Latest Offenders

Description

A child rapist is back in jail after police discovered his collection of extreme pornography.

Michael Wright was found deleting content from his laptop when a police officer visited his home. The device was seized and more than 150 images of bestiality were discovered - along with Google searches for more depraved content.

Wright was jailed in 2016 after admitting a string of child sexual offences including three counts of rape. Then of Southport, the HGV driver was sentenced to seven years in jail.

He had been released on licence when a police officer attended his home in June 2021. The visit was a requirement of a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order he was subjected to. That order banned him from having electronic devices that police were not given access to, and from having any device that could access the internet unless it recorded his search history.

Daniel Bramhall, prosecuting, said the officer who attended Wrights home believed he was attempting to deter them from going in, arguing: Its a bit of a mess. Once inside, the officer found the flat clean and tidy and saw two laptops and a mobile phone on a coffee table. One of the laptops was in use.

Mr Bramhall said: When asked if police had the details of this device the defendant said the computer did not belong to him and he was wiping it for someone who lived downstairs. He then claimed it was his laptop but that he was clearing it so that he could sell it.

Wright was arrested on suspicion of breaching his SHPO and the laptops seized. The one that was having its memory cleared was found to hold 169 images of extreme pornography, typically involving animals. The images dated back to 2016 and Wright said: I was addicted to pornography at the time it was depraved. The 54-year-old admitted possession of extreme pornography and breaching his SHPO.

Gareth Roberts, defending Wright, told Liverpool Crown Court his client had sought to fight his demons over recent years but said that in 2016: He was in the grip of an insidious and rather horrible addiction to pornography.

Mr Roberts said this decimated his clients life but said the images found on his laptop had been downloaded a long time ago and since his conviction he had worked hard to turn his life around. He added: He wants to get on with the process of rehabilitating himself.

Judge Stuart Driver, QC, said Wright was caught in the very act of deleting his laptops history but accepted there was no evidence of recent unlawful activity.

He handed Wright, who has been in prison since his arrest last summer, a six month jail term.

Description

He was tricked and trapped by online vigilantes This Derby paedophile tried to meet an underage girl he groomed online but he had been lured into a trap by self-styled paedophile hunters and was arrested. Derby Crown Court heard how Jason Yeomans began messaging what he thought was under 16s just weeks after being released halfway through a 10-year jail sentence for previous child sex offences. In them he asked about what underwear they were wearing and if they'd had any sexual experiences. But the sick 34-year-old pervert was snared when one of the decoy girls reported him to Derbyshire police. Handing him a five-year sentence, Judge Shaun Smith QC said: "I have to assess if you pose a risk to the public and I have absolutely no doubt that you do. Your (probation service) offender manager report concludes that you pose a risk in relation to children under the age of 16 and there is no doubt you have a sexual interest in children. "Hopefully that will be addresses while you are in custody. You suffered significant trauma in 2007 as a result of your partner being killed and that sent you into a downward spiral including you resorting to looking at pornography. You sought solace in young people and that was completely and utterly inappropriate." Sarah Slater, prosecuting, said Yeomans was handed a long prison sentence in 2016 for child sex offences and was released from custody in September of last year. She said he was sent to live at a bail hostel in Bass Street, off Ashbourne Road, and within a matter of weeks was contacting young children online through one of his two mobile phones. Miss Slater said he was told by one girl she was aged nine and he replied saying he was aged 12. But the prosecutor said that girl was really an adult posing as a young girl. She said he began talking online to a second girl who said she was 14 and lived in Tamworth but this too was really an adult posing as a youngster. Miss Slater said: "When police seized his mobile phone there were hundreds of messages between them from October 19 to November 1. He said he lived in Derby and was aged 34 and they arranged to in Burton where he said they could kiss. But she made her excuses saying she'd had a massive row with her mum which he replied to with 'okay we will rearrange it' and he asked about coming to Tamworth to meet her." Yeomans, who is originally from Alfreton, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. He has previous convictions involving indecent images of children dating back as far as 2010. Digby Johnson, his barrister, said his client's partner died in a road crash on the A38 in 2007 and that he has never had grief counselling for that. He said that Yeomans used pornography to satisfy his late teen urges and "started to disappear into the world of the internet". Yeomans' five-year sentence is made up of two years in prison plus a three-year extended licence. It means he will be eligible to apply for parole two-thirds of the way through the custodial element of the sentence. However, he has been recalled on licence from a previous child sex offence and will not be released until 2026 at the earliest. The defendant was also handed a new, lifetime, sexual harm prevention order and will remain on the sex offender register for life.

Description

A MAN who sexually assaulted a young girl over several years is starting a nine-year prison sentence. James Doyle, 36, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court on Thursday, March 3, after being convicted of two counts of sexual activity with the girl, then aged under 13, at an address in East Grinstead between five and ten years ago. Doyle, of Bear Lane, Hare Hatch, Reading, will be a registered sex offender for life and was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) to run for ten years on his release, hugely restricting his access to girls under 16 and to digital communications devices. Detective Constable Rees Hopcraft, West Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit said: "Doyle gained the confidence of his victim over a period of time and then chose situations in which she was alone and vulnerable to systematically exploit her for his own gratification. "As soon as this was reported to us we took action and Doyle is no longer in a position to act in this predatory way against other children." For information on how to report concerns about sexual exploitation of children and the support that is available, see the Sussex Police website.

Description

Read More

Description

Brady Hickman, 33, staked out his victims home and watched through a window as she fell asleep before striking. A predatory sex offender who raped an elderly woman after breaking into her home in the middle of the night has been jailed. Brady Hickman, 33, staked out his victims address and watched through a window as she fell asleep before striking. He sneaked inside the pensioners home and stripped naked in the hallway before entering her bedroom. Gloucester Crown Court was told the disabled woman, in her 70s, awoke in the early hours of November 11 last year to see Hickman standing in her doorway. Brady Hickman, 32, has been jailed after raping an elderly woman in her home (Gloucestershire Police/PA) James Tucker, prosecuting, said: She went to bed at about 1.15am and took off her glasses. Little did she know she was being watched by Mr Hickman a predatory sex offender and burglar. He had been seen from the evening before lurking in the shadows. It is quite clear he knew how vulnerable she was. He waited until she was dozing and gained access through a window left open to let some air in. He crept in and quickly removed all his clothing. She was awoken by him opening the bedroom door and seeing a naked man in the bedroom doorway. She couldnt make out the details as she didnt have her glasses on and he told her, Dont make a noise. I believe I am suffering from PTSD and it is affecting me in many aspects of my life. I am having flashbacks. It will take me a long time to get over what happened Hickman's victim She said she wouldnt and asked him not to hurt her. Mr Tucker said Hickman then raped the woman and, during the attack, told her he had been in prison. That was an unnecessary, threatening thing to say in the circumstances, he said. She encouraged him to leave and stated he could go home now, and she lay on the bed waiting for him to go. The woman alerted police after she heard the front door close and, out of fear, locked herself in the bathroom until officers arrived. In a victim impact statement, the woman said she felt totally violated and stripped of her dignity and has moved home. You had been waiting around in the area and lurking in the shadows. In my judgement, you had an intention to rape Judge Michael Cullum I have been suffering from panic attacks since it all happened, causing me to have a constant headache and dizzy spells, she said. I believe I am suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and it is affecting me in many aspects of my life. I am having flashbacks. It will take me a long time to get over what happened. Hickman, of Philip Street, Gloucester, had previously pleaded guilty to rape and two charges of assault by penetration. The court was told he has previous convictions for burglary, assault and robbery and, when he was 18, he sexually assaulted a teenage girl. Sarah Jenkins, defending, said Hickman had demonstrated evidence of remorse. She added: He accepted to the probation officer that, from the start, he entered with the intention to rape and that he had a bad thought.' Judge Michael Cullum said Hickman is dangerous. On November 11, you changed the course of her life irretrievably. Life was already difficult for her, he said. You had been waiting around in the area and lurking in the shadows. In my judgement, you had an intention to rape and that is quite clear from your first act of stripping naked. She must have feared for her life. She was entitled to feel safe in her own home. I doubt she will ever again. The harm you caused to her is incalculable. Hickman will spend up to 10 years in prison. He can apply for parole after serving two-thirds of that sentence. The remainder of his 15-year sentence will be on licence. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life and made subject of a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim directly or indirectly. Detective Sergeant Faye Satchwell-Bennett, of Gloucestershire Police, said: The victim has shown amazing strength and courage, and has asked us to say thank you to our officers and the community for the support she has received and for helping her to feel safe again. Hickman committed a horrifying sexual attack on a vulnerable victim and is clearly a threat to women. I am pleased to see justice has been served at court today and that he will not have access to the general public for a very long time.

Description

One victim said she was "filled with pain and torture" and she had "given up on the thought of happiness" A Northampton man has been sentenced to 12 years and eight months in prison for historic sex offences against children. Stephen Mitchell, aged 58, of Heron Way, was sentenced on Tuesday, March 22 at Northampton Crown Court after pleading guilty to a number of offences. The most severe of Mitchell's offences was the attempted rape of a child under the age of 14. Families of the victims wept in the public galleries as Mitchell's charges were read out and described in full. Mitchell was arrested on August 15 last year after the parents of one of his young victims reported the defendant to the police. Another victim subsequently came forward and then Mitchell informed officers he wanted to confess to crimes against a third victim. Sally Hobson, prosecuting, told the court that Mitchell's actions had a "significant impact" on his young victims. She described how one of his victims is now receiving counselling and self harms because it "helps him to forget for a short while". Ms Hobson said: "He feels there are permanent marks on his skin that he can't wash off." A second victim, who was present at court during Mitchell's sentencing, asked for her victim personal statement to be read out. It described how her innocence had been taken away from her and, as a result, she was "filled with pain and torture". She said she lost friends, partners, family members and even herself because she "gave up on the thought of happiness". She added that she turned to drink, had to leave a job she loved and she barely leaves the house. The statement said that - after finding out about Mitchell's other victims - she even put all the blame on herself for not going to the police as a child. Liam Muir, defending, said that an "extremely important mitigation" was Mitchell's engagement with the police, his guilty pleas and the fact that he made them aware of the third victim, who had not come forward at that time. His honour Judge Mayo sentenced Mitchell to 12 years and eight months in prison. He additionally slapped Mitchell with a restraining order that bars him from making any direct or indirect contact with his victims. A sexual harm prevention order was also made indefinitely, which prevents Mitchell from having any unsupervised contact with any children under the age of 16. This order additionally bars Mitchell from staying in any house with a child under the age of 16. Judge Mayo said: "It is considerable note that these people came forward with remarkable bravery with remarkable support from their families."

Description

A man has today been jailed for more than 20 years for the sadistic and vile rape of a vulnerable woman in her own home. Brian Brough, 35 of no fixed abode, sexually assaulted the 60 year-old woman in Little Hulton in March last year after knocking on her door, and asking to use her toilet, claiming to be a neighbours relative. Once in the house, Brough then asked his victim if she wanted to pay for sex with him and, when she said no, punched her in the face, dragged her into the bedroom and raped her. Detective Constable Leanne Jackson of GMP's Salford district, said: "This was a horrific and sustained physical and sexual assault on a vulnerable woman and no one should ever be made to feel unsafe or at risk in their own home. Police investigated and Brough was arrested two days later and was subsequently charged with multiple counts of rape. He did not accept responsibility but was brought to court and eventually found guilty of rape. On Wednesday he was sentenced to 22 years in prison at Minshull Street Crown Court. DC Jackson said: "Throughout interview and the trial Brough would not accept any responsibility for his sadistic and vile actions, forcing his victim to go through the horrendous ordeal in court. He did not even have the decency to attend his trial and face up to his actions and instead refused to come out of his prison cell with the trial having to be heard in his absence. His lack of remorse perfectly sums up who he is as a human being and thankfully we've now been able to remove him from the streets for 22 years and stop him causing any further harm to anymore women. DC Jackson paid tribute to the victims courage as well as the quick actions of her neighbours in getting her to hospital.

Description

A man has been found guilty of a string of sex attacks on women from around the Camden area.

Following a six-week trial at Wood Green Crown Court, jurors determined that Francis Mukendi, of Finsbury Park Road, had committed offences against six women across a period spanning just over two years.

The 27-year-old was convicted of four counts of rape, three counts of attempted rape, two counts of sexual assault and four counts of possession of a bladed article yesterday (March 22).

He will be sentenced at a date to be confirmed.

The court heard Mukendi's attacks - which took place from 21 September, 2017 until 16 December, 2019 - followed a similar pattern.

He followed each of his victims late at night when they were alone, and would strike when they reached their doorsteps or communal stairwells.

While distracted when getting their keys out, Mukendi would approach them from behind with a weapon on one occasion with a hammer and on others with a knife.

Once he had finished, or was interrupted, he would run away.

Following the first attack, detectives from Central North BCU launched an investigation - though a breakthrough was not reached until a CCTV image of the defendant was released in December 2020.

On seeing his own image, Mukendi handed himself into police the following day.

A search of his home address uncovered clothing which matched that seen being worn in the captured CCTV.

The predator's laptop - from which he unsuccessfully tried to delete video footage of the first attack - was also seized and examined by forensic experts.

A zombie knife and a lock knife believed to be used in the attacks were also recovered.

Det Con Stacey Smith, of Central North BCU said: Mukendi is an extremely dangerous offender who targeted these women as they walked home alone in the dark.

"He waited for the most opportune of moments before making his attacks. His actions have left these women traumatised by what has happened to them."

The officer urged any further victims to come forward; either by speaking directly with police - quoting reference CAD1639/21MAR22 - or by contacting the force through a third party support group.

Description

A perverted and "sexually motivated" woman who was "obsessed" with the private parts of young boys has finally been jailed after long delays of more than a year.

Calculating and manipulative Diane Wade targeted five different boys aged between seven and 17 while she "masqueraded" as someone who was interested in just horseplay. There were 14 different incidents of "masochistic" sexual abuse over an eight-year period, Hull Crown Court heard.

Wade, 45, of New Burlington Road, Bridlington, was convicted by a jury of three offences of sexual activity with a boy under 16, one of sexually assaulting a boy under 13 and three of sexually assaulting a male. She denied the offences, which took place between December 2010 and December 2018.

Wade had been convicted after a trial as long ago as March 2, last year but sentence had been repeatedly adjourned for more than a year after various problems arose.

Judge John Thackray QC told Wade: "Your offending followed a familiar pattern. You were obsessed with male genitalia. Your offending was sexually motivated, with a masochistic element."

Wade "masqueraded" over the years as someone who was merely getting involved in harmless horseplay. "It most certainly was not," said Judge Thackray.

There were five victims aged between seven and 17 and the sexual behaviour spanned a period of eight years. Some of the charges involved multiple incidents.

"There were 14 separate incidents of sexual abuse," said Judge Thackray. Some of the incidents involved "shades of an abuse of trust" or grooming and there was a "significant disparity in age" between the boys and Wade. One of the victims was allowed to drink alcohol as part of the behaviour leading up to the offending.

One of the boys was homeless and struggling with drug addiction at the time of the abuse. "Not only did you cause, on occasions, immense physical pain but you have left the victims with worries over their fertility and very significant trust issues," said Judge Thackray.

Wade had suffered a very difficult background that had "rightly been described as wretched".

Charlotte Baines, mitigating, said that Wade had no previous convictions and the fact that she was in custody at New Hall Prison, near Wakefield, during the pandemic had a "significant impact" on her. "She has been on remand throughout the entirety of the Covid-19 pandemic," said Miss Baines.

"She had a very difficult start in life and was subjected to physical violence at the hands of her father."

Wade became pregnant during her "formative teenage years" and had a "lamentable start in life" that had caused problems. "Intellectually, she is not the most sophisticated," said Miss Baines.

"She was assaulted very recently in prison. Others were made aware of who she was in custody, which makes her a particularly vulnerable prisoner. She has had a wretched life."

Wade was jailed for five years and was given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. She will have to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

Wade had been cleared by the jury of four offences and a not guilty verdict was entered on another charge on the direction of the judge.

Description

A pervert found with sick images of kids claimed he'd been cured of his sexual interest in children.

Police found the vile photos on Jack Newton's mobile phone when they seized a number of electronic goods from his Throckley home.

A court heard that the 22-year-old had been sent the seven pictures, some involving children a young as five, in 2019 by an associate on Snap Chat.

When he was questioned about the sordid material, he told officers he "previously had a sexual interest in kids but no longer did".

Now, Newton, of Isabella Walk, in Throckley, is facing a possible jail sentence after he pleaded guilty to two counts of making an indecent image of a child.

Lillian Yanes Hellevik, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates' Court, said officers searched Newton's home on July 13 2020 and seized a number of devices.

She added: "The images found were on his mobile phone. There were seven category B and two category C.

"Samples of those images contained children between five and 11-years-old. The defendant accepted in interview to receiving the images.

"He accepted he may previously have had a sexual interest in children but stated he no longer does."

The court heard that Newton had no previous convictions and pleaded guilty on the basis he was sent the images without asking specifically for them.

Sophie Allinson, defending, said: "I submit these matters are suitable to be finalised here but I appreciate an all-options report will be needed.

"I will save my mitigation for the future sentencing hearing."

Newton was released on unconditional bail to next appear at Newcastle Magistrates' Court on April 11.

Description

Read More

Description

A Cambridgeshire paedophile who arranged to meet a teenager was caught out after she was revealed to be an adult. John Brewster messaged his intended victim, who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, on Facebook and WhatsApp.

He sent messages between July 11 and 15 and arranged to meet her later the same week. However when he arrived at their meeting point at just before 4.30pm on July 18, the girl was revealed to be an adult who then called the police.

Officers attended and Brewster, 67, of Crown Close, St Ives, was arrested. In his police interview he replied no comment to all questions.

He stood trial at Cambridge Crown Court from Tuesday, March 15. A jury took less than three hours to find him guilty of engaging in sexual communication with a child and inciting a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in penetrative sexual activity.

Brewster was jailed for three years and four months at the same court on Thursday (March 17). He was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), to monitor any future offending, and placed on the Sex Offenders Register, both indefinitely.

Detective Sergeant George Neal, from the forces Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT), said: Brewsters behaviour was shocking and inappropriate; using the internet in this way will not be tolerated. Phones and social media mean children can be vulnerable to those who prey on their innocence and exploit their trust.

Protecting young people from harm is one of our top priorities and we will continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.

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 Sarahs Law. For information and advice about child abuse, including online grooming, visit the forces dedicated child protection web page.

Description

An Eastbourne cleaner, who was found by officers to have repeatedly accessed images of child abuse despite a previous conviction, is now starting a 15-month prison sentence, said police. Police said Ludovit Gerhat, 34, of Blackwater Road, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on March 4, having pleaded guilty to breaching his registered sex offender requirements. A Sussex Police spokesperson said, He will now also remain a registered sex offender for a further ten years and will continue to be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), severely restricting his access to digital communications devices and to children for the same further period. Gerhat had been convicted in August 2021 of possessing indecent images of children and had been given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. As part of his registration requirements Gerhat had to make any digital communication devices accessible to police via monitoring software, and later that year officers detected attempts to wipe material from his devices, according to police. Officers said on inspection they found he had accessed more than 200 videos and 100 other indecent images of children from the internet, including some in the most serious categories. PC Louise Blacker, of the East Sussex team responsible for monitoring registered sex offenders in the community, said, Gerhat clearly felt he could get away with this, but did not realise that we can effectively monitor him and help ensure communities are protected.

Description

A sex offender has been locked up after using Facebook to share "extreme" indecent images of children.

Richard Baker was jailed on Thursday, March 10, for 28 months after pleading guilty to seven charges. All of his offences were connected to distressing pictures of kids.

Wiltshire Police's Child Internet Exploitation Team went to Baker's address in September 29, 2020 after receiving a tip off that the 66-year-old, of no fixed address in Bratton, Westbury, had been uploading photos to the internet. He was arrested and his home was searched.

Indecent images were discovered on two mobile phones - they were classed as 'category A', meaning they were of the most serious type. Officers described them as among the "most extreme" images shared by sex offenders online.

Det Con Sadie McCoy said: This investigation began when we received information that Baker had been using his personal Facebook account to distribute indecent images of children. We then seized multiple devices to fully understand the scale of the offending and as part of our enquiries we found some of the most extreme type of indecent images of children.

"Baker admitted to not only possessing extreme pornographic images and making indecent images, but also distributing these indecent images. The Child Internet Exploitation Team at Wiltshire Police is dedicated to identifying offenders like Baker and ensuring they are brought to justice.

"Every child pictured in the images he accessed and distributed will be a victim of real abuse and needs protecting and safeguarding. We will continue to put these victims at the heart of what we do.

As well as his prison sentence, Baker was also issued with a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to pay a 181 victim surcharge. To report child sex abuse to Wiltshire Police, call 101. More information for members of the public who suspect someone of accessing indecent images is available online.

Description

A "depraved" paedophile downloaded disturbing images of babies being abused just three weeks after signing the sex offender register. Andrew Smith was jailed for three years after a court heard how continued to access sickening images from his home in Leeds despite twice being arrested and warned about his behaviour as he awaited sentence. Leeds Crown Court heard Smith sent illegal child images to a paedophile in the Philippines. The 36-year-old also engaged in online conversations with other offenders describing how he was going to gain qualifications to allow him to work with children. Jeremy Barton, prosecuting, said police officers first went to Smith's home in May 2019 after receiving information that three Tumblr accounts linked to the defendant had been used to access illegal child images. While waiting for the results of an investigation into the accounts police received further information about illegal activity on an social media account linked to Smith. Officers returned to his home in June 2020 and seized electronic devices. An investigation revealed he had accessed illegal images of children. He had also made internet search terms including: "I am attracted to children." The was evidence that he had accessed the dark web and engaged in online conversations with other paedophiles dating back to 2011. Smith was interviewed and accepted that the devices were his and that he was responsible for the images recovered but refused to comment further. Smith was placed on the sex offender on October 8 last year and ordered to abide by a number of requirements while awaiting sentence. On October 24 two public protection officers went to his home to check that he was complying with the orders. Smith was asked to hand over his mobile phone. The device contained images of very young children in a state of undress. Smith then the told officers about another mobile device in his bedroom and gave them the password for it. The device contained over 1,500 illegal images. A total of 175 still and moving images were at category A - the most serious level of offending. They included sadistic images of babies who were in distress. There was also evidence that he had sent images to someone in the Philippines. Smith, of Stone Brig Green, Rothwell, pleaded guilty to nine counts of making indecent images of children, possession of a prohibited image of a child, possessing prohibited images, possessing an extreme pronographic image and distributing indecent images of children. Graham Parkin, mitigating, said Smith's offending developed as a result of him being bullied and isolated from the age of 13. He said: "He has had a long-term addiction to this sort of imagery. It became an obsession." Mr Parkin said Smith had tried to access support to address his offending during the pandemic but it could only be done remotely and he was unable to access one-to-one help. Sentencing, Judge Robin Mairs told Smith the images he had downloaded were "of the most grave and damaging kind." He said: "You had conversations with other paedophiles. You used the dark web to search material. "There wasn't contact with children but you admitted that you were studying to qualify to work with children "The reasonable fear must be that you were taking steps to take viewing offences into actual contact offences." Describing the images accessed by Smith, Judge Mairs said: "It is clear from some of the images that the children were in distress. "Their fear and pain is evident. "These are not victimless offences. "Behind these images there are real children. "Real children who suffer abuse, who suffer pain, and the reason that happens is to satisfy the depraved demands of people like you."