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A paedophile dad sent sexual messages and pictures of himself to what he thought were girls as young as 13 - and asked them to send stuff back. Stephen Burden, 61, later found out that four were undercover police officers - but two others were likely real children.

Postal worker Burden, of Bethan Drive in Wadebridge, appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence having pleaded guilty to 13 total counts including attempted sexual communications with a child, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent photographs of children and possessing extreme pornographic images.

The court heard how police decoys were posing as underage girls throughout the duration of time when the offences were committed in 2020. Burden, who asked an officer he thought was 12 to perform sex acts on herself, cited the pandemic as having led him to the internet and extreme websites.

In his late 50s at the time, Burden, who has children of his own, was caught communicating with four police officers who he believed were girls as young as 13. It later transpired he had been talking to two others not part of the sting. Who they were is still unknown.

"The conversations were described as "highly sexualised", "graphic in nature" and Judge Simon Carr said had there been real children at the end of the conversations, it would have been "extraordinarily damaging" for them.

Burden also asked for explicit photos and sent indecent photographs of himself to the 'children'. He also had in his possession category A, B and C indecent images of children. They included extreme pornography.

The court heard in mitigation that Burden was previously a man of good character and Judge Carr accepted that the offences had a "devastating affect" on Burden's life and his personal relationships including with his own children.

"Your relationships have been irreparably damaged," he said. "I've seen the other side to you, a side of more than 50-odd years of good character."

The court also heard that Burden's mother is extremely ill and he is the sole responsible person for her care. "The courts take careful regard for the effects upon others," Judge Carr continued, but said the seriousness of the offences take the sentence outside of any suspended range.

Burden was sentenced to four years imprisonment. He is also subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) for ten years and will be a member of the sex offenders register (SOR) for life.

Description

A 65-year-old Dundee man has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register after he admitted molesting a woman at a Perth pub.

Alan Drysdale gave his victim an unwanted hug, grabbed her buttocks and stroked her thighs without her consent.

Description

A WREXHAM man said there could be 'no excuse' for his 'abhorrent behaviour' as he was jailed for committing a string of sexual offences against a teenager.

Andrew Bell, 60, whose registered addresses are both the Blue Bell Inn and Plas Issa in Penycae, appeared before Mold Crown Court for sentencing on Monday, October 16, via videolink from HMP Berwyn.

He previously, when re-arraigned on the day a trial date was set, pleaded guilty to two out of nine counts of sexual assault on a male, having initially pleaded not guilty.

Simon Rogers, prosecuting, told the court that offences took place between 2013 and 2015, when Bell had befriended a then teenage boy.

Offences took place in both the UK and abroad, the court heard.

Bell and the complainant had been travelling in a van and had pulled over 'in the middle of nowhere' to sleep for the night.

Bell opened a bottle of wine which they both drank together.

Later on that night, the complainant fell asleep in his sleeping bag but was awoken when he 'felt a hand down his pants' and Bell carried out what was his first assault.

Mr Rogers said the complainant said he 'froze' during the incident and said he felt 'isolated' and 'scared'.

The court heard there were 'many incidents' carried out in this way by Bell in 'various vehicles and locations' during the course of two years of offending.

It happened 'almost every time they had a drink', Mr Rogers added, with the complainant adding that Bell was the 'nicest man in the world' otherwise when sober.

On another occasion, the complainant went to sleep on a sofa. Later that night, Bell went into the room and knelt down by the complainant, before 'touching' him under the covers.

Bell was arrested and gave a 'no comment' interview in June 2020.

The court heard that he had previously been sentenced to 14 years in prison for the sexual abuse of children, aged between 9 and 16 years old, in 2002.

The complainant was in court to read out a victim personal statement as Bell was sentenced.

He told the court that the incidents had left him feeling 'ashamed and embarrassed' and had 'hugely affected' his parents.

The statement added: "Someone I thought I could trust betrayed me in the worst possible way."

Bell was also given the opportunity to read out a letter via the videolink in court.

He said: "There can be no excuse for my abhorrent behaviour. "

Bell added that the complainant 'never encouraged' his behaviour and apologised for the 'damage', 'anguish' and 'emotional turmoil' he had caused.

Jane Greenhalgh defending said: "The other side to him is the kind man that is liked by many people."

Recorder Simon Mills said Bell was 'clearly capable of changing in a predatory way' when his 'inhibitions had been lowered by drink'.

Bell was sentenced to eight years in jail and was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order and Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Recorder Mills stated that, should Bell offend again in future, then a life sentence could be imposed.

Following sentencing, Detective Inspector Chris Hargrave of the North Wales Amethyst Team said: “The victim in this case has been incredibly brave in reporting these matters to us.

“His determination to ensure that the offender was correctly brought to justice was motivated by a desire to ensure others are not placed at further risk of abuse.

“No sentence can ever undo the harm caused, but I hope this sentence today brings some measure of justice and healing to the victim.

“We continue to be committed to bringing perpetrators of sexual crimes to justice and I would encourage anyone who wishes to report a sexual crime to come forward and speak to us”.

Description

An offender used a false identity to enter the UK after previously being jailed and deported for similar offences.

Ion Rudacan, also known as Ion Paun, was convicted as part of Operation Elba, an operation by Greater Manchester Police to the trafficking of women for sex work in the north west.

Despite being jailed and deported, the 36-year-old made repeated efforts to re-enter the UK.

He managed to enter the UK illegally under a false name, and documents showed he had hired a car in Brighton in July.

But he was arrested by officers from Sussex Police’s Tactical Firearms Unit who carried out a proactive check on his vehicle while on patrol in Marine Parade, Brighton, on September 4.

Rudacan was charged with multiple offences, and was remanded in custody.

At Lewes Crown Court on October 10, he admitted three counts of breaching a Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order, breaching a Deportation Order, three further attempted breaches of the Deportation Order, and seeking and obtaining leave to enter or remain in the UK via deceptive means.

Rudacan, of no fixed address, was sentenced to six years in prison.

The court was told how Rudacan, a Romanian national, was convicted as part of Operation Elba for controlling prostitution for gain and for human trafficking offences in the Manchester area.

He was sentenced to two years and three months in prison in November 2021, along with a Deportation Order.

Rudacan was deported on January 27, 2022.

He was also made the subject of a Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Order for ten years, which restricts his ability to own, lease or possess a vehicle in the UK without informing the police, and restricts his access to using devices such as a mobile phone.

It was revealed how he had attempted to enter the UK under a false EU Settlement application.

He was removed from the UK at Stansted Airport on October 5, 2022 and June 26 this year, and was removed from Liverpool John Lennon Airport on October 14, 2022.

Officers stopped him in a vehicle in Marine Parade, Brighton, in the early hours of September 4.

Inspector Oliver Fisher from the Tactical Firearms Unit said: “Our officers were out on patrol and conducted a check on the vehicle, which Rudacan had hired under a false identity.

“Thanks to the proactive stop, these offences by Rudacan were brought to light.

“It demonstrates that our highly-trained firearms officers s conduct a variety of duties above and beyond armed response, and regularly carry out patrols to assist with our colleagues across the force.

“We are determined to disrupt criminals who prey on vulnerable people with trafficking and modern slavery, to ensure the victims are properly safeguarded.”

Detective Inspector Tony Platten from Greater Manchester Police’s Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Lead said: “He has showed a blatant disregard once again to the orders imposed on him after serving a custodial sentence and when information was received that he had returned to UK soil, another co-ordinated approach across a number of force areas and actions were taken.

“The most recent result was where we have provided colleagues over in Sussex with the support they needed through gathering evidence as well as helping to locate, arrest and prosecute him further. These orders around trafficking and deportation are designed to reduce the risk of further harm being caused.

“Hopefully this continued approach reinforces the message to victims we will investigate all available lines of enquiry, whilst those who commit serious Modern Slavery offences will be pursued and dealt with robustly in order to protect some of the most vulnerable in our communities.”

Tony Hilton, Assistant Director for the Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigation unit, said: “This is a highly deceptive individual who has repeatedly tried to breach our borders and exploit vulnerable people.

Description

A pervert who once used his neighbour’s WiFi signal to download vile images of child sexual abuse has now been caught trying to chat to Russian teenagers online.

Terence Standage, a registered sex offender from Maidstone, secretly accessed thousands of indecent images and videos using next door's web connection for more than six years.

Almost 12,000 illegal images and videos of children being abused were discovered, of which more than 300 were classed in the most serious category.

Police also identified him committing further “upskirting” offences involving a number of unknown women on a train and a bus.

Standage was subsequently charged with four counts of making indecent images of a child and three counts of outraging public decency and in May 2021, pleaded guilty to the charges.

He was recalled to prison having breached his licence terms imposed from previous sex offences, and was then jailed for two years and four months for the offences and made subject to the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

This banned Standage from having any unsupervised contact with a child under the age of 16 unless supervised by an adult.

However, on June 19 this year, officers went to the 64-year-old’s home in Maidstone to see if he was complying with the order and found he had been trying to chat to teenagers in Russia on the country’s most popular social media platform, VK.

Standage, of Tonbridge Road, had also set up two aliases online to talk to girls aged 14 and 15 not only on the VK site, but on TikTok too and had started asking the youngsters if they spoke English.

When police made the unannounced visit to his home they found him using apps on a mobile phone to communicate with the teens.

He admitted breaching his SHPO by talking to the youngsters and failing to comply with notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act, by creating the aliases police were unaware of, when he appeared before magistrates in Medway on October 4.

Debbie Jones prosecuting said: “Officers made an unannounced home visit and his phone was reviewed and it was discovered he’d been on the Russian social media site, VK.

“He had been talking to young females who were 14 and 15 years old. He had also been on TikTok and had two aliases and his mobile was seized.

“He made full admissions to both offences and told officers he had been stupid but admitted to them he had been sexually interested in young people and that he had failed to tell them he had the profiles online.”

The court also heard he had only asked the Russian youngsters if they spoke English before he had the visit from police.

Magistrates decided to send the cases to Maidstone Crown Court to be dealt with and Standage will be sentenced there on a date to be fixed.

The bench also ordered a pre-sentencing report to be carried out on him before then and he was granted bail until his next appearance.

Description

A rapist who lured a woman to an address on the pretence of renting out a room has been jailed, after she feared he would hurt her with a machete.

Naveed Hussain persuaded the woman to visit the property in Handsworth, Birmingham, before subjecting her to a horrific ordeal last November.

The 33-year-old locked the woman in a room with him, showed her a machete which she feared he would use, before repeatedly raping her.

After fleeing the area she came across a passer-by who could she was distressed and called for paramedics, who in turn contacted West Midlands Police.

The woman bravely recalled what happened and gave a strong description which led officers to arrest Hussain in Handsworth shortly afterwards.

He was found with a knife in his trousers and a subsequent search of the house resulted in the discovery of the machete.

Hussain, of Alexandra Road in Handsworth, was convicted of rape and possession of a weapon following a trial.

He was sentenced to 15 years in jail and ordered to be put on the sex offender's register for life at Birmingham Crown Court last Tuesday (October 10).

Description

A Sheffield man has been found guilty of two child sex offences.

Nathan Walker, 35, previously of Sicey Avenue in the Firth Park area of the city, was found guilty of sexual offences against a schoolgirl following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court last week.

The first offence happened when his victim was just 14 years old and she was left to feel "disgusted" by what happened to her.

PC Elisabeth Slack, investigating, said: "Walker's offending was sinister and manipulative. He took advantage of a young girl who was so terrified she felt that she had to suffer in silence and couldn't speak out about what happened. 

"No child should be subjected to the abuse she suffered at such a young age, and I want to commend her bravery and courage in coming forward and telling us about the traumatic events inflicted on her by Walker.

"We are pleased a guilty verdict has been returned and we hope the sentence he receives reflects the severity of the crimes he has committed."

Following a trial, a jury found Walker guilty of two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child at Sheffield Crown Court last Monday (9 October).

He was found not guilty on another count of engaging in sexual activity with a child. Walker has been remanded into custody and is due to appear before Sheffield Crown Court on 1 December for sentencing.

Description

The family of an underage girl bombarded with explicit selfies by a 32-year-old roofer says he “got off lightly” after he was spared jail.

Dad Jamie Scott, from New Romney, repeatedly sent pictures of his penis to the disgusted teenager, blaming his heavy cocaine use.

He captioned some of the images “you could be on this”, “this could be yours” and “we could have a relationship”.

His deviance only came to light when a disturbing letter written by the victim was found in her bedroom by her mum, who alerted police.

Scott was arrested and later admitted engaging in sexual communication with a child between January and September 2020.

The girl said the explicit images were sent to her as often as five times a month but Scott refuted this, saying it was limited to two or three occasions.

But he could not give an explanation other than it was induced by his heavy cocaine use, the court was told.

The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, did not provide a statement detailing the impact his behaviour had had on her, but her sister spoke exclusively to KentOnline at Canterbury Crown Court after Scott was spared jail on Thursday.

Wiping away tears, she said she felt "massively" let down by the sentence imposed.

"He has got off lightly,” she said.

“He had no answer for any of this apart from he was on cocaine. Yes, he is now going to be monitored but that's not enough. It's certainly not what I was hoping for.

"My sister is feeling bad, even three years on. It is just horrible. He doesn't realise the impact it has had and how it's affected her and us as a family in so many different ways."

Describing the moment Scott's depravity was discovered, the relative continued: "My mum was going through my sister's room and came across a letter in which she had drawn speech bubbles saying 'I feel disgusting' and 'I've washed myself in bleach'.

"We didn't know about it until then, and the public needs to be made aware of people like this who get away with it. It's disgusting."

The victim also had to give evidence at a trial earlier this year where Scott faced more serious 'contact' offence allegations. He denied any wrongdoing however and was subsequently cleared by the jury.

"We didn't know about it until then, and the public needs to be made aware of people like this who get away with it. It's disgusting...”

Judge Simon Taylor KC therefore told Scott that the law required him to "put the more serious matters out of mind" when deciding the appropriate punishment for the sexual communication offence he had admitted.

But the judge acknowledged the victim would have felt not only "very let down" after the trial but also by the suspended sentence he was "just persuaded" to impose.

He told Scott: "Sending a teenage girl images of your penis with such captions as 'you could be on this', 'this could be yours' and 'we could have a relationship', and saying you wanted to 'snort cocaine off her butt and boobs’, whether under the influence of cocaine or not, is obviously extremely serious and utterly destructive for that young lady making a transition from teenage years into adulthood.

"No doubt she feels very let down, and very let down by the sentence I impose today. But I follow guidelines and I am true to them."

Judge Taylor said he had also taken into account Scott's guilty plea, lack of previous convictions, employment, the realistic prospect of rehabilitation, and the impact an immediate jail term would have on his young daughter.

"A child deserves to have their father in their life, even if their father behaved in such a disgraceful way as you did," he added.

Scott, of Lydd Road, New Romney, was given 12 months' imprisonment suspended for two years, with 30 rehabilitation activity requirements, 200 hours of unpaid work and attendance on the Horizon sex offender programme.

Judge Taylor also added a nine-month tagged curfew between 8.30pm and 3am so as to "considerably curtail your social life".

"That will punish you and serve as a productive measure for you if you are truly making progress with your cocaine addiction," he told Scott.

"Your almost inexplicable behaviour is such that there is a continued risk if you relapse or continue to use cocaine."

Lesley Manley, defending, said Scott had already taken "very serious steps" to rehabilitate himself which included working with the Forward Trust drug and alcohol abuse charity.

She added he was a "very hard-working man" running a business with his brother, and had had the stress of the trial "weighing heavily" on him for three years.

In addition to his suspended sentence, Scott was also made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and must sign on the sex offender register for the same time period.

He was given 28 days in which to pay £535 court costs.

Description

A 15-year-old girl was raped by a stranger who offered to charge her phone for her.

The horrific attack happened just two days before the teen started her GCSE exams.

Warren Richardson, 19, was jailed for almost five years at Newcastle Crown Court last week after pleading guilty to rape. After his conviction the victim's mum has revealed the devastating impact the attack has had on her daughter's life.

The mum, who cannot be named to protect her daughter's identity, said: "It's had a massive impact on her. It's every parent's worst nightmare," reports Chronicle Live.

The attack happened on May 21 last year. The victim was in Newcastle City Centre after going to a birthday party in Jesmond when she realised her phone was dead, her mum said.

Richardson, who was 17 at the time, started talking to her. They went to a nearby fast food restaurant to ask to borrow a charger. But when this was unsuccessful Richardson offered to charge the victim's phone at his home, where he raped her.

When the teenager did not return home her mum called the police to report her missing.

"It's not her to not come home., and it wasn't like her not to answer," he mum said. Then the next morning she came back and told her sister what had happened.

Richardson, of Cross Parade in Elswick, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to rape in July. Last week he was sentenced to four years and 10 months in prison. He was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order and a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Richardson must also sign onto the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Det Cons David Ostle, who led the investigation for Northumbria Police, has praised the victim's bravery

He said: “This was an absolutely appalling offence and I am pleased that Warren Richardson has been convicted at court.

“This outcome would not have been possible without the amazing bravery of the victim, who along with her family have shown huge support and cooperation throughout this investigation.

“I sincerely hope that this outcome offers them some comfort, seeing Richardson behind bars as a result of his despicable actions. I also hope that the victim’s bravery can give others the confidence to come forward and speak to police."

However, the victim's mum said it would take her a long time to get over what happened.

"These should be the best years of her life. She should be enjoying herself and she's not," she said. "She just doesn't want him to do this to anyone else. That's why she went all the way with it."

Description

A 20 year-old man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after three women reported that they were approached in Southsea and touched inappropriately over their clothing.

Shueb Chowdhury of Harold Road in Southsea admitted three offences of sexual assault at Portsmouth Crown Court on 21 August 2023..

The court heard that at around 6:30am on Monday 10 July a 51 year-old woman was assaulted in the Canoe Lake area when a man she did not know approached her from behind and touched the back of her shorts with both hands. He then ran off towards Eastney along Eastern Parade.

Shortly after 3pm on the same day a 41 year-old woman reported that a man she did not know approached her on Empshott Road and touched her chest over her clothing before running off towards Devonshire Avenue.

The following week at 5pm on Tuesday 18 July a 24 year-old woman was approached on Fawcett Road by a man she did not know who touched her chest over her clothing before running off

Today at Portsmouth Crown Court (Friday 13 October) Chowdhury was sentenced to a total of 18 months in prison and he will also be subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and have to sign the Sex Offenders Register. Upon sentencing the judge described Chowdhury as: chilling and worrying.

Investigating officer DC James Adams said: These assaults all took place in daylight hours and were frightening experiences for Chowdhurys victims. We take all reports of sexual assault very seriously and Im pleased that we quickly managed to identify and arrest Chowdhury so that his offending did not escalate. Todays sentence sends a clear message that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated in Portsmouth and we will relentlessly pursue offenders to secure justice for their victims.

Description

A paedophile had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl after she had "blacked out" while drunk and threatened to tell her family and friends if she stopped seeing him. He went on to have sex with the girl on two other occasions without using protection.

Stuart Barratt, 32, told the girl she looked "fit" after she sent him a photograph of herself in her bra on Snapchat. He later had sex with the girl in Builth Wells when she was intoxicated, after she had lost her friends on a night out.

A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on October 6 heard the victim and the defendant came to know each other and began speaking on social media. He went on to offer to buy her a tracksuit but she refused.

Prosecutor Ffion Tomos said the child went on a night out to Builth Wells with older friends and had consumed peach schnapps and Strongbow, which left her "eight out of 10" on a scale of intoxication. She was refused entry to a bar and lost her friends, before making her way through the town.

She was approached by Barratt who had sat down with her and kissed her. The victim "froze" and believed she "blacked out" at some point. When she came round, she found herself lying on the floor. The defendant had pulled her trousers down to her ankles, pulled her clothes and underwear to one side and penetrated her vagina with his penis, which she described as painful.

Following that incident, the victim said she felt pressured into remaining in contact with Barratt. Ms Tomos said: "He was manipulative towards her and said if she ended it he would tell everyone, she would lose her family and friends and people would hate her."

The court heard the defendant and victim had sexual intercourse on two further occasions in a field, during which he did not use protection. The victim later made a report to police and Barratt surrendered himself but answered "no comment" in his interviews.

Barratt, now of Fourth Avenue, Brownhills, Walsall, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child. The court heard he was of previous good character but had one conditional discharge for criminal damage.

In mitigation, Marian Lewis said her client was "in a bad place" at the time of the offences, was suffering with depression, was in debt and did not like his job. She said the defendant found the girl's appearance and personality attractive and it "was not based purely on sexual activity". The barrister added: "The defendant said she looked and behaved older than her chronological years.

Sentencing, Recorder Dyfed Thomas said: "You were the adult and you took advantage of a child sexually. In relation to submissions that she behaved older than her chronological years, the court does not take that into account in no shape or form. The law is there to protect children no matter how they act, and she was a child."

Barratt was sentenced to 32 months imprisonment. He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and to a restraining order of 15 years.

Description

The mother of a teenager who was the victim of online sexual offences called police after her daughter was sent crotchless underwear through the post, a court has heard.

The mother asked her daughter, then 14, what was going on after the parcel containing the underwear arrived.

Norwich Crown Court heard her daughter revealed she had been communicating online with Ashton Drake, who was nine years older than her.

Ms Ascherson said police were called after it emerged Drake had sought naked images of the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Drake had also filmed himself performing sexual acts and had asked her to do the same, in messages sent over the space of a few days between December 24, 2019, and January 4, 2020.

The defendant, now 27, of Alexandra Road, Sheringham, appeared at court for sentencing on Friday (October 13) having previously admitted one count of causing a child to watch a sexual act. 

Description

A sex beast who raped a woman after giving her a lift home has been jailed. Rory Glover, 26, followed the victim inside after dropping her off before attacking her.

The woman did not know he had followed her into the address on July 23 until her ordeal began. Glover, of Tryan Road, Nuneaton, was jailed for six years for rape, and three years for sexual assault to be served concurrently.

He was also added to the sex offenders register for life and given a restraining order preventing contact with the victim.

Det Con Shannon McCauley, of Warwickshire Police's Domestic Abuse, Rape, and Serious Sexual Offences Team, said “Glover has been given six years to seriously consider what he has done, to really come to terms with the fundamental selfishness of his actions.

“We hope he might come close to understanding the lasting impact to the victim, and the victim’s family and friends.”

Description

A CARLISLE man who sexually abused a schoolgirl more than 40 years ago when he was a teenager has finally faced justice – after he returned to the UK from his home in Russia.

During the abuse, Andrew Blenkinsopp, now 58, bullied his victim and threatened her, enforcing her silence by telling her she would not be believed if she spoke of what happened.

But with the encouragement of a relative, she did report Blenkinsopp, leading  him being charged.

On the day he was due to stand trial, the defendant - arrested at the airport when he returned from his home in Russia to renew his visa - admitted nine sexual assaults on the victim, including two said to be tantamount to rapes.

After the case concluded, Cumbria Police said it showed that it was never too late for victims to speak out and report such crimes. Officers also praised the courage of the victim.

Prosecutor Tim Evans outlined how Blenkinsopp was able to physically dominate the girl, pinning her down as he carried out the abuse. At the time, he aged between 14 and 16, the court heard.

“He would also threaten her, stating that if she told anyone, no one would believe her,” said the barrister.

In a statement, the victim said: “When it finally stopped, I was at secondary school and I was a bit more aware of sex education and what was going on and I really knew that it wasn’t right and he shouldn’t be doing it to me.

“It was just verbal threats all the time.”

Blenkinsopp, who previously lived in Etterby in Carlisle, repeatedly told the teenager nobody will believe her if she reported the abuse, suggesting she would face negative consequences.

Mr Evans said: “She talks in her victim personal statement of the terrible effect the abuse had upon her.”

Defence barrister Daniel Bramhall told the court that Blenkinsopp had a difficult upbringing. Having lived in Russia with his wife since 2011, he had addressed his drinking habit but was currently in poor health.

When released from jail, he hopes to return to Russia. References provided for the defendant painted a “different” picture and Blenkinsopp, in stark contrast to the person he was 40 years ago, the court heard.

The defendant had also said that he wished he could turn back the clock.

Passing sentence as the victim and her family watched from the court’s public gallery, Judge Michael Fanning said that Blenkinsopp’s abuse took away the victim’s childhood and her teenage years.

His crimes had “substantially reduced the quality of her life.”

Supported by her husband and family, the woman had suffered “real psychological harm, which had persisted over years,” said the judge. This included suicidal thoughts, an overwhelming of her ability to work, and the need for medication and counselling.

What happened left her feeling “dirty”.

The judge said he regarded the victims as having been “vulnerable” and she had been subjected to “bullying and force” and threats – all aggravating factors.

But the judge explained that he was obliged by law to reduce the length of sentence to reflect that fact that Blenkinsopp was a youth when he offended.

He jailed Blenkinsopp for three years and seven months. He also placed him on the Sex Offender Register indefinitely. The judge declined to rule that Blenkinsopp is a dangerous offender.

He did however make an indefinite restraining order, banning the defendant from having any contact with his victim.

After passing that sentence, Judge Fanning turned to the victim in the pubic gallery and addressed her directly, describing the exercise as a “horrible mechanistic process” and complicated.

He said he needed to “get it right” so that a line could be drawn under what happened. “All I can hope is that things get better now that his abuse has been recognised.” The woman thanked the judge, who offered his best wishes to her and her family.

After the hearing, Detective Constable Gabrielle Nicholson, who oversaw the case, said: “I hope that this case sends a clear message to perpetrators that no matter how much time has passed, sexual abuse will not be tolerated by Cumbria Constabulary.

“We will do everything within our power to hold people who commit these crime accountable for their actions.

“No matter how much time has passed, support is available in Cumbria for victims of sexual offences.

“The Constabulary works closely with trusted partner agencies to provide the appropriate support which is tailored to an individual’s circumstances.

“I would encourage anyone who has been victim to a sexual offence to contact police.

“Taking that first step to telling somebody what has happened to you is often the most difficult.

“But please know that if you do, you will be provided with information which will enable you to make choices on how you wish to move forward.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the bravery and courage of the victim for coming forward and reporting this.”

Description

A warped pervert discussed sexually abusing a 'nine-year-old girl' in lurid detail - unaware he was messaging an undercover cop posing as a paedophile fixer on Grindr. Qasim Azram, 26, from Cheetham Hill, made vile comments about what he wanted to do to the child he later found out didn't exist.

He had no idea he was actually communicating with a Greater Manchester Police officer. Azram was spooked and never made it to a planned rendezvous in a Tesco car park.

When police raided his home, they seized his phone. Among the terms he had searched were 'brothels', 'dogging', 'swingers' clubs' and 'paedophile information exchange'.

As part of an investigation into people with a 'sexual interest in children' - dubbed Operation Stronghold - an officer posing as 'Lee' opened a private message on Grindr from Azram, who was using an account name 'Looking For Fun' on July 10, 2020, prosecutor David Bentley told Manchester Crown Court today (Thursday).

After 'Lee' said 'you read my profile? My kinks is a bit different and not for everyone so I get it', Azram replied that he was 'up for anything'. The officer said he was an 'active dad of 2 here looking for gen pervs who want to explore with us'.

Azram said he was 'looking to explore as well', adding: "I'm into anything, including threesomes." He asked how old the 'children' were. When he was informed they were aged two and nine, Azram asked 'do they go with men or women?', before he requested pictures of 'Lee'.

Their chat then moved into another platform, Wickr, where Azram was said to have asked: "Does your partner know, do they play with men or women?" 'Lee' replied 'yeah they both play' before adding that the older child was a 'timid lil girl'. He said he was aroused watching them play 'with perv c***s'.

The defendant was asked: "Which child you want to play with and what you want to do? Could do with sorting limits out as I don't want to hurt them. It must be fun for everyone."

The pair then arranged to meet at a Tesco in Middleton, with the defendant confirming what car he would be in and that he would be wearing black jeans and a blue denim jacket.

Azram was said to have expressed his fear that he would be caught and told 'Lee': "OK I want to play and tease them and have a bit of fun anything." The Manchester Evening News is not repeating here the sickening comments that followed.

The planned meeting never happened, the court heard. "The defendant never attempted to meet 'Lee' to carry out the sexual assaults... that he had discussed and sought to arrange," Mr Bentley added.

Officers from the sexual crime unit of Greater Manchester Police raided Azram's home on Smedley Road in Cheetham Hill and seized a number of digital storage devices, as well as Azram's Samsung mobile phone. Analysis of the phone showed an internet search history suggesting an interest 'sexually-related topics'.

Among the search terms uncovered were 'adult breastfeeding fetish' and 'paedophile information exchange'. Azram was arrested and offered no comment during a series of police interviews.

When he first appeared in court charged with arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence in February 2022, Azram indicated he would plead guilty but before his sentencing hearing reversed his plea and a trial date was set for January of this year.

His defence argued Azram should have been charged with attempting to arrange of facilitate a child sex offence, but he later had a change of heart and again pleaded guilty to the original charge, only to apply for a second time to change his plea. This was refused and he was sentenced as a man who had admitted the offence before him.

Asking for a suspended prison sentence, Isabella Denn-White, defending, pointed out there was no actual child and 'no harm was caused'. Azram was diagnosed with autism aged 15 which affected his 'thinking and behaviour', said Miss Denn-White. Her client's comments were 'not nice at all', but had been prompted by 'pressure' from the undercover cop, she said.

Her client had only recently 'come out as gay' and his family, some of whom watched proceedings from the public gallery, had 'struggled to deal with it', she said.

Judge Peter Horgan said that 'whilst there's a public interest in punishing people like you' there was also a public interest in making sure they get treatment. A pre-sentence report had said the defendant would not get such treatment in prison.

Judge Horgan said there was 'some prospect of rehabilitation', adding: "I have thought long and hard and it's not without some trepidation I have decided to give you an opportunity and not to send you to custody today."

The judge handed Azram, who had one previous conviction to his name for a dissimilar matter, to 24 months in prison but he suspended the sentence for 24 months. Asram was also ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work; to undergo a treatment program for sex offenders; and 15 days of rehabilitation activity.

He was also made the subject of a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.