Latest Offenders

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A man who was convicted of the murder of a Sawtry schoolgirl has today been jailed for horrific crimes which took place in the 1980s.

Martin Cooper, 61, admitted charges of rape, false imprisonment and assault and was jailed for seven years when he appeared at Peterborough Crown Court.

The case involved an incident that took place in March, 1987, but thanks to painstaking work by Cambridgeshire police, detectives were able to bring a prosecution more than three decades later.

Cooper convinced his victim to get into his car before locking the doors and driving her to a wooded area near Leighton Bromswold, near Huntingdon.

Cooper, who was known as Colin Hill at the time, ignored pleas from the victim to turn the car around towards the arranged location, and instead began to kiss and grope her without consent.

After making several threats of violence, Cooper raped her.

Afterwards he grabbed the victim and told her he would, keep her for a few days, and, he didnt know what he was going to do with her.

In a bid to escape, the victim told Cooper she needed to use the toilet and he stopped the car at a nearby pub.

She ran through the pub and hid under the landlords car until Cooper eventually left. The landlord found her under the car and arranged for her to be collected by her family.

Several weeks after the incident, Cooper raped and murdered Leanne Scott, a schoolgirl from Sawtry, and was initially jailed for 18 years. After the murder, the victim spoke to officers and informed them of the rape.

Cooper, of Russell Street, Luton, was released in 2018, but jailed again shortly afterwards due to concerns about his behaviour and licence breaches.

DC Elaine Penniket said: I would like to applaud the phenomenal bravery shown by the survivor in this case, who has had to live with the devastating impact of Coopers horrific actions.

This case highlights the significance of reporting serious sexual offences to police. Tackling rape is a force priority and if you or someone you loved has suffered at the hands of a rapist, I would urge you to come forward to report it to police.

Anyone who is concerned someone may have been convicted of a sex offence, and could be posing a risk to someone, can apply for disclosure information through Clares Law and Sarahs Law.

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Manzoor Akhtar, 31, has been jailed for four years and six months after being found guilty of raping a young girl between 2005 and 2006.

Akhtar, from the Crosland Moor area of the town, is the latest person to be convicted in the ongoing Operation Tendersea investigation over the historic sexual abuse of young girls.

Girls were abused by multiple men in the town between 1995 and 2011 and 35 men have so far been jailed for a total of 380 years over the crimes.

Leeds Crown Court heard how Akhtar sexually assaulted his victim when she was aged between 13 and 14 years of age.

He was sentenced at the court on Wednesday last week.

Another man, from Dewsbury, has also been jailed for 12 months as part of the sexual abuse probe.

Shaqeel Hussain, 36, of Spen Valley Road, Dewsbury, pleaded guilty to an indecent assault committed in Huddersfield between 2004 and 2005 on a 16-year-old girl.

Hussain is already serving an eight-year sentence for the rape of a 14-year-old girl as part of the Tendersea investigation, in a trial from February of this year. He was told he must serve the 12 months consecutively with his current sentence.

Commenting on the conviction of Manzoor Akhtar, Detective Chief Inspector Richard McNamara of the Kirklees District CID, said: “Akhtar richly deserves the prison sentence he has been given after being found guilty and convicted for the dreadful sexual abuse of this young victim.

“He thought nothing of this girl’s obvious very young age as he raped her and treated her in a fashion which can only be described as callous in the extreme.”

DCI McNamara said he was also pleased that the force was now able to name Shaqeel Hussain.

He said: “Hussain was convicted for rape in an Operation Tendersea trial in February 2020 but at the time we were not able to release his identity. He has now been sentenced after pleading guilty to an indecent assault on a 16 year old victim, and can be named as reporting restrictions have been lifted.

“He will face a total of nine years in prison in total for both of these depraved offences in which he showed no regard whatsoever for his victims.

He added: “A repeated feature of these cases has been the stunning bravery of the now young women who have come forward to tell us about the abuse they suffered and then doing everything they can to support the police and CPS in taking action against those who abused them.

“The courage of victims is helping us take dangerous predators such as Manzoor Akhtar and Shaqeel Hussain off our streets, show them for what they are, and put them behind bars where they belong.”

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On April 22 Shaqeel Hussain of Spen Valley Road was jailed for 12 months in a separate criminal case, also investigated as part of the wider Operation Tendersea enquiry.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to an indecent assault committed in Huddersfield between 2004 and 2005 on a 16-year-old girl.

In a previous Operation Tendersea trial in February 2020, relating to the sexual abuse of two girls in the Huddersfield area between 1995 and 2011, Hussain was jailed for eight years for the rape of a 14 year old girl. He was told he must serve the 12 months consecutive to the eight year term he is currently serving.

Manzoor Akhtar (31) from Crosland Moor in Huddersfield was sentenced to four years, six months at Leeds Crown Court on April 22 after being found guilty of raping a young girl between 2005-2006.

Akhtar became the latest man to be convicted as part of West Yorkshire Police’s multi part Operation Tendersea investigation into the sexual abuse of young girls in Huddersfield between 1995 and 2011.

During proceedings, the court heard he subjected his victim to sexual assault when she was between 13-14 years old.

Commenting on the conviction of Manzoor Akhtar, Detective Chief Inspector Richard McNamara of the Kirklees District CID, said: “Akhtar richly deserves the prison sentence he has been given after being found guilty and convicted for the dreadful sexual abuse of this young victim.

“He thought nothing of this girl’s obvious very young age as he raped her and treated her in a fashion which can only be described as callous in the extreme.”

DCI McNamara said he was also pleased that the force was now able to name Shaqeel Hussain.

He said: “Hussain was convicted for rape in an Operation Tendersea trial in February 2020 but at the time we were not able to release his identity. He has now been sentenced after pleading guilty to an indecent assault on a 16 year old victim, and can be named as reporting restrictions have been lifted.

“He will face a total of nine years in prison in total for both of these depraved offences in which he showed no regard whatsoever for his victims.

He added: “A repeated feature of these cases has been the stunning bravery of the now young women who have come forward to tell us about the abuse they suffered and then doing everything they can to support the police and CPS in taking action against those who abused them.

“The courage of victims is helping us take dangerous predators such as Manzoor Akhtar and Shaqeel Hussain off our streets, show them for what they are, and put them behind bars where they belong.”

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Jake Mills, 21, sexually assaulted and tried to rape his first victim - a young woman in her 20s - then exposed himself to two female pensioners while under investigation.

All three attacks happened on Chesterfield streets.

Judge Nirmal Shant QC said Mills targeted the two elderly women because they were more vulnerable and he posed a significant risk to lone females.

The court heard a psychological report found Mills had a very low IQ however Judge Shant added that provided no explanation for what he had done.

During the first incident in November 2020, Mills followed a young woman into an alleyway at around 5.40am, began kissing her and tried to force her to perform oral sex.

However the court heard while Mills was released on bail under investigation, he exposed himself to two elderly women on the same day.

And the same morning he had followed a young woman in his car while she was jogging in Tapton.

Judge Shant, speaking about the November 2020 attack, said: This was an attack on a lone female in the street in the early hours of the morning.

Suffice to say its had a profound impact as statements describe her misery - she suffers panic attacks, loss of confidence, anxiety and depression which has required medication.

She has had nightmares and flashbacks - it will take her years to get back to normality.

She had to move home as the incident occurred not far from her home.

Speaking about the second incident - committed 10 months later while Mills was on bail - the judge said: It would have been evident to you that one of (the victims) was in her late 70s and the other was in her 80s.

I take the view that you decided to approach them because they were more vulnerable than the younger lady.

You sat in your car and invited them to participate in sexual activity while you were masturbating and I have no doubt you took some pleasure in doing so.

They were hugely traumatised by what happened - its completely changed their lives.

Laura Pitman, prosecuting, told Derby Crown Court how during the first incident in November, 2020, Mills followed his young victim into an alleyway at around 5.40am.

The scared girl had just set off walking to work from her Chesterfield home when she came across Mills - who was stood in the street.

After asking her the time Mills offered the female a spliff and then a cigarette, engaging her in conversation, walking alongside her as they approached the alley - which was still dark.

However Miss Pitman said: As they entered his behaviour changed - he positioned himself in front of her and put his arms around her.

As he stood in front of her he kissed her on the lips - she had done absolutely nothing to suggest that was what she wanted.

Mills kissed the woman several times despite her repeated attempts to push him away, forcing her hand down to his privates - which were now exposed.

The court heard after sexual predator Mills tried to force his victims head down to his groin she was able to force him away.

Miss Pitmans said: He then said add me on Snapchat, kissed her, then walked away.

However the court heard while Mills was released under investigation he exposed himself to two elderly women on the same day - in September, 2021.

He targeted both pensioners - in their 70s and 80s - as they walked along the street in Chesterfield around 8am, following them in his car and uttering vile sexual comments.

One of the victims, aged 82, was walking along a road when she heard the defendant shouting from his car.

As she approached Mills black vehicle he asked her the time before asking her to jump in the car and asking her to have sex with him, saying it will do you the world of good.

As Mills exposed himself and the woman walked off he reversed along the road following her while touching himself before eventually driving away.

Miss Pitman said Mills later came across the second victim, aged 77, as she walked to a shop to buy a newspaper.

After repeatedly asking her the time, Mills followed the OAP in his car as he tried to make her way home.

The prosecutor said: As she neared her home address she began to get scared - she didnt want him to know her home address.

He then opened the car door and she noticed his trousers around his ankles and his penis was in his hands.

As vile pervert Mills tried to persuade the elderly lady to have sex with him a passing driver, seeing the woman in a distressed state, pulled up to check she was Ok. Mills then fled in his car.

The court heard the very same morning a young woman had called police to report a black car - later identified as belonging to Mills - had followed her as she jogged in Tapton.

Mills was linked with the September 2021 incidents after victims described a missing panel from his car interior and police viewed CCTV footage of him returning to his parents home afterwards.

He was snared for the November 2020 attempted rape when his DNA was found on his victims glasses.

Mills, of Boythorpe Road, Boythorpe, admitted sexual assault and two counts of exposure. He was found guilty of attempted rape during a trial.

He was ordered to serve at least two-thirds of an eight year jail term in custody and was given an extended licence period of four years to be served after his release.

The Boythorpe man was also made subject of an 18-year sexual harm prevention order.

Under its terms he is banned from approaching lone females he does not know or driving any vehicle without registering its details with the police.

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A teenager who sexually groomed two young girls has been locked up after appearing in court to admit his crimes.

Brandon Vernon sent "highly sexualised" messages to his young victims even though he knew they were both under the age of consent, police said.

He was placed under investigation late last year when the mother of one of the girls contacted police to raise her concerns about him.

Both girls were spoken to by police, and the nature and extent of Vernon's offending emerged.

Vernon, 18, pleaded guilty at Leicester Crown Court in February to the following offences against his first victim: two counts of sexual activity with a child, one of sexual communication with a child and one of distributing an indecent image of a child.

In relation to the second child, he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual communication with a child and two of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Vernon appeared at the same court today and was sentenced to three years' detention in a young offenders institution.

At the conclusion of proceedings, Leicestershire Police said its detectives believed there might be more victims who are yet to be traced.

Releasing a detailed account of the case, the force said it opened an investigation into Vernon, of Fountains Avenue, Eyres Monsell, Leicester, in late-December last year when a parent rang the force because she believed Vernon was sexually grooming her daughter.

In a statement, the force said the teenage girl was interviewed, telling officers that she and Vernon had been messaging each other and the messages would often have a sexual reference.

"The girl was also concerned that she had been sent by Vernon an indecent image of another child," it added.

At that stage, Vernon was arrested on suspicion of committing those offences and was later released on bail while officers conducted further inquiries, including an examination of his electronic devices.

In January this year, police received a call from another parent concerned that her daughter had engaged in sexual activity with Vernon in early December 2019.

The second child was also interviewed by detectives, the force said.

The statement continued: "The teenage girl detailed that she met Vernon through a friend in November, the previous month, and they began messaging each other, which often would have a sexual reference.

"Vernon initially told the victim that he was the same age as her. She later found out that he was 18 years old.

"As part of the victim’s disclosure and subsequent inquiries, Vernon was arrested for these offences."

Detective Sergeant Jim Muzzell, from the force’s child sexual exploitation team, oversaw the investigation.

Det Con Muzzell said: “Despite the victims telling him their ages, Vernon still pursued a relationship with the children and sent highly sexualised messages to them, with one of the relationships leading to sexual activity.

As a consequence of his actions, he has left two young girls trying to cope with their experience.

“There is a possibility that there may be other girls who have been in contact with Vernon and could be further victims.

"If there is anyone who may have been in contact with him and believe they may also have been a victim of a similar crime we would ask them to contact police, quoting Operation Cabbie.

“We have a number of specialist officers available to speak to you and guide you through that process.”

Vernon was also issued with an indefinite restraining order which prohibits him from contacting both victims, and a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, which will impose conditions on his behaviour and movements once he is released from custody.

He was placed on the sex offender register for life.

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A man who raped a teenage girl after following her off a bus has been jailed for nine years.

Michael Murray, 29, attacked the girl in Stapleton Road in the Easton area of Bristol on 9 January.

He pleaded guilty to rape and a separate charge of common assault when he appeared via video-link at Bristol Crown Court on 7 April.

Murray, of no fixed address, will serve nine years in jail and six years on an extended licence.

Avon and Somerset Police said his victim gave a detailed description of her attacker so they were able to track him down on CCTV footage in the area at the time of the assault.

Murray was handed a concurrent four-month prison sentence for the common assault on a second victim, who he hit with a cigarette lighter after she rebuffed his advances.

He was also given an indefinite restraining orders in relation to both victims and he will remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Det Sgt Stuart Toms said Murray posed "a significant risk to women and in particular, to teenage girls and it's reassuring to know he will now be locked up for a lengthy period of time".

"Sexual assaults by strangers are rare in Avon and Somerset but when they do happen we do everything we can to identify offenders and bring them to justice," he said.

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A PROLIFIC sex offender from Somerford has died four months after being put behind bars.

Peter Bennett, who was 80, had been in Winchester Prison when he fell ill and later died at the citys Royal Hampshire County Hospital on 15th March, the opening of an inquest heard.

Hampshire Coroners Court was told the post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be sepsis, cellulitis and prostate cancer.

The hearing was adjourned and a full inquest is to be held on 3rd August.

As reported in the A&T, the pensioner, of Edward Road, was sent down for five years and 10 months in early December last year at Bournemouth Crown Court by Judge Alastair Malcolm who branded him an adept groomer.

The judge decided to jail him, despite being told Bennett had cancer, because he noted the defendant had committed sex offences stretching back more than five decades and already been ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

His latest offence involved him chatting to what he thought was a 12-year-old girl online and encouraging her to have sexual contact with her pet dog and a horse.

But unknown to Bennett, he was actually talking to a paedophile hunter from the vigilante group Stop which subsequently called in another vigilante group to challenge him on his doorstep.

When that happened the group posted a video of the encounter on Facebook which was seen more than 100,000 times.

Bennett was arrested and police also uncovered extreme porn on devices he owned.

He was charged with attempting to incite or cause a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexualised activity, attempting to communicate with a child in sexualised terms and possessing extreme pornography.

Bennett pleaded guilty to all three matters when he appeared before Judge Malcolm.

At his sentencing, prosecutor Sadie Rizzo said Bennetts offending began in 1963 when he indecently assaulted a female under 14, which resulted in Bennett being locked up.

He reoffended against a female under 16 eight years later and was found in possession of obscene articles, but escaped with a suspended sentence.

The defendants most serious offence, Ms Rizzo outlined, was an incident in 1972 when he grabbed an 18-year-old girl, drove her to a secluded spot and got her to perform sexual acts another offence which landed him in prison.

Bennett also had convictions for indecent exposure in 1969 and in the 1980s, and in 2006 appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court after he was found to have made and distributed more than 340 indecent images of children 68 of which were at the most serious level.

Judge Malcolm said they were serious offences that were exacerbated by the fact he had a long history of offending against children who are underage.

Judge Malcom also told Bennett: You have been a danger to children under 16 for very many years; your first offence was in the 1960s and you have targeted children decade by decade since that time.

As far as you were concerned there was a 12-year-old and you were getting sexual gratification by grooming her and trying to get her to commit offences of bestiality.

You are quite clearly an adept groomer, the judge added.

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A fugitive Travelex manager has been jailed after stealing 70,000 from a Tesco bureau-de-change and fleeing to America while on bail for abusing a child.

David Aspden, 33, had been arrested in December 2018 for abusing a 12-year-old boy. But while on bail the former secretary at a junior football club managed to get a shift at the Travelex booth at Tesco in Middleton, near Rochdale on Christmas Eve.

After sending a colleague home early, Aspden, of Preston, Lancashire, filled up Tesco bags for life with cash, then vanished with the money on a flight out of Manchester on Boxing Day.

Aspden spent five months in the US where he squandered the stolen cash before returning to Britain on board a cruise ship. It is believed none of the money he took has been recovered.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Aspden, of Preston, Lancs was jailed for 14 months after he admitted theft by employee. The sentence will run consecutively to a five year stretch imposed in June last year after he admitted inciting a 12 year old boy to to engage in sexual activity with him.

Aspden who was secretary of a junior football club had originally been arrested in 2018 after the lad went to police and told how he had been asked to carry out a sex act on him during a caravan holiday in Cumbria.

He was bailed to face court but in December 2018 he used the opportunity of working alone on Christmas Eve at Travelex booth at Tesco in Middleton, near Rochdale to plot his escape.

Prosecutor Miss Lisa Boocock said: 'The defendant worked as a manager at a Travelex bureau-de-change inside a Tesco store in Middleton.

'He started training in December and took up the post on 7th December 2018, and had a week of training. He was a manager looking after cash in the stores safe. He then started work and indicated he wanted to work on Christmas Eve.

'He sent his co-worker home early and was working alone in the store. There is CCTV footage and the incident happened over a protracted period of time. Over about twenty minutes the defendant filled several bags for life with money from the shop.

'He also went shopping around the store, returned to pick the bags up and then left with them. Around 70,000 was in the bags. He went home and booked a flight for December 26. He flew to the United States and spent just over five months travelling around the country and using the money. The theft was not discovered until December 27 and colleagues asked questions.

'This caused anxiety among staff, which was perhaps exacerbated because it happened over Christmas when the store was closed. The defendant returned to the UK via cruise ship in May 31 2019 and was arrested by police.

'He accepted guilt and said he took the money. He said he had disposed of around 30,000 and spent the rest in the USA. He was in a position of trust and responsibility, and he breached that trust. He was working alone in possession of large amounts of money.'

In mitigation defence lawyer Lucy Wright said: 'The defendant accepts the high degree of trust that he breached but in light of the CCTV evidence, it was not a sophisticated offence. He has in effect videoed himself offending.

'In a sense, he was evading justice by going to the USA but he returned from America when he knew he would be arrested on arrival in the UK and this proves he is genuinely remorseful. If he had simply decided to stay in America, justice would have been delayed.

'He didnt come back because he ran out of money. He came back because he realised he needed to come back to own up and face justice. He was on bail for the other offence at the time of this matter. Since then he has been told he has a diagnosis of psychotic episodes, anxiety and depression- although no written evidence of this has been provided.

'He says the offence happened when he was feeling extremely low and struggling to keep on top of his mental health problems.

'Before his first offence, he was a man of good character who spent much of his time living purposefully and he struggles to reconcile how he has got himself into this position. His father is currently very unwell in hospital and the defendant thinks he may not see him again if he is given a custodial sentence. His mother needs assistance and is self-isolating, and he is unable to support her through this.'

Passing sentence, Judge Mark Savill told Aspden: 'You volunteered to work on Christmas Eve when there was lot of money in the safe. None of your co-workers were working at the time of the offence and you thought you could perhaps remain undetected.

'It was a brazen offence. You helped yourself and filled bags with 70,000 cash and foreign currency. You then left the store and left the country. You took some of that money with you and spent about five months travelling America then returned to the UK on a cruise ship.

'You upset your co-workers and some of them thought they would end up being blamed. But upon arrest, you were interviewed and accepted your guilt. You were subject to police inquiries when you committed this offence and you breached a high degree of trust and responsibility.

'You caused concern among your co-workers and went on the run before returning to the UK in some style. I am willing to accept that prison is unpleasant for you given the current public health crisis and the fact your parents are not in good health.

'However, there is no excuse for what you were doing at all. This is not a similar offence to when a single parent find themselves in in significant debt and steals from their employer to feed their family, This is not that at all. You stole a significant amount of money, went on the run and spent it.'

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A teenager dubbed "paedo Jack" is facing prison after admitting a string of terrifying sex offences against teenage girls.

Jack Walker, 19, has appeared at Hull Crown Court charged with four offences of sexual activity with a child, one offence of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two offences of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Walker, of Fort Terrace, Bridlington, appeared via video link from Hull Prison where he has been remanded since August, ready for his sentencing hearing - which will take place on Friday.

As his crimes were laid out before the court, Walker regularly shook his head before pleading guilty to all seven charges, which revolved around grooming underage children.

Charlotte Baines, prosecuting, told the court the charges related to a 14-year-old girl, who at one point Walker had asked to move to Bradford with him.

She told the court that Walker had been warned by both his mum and Humberside Police to stay away from the girl.

Throughout his offending, Walker was placed under child abduction warning notices, which are used to disrupt contact between vulnerable children and an adult where there are concerns that the child may be at risk of harm including sexual exploitation.

Miss Baines said: The girl said she had been involved in a group of males for sexual contact and she said she felt sick and disgusted in herself, but felt normal when she did it. She said she felt pressured.

The girl later told officers she had often taken drugs when around Walker.

Miss Baines said that one night after smoking together, Walker had sat her on his knee and touched her [the girl]".

She told the court: "He didnt ask if he could, he just did it. He tried getting her to go upstairs with him, saying 'come on, you know you want to do it'.

She told police she had messaged him telling her how old she was and he sent her indecent pictures and asked her to do the same.

"He sent her messages about taking her virginity and making sure it wouldnt hurt. He tried to convince her to have sex with him on two or three occasions.

The court heard that after locking himself and the girl in a beach hut, Walker said her body was perfect before telling her "not to tell anyone about what he said".

Miss Baines added: He said I will get into trouble - you dont want that do you?. One friend of the girl said that everyone knew him as 'paedo Jack'."

Other charges against Walker related to another 14-year-old girl.

Miss Baines told the court that the girl had said many people around the ages of 14 and 15 would often be round at Walkers flat.

She told the court: The girl said she could often hear Walker and his girlfriend having sex and this would make her uncomfortable and she would turn the music up. She was asked to join them a few times and knew what had been meant by that.

She described how she would keep an eye on him as she knew he had ADHD, bipolar and anger issues.

Hull Crown Court heard that Walker had sex with the young girl an estimated ten times, including in a disused building, which was witnessed by a teenage boy who said he felt that he had been coerced into watching.

Miss Baines said the boy knew that it was not right that Walker was having sex with underage girls.

She told the court: He recalled a time when he had seen the defendant and one of the girls and went to speak to them and Walker had said, Im s******* this one now.

He went with them to an abandoned building and the defendant had sex with the girl. The defendant told him to sit down on a log and watch. He said he didnt want to get stabbed as the defendant had a screwdriver in his pocket.

The girl said, Does he have to watch? and the defendant had said Let him stay. He said he was scared of him and by talking to police after he said it felt like a betrayal."

Walker was first interviewed by police in June last year and said there had been no messages between him and the first girl.

The court heard that during his second interview with officers in August last year, Walker said he "did not understand what consent means", although he later pleaded guilty to all seven charges.

Paul Genney, mitigating for Walker, told how he lives with a learning disability and a low IQ and a pre-sentence report and psychological report had been issued.

Mr Genney outlined details of Walkers traumatic childhood which included living in a violent home.

He said: Hes damaged, basically. Whether he is beyond the point of redemption, it is difficult to know. He has been tearful and crying while in prison and misses, in his words his 'mummy and his Lego'.

Hes obviously something of a child himself. Hes damaged by his upbringing."

Mr Genney said Walker was not a manipulative or sophisticated", but instead, someone in need of help and treatment".

He added: Hes got the sophistication of a 14-year-old himself, with very little empathy. We cant penalise him for being unintelligent.

Talking about Walkers time in custody so far, Mr Genney said: He is vulnerable and tearful and is finding it to be the most traumatic experience. Hopefully someone, somewhere can offer him some sort of course or help that could help increase his sense of empathy or sensitivity.

Walker will be sentenced by Judge John Thackray on Friday, April 3.

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A convicted sex offender has been jailed for failing to tell police he had an Amazon Fire TV Stick and a secret Barclays account.

Steven Woodcock also had 47 indecent child images on his laptop and installed special software to delete and 'scrub' the internet history, a court heard.

The 44-year-old, who was being managed in the community under a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), was visited by police last year as part of a routine check.

The SHPO prohibited him from using any internet-capable device unless it had the capacity to display and retain the internet history and had to be made available on request for inspection by police.

Prosecutor Emma Kehoe told Preston Crown Court how Woodcock admitted visiting a library in Morecambe 'up to six times a week' to use the internet.

She said officers were 'concerned about their regular visits' and made enquiries with the library.

The National Crime Agency later confirmed that the defendant's email account had been used to upload two 'indicative images' of seven-year-old girls to Instagram, however the images were 'not in themselves unlawful'.

Police then executed a search warrant at Woodcock's home on Clarendon Road West, Morecambe, and asked him if he had any internet-capable devices.

Ms Kehoe said Woodcock had a Kindle in his bedroom and an Amazon Fire TV Stick in a drawer which breached the SHPO.

Officers also found a Halifax bank card and a Barclays savings account which he had never declared.

His laptop contained one category A indecent image of a child - the most serious - and 46 category C images.

Woodcock pleaded guilty to breaching the SHPO and possessing indecent images.

Defence barrister Chris Evans said there were a 'relatively low number of images' and his client had been 'candid in terms of what he has done'.

He told the court that Woodcock had 'engaged well with the probation service' following his last conviction in 2016, deserved credit for his early guilty plea and 'remains motivated to seek help'.

Judge Simon Medland QC said they were 'deliberate and persistent breaches' of the SHPO and jailed Woodcock for two years.

Sentencing, he said: "You have been dealt with on several previous occasions for the possession of unlawful indecent images of children.

"These are real images of real children who are really being abused and that abuse will almost inevitably stay with them for the rest of their lives.

"The internet being what it is, it's quite easy to imagine that those disgusting images will be more of less forever available to people who view them for satisfaction of a perverted sexual interest.

"You had also loaded a cleaning facility to scrub the internet history and confound any investigation.

"You have, over a significant period of time, quite deliberately breached these orders that were made to try to protect children from your predations.

"Even though there were no contact offences here, these were offences where you were looking at unlawful sexual images of children."

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A judge has described how the sexual assault of a young girl at a house where she had been staying is something no parent should have to endure.

Norwich Crown Court heard the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had been staying at a house where Jeremy Simeons, 50, had been present when she was sexually assaulted.

Lori Tucker, prosecuting, said the victim was to later tell her parents that Simeons had “hurt her”.

Police were contacted and Simeons was arrested at work on October 12 last year.

When interviewed Simeons initally denied the allegations and told officers he had given her a cuddle and had taken her to the toilet.

The court heard that Simeons had been “unwilling or unable to recollect precisely what happened”.

Simeons, of Medeswell Close, Brundall, appeared at court on Wednesday (May 20) having previously admitted sexually assaulting a female victim, under the age of 13, on October 11 last year.

Before he was sentenced, the court heard extracts of a statement from the victim’s mother who revealed she was “devastated” to find out what her daughter told her.

Sentencing Simeons to two years in prison, Judge Anthony Bate said: “This is something no parent should have to endure.”

Juge Bate said Simeons had been a man of “previous exemplary character” but was now a broken man.

He also insisted the defendant’s claims to not recall what happened were likely from a “sense of shame to what you did to that young girl that night”.

Simeons was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for 10 years and also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Andrew Oliver, mitigating, accepted the victim was vulnerable due to her age and said there had been an “abuse of trust”.

Mr Oliver said his guilty plea expressed remorse for something which had ruined his own career and left it in tatters.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Richard Wallis said: “These offences can often leave a mark on their victim for the rest of their lives and it’s only because the girl was brave enough to speak up and tell her parents what had happened that the perpetrator was brought to justice. We hope the court case will help to bring some closure for the victim and her family.”

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A sex offender exposed himself to an underage girl, then claimed he did it because he suffered from erectile dysfunction.

Ian Maiden, 48, groomed and sent sexual messages to the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Prosecutor Aisha Wadoodi told how Maiden exposed himself: “He had his trousers down around his knees and was playing with his genitals.”

She described the sexual messages sent by Maiden to the schoolgirl.

She said: “He has called her beautiful and said he was jealous when she mentioned other boys.

“He told her in one message that she had the best bum she had ever seen and wouldn’t mind being pinned down by her.”

The girl’s mother found the messages on her daughter’s phone, including a photograph of Maiden’s private parts.

The mum took screenshots and reported the matter to the police back in December 2017.

In police interview, Maiden denied he was performing a sex act in front of the girl, and claimed he was fondling touching his genitals because as he had erectile disfunction.

“He said he didn’t do it for sexual reasons, he did it because he was bored,” said Miss Wadoodi at Teesside Crown Court

Maiden, formerly of Hartlepool, now of Blenheim Road, Doncaster, later admitted sexual activity in the presence of a child and engaging in sexual communication with a child, his first conviction.

Stephen Constantine, defending, said: “He is somewhat at a loss to explain why he behaved as he did.

“There is grooming-type behaviour.

“Clearly you’re dealing with a man of good character, married with children himself.

“There have been consequences as far as his family are concerned. They are no longer a family because of Mr Maiden’s behaviour.

“He’s obtained any help he could to reduce any risk of this ever happening again.

“There is work that can be done and he has expressed the willingness and desire to engage with it.”

He added there had been a delay of more than two years in the case as Maiden was interviewed two days after the offence but not charged until two years later.

Judge Paul Watson QC told Maiden: “You, and the victim’s family, have had to wait a considerable period of time - far too long - for this matter to end up here today.

“You did all you could, and so I take into account very much the delay in this case.”

Sexual activity in the presence of a child carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

But under sentencing guidelines, unemployed Maiden’s offence would see him jailed for just four months, of which he would serve two.

“That clearly wouldn’t provide any time whatsoever for any sexual offender treatment programme of any sort,” added the judge.

“You’d be released fairly soon from that sentence.

“You are not considered a danger to the public.

“It seems to me to be better for the public that you receive the benefit of a sex offender treatment programme.”

A one-to-one programme was part of a four-month jail term suspended for two years given to Maiden, with 25 days’ rehabilitation activity.

He was given a sexual harm prevention order banning unsupervised contact or communication with under-16s and governing his use of the internet, devices and social media, and will be on the sex offenders’ register, all for 10 years.

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A pervert calling himself a “sugar daddy of alcohol” during sleazy communications with what he thought was a child was snared in a police sting.

Nathan Glover began chatting to a profile on dating app Badoo, with the other person initially advertising themselves as being 18.

However, when he was told they were 14, that didn’t put him off as it should have done.

The chat moved onto chat app Kik and became sexual, with Glover sending images of his genitals to the decoy profile, which was being run by police.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 27-year-old made sexual suggestions and asked for swimwear pictures of her.

He also offered to buy the “child” alcohol and asked what he would get in return.

Glover, of Talbot Road, South Shields, admitted attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to have sexual communication with a child.

Prosecutor Nicholas Lane said a police employee had set up a profile on adult site Badoo in July last year and Glover made contact the same day.

Mr Lane said: "There was some general chatting and the undercover operator made it known they were a 14-year-old child, though had signed up to the account as an 18-year-old.

"The defendant replied 'thought you looked very young to be 18'.

"The conversation continued, during which the defendant offered to buy alcohol for the person he believed was 14.

"He referred to himself as a sugar daddy of alcohol."

The court heard Glover asked what he would get in return for alcohol and the conversation was then transferred onto the Kik app and "quickly turned sexual".

Mr Lane said: "He asked for pictures of her wearing a swimsuit. The officer disclosed that the person was a virgin and he replied he thought it was sexy he could teach them."

Mr Lane said Glover sent a graphic picture with sexual suggestions before he was confronted by the police.

He told officers the conversation had "turned flirty and sexual" and confessed he knew it was wrong.

Glenn Gatland, defending, said Glover was a "socially isolated man" with a depressive illness who was mostly on his own except for the company of his cat.

Mr Gatland said: "He didn't go in there to look for an underage person."

Mr Gatland said Glover had talked about "cats and dogs" with the teen before the conversation turned sexual.

Judge Amanda Rippon sentenced Glover to six months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation and programme requirements.

Glover must sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for seven years.

The judge told him: "You were told the officer was 14 and you continued in conversation with that person, no doubt you believed that person was 14."

She added: "You did think you were inviting a 14-year-old girl to have sex with you."

Judge Rippon said Glover has never been in trouble before, has been assessed as a "low risk" of committing contact offences, is genuinely remorseful and that his significant depression was linked to the commission of the offences.

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A former Guildford GP who sexually assaulted 15 patients, including a 12-year-old girl, has failed to get his conviction overturned.

Alan Tutin groped women and girls over a 23-year period between 1981 and 2004, with most of those offences having been committed at the Merrow Park Practice, where he had been a GP since 1980.

The 71-year-old was convicted of 15 counts of sexual assault in December 2018 following a trial and jailed for 10 years and six months at the Old Bailey in May 2019.

An appeal against his conviction was dismissed at the Court of Appeal after a hearing on Tuesday (March 17).

Defendants are entitled to appeal convictions and sentences handed down at Crown Courts.

Tutins trial previously heard how he groped his victims in an immature, Benny Hill fashion using reasoning of breast or vaginal examinations, which were said to be either unnecessary or carried out in an inappropriate way for sexual gratification.

The sex offender, of Crittenden Road in Tonbridge, Kent, had originally been charged with 28 counts of sexual assault, but was acquitted of eight.

The jury was also unable to agree verdicts on the remaining five charges, with a subsequent trial in May 2019 at Blackfriars Crown Court finding him not guilty of three of them.

Allegations were first made against Tutin in 2000 when he was put on trial at the Old Bailey, charged with indecently assaulting three women and two children.

He was acquitted of assaulting one of the children and the other charges were dropped. A year later he was acquitted by a General Medical Council (GMC) tribunal of eight counts of sexually assaulting patients.

In 2009, he was struck off after a separate GMC panel found him guilty of sexually assaulting five women, including molesting one of his colleagues at his home, telling another woman to strip for an eye test, and groping a patients breasts while examining her internally.

The investigation, that resulted in Tutins conviction, began in March 2014, with the GP being arrested in July of the same year.

A number of complainants came forward after being contacted by police, and Tutin was eventually charged with 28 counts of sexual assault involving 25 complainants.

At his sentencing hearing, one of Tutins victims said: My initial response was a sense of being abused, violated and feeling dirty, and wanting a shower.

"I was only young so was upset and confused by what he did. I trusted him as a doctor and was brought up to respect authority and do as I was told, which is what I did."

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A DEGANWY man, whod changed his name to hide his vile past, had child porn once again including a video of a six months old baby being horrifically tortured, a judge said.

Owain Jones, 34, of Vardre Avenue, whod set up a weed control business, was jailed for three years after he admitted distributing an indecent image and possession of child porn.

Caernarfon crown court heard 516 indecent images were recovered by officers including original filth not on the police database.

Prosecuting barrister Sion ap Mihangel said: "The defendant admitted he was sexually aroused by indecent images of children.

In 2007 he received a suspended sentence because of indecent images.

Jo Maxwell, defending, said Jones had changed his name and was keen to seek help for his behaviour.

Judge Timothy Petts said in April 2018 police had seized computer equipment and found images of child abuse some described in court in hideous detail so the full nature of his depravity could be seen.

Images had been graphic and disgusting.

A ten-year sexual harm prevention order was made and Jones must register as a sex offender indefinitely.