Search the database
clearly and quickly

Description

A man who sexually assaulted a woman on Brighton beach has been given a two-year sentence.

A Metropolitan Police officer has been jailed after being found guilty of sexual assault against a woman whilst on his stag do in East Sussex. Sergeant Laurence Knight, from Leyton in East London, attached to Met Detention, was convicted at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, June 29 of one count of sexual assault. He was sentenced to two years - one behind bars and one on licence - on Friday, July 28.

After his conviction, Knight resigned from his position at the Met. He was found guilty of sexual assault but not guilty of rape. Knight was also issued with a restraining order and will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.

Knight had been on his stag do in Brighton when he sexually assaulted the woman in her 20s in the sea, on July 16, 2021. The incident was reported to Sussex Police who launched an investigation. Knight was identified as a suspect and arrested on July 28, 2021 on suspicion of rape and sexual assault.

According to Sussex Police, the woman and Knight had a verbal confrontation which concluded with the stag group leaving the beach, and she reported the incident to the police on the same day. The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards was informed, and he was suspended from duty. Now that criminal proceedings have concluded he is set to face an accelerated misconduct hearing on Thursday, August 3.

Chief Superintendent Peter Gardner, responsible for Met Detention, said: "Knight's actions were thoroughly reprehensible and I recognise his behaviour would have further damaged the public's trust in the police. I also recognise the significant impact this would have had on the victim, and I praise her for coming forward.

Description

A serial paedophile breached a court order which prevented him from deleting his internet history. Stephen Harris, 47, of Wrexham, has repeatedly been caught in possession of images of child abuse.

After breaching his court order, he tried to lie to police by claiming he had unintentionally deleted internet history when he removed a storage card. Harris has numerous convictions for possession and distributing indecent images of children dating back as far as 2007 for which he was sentenced to 10 months in prison.

He was convicted of similar offences in 2011, 2015, and 2017. He also breached a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) he was made subject to in 2020, 2021, and 2022, reports WalesOnline.

A sentencing hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court on Thursday heard a police officer initially attended the defendant's home in Market Street, Rhosllanerchrugog, on May 17, to check a Nokia phone in his possession. The phone was shown to retain internet history and there were a number of text messages on the device.

But when the officer returned for an unannounced visit on June 28 she noticed the same phone only contained two messages and there was no internet history. Prosecutor Karl Scholz said when Harris was queried about this he claimed he "always" deleted his text messages and there was no internet history on the device.

The officer knew this to be a lie due to her previous analysis of the phone. The defendant was arrested and told police he unintentionally deleted the internet history by removing a storage card from his phone which he used to download music.

When asked why he didn't tell the officer about this he said: "I just carried on." Harris later pleaded guilty to breach of a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard he had a total of eight convictions and as a result of the current offence he is in breach of a suspended sentence of eight weeks. In mitigation Henry Hills said there was a "technical issue" with his client's phone and while the deletion of internet history was not deliberate he should have reported it to the police.

He said the defendant lived with his 84-year-old mother who has mobility issues. Sentencing, Recorder Greg Bull KC said: "You have an appalling record of previous offending in relation to the possession of indecent photographs of children.

"You have served sentences of imprisonment in the past and made subject to various court orders including a SHPO – one which was imposed relatively recently. You were made subject to a suspended sentence of imprisonment for breaching the SHPO.

"This offence was committed just a few months after that suspended sentence was imposed and you know the court regards breaches of these orders as a serious offence that cannot be overlooked. This shows an inability by you to stray from looking at disgusting photographs of children and children must be protected."

Harris was sentenced to a total of 18 months imprisonment. He was made subject to another sexual harm prevention order and sex offender notification requirements for 10 years.

Description

A convicted sex offender was watching porn on a phone he wasn’t allowed to have and using a dating app called ‘WhatsFlirt’.

Stewart Heather, 48, was found to be living at his supposedly ex girlfriend’s house in June, despite telling police officers the previous month that the relationship was over.

There was a two-year-old living at the woman’s property. Social services were unaware that Heather, who was subject to an eight month suspended jail sentence for sending explicit messages with what he thought was a teen girl, was in the house. He had not informed the police of his change of address.

On Thursday (July 27) defence brief Bethan Chichester said her client had not fully understood the terms of the sexual harm prevention order imposed when he was given the suspended sentence last year.

At the time of the first offences the couple had split up and, in using the ‘WhatsFlirt’ app, he was ‘simply trying to lift his spirits’.

Heather subsequently moved in with the woman in order to ‘assist her’, as she was struggling with her mental health, the court heard.

Ms Chichester said Heather was not the ‘regular sort of offender’ of the type usually in front of the courts for child sex offences.

He had been candid in telling her that when he embarked on the behaviour that previously saw him hauled before the courts he was ‘bingeing on cocaine and amphetamine’ and ‘turned to chatting to people online’.

The defendant was deeply ashamed of his actions, the barrister said.

Earlier, prosecutor Nick Ferrari told the court that the police officers responsible for managing Heather in the community visited him at his caravan on May 11.

Then, he claimed to have abstained from viewing pornography, was no longer in a relationship and was ‘doing better’.

He claimed that an Alcatel mobile phone found by the officers and that had not been registered with them was a temporary replacement, his having recently broken.

Mr Ferrari said the phone had been used to look at pornography and to set up an account on ‘WhatsFlirt’.

In mid-June, the police returned to Heather’s caravan in order to conduct a formal interview about the fact he had breached his sexual harm prevention order by having the unregistered mobile and setting up a new social media account.

He was not in the mobile phone. Eventually, they tracked him down to his former partner’s property.

There, they also found a Kindle device that had been used to view pornography and registered with a new email address in Heather’s name.

On the device was a conversation between Heather and his partner in which he appeared to recognise that he would be in trouble if the police caught him living at her property.

Heather, formerly of Schofield Avenue, Witney, pleaded guilty to breaching his sexual harm prevention order and the sex offender notification requirements.

Sending him to prison for 26 months, Judge Michael Gledhill KC said: “I want to send a very clear message out from this court that anybody with your perverted desire to look at filthy pictures, sexual pictures, on the internet or to engage with children for sexual purposes will be dealt with very, very harshly by the courts to deter people like you from doing what you’ve done.”

Description

A serial rapist who attacked three different women over a two-year period has been handed a 27-year extended sentence. After raping the women Saul Henvey tried to "manipulate" them into not reporting the incidents – even telling one woman he attacked in woods that "it's not rape but love".

Homeless Henvey was caught after going on the run and a large-scale manhunt which saw police warning drivers not to pick up hitchhikers at the roadside. Following his arrest for the woodland rape another victim came forward to report he had also attacked her, and detectives then looked again at a previous allegation of rape made against him which involved similar kinds of behaviour.

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard that in May 2021 Henvey met a woman in Lampeter town centre and after talking for a while the pair agreed to go for a picnic. A spot in nearby woodland was chosen, and there were initially no issues. However Henvey's behaviour suddenly changed and he violently attacked the woman, ripping her clothes off, threatening her, putting his hands around her throat, and raping her. The court heard he kept telling the woman: "It is not rape but love."

The assault was reported to police and officers were soon on the scene. Henvey was spotted but made off and he went on the run. The incident sparked a major overnight police search operation and drivers in the area were warned not to pick up hitchhikers. The defendant was located the following day.

Following the publicity around the woodland attack in Lampeter a further victim came forward to report the defendant had twice raped her in her own home while she slept. These offences had happened just two weeks earlier. Detectives then looked again at a previous rape allegation made against Henvey in January 2020. This offence had again occurred in the victim's home after he had stated talking to woman while she was working in her garden and then gone inside for a drink. The court heard both earlier incidents had seen the defendant "manipulating" the women into not reporting what he had done.

Nicola Powell, for the prosecution, characterised the defendant's offending as a "campaign of rape". The court heard details of statements from the three women the defendant raped in which they set out the impact the attacks have had on them leaving them feeling vulnerable, anxious and frightened. One woman said she now does not trust any man.

Saul Rowan Henvey, aged 47, from Tregaron, Ceredigion, had previously been convicted at trial of four counts of rape when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has previous convictions for offences including shoplifting, public disorder matters, possession of drugs, and dishonesty matters but none for sexual offences.

Lewis Perry, for Henvey, said the defendant had been "living off the grid for many, many years", and that it was clear from reports before the court that he been experiencing mental health difficulties for some time. He said his client "clearly needs ongoing treatment with specialist help".

Judge Catherine Richards said it was clear what Henvey did has had a "devastating" impact on the women involved. She said she had carefully read three psychiatric reports on the defendant and was not satisfied that his offending was wholly attributable to his mental health conditions. The judge said she did not consider a hospital order a suitable disposal.

Henvey was made the subject of 27-year extended sentence with a hospital and limitation direction. The sentence comprises 21 years in custody followed by a six-year extended licence. The sentence will initially be served in a secure hospital where he will be kept for as long as necessary for treatment. If his detention in hospital is considered no longer necessary he will be transferred to prison to serve the remainder of the custodial element of the sentence. He must serve two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence before he can apply for release but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be released. Henvey will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Speaking after the sentencing Dyfed-Powys Police detective inspector Adam Cann said: "The sentence handed to Henvey today is welcomed and we hope it will give some comfort to his victims and allows them to move on with their lives. As officers we have witnessed the devastating effect Henvey’s heinous violent actions had on his victims. Despite this they have shown incredible strength, bravery, and determination to see the investigation through and help us make sure he is locked up where he can’t do the same to other women.

"I hope this reassures people that Dyfed-Powys Police will not tolerate such terrible crimes and gives anyone who has been attacked like this the confidence to come forward. We will listen to you and we will work tirelessly to get justice."

Description

A rapist who repeatedly attacked two children and sent death threats to intimidate one into not telling anyone has been jailed for 24 years.

Adeoba Sijuwade abused the girls in Lancaster, with the youngest aged six when he first targeted her.

He later threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the abuse.

The 42-year-old, of no fixed address, was previously found guilty at Preston Crown Court of 17 offences including rape and sexual activity with a child.

Sijuwade, formerly of Kersal Way, Salford, was also handed a six-year extended licence period to run after his sentence and made to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

'Dangerous individual'

Following Wednesday's sentencing, one of the victims said: "It was a long and distressing time in our lives.

"I strongly encourage anyone in the same situation as us to come forward and report the abuse to the police. If you suspect this is happening to someone else, please say something.

"I have felt completely supported and believed from beginning to end, which is why I am encouraging others to come forward and make a report."

Det Insp Matt Entwistle, of Lancashire Police, said: "Sijuwade is a dangerous individual whose monstrous and perverted behaviour has had a significant and profound impact on his victims.

"I want to praise the victims for their bravery in coming forward and giving evidence at court."

Description

Withers, 68 of Bowes Road, New Southgate appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday, 27 July where, following a week-long trial he was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of sexual offences against two children.

Withers was arrested in December 2020 after two victims bravely contacted Essex Police to report offences which took place between 2002 and 2020 in Harwich.

Following an investigation by our Child Abuse Investigation Team, Withers was charged with indecent assault of a girl under 13, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child under 13 and assault of a girl under 13.

He pleaded not guilty and following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, was found guilty of all offences and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Description

A PAEDOPHILE who was found to have thousands of child and animal abuse images after police raided his home has been jailed for more than two years.

David Connery, 51, of Carnarvon Close, Southend, was charged with three counts of making indecent photograph of a child, a further three counts of distributing an indecent photograph of a child and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image portraying an act of intercourse with an animal.

Police raided his home on two separate occasions, and found more than 4,000 indecent images and messages.

Samantha Wright, prosecuting, said: “Officers attended Mr Connery’s address on February 10, 2021 and seized items which included iPhones and a Samsung laptop containing indecent images

“A warrant on February 7, 2022, was also executed which saw further devices seized with indecent images and messages speaking about children in a sexual manner.

“These messages also involved creating images of children for financial gain with some of the victims as young as four years old.”

Connery was hospitalised and a hospital discharge report from July 22 revealed he had a self inflicted open wound to the chest caused when he shot himself with a crossbow. 

 Following the discharge he was diverted to mental health organisations including Samaritans.

The February 2021 raid found more than 4,000 indecent images of children on Connery’s devices with 25 categorised as extreme pornography files.

On February 2022, the police found further images of extreme pornography including bestiality images and videos involving sex with animals.

Sentencing him at Basildon Crown Court on Wednesday, Recorder Caudle said: “When sentencing, I consider. the number of aggregating factors including a network of perverted like minded individuals who sent images back and forth.

“I am also considering the length of time of offending as high volume and over a long period, as well as the age of the victims.

“The Whatsapp chat messages show your facilitating of the distribution of these images as well as an obsession with young children and violence towards them.”

Recorder Caudle sentenced Connery to 28 months' imprisonment for the distribution and possession of indecent images. He is to serve half of the sentence then will be released and subject to licence. 

Description

A convicted sex offender removed a secure messaging application from his phone before police could access it or check its use, a court has heard. It is the third time Shaun Smith has breached a sexual harm prevention order which is designed to control his use of the internet and his contact with children.

The first saw him acquire a mobile phone which he kept secret from the police and the second saw him buy an internet-enabled computer games console which he again did not disclose. The sexual harm prevention order order was imposed in December 2018 after Smith sent "demanding and controlling" Facebook messages to someone he believed to be a schoolgirl, asked for intimate photos, and then tried to meet up with her at a local McDonald's.

In reality the Facebook account was being operated by a member of a so-called paedophile hunter group. Sending the 57-year-old defendant back to prison a judge told him his breaches of the court order were escalating.

Swansea Crown Court heard that on morning of June 23 this year police responsible for monitoring the defendant in the community visited Smith at his home address to carry out a risk assessment. Harry Dickens, prosecuting, said the officers asked the defendant a series of questions about his lifestyle and circumstances and asked to see his phone. The detectives asked Smith if he had deleted anything from the device and the 57-year-old replied that he had deleted the Telegram messaging app a few days earlier.

The defendant was arrested on suspicion of breaching his sexual harm prevention order and taken to a police station for questioning. In his subsequent interview Smith said he had used Telegram to chat to a woman he had met on a website called Xhamster – a pornography and social networking site. The prosecutor said in deleting the app and its data – something which is prohibited by the terms of the sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) – Smith had also deleted the online history associated with it.

Shaun Alan Smith, of Glanafon, Ammanford, had previously pleaded guilty to breaching a SHPO when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has two previous convictions for breaching the order – in 2020 he was given a community order for possessing a mobile phone which he had not disclosed to the authorities and then in 2022 he was jailed for owning an internet-enabled PlayStation games console which he again had not declared.

The SHPO itself was imposed in December 2018 after Smith was convicted of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. The offending saw him sending "demanding and controlling" Facebook messages to someone he believed to be a schoolgirl and then triying to meet up with her at a local McDonald's. During their online conversations Smith told what he thought was a 14-year-old girl that he was the same age as her father and "she was the sort of girl who could get a man into trouble". He also asked her whether she had lost her virginity and whether she was wearing knickers and he asked her to send intimate photographs. Smith also talked about meeting the girl and on one occasion went to a McDonald's restaurant and told his victim he was waiting for her. In fact Smith had been conversing with a member of a so-called paedophile hunter group. Sending the defendant to prison for 15 months on that occasion the judge told him he had no doubt his aim had been to "take this girl's virginity".

Rhiannon Lee-Meredith, for Smith, said to the defendant's credit he had not sought to hide the fact he had deleted the Telegram app. She said Smith was in "extreme ill-health" with spinal issues, arthritis in his hands, heart problems, and post-traumatic stress disorder and she said he was keen to maintain his relationship with his older children and to maintain his accommodation.

Recorder David Harris told Smith that deleting the app was his third breach of the order and marked, in his view, an escalation of his breaches. He said he was not persuaded there was any basis for suspending the custodial sentence that was due.

The judge said the appropriate sentence on the guidelines after trial allowing for the aggravating and mitigating factors was 18 months in prison. With a one third discount for his guilty plea Smith was sentenced to 12 months in prison. The defendant will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. The SHPO remains in force.

Description

A British paedophile sexually assaulted a toddler and filmed himself performing sex acts in front of them – which he then swapped with other paedos online.

Jonathan Walker, who sexually assaulted a young boy, both downloaded and distributed the disgusting video of babies and children being raped and abused.

According to reports the youngest victim is believed to be an infant, who was only a few months old.

The 33-year-old was apprehended by South Wales Police in a pub car park following a tip-off from the FBI in the US.

As plain-clothed officers attempted to detain Walker, the predator smashed his phone in the hope of destroying any evidence.

According to Wales Online, a judge handed the 33-year-old an extended sentence and said she had "serious concerns" about the risk he posed to children – categorising him as a dangerous offender.

Back in March of this year, Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard the force received information from UK's National Crime Agency about Walker's online activity.

Walker was identified as part of an ongoing FBI investigation into images shared on the Kik messaging app.

After his arrest, the prosecutor said Walker answered "no comment" to all questions while interviewed.

His attempts to destroy the contents of his iPhone were futile, and officers managed to uncover more than 160 indecent images and videos – 112 of which were Category A.

Category A is given to the most extreme kinds of sexual abuse – including the "violent rape" of babies in images the prosecutor described as "vile and difficult to comprehend".

Also on the phone were 178 images of extreme pornography involving bestiality.

The court heard officers also found videos Walker had filmed of himself masturbating in front of a young child. Police identified the child in the clips and it then emerged Walker had sexually assaulted the youngster on a number of occasions.

The investigation of the phone also showed Walker had been sharing images and videos with other "like-minded people" on messaging apps Kik, Telegram and Signal.

Jonathan David Walker, of Pontsticill, Merthyr, had previously pleaded guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault by touching, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, possession of indecent images, distribution of indecent images and to the possession of extreme pornography when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

He has a previous conviction for harassing a former partner – an offence for which he was previously given a community order.

Judge Catherine Richards said it was clear from the online chatlogs police had recovered that Walker's abuse and filming of his young victim had been "calculated and planned".

She said she was "seriously concerned" about the risk he posed to children and was sure an extended sentence was necessary to manage that risk.

Walker was made the subject of an extended 13-year sentence comprising seven and a half years in custody followed by a five-and-a-half-year extended licence period.

He can apply to be released after serving two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be let out.

The defendant will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Description

A man given a lengthy prison sentence today (Tuesday July 25) after being convicted of sexual assaults and voyeurism offences against a child remains in denial.

Alan Lee Pearson was arrested after a third-party contacted Cleveland Police with concerns for a teenage victim, in April 2021.

The victim disclosed that Pearson had carried out physical and sexual assaults over a number of years.

Specialist support was offered to the complainant while inquiries were undertaken.

Extensive allegations were made against Pearson, following recovery and examination of various electronic devices, revealing indecent images and videos.

It resulted in 12 charges being brought against Pearson in March last year and he subsequently denied all of them at initial court appearances.

Despite his continued denials, even trying to shift the blame for some of the offences onto his accuser, he was found guilty of all charges, two of rape of a child under 13, seven counts of sexual assault, six in the most serious bracket, plus three of voyeurism, after a trial at Teesside Crown Court, concluding on May 2.

The 42-year-old defendant, of no fixed abode, appeared back before the court at his sentencing hearing, via video link from HMP Durham, where he has been on remand,

Asked by trial judge, Recorder Andrew Smith, if his “position” remains the same regarding his denials, Paul Abrahams, for Pearson, said: “No, he maintains his position as to what he said in evidence.”

Recorder Pearson told Pearson he would sentence him as an offender, “of particular concern.,” meaning he will have to serve at least two-thirds of the sentence before he can be considered eligible for releasee.

Referring to a background report prepared for the sentencing hearing, Recorder Smith said: “The Probation Service takes the view you pose a high risk of causing serious harm to children.

“Inevitable the only sentence that can be passed today is a lengthy sentence of imprisonment”, for what he described as, “behaving in this disgraceful way to a young child.”

Recorder Smith imposed a 16-year custodial element, to be followed by an extended 12-month period of licence supervision.

He told Pearson that unless his current attitude to his offending changes he may have to serve longer than the two-thirds custodial element of the sentence behind bars.

Agreed restrictions under the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order will be confirmed in coming days, but Pearson must also now register as a sex offender, for life.

Speaking after the hearing, the officer who oversaw the case, Detective Sergeant Gemma Leeming, of Cleveland Police’s  CAVA (Child Abuse and Vulnerable Adult) department, said: “This was a horrific case of long-term systematic sexual and physical abuse until the victim bravely told someone what happened.

“As soon as police received the report about his offences, we took all possible steps to preserve evidence and build a strong case against Pearson who consistently denied any wrongdoing. 

“The victim was courageous and determined throughout, and the investigation team shared a determination to bring Pearson to justice.

“I welcome the sentence passed today and hope that the victim and family can now move on with their lives.

“I wish the victim well for the future.”

Safeguarding CAVA Chief Inspector Matt Murphy-King said: “I hope this sentence brings comfort to the victim and their family.

"It should reassure anyone with concerns for the safety of a child or young person that they can report to Cleveland Police in complete confidence. 

“My specially trained officers will investigate all allegations thoroughly and sensitively and support is always available to victims and their family during the investigation and court process.”

He added: “You can report concerns to Cleveland Police at any time via the 101 number, or online via our website.”

Description

A brave woman has told how her life was ruined by 'selfish' Sam Rudge after he took her virginity at a New Year's Eve party. The underage girl had been given alcohol before the incident, a court heard.

The victim suffered ill health and said what the then-teenage defendant, who is now 29, did to her “did not feel right”. The woman, who is from Derby, went to the police to report what happened to her at Rudge's hands.

Rudge, from Bewdley, denied the charges and only pleading guilty to sexual activity with a child on the second day of the trial. This meant she spent months worrying about having to face her abuser and give evidence. Her father read her hugely powerful victim impact statement to the court, DerbyshireLive reports.

In it she said: “Sam Rudge, you took away my innocence and you took advantage of my naivety. I was a child and I was physically and emotionally abused by you.

“Before I met you I was a happy person with a large group of friends and now I only have a small group of friends and only truly feel safe around my family. My life is constant flashbacks and I suffer panic attacks, anxiety and depression on a daily basis and have been diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

“I now have multiple locks on my front door and need sleeping tablets to help me get through each 24-hour period. Although my physical health is poor, my mental health is much worse.

“My parents constantly have to go out of their way to help me and by not admitting your guilt to the police I went through three torturous years (waiting for the trial). My life has been ruined by your selfish abuse.

“My life has been in limbo up until this point and I hope I will see justice. Sam Rudge, you thought you had taken my power away from me but you did not. I am much stronger now and I will make sure you never do this to another woman again."

Sarah Phelan, prosecuting at Nottingham Crown Court, said Rudge abused the girl when she was a very young teen. She said: "At a New Year’s Eve party she was given alcohol and they were alone in a room. She was a virgin and described how the room was spinning and that he had sex with her.

"There was no foreplay, she experienced pain and said ‘it hurt, it did not feel special, it did not feel right’. The prosecutor said years later, when she was an adult, the victim reported what happened to her to the police and Rudge, of Severn Way, Bewdley, was arrested.

She said he answered "no comment" to the questions he was asked in the interview but later pleaded guilty to charges of sexual activity with a child. He has no previous convictions of any kind.

Stephen Tettey, mitigating, successfully argued that his client, who has been diagnosed with autism, could be managed in the community rather than being sent to immediate custody.

He said: "In his letter he says he is very sorry for the damage he has caused to the complainant. His pre-sentence report concludes that he presents a low risk (of reoffending)."

Judge Jonathan Bennett handed Rudge a two-year prison term, suspended for two years. Under its terms he must carry out 175 hours of unpaid work, attend 55 rehabilitation sessions and a 43-day sex offender treatment programme.

He also handed him a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and placed him on the sex offender register, also for 10 years.

The judge said: "It has been suggested to me that you have shown some remorse but I’m not actually convinced by that. Mr Tettey has given me your letter in which you are a little self-absorbed telling me about your difficulties.

"The complainant has to be commended, she has come forward and told the police of the terrible thing that happened to her when she was young."

Description

A REGISTERED sex offender has appeared in court accused of installing a private web browser and deleting the internet history from a device.

Christopher Topliss, 35, faces four charges of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and one charge of failing to comply with notification requirements of the Sex Offenders’ Register.

Topliss is accused of installing a private browser on three occasions between February and March 2022 and deleting the internet history from a device in his possession by installing and uninstalling numerous applications and their contents on or before June 15, 2023.

It is also alleged that he failed to declare numerous aliases to police within three days, which he is required to do as a registered sex offender.

Topliss, of Ennerdale Road, Cleator Moor, did not enter any pleas when he appeared at Workington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

The case was sent to Carlisle Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing on August 25.

Description

A 30-year-old Highland man who groomed a boy under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity has escaped a jail sentence.

Married but now divorced Thomas Baird had been warned by a sheriff he faced a "custodial sentence of a considerable length."

But after reading a background report and hearing from defence solicitor advocate Clare Russell, Sheriff Gary Aitken instead decided to impose a "robust community payback order" and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. The SHPO restricts Baird's internet activity and contact with children under the age of 16 for the next five years. He was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for the same period.

The sheriff told the first offender, who must also carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and remain under social work supervision for three years: "This was an appalling offence which society takes an unbelievably dim view of. You are very close to a lengthy prison sentence but my principal concern is to try and make sure you do not do anything like this ever again."

If he does not comply, the sheriff told Baird he would go to jail.

The court heard that Baird, who was living with his parents in Invergordon, had to move out after their home was attacked and bricks thrown through their windows. Baird is now accommodated in a house of multiple occupancy in Inverness.

After sentencing, Baird disguised himself and had to be secretly smuggled from the building by police for his own protection. Some of the victim's family, who had muttered their disapproval in court at the non-custodial sentence, were waiting for him outside the Justice Centre.

The court previously heard that Baird committed the offences while living with his wife at addresses in Alness and elsewhere between December 1, 2018 and January 27, 2020.

He admitted encouraging the boy to watch videos and look at images of sexual activity, sent him sexual communications and requested sexual photographs of the boy as well as sending him pictures of his private parts.

The lengthy charge against Baird included him touching the boy's private parts.

Fiscal depute Robert Weir told the court that the boy's mother was increasingly worried about the amount of time he was spending with Baird.

She also found sexual messages and images on her son's phone but her fears were dismissed by some in Baird's family. One accused her of being "vindictive."

The boy was interviewed twice by police, the first time he confirmed some sexual behaviour but it was only on the second occasion that he admitted there had been sexual activity to prove the mother right.

Description

A 20-year-old man has been convicted of murdering 16-year-old Amber Gibson.

Amber was reported missing from the Hamilton area on Friday, 26 November, 2021 and her body was discovered near to Cadzow Glen on Sunday, 28 November, 2021.

At the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday, 25 July, 2023, Connor Gibson was convicted of murder, sexual assault and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

Another man, Stephen Corrigan, aged 45, was also found guilty in this case of attempting to defeat the ends of justice and Breach of the Peace.

They are due to be sentenced on Monday, 4 September, 2023.

Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Livingstone, Head of Major Crime said: "It's hard to imagine how difficult this has been for Amber’s family and friends and our thoughts very much remain with them. I hope this conviction brings them some degree of comfort.

"The actions of both Gibson and Corrigan leaves them beneath contempt.

"This was a challenging and complex investigation involving a range of specialist officers from within Police Scotland working closely with our partners in forensic services, all of whom I would pay tribute to for their professionalism and dedication whilst carrying out their work.

"I would like to thank the members of the public for their help during our enquiries, which undoubtedly assisted in securing this conviction."

Description

A SEX offender caught out by a police team dedicated to protecting vulnerable children online has been jailed.

Liam l’Anson North, 29, was sentenced to three years and four months yesterday (Monday, July 24) at Leeds Crown Court after being found guilty by a jury of three online child sex offences.

He thought he was in contact with a young child but was in fact speaking with undercover West Yorkshire Police staff.

He was found guilty of offences of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and two offences of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

His activity first came to light in mid-2021 when an account using an alias created by l’Anson North, from Middleton in Rochdale, made contact via social media with a West Yorkshire Police-controlled account.

Thinking the person he was speaking with was a 13-year-old female, the male engaged the account holder in conversation which quickly became sexual.

He was arrested by officers in June 2021 and charged on February 18, 2022, to appear before magistrates.

Investigations in the case were carried out by the Kirklees Online Investigation Team and the West Yorkshire Police Digital Forensics Unit.

Working together the teams were able to uncover a number of messages from l’Anson’s devices - despite the attempts he made to delete them and hide his activity.

PC James Hackman of the Online Investigation Team, said: “We welcome the sentencing of L’Anson North and believe he poses a real risk to young children.

“In his conversations, he demonstrated clear intent to commit serious sexual offending against young children, and it is fortunate the person he thought he was speaking with was actually a police officer.”

He added: “A key part of this investigation was the very close working between Kirklees officers and our specialist colleagues at the Digital Forensics Unit which provided us with a full picture of activity L’Anson North would rather have stayed hidden.

“This case should also make very clear to those who think they can ‘cover their tracks’ when engaging in child sexual offending that force specialists are extremely skilled at retrieving deleted evidence from phones and computer equipment.”