting his innocence.

Alan Owens abused the girl in the 1990s and then intimidated her into not reporting the offending. The victim has been left suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and night terrors, but in a statement read to the court she said she was grateful to the 12 strangers on the jury who believed her at trial adding: "The best thing I have ever given myself is the courage to speak up".

Owens had denied indecent assault of a child and attempted rape of a child but was convicted at trial at Cardiff Crown Court. The 52-year-old returned to the dock on Thursday to be sentenced.

The court heard the offending happened in the 1990s when the victim was of primary school age, and involved repeated sexual assaults over the course of around four years. The offending also included the attempted rape of the child. The court heard Owens intimidated the youngster into not revealing what was going on, and it was not until she was an adult and a mother to a daughter that she felt able to report him.

In an impact statement which was read to the court by prosecution counsel Julia Cox, the victim said she had spent years wondering "why me?" and wondering about what she had done to deserve what happened to her. She said Owens "tainted and took away my childhood" and left her with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and night terrors, and needing medication to allow her to get on with her life. She said she was grateful that 12 strangers had believed her story and given her justice after so many years of suffering, adding: "The best thing I have ever given myself is the courage to speak up".

Alan Roy Owens, of Maple Avenue, Brackla, Bridgend, had previously been convicted of seven counts of indecent assault of a child and one count of attempted rape of a child when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has two previous convictions for unrelated offending - a public order matter, and driving with excess alcohol.

Description

A man has been jailed for 12 years for multiple offences including rape and sexual assault.

John Crawford, 35, of St Vincent Street, Barrow, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court for:

• Rape of a female
• Sexual assault by penetration on a female
• Committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence
• Sexual assault
• Common assault

The offences relate to incidents against two women which occurred between February 2015 and February 2020.

Crawford will serve a minimum of two thirds of his sentence before being eligible for release on licence. He is considered a dangerous offender and will be subject to the sex offenders register for life.

Investigating officer Sergeant Kerry-Anne Travis said: “I would like to thank the two victims for their bravery in reporting these offences.

“Sexual violence can have a devastating impact on victims and their families.  We would encourage any person who may have experienced such incidents to report the matter to police. We have specially trained officers to investigate and support you throughout.

“I would like to give special thanks to the Bridgeway Sexual Assault Referral Clinic (SARC). They provide an invaluable service to victims of sexual offences who may not wish to report sexual offences directly to police. Victims can self-refer to the SARC and will be supported by a specialist team.”

Description

A perverted chef who sexually assaulted a semi-conscious student on Concert Square has been jailed again after groping a girl on a train.

James Owen, who has a shocking record for sex offences, drunkenly attacked the teenager as she travelled on the service with a friend.

Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, that the 17-year-old victim was on a train in the Wirral area in June 2021 when the stranger began talking to her. David Polglase, prosecuting, described how the 27-year-old then sexually assaulted her as she got up to leave at her stop.

Owen, of Buckingham Road in Wallasey, was arrested the same evening. He has a total of 37 previous convictions for 58 offences including for "fare dodging" on railways, harassment and violent crimes.

The pervert was convicted of indecent exposure in 2015, receiving a suspended prison sentence. Owen was then locked up for 12 months for sexual assault in 2018.

The ECHO previously reported how he preyed on a drunk and defenceless student who had been separated from her friends after a night out in Liverpool city centre in May of the same year. The young woman was unable to stand when he approached and tried to talk to her, ruffled her hair then walked off towards Concert Square.

But Owen, then of Sussex Road in Southport, returned and was shown on CCTV footage standing "uncomfortably close" to the complainant before "tampering" with her handbag and spilling its contents. She held onto a window to try and stay upright before he kissed her, despite the fact that her eyes were closed.

The sex offender went on to rifle through her bag, stealing cigarettes and a lighter. Owen - who was then homeless but working as a chef -subsequently put his hand on her leg and moved it up her thigh, before he was joined by a second man who pinched her mobile phone.

An unknown woman also stole an item from the victim's handbag before passersby intervened. The defendant subsequently received a 17-week imprisonment suspended for two years in April 2021 for failing to comply with notification requirements and battery.

Paul Wood, defending, told the court that his client had "expressed remorse and been abstinent from alcohol". He added: "Very importantly, he has showed insight into what he has done.

"He does want to change his way. He has lived somewhat of a chaotic life."

Owen admitted sexual assault shortly before he was due to stand trial, as well as a further charge of failing to comply with notification requirements after neglecting to inform the police of a change of address. He was jailed for two years and told to sign the sex offenders' register for a further 10 years, as well as being handed an indefinite restraining order.

Sentencing, Judge David Hale said: "You didn't know her from Adam, but you struck up a conversation. When she gets up to leave, you stuck your hand out and groped her in the crotch without any thought for the consequences.

"She has been extremely badly affected by it. You have troubling previous convictions, some of them trivial and some of them not - including a previous sexual assault.

"This took place on a train when people were about. Despite that, you felt able to do this."

Description

A former teacher who worked at a Catholic comprehensive secondary school in Westgate-on-Sea has been “indefinitely” banned from teaching in England after sending sexually explicit messages to a minor.

Lee Startup, 50, who had been employed as curriculum leader for geography at Ursuline College since 2016, was arrested by police in 2021.

In January 2022 he was convicted of engaging in sexual communication with a child and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 24 months. Mr Startup was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and required to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Despite the offence not involving any pupil from the school, he was suspended from work and is "no longer in the employment of the Trust or the school", the college has confirmed. During a professional conduct panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency, it was decided that prohibition was both “proportionate and appropriate”.

The report by the TRA, which was published this week, stated that the allegation against Mr Startup was supported by evidence presented to the panel. Mr Startup was not present at the hearing nor represented. The panel concluded his absence was voluntary and he was aware that the matter would proceed in his absence.

The panel noted sentencing remarks from the judge that stated Mr Startup had posed "as someone under half his age" and "actively engaged in sexualised communication with a real child". The TRA reports states the judge added during sentencing "The messages were explicit, I'm afraid, and provide a clear indication of you having sexual interest in children of her age. And I'm afraid your protestations to the contrary somewhat dilute your expressions of remorse".

The report also highlights no evidence was provided to the panel that Mr Startup had demonstrated insight or remorse into his behaviour. However they did note the judge's remarks that Mr Startup efforts to "try to understand what led to his offending of this nature", had "just about" convinced the judge to avoid sending him to prison that day.

During the hearing, the panel had not received any testimonial evidence speaking of Mr Startup’s character, but inferred from evidence that he was a “good teacher”. However, the report added: “There was no evidence that he was an exceptional teacher or has made a significant contribution to the teaching profession.”

The panel considered the public interest in respect of “the protection of pupils”, adding that public confidence in the profession could “be seriously weakened” if such conduct was “not treated with the utmost seriousness when regulating the conduct of the profession”. The report reads: “The panel found that the seriousness of the offending behaviour that led to the conviction was relevant to Mr Startup's ongoing suitability to teach.

“The panel considered that a finding that this conviction was for a relevant offence was necessary to reaffirm clear standards of conduct so as to maintain public confidence in the teaching profession."

“The panel was satisfied that the conduct of Mr Startup in relation to the facts it found proved, involved breaches of the Teachers’ Standards,” it reads. It also mentioned the “effect of alcohol misuse” which may have impacted his behaviour, but there was limited information about this. The panel noted that there is no evidence to demonstrate that Mr Startup “has proactively taken meaningful steps to minimise the risk of repetition of his behaviour”.

'A prohibition order is proportionate'

After considering all evidence put before him, TRA decision maker David Oatley said: “In my judgement, the lack of insight means that there is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour and this puts at risk the future wellbeing of pupils. I have therefore given this element considerable weight in reaching my decision.

“A prohibition order would prevent Mr Startup from teaching. A prohibition order would also clearly deprive the public of his contribution to the profession for the period that it is in force.

For these reasons, I have concluded that a prohibition order is proportionate and in the public interest in order to achieve the intended aims of a prohibition order. I consider therefore that allowing for no review period is necessary to maintain public confidence and is proportionate and in the public interest.”

He added: "This means that Mr Startup is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegation found proved against him, I have decided that Mr Startup shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach."

Executive director of education at the Kent Catholic Schools Partnership (KCSP) Mike Walters said: “KCSP and the Ursuline College were made aware in late August 2020 of a serious allegation of professional misconduct involving Mr Startup. Steps were immediately taken to ensure that Mr Startup was suspended from work and he is no longer in the employment of the Trust or the school. The allegation did not relate to any pupil or staff member in the school, the Trust or the locality.”

Mr Startup has been approached for a comment.

Description

A man has been jailed for child sexual offences following the hard work of a team of officers from Greater Manchester Police. 

Sean Johnson (10/05/1990) of Roundhouse Avenue, Wigan, has today (Wednesday 7 June 2023) been jailed for 16 years and 6 months with a 5 year licence at Bolton Crown Court.

Johnson was found guilty of 27 counts put before him:

• 16 counts of sexual activity with a child
• Six counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity
• Two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13
• Two counts of assault of a child under 13
• One count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity
• The court heard how Johnson repeatedly took advantage of the child and would force them to engage in acts with him.

Johnson was also charged with a section 18 wounding in an unrelated case, which he had earlier pleaded guilty to.

In that instance, Johnson attacked a man in a pub in Wigan in July 2022, leaving the man with serious and life-changing injuries.

The sentencing follows painstaking work by GMP detectives and officers, whose commitment has helped secure Johnson's conviction.

Their work now means Johnson is off the streets, behind bars, and away from the public.

In total, he received 14 years for the sexual offences and a further two-and-a-half for the assault. 

Inspector Andy Devine, of GMP’s Wigan division, said: “I firstly want to thank the victims in this case for their bravery throughout the process. Sean Johnson’s crimes were truly horrendous and today marks the culmination of a lengthy investigation.

“I hope that all of those involved can take some comfort in knowing that Johnson is now behind bars and and will be locked away for a long time.

“We encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault, or knows someone who has, to come forward and speak to the police. We will listen to you and we will investigate. Your safety is our number-one priority.”

Description

A pervert scout leader from Fife, who sexually abused young boys in his group, has been jailed for 45 months.

Police have welcomed the jailing of John Somerville for historic indecent assaults and behaviour they described as abhorrent.

Somerville, 57, plied the boys with alcohol, started games which ended with the boys having to take their clothes off as forfeits and sexually abused them. The three victims were aged between 13 and 14. He preyed on the youngsters after taking them on camping trips across Scotland in the 1990s. Two of his victims were in court to see Somerville sent to prison.

He had avoided jail after being convicted of similar offences in 2006 and had gone on to run a gardening business. Somerville, of Greenwell Park, Glenrothes, was sentenced at Dunfermline Sheriff Court having previously admitted a catalogue of offending against the boys.

On various occasions between1996 and 1998 in Glenrothes, within a vehicle travelling to various locations within Fife and Glasgow and at various camping locations in Scotland, he indecently assaulted a boy then aged 14 years.

Somerville also admitted that on various occasions between June 1996 and 1997 in Glenrothes and various camping locations in Scotland, he used lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards another boy then aged 13. He also admitted that on an occasion between December 1998 and February 1999, he indecently assaulted a third boy then aged 14.

Defence solicitor Peter Robertson said, This was abhorrent and predatory behaviour and that is accepted by him. He is full of remorse and understanding. He is not asking for forgiveness as he says he doesnt deserve it. He accepts he was abusing his position as leader. Hes very regretful about the long-standing pain and suffering and what hes stolen from their childhood. He doesnt recall some things but doesnt deny they happened.

Mr Robertson said his client has a son: He has thought about how he would feel if someone had done that to his child. He feels completely disgusted about that, added the solicitor.

Sheriff William Gilchrist said it was not clear from the social work report whether Somerville was indeed remorseful. The sheriff said his actions were a serious breach of trust, involved a degree of planning and targeted vulnerable children. He jailed Somerville for 45 months backdated to 9th March when he was remanded in custody. Somerville will also be subject to a 12-month supervised release order and was put on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Description

Kyle Garner, 21, appeared in Chester Crown Court last week, May 26, to be sentenced for ten different charges related to ownership and distribution of indecent images of children, as well as encouraging someone to commit sexual crimes with a child, as well as himself arranging to meet an underaged person.

Prosecuting, Chris Hopkins told the court how Garner, of Chester Road in Preston Brook, was already subject to a suspended sentence and sexual harm prevention order, which prevented him from contacting children.

This was due to posting indecent pictures of children, for which he received 12 months, suspended for 24 months. 

He went on to describe how the Runcorn native had been found with 770 indecent images of children across multiple devices, including 13 extreme pornographic images.

As well as this, using an online app, he arranged for a 14-year-old to send them naked photos of themselves. Further, Garner arranged to meet them for sex, though this did not end up occurring.  

Mr. Hopkins went on to discuss the most shocking of the charges, in which Garner tried to arrange for another online user to rape their eight-year-old cousin.

In this incident, he was speaking to 14-year-old online. He engaged in a sexual conversation with the 14-year-old, having a long discussion with them about his sexual fantasies.

In this conversation, the defendant discussed his desire to have a sex slave who was between the ages of ten and 14.

The other user then informed Garner that their eight-year-old cousin was in the room.

The paedophile then told the user to rape their cousin for his pleasure. According to Mr Hopkins, there is nothing to suggest in the messages that this request was carried out.

In a separate incident found on the defendant’s phone, Mr Hopkins described a sexual conversation between Garner and a 14-year-old in which he had posed as a 15-year-old. In this conversation he requested sexual photos of the minor and had also briefly arranged to meet up for sex.

Defending Garner, Myles Wilson described an isolated man who “lives his life online.”

He reportedly was bullied at school and has a history of self-harm, stemming from his mother’s death when he was 8.

Garner was sentenced to five years in prison, with a minimum of three of these to be served in custody.

As well as this, he was placed on the sex offenders registry indefinitely.  

Description

A man responsible for the non-recent sexual abuse of young people in Edinburgh has been jailed.

At the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday, 7 June, 2023, James Grover was sentenced to four years in prison for assaults on three people during the 1990s and 2000s.

The 41-year-old became subject of a Police Scotland public protection investigation in 2019 after the victims, who were aged between 12 and 15 years old at the time of the offences reported their abuse.

Grover was arrested and charged on 6 February 2020 before being found guilty of lewd and libidinous practices, indecent assault and assault on 2 May, 2023.

Detective Inspector Jonny Wright, who led the investigation, said: "Over a number of years, James Grover targeted his victims and subjected them to serious abuse that was both physical and sexual.

"These individuals showed incredible courage to come forward and make us aware of Grover's offending, allowing us to conduct a thorough investigation, which ultimately led to his conviction and prison sentence.

"I want to thank them for their bravery and support of our inquiries. I hope today's outcome brings them closure and peace of mind.

Description

An intoxicated man set fire to a wreath on a woman's door after he repeatedly kept knocking and she told him to move away. The occupants managed to put the fire out with a vase of water but if left the blaze could have spread to the rest of the house.

Jake Shead, 26, also sexually assaulted two women in Barry town centre in random attacks which left both victims feeling "anxious and scared". The defendant was described as a "dangerous man" with a "bad reputation".

A sentencing hearing at Swansea Crown Court on Wednesday heard occurred at the Barry home of the victim at around 9.30pm on April 29 last year when she saw Shead leaning against a neighbour's door. She then heard a knock at her door and when she opened it she saw the defendant.

The victim asked "Did you knock my door?" to which Shead responded "F*** knows, I don't know." The victim closed the door but the knocking continued after five minutes. She felt scared and went up to her daughter's bedroom and opened the window to speak to Shead.

Having told Shead to "move", she closed the window but heard knocking again. The victim returned to the window and saw the front door had been set on fire. She panicked and called the fire brigade and her partner threw a vase of water onto a wreath on the door, which put the fire out.

Prosecutor Bethan Evan said Shead was at the scene and was shouting abuse at the fire brigade, telling them to "F*** off", but was arrested by the police. An examination concluded the fire could have spread to the rest of the house if it had not been put out.

In a victim personal statement, the woman said: "This has had a significant impact on me and my family. I was terrified for the safety of me and my daughter... I'm worried about repercussions and that he will come back. My front door is damaged and I have been unable to get it replaced so it serves as a constant reminder."

Shead was on bail at the time of these offences and was subsequently convicted of two offences of sexual assault which took place on August 28, 2021, in Holton Road, Barry. He was intoxicated through drink and grabbed a 16-year-old girl before attempting to hug her and kiss her.

When he was confronted by another woman about his behaviour, he grabbed her between the legs over her clothing. He denied the offences but the defendant, of Brunel Close, was found guilty following a trial. He pleaded guilty to arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.

In a statement read out to the court, the 16-year-old victim said: "This has made me feel a lot more scared when out in public and I have to have someone with me in case I see him again... I felt frightened and I know what he's capable of doing. He is scary and dangerous and I am afraid if I bump into him again something bad will happen."

The second victim said: "This incident has affected me a lot and made me feel a lot more anxious out in public.... He has a bad reputation for not caring about anyone, assaulting young women and boys and banned from most pubs. He does bad things. The incident shocked me and made me feel violated and I am more anxious of people around me."

The court heard Shead has 18 previous convictions for offences concerning drugs, driving matters, racially aggravated criminal damage, battery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and wounding. Defence barrister Kevin Seal said his client was drunk during both sets of offences and "didn't have a clue what he was doing".

Judge Geraint Walters sentenced Shead to three years imprisonment. The defendant was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements for 10 years.

Description

Pervert Robert Taylor, 36, made contact with a Facebook account purporting to be a 12-year-old boy named ‘James’ in June last year. Over the course of about eight days, he groomed ‘James’ – sending him an explicit photographer, telling him he was “sexy” and that he wanted to be his boyfriend. He arranged to meet him at Batley Railway Station and check into a hotel, indicating he would carry out sexual offending of the most serious kind.
 
James was a decoy account set up by West Yorkshire Police and when Taylor arrived at Batley Station on June 30 last year, he was arrested.

He admitted what he had done and knew it was wrong, but told the officers he was “horny”. He then admitted he also looked at indecent images, so a computer and hard drives were seized from his address on Naseby View in Burmantofts.

Police found thousands of images and videos of child abuse, including 990 Category A – the most serious – as well as extreme pornographic photographs involving people performing sex acts on animals.

After a delay due to legislative changes, Taylor was brought before Leeds Crown Court in April. He admitted arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to meet a child under 16 and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. He also admitted three counts of possessing indecent, possessing prohibited images of children and extreme pornographic images.
 
His sentencing was adjourned to this week as Judge Rodney Jameson KC digested a lengthy medical report. In his report, Dr Harry Wood found Taylor had developed lifelong psychological difficulties due to his mother being unwell when he was born, which meant he had been an “isolated figure” throughout his life.

Dr Wood also said Taylor was likely to have Asperger’s Syndrome. The defendant has no previous convictions.

Judge Jameson said that while there was no real victim, there had been a “significant degree of planning” and “grooming behaviour”. He jailed Taylor for three years and six months. Taylor was also handed a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

Description

His Samsung mobile phone and tablet device were seized and examined and contained a total of 10 Category A, the most serious, pictures and videos as well as 23 category B images and 16 category C.

The court heard the members of the WhatsApp group where he shared the single, Category A video, had an "interest" in such illegal material, as well as sexual violence and bestiality and suggested "horrific" websites where it could be viewed.

Judge Julie Clemitson told the court: "He was an associate of those who had particularly gruesome interests."

Daglish, 37, of Collingwood Street, South Shields, South Tyneside, admitted one charge of distributing an indecent image, three of making indecent images and one of possessing a prohibited image, which was a cartoon.

He was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements and 240 hours unpaid work.

Daglish was ordered to sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for the next ten years.

Judge Clemitson told him: "You came to the attention of the authorities in this country via the authorities in the US, who became aware of you sharing a category A video on WhatsApp.

"Clearly you were associating with a group of people who shared a common interest and within that group certain recommendations were made to you for suggested viewing which depicted the most horrific content of rape, sexual violence, child abuse, bestiality."

Judge Clemitson said there was no evidence Daglish viewed the "horrific" websites suggested by the group but told him the child abuse images he had on his devices depicted real victims being subjected to harm that could last them a lifetime.

The judge added: "You claim to have no sexual interest in children and that I cannot accept but hopefully it is something you will come to deal with in due course.

"You blame your actions on alcohol."

The court heard Daglish has no previous convictions and has sought to address his alcohol misuse.

Judge Clemitson said Daglish is capable of rehabilitation, is allowed "one opportunity" and told him: "The world will be a safer place for children if you do successfully address those issues."

Gavin Doig, defending, said: "This is a defendant who the probation service say they can work with and who they say can benefit from intervention.

"He is obviously extremely concerned about the outcome."