Latest Offenders

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A remorseless rapist attacked a pensioner and sexually assaulted a child while ‘trawling the streets at night time looking for vulnerable individuals', a court heard. Issa Brayzi-Pour, 22, has been jailed for public protection after committing the attacks on two complete strangers in Farnworth.

The child said she feels that 'she’s had her freedom taken away' while the woman said she no longer feels safe since being raped, and has undergone counselling. Prosecutors claimed Brayzi-Pour had been 'out trawling the streets at night time looking for vulnerable individuals'.

He had been in the country for about 10 months after arriving in the UK as an asylum seeker from Iran. The 70-year-old woman had been to the pub with members of her family where a boxing match was being shown, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

At one point she left the pub and Brayzi-Pour 'stalked' and 'followed' her, prosecutor Henry Blackshaw claimed. They engaged in conversation, and she feared that Brayzi-Pour was going to rob her.

Ms Blackshaw said that Brayzi-Pour had taken hold of her, and was 'effectively steering her around corners'. But as they reached a side road Brayzi-Pour raped her, during the summer last year.

An extensive police investigation was launched, and Brayzi-Pour, who at the time was wearing 'distinctive' clothing including a 'dark hooded coat and slider sandals', was picked out on CCTV. He was arrested three days later. A DNA swab taken from Brayzi-Pour then proved to be a match to intimate swabs taken from the victim.

The court heard how the woman has suffered 'significant and severe' psychological issues, and 'life changing problems'. It was then discovered that Brayzi-Pour had sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl 12 days earlier, also in Farnworth.

She recognised Brayzi-Pour as someone who had given her and her friends cigarettes a few days beforehand.

When she asked him for another cigarette, Brayzi-Pour asked her to perform oral sex on him and tried to kiss her, after she followed him onto some 'waste ground'. "There was clearly discussion about tobacco and she was lured to an isolated spot nearby, with the promise of it there," Mr Blackshaw said.

Defending, Bunty Batra said Brayzi-Pour has no criminal record in the UK or his home country. He said people who know him reacted with 'shock' to his crimes, and that he was described as being 'respectful and polite'.

Mr Batra denied there was any element of 'grooming' towards the child, claiming their interaction was 'extremely brief'. He also denied that Brayzi-Pour had 'targeted' the pensioner or that he'd been 'trawling the streets'.

Brayzi-Pour, of Longcauseway, Farnworth, Bolton, was unanimously found guilty of two counts of rape and of offences of sexual assault and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The judge, Recorder Andrew McLoughlin, said Brayzi-Pour still maintains his victims consented to his behaviour.

But he said Brayzi-Pour’s version of events 'bears no relationship whatsoever' to the evidence. "There is no remorse shown by you, because you believe somehow that all these matters took place with the victims' consent, they clearly did not do so," the judge said.

Brayzi-Pour was sentenced to 13 years in prison. He will have to serve two-thirds of his sentence before the Parole Board decides whether it is safe to release him.

After being declared a ‘dangerous’ offender, he was ordered to serve an additional five years on licence.

Following sentencing, DC Peter Hardy of Bolton CID said: “Firstly, I want to thank the bravery of both of the victims and the strength they have shown to take this prosecution to sentencing. We are happy with today’s result and are pleased that the trauma that Brayzi-Pour put his victims through has been recognised.

"Although no amount of time behind bars can make up for what the victims have been through, I hope that it will allow them to start to rebuild their lives and move on from what must have been a living nightmare. A dangerous individual is now off the streets and cannot pose a risk to any other females.

"As a force, GMP are committed to identifying and locating sex offenders to ensure that they face the full force of the law. If you, or anyone you know has been subjected to a sexual assault, we would urge you to come forward and speak to GMP.

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A PAEDOPHILE branded as “sick and twisted” has been jailed for 15 years after he groomed three young children.

Brandon Seymour, 27, from Ebbw Vale, sexually abused two boys and a girl between 2019 and 2021, Cardiff Crown Court was told.

He was told by the mothers of his victims that he has devastated their lives.

Seymour, currently of Dyffryn Court, Abercarn, Caerphilly pleaded guilty to a catalogue of sexual offences.

The defendant admitted five counts of the sexual assault of a child under the age of 13, two of causing or inciting child a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity and one of possession of indecent images of children.

The child abuse images were found on his mobile phone following his arrest.

Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe read out victim personal statements written by the children’s mothers.

One of them said: “Our lives have been devastated. I feel sick to my stomach.

“I could feel the anger boiling inside me.

“This was an exceptionally painful time in all our lives.”

Another mum told the court: “He’s a sick and twisted individual.

“He has ripped my soul apart. I wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone.”

The court was told the defendant was a man of previous good character with no convictions recorded against him.

Jeffrey Jones representing Seymour said: “He knows what he’s done is clearly wrong and he regrets what he has done.”

He asked that his client be given full credit for his guilty pleas.

The judge, Recorder Duncan Bould, told the defendant: “You have an unhealthy interest in prepubescent children.

“You groomed your victims.”

He told Seymour he was a “dangerous offender” and posed a high risk to children.

The defendant was jailed for 10 years in custody plus an extended licence period of five years.

He will have to serve two-thirds of the 10-year term before he is eligible for parole.

The defendant will have to register as a sex offender for life and pay a £228 victim surcharge upon his release from custody.

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A County Durham paedophile who produced and distributed child sexual abuse images over Facebook has been caged.

Andrew Longthorne began chatting to strangers on social media - one of whom was a convicted sex offender - and sent them horrific child abuse images and videos between 2016 and 2018. The 34-year-old discussed sexual fantasies with those he chatted to online and sent over category A, B and C material - some of which he had created himself.

On Monday, Longthorne, of Spennymoor, appeared at Durham Crown Court via video link from HMP Durham to be sentenced for charges relating to the production of indecent images and distribution of indecent images. He had pleaded guilty to the offences.

Anne Richardson, prosecuting, said Durham Police received a number of referrals relating to the uploading of indecent images to Facebook in 2018. An IP address was recovered which linked Longthorne to the distribution and inquiries were made.

The court was told that Longthorne used social media profiles in other names to send photographs to strangers, including to one who was a convicted sex offender. On one occasion he masqueraded as a young girl to enter into chats.

As well as indecent images, Ms Richardson said Longthorne sent pictures of himself during the chats and was finally arrested in 2018. He initially denied the offences and claimed not to have a sexual interest in children but later pleaded guilty on his first appearance at the crown court.

Victoria Lamballe, defending, said Longthorne's best mitigation were his guilty pleas and that he had not re-offended since 2018. She said: "He has shown disgust and shame at his own actions and there is obvious remorse. He is willing to comply with any orders and is determined to reduce the risk he's thought to pose in the future."

Sentencing Longthorne, Judge Ata Dallas jailed him for 31 months and made him subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. He will also be on the sex offender's register for life.

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A convicted paedophile sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl he approached in the street by touching her breasts and vagina and forcibly kissing her. After the assault, he grabbed hold of her mobile and entered his phone number.

Jonathan Swift, 34, approached his young victim in Caerphilly at around 5.45pm on April 9. She did not know the defendant, who asked her for a lighter. He went on to ask her if she was single, and when being told she was 16-years-old he told her she looked older and lied about his own age.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard Swift followed her before grabbing her hand and pulling her onto a bench. She tried to get up and leave but he grabbed her and kissed her. The victim pushed him away and told him she needed to go home. The defendant pulled her back onto the bench and kissed her on the lips, forcibly putting his tongue in her mouth.

Prosecutor Ffion Tomos said Swift then put his hands down her top and touched her breasts as the victim continued to struggle. He then exposed his penis for two to three minutes and asked the girl if they could "go somewhere more discreet". A passer by walked past, and the defendant put his penis away.

He then placed his hands down her trousers and began sexually assaulting her. The victim later described the attack as "painful" and pulled his hand out of her trousers. Swift asked her to come to his house, but she again repeated she wanted to go home and tried to walk away

The defendant kept trying to pull her back, asked her if she was on Snapchat before grabbing her phone and entered his mobile phone into the device. Eventually, the victim managed to escape and raised the alarm by messaging a friend.

The police were called and Swift, of Snowden Court, was arrested the next day and interviewed, claiming he was drunk and sexual contact was consensual. He later pleaded guilty to assault by penetration and sexual assault.

The court heard the defendant was convicted of sexual assault in 2010, when he attacked a woman at a bus stop. He later breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order by approaching a 13-year-old and he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment in 2017 for sexual activity with a child under 16, who he had sex with in an alleyway. He was on licence at the time of the current offence.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, the 16-year-old victim said: "Since the incident it has completely ruined my independence and confidence. I never leave the house alone when I go out and make sure I am with friends because I am in constant fear it could happen again at any time. I have lost all trust with anyone I do not know. I used to be able to go out with friend without thinking of being attacked by a stranger. I constantly need to keep myself busy to take my mind off what happened that day.

"Sometimes in school I lose focus on my work as my memory takes me back to that horrible incident. The trauma even affects my sleep, before bed when I am trying to drift off I get flashbacks from the incident and it's like I'm reliving it. I constantly look over my shoulder when I am out and I am worried I will be attacked again. No teenager should go through what I have gone through. I am happy the man who did this to me is in prison, I think that's where he should stay. He's a dangerous man and I do not want him to do this to others."

In mitigation, David Rees said his client was "deeply remorseful" and was in drink at the time of the offence. He said the defendant had been "outed" as a convicted sex offender in November last year and had experienced "repercussions, abuse and threats".

Sentencing, Judge Lucy Crowther said: "You don't have any understanding of the impact of your offending. You said you are not attracted to young females despite your offending history. You have sought to minimise and justify your behaviour on this occasion in exactly the same way you have before...

"You are a sexual predator and you pose a significant risk of serious harm to members of the public, specifically young girls and young women... You are a dangerous offender."

Swift was sentenced to eight years imprisonment, with an extended licence period of six years. He will serve two thirds of the custodial sentence before he is considered for parole. The defendant was also made subject to a restraining order for 30 years and remains subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements for life.

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A “predatory” former religious education teacher sexually assaulted a teenage boy in the 1980s after keeping him back after school.

Donald Hunt was an RE teacher who worked at Rhyddings High School in Oswaldtwistle between 1983 and 1989.

Preston Crown Court heard that between 1987 and 1989 he sexually assaulted a 15 or 16-year-old boy on three occasions after keeping him back to “discuss his work”.

Amanda Johnson, prosecuting, said: “The defendant would keep him back after lessons to ‘discuss his work’ and on one occasion, when in close proximity to his victim, he rubbed himself up against him.

“On another occasion he was standing next to the child and undid the teenager’s flies and began to rub him over his boxer shorts.

“The victim said he recalled feeling scared.

“On the third occasion the defendant told the boy to get a chair and come and sit next to him.

"He unzipped his own flies and said to the victim ‘you know what to do’, before placing the boy’s hand on his groin area.

“The boy pulled away and went home and told his father, but his father refused to believe him.”

Ms Johnson said the offending ended when the teenager told a friend and made him wait outside the classroom the next time he was kept back, and when the defendant went to initiate further contact the victim called out to his friend.

Ms Johnson told the court: “The boy’s friend ran into the classroom and the defendant panicked and stormed out with the boys following him into the car park.

"The defendant could not get away quick enough.”

It was heard the incidents were reported to the headteacher at the time, but they were not acted upon.

Ms Johnson went on: “The victim was told ‘Mr Hunt has a family, are you trying to break the family up?’.

“He also got into trouble for ‘making the whole thing up’ and ‘trying to ruin the teacher’s career’.”

The offences eventually came to light when the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, attended a police station in 2019, as the incidents had been niggling at him for years and had affected his personal life, his relationships, and had resulted in him abusing drugs and alcohol.

He said he had even attempted suicide on a few occasions.

Hunt attended the police station for a voluntary interview and said he could not remember the victim.

He said he experienced difficulty with his memory due to a car accident in 2007, although no medical evidence was provided to the courts to support this.

Mitigating, Mark Shanks said: “The man before you today is a different man to who committed the offences in the late 80s.

“He is a religious man who gives to the community, his friends and his church. He was shocked and disappointed when he heard about the effect his offending had had on his victim.

“He is petrified of going to prison again and so he should be.”

Married father-of-three, Hunt, now 69, was jailed for nine months in 2006 for indecently assaulting a boy in a storeroom at the same school in 1984.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order at the time, which he later breached in 2012 when work he was doing meant he had contact with schoolchildren.

He was handed a community order for this breach.

Hunt, of Fairfield Street, Accrington, initially pleaded not guilty to three counts of indecent assault with a view of taking the case to trial, but pleaded guilty on the first day of the hearing in May.

Judge Heather Lloyd, sentencing, said: “In the 80s you were a respected RE teacher and with that came the responsibility of not only the education of your students but the safety and wellbeing of your students.

“You used your position to behave in a criminal and predatory way to two boys in your care.

“In 2006 you were sentenced for indecent assault on a student at the same school.

“You said the student lied about what had happened. You told probation you pleaded guilty to that but you were found guilty after trial.

“You must have known when you went to prison for that there was another victim, but you kept quiet, and sure enough, your past has crept up on you.

“When this victim reported what had happened to him he was told he was telling lies. You got away with what you did to him for many years.

“You told him to stay behind for detention and you indecently assaulted him.

“You said you couldn’t remember this pupil but you were able to give a full account of your own life history.

“Even now you do not admit guilt, you simply dispute your guilt.”

Hunt was jailed for 11 months, handed a 10 year sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offender’s register for 10 years.

Upon release he will be under post sentence supervision for 12 months.

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Paul Lamb was serving a prison sentence for historic sexual abuse and rape (Image: Humberside Police).

A former Metropolitan Police officer who was convicted of historic sexual offences has died in prison. 

Paul Lamb, 74, was jailed for 17-and-a-half years in May 2021 after being found guilty of 19 sexual offences which took place during the 1970s in London and in the 1980s in Yorkshire. 

The ex-policeman was diagnosed with breast cancer months after his arrival at HMP Hull and he then died just a year into his sentence, a prison report has revealed. 

Lamb’s crimes include the rape of a girl under 16 in Islington in the 1970s, when he worked for the Met. 

He then moved to East Yorkshire where he ran a children’s home for three years during which he carried out two more rapes and many more indecent assaults. 

A report into the care Lamb received in prison prior to his death revealed that his partner believed that a mastectomy had prevented the spread of the cancer. 

However, Lamb then stopped taking medication prescribed to him due to his concern about possible side effects. 

 
His cancer soon returned and he died on May 27, 2022, hours after being told that he had less than 48 hours to live. 

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A Northampton man has been sent to prison for 16 years and four months for raping a child.

The offending of 32-year-old Aaron Oxlade came to light after the victim told her mother, Northampton Crown Court heard on Monday, July 17.

Oxlade, formerly of Spenfield Court, answered “no comment” to all questions put to him by police but did make a number of “significant comments” about the sentence he might get, the court heard.

Pamela Brain, in mitigation, described Oxlade as a “timid character” who has found prison a “very difficult place to be” since his remand. She said that Oxlade is “very keen” to cooperate with whatever is on offer during his sentence of imprisonment.

Oxlade’s mother, father and other relatives attended the sentencing hearing at Northampton Crown Court.

Ms Brain, speaking of Oxlade’s mother, said: “She was absolutely shocked and horrified by all of this but, obviously, he is her son so she supports him.”

His Honour Judge David Herbert KC, sentencing the defendant, said: “You should be thoroughly ashamed of what you have done. It has become clear to me that is not so.”

Oxlade, after pleading guilty, was sentenced to 11 years and four months in prison with a five-year extended licence period. This totals 16 years and four months in prison.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order were also imposed indefinitely.

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A man was found in possession of more than 1,000 images of child abuse and extreme pornography. Children as young as one-year-old were depicted in the sickening images.

Mark Whitelock, 41, was visited by police at his home in Swansea on April 30 last year after they received intelligence relating to indecent images of children being downloaded. A number of electronic devices were seized including a Samsung phone.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Friday heard the phone was found to contain 311 category A images, 181 category B images and 439 category C images. A total of 239 extreme pornographic images, involving animals such as dogs and horses were also recovered.

Prosecutor Andrew Davies said the images depicted penetrative acts carried by adults on children as young as two-years-old. Search terms made by the defendant showed were indicative of his sexual interest in children and animals.

The images were found to have been downloaded between October 2020 and April 2022, but searches for indecent content dated back as far as 2001. The defendant had also used software which automatically deleted his browsing history.

Whitelock, of Heol Penfelyn, Cwmrhydyceirw, was arrested and made no reply to questions. He later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images and one count of possessing extreme images. The court heard he had no previous convictions.

In mitigation, Tabitha Walker said her client had referred himself to the Lucy Faithfull Foundation and Stop SO, and had received counselling as well as joining Sex Addicts Anonymous. She said the defendant's offences stemmed from his addiction to pornography.

The barrister said Whitelock's "overwhelming concern is for his own children and family". She added: "He knows this is not a victimless crime and he has great shame for what he has viewed. He has depressive disorder and has made five suicide attempts.... He hates himself for what he has done."

The Recorder of Cardiff Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke sentenced Whitelock to one year and eight months imprisonment. He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

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A Perth paedophile who was exposed following a covert police operation has been spared jail.

Alan McDade sent explicit messages, selfies and graphic videos to what he thought was a 14-year-old girl called Beth.

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A paedophile who penned creepy handwritten letters to 'sexy' women claiming to be their secret admirer has been locked up. Convicted sex offender Danny Patrick secretly kept watch over his four unsuspecting victims before finding out where they lived and delivering anonymous letters to their doorsteps.

The 36-year-old even put his mobile number on the notes after asking the women to text him with their name and age to find out who he was and what he wanted. But his clumsy mistake meant police were able to easily trace him and pin him to the 'deeply sinister' crime.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how Patrick is a registered sex offender who is managed by an officer and subject to a sexual harm prevention order. His first victim received his handwritten letter through her front door on the morning of August 31 last year.

Patrick wrote "you are so sexy" before leaving his mobile number and telling the woman to "text him" so she could discover his true identity. The woman shrugged off Patrick's letter, believing it had either been incorrectly sent or it was a 'prank', prosecutor Ms Coton said.

But she received another letter two days later which said "I want to s*** you" and "look forward to hearing from you" before signing off the note with "your admirer". She checked her Ring doorbell footage and spotted an unknown man hand-delivering the letter and so reported it to the police.

Ms Coton said the woman was 'distressed', adding: "She keeps thinking that he will come back to her home where her and her family live. She was scared to go out in case he was watching her house."

A second woman returned home to find an envelope left in her hallway on November 17 last year. A handwritten letter inside it said Patrick - of Brantley Avenue, Finchfield, Wolverhampton - had 'had his eyes on her for a while' and described her as 'sexy'.

It then read: "Nobody has to know me and you touched." The letter also included the convict's number and was signed off "your admirer".

Ms Coton said: "She was left scared and panicked at the thought of someone watching her. She had no idea who it was. She did not recognise the number."

The woman, who said she was concerned about travelling to and from work, then notified police. In a statement, she said: "It has left me feeling scared, anxious, nervous and fearful of what may happen going forward."

A third woman received a handwritten letter in an envelope which had a stamp but no postage mark on it on November 28. Patrick's letter was similar to the previous ones he had sent, Ms Coton said.

He asked the woman, who was 18 at the time, to text her name and age to find out his identity. But her mum ripped up the note 'in disgust' after opening it on her daughter's behalf.

In a statement, the victim said: "Since receiving this letter, I feel very uncomfortable and anxious to be at home. I have also changed my travelling habits and my routine over concerns of who may be watching me."

The fourth woman came home at about 3pm to find a white envelope on her doorstep on December 2. It also had a stamp but no postage mark on it and was addressed 'to the female occupier', the prosecutor said.

It included the same content as previous letters, which left the woman feeling 'scared, paranoid and uncomfortable' as she feared she was being watched. Patrick was arrested at home and went on to deny he was responsible for sending the letters, claiming he 'stays at home and does not go out'.

But he 'bowed his head down' and remained silent when police played doorbell footage of him at one of his victim's homes. The sex offender admitted four counts of sending a letter/communication/article conveying indecent/offensive messages.

He has six convictions for eight offences including having indecent or pseudo photographs of children, attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming. Patrick has also previously appeared before the court for breaching his sex offender prevention order and notification requirements.

Thomas Duggan, defending, said the paedophile understands he could have caused the women 'stress'. Sentencing, Judge Jonathan Gosling said Patrick's previous convictions pointed towards an 'unnatural interest in children'.

He said the messages were 'deeply concerning', adding: "This was persistent. It clearly involved some planning.

"He left his own mobile [number] which the police had little difficulty in tracing. This was a deeply sinister and unpleasant crime.

"You must have followed these women. They were terrified they were being watched by a sexual predator and had no idea what to expect next.

Patrick was jailed for 20 months and handed a 10-year restraining order on July 4

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A teenage pervert has been ordered to stay away from under 16s after being caught with a sick haul of indecent images featuring children as young as three.

Jace Jojo, 19, was caught with more than 500 videos classed as category A, the most serious kind.

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18-year-old Dylan Paul Ansell appeared at York Crown Court today and was sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders institute for making and distributing indecent images of children and possession of extreme pornography and a prohibited image.

He was also handed a ten year sexual harm order, ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and given a 5 year restraining order.

Ansell, now of Camping Close, Haddenham, Ely, formerly of Harrogate, answered no comment when first interviewed regarding the allegations and content found on devices seized from his address on Friday 20 August 2021.

However, during a trial at York Crown Court he later pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent photographs of children, three counts of distributing indecent photographs of children, one count of possessing extreme pornography and one count of possession of a prohibited image.

Ansell also pleaded guilty to stalking, using false social media accounts to repeatedly target a victim, which has had a lasting impact on their day-to-day activities.

Speaking today after sentencing, investigating officer Detective Constable Sullivan of the North Yorkshire Police Online Child Abuse Team said,

“The devices seized from Ansell’s home were found to contain hundreds of illegal images and videos - including category A indecent images of children, prohibited images of children between the ages of 3 and 17 years, as well as extreme pornography.

“Ansell also manipulated photos of children that he knew and shared them with others online, without their knowledge, for sexualised purposes. He was also actively involved in an online network that created and shared indecent images of children.

“His actions have caused significant distress to his victims, including one of whom he repeatedly stalked using false social media accounts. In addition to this he has shown blatant disregard to the bail conditions that were put in place, by repeatedly attempting to contact the victim, causing additional stress and anxiety. He has shown absolutely no remorse for this.

“I’d like to commend the bravery of that victim and their family, who due to Ansell’s repeat offending had to endure a prolonged investigation. They have all shown strength and determination throughout our enquiries and the resulting court process.”

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A man who plied a 12-year-old with wine and raped her has been jailed.

Brian Hoad, 66, first attacked the girl in the 1980s and repeatedly raped her over further four years -including when other family members were in the house.

The woman reported the “abhorrent” and “detestable” abuse years later, Hoad was found guilty of four counts of raping a girl under 16 and two counts of sexual assault on a girl under 16.

The abuse was reported to Sussex Police in June, 2021, and Hoad was arrested the following day.

He was subsequently charged and found guilty at trial of all six counts.

Sussex Police have now praised his victim’s courage to come forward and report the crime.

Detective Constable Emily Turner said: “Brian Hoad abused his position of trust and responsibility in the most abhorrent ways, robbing his innocent victim of a normal childhood through his own depraved actions.

“His detestable crimes have had a long-lasting impact, but thanks to her bravery in coming forward he will now spend a significant part of the rest of his life in prison.

“The courage to confront her accuser, support the investigation to prosecution and help bring him to justice cannot be overstated. I would like to personally thank her.

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"No always means no" - That's the message from officers after a rapist was jailed for 15 years.

Martin Lee, 40, previously of Hexham, forced his victim to have sex with him despite her frequent pleas for him to stop. Last year, his brave victim came forward and reported the abuse to police. Lee was subsequently arrested and charged with rape.

He initially denied his guilt but on the day that his trial was due to begin at Newcastle Crown Court in April, he changed his plea to guilty and admitted three offences – including two counts of rape.

And on Friday, July 14, he was back at the same court where a judge sentenced him to 15 years behind bars, placed him on the sex offenders' register for life and handed him a restraining order preventing him from contacting his victim.

Detective Constable Lynsey Oliver, from Northumbria Police's safeguarding unit, led the investigation. She said: "Lee's offending had started to follow a very dangerous pattern – more than once he was told unwaveringly no by his victim, who was clearly distressed and attempted to fight him off.

"He is a dangerous man and our area is most certainly safer with him behind bars. I want to praise the survivor for contacting police and for continuing to assist with the investigation, trial and all court proceedings. It is thanks to her that a predatory man is behind bars. I sincerely hope her bravery and this sentence will give other people the confidence to come forward and speak with police."

She added: "I hope this sentence serves as a stark warning to those with an unlawfully blurred view on consent that no always means no. If a person tells you no, attempts to push you away, freezes, or very clearly becomes distressed, it is clear that they have not given you consent to touch them.

"Someone consenting to go on a date with you, allowing you in their home or even being in a relationship with you absolutely does not equate to automatic sexual consent – no scenario or relationship does. No one should ever have to endure this type of assault and support is available from our officers and the many fantastic charities we work closely with.

"If you have ever been a victim of any type of sexual assault, we're here for you."

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Clive McCleester, 77, was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

A former cathedral verger has been jailed for sexually assaulting two teenage boys.

Clive McCleester, 77, was sentenced to 16 years on Thursday after pleading guilty to 10 counts of sexual abuse.

The first victim was assaulted between 1969 and 1970, when McCleester was a child welfare supervisor at a Hampshire boarding school.

The second victim was sexually abused when he was the head verger at Southwark Cathedral in the 1980s.

He abused the victim, who was a chorister, at his flat, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

The victims came forward in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

'Lifelong trauma'

McCleester pleaded guilty to carrying out sexual abuse between 1968 and 1987 on 26 June at Inner London Crown Court.

Momata Matin, senior crown prosecutor from the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit in London South, said: "McCleester flagrantly abused his position of authority and trust within the communities he served to commit vile offences against young boys, leaving lifelong trauma.

"The abuse has clearly had a profound impact on the victims.

"I would like to highlight the bravery of the victims and thank them, the witnesses, and the prosecution team, for helping bring McCleester to justice.

"The first victim sadly passed away after giving police his evidence, so was unable to hear the guilty verdict.

"I hope his family can have a sense of peace knowing that justice has been finally served."