Latest Offenders

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A SEX offender has been jailed for 15 years after he was found guilty of a string of crimes against a child.

John Bliss, of Greenmeadow, Gwent appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday, March 16, where he faced charges of rape, sexual assault by touching, and causing a girl to engage in sexual activity.

His victim was under the age of 13.

Following a trial, Bliss, 43, was found guilty of seven of the offences and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

He has also been issued with a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.

An investigation into Bliss originally began in 2020 after Essex Police were contacted by the victim, who was just a child, to disclose she had been subjected to multiple serious sexual assaults in Harlow.

Essex Police’s child abuse investigation team then led an investigation which resulted in Bliss’s arrest.

When interviewed, Bliss denied the offences, but his sentencing will see him stay behind bars until 2038.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described the impact the case has had on her life.

She said: “I have constant anxiety which feels like it’s never going away – I find myself waking up in the middle of the night, feeling alarmed and panicked because my mind is telling me that he is standing outside my bedroom.

“I don’t like being away from my home comforts because then I feel unsafe and I don’t like staying around people’s houses, I feel at risk.

“I ask myself, why me? Did I do something wrong? Did I deserve it?”

The victim’s family gave an official statement through the police, which described how they have been dealing with the aftermath of the crime.

They said: “This has been our worst nightmare – something I never thought possible, that anything like this could happen to us.

“Since what happened, we have been picking up pieces to the explosion that has gone off.”

Essex Police’s investigating officer, Sergeant Gemma Marriner, said the force’s crime and public protection team would ensure perpetrators like Bliss will face justice.

She said: “Bliss’ actions on this vulnerable victim were evil and even once he was arrested, he didn’t have the decency to admit what he’d done, resulting in victim and her family being accused of lying.

“The public may underestimate the detrimental effect that these crimes may have on a victim and although she may never forget what has happened, I hope that this sentence can allow her to move forward.

“In sexual offences investigations, victims are often concerned that they will not be believed and that it will be the perpetrators word against theirs, particularly in cases where we do not have any forensic opportunities.

“This is not the case and our Crime and Public Protection Team is formed of officers who are trained and passionate to ensure that dangerous perpetrators get their justice.”

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A man’s plan to meet a teenager for sex was foiled when the girl turned out to be an adult who called the police.

Scott Ambrose, 35, booked a Peterborough hotel room on 7 August, 2021, and had also bought alcohol, sex toys and a camera.

He had started talking to the “girl” online a week beforehand and the conversation turned sexual, despite the her making it clear she was only 15.

Ambrose travelled to Peterborough railway station and booked a nearby hotel. However, things turned sour when he was instead met by a member of the public who made a citizen’s arrest and called police.

Officers arrived and Ambrose, of Hallaton Road, Peterborough, was arrested. His home, car and the hotel room were searched where police discovered the items showing intent to engage in sexual activity.

His phone was also seized, analysed and the chat log retrieved in full. It revealed he had sent photos of himself, a video discussing picking her up and taking her to the hotel room and even photos of the hotel room, before leaving to meet her.

In police interview, Ambrose declined to answer questions, however, he later admitted charges of attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Ambrose was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday (16 March), where he was jailed for two years and seven months.

He was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order to monitor any future offending, and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for the same timeframe.

DC Neal Holdsworth, from the force’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team, said: “We do all we can to bring those to justice who use the internet in this way - to groom and try to meet children under 16.

“Phones and social media mean children can be vulnerable to those who prey on their innocence and exploit their trust. I would urge parents to speak to their children about online safety and consider exactly who they are communicating with.

“Protecting young people from harm is one of our top priorities and we will continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.”

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A man who raped a woman went on to harass and stalk his victim after being released on police bail.

Harvey Blyth sent the woman a series of "vile" messages via social media and began to harass her. When police searched 20-year-old Blyth's phone they found videos of children being sexually abused, he had made "disturbing" internet searches, and had shared a private sexual video of a woman.

Swansea Crown Court heard heard Blyth has significant mental health and psychological issues which have largely gone untreated, and that a probation officer determined that he should be categorised as a dangerous offender. As the defendant was given a 10-year extended sentence he told the judge "I'm a bit upset about that. I was expecting three or four years".

Craig Jones, prosecuting, told the court that after the rape Blyth performed a sex act over his victim. The incident was reported to the police and the defendant was arrested and interviewed, and then released on conditional police bail. The prosecutor said Blyth then "embarked on a campaign of what could properly be called harassment" which included sending "vile" and abusive messages to his victim via Facebook. Blyth was arrested and interviewed about his breach of bail conditions, and then released - and went back to harassing his victim on social media.

The court heard the defendant was arrested again, and while being held in Swansea Central police station subjected an officer to racist abuse. Following this arrest a number of Blyth's phones and other devices were seized, and officers found three videos showing boys aged between 10 and 14 being sexually abused as well as a video showing a man having sex with an animal. An examination of his internet history showed the defendant had been making searches including "is rape okay" as well as "paedo rapes kids" and "naked 5 year old". Police also found that Blyth had sent had an intimate video which he had surreptitiously shot to somebody else.

In an impact statement which was read to the court the victim of the rape said the experience had left her feeling "wrecked inside". She said she now feels anxious and scared of men, and is far less sociable than she used to be. The court heard the woman whose video Blyth shared now feels "haunted" by the idea that the footage "may still be be out there". In his statement, the officer who the defendant racially abused said he had been distressed and embarrassed at what happened in front of his colleagues.

Harvey Kristian Blyth, of Beauchamp Walk, Gorseinon, Swansea, had previously been convicted at trial of rape and had pleaded guilty to disclosing a private video, stalking, making - that is possessing - indecent images of Category A, possession of extreme pornography, and racially aggravated disorder when he appeared in the dock via videolink for sentencing.

Georgina Buckley, for Blyth, said there was a letter from the defendant's parents before the court as well as psychiatric and psychological reports which set out his mental health issues. The barrister said for the first time the defendant was now receiving medication, and that Blyth's parents had seen a "remarkable change" in him as a result.

Judge Geraint Walters said the rape had taken place while Blyth was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine and after he had "partied hard". He said the defendant had then been "relentless" in trying to contact his victim despite attempts by police to reign him in. The judge said police had subsequently found evidence of the "disturbing" internet searches Blyth had been making.

Judge Walters said it was clear from everything he had read about the defendant that he had had behavioural problems from an early age which his parents had tried their best to deal with, and there was a "significant amount of work" which needed to be done with him. He described Blyth as a "young man with profound and complex needs" who seemed to have little understanding of the difference between right and wrong, and he said a detailed probation report had concluded that the defendant was a dangerous offender in the meaning of the legislation who would continue to be so until he was appropriately treated.

Blyth was made the subject of a 10-year extended sentence comprising seven years in custody followed by a three year extended licence. The defendant can apply for release after serving two thirds of the custodial element of the sentence but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be released. Blyth will be a registered sex offender for the result of his life.

As the sentence was passed Blyth said to the judge: "I'm a bit upset about that. I was expecting three or four years."

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A man from Manchester who sexually assaulted two children has been jailed for eight years and six months following a National Crime Agency investigation.

Specialist NCA investigators operating online identified Jeffrey Owens, 44, (pictured) as a user who had been discussing his sexual interest in children on different chat platforms.

He went into great detail in conversations with other users about how he had assaulted two children on a number of occasions.

Owens was arrested in May 2020, after which NCA investigators were able to evidence that he had assaulted, and engaged in sexual activity in front of the children at least 11 times, and had threatened them into keeping it a secret.

Both children have been safeguarded.

Officers analysing Owens’ phone later recovered several more chat logs where he spoke to various people about abusing children and shared indecent images.

Over 4,000 indecent images of children (IIOC) in categories A-C were also recovered, which Owens had stored across several devices.

Some of those images included ones he had taken himself using a hidden camera.

Earlier this year, Owens pleaded guilty to 26 offences, including the sexual assault of a child under 13, seven counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act, three counts of voyeurism, and four counts of indecency with a child.

He was sentenced today [20/03/2023] at Manchester Minshull Street Court to eight years and six months in prison, with a further four years on licence.

He was also handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and will be on the sex offenders register for life.

Mark Barrow from the National Crime Agency said:

“Owens is a persistent offender who seemingly sought out as many opportunities as he could to satisfy his sexual interest in children.

“He consistently took advantage of children, sexually assaulting them and forcing them to watch him perform sexual acts on many occasions, then blackmailed them into keeping his horrific actions a secret.

“It’s clear this investigation has placed a dangerous sexual offender behind bars. Identifying such individuals and ensuring they can no longer pose a threat to children is an absolute priority for the NCA.

“We will continue to do all we can to tackle this threat but also hope to see a shift from industry to take responsibility for identifying and preventing sexual abuse happening on their platforms.”

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John Hawker, 25, of St Athan, cruelly abused the victim after bribing her with chocolate and presents

John Hawker repeatedly raped an underaged teenage girl after grooming her for a number of years. The victim said the abuse still continued to make her feel ill and said "I don't feel like me anymore".

John Hawker, 25, cruelly abused the girl which began with him "inappropriately touching" her when she a young child. She consistently told her abuser she was "not interested" in sexual behaviour and told him to stop but he offered her bribes of chocolate and presents in order to gain her "confidence and trust".

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday heard the girl was sleeping when she woke up in pain and discomfort. She realised Hawker was raping her and struggled in an effort to push him off but the defendant persisted. Judge Jeremy Jenkins told the court Hawker had taken the victim's virginity during the rape. He added: "This was her introduction to sex."

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A MAN who invaded a womans home at night and threatened to rape her has been jailed.

She woke in the early hours to find Eric Bristow Smith standing by her bed, said Tony Dunne, prosecuting.

He put a hand over her mouth and said: You want raping, you whore.

He appeared to be drunk or high on drugs.

He grabbed her twice sexually and tried to expose her legs, but she fought him off and fled from her home, the court heard.

In a personal statement to the court, she said she had had to move address and was now on medication for depression.

I cannot understand why he did it to me or why it happened, she wrote.

Smith, 37, of Outgang Lane Caravan Site, east York, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault.

He was jailed for 27 months at York Crown Court and will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Mr Dunne said Smith got into the womans York home through an unlocked door.

When she realised he was there, she told him to get out, but he sexually assaulted her.

She told police she was struggling for breath and panicking.

The incident lasted 10 minutes, said Mr Dunne. The defendant was drunk or had taken drugs.

Smith was arrested the same day and told police that he had been in the womans home, but denied sexually assaulting her.

He said he couldnt remember what had happened because he had been intoxicated.

For Smith, Caroline Abraham said he had not offended in any way since the incident some months ago.

There is a different side to the defendants personality, she said.

He had major family commitments and responsibilities including to his mother who had ill-health.

In the months leading up to the incident, his father-in-law had died of Covid and another family member was also ill with the illness, the court was told.

He resorted to drinking as a means of coping, Ms Abraham said.

Since the offences, with support from his family, he had stopped misusing alcohol.

Ms Abraham said there had been a significant delay before Smith had been prosecuted.

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A REVELLER on a night out has avoided being sent to prison, despite sexually assaulting a young woman on a night out.

David Kovac grabbed the victim to the genital area and gave her unwanted kisses in the middle of a busy street in the town centre.

The 35-year-old told police that he could not remember what he had done because he was extremely intoxicated at the time.

He later admitted a charge of sexual assault however, and he appeared to be sentenced at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, March 16.

Stephanie Fanello, prosecuting, explained to the court how the offence was committed in October last year while the defendant was on a night out.

The defendant was on Bridge Street in the early hours of the morning when he approached a young woman who was a stranger to him.

Kovac then grabbed her to the genital area and tried kissing her. This was non-consensual, the court heard, and Kovac was repeatedly told to back off, which he failed to do.

During his police interview, during which he was shown CCTV footage of the incident, he confirmed that he did not know the woman and said that he could not remember the incident due to him being intoxicated.

He added that he was ‘raised appropriately’ and that he ‘respected women’.

The court heard an impact statement from the victim in which she said she has not been able to relax as a result of the incident.

She struggles to sleep and has not been eating properly, while she is also constantly anxious and nervous and is scared about going out again.

Defending his client, David Robb said that Kovac ‘clearly expresses remorse and regret’, adding that his behaviour was ‘out of character’.

He said that the defendant was extremely drunk and is ‘completely appalled about what took place’.

The court heard how Kovac is a single man with no children living in the UK, is working and sends a lot of his income back to his parents in Slovakia.

Before sentencing, deputy district judge Anita Price said: “This was an appalling incident.

“This offence clearly does cross the custody threshold, and you committed this offence while in drink, which makes it more serious.

“You also committed it in a location and time which adds to the seriousness of it.

“You have heard the impact it has had on this young lady, and no doubt continues to have on her.

“Were it not for your guilty plea and no previous convictions, you would have been going to custody today.”

Kovac, of Fitzherbert Street in Orford, was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, including a sex offender treatment programme, and an alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement for 60 days.

In addition, he must abide by sex offender registration and notification requirements for seven years.

The judge opted not to order compensation for the victim as to not ‘reminder her’ of what Kovac did, however he was told he must pay court costs of £120 and a victim surcharge of £154.

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Daniel Molan, 51, exposed himself to teenage girls and masturbated in view of them but was given a suspended sentence and allowed to walk free from court (pictured outside Bolton Crown Court)

At Bolton Crown Court, he faced up to three years in jail under sentencing guidelines after he admitted three offences of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and two of outraging public decency, but was given 22 months jail suspended for a year.

His lawyer Paul Treble told the hearing: 'He has been open and honest with probation and psychological report. He has told me he deeply regrets what he did and is ashamed of it. As a result, probation have said that he is someone they were willing to work with.

'He is in full time employment and was described by his employer as having a good work ethic. Whilst I'm not negating the seriousness of the offence, the harm is relatively modest.'

The court heard Molan targeted his first victim aged 14 at 8am on a day in February 2022 as she was walking to her bus stop in Leigh.

Amanda Johnson, prosecuting, said: 'Whilst waiting for her bus, she noticed the defendant nearby. He was standing and looking at her rather than looking up the road for the bus. At the time although she noted the strangeness of his conduct, she thought little more about it.

'The defendant then exposed his penis to her. He stood staring at her with his penis exposed, trying to get her attention. Fortunately the bus arrived, and she quickly boarded. She did not report the matter at the time as she thought it was a one-off incident but she fell victim to the defendant a second time a week later.

'Again, she was at the same bus stop at around the same time. Again the defendant was there, wearing the same clothing. He again exposed his penis to her however on this occasion he began to masturbate in full view of her. The bus arrived and she got on. This time, on her arrival at school she informed a teacher of both incidents.

'In April, 2022, after the Easter holidays she was again at the bus stop... This time the defendant did not expose himself, but he was wearing the same clothing. She was afraid and decided to walk past him, filming him on her phone as she did so.

'The video was then provided to the police. She described how he had made her feel really uncomfortable and she was worried about where else the defendant may have behaved like this. She worried about younger children having seen him engaging in this conduct.'

Describing a later incident, Ms Johnson added: 'Two girls aged 14 were on the bus, going to school, having boarded at Leigh Bus Station. They were sitting on the back few rows.

'The defendant also boarded and made his way to the rear. He left two empty seats between himself and the girls. The girls were with their friend whose attention was first drawn to the defendant. He nudged her with his leg and she got up and moved away from him.

'One of the girls could feel that the defendant was staring at her. She turned to look at him and thought that he looked weird. It looked as though he was feeling pleasure. She turned back around and put her headphones in.

'One of the others also felt like she was being watched. She looked at the defendant who had a bag on his knee and he was staring at her legs. She then saw that he was masturbating and saw his exposed penis.

'She then called her mother to tell her what was happening. Her mother advised that she report it and one of the girls then went to tell the bus driver who stopped the bus and went to challenge the defendant. He removed him from the vehicle and then contacted the police.

'One of the girls described being "a bit freaked out" by what had happened, but said she was OK. One of the others was rather more affected and described feeling she judges all the men she meets. She worries on the bus when a man gets on behind her, that he will sit next to her.

'Police conducted enquiries and discovered a similar incident in March 2022 involving three schoolchildren at Leigh Bus Station with a similar description of the offender had been given and a PC viewed CCTV footage. The defendant was arrested and interviewed on 13 June 2022. He made no comment.'

The court heard Romanian-born Molan was of previous good character.

Sentencing the judge Mr Recorder Andrew McLoughlin told him: 'You have targeted school girls, one in particular was a victim on two separate occasions at the same bus stop near her school. Although she admits that she has the mental strength to not be too affected by the incident, others, unfortunately, have been impacted more.

'The reasons for why you undertook these offences are still unclear, especially considering your age and lack of previous convictions. It's clear that you need significant assistance with your criminal behaviour. I believe that you will benefit from this intervention from probation and am therefore convinced that I can suspend your sentence.'

Molan was also ordered to complete 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 120 hours of unpaid work. He will have to abide by the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years and sign the Sex Offender Register.

It comes as three women, who were flashed at by killer policeman Wayne Couzens days before he murdered Sarah Everard, warned that indecent exposure offences are not being treated seriously enough.

Earlier this month Metropolitan Police Chief Sir Mark Rowley called for a change to the law on flashing.

He argues that a football fan who streaks on a pitch should not be treated the same way as a sexual predator.

On average, women and girls are being subjected to more than 40 indecent exposure and voyeurism attacks every day.

However, data from the Ministry of Justice showed the number of people convicted of indecent exposure has collapsed in recent years, almost halving from 810 in 2016 to 435 in 2020.

Solicitor Harriet Wistrich, director of the Centre for Women's Justice, said police were not taking the offence seriously enough: 'This sort of offending can be an indicator of more serious, prolific and sometimes escalating sexual offending.'

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A man who discussed meeting what he thought was a nine-year-old girl for sexual activity was told he was 'very lucky' to be spared from prison.

Struan Taylor, formerly of Victoria Street in Kettering, believed he was speaking to the youngster's mum when he embarked on his sickening chat and thought she would let him abuse her child.

But he had no idea he was communicating with an undercover police officer when he suggested possible locations and sent 'disgusting' pictures.

On Friday at Leicester Crown Court the 24-year-old was handed a suspended sentence and placed on the sex offender register.

Taylor, now of Sutherland Way in Livingston, Scotland, was arrested on January 25, 2022, after sending sexual images of himself and explaining in detail what he wanted to do to the 'child' when they met.

He denied attempting to arrange or facilitate an act which would commission a child sex offence but was found guilty by a jury.

Taylor, who wore a blue suit in the dock, spent about two months in prison on remand before being released on bail ahead of his trial.

The court heard he had claimed he didn't get any sexual gratification - and that his pleasure was that the person he was talking to was able to live out their fantasies.

Sentencing, His Honour Judge Ebraham Mooncey said: "The jury said that what you were talking was palpable nonsense.

"What you were doing was living out sexual fantasies and your aim was to meet with a child."

Prosecutor Claire Fraser said there was a significant disparity in age and told the court that sentencing guidelines for the offence said it had a starting point of five years in prison with a range of between four and 10 years.

Defending, Stephen Garbett said no firm meeting was ever arranged and that the chat was always with the 'mother' and not the 'child'.

He said Taylor, who had no previous convictions, was 'horrified' by the messages he had sent.

He said: "He does accept that his behaviour was absolutely inappropriate and the language used was disgusting."

Mr Garbett added that Taylor was a 'very, very changed person' and urged Judge Mooncey to suspend any sentence he passed, acknowledging that it was a 'big ask'.

Mr Garbett said: "He is a person who made a pretty awful mistake."

His Honour Judge Mooncey told Taylor his behaviour was 'worrying' and reduced the sentence from four years in prison to three years because there was no real child.

He then further reduced it to two years because of his mitigation meaning it could be suspended. And he said that, because he had already had a taste of custody and because of the prospect of rehabilitation, that he was willing to suspend the two-year prison term for two years - telling Taylor he was very lucky to have avoided jail by the skin of his teeth.

He told him: "I hope the probation service can work with you and the court will never see you again."

Taylor was ordered to take part in rehabilitation activities and carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

He will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order and will be on the sex offender register for 10 years.

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A scheming paedophile who sexually abused a girl with learning difficulties was caught when he mistakenly sent social media messages to her mum admitting his crimes.

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A RYEDALE sex offender who had a vast hoard of more than 330,000 sexual images of children - and distributed some of them online - has been jailed.

Stephen George Garside’s collection of videos and pictures included some featuring children as young as two, said Brooke Morrison, prosecuting.

He had printed off some of the images off and made a photo album of them.

Garside had been downloading sexual images of children for 12 years by the time police put a stop to his crimes.

Officers arrested him at his place of work and searched his work locker and his home near Malton.

After pleading guilty to a series of online sex charges, Garside claimed to a probation officer that he was interested in adult pornography and never looked for sexual images of children online, York Crown Court heard.

But deputy circuit judge Deborah Sherwin dismissed that claim.

“It is clear to me you have held an interest in child pornography for many years,” she said. “This was sexually motivated by the need to satisfy your needs, you not having experienced a sexual relationship in your adult life.”

She jailed Garside for 18 months. She also put him on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and made him subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) indefinitely.

The order will restrict his use of the internet and enable police to monitor what he does online.

Garside, 58, of Saxon Drive, Rillington, near Malton, pleaded guilty to six charges of making indecent images of children by downloading them, one of distributing a small number of images from the least serious category, one of having extreme pornography and one of having prohibited images of children.

He represented himself and when asked by the judge if he wanted to give any mitigation, declined.

Ms Morrison said police went to Garside’s home and place of work on July 7, 2020. They found him at work and searched him. They also searched his work locker and his home and seized a number of internet devices and related items.

Forensic checks revealed that between them, the seized devices and items contained 333,337 videos and pictures, all but 115 of them were of children. There were 373 videos of which all but one were of children. There were 94 sexual videos of children of the most serious category, 51 of the middle category and 219 of the least serious category. There were seven prohibited videos of children and one sexually extreme video.

There were 321 sexual pictures of children of the most serious category, 606 of the middle category and 332,237 of the least serious category, 114 sexually extreme pictures and 59 prohibited pictures of children.

The earliest material was dated 2008 and dates on other material showed he had continued to download material up until his arrest 12 years later.

On two occasions, he had used “torrent” software to distribute a very small number of the images of the least category online.

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'Sex-obsessed' Daniel Rutter, 34, has previously been jailed for attacks on women.

A violent Hull man strangled and suffocated a sex worker in a "degrading and dehumanising" attack in Leeds.

Daniel Rutter, 34, of HMP Leeds, but formerly of Plane Street, Hull, went to the victim's house after only two weeks of knowing her, and went into a rage when she "accidentally knocked over his crack pipe". The aggressive bully then relentlessly attacked her, leaving her with two black eyes, cuts to her neck and swelling to her lips, jaw and ear.

The prolific offender has a long history of attacking women, and Hull Crown Court heard last year that "sex-obsessed" Rutter exposed himself to a policewoman while being transported in a police van. He made disgusting comments to her, offering sex, while he committed a sex act, and then defecated and urinated in the van.

On Thursday, Leeds Crown Court heard that Rutter continuously punched the woman at her home in Burnsall Gardens, Leeds. She was then able to escape his abuse and lose him before returning to her flat.

Leeds Live reports thatProsecutor Jade Bucklow said she later let him back in, "fearful" of what he would do if she did not. Ms Bucklow said: "He went in and was standing in front of the door and punched her.

"He straddled her and put his hands around her neck and she struggled to breathe. She kicked him in the genitals and it worked and she began to scream. He [Rutter] put a woolly hat over his hand and over her mouth and punched her to her body."

Police received a call that people were "screaming" at the address, and officers found Rutter and the woman there. In a basis of plea, Rutter argued that he did not put a hat over his hand to suffocate the woman, but did it with the intention of stopping it from bleeding, after the woman bit him.

However, he did accept he put his hand over her mouth. The Hull offender also claimed the woman already had injuries prior to him going over there.

The victim was treated at Leeds General Infirmary after the attack, and suffered two black eyes, cuts to her neck, swelling to her lips, the left-hand side of her jaw and ear.

Rutter was sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentional strangulation and intentional suffocation. He was also sentenced for failing to comply with notification requirements after he failed to tell police he no longer had a home.

In a police interview on December 19, Rutter provided a pre-prepared statement in which he said he had gone to the woman's house to drink, listen to music and watch television. Ms Bucklow said: "He said they had consensual sex during which she fell and hit her face on the table and chair.

"The interviewing officer remarked he took issue with her being a prostitute."

The court heard Rutter had 39 previous convictions for 94 offences including 16 offences against a person. In November 2021, Rutter was sentenced for slapping and spitting on his ex-partner, just days after he was released from prison.

After police arrived to arrest him for the attack, he then aggressively spat at officers. His previous stint in prison was for assaulting the same woman.

Mitigating, Michael Walsh, said he had been diagnosed with a condition - which was later said to be the life-shortening Huntington's Disease. Mr Walsh said: "He is realistic about the type of sentence that will be imposed today.

"The probation service have expressed the view that they don't think they could work with him because of his issues that mean he isn't amenable to them and because he is likely to spend time in custody but they will work with him in custody. He is a man with complex issues that arise from his mental health."

Mr Walsh said Rutter was using drugs and to some lesser extent, drink, to self-medicate and "that perfect storm led to anxiety and the commission of these offences". The barrister added: "He has said to me he wants to be in a position where in the future if he gets involved in stressful situations he acts better than he has before.

"When he is released he wants to seek assistance in regards to his mental health."

His Honour Judge Robin Mairs told the court that in the pre-sentence report, Rutter stated the woman wanted to be strangled and he "made references" to her role as a sex worker. The judge said the author of the report wrote: "As though that provided explanation for the offences."

He said: "Your attitude to the complainant (who) you beat and strangled over hours is degrading and dehumanising. Because she is a sex worker you deem her to be worthy of the violence you used upon her. Your conduct and attitude towards her is despicable."

The judge jailed Rutter for two years and seven months. Rutter will have to serve up to half of his sentence in custody before being released on licence.

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A convicted registered sex offender has been jailed for breaching the conditions of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) by contacting a 12-year-old child.

Kevin Challen, 55, from Worthing, had been first convicted in March 2021 for possessing indecent images of children that were found on his computer during an investigation by police. This resulted in him receiving a suspended prison sentence of 10 months, being placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years and subject to specific restrictions under a SHPO.

Whilst serving his suspended sentence, Challen went on to breach the conditions of the SHPO and through lies and deception, befriended unsuspecting family friends and started messaging a 12-year-old child.

The child was brave enough to inform their parents of the extent of Challen's unlawful contact with them and this resulted in Sussex Police officers arresting Challen again.

After a detailed investigation, Challen was charged with three offences of breaching his SHPO and also for failing to comply with notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register.

Challen pleaded guilty to the offences and appeared at Lewes Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday (15 March) where he received a prison sentence of 31 months and his SHPO was amended to run indefinitely.

Crime investigator Dawn Hosken said: “I would like to commend the victim for their bravery in coming forward and to the witnesses for their support in this case. Challen, a convicted sex offender, is now in prison.”

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A Sexual Harm Prevention Order banned Jake Pinhorn from having devices that were not declared to police officers

A Walton paedophile has been jailed after breaching a court order barring him from having undeclared smartphones. Jake Pinhorn was handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in 2018 when he was convicted of making and distributing indecent images of children.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders' register. But police say the 31-year-old's risk management officer believed he was accessing the internet again on an undeclared smartphone.

This suspicion was confirmed when a warrant was conducted at Pinhorn's home. There, police say, a smartphone was discovered that was attributed to him.

Police say he was also found to have breached the terms of the sex offenders' register by staying at an address he had failed to disclose to the police.

He has now been jailed for a year after appearing before Guildford Crown Court. Pinhorn admitted breaching the terms of his register and his SHPO when he appeared in the dock.

PC John Rose, from Surrey Police’s High Harm Perpetrator Unit, said: “This result shows that we will work tirelessly and robustly to bring convicted sex offenders who breach the conditions placed upon them to justice. Sexual Harm Prevention Orders are ultimately put in place to protect the community and manage risk around further offending, which is why any breach is taken incredibly seriously and we will never hesitate to take action.”

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A dangerous Grantham man who was convicted of a string of sexual offences against four victims over two decades was today (Thursday) sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Christopher Manning, 38, of Dalton Close, Grantham, was also made the subject of an extended licence period of four years once he is released from custody making a total sentence of 29 years.

Manning was found guilty of 21 charges, including rapes, after a three week trial earlier this year.

Lincoln Crown Court heard two of Manning's victims were children when they were raped.

Passing sentence, Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight told Manning she had concluded that he was a dangerous offender.

Judge Sjolin Knight explained Manning would therefore be subject to an extended licence period of four years on his eventual release from custody to protect the public.

The Judge told Manning: "I am satisfied you take delight in abusing children and have done so since you were a child."

Judge Sjolin Knight said Manning also contacted girls online and developed an interest in looking for indecent images which led to his arrest when he contacted an undercover officer called 'Dave'.

The Judge told Manning he showed no concern for his victims during his trial, accusing them of lying and going on the offensive. "You are 38. You donated a kidney to your father. There is no other mitigation."

Judge Sjolin Knight said Manning's online activity also made her concerned about his interest in babies.

Manning was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life and must also register as a sex offender for life.

Impact statements from Manning's victims were read out in court. One woman described how she suffered flashbacks and nightmares, but was now finally getting justice.

Another victim said she did not trust anyone except her immediate family. A third victim added: "The impact of the crime on me has been significant."

In total Manning was convicted of seven rape charges, two charges of indecent assault, three charges of sexual assault, three charges of making indecent photographs of children, two charges of causing or inciting a person to engage in sexual activity, one charge of sexual activity with a child, one charge of sexual communication with a child, one charge of encouraging or assisting an offence and one charge of sexual intercourse with a girl aged under-13.

Manning was arrested on February 25 last year and denied all the offences when he gave evidence during his trial.

The offences occured over 20 years and began when Manning was a child himself.

The court heard there was a significant disparity in age between Manning and some of his victims. All his victims are entitled to anonymity for life.

Karen Walton, mitigating, conceded Manning is someone who would present a considerable risk in the future and would require management once he is released from a long sentence starting at the age of 38.

Miss Walton urged the sentences for when Manning was a juvenile to reflect his age at the time.

"Any sentence he gets today is going to be very long, and before any release he will have to go before the parole board."

Miss Walton said she could not speak of any remorse from Manning as he does not accept the offences.

Judge Sjolin Knight also praised the support given by the National Crime Agency (NCA) to the victims.

David Levett, senior investigating officer at the NCA, said: “This investigation uncovered that Christopher Manning inflicted the most horrific abuse against children over the course of many years.

“The impact of his criminality is utterly devastating, yet many of his victims bravely gave evidence during the trial and helped to secure his conviction.

“He is a prolific and dangerous sexual offender who poses a grave risk to the public. His sentence reflects the severity and totality of his offending.

“The NCA is dedicated to identifying high harm criminals like Manning and ensuring they are brought to justice.”