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A man has been jailed after breaching his sexual harm prevention order by sexually communicating with what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl.

Daniel Thomas, 33, of Westbury, was caught following a Wiltshire Police investigation supported by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).

Between May 4 and June 27 this year, Thomas – a Registered Sex Offender – was communicating through a social media platform with a teenager, who was actually a specially trained officer.

Thomas turned the conversation sexual and he was subsequently arrested on June 28 on suspicion of engaging in sexual communications with a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and causing a child to watch a sexual act, and for breaching his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

He was subsequently charged and remanded into custody.

On Wednesday at Salisbury Crown Court, he was sentenced to four years and four months in prison, plus three years on extended licence.

PC Whittaker of the Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders (MOSOVO) unit said: “Thomas is a repeat offender who has persistently targeted children and attempted to engage them in sexual activity.

“Through actively managing his SHPO, we were able to monitor his behaviour and implement a decoy which allowed us to successfully bring this prosecution and protect children from him.”

Detective Inspector David Wells from the Online Investigations Team at SWROCU said: “The repeated attempts by Daniel Thomas to engage young children in sexual activity online show the high level of risk he posed, and the sentence handed down this week reflects that.

“This is challenging but vital work. Law enforcement agencies are across the internet determined to ensure offenders like him don’t succeed in abusing and exploiting children.  It is crucial parents and children themselves take steps to protect against the threat.”

Record details

The 'Somerset Gimp' has been banned from wearing a black fetish suit and "writhing on the ground" for five years.

Self-employed gardener Joshua Hunt, 32, has been made subject of a sexual risk order which prevents him from wearing any type of mask or face covering unless for medical reasons.

A district judge imposed the tough order following a hearing at Bristol Magistrates' Court.

It came just a week after Hunt was convicted of two offences under the Public Order Act of intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress.

Last week's hearing heard how a man in an all-black gimp suit terrified two female motorists in May this year in Bleadon, near Weston-super-Mare.

It was the latest in a series of incidents in which a man dressed in skin-tight dark clothing was seen writhing around on the ground and stepping out in front of cars in remote locations across North Somerset since 2018.

Witnesses from one incident in October last year saw a man wearing a gimp suit who grabbed his penis over the top of his clothing and also "gyrated against the floor", The court previously heard.

Lawrence Wilcox, representing Avon and Somerset Police, told Friday's hearing that Hunt had been linked to 25 incidents in total.

"The evidence of the earlier incidents is based upon intelligence reports and the latter reports is more specific," he said.

"But, we say, if the court is satisfied that the intelligence of the earlier incidents were of a sexual nature and committed by the defendant; there is material within that bundle that relates to that of a sexual nature and the acceptance of necessity."

Peter Richardson, defending, said Hunt had taken a "pragmatic and practical approach" to the application.

"We are not contesting the application but that is not the same as agreeing with everything that is set out," he said.

The sexual risk order was imposed for five years and also means Hunt is on the sex offenders' register for the same period.

Among the restrictions, Hunt is banned from:

• Wearing any type of mask or face covering, including improvised mask or face coverings that cover all or part of the face, in any public place, including whilst in a vehicle in a public place, unless officially required for medical purposes or by law.
• Being in possession of any type of mask or face covering, including improvised masks or face coverings that cover all or part of the face, in a public place, including whilst in a vehicle in a public place, between the hours of 2100 and 0600 unless officially required for medical purposes or by law.
• Wearing or being in possession of black all-in-one garments or any combination of full-length black coloured top and black coloured bottom clothing which has the appearance of an all-in-one garment, in a public place, including in a vehicle in a public place between the hours of 2100 and 0600.
  
  
• Crawling, wriggling or writhing on the ground in a public place whilst wearing a full-body covering, clothing that appears like a full body covering and/or mask/full face covering.

There are also restrictions on his computer use and access to the internet.

Imposing the order, District Judge Joanna Dickens said: "I am satisfied that you have done a series of acts of a sexual nature.

"I have been informed what they are, and they certainly fall within the terms of the Act.

"They are clearly acts of a sexual nature with a sexual element to them.

"A sexual risk order is quite a serious order, and it has a lot of obligations of you and if you breach this order you can go to prison.

"I only make an order if I think it is necessary to protect the public from you and I do think it is necessary."

His trial last week heard that when Hunt was arrested in May this year, he told police: "I am not a gimp, I do not own a gimp suit.

"I am not in a gimp suit. I am not dangerous, I am a normal person, I have got a few problems."

He had also researched news and videos online about the Somerset Gimp who had been terrorising people late at night since 2018.

The farmer's son had previously been arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance in connection with a series of incidents in the Cleeve, Claverham and Yatton areas last year.

But due to insufficient evidence no further action was taken.

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A pervert who subjected four children to "abhorrent" abuse has been jailed for more than two decades after they bravely spoke out to put him behind bars. John Fairhurst, 30, was found guilty of a string of sex offences after a trial at Bolton Crown Court.

Fairhurst was handed a 24 year custodial sentence, after which he will serve six years on licence. He was also made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and indefinite restraining order.

The court was told Fairhurst 'became aggressive' and took advantage of his four victims over a number of years, including sending intimate photos and requesting that they take part in degrading acts. The court heard that thanks to their bravery in speaking out, he was eventually arrested in October 2022.

In total, Fairhurst, of Dudley Avenue, Tonge Moor, Bolton, was convicted of 17 counts of sexual offences.

Detective Constable Phillipa Fairclough, of GMP's Bolton district said: “Firstly, I want to thank the victims in this case for their incredible bravery in coming forward and helping us with the investigation into Fairhurst’s crimes. Fairhurst’s acts over several years were abhorrent and I am glad that he is now behind bars. I hope that the sentence is able to bring some comfort to his victims.

"This was a highly emotive and complex investigation to work on and we are committed to putting sexual offenders behind bars. I want the public to know that we thoroughly investigate every report that comes into us.

"Detective Sergeant Kayleigh Wiggins from Greater Manchester Police, who was the senior investigating officer of this case, would like to thank all the victims for speaking out and the team within the child protection team at Bolton for their hard work and dedication.

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A PERVERT caught with more than 240,000 indecent images of children and extreme pornography was jailed on Friday for 20 months.

Chi Wah Yau, 62, was found with the sick haul at his home in Glasgow's Possilpark on March 7 2022.

Police raided his home and seized a total of 24 discs and 11 hard drives as well as a computer tower unit.

A preliminary examination of the items found there were images of children and extreme porn.

Yau was arrested pending further examination of the devices.

Prosecutor Lauren Sangray stated there were 233,169 moving and still indecent images of children.

These were created between December 2003 and February 2022.

Miss Sangray said: "This was of sexual abuse and exploitation of female and male children between the ages of one and 16."

The fiscal depute added there were a further 8,364 still and moving images of "extreme porn."

Yau pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to possession of indecent images of children and extreme porn.

Susan Gibson, defending, told the sentencing: "He does want help to make sure he does not find himself in a situation like this."

Sheriff Gerard Bonnar said: "Having regard to authorities, punishment and general deterrents, the number contained and the length, there is no appropriate alternative to custody in my view."

Yau was also put on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

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A Deliveroo delivery driver who climbed into a woman's bed and tried to kiss her while her boyfriend was passed out in the kitchen has been jailed for two years and eight months after admitting sexual assault. 

Fuad Haddad, 31, entered a house in Cardiff in the early hours of April 11, where the victim was spending the night with her boyfriend. 

Cardiff Crown Court heard the woman had ordered food via the Deliveroo App before cancelling the order. Despite this, Haddad attended her home to collect payment - when he arrived he found the front door open and let himself in.

Haddad made his way upstairs where he attempted to kiss the woman twice and touched her with his hand on her hip and pressed his body against hers. 

The woman asked Haddad to leave, and he apologised repeatedly but wouldn't leave until he was forcibly walked out of the house and pushed out the door.

Prosecutor Byron Broadstock said the woman was disorientated when he arrived and when she asked who he was Haddad said he had been with her boyfriend who was 'coming up in a minute'.

The police were called and Mr Broadstock said the defendant was later seen on CCTV footage approaching the address numerous times before leaving at 5.12am. 

Haddad, of South Luton Place, Adamsdown, was arrested on April 13 and admitted attending the address but he denied any sexual offence. 

He later pleaded guilty to sexual assault and trespassing on premises with intention of causing sexual offence. 

Haddad was sentenced to two years and eight months imprisonment. He was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely. 

The court heard he had previous convictions for drug offences and an offence of battery. 

In a personal statement, the victim said her wellbeing had been 'detrimentally affected' by the incident. She added: 'I was sexually assaulted in a place I thought I was safe. 

'I have changed my habits, demeanour and appearance to try and process and cope with what happened. 

'I live in shared accommodation and should be able to feel safe in my house. I hope to go back to the woman I was before this day. 

'I am so anxious when I am alone or in my room. Now I check the door is locked and I also do this if I stay over someone else's house or when going on trips.'

She added: 'I kept thinking "Why does a delivery driver think he could walk in, see my partner passed out in the kitchen, walk upstairs, get into bed with me and sexually assault me".'

In mitigation, Hannah Williams said her client had been working as a Deliveroo driver for some time without any incidents and had 'misread the signals'. 

She said he fully accepts he should not have gone into the house, and described the offence as 'entirely out of character' and 'shocking' to his family members and members of his community. 

The barrister also said Haddad was a part time carer for his uncle.

Sentencing, Judge Wayne Beard said: 'The impact on the complainant is set out in her personal statement and shows the significance of this offence to her. 

'She is profoundly affected by your actions which have changed her demeanour, appearance and behaviour with others and at home. 

'The effects cannot be underestimated, you have changed this young woman's life completely by your offending. 

'She was clearly asleep and you took advantage of a person who was completely vulnerable at that point in time.'

Record details

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.

Record details

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.

Record details

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.

Record details

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.

Record details

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.