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A teenage predator who caused prolonged psychological trauma to his child victims has been jailed.

Richard Box, from Arbroath, raped a student and abused three under-age girls as part of a horrific course of conduct.

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A school employee, said to have been, “struggling with a sex addiction”, believed he was engaging in online communication with young girls while he was overseeing children in a classroom.

Mark Andrew Woodhead was supposed to be dealing with youngsters with behavioural issues in his job role, but at the same time he was on social media platforms ‘chatting’ in sexualised terms to females who purported to be either 14 or under 14.

Durham Crown Court heard was told he even sent the two ‘girls’ he believed he was chatting to intimate images of himself while he was supposed to be supervising the youngsters in his charge.

He then tried to solicit images from the 'girls' he believed he was communicating with, in return.

In reality, however, the ‘girls’ were actually undercover officers seeking to catch paedophiles operating on social media platforms.

Robin Turton, prosecuting, said when the defendant was arrested over his online activities in May this year he claimed it was, “just a fantasy and nothing was going to come of it”.

The court heard that the day after his arrest he resigned from his position at the school.

Examination of his phone revealed indecent images of children, some taken by Woodhead, and some which he distributed to like-minded individuals.

When formally cautioned and interviewed he initially made no comment.

But when later questioned he told police he had been struggling with a sex addiction for 30 years which had “got out of hand”, despite claiming he was not attracted to children.

The 48-year-old defendant, of Devonshire Road, Belmont, Durham, admitted two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, plus other charges of taking, making and distributing indecent images of children.

Tony Davis, in mitigation, said Woodhead had engaged with an organisation known as “Stop it Now” to address his addiction, and supplied letters from that agency and the defendant’s wife to the court.

“Plainly, this defendant had struggled with a 30-year addiction to pornography.

“That is something that inevitably will not take a short time to overcome.

“It’s plainly a deep-rooted illness, which has manifested itself in the behaviour that is before the court.

“He bitterly now regrets his actions and entered his guilty pleas at the first opportunity, having made those admissions in his second police interview.

“But he’s a man who has obviously taken steps to address his behaviour.”

Mr Davis said the defendant had, of his own volition, also reached out to seek assistance from a therapist in Yorkshire, which he said began the day after his arrest.

“Immediately upon arrest he resigned from his position at the school.

“He understands, given his conviction and admissions to police, that he will never be able to work with children again and that will have a severely restricting effect on his life going forward.”

Mr Davis said the addiction suffered by the defendant covered, “a panoply of sexual behaviour, not merely in terms of underage girls, and for a period he was addicted to sites involving trans people.”

He urged Judge Jo Kidd that a sentence could be passed to enable the defendant to continue his rehabilitation in the community.

But Judge Kidd said the offences committed in April and May this year were an extension of Woodhead's actions from 2018 of making and distributing indecent images of children.

“It’s clear to me your sexual interest in children spans at least a period of five years and you gained serious sexual gratification surrounded by children while engaging in this communication and viewing child pornography while at work.

“You told the author of the pre-sentence report that you don’t have a sexual interest in children.

“Well, you clearly do.

“You tell me through your counsel that it’s an illness.

“I don’t accept that submission. You were significantly interested in viewing images of children.

“That was a deliberate act on your behalf as an individual working with children to gratify your sexual interest.

“It’s unfortunate you only reached out to that foundation after your arrest as you clearly took no measures prior to it to address your interest and urges in children beforehand.”

Imposing an immediate 30-month prison sentence, she also made Woodhead subject of registration as a sex offender and restrictions under the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, both indefinitely.

His name will also be entered on the barring list of those forbidden from ever working with children.

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AN ISLE of Wight man has been jailed after belatedly admitting sexual assaults against a woman during “a prolonged and sustained campaign of trying to elicit sex from her”.

Christopher Peach, of Queens Court, East Cowes, appeared before a judge at the Isle of Wight Crown Court on Thursday, October 26.

The 61-year-old had initially denied the charges but went on to change his plea in August – admitting two counts of sexual assault against a woman.

The court heard the first offence happened on November 22, 2019, and the second between May 1, 2020, and September 30, 2020.

A statement, read out in court, revealed how the victim’s behaviours around men had drastically changed since the incidents.

She said she relived them daily, and had awful dreams about being attacked, causing her to become socially withdrawn and scared to leave the house.

The victim said it was a prolonged and sustained campaign of trying to elicit sex from her, using her fragile mental state against her, and the mental and emotional scars were still raw.

The court heard on the first occasion, Peach grabbed the victim’s breast, and on the second, he pinned her to the floor and forcibly kissed her.

Peach was handed an 18-month prison term and made subject of a ten-year restraining order.

He was ordered to pay £149 surcharge and was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for ten years.

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A serial sex offender openly engaged in "lewd and disgusting" behaviour in front of women in Swansea city centre, a court has heard. Richard Pugh performed a sex act in front of the females and "stared intently" at them as they walked to a car park after work.

Pugh has a long history of sexual offending including indecent assaults and exposure, and is currently subject to a sexual harm prevention order banning him from following women, entering female toilets, and approaching within five metres of a woman in any public car park. He was identified as carrying out his latest offending after plain-clothes police officers were deployed to the area and recognised him.

Sending the 47-year-old defendant back to prison a judge at Swansea Crown Court told him that not only had he demeaned the women involved in the incidents but had also demeaned himself as a man and as a human being.

Alycia Carpanini, prosecuting, said that at around 6pm on August 10 this year two women were walking passed St David's Priory church hall in Swansea city centre en route to their parked cars when they saw a male - later identified as Pugh - sitting on the floor. As the pair passed they saw the defendant had his hand down his trousers and was masturbating while "staring intently" at them. The two women hurried in their way. The court heard that the next day one of the women was following the same route to her car when she saw Pugh again - he tried to speak to her but she ignored him and walked on.

The prosecutor said on August 14 the same woman was again walking passed the church at a little after 5pm when she Pugh once again with hands down his trousers masturbating and "mumbling". The matter was reported to the police and two police officers in plain clothes were sent to the area. They saw a man matching the defendant's description and identified him as Pugh. The court heard the defendant was arrested at his home address on August 16 and the following day the two women from the August 10 incident positively identified him. In his interview Pugh gave a prepared statement in which he denied the allegations.

Richard Barrie Pugh, aged 47, of The Strand, Swansea city centre, had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of outraging public decency and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has 19 previous convictions for 39 offences including multiple counts of indecent exposure with intent to insult any female, indecent assault, and sexual assault. He also has 12 previous breaches of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) that was imposed in Mold Crown Court in 2016. The court heard that under the conditions of the SHPO he is prohibited from following women, entering female toilets, and approaching within five metres of a woman in any public car park.

Andrew Evans, for Pugh, said the best mitigation he could put forward was the defendant's guilty pleas. He said Pugh had been released from his last custodial sentence in June this year and placed in a hostel on The Strand in Swansea by the Probation Service. He said following his arrest the defendant was recalled back to prison to serve the remainder of the previously imposed custodial sentence and is not due to be released until 2026.

Judge Huw Rees told Pugh he had engaged in "lewd, disgusting and persistent behaviour" in the city centre, and he said by his behaviour the defendant had degraded other people and - though Pugh may be slow to realise it - had degraded himself as a man and as a human being. The judge said the sentence he was going to impose had to start immediately and would therefore run concurrently with the defendant's period on recall meaning the new sentence would not increase the length of time of Pugh's incarceration, a situation the judge said was, in his view, "unfortunate".

With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas Pugh was sentenced to 16 months in prison comprising eight months for the outraging public decency offences and 16 months for the breaches of the SHPO to run concurrently. The SHPO will continue and Pugh was put on the sex offenders register for the next 10 years. Pugh is already subject to an indefinite sexual registration.

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A worker later described as a "bad man" by the three-year-old girl he sexually assaulted has been jailed. Kevin Sillcox was carrying out work at the family's home when the incident happened.

Sillcox, 63, committed the offence - exposing his penis to the girl before removing her underwear and touching her - while working in her bedroom last year. The girl and her mother had been downstairs while he was working, but a court heard that at some stage she went up to play in her room.

On Wednesday, Newport Crown Court was told that Sillcox, from the Welsh city, was found out some time later, when the girl asked if the "bad man" would be coming back. She went on to describe what he had done to her.

Sillcox, of Commercial Road, denied the offences, claiming the allegations had been "fabricated". However, he was found guilty of sexually touching a child under the age of 13 following a trial, reports Wales Online.

In victim personal statements read out to the court by prosecutor Matthew Roberts, the girl's father said: "I am reliving the incident again and felt unable to help my daughter when she was in distress... We no longer feel safe in our own home. I feel I no longer know my daughter. She is less trusting and pulls away from me."

The father described the impact of the assault as an "emotional rollercoaster" and stated he tried to take his own life and had turned to alcohol. He added: "It's awful to think this man came into my daughter's home, that was supposed to be her safe space, and did this to her."

The girl's mother said: "The actions of Sillcox have greatly affected me and my daughter's life. Since he committed this crime I have been unable to sleep at night and I'm constantly afraid it will happen again. I am no longer able to trust people as before. It's torn me to pieces, I've never felt so isolated and alone... The trauma has made me feel things I had never felt.... I cry all the time and find it hard to get my head around how he came into my home and did this to the most vulnerable person in the house, my beautiful daughter."

The mother said her daughter was "cautious, scared and worried", hides away and finds it hard to socialise, which the mother described as "heartbreaking" to see. The court heard Sillcox had four previous convictions, none of which were sexual offences. His barrister, Alex Greenwood, said the offence was "relatively short in duration" and said there was no penetration involved.

Sentencing, Recorder Greg Bull KC said: "The effect on (the victim) and her parents has been significant, she has seemed to have a changed personality and is no longer the child she was. You have shown no remorse and chose to plead not guilty as was your right. You said it was a concocted allegation against you. I reject that allegation by you."

Sillcox was sentenced to four years of imprisonment. He was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely and will be made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order at a later date.

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A pervert who filmed himself wearing lingerie while trying to have a sexual chat with a 12-year-old girl was actually talking to an undercover police officer.

Roy Drummond dressed in clothing that included a panty set, various coloured stockings, a pink corset and a baby doll nightie during a series of sickening online conversations over social media site Kik in October 2021. Newcastle Crown Court heard Drummond, who claimed to be a 19-year-old from Manchester, sent pictures and videos of himself dressed up and using a sex toy to the person he thought was a child.

But prosecutor Joe Hedworth told the court the fake profile had been set up by a covert police operative and the 12-year-old did not exist. Mr Hedworth said: "She said she was a girl aged 12. The defendant continued the
conversation and it was sexual from the off. He said 'girls in uniform are cute'."

The court heard the graphic chat went on for several days until Drummond was arrested. He denied having any sexual interest in children and said he got involved in the conversation through "stupidity".

Drummond, 35, of Condercum Road, Benwell, Newcastle, admitted attempting to have sexual communication with a child between October 7 and October 19, 2021. Recorder Abdul Iqbal sentenced him to 12 months, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements and 100 hours unpaid work. Drummond has to sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

Recorder Iqbal told him: "You said you thought you were talking to an adult pretending to be a child. Whether that's true or not is debatable. It is clear you were communicating with someone who was telling you she was 12 and you were obtaining sexual gratification from explaining to her your own sexual interests."

Kate Barnes, defending, said Drummond has ADHD and is prone to "impulsivity and poor decision making processes".
Miss Barnes said Drummond poses a low risk, has fully co-operated with the authorities and can be managed safely in the community.

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A paedophile has been put back on the Sex Offenders Register after a jury found he had stashed sick child abuse files on his phone.

Liam Cunningham will be sentenced in December.

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Ruthless predator Paul Abbinnett, 38, of Oracle Drive, attempted to seduce the “extremely vulnerable” child into sex - before he was ousted and sent to jail for three years and six months at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Abbinnett had claimed he was just “having a laugh” during the trial but jurors convicted him of one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity in 2020. He was found not guilty of rape a child under 13, sexual activity with a child, attempted rape of a child under 13, causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in a sexual activity and sexual assault of a child under 13.

The sentence hearing was told how Abbinnett engaged the girl in sexual activity with him after sending lewd messages encouraging her to perform oral sex on him and telling her to wait naked for him. “(The victim) was extremely vulnerable. He took advantage of this,” prosecutor Matthew Lawson said.

Mr Lawson told the court how police recovered short Snapchat videos of Abbinnett stroking the girl’s breasts, moving his face side to side in her chest and rubbing her chest under a cover.

James Caldwell, defending, said the fallout from Abbinnett’s offending had led to “serious ramifications to the defendant outside court” due to “high emotional states” with the defendant losing his job and him now set to lose his home. Family members had also been impacted following his conviction in July.

Mr Caldwell said Abbinnett did not feel a probation report “fairly or accurately reflected his state of mind” but judge Michael Bowes KC said the defendant had shown “no remorse” after maintaining his innocence there was “nothing sexual in (his messages)”.

The judge said the offending amounted to “serious sexual abuse” and was “so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified” before adding: “The jury rejected (your claim) you were just having a laugh or using inappropriate language. Your intention was that (sexual activity) would take place even though in the end it did not.”

Speaking of the impact on the girl, judge Bowes said: “The effect on her has been profound. She is undoubtedly very damaged as a result of your conduct. It is to be hoped she will start to make a good recovery.”

The judge said Abbinnett would be released halfway through his three and a half year sentence. Details of a sexual harm prevention order will be fixed at a subsequent hearing. His sex offender registration requirements would be “indefinite”.

The girl was in court for the hearing with her family but a decision was made to not have her victim impact statement read out.

But after the hearing the family said: “No sentence would be enough for what he made her suffer but knowing he is now known for what he is - and that it will now stay with him for life on the sex offenders register and some prison time - has made a big difference.

“We would like to thank everyone that has worked with us and supported us through these times.”

A previous family statement had said: “He took the innocence from a child and turned her life upside down. He controlled and manipulated her and caused a lot of damage.

“He has caused her suffering which has led to her self-harming, having no self-confidence, low self-esteem, depression and anxiety. The scars and trauma will never end.”

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A rape survivor from Glasgow has told how she is living a life sentence of her own after a colleague was jailed for seven years for attacking her.

Sarah, who asked only to be identified by her first name, was raped by Edward Lochrie after leaving a works leaving party. The married 40-year-old sexually assaulted her after refusing to leave her home before trying to cover his tracks in a series of messages sent to the victim and her colleagues.

After Lochrie was jailed last week Sarah said she would remain traumatised for life, but urged other women to seek justice. She told the Daily Record: “Seven years isn’t the life sentence he has given me, but it’s a strong powerful second.

“The judge identified his behaviour as predatory, that he manipulated, that he has shown no empathy or remorse for his actions. To have the severity of what happened to me acknowledged goes some way to concluding this chapter.

“I can’t change what happened nor will I ever be able to forget but I can move forward knowing I did everything in my power to ensure truth prevailed. I urge victims of sexual assault to stand by their truth, trust the system and ensure you provide all you can when giving your statements.

“I just hope the last few years of my life, my journey, can give hope and strength to other survivors.”

Lochrie attacked his colleague on his leaving night out after she invited workmates back to her flat to call taxis in July 2021.

She said: “He was reasonably quiet and unassuming. He very much kept himself to himself. I never imagined he was a harmful person.

“At the end of the night he was the last person left and wouldn’t leave. I got very insistent and forceful and told him to get out.

“He intimated that he was going to leave, went to the door and pretended to put his shoes on and before I knew it he turned around again and raped me in my own home.”

The project manager then left Sarah's flat before trying to contact her via her work phone over the following days.

She said: “He didn’t have my personal number, but tried to reach me the next day via message on my work mobile, asking if I was still talking to him.

“The day after that he messaged again. As of the Monday he started trying to call me several times, which I still ignored. Then he started to reach out to other colleagues.

“He reached out to between five to 10 colleagues of ours to try and gauge information. He asked if there was any gossip going around about me and him.”

Traumatised, Sarah had sought help in the hours after her attack and found Archway, a specialist sexual assault referral centre based in Glasgow, and received support from Rape Crisis Scotland. She was able to attend the centre and have forensic testing done while she processed what had happened to her.

Lochrie was arrested weeks later. After more than two years he was found to have raped Sarah at a trail at the High Court in Glasgow.

Judge Lord Young jailed Lochrie for seven years at the High Court in Edinburgh last week.

Passing sentence, Lord Young said: “ While I accept that this rape was not pre-planned, it did involve predatory behaviour emerging once you realised that your victim lived alone and that you could manipulate the situation to be left alone with her.

“What is clear from the Criminal Justice Social Work Report is that you have shown no empathy for your victim and have no insight into your offending. You embarked on a process of victim blaming described...as a character assassination of your victim.”

Lochrie was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

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An Edinburgh student has been caught with a shocking haul of almost 250,000 child abuse images and videos.

Cheng Xia, 24, was found to be in possession of the massive collection of sick material over a six year period when police raided his home in the capital last year. Xia, who was due to begin studying for a PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Edinburgh, appeared in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to the offence.

Defence solicitor George Henry told the court his client’s university plans are now on hold due to his arrest in November last year. Prosecutor Ross Price told the court police officers arrived at Xia’s flat in the Newington area of the city with a search warrant on November 25 last year.

Devices were seized and it was subsequently discovered the chemistry student had downloaded a total of 234,039 indecent images of children and 1531 videos. The court heard 202 images and seven films were rated at Category A - the most depraved end of the scale - along with 1015 pictures and 21 videos at Category B. The Category C files showed he had 232, 872 images and 1503 videos depicting child abuse.

Sheriff Robert Fife placed Xia on the Sex Offenders Register and deferred sentence to November 29. Xia pleaded guilty to possessing a total of 234,375 images and videos of indecent images of children at his home address between January 1, 2017 and November 25 last year.

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Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, a man from Oxford has been jailed for non-recent child sex offences.

Robert Ind, aged 76, of Hockmore Tower, was sentenced to 17 years in prison at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday (26/10).

He will also be on the sex offenders register for life.

A jury unanimously found Ind guilty of two counts each of raping a male under 16 and indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14, and one count of committing buggery with a boy under 16 years of age, after an eight-day trial.

The jury found him not guilty of two other counts of indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14.

Ind raped a boy multiple times and committed buggery in the 1990s and early 2000s.

He also committed indecent assault on another boy on numerous occasions in the 1980s.

Ind was charged on 21 October 2021.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Janet Burchell said: “I would like to commend the bravery of the two victims to come forward, support our investigation and the court process, which has ultimately resulted in their abuser being brought to justice.

“I hope this sentencing shows that no matter when offences of this nature take place, victims will be taken seriously and listened to if they report offences.

“We will always investigate these offences and look to put child sex offenders like Robert Ind before the courts.”

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A persistent stalker who opened a bathroom window and put his hands through while a woman was in the shower and also entered her home while she was on holiday has been locked up.

Nottingham Crown Court heard how the victim screamed in terror, closed the window, and called the police after seeing Stanislaw Filipiak’s hands coming through her window.

It was subsequently discovered the 39-year-old had previously been inside her home, at least twice, while she was away, had rifled through her underwear drawer and taken images of her expired passport, Facebook account log-in details, and other sensitive password information which was held on an iPad.

Filipiak, who was working as a fast food delivery driver, committed these offences in The Park area of Nottingham between 3 January and 5 February this year.

The court heard he Googled the victim’s name more than 45 times having developed a fixation with her.

Following a thorough investigation, detectives arrested Filipiak and seized two mobile phones from him.

When officers analysed his electronic devices, it was discovered that he had secretly filmed videos of young women, and photographed them in intimate situations, while they were in their bathrooms and bedrooms.

Pictures and recordings were taken through windows and gaps in their blinds, including while victims were in various stages of undress. Seven victims of voyeurism were identified.

Filipiak, formerly of Victoria Road, Netherfield, was first arrested on 24 February 2023 after he was identified on doorbell camera footage loitering outside addresses, looking through windows and trying front door handles.

He was also found to have a thick rubber cosh in his backpack and was further arrested on suspicion of being in possession of an offensive weapon.

Further police inquiries revealed Filipiak carried out concerning and disturbing internet searches, including about 24-hour key cutting in Nottingham, the reach of city centre CCTV cameras, and other searches which showed his interest in offences of a sexual nature as well as pornographic-related material.

Filipiak was further arrested in relation to the evidence found on his electronic devices and subsequently charged.

Other material and items were found when officers searched his home, including rope and a blindfold, which the judge said were ‘a very real concern’ in context with the case.

He pleaded guilty to one count of trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence, seven counts of voyeurism, two counts of stalking, and possession of an offensive weapon.

Filipiak was given an extended nine-year sentence when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (27 October 2023). This includes a six-year prison sentence and a three-year extended licence period.

He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely and made subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and restraining order.

Sentencing Filipiak, Judge Michael Auty KC said he had ‘grave concerns’ as to why he had been carrying the cosh, against the background of his persistent offending over several months, and that the internet searches he had carried out were ‘deeply disturbing.’

Judge Auty said: “Imagine the terror of the young woman in the shower, seeing your hands coming through her window.

“Your behaviour represents a deep intrusion into these women’s personal lives. The fear you have engendered in them is almost impossible to state.”

The judge also publicly thanked the Nottinghamshire Police detectives for their ‘very effective, diligent, and remarkably skilled’ investigation, adding they ‘should be very proud of their work in the case.’

Detective Inspector Chris Berryman said: “The investigation team showed great perseverance and determination to identify all of the victims in this case.

"This was not an easy task and involved good investigation work from looking at distinctive windows, car parks, rubbish bins found on Filipiak’s mobile phone recordings and linking them back to the victim’s addresses. 

“This enabled us to get justice for all of the victims and demonstrate how dangerous this sexual predator was and the risk he presented in the future. The sentence reflects his conduct and the good investigative work prevented an escalation in offending.”

Filipiak was brought to justice as a result of a successful partnership approach between the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutor and police investigating the case.

Sarah Sanderson, from the CPS, said: "Filipiak’s offending was extremely concerning and it is fortunate that he has been stopped.

"He had preyed on young women in their private moments when they had every right to feel safe in their homes, using the cover of his job delivering fast food to avoid suspicion.

“As well as the clear evidence of voyeurism, there was evidence of a more serious, sinister intent behind his actions. This evidence suggested his offending could have become increasingly more harmful, so it is fortunate that he has been caught and dealt with before that could happen.”

Detective Constable Ben Grayson, of Nottinghamshire Police, added: “These were appalling, invasive offences and I am pleased the judge saw fit to hand Filipiak a substantial sentence.

“No-one should have their privacy invaded in the way Filipiak did and I would like to personally thank the victims for their help in building the case against him.

“I hope this outcome serves not only as a comfort to them and wider public, but also as a stark warning to others who might be tempted to engage in voyeurism.

“Stalking is an offence we treat extremely seriously, and which can have a lasting impact on victims. It takes many forms, but it is always a very serious offence, and we urge victims to seek help from the police at the earliest opportunity. We understand that people can be reluctant to contact us – but we are always here to help.”

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Man sentenced to 14 years for series of Child Sex Offences

Alexander Slimings, 21 from Billingham, was sentenced to 14 years in prison and handed a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order at Teesside Crown Court today (Friday 27 October) after pleading guilty to a total of 34 Child Sex Offences.

The offences included multiple counts of Sexual Assault, Making and Taking Indecent Images of Children and Voyeurism. The offences occurred between October 2019 and March 2023, and took place in the Teesside and County Durham areas.

Slimings was arrested and charged in March 2023. He was remanded in custody, where he has remained since. The subsequent investigation into the offences he was initially arrested for, led to the identification of a number of other victims. Slimings was then charged for a series of further offences.

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Jez Collins, the Senior Investigating Officer in the case, said:

Slimings offences and the details of the investigation were deeply distressing for the victims and their families, and I thank them for their support and remarkable resilience during what has been a very sensitive enquiry.

I would also like to thank the investigators and staff from our Child Abuse and Vulnerable Adults Team (CAVA), our Paedophile On-Line Investigation Team (POLIT) and others, as well as representatives from Durham Police and partner agencies for their professionalism and support. Working collaboratively helped ensure the victims and their families were kept informed and supported at all stages of the investigation.

I am satisfied that Slimings is now behind bars, where he can no longer prey on those most vulnerable in our society. Cleveland Police take all allegations of this nature seriously and we encourage victims of sexual abuse to come forward and report it. We have specialist officers who are trained to help you and investigate this type of crime.

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A convicted sex offender posted selfies taken at court on social media shortly after being spared jail for molesting a teenager.

On being handed a suspended sentence, Charlie Steine was told by the judge he should “reflect on and be grateful for” the forgiveness shown to him by his victim and his mother.

But within hours he had updated his Facebook profile picture to show him posing outside Canterbury Crown Court, captioning the image with a laughing emoji and saying: "Crown court for the 7th time this year.”

The 23-year-old also shared selfies he had taken inside the building – itself a criminal offence of contempt, so KentOnline cannot publish the images.

Steine was at the court to be sentenced having earlier pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a boy in Ramsgate.

Appearing there last Friday, Judge Mark Weekes remarked the victim and his parent had shown "considerable understanding and insight" into the defendant's behaviour on June 25 last year.

Prosecutor Suzanne Fewins said the youth was in Ramsgate when Steine, who the teen had previously seen begging, asked for 20p before questioning the boy about his sexuality and asking him to rate his appearance.

"The victim felt uncomfortable but, not wanting to be rude, responded "Six out of 10"," she told the court. "The defendant then asked for a hug. He then hugged the victim, stroked his back and started kissing his neck.

"The victim said he was frozen and didn't know what to do so stood still. The defendant let go and asked him to kiss him back. The victim said "No" and started to walk away."

However, Steine followed and tried to give him his Snapchat details.

"The victim said he felt really worried, wanted to get home, and kept shouting "no" in the defendant's direction," added Ms Fewins

The incident was reported to police and Steine, having been identified from CCTV footage, was arrested 11 days later at his grandmother's home.

When interviewed, he said he could not remember where he had been that day and "would not have kissed the boy and was not gay", said Ms Fewins.

However, Steine, who has seven previous convictions for 42 offences but none of a sexual nature, later pleaded guilty on the first day of trial in July.

The victim and his mother both attended that hearing and in a subsequent statement read to the court she described how she was "heartbroken" to hear the defendant had been dealt "a hard hand in life" but pleased he had been drug-free for a year.

"I left feeling pity for him and hoped that his future sentencing would be minimal," she continued. "My son said he felt extremely sorry for him and doesn't deserve what's coming to him.

"He knows [Steine] wasn't in his right mind when he did what he did and holds no hate towards him. He hopes he gets all the help he needs for a better life. He wishes Charlie all the best, as I do."

Kerry Waitt, defending, acknowledged the "very magnanimous" victim impact statement, adding the incident would have been "undoubtedly deeply distressing".

But he told the court Steine, who is from Ramsgate, was "effectively homeless, living on the streets" and should be given the "support and encouragement needed to move on in his life".

Passing sentence, Judge Weekes said the defendant, while intoxicated, had initially engaged his victim in "what might crudely be termed some form of banter" before accosting him in a "quite distressing and frightening" manner.

But he said he was "heartened" to read the "exceptionally humane" statement from the boy's mother and told Steine: "She and your victim are extremely forgiving people and you should be extremely grateful for that.

"They understand and have considerable insight into the state you were in at the time of this offence and you would do well to reflect on that when you leave court. Your victim has demonstrated a considerable milk of human kindness."

The judge added it was "most unfortunate" Steine had not pleaded guilty at an earlier stage, and highlighted the fact he had continued to maintain his innocence

But he told him that was now "water under the bridge" due to the "very good progress" he had made, and that while his behaviour was "troubling", he did not pose a significant risk to the public.

Steine was handed an 18-month jail term suspended for two years, with 20 rehabilitation activity sessions and a 12-month drug rehabilitation requirement. He must also sign on the sex offender register for 10 years.

He thanked the judge as he left court, before later sharing the selfies taken inside and outside the building.

In a post that morning he had told his Facebook friends he was due at crown court, and when one asked why he replied: “For having to say guilty for something I was innocent of, how crumbled the system is.”

After the sentencing hearing he wrote that he had once been a “very bad naughty druggy boy”, but was now “such a different person”.

Days before he had posted a video he had sent to someone in an effort to engage them in a fight, shouting in the footage: “Come here now and scrap me d***head.”

Record details

A MAN told a woman she had to be quiet as he launched a nightmare sex attack on her.

Jaimie Reeves refused to let the woman leave and kept trying to rape her despite her obvious resistance.

The attack left the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, with crippling" mental health problems and changed her life forever.

Reeves, 27, had been with the woman at a house in Dorset when the incident occurred.

The pair were both sat in the lounge in the evening, when Reeves moved to the sofa she was sat on and began to grope her.

They then went into the garden for a cigarette, at which point the defendant told the woman he wanted to have sex with her.

Once back inside, he tried to pull her shorts and underwear down and told her: Youre going to let me have it.

The woman refused his advances, telling him no and making multiple attempts to leave.

Reeves then launched a despicable sex attack on the woman, becoming rough and telling her she had to be quiet.

Prosecuting Andrew Houston said the assault took place over some considerable time, lasting for perhaps more than an hour.

The woman was only able to escape during the early hours of the morning when the defendant went into the bathroom to be sick.

She went home and told her mum, before reporting it to police.

In a victim statement, she said: Each morning when I wake up, I have to remind myself that he wont be able to hurt me anymore like he did that day.

I do believe this is something that will change my life forever.

Reeves, of Oxford Road in Sandhurst, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday, October 24, in relation to the incident which occurred in July 2020.

He was found guilty by a jury on counts of attempted vaginal rape, attempted oral rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault.

Defending, Nick Robinson noted his client was of previous good character and had no previous convictions.

Mr Robinson added: In my submission it wasnt planned, it was spontaneous.

These offences were not sustained or prolonged.

He added that the defendant's family were suffering emotionally, and pleaded for the court to approach the case with some mercy and compassion.

Addressing Reeves, Recorder Richard Onslow said: What went on inside was nothing short of a nightmare for [the victim].

"She kept telling you no and that she wasnt interested. You kept trying to rape her, when there was obvious resistance.

She felt extremely vulnerable.

The effects upon her have clearly been severe crippling anxiety, terrified of walking in the street, panic attacks, and struggling with mental health.

Reeves was handed a nine-year prison sentence.

He was also handed a restraining order for an indefinite period, and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.