Latest Offenders

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Daniel O'Brien, 38, had almost 40,000 indecent images of children A Wigan dad has been jailed for downloading almost 40,000 indecent images of children after he was caught out by a paedophile sting operation. Daniel O'Brien, 38, appeared at Bolton Crown Court on Friday morning, February 25, to face sentence for his crimes after pleading guilty to possessing and distributing indecent images of children. Timothy Ashmole, prosecuting, told the court that O'Brien had been caught out for his crimes after starting a conversation with an undercover National Crime Agency officer on Wickr, a secure instant messaging service owned by Amazon Web Services, in March 2020. The officer was posing as a young single mother called Holly, claiming to have two daughters aged six and eight. O'Brien, who went by the username Monkeystew24, quickly turned the conversation sexual, telling "Holly" that when his young daughter, aged two at the time, was old enough he wanted her to "play" with his genitals. He then told the undercover officer, whom he understood to be a single mother, that he would like to perform sexual acts on her daughters, saying he would enjoy sexual activity with both her and her daughters. The pair's contact then moved to KiK instant messenger on April 11 2020, where O'Brien set out sexual desires towards "Holly"'s two children, asking for photographs of them for his own sexual pleasure. However, when interviewed, O'Brien told police this was all part of a roleplay, as he believed "Holly" may be an adult man also engaging in fantasy, and he had no intent to actually commit sexual offenses with a child. Mr Ashmole went on to say O'Brien had sent 21 sexual images of children to "Holly", starting with pictures showing young children in lingerie, before moving on to more sexually explicit images that showed sexual offenses being committed against youngsters. Officers were able to link the username to a BT account at a home in Standish, that O'Brien shared with his wife and two children. When police raided the house, O'Brien retrieved a phone from a pillowcase and handed it to officers, telling them: "I think you might want to see this, there's things on there you'll want to see." A total of 18 digital devices were retrieved from the house, including phones, laptops, and hard drives. Four of them contained sexually explicit pictures of children and images showing bestiality, although O'Brien noted that none of these images were stored on devices that were used by his wife or children. Officers found around 40,000 indecent pictures and videos of children, including almost 1,900 category A images showing the most severe sexual abuse against children. O'Brien admitted a sexual interest in teenage girls aged 14-15 had developed years earlier, around 2010, and he had been accessing indecent images for a large portion of time. Paul Treble, defending, told the court O'Brien had lost his relationship, access to his children, and his job as an adult social carer as a result of legal proceedings. He also said his client had been engaging with organisations including Stop It Now and Safer Lives, groups that work with people to prevent them from partaking in child sexual offences. His Honour Judge Tom Gilbart, presiding, sentenced O'Brien to two years imprisonment for the possession and distribution of indecent images of children. Addressing O'Brien, Judge Gilbart said: "The number of images you distributed was small but you were responsible for the further dissemination of this material. "The number of images you downloaded was significant and the offending was spread over a substantial period of time. "You developed an attraction towards teenage girls and began to discuss sexual fantasies towards children in chatrooms. "Appropriate punishment can only be achieved through an immediate custodial sentence." O'Brien was jailed for two years. He will also be placed on the sex offenders register for ten years, barred from working with children and vulnerable adults, and will have a sexual prevention order placed against him for ten years.

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A 21-year-old man from Luton has been handed an extended sentence of 14 years for raping a 15-year-old girl.

Kye Dell, of Guildford Street, Luton was sentenced today (Wednesday) at Luton Crown Court after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to several sexual offences.

Dell met the victim when he approached her and asked for her number. Over text conversation, Dell arranged to meet with her and offered her a place to stay when she had fallen out with her family.

During the time she spent in Dell’s flat, the victim recalled how he kept approaching her and making advances towards her, but when she refused, he raped her. This happened a number of times during her stay.

One of the incidents was witnessed by two other people who were in the flat at the time and accompanied the victim to the police station, where she reported what had happened.

Dell was subsequently arrested and charged with a number of offences including multiple rapes of the 15-year-old victim.
 
He later pleaded guilty at Luton Crown Court to two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, two breaches of his sexual harm prevention order and one count of possession of an indecent image of a child.

He will now spend the next nine years in prison, with an extension period of five years on licence.

He is also the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order upon his release and will be on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Detective Inspector Craig Laws said: “I am pleased that the court handed Dell a significant sentence. He took advantage of this young girl and offered a place to stay before forcibly having sex with her a number of times.

"I want to reiterate that no means no and if someone does not consent to sex, it is rape. Furthermore, this vulnerable victim was under the age of consent and, as an adult, Dell knew he was doing wrong.

“I would like to commend the victim for coming forward and telling us what had happened to her. Although she will carry the emotional impact of Dell’s actions for years to come, I hope that the fact he will be behind bars for a considerable amount of time is of some comfort to her.

“We encourage anyone who has been the victim of rape or sexual abuse, no matter when it took place, to come forward and report their experience, get support and more importantly know they are not alone.”

Dell’s sentence also included concurrent sentences of six months for having an offensive weapon and two months for racially aggravated harassment, which were unrelated

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Scott Bamford attempted to meet three children, one of whom was just two years old A man has been sent to prison for three years after grooming three young children online and arranging to meet them in Camberley for sex. Scott Bamford, a 54-year-old from Walsall, was sentenced last Thursday (February 17) at Guildford Crown Court, having earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence. According to Surrey Police, Bamford engaged in sexually graphic conversations on an online chat website and made arrangements to meet three children, one of whom was aged two and the other two were under 11, in Camberley earlier this year. He arrived at a car park in the town that day and was subsequently arrested. In the boot of his car were children's toys appropriate for different ages and sweets, along with condoms and lubricant. The arrest took place after an investigation by specialist officers from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU). Bamford was charged on the same day as his arrest, and it's understood that none of the victims were placed at risk. In addition to his prison sentence, Bamford was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders' Register for an unlimited period. Investigating officer Detective Constable Colin Haynes, from SEROCU, said: "Bamford had planned to carry out child sexual abuse and travelled with the intention of committing this offence against three children. "This case demonstrates our continued priority to protect children from sexual exploitation from those who seek to do them harm. If anyone has been a victim of child sexual abuse, I would urge you to report it to your local police force via 101. "We will always follow up allegations of abuse, no matter when they occurred. Victims can talk in confidence to experienced investigators and we can also help with providing access to a range of other support services."

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A wanted high risk sex offender who was on the run has now been caught after being arrested in Burnley. A spokesperson for the police said: "Further to our earlier appeals, wanted high risk sex offender Paul Rivas has been arrested in Burnley and is in custody. "Thanks to everyone who shared our appeals to find him." Earlier today police appealed for the public's help in locating Paul Rivas, 51, who was wanted on recall to prison after breaching the terms of his release licence. Rivas had been convicted in October 2015 following a sexual assault on a woman.

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A man has been jailed after he admitted to sexually abusing a child on multiple occasions. Shaun Mather, aged 23, abused the girl over a number of years before his crimes were reported to the police in May 2020. When he was subsequently interviewed by officers he declined to comment. Following a thorough investigation by Nottinghamshire Police he pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and three counts of sexual activity with a child. Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday (Friday) Mather, of Alma Hill, Kimberley, was jailed for six years and was also place on the sexual offenders register. In addition, he was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order which will tightly restrict his behaviour when he is released. Detective Constable Emily Bucklow, of Nottinghamshire Polices public protection team, said: The victim in this case suffered considerable distress over a long period of time and I am pleased her abuser has now been brought to justice. What this case shows is that it doesnt matter how long ago offences happened; when people reports cases like this to us we will investigate them in the same way we always do with professionalism, compassion and a determination to get to the truth. I hope, therefore, that this case serves as a reminder to other victims that it is never too late to report what happened to them.

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A HAVANT photographer has been found guilty of sexually assaulting an aspiring actress, making her feel sick and uncomfortable. Pascal Molliere, 55, exploited the woman during an hour-long photoshoot at a warehouse in Fulham, west London, in July 2010. Jurors at Southwark Crown Court heard Molliere kissed and repeatedly groped the victim, after being polite and professional for the initial 15 minutes of the shoot and locking the door. The woman, 22, had moved to London to pursue an acting career. She had borrowed money from her mother to pay for portfolio images to publicise herself, the court heard. Prosecutor Tyrone Silcott said Molliere started out taking headshots but then photographed her from underneath with her legs open and touched her genitals. The woman burst into tears after leaving the studio and told her boyfriend what happened, jurors heard. Her boyfriend branded Molliere an abhorrent human and told him he would contact the police if the photographer did not delete all the photographs and refund the money. The prosecutor said: For her part, she felt uncomfortable and upset. After the photoshoot had finished, the defendant kissed her with a full kiss on the mouth. The kiss made her feel sick. Mr Silcott told jurors that ahead of the shoot, Molliere asked the woman whether she wanted to do fashion or sexy shots. The woman agreed to bring lingerie because she was interested in modelling and felt it might be nice to take some photographs for her and her then partner, he added. She said she was inspired to report Molliere to the police in 2019 after the #MeToo movement gained momentum. Molliere denied all counts against him, claiming the incident absolutely did not happen and the woman left his studio seeming elated. He said when he received a call from her boyfriend days later, he believed the couple had fallen out over the sexual nature of the pictures. A jury convicted him of three counts of sexual assault after deliberating for two days. The photographer, from Havant, will be sentenced on April 12. Pauline Curtis, from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: In his capacity as a professional photographer Pascal Molliere exploited a young woman who had simply wanted a portfolio of images to help her begin an acting career. She did not consent to any sexual activity. The victim trusted Molliere as a professional photographer, however, that trust was abused while she was in her most vulnerable state. The prosecution case included strong testimony from the brave victim who came to court and gave evidence against her abuser during the trial. Sexual offences are some of the most complex cases that we prosecute. I hope these convictions provide the victim with some closure and encourage other victims of such crimes to come forward and report their attackers. The CPS is committed to bringing sexual predators to justice regardless of the time that has passed.

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A 35-year-old man who raped a child under the age of 13 was jailed for 19 years at Liverpool Crown Court.

Richard Green, 35, from the Tuebrook area, appeared before the court on Friday, February 25, charged with 15 counts including rape of a child under 13, assault by penetration, sexual assault and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Green was found guilty and jailed for 19 years after continually denying his offending.

Detective Constable Joanne Waldron said she was "pleased" to see him jailed for a "considerable about of time"

She said: "Green continued to deny his offending meaning his victim was forced to endure a trial. I am pleased that he will now spend a considerable amount of time behind bars for his actions.

"I would like to take this opportunity to praise his victim for their courage and dignity throughout the whole of this investigation and hope that by seeing him sent to prison will give them some sort of closure and allow them to move on with their lives knowing he cannot harm anyone else.

"We are committed to protecting victims of sexual offences, and anyone who reports an incident to us will be safeguarded and supported throughout the investigation.

"Anyone that has been a victim of a similar sexual offence, is concerned for the safety of someone they know or suspects someone to be engaging in this criminal activity, should come forward and speak to us. We have a team of dedicated staff who will expertly and compassionately deal with your reports and we will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice

"Time is no barrier to reporting offences and I would urge anyone who has been victim at any time to come forward and we will do everything we can to help and support them.

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"This man preyed on their vulnerabilities as young girls and exploited them for his own sickening pleasure" A taxi driver plied two girls with alcohol and drugs then raped them in a terrifying campaign of abuse. Mohammed Saleem, 42, groomed the two girls who were aged 14 and 15 when he targeted them in the 1990s. Both victims were extremely vulnerable and "abused in the worst ways possible". Taxi driver Saleem, of Rochdale, met them both at a house of an older associate, Minshull Street Crown Court heard. He gave them lifts in his taxi and plied them with booze and cannabis before raping them, prosecutor Mark Kellet told the court. Despite being married and having children, he went onto continue sexually, physically and mentally abuse one of the girls for more than 17 years. He even installed spyware on their computers to track their internet activity. Saleem was today jailed for 33 years after being found guilty of 31 offences. The victim was vulnerable due to the use of alcohol and drugs to facilitate the offences, Mr Kellet said. There were 16 offences of rape over an 18-year period. There was systematic abuse of the victim, who was targeted and exploited as an extremely vulnerable young child." In a victim personal statement read to the court, the first woman said: I often reflect on how my childhood was full of abuse instead of love and protection. I feel ashamed by what happened. Coming to the stand in the court was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. The other woman said: Its impossible to put into words how I have been personally affected by the last 32 years. 'I became an empty shell' My whole life was destroyed - I lost my identity when I was just a child. I became an empty shell. I really struggle to make choices for myself as I was always made to believe I was incapable of making my own decisions. No doubt as a result of what I have suffered, I have been left unable to trust, which has left me very lonely and isolated. I still dont know how to move forward. Following a six week trial, Saleem was found guilty by a jury of 31 offences including:- Six counts of indecent assault against a 14-year-old female Rape of a 14-year-old female Three counts of rape of a 14/15-year-old female Indecent assault against a 15-year-old female Assault occasioning actual bodily harm Nine counts of rape of a female Assault by penetration Three counts of rape of a female under 16 years Two counts of voyeurism Sexual assault Securing unauthorised access to computer material Two counts of making indecent images of a child Saleem was said to have no previous convictions. In mitigation, his barrister David Langwallner said: There is an element of acceptance of a degree of responsibility. Looking at the issue of dangerousness in the context of intimate relationships, there is no doubt he was a danger to young girls 20 years ago, but there has not been any displays of that danger recently. Mr Saleem is going to face an awful shock quite soon. Sentencing, Judge Tina Landale said: She was almost half your age when you spotted her and targeted her for a sexual relationship in which you exploited and manipulated her. You took away her freedom. It was your distorted belief that Islam entitled you to rape her on many occasions. You saw her as your possession. There was a significant degree of planning, you targeted her with false compliments, alcohol and drugs to wheedle your way into her life and exploit her. 'You have no remorse' Your other victim, you manipulated her with drugs and alcohol using the advantage of a premises to enable the rape to take place. You have no remorse, and your report identifies that you find you have done nothing wrong. Finding him to be a dangerous offender, Judge Landale added: You are capable of deceiving those closest to you. You have no empathy at all or insight into the damage you have caused. You believe you are entitled to sex whenever you want. Saleem, of Cannon Street, was jailed for 30 years with an extended licence period of three years, of which he will serve two thirds (20 years) in prison before being considered for release by the parole board. He was also made subject of the Sex Offenders Register for life and Sexual harm Prevention Order indefinitely. Detective Constable Sarah Hayfield of GMP's Rochdale district, said: "The victims in this case were abused in the worst ways possible. "This man preyed on their vulnerabilities as young girls and exploited them for his own sickening pleasure. "He then went onto control and abuse one of the victims for 17 years. "This was a horrific ordeal that has no doubt left a damaging and haunting impact on those lives affected. "I want to extend my thanks and gratitude to these two brave women and their families for their support and strength throughout this investigation. "Their resilience has been instrumental in ensuring we could secure this custodial sentence and, although I have no doubt this will stay with them for the rest of their lives, I hope today will help bring some form of closure. "I also extend my thanks to our partners at Rochdale Borough Council, particularly their adult care recovery and re-enablement team, who have both supported the investigation and been instrumental in providing the victims with the care and support they need whilst we investigated Saleem. "I hope this sentencing sends a clear message that child sexual exploitation and domestic abuse is abhorrent and will never be acceptable and through our joint working with the council on child sexual abuse we will ensure anyone who engages in this type of vile behaviour will be brought to justice, as we have seen today."

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A pervert banned from the internet was found to be accessing the web using an XBox and CB radio.

Sick Robert Clay, 29, is under a sex offender order after having disturbing pictures of children.

But police who visited his home found and were shown his Xbox for analysis then found a handheld CB radio under a blanket which was internet enabled, as well as a laptop and a tablet.

Clay, of Alexandra Road, Winshill, has now been jailed for having more child abuse pictures.

He had previously been banned from having an unmonitored internet-enabled device and deleting any internet history, Staffordshire Live reports.

After being previous jailed for having pictures of children, he was recalled to prison three months after his initial release in 2018 for breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

Now he has been sentenced to a further 32 months in jail after admitting seven charges of breaching his 10-year order again; and three charges of making 15 indecent images of children.

The court heard that two of the terms of his sexual harm prevention order were that he was not allowed access to the internet without installed computer monitoring software - and was not allowed to delete his internet history.

Prosecutor Simon Rippon told the court Clay initially had contacted his police risk assessor on February 2020 to inform her he had bought a new phone and given his old one to an uncle and had completed a factory reset - deleting all its memory.

During her checks, it was revealed that he had several social media accounts, and had recently purchased an Xbox console which connected to the internet and contained a deleted message.

On a house visit, Clay showed the risk assessor his Xbox for analysis. She then found a handheld CB radio under a blanket which was internet enabled, as well as a laptop and a tablet.

Mr Rippon said: "These were found by officers rather than the defendant telling them they were there."

The laptop had a hard drive cleaner installed and showed a private browser had been used.

In August 2020, he called his risk assessor again to say he had a new phone. She checked it and found "disturbing" terms used such as "nudist beach family".

Mr Rippon said: "He was arrested and in his police interview made full admissions to the breaches and making the images.

"He made plain his continued sexual interest in children and circumventing his court orders to satisfy his sexual interest in children.

"The fact he was driving coach and horses through his sexual harm prevention order means he poses a very grave risk to children."

Steve Hennessy, defending Clay, told the court his client pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and provided "very candid" admissions.

Mr Hennessy admitted: "He has demonstrated that he is capable of taking steps to avoid breaching his sexual harm prevention order, but since his conduct he has been extremely frank and has provided information, without which there would be no history.

"He has proven himself to some extent in the last two years and there has been no information [from risk assessors] of any difficulty.

"When the game is up he is candid, honest and straightforward."

Judge Graeme Smith told Clay: "You have been open about the fact you have an ongoing sexual interest in boys but you have shown risk by breaching your order.

"This started very soon after you were released from prison. You showed a persistent pattern of breaching court orders.

"There is no evidence of you committing further offences but we will never know the full truth because you deleted the internet history."

Clay was jailed for 32 months and his sexual harm prevention order was made to be indefinite.

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A PERVERT who was caught out in a paedophile hunter sting has been sent back to jail. Andrew Mayers, of Kendrick Street in Warrington town centre, was originally jailed for 16 months at Chester Crown Court in December 2018 after being found guilty of a range of sexual offences. This came after the now 44-year-old operating with the username Daddys Girls contacted an online profile he believed was a child and sent a string of vile messages attempting to the groom the youngster. But the account was actually a decoy being operated by the Safeguarding the Innocent paedophile hunter group. Mayers was also told to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and handed a sexual harm prevention order of the same length, restricting his use of the internet and contact with under 16s. But, in January this year, he was caught in possession of a mobile phone which he refused to produce to police a violation of the court order. And he was imprisoned for a further 16 months at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, February 21, having admitted breaching a SHPO during an earlier hearing. Mayers was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of 156.

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A PAEDOPHILE who sent naked images of himself to a child online and had a video of a young girl being assaulted on his computer has been jailed. David Dennerley, of Crest Avenue, Basildon, was arrested after a school teacher found sexual messages he sent to a girl and raised the alarm with her parents. The 42-year-old was jailed for a year and four months at Basildon Crown Court yesterday. The court was told police raided his house in September and found 110 indecent images and videos of children. He also had roughly 48 sexual conversations with children on his electronic devices. Prosecuting, Matthew Bagnall, said: He sent naked images of himself to the girls online and they sent images back too. On March 9 one girl got a message from him saying stunning and they began to chat online. She clearly told him she was underage and he instigated sexual conversation. These were found by a teacher who told her parents and then the police were informed. Police raided his home on September 7 and found the devices with the images and videos. There were many similar conversations with a considerable number of people who identified themselves as being underage. Mitigating, Sasha Bailey, told the court he was a carer for his sick parents. She said: His father has significant arthritis with deteriorating breaking bones and since 11, Dennerley has cared for both of his parents. His mother has back and thyroid issues. He says he was stresses and tired at the time of these offences and it caused to behave in this appalling way. Sentencing, Judge Samantha Cohen, said: You had more than 100 indecent images and one video of a young girl being sexually assaulted. You also had 48 sexual conversations with girls. I cannot suspend this sentence as its so serious.

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Jacob Smith, of Whickham, engaged in sexual communication with a '14-year-old' who bizarrely turned out to be a decoy profile being run by a woman who cuts his wife's hair. A pervert who thought he was having a sex chat with a child was actually talking to his wife's hairdresser working as an undercover paedophile hunter. Jacob Smith made contact with a 14-year-old girl's profile on the Grindr app in September 2019 and discussed sex in "explicit" detail. The married dad, 39, who used the moniker "4trans" said he wanted to take the child's virginity and encouraged her to truant from school. A court heard the fake teen profile had been set up by vigilantes Guardians of the North. He was told he was talking to a confused teen who was a girl but wanted to be a boy. Newcastle Crown Court heard the adult behind the account had set it up and waited for contact, which Smith started with the massage "hi beautiful". By a bizarre coincidence, the decoy who was behind the fake teen profile was Smith's wife's hairdresser, who knew the family and recognised him instantly when he sent his photograph. Smith, of Front Street, Whickham, Gateshead, denied attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, claimed he knew who was behind the fake profile and had sent the messages for "amusement" at a time when he was not thinking straight. But after a trial by jury, he was found guilty of the charge and has now been jailed for eight months. Smith has to sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for ten years. Recorder Alex Menary said he accepted Smith was suffering from depression as a result of stress, brought on by a promotion at work and personal problems, but said only a custodial sentence could provide sufficient punishment. The judge said: "By a twist of fate the decoy was your wife's hairdresser. "When you sent pictures of yourself she recognised you. "On learning you were in London on business she contacted the police. "You made no comment when arrested." The court heard Smith later claimed he knew it was the hairdresser all along as he was "aware of her work" so went along as entertainment and distraction. He also claimed he wasn't thinking straight, knew word of what he had done would get back to his wife and continued with it as a "cry for help". The court heard Smith was "ill" at the time of the offences and has since received treatment. He and his family had to sell their home once word of his offending got out and he now lives away from them. Philip Gibbs, defending, said: "He was ill, to quite a considerable degree. It wasn't a short lived or trivial illness, it was a gathering storm. "He accepts the process and the verdict of the jury because that is justice."

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A sex offender who left a teenage girl having nightmares after a campaign of abuse has been jailed.

Guildford Crown Court heard Guiseppi Volante, of Glebelands in West Molesey, started to abuse the girl when they were alone.

The court heard the 56-year-old would cut the girl's clothing off, and on one occasion even attempted to rape her while they were out on a walk.

However his reign of abuse ended when Volante's crime were reported to Surrey Police after the youngster confided in a friend.

When police searched Volante's home after interviewing him, they discovered a series of pornographic videos with titles such as Abused Girls Sleeping and Drug Abused Girls.

Volante's victim spoke of the abuse she faced when giving an impact statement in court.

She said: "Every day I fight with myself, trying to move on, be normal, but I will never get that opportunity. You took that from me.

"I started to have nightmares. In one of them, I was running away from you. It was like I was going as fast as I could but I wasnt actually running that fast.

I was screaming for help but no one was around. At the end, before I woke up, I found help, finally. I was unsure on why I had these dreams, so I sought to ask a friend and she explained that nightmares are a way for our brain to cope with trauma.

Volante has now been jailed for 10 years after being convicted of seven charges against the same child, including three counts of penetrative sexual activity, three counts of non-penetrative sexual activity and one count of attempted rape.

He will also remain on the Sex Offender's Register indefinitely.

Detective Constable Julia Thomas, who investigated the case for Surrey Police, said: This was a horrific crime where an older man repeatedly preyed on a vulnerable young girl, relying on her silence to continue his abuse.

The victim showed incredible bravery coming forward after what happened to her as a child and my colleagues in our Victim and Witness Care Unit have worked closely with her to provide support throughout the investigation and court proceedings.

I hope todays result shows that were determined to thoroughly investigate all reports of sexual abuse, no matter how long ago they happened. Please dont think there wont be enough evidence to progress the case - we will work with you and do our very best to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

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A FORMER gymnastics teacher who sexually assaulted two children has been jailed. In December last year, 62-year-old David Schadek was convicted of four counts of sexual assault, one count of sexual assault of a child, and one count of perverting the course of justice. It related to assaults on children between 2004 and 2017. After the offences came to light when one of the incidents was reported to police in January 2018, work by officers from the Child Abuse Investigation Team identified other incidents. Today, at Chelmsford Crown Court, Schadek, of Fenno Close, Colchester was jailed for four and a half years. In a statement, one of his victims and their family said: David Schadek groomed children and betrayed their trust. We are relieved that no others will have to suffer at his hands and now he has to face the consequences of his actions. We would like to acknowledge the bravery of the victims for speaking out and telling their truth. "Also thanks to Essex Police for their many years of hard work and support to get justice for the victims. Detective Inspector Fred Tompkins said: David Schadek is a predator who preyed upon his young victims. It is through their bravery that we have been able to put him behind bars, unable to put other children at risk. They have shown tremendous courage in telling us what happened to them and their resilience throughout this long investigation has been incredible. I want to thank them for their trust in us and hope they take comfort in the knowledge Schadek has now been brought to justice for what he has done. We will continue to work to root out those who prey on children and lay bare their heinous crimes for all to see. I urge anyone who has been the victim of a sexual crime to contact Essex Police. Our specialist officers will support you and your voice will be heard.

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A shocked dad appeared ashen-faced when jailed for making the 'most appalling' indecent images of children being raped. Repeat offender Matthew Griffiths had been convicted of similar offences in 2005 and Worcester judge Nicolas Cartwright, speaking at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday, said the defendant had plainly not been rehabilitated, asking him how he would feel if his own children were treated in a similar way. The defendant, who appeared to have no bag of belongings in preparation for any potential prison sentence, turned pale in the dock when he learned he would be going straight to prison. The 42-year-old, who was said to still enjoy the support of his wife, admitted making indecent images of children at category A (the most serious level), category B and C and having extreme pornographic images involving animals. In total there were 5 images at category A, 10 at category B and 4 at category C and eight extreme pornographic images. The judge in his sentencing remarks said the ages of the victims in the category A images were seven to nine years old, 10 and between 14 and 16. Ravi Sidhu, prosecuting, said the indecent material was found on the defendant's Samsung mobile phone when he was arrested on May 25 last year. When interviewed by police Griffiths answered 'no comment'. He has a conviction for eight 'similar offences' from 2005, the offending itself taking place in 2002. That resulted in a three year community order, revoked in 2007 'for what appears to be good behaviour' said Mr Sidhu. Referring to the recent offences, Mr Sidhu said: "This is an escalation of his offending." The prosecutor argued that the earlier conviction for similar offences was an aggravating feature. Julia Needham, defending, said it was simple possession of the images with no evidence of distribution and that the majority of the images were at category B, rather than A. Mrs Needham said: "There were hundreds of images and videos on the device - hundreds of legal images." However, she stressed she was 'not trying to undermine the seriousness of the offences' but that some non-illegal material had also been downloaded at the same time. She described how, at the time, her client had been in an 'unfortunate position' with repeated postponements of his bowel cancer screening during the pandemic. Urging the judge to suspend the inevitable prison sentence, Mrs Needham also said that his last conviction for similar offences was in 2005 but that the offending happened in 2002 - 20 years ago. She argued that he could take part in the Horizon programme designed to rehabilitate sex offenders. Describing Griffiths as a father-of-three in full time employment, she provided a reference from his wife 'who remains supportive of him'. Judge Nicolas Cartwright told the defendant: "As a father-of-three children I invite you to think about the offending portrayed in the images that were seen on your equipment. The children shown in the images that you have an interest in were plainly subjected to the most appalling sexual abuse - and photographed while it went on. You would plainly be horrified if someone did such things to your children." He added: "As well as the emotional and psychological harm that simply must have been caused to these poor victims they will also no doubt - those of them that are still alive - have the additional burden of knowing there is photographic evidence of those dreadful crimes being committed upon them and that these photographs and, where it is moving images, films are out there on the internet for people with a sexual interest like yours to look at if they choose to do so." Because it was 'repeat offending', Judge Cartwright told Griffiths of Abbotsmead Road, Hereford: "It does have to be immediate custody." Griffiths was jailed for 12 months. Judge Cartwright also made a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years which restricts the defendant's use of the internet and gives police extra powers to monitor his devices which must retain and display the history of internet use and be made available for inspection on request by police. The forfeiture and destruction of the phone was also ordered. As a sex offender, notification and registration provisions also apply for the next 10 years.