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The bravery of vulnerable women who were sexually assaulted by a Norwich man has been praised by prosecutors.

Stephen Hammond, 59, was branded a high risk dangerous offender as he was jailed for 12 years with an extended period on licence of three years and ordered to serve a minimum of two-thirds of that sentence.

Welcoming the sentence the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said he had sought to ruthlessly exploit women for his own sexual gratification.

Jane Foster, from CPS East of England, said: This was a highly complex and challenging case but working alongside the police I was determined to seek justice and ensure the victims' voices were heard.

I have immense respect for the women who have displayed both courage and resilience to come forward and report what happened to them. I hope that this sentence has brought those affected by this mans actions a sense of justice.

Hammond selectively groomed particularly vulnerable women to follow him to his Dereham Road home, before actively encouraging them to take drugs and alcohol.

Two of the women had been unconscious when he sexually assaulted them while he video recorded one of the attacks.

Three women, two aged 40 and one 51, had been living in sheltered housing with long histories of alcohol or drug abuse and mental health issues.

Additional sex offences relating to a fourth woman were dropped after she was unable to give evidence in court.

The CPS said specialist prosecutors had worked in partnership with the police to build a strong case and the conviction demonstrated that a series of heinous crimes had been committed against the women.

Rape and serious sexual offences are some of the most complex crimes to prosecute but whenever there is sufficient evidence for us to prosecute, we will always seek to do so, they added.

Hammond was found guilty following a retrial of three offences of sexual assault by penetration, one charge of sexual assault and one of voyeurism.

Sentencing Hammond at Norwich Crown Court, Judge Antony Bate also praised the bravery of the women and the dedication of police for their careful investigation in this very sensitive and challenging case.

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AN "EXTREMELY dangerous" sex offender who escaped from prison has been captured following a frantic manhunt. Cops had urged anyone who spotted predator Gary Butcher, 55, to call them immediately after he absconded from HMP North Sea Camp in Boston, Lincolnshire on Tuesday. The thug had been sentenced to life behind bars for aggravated burglary. He also has a number of convictions for sex attacks on women. Detectives spent three days tracking him down, and he was finally arrested by an officer from Derbyshire Constabulary shortly after 11.30am on Friday. Butcher was found in the Swadlincote area of Derbyshire after approaching the officer to hand himself in. He remains in police custody tonight. A 56-year-old man was arrested on Thursday night on suspicion of assisting an offender. He too remains in police custody. Butcher will be returned to closed prison conditions while the investigation continues. Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Rachael Cox said: "Following a round-the-clock investigation to bring Butcher into custody, I'm pleased to be able to say that we have now apprehended this man. "At this stage, we don't believe he's committed further offences. "Our appeal has had huge support from the public, and we're very grateful for that, and would like to say thank you to everyone who shared our appeal or provided information. "This was very much a collaborative effort with our officers and staff working tirelessly with neighbouring forces and partner agencies to apprehend Butcher." Officers had warned earlier this week that Butcher may try to "charm his way into homes". Speaking on Wednesday, Chief Superintendent Kate Anderson said she believes he is "extremely dangerous". Butcher's prison dash came just three months after fellow sex offender Paul Robson escaped from the same jail. Robson was jailed in 2000 after breaking into a woman's home and sexually assaulting her. He was eventually found in Skegness following a four-day search.

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A sick Staffordshire dad has been jailed after filming himself having sex with his pet dog. Dean Beer , 56, had started a 'sickening' conversation about bestiality on Facebook Messenger when he committed the vile act, a court had heard.

In the messages, he was encouraged to record himself sexually abusing the dog before sending it on. The disturbing footage was uncovered when the police went to his home after receiving information from the National Crime Agency about the uploading of an indecent image.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the defendant had searched the term 'dog porn' six times. The court also heard his phone contained two inaccessible category C photos of young girls aged between 13 and 15 and extreme pornographic images of women having penetrative sexual activity with dogs and a horse. Now Beer, formerly of Stoke-on-Trent, has been jailed for nine months after he was described as having an 'unhealthy and depraved interest in bestiality'.

Prosecutor Maria Brannan said: "A Land Rover mobile phone was recovered. It contained two inaccessible category C images featuring girls aged between 13 and 15; three accessible extreme pornographic images and six still and two moving images of adult females having penetrative sexual activity with dogs and a horse.

"The search term 'dog porn' was used six times. The conversation was found on Facebook messenger between the defendant, 'Taffy Dean', and a person who has not been arrested.

"The conversation concerned sexual abuse of the defendant's dog. The other person encouraged the defendant to film himself performing a penetrative sex act on his dog. The defendant did the act and sent the film to the other person."

The prosecutor said police received information from the National Crime Agency and officers attended the defendant's home in Stoke on Trenton July 21, 2020. Beer, now of Wentloog Close, Cwmbran, Wales, pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images of children; possession of an extreme pornographic image; intercourse with an animal; and publishing an obscene article.

Andrew Molloy, mitigating, said the defendant, who has no previous convictions, has now lost his good character. Mr Molloy said: "He is quite embarrassed about his conduct. He says it is out of character for him to behave in this way.

"It is almost two years since and he has not been involved in any trouble. He has self-referred to a mental health institution and is engaging well."

He said the defendant no longer has the dog and urged Judge David Fletcher to suspend the sentence. But the judge said only an immediate jail sentence was appropriate, reports StokeonTrentLive.

Judge Fletcher said: "The exchanges on Facebook were some of the most sickening exchanges I have ever had to read about and deal with. You are someone who had an unhealthy and depraved interest in bestiality. Penetrating your own pet dog with your penis is as shocking as it is depraved."

Beer was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and was placed on the sex offenders' register for the same period. The judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the phone.

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A sick dad begged an undercover police officer to send him depraved images of children and said: Im 100% paedo.

Graham Handlon believed he was chatting to a fellow pervert on a chat room. However, the 49-year-old was really chatting to a covert officer, only months after the deviant previously avoided jail for having a stash of sick images.

The father-of-two revealed he had bought an unregistered pay as you go phone for all my paedo. And he boasted: Theres no limits with me. Im just a dirty c***, Im just into everything. Everything and anything what goes. You know what I mean?

Handlon, was given a two-year community order in January 2020, after he was caught with child rape images. He was given a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

On November 30 that year he messaged the officer on web forum ChatIW stating Hi m 47 peD north west no limits and using the profile name Bipedlknforbiped. Jamie Baxter, prosecuting, said: Perhaps bi-sexual paedophile looking for another bi-sexual paedophile, if thats what bi-ped stands for.

Handlon sent him indecent photos and videos before claiming he did a girl when she was two, report Liverpool Echo. He sent more photos, boasting he had 100s, and asked the officer if he had any photos of his 11-year-old daughter - who the officer pretended to have sexually abused.

The officer said he was cautious who he shared images with, but Handlon replied: I understand that bud, Im 100% paedo bud. To prove his claims he sent more images and added: I have vids too.

Handlon revealed he had the burner phone for all my paedo and swapped numbers. When they spoke that day, the officer recorded the call.

Handlon asked about the imaginary daughter and said: Is she sexy as f***? He added: Older women dont really do much for me but little girls I like.

He then described himself as a dirty c***. The pair also exchanged contact details for messaging app Telegram and Handlon said hed share a 10-minute video of a mum and dad with a little girl.

Handlon, of Park Crescent, Southport, sent three child rape videos to the officer, plus a video of himself performing a sex act. Police tracked his phone and found CCTV footage of him buying a top up voucher at the Spar in Roe Lane, Southport on November 7, 2020.

Officers raided his home on January 25, 2021. He handed over a phone and laptop, but didnt produce his Alba mobile, which was discovered hidden inside a plastic bag in his letterbox.

Handlon denied it was his and gave a no comment interview to police. However, his DNA was on its battery, SIM card and storage card, and the number matched his call with the officer.

Police found 1,408 Category A - the most serious category showing child rape - plus 1,463 Category B and 797 Category C indecent images on the device. A further 80 extreme porn images involved animals were found.

He had used a cloud storage device more than 3,000 times. Officers discovered he shared 126 indecent files with other paedophiles on WhatsApp under the name Big Little and on Wickr as UKMember123 from November 2020 to January 2021.

When interviewed again, he admitted the phone was his and he had downloaded the files. He claimed he had been addicted to pornography since childhood; wanted to stop offending; and had sought help through courses and books.

Handlon accepted the chats with the officer and sharing the files. He said he just had a massive problem with it but denied ever sexually abusing a child.

He admitted three counts of downloading, three counts of distributing and one count of possessing indecent images of children, plus possessing extreme pornography and breaching his SHPO. Jim Smith, defending, said: This defendant has embarked on a personal crusade to ensure his continuing rehabilitation and enlightenment.

He said Handlon hoped to re-establish a relationship with his parents and his two children, who he was separated from. He hadnt seen them for more than a year.

Mr Smith said Handlon had completed 10 sessions of a Stop It Now! course, and further courses with the child sexual abuse prevention charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, costing him almost 1,000. He said Handlon had daily support from a mentor to prevent offending and attended Sex Addicts Anonymous sessions in Liverpool.

He said his clients was genuinely remorseful and a rehabilitation programme and unpaid work attached to his previous community order hadnt addressed his issues. The judge, Recorder Ian Harris, said: The report says he engaged with probation but didnt take his offence seriously at that time.

Mr Smith said: I think thats an interpretation which I dont think properly reflects the efforts, or the lack of specific targeting of the motivations for his offending, which subsequently he has voluntarily submitted to. He added if Handlon was jailed he would lose his job, his children would miss financial support and he would lose his home.

Recorder Harris told Handlon: Im telling you now there will be an immediate custodial sentence. The judge said in a sinister aspect of the case he bought a phone for your paedophile activities.

He said Mr Smith told Liverpool Crown Court Handlons comments about molesting a child were just bravado and he wasnt being sentenced for that. But he enjoyed and shared repulsive images.

He said a report noted Handlon didnt believe he had the support he needed when previously sentenced, but now felt sick. The judge said: You had every opportunity and carried on.

Recorder Harris said Handlon described himself as a paedophile. He said: These offences are vile and reflect the corruption and abuse of young children.

The judge jailed him for three years and 10 months. He made a new 15-year SHPO and told Handlon to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

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Australian sitcom actor Robert Hughes will be freed from jail and deported to the UK after serving a sentence for child sexual abuse. Hughes found fame for his lead role in Australian TV show Hey Dad! which aired in more than 20 countries from 1987. In 2014 he was convicted of a string of child sexual offences - which he denied - against girls in the 1980s and 1990s. The 73-year-old was granted parole by Australian authorities on Thursday. Having renounced his Australian citizenship, the British national will be deported to the UK, where he will live with his wife, upon his release from prison. Hughes has been eligible for parole for more than two years but has twice been denied freedom over concerns about his risk to the community. He and his family deny his crimes but, since his last bid for parole, have promised he will seek psychological treatment when released and that he will have no unsupervised contact with children. UK authorities, who have been informed of his impending release and deportation, have also since confirmed he will be monitored. That - and a psychological assessment that Hughes has a below average risk of offending - was enough to satisfy parole authorities his risk to the community could be managed. He will be released no later than 14 June. 'Systemic, predatory behaviour' Hughes's 2014 trial heard evidence of sexual misconduct which had spanned 20 years. He was convicted of 10 child sexual assault offences against girls aged between seven and 15. He abused his position of trust and exploited the naivety and youth of the children, Judge Peter Zahra said in sentencing at the time. ''The offender engaged in a systematic pattern of sexual abuse upon young girls over a number of years,'' he said. ''His conduct was brazen... he engaged in predatory behaviour.'' On Thursday, parole judge David Frearson acknowledged the decision would be hard for the actor's victims. "It is clear that the profound and deleterious effects on the victims continue to this day and will probably be lifelong consequences," he said. "It must be particularly galling for the victims to observe the offender's continued and obstinate denials in the face of compelling and overwhelming evidence from multiple witnesses." Hey Dad! was hugely popular in Australia and ran for eight seasons until 1994.

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A young girl was pressured and bullied into committing degrading sex acts with a predatory 17-year-old who had already taken advantage of another teenage girl three weeks earlier.

She had been left scared that nobody would believe her if she told anyone what Callum Hilton did to her. She kept quiet about what happened for 10 years before finally speaking up, Hull Crown Court heard.

Hilton, now 30, of Hull, admitted causing or inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity on June 21, 2009. Richard Butters, prosecuting, said that Hilton was aged 17 at the time and the girl was 14, with no sexual experience of any sort before the incident.

Hilton kissed her and asked her to commit a sex act on him. Because of her naivety, she did not know how to do that and Hilton showed her and told her: "You do it just like that." He encouraged her to touch him intimately.

"She was of an age where she didn't have a clue what was going on," said Mr Butters. The girl did what Hilton asked.

"She kept all of this to herself for many years," said Mr Butters. It was not until 10 years later, in June 2019, that the girl spoke to a friend and her mother about what happened and the police were alerted.

The victim later said: "I had not had any sexual experience and I had not received any sex education. I didn't even realise it was wrong. I wanted to report what happened to me so many times but I was so scared that I would not be believed.

"It has affected my confidence and self-esteem. I have always tried to block out what happened but had to constantly think about it over the last couple of years. I feel so relieved that it is finally over and I can move on and rebuild my life."

Hilton had a previous conviction for an offence of unlawful sex with another girl, aged 13, committed in 2009 three weeks before this matter. The girl consented to what happened on that occasion but it was illegal because of her age. He had been locked up for six months.

Hilton had been recalled to prison until December on another matter. Richard Thompson, mitigating, said that Hilton was 17 at the time of the sexual matter but had since committed other different offences regularly over the years and was serving the balance of a prison sentence imposed in March 2020.

"He has been in custody for getting on for a over a year now," said Mr Thompson. "He was recalled for breaching his licence conditions. His earliest date of release is December this year."

Hilton was jailed for five months and will have to register as a sex offender for seven years.

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A paedophile who kept more than 10,000 images of child sex abuse has walked free from court.

Andrew Lomax, who worked as a carer for 30 years, stored more than 1,600 videos of child rape in his disturbing collection across a number of devices.

The youngest victim among the child abuse images was an 18-month-old baby girl.

The 45-year-old kept 3,188 videos of children being sexually abused and 8,052 indecent images of children, and in total had 11,240 of the vile images.

Chris Hopkins, prosecuting today at Liverpool Crown Court, explained police acted on "intelligence received" about internet use in a property in Woodchurch, where Lomax was living at the time.

On October 21 last year police went to the address and Lomax said he "knew why police were there" and confessed to having indecent images on his computer.

Lomax told police in an interview they would find "images of toddlers up to the age of about 14 or 15" and admitted he had a sexual interest in children.

Mr Hopkins explained 1,694 of the child rape images were videos and he also had 1,494 videos of other types of child sex abuse.

Lomax stored 2,000 indecent images of children on a computer tower, the earliest of which was created on September 30, 2019 and the most recent was created on June 16 last year.

He kept 1,300 indecent images of children on an Acer Laptop and had 151 prohibited images of children as well as 42 indecent images on a HP laptop, on which the earliest creation date was April 2015.

Lomax stored another 679 prohibited images of children on an external hard drive, on which the earliest creation date was January 2013.

Mr Hopkins explained one of the sex abuse videos involved a baby girl aged 18 months old.

Lomax is of former good character.

Jim Smith, defending, said Lomax had made "frank admissions" and "expressed remorse".

He said Lomax had been a carer for 30 years with the "most vulnerable in society including dementia sufferers" but left the role after his offences came to light.

Mr Smith said: "To his benefit your honour he has acknowledged not only his wrongdoing and criminality but tried to explain and certainly been frank and honest in relation to his offending behaviour."

He said Lomax's relationship had broken down and he "retreated into addictive online voyeurism" and into the "markedly criminal world".

Mr Smith said Lomax was "deeply sorry" and has been working with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation to address his "unhealthy addiction".

He said: "He is trying to do everything he can to rehabilitate himself from this addiction from which he became subservient to for a significant period of time."

Mr Smith said Lomax had suffered anxiety and depression and was an "extremely lonely individual".

Lomax, of Needham Road, Kensington, admitted possession of extreme pornographic images, possession of indecent photographs, three counts of making indecent images and one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

Judge Brian Cummings, QC, said: "In order for all these images to be created real children, including babies, have been subjected to the most appalling and damaging abuse, all for the benefit, if that's the word, of you and others like you.

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Kristoffer Cook was messaging the 15-year-old on the social media app despite being subjected to a sexual harm prevention order A sex offender has been jailed after police found out he'd been sending sexual messages to a teenage girl on Snapchat. Pervert Kristoffer Cook was messaging the child on the social media app despite being subjected to a sexual harm prevention order after serving a prison sentence for attempting to incite a child into sexual activity. The 29-year-old had lied to police telling them he did not own any device which could access the internet, but eventually came clean. Cook, of Fulwell Road, Peterlee, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Tuesday, via link from HMP Durham, to be sentenced for breaching a sexual harm prevention order, failing to comply with notification requirements, and sexual communication with a child. He pleaded guilty to the charges at a previous hearing. Michael Cahill, prosecuting, said in January this year, Cook - a convicted sex offender - was assigned a police manager who would carry out regular meetings with him. On January 13, the police officer discussed his sexual harm prevention order with him and Cook said he did not own any device which could access the internet. But that was a lie, the court heard. Mr Cahill said: "On February 28, police received information that the defendant had a Snapchat address. That day, police attended the defendant's parents' address where he was living and asked if he had access to the internet. He produced two basic mobile phones which did not have the internet. The police then cautioned and arrested him. The defendant then became upset and produced an LG mobile phone from the sofa and said he used it to access Snapchat and that he'd let himself down." The LG phone was later analysed and it was discovered that Cook had been messaging an underage girl on the app. Mr Cahill said Cook asked the girl's age and "asked if she had a bra on and if he could see her bra". Cook later told the girl "I want you". Cook later admitted purchasing the mobile phone and not telling the police about it and the court heard he had two previous convictions for five offences. In May 2018, he received a suspended sentence for attempting to incite a child into sexual activity. Then, in July 2020, he was jailed for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. The sexual harm prevention order that he is subjected to lasts until 2028, the court heard. Mark Styles, defending, said Cook has a learning disability and had a childhood that a probation report described as "grim". He said: "It's clear the defendant really has deficient social skills and had found himself terribly isolated in the community. He has never been in a meaningful relationship and is a vulnerable individual. He is apologetic and feels he has let himself down, he needs some help." He added: "There was potential for more to occur, but it didn't. It was rather limited what took place in the conversation." Judge James Adkin, the Recorder of Durham, said it was a "very serious breach". He said: "It's clear you wanted more sexual communication with a child and your previous convictions do you no favours. It's not the first time you have done these sort of things." Cook was jailed for 20 months.

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A former city councillor has been found in possession of over 100 indecent photos of children. Abdul-Majid Rahman was jailed for three years and eight months at Newport Crown Court on Tuesday, May 31 after pleading guilty to possessing and sharing indecent images of children at an address on Corporation Road, Newport.

Rahman, 34, of Marine Terrace in Porthcawl, pleaded guilty to distributing 12 category A indecent photographs of children between November 2020 and May 2021, as well as to sharing one category B indecent image of a child on March 1, 2021.

He also pleaded guilty to a further three charges of possessing 30 category A indecent images of children and five category B indecent images of children, both between 2005 and 2021, and 67 category C indecent photographs of children between 2009 and 2021.

Rahman is a former Labour councillor on Newport City Council, representing the Victoria ward from 2012 until he resigned in October of last year. At the time, a council spokesperson confirmed Rahman "resigned for personal reasons on Wednesday October 13 with immediate effect". No further details were given at the time, and a by-election was later held in December to fill his seat.

As well as being jailed, Rahman will have to register as a sex offender for life. He was also given a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

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Police on the Isle of Wight have jailed two child sex offenders. Paul Allen, 38, of Hinton Road in Newport was jailed today (May 31) for 16 years following an investigation led by the Isle of Wight Investigations Team, with support from officers of the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU).

Allen was arrested by police on September 27, 2021 on suspicion of arranging the commission of a child sex offence. He had been speaking on a number of online platforms with a person who he believed to be a child, and agreed to meet this person at Newport Recreation Ground.

The individual he had been speaking with was in fact a police officer, and Allen was met by police at the recreation ground where he was arrested. He was subsequently charged with arranging the commission of a child sex offence, and possession of cannabis, both of which he pleaded guilty to during a hearing at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court the following morning.

A few days later, on October 3, police received a report that Allen had sexually abused a teenage boy over the summer. Police were told that the 14-year-old child had met Allen over the dating app Grindr in March 2021, and the pair communicated over Whatsapp where Allen shared explicit images of himself.

The pair met in person and the boy was abused by Allen, including an incident in June where Allen seriously sexually assaulted the boy in woodland in the Carisbrooke area. Allen was arrested again, before he was charged with further offences and remanded in custody.

During this time, police continued to examine data on Allens phone while he was on remand, where they discovered he had previously messaged other children via WhatsApp, Snapchat, Grindr and Kik. He had also sent indecent images of children, and enquiries established he had also abused another teenage boy between 2014 and 2016.

Other messages on the phone indicated that Allen had tried to sell cannabis to people around the Newport area. Allen was again charged with further offences.

Appearing at Winchester Crown Court on Monday 25 April 2022, Allen admitted the following:

- 2 counts of meeting a boy under 16 following grooming

- 6 counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child

- 4 counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a boy aged 13-15

- 3 counts of distributing an indecent photograph of a child

- 2 counts of arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence

- Causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity

- Offering to supply cannabis

Appearing at the same court today (Tuesday 31 May), he was sentenced to 16 years in prison with an extended licence period of six years. In a similar operation to target child sex abusers, and running concurrent to the investigation into Allen, officers arrested 46-year-old Paul Elvins, formerly of St Johns Road in Sandown.

Elvins, like Allen, struck up a conversation online with someone he believed to be a child. On November 2, 2021, Elvins was arrested and subsequently charged with attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

He was remanded in custody whilst Isle of Wight officers conducted further enquiries and continued to interrogate his digital devices. Elvins was charged in January this year with 19 further offences:

- 16 counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child

- One count of attempting to cause/incite the sexual exploitation of a child aged 13-17

- 2 counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child

He admitted all of the offences in court and on 6 May this year he was jailed for four years and eight months.

Chief Inspector Alex Charge: These investigations uncovered an appalling catalogue of child sex offences. I am grateful to all of the detectives and officers who worked incredibly hard to establish the full extent of the offending by these men, both in the lead up to and following their arrests.

Allen and Elvins are dangerous men who pose a risk to children, and I hope the public remain reassured that officers on the Island are making every effort, and utilising every tactic available to them to identify perpetrators of this type of abuse, bring them to justice, and safeguard the children who have been harmed. We will continue to target these offenders as a priority, and we encourage anyone who has been impacted by this kind of abuse to please get in touch with police so that our specially trained officers can listen to you, protect you, and provide you with the support you need.

Not everyone has the confidence to speak to police. We recognise this and want those who arent comfortable talking to police to know that there are other support agencies out there that can help you.

Detective Inspector James Oxley, of SEROCU, said: These convictions send out a clear message to those who use the internet to attempt to abuse children - every effort will be made to ensure you face the consequences of your actions. The South East Regional Organised Crime Unit worked closely in collaboration with Hampshire Constabulary on these cases as part of our commitment to make our communities safer, to ensure Allen and Elvins were no longer able to pose a danger to children and were brought to court to face justice.

Tracy Kent, Deputy CEO of Hampton Trust, said: Hampton Trust Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) play an important role in providing specialist tailored support to victims and survivors of sexual violence, irrespective of whether they have reported to the police. ISVAs provide impartial information to the victim/survivor about all their options, such as reporting to the police, accessing Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) services, and specialist support such as pre-trial therapy and sexual violence counselling.

This service is free to all IOW residents of any age, gender and sexuality.

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A soldier has been kicked out of the Army after he had 'rough sex' with a woman and performed a sex act on her which he knew she 'absolutely hated'. Sapper Thomas Herrington, who was accused of pulling the woman around his bedroom by her hair and tying her to his bed with a dressing gown belt, said he had asked about her 'pain threshold'.

It was alleged he violently raped the woman when he was 18 years old, after he told a court martial she 'liked rough, kinky sex'. It was claimed the Army engineer targeted the woman while she was 'out cold' from drinking vodka at a party.

A military court dismissed two charges of rape. However, he was convicted of sexual assault by penetration after the woman told the court he horrified her by putting his thumb in her bottom. The woman told police: "It felt really malicious. He knew I didn't like it and he was talking like he was proud. That was really violating because of how much I hate that."

Spr Herrington claimed the woman liked being 'roughly-handled', that she previously sent him naked selfies on Snapchat and she sent him sexualised messages before the party. The soldier, now aged 20, said they had sex in the weeks prior to that night, claimed she had 'enjoyed' passionate sex that night and was 'stunned and confused' by the allegations.

But Spr Herrington, formerly of 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment, has now been dismissed, as a judge told him boundaries during sex must be respected. Sentencing him, Judge Advocate Alistair McGrigor said: "It was an unwarranted and unwanted action that meant she consequently fled the room.

"Rough interactions has its own inherent danger. Boundaries must be respected - you knew because she had told you she agreed to rough sex but that did not include anal activity. It was abhorrent to her. This was a boundary you should have respected."

Spr Herrington's lawyer, James Hay, told the court a 'lengthy and onerous' community order would allow him to address his 'catastrophic error of judgement'. In a victim statement read to the court, the woman said that since the incident 'I am struggling to cope with the guilt and shame that I am left feeling'.

As well as being dismissed, the soldier, who recently failed a drugs test, was handed a three year community order, and 240 days of unpaid work. He will be on the sex offender register for five years. During the four day trial at Bulford Military Court, Wilts, a board heard the woman 'drank so much she passed out on one of the beds' at the party, before Spr Herrington was seen 'cradling' her and carrying her to his bedroom.

She claimed he gained pleasure out of her 'struggling', dragged her by the hair when she tried to escape, and pinned her down by his dressing gown belt in an attack so violent she said she thought he'd kill her. She said she eventually managed to 'wriggle away', escape the room without any clothes on, and return to the party crying 'I couldn't stop him, I couldn't move, I told him to stop'.

The woman described the alleged attack as 'the most unconsensual experience of my life'. Spr Herrington told the court sex that night had been consensual after the pair struck up a sexual relationship.

He said: "We had spoken about interests and liked rough, kinky sex. She said she liked choking, hair pulling, the odd bit of spanking and being roughly-handled." Spr Herrington said the woman was not drunk but 'happy and giddy' during their first sexual encounter that night.

Later, while at the party, the woman appeared to fall asleep and Spr Herrington carried her back to his room. He said: "I locked the door because we were going to have coitus, I didn't lock the door because I was going to have sex with an unconscious woman.

"I said 'are you OK?' and she said 'I'm fine'. I wanted to make sure she was responsive and that she was OK. I told her if you don't want to do this just tell me to stop.

"We had spoken about how I tend to get a bit more rough when drinking and I didn't know her pain threshold so I wanted to make sure she was OK. She was enjoying it, she was moaning."

Spr Herrington said suddenly the woman 'jolted forward', got up, and ran out of the room naked. He told the hearing he was 'completely stunned' and 'didn't know what I had done wrong'.

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A Worthing pensioner, who sexually abused a 'very young girl', will spend four years in jail. Sussex Police said Michael Lamb, 76, has been found guilty of sexual assault by touching on a child under the age of 13, and causing or inciting a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity. Investigating officer Detective Constable Cheyne Garrett said: The victim showed huge courage to come forward and report [this] which took place when she was a very young girl. The victim first approached officers in January 2020, police said. Lamb, of Melrose Avenue, Worthing, was arrested and was later charged. He stood trial at Lewes Crown Court earlier this year where a jury found him guilty of all charges, and he was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on May 5. Police confirmed that Lamb was imprisoned for four years and was put on the sex offenders register. The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which forbids him from having unsupervised contact with children. This also prevents Lamb from residing or working with children and young people, or approaching or talking with children. DC Garrett added: Lamb denied the offences and has caused trauma to the victim and her family by making them go through a criminal trial. This case demonstrates that we take historic sexual abuse very seriously. The victim received support from specialist officers throughout the process. We were determined to get justice for the victim, and following a thorough investigation we are pleased with the jurys verdict.