Search the database
clearly and quickly

Record details

A convicted paedophile, who shared hundreds of illegal images of children being sexually abused, has said he should be able to use online dating sites as he doesn't agree with the internet restrictions placed on him.

Jake Cresswell was branded as "devious and manipulative" by a judge who jailed him again in 2021. The 25-year-old was found to represent a "high risk of harm towards children" after he was found to have had online discussions with other paedophiles - where he discussed his warped fantasies of meeting, abusing and supposedly being “seduced by” children.

Some of the discussions involved several “role-playing scenarios”, including child rape.

But after Cresswell was released from prison last year, he was caught breaking the strict conditions on his phone and internet usage. Teesside Crown Court has heard that Cresswell's offender manager visited him in August 2022, and found that he has been using an alias on an app called Discord.

Cresswell called himself "LotusBear" and had also used an email account with an alias to open his Discord account. But the court heard that Cresswell feels he should be able to use online dating - his barrister said he relies on it to meet people.

"Given his offender status, he struggles to meet people in public," Lewis Kerr, mitigating, said. "He is more inclined to use online dating apps."

He added that his client used alias, when he is prohibited from doing so, "to stop him being identified as a sex offender in what is a public arena." The court heard that Cresswell "doesn't agree" with his online restrictions.

Police also contacted his employer - Peppino's Pizza on Skelton High Street - after receiving intelligence that Cresswell was using a "concealed device." His employer provided police with the phone number they had for Cresswell - who had told police that he didn't have a mobile phone.

His licence conditions state that he has to declare all devices to his offender manager. A forensic examination of the phone found that he had deleted 386 items from his internet history - which is a breach of his internet rules.

When police searched Cresswell's home, on The Hills in Skelton, they found his secret mobile phone on the roof, and some cannabis in his bedroom. Lewis Kerr told the court that Cresswell's job delivery pizza, "is not particularly likely to bring him into contact with young people."

"He hasn't committed any contact offences - this is not an escalation in his offending," Mr Kerr added. Cresswell admitted four breaches of his sexual harm prevention order; and the possession of cannabis.

He was recalled to prison after his latest breach, to complete his last sentence, which ends on October 16. Creswell was jailed for two-years in March 2018 for sending horrific child abuse images to fellow paedophiles online.

The pictures depicted girls, mainly aged four to seven but as young as three months old in one case, with a collection of almost five hours’ worth of videos. He said children characters in anime started his interest when he was 15 to 16.

Cresswell claimed he was “initially repulsed” by the material, “but the more he looked at it, the less guilty he felt”. In 2019 he breached his order after confessing to deleting the Grindr, Tinder and Bumble dating apps.

By March 2020, his offender manager found messages which "indicated" that he had been in an online relationship. Illegal porn and 258 items from his internet history had been deleted from his phone.

On Tuesday, Judge Howard Crowson told him that the internet conditions, "are there to manage the risks you pose to children." The judge told him that his current spell in prison is being extended, as he imposed a three-year jail term, which will run concurrently to the sentence he was recalled to serve.

Record details

TWO men have each been jailed for two and a half years for sexually abusing two vulnerable teenage girls who had gone missing from a Bradford children’s home.

The underage victims were assaulted at a house in Bradford, after meeting Stanislav Himal by chance in the street late at night and giving him directions.

He took them to the address where they thought they would receive money and cigarettes for helping him, prosecutor Abigail Langford told Bradford Crown Court today.

Himal, 35, a father of seven, of Runswick Terrace, Wibsey, Bradford, and co-accused Jozef Fedor, 56, of Frank Street, Great Horton, then sexually molested the girls who were so frightened that they fled the house without their shoes and jackets.

The men denied abusing the girls but were convicted by a jury of sexual assault.

Miss Langford said the girls arrived at the house in the early hours of the morning on a day several years ago.

It was then suggested to them that the men were offering the money and cigarettes in return for sex, saying they ‘would have to work’ for them.

Things then ‘spiralled out of control’ with both girls being molested.

One was pushed upstairs and assaulted on a bed by Himal. She was screaming and kicking out as she tried to fight him off.

She was then forced on the floor and abused again.

Fedor was kissing one girl against her will and trying to take off her leggings, the court was told.

The teenagers fled the house without their shoes and jackets and summoned help from a passer-by. One had a neck injury after struggling with her attacker.

The police were called and the defendants denied the assaults at trial.

Miss Langford said the girls were particularly vulnerable. They were missing from a children’s home and out late at night.

The men were acting together and there was an offer to give the teenagers alcohol.

“One young female saw her friend being assaulted and vice versa,” Miss Langford stated.

Andrea Parnham, for Himal, said he had no previous convictions. The offending was opportunistic, impulsive and out of character.

He had a wife and seven children and was in work at the time.

He and Fedor had been held in Leeds Prison on remand for several months.

Catherine Duffy, Fedor’s barrister, said he too had no previous convictions.

It was one incident more than three years ago.

Fedor had been working as a plumber and now intended to return to Slovakia on his release.

Recorder Patrick Palmer jailed both men for 30 months.

He made Sexual Harm Prevention Orders for ten years and each must sign on the sex offender register, also for ten years.

Record details

A South Yorkshire Police officer who pulled down a teenager's top and photographed her breasts has been jailed for eight months.

Paul Hinchcliffe, 46, sexually assaulted the 18-year-old in a pub in Wath upon Dearne in October 2020.

The victim told Leeds Crown Court the officer's behaviour had destroyed her trust in the police.

The married father-of-four resigned from the force after being convicted by a jury in January.

Hinchcliffe was off-duty and drinking with a group including other officers when he committed the offence in The Church House, a Wetherspoons pub, on 3 October.

'All trust gone'

He first took a photo of the woman and showed it to friends and made a comment about performing a sex act, the court heard.

Hinchliffe then flicked beer foam at the teenager's chest before pulling open her top, photographing her breasts in her bra, and making sex noises before sending the image to a colleague.

Later that night the woman, who lived with her parents, received WhatsApp messages from Hinchcliffe, one of which included a photo of her accompanied by several sexually explicit emojis.

In a victim impact statement, the 18-year-old said: "All my trust for the police just went.

"I used to feel safe when I saw police officers. I never think that now."

Sentencing Hinchcliffe, of Songthrush Way, Wath upon Dearne, Judge Robin Mairs told him his conduct "betrays your fellow officers who do a decent, committed job and makes women mistrustful of the police force".

Katherine Pierpoint, defending, had urged the judge to suspend the prison sentence and pointed to a raft of references from colleagues about his 20-year career.

The barrister said her client's drunkenness at the time of the offence was no excuse but might explain his "completely out-of-character" behaviour.

She said that, unlike other recent high-profile cases, Hinchcliffe had not used his position as a police officer to commit the offence.

'Far beyond banter'

But Mr Mairs rejected her plea and noted Hinchcliffe's role at the time of the offence involved training student police officers, saying he had breached the standards he was tasked with instilling into recruits.

He said the behaviour of Hinchcliffe and other officers in the pub "went far beyond jokes and banter" and had dented the victim's trust in both men and the police.

South Yorkshire Police said an accelerated misconduct hearing on 9 February concluded Hinchcliffe's conviction amounted to gross misconduct and the officer would have been dismissed without notice if he had still been serving.

Hinchcliffe, whose name will be on the sex offenders register for 10 years, has been placed on the police barred list, meaning he will never work in policing again, the force added.

Chief Constable Lauren Poultney said: "Whether our officers and staff are on duty or not, the public rightly expect us to portray the true values of policing at all times and this former officer fell woefully below these expectations."

Record details

Detectives probing the disappearance of wanted child sex offender Abm Uddin say there is no evidence he has fled abroad.

A warrant for the 38-year-old’s arrest was issued by a judge at the start of March when he failed to turn up to his sentencing hearing at Oxford Crown Court.

Recorder Samantha Presland, who issued the warrant, was told that Uddin had last been seen by colleagues at the restaurant where he was working in Goring on February 28. He got into a taxi, giving the impression he was going to the railway station, and has not been heard from since then.

The judge feared he could be heading abroad, although family members claimed he had not been in contact with relatives in his native Bangladesh.

She told the barristers: “He definitely scarpered [and] he’s got a week’s head start on everybody.”

Abm Uddin's last known sighting at Goring railway station Picture: Thames Valley Police (Image: Thames Valley Police)

Last night, Thames Valley Police confirmed that checks have been made with Border Force and there was ‘no evidence he has gone abroad’.

This week, the force issued Uddin’s mugshot as well as a CCTV image of the at-large convicted sex offender at Goring railway station on February 28.

Appealing for information about his whereabouts, PC Kate Sherwood said: “If anybody see him, do not approach him, but call Thames Valley Police on 999, quoting reference number 43230106575.”

Record details

A homeless man who raped a woman who tried to help him has been sentenced to 11 years in prison. Malcolm Plaisted, aged 35, of no fixed abode, was handed the sentence yesterday (March 30) at Oxford Crown Court.

He will be on licence for six years after his release. Plaisted initially went not guilty to one count of rape and one count of possession of a knife in a public place, but changed his plea to guilty on March 9.

The attack happened on November 12 last year, when he knocked on his victim’s door in Oxford, asking for a cigarette and a coffee as he had been out all night. After welcoming him into her home, Plaisted dragged the woman onto a bed and raped her.

He continually did so despite being begged to stop. He was arrested and charged the next day (November 13) and was remanded in custody.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Ellie Middlemass, of Oxford CID, said: “This was an incredibly harrowing case to investigate due to its violent nature and the fact that a vulnerable woman was harmed in her own home.

“Her home was a place that she had every reason to feel safe. She let Plaisted in to her address to make him a cup of coffee, and Plaisted embarked on a horrific attack.

“Despite the victim suffering significantly as a result of this incident, she has supported the investigation throughout and she should be highly commended for the bravery and resilience she has shown. Plaisted has been given an extended prison sentence and he is a very dangerous offender.

“He will also be on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.Thames Valley Police is absolutely committed to tackling violence against women and girls. Plaisted will serve a substantial prison sentence as a result of his abhorrent behaviour, and I hope that this conviction and sentence will serve as some solace to his victim.”

Record details

A MAN who tricked a girl into performing a sex act on him has been jailed for more than seven years.

Bruno Pontes' actions caused the girl “severe psychological harm”, including self-harming and thoughts of suicide.

He claimed that his “private parts” were hurting and asked her to rub his penis to make it better.

He asked her to do this multiple times.

He pressured her not to tell others, threatening “consequences”.

It was heard that Pontes showed no remorse and still maintains his innocence, despite being convicted by a jury earlier this year.

Judge Peter Crabtree jailed him for a total of seven years and six months; Pontes will serve two thirds before being eligible for release.

The sentencing hearing at Swindon Crown Court on Tuesday (March 29) heard that the victim had become upset when she read the name Bruno in a book, and also had been having counselling.

Citing a report, Judge Crabtree said that the victim was at risk of being “re-traumatised if she has to talk about the abuse again”.

“That’s exactly what she had to do when doing the section 28 [cross-examination].

“The contested trial has to be taken into account and all of the evidence taken into account,” when considering what level of harm was caused, a point of contention between prosecution and defence.

The 40-year-old’s barrister, Gareth James, said in mitigation: “Mr Pontes continues to maintain his innocence and therefore there is very little I can say about the offences themselves.

“The defence accepts that this is going to be a custodial sentence, we accept it is going to be of some length.”

He also said that abuse victims that “bottle these things up” often “find it harder to cope with the aftermath” – but this is not the case here as she is already accessing support.

“It is psychological harm and that is inevitable in any such case, I remain of the view that this is not severe psychological harm in the meaning of the guidelines.”

However, Judge Crabtree disagreed, telling Pontes the crimes have had a “very real impact” for a long time.

Summarising a statement from the victim’s mother, the judge continued: “She explains how [the victim] has become isolated, she did not want to go out for fear of meeting you.

“[The mother] explains how she feels she did not protect her daughter. The only person who should feel guilt here is you.”

He criticised Pontes for showing no remorse, “even in the face of compelling evidence and claim to be the victim yourself”.

Pontes, of Stafford Street, Old Town, was jailed for seven years and six months for three counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Record details

A cross dressing engineer who left two women terrified after he was caught exposing a pair of fake breasts has been ordered to pay £1,500 compensation. Scott Mathieson, 52, prowled the streets of East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, under the cover of darkness dressed in women's clothing.

He repeatedly targeted a 73-year-old who spotted him on doorbell camera footage walking up to her front door and trying the handle. Mathiesonreturned weeks later and 'suggestively' flashed his chest and rubbed a breast with one hand.

He then shook breasts before walking away. The pervert made a third visit where he was seen on camera peering in his victim's bedroom window and police were contacted but he could not be traced.

it emerged he had targeted a 92-year-old woman by opening his jacket and exposing the artificial breasts. Police snared Mathieson weeks later after spotting him wearing a female body suit, dark wig and glasses.

Mathieson, of Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted a charge of stalking and another of threatening or abusive behaviour between June and September last year. The court heard he had a lifelong interest in women's clothing and attends LGBTQ clubs to indulge in his fantasies.

He claims it helps him express himself but he still identifies as male and did not believe he was being watched by his victims. Depute fiscal Rebecca Clark said: "The complainers are both vulnerable women and he was trying the door handle of one of their properties.

"The conduct involved him cupping, rubbing and shaping the artificial breasts with his hand. From looking at them, they are not a genuine representation given that they are large with nipples protruding. This offence does involve some sort of deviance."

Gregor Jarrott, defending, said: "He totally accepts his conduct in respect of both charges and is aware his conduct would have caused a reasonable person fear or alarm. He first became interested in female clothing at the age of five which progressed and he now attends LGBTQ clubs where he dresses as a woman.

"There have been long standing identity issues but he does identify as a man and finds this is a way to express himself. There has been no breach of trust between parties and at no stage was there any contact between them and, as far as he is concerned, nothing was said between them.

"He didn't know or think anyone was watching and he was deliberately doing this walking about at a time of night when he didn't think anyone would be about and it is his position that this is a private matter and an expression of himself."

Sheriff Louise Gallacher put him under supervision for two years as a direct alternative to custody. He was put on the sex offenders' register for the same period after it was ruled there was a 'significant' sexual aspect to his actions. Mathieson was ordered to pay £1000 to his first victim and £500 to the second.

Sheriff Gallacher told him: "This is a very serious offence committed over a three-month period where you exposed two elderly and vulnerable females to behaviour which caused them considerable fear and alarm and for one it has caused an adverse impact on her mental wellbeing.

"I have no hesitation in concluding this was done for your sexual gratification and that your behaviour indicates an underlying deviance from which society is entitled to be protected."

Prosecutors accepted a not guilty plea to a third charge which alleged Mathieson had caused an 67-year-old woman fear or alarm at her home in East Kilbride and looking in her windows in July last year.

Record details

A violent sexual predator who repeatedly raped a woman has been jailed for 12 years.

Robert Taylor, 49, attacked the woman at a property in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, in October 2022.

He threatened her at knifepoint and assaulted her, leaving her with fractured ribs and a bleed on the brain, police said.

Taylor pleaded guilty to six counts of rape and a further charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The offender, of HMP Nottingham, was jailed for 12 years with an extended licence period of four years at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday.

He was also added to the sex offenders register and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Det Insp Jamie Moore said: "This survivor was subjected to what can only be described as violent, sickening, and savage treatment by Taylor who left her with severe injuries in the street.

"I'd like to commend her for her bravery shown throughout our investigation and I hope today’s result brings her some closure.

"I also hope our work in this case reassures other victims that they can feel confident about coming forward and that Nottinghamshire Police treats rape and sexual assault extremely seriously."

Record details

A 73-year-old man who breached a sexual harm prevention order 12 times in two months has been jailed. 

Anthony Bullett, of Alexandra Road, Harwich, was jailed for 32 months when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday, March 17 after he admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order on 12 occasions between November 28, 2022, and January 12, 2023. 

Detective constable Mark Harrington, investigating, said: “Anthony Bullett moved into the Harwich area in November 2022 and almost straightaway broke the conditions of his SHPO which prevented him from having contact or associating with any female child under the age of 16.

 
“Instead, he attended events where children were present with their parents.

“Thankfully, we have not had any incidents reported to us but we’re grateful to the community who raised concerns so that we could take action and put Bullett before the courts and stop his dangerous and predatory behaviour.

“Safeguarding children continues to be a top priority for us. I would encourage anyone who has been a victim of a sexual crime to come forward and report to us.”

Record details

A convicted paedophile said "oops" when he was confronted about gaps in his internet history.

Jeffrey Wade was handed a 16 month sentence, suspended for two years, and had to sign the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years in October 2020, when he admitted three counts of downloading and one of possessing indecent images of children, and one count of possessing prohibited images of children. Wade was caught when he took an Amazon Kindle containing sick pictures to Cash Converters.

He had been "downloading and stockpiling" more than 4,000 child sex abuse photos and videos since 2016. His collection included images of babies and toddlers being molested and children as young as five or six being raped.

Wade, 37, took his Kindle to Cash Converters and received £15 for it. However, when staff came to wipe the device, they found the disturbing images and contacted the police, leading to him admitting to the crimes.

However, he walked free in October 2020 after a judge heard he was "motivated to put this behaviour behind him". As part of his suspended sentence, any device of Wade's that could access the internet had to display its internet history in its entirety.

Today (March 3), Wade appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via video link from HMP Liverpool to be sentenced, having committed breaches of the suspended sentence and the Sexual Harm Prevention Order he was subject to.

Prosecuting, Mr Blasbery told the court that Wade's offender manager paid him a routine visit at his East Prescot Road home in Dovecot on May 20, 2022. During the visit, the manager found a black Nokia device.

The device had a Virtual Private Network (VPN) downloaded. VPNs give an internet user an opportunity to encrypt their use of the internet, making it harder for third parties to track their online activity.

Wade's Nokia also showed use of search engine DuckDuckGo, which protects the privacy of internet users. Additionally, there were gaps in his internet history on Google Chrome.

When the officer mentioned this to Wade, he said "oops, yeah".

On May 26, an examination of the phone was conducted. This confirmed that two VPNs were installed, along with use of DuckDuckGo, while an expert said that Wade had to take "positive action" to install and activate these.

Wade, who suffers from mental health problems including schizophrenia, attended a police interview on August 5, 2022. It was put to him that he should not have any way of conducting secure internet browsing. He said "I understand, it won't happen again".

The device did not contain any illegal images and Wade said he used the VPN for downloading films. However, the use of it breached terms he was subject to.

This meant that he appeared on video link from prison, as the offence took place during the length of his initial suspended sentence.

Mr Recorder Leach QC was unable to pass sentence today. Wade will need to undergo a psychiatric assessment in order to ascertain the role his mental health problems played in his offending, as well as to decide whether he has a realistic problem of rehabilitation, before the judge sentences him.

As such, Wade will appear at Liverpool Crown Court in May.

Record details

A convicted paedophile has been caged after he breached a sex-offender order when he was caught with undeclared devices and indecent images including cannibal-style fetish material.

Sheffield Crown Court heard on March 29 how Alastair Yeardley, aged 25, of Ravenfield, Rotherham, had originally been convicted and given a community order with treatment in April, 2021, for possessing indecent images of youngsters. He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

However, police visited Yeardley’s home in January, this year, during routine checks and recovered an undeclared laptop and phone, and a computer tower analysis revealed he had indecent images and 129 prohibited images including cannibal-style fetish material.

Prosecuting barrister Matthew Burdon said: “He said he was struggling to manage his addiction to children. He had the fetish involving the consumption of one party by another.”

Yeardley disclosed a laptop to the officers and they also found a phone and both these devices had not previously been declared to the police as part of the required conditions of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The defendant pleaded guilty to breaching his SHPO by failing to declare a laptop and a phone in January, and he also admitted making five category C indecent images – the least serious category relating to downloaded indecent images of youngsters - between April, 2022 and January, 2023.

Yeardley also admitted possessing 129 prohibited images between April, 2022, and January, 2023, which had included the fetish material.

Mr Burdon said the prohibited images included fetish material such as a person being ‘chewed and swallowed’.

Defence barrister Jessica Butterell said Yeardley, who had alerted officers to the devices in his home during the police visit, had struggled once his previous treatment had stopped but he now recognises the triggers he needs to act upon.

Ms Butterell added: “His initial offending arose out of a time when he was taking cannabis and he was distressed and emotional. It started as a trigger to alleviate stress and he is now open and honest about his feelings and if it happens again he knows to seek help.”

Yeardley has also begun making a journal recording his thoughts and feelings which he says has ‘greatly assisted him’, according to Ms Butterell, and he wants to make a change and has sought counselling.

She added: “Thinking about the effect on those victims felt like a brick to his face and he became extremely emotional and remorseful.”

Judge Graham Reeds KC told Yeardley he had originally been given a chance with a community order with a sex-offender treatment programme to rehabilitate himself but this had failed.

He said: “Your treatment was a failure. In late 2022 you downloaded more indecent images of children including prohibited images and you breached your SHPO not just by making those downloads but also by obtaining devices that you failed to notify to police.”

Judge Reeds told Yeardley: “It’s now time to impose prison as an appropriate punishment to deter you from behaving in this way in the future.”

He sentenced Yeardley to 14 months of custody and he also imposed an additional five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Record details

A man has been jailed for over three years for a string of offences relating to possession of indecent photos and other related crimes.

30 year old Richard Smith of the High Street in Lowestoft was jailed at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday 24 March after he pleaded guilty to possession of indecent photographs, namely 25 category A images and/or movies of children, 68 category B images and/or movies, of children and 64 category C images and/or movies, of children. He also pleaded guilty to making indecent photographs and possession of an extreme pornographic image and breach of SHPO (Sexual Harm Prevention Order)

Smith, was a known registered sex offender who was serving a suspended sentence following previous convictions for making indecent images of children. Officers became aware of a referral in October 2022 indicating his use of a Snapchat account with an indecent video of a child uploaded to the internet. Following further enquires made by officers, police attended his home address on 29 November 2022 and executed a warrant. He was arrested and subsequently charged. He also pleaded guilty to breach of SHPO (Secxual Harm Prevention Order)

For all of the offences he received a total custodial sentence of 42 months.

PC Nicola Flack from the Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team said: This was clear and blatant disregard by Smith with regards to his Sexual Harm Prevention Order. This order was put in place by the judicial system to protect the public from predators like Smith. We are very satisfied with this sentence which I hope goes some way to reassure the public of the police stance when it comes to subjects of such orders.

Internet crimes such as these are far from victimless and every image depicts the very real abuse a young child has suffered. We will do everything within our power to protect victims who are subjected to these potentially life changing acts of indecency purely for the gratification of others.

• Category A Images involving penetrative sexual activity, sexual activity with an animal or sadism.
• Category B Images involving non-penetrative sexual activity.
• Category C Indecent images not falling in categories A or B.

Record details

A disgusting sex pest who grabbed a womans throat and groin in a Gosport street while refusing to let her walk past has been jailed.

Drunk Jamie Bicknell left the woman feeling scared and violated after grabbing her by the throat and hair before groping the victim between her legs, Portsmouth Crown Court heard. It happened when the 32-year-old refused to leave the female alone in Stoke Road, on February 2, 2021.

Bicknell had been asked to leave a nearby restaurant at around 9.50pm for his drunken behaviour after he ordered some food. He then approached a woman outside and began making lewd comments and asking her for sex.

The court heard how the woman tried to get past Bicknell before he grabbed her by the throat and continued talking to her. He then grabbed her hair before touching her sexually in the groin area. You refused to stop and were intent on sexual abuse. She was petrified, judge Timothy Mousley KC said. She was wearing her hair in a bun which you took hold of and then touched her in the area of her groin. Your hand remained there for a few seconds before she managed to escape.

CCTV footage showed that Bicknell had travelled by bus from his home on Gregson Avenue before walking to Stoke Road. He had a conversation with the bus driver during his journey - sharing his first name and discussing mutual friends - the details of which allowed police to identify and track him down.

The court heard how the womans world collapsed following the attack with her turning from someone who was outgoing and bubbly to being scared all the time and was now taking medication to treat anxiety. He invaded my personal space. It was truly disgusting. I felt violated, she said in a statement read out to the court.

Bicknell was found guilty by jurors of sexual assault following a retrial.

The court heard Bicknell, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder, committed the offence during a difficult period with his partner which led to him turning to drink and looking for trouble when going out.

Bicknell was jailed for two and a half years and given an indefinite restraining order and sex offender notification requirements.

Police staff investigator Sophie Close said: Reporting sexual offences takes a huge amount of courage, and the victim in this case has shown such bravery by coming forward and working with police to bring Bicknell to justice.

This attack was terrifying for her. Bicknells actions were appalling and disgusting, and behaviour of this kind will never be tolerated. Our officers work hard to identify perpetrators of this type of behaviour, and we want to encourage anyone who has been affected, or has witnessed someone behaving in this way to please report it to police.

A police spokesman added: We carry out regular patrols in areas where problems have been identified to us and where there is high footfall in the Night Time Economy to challenge and prevent perpetrator behaviours, identify people who may be vulnerable, and to offer safeguarding advice.

Record details

A dangerous 'sexual predator' has been jailed for 20 years for raping a teenager and a young woman.

Leon Austin, 31, raped the woman multiple times in August 2022 near Bristol and was arrested the next day.

While on bail, Austin, of no fixed address, was charged with raping a 17-year-old in 2018 in Gloucestershire.

The victim of the most recent attack said she still had days "crippled by an overwhelming fear to do anything, leave my room, have a shower or eat".

In August 2022, Austin gave a woman in her 20s a lift and made sexual advances to her during the journey, which she declined.

Austin stopped at a remote barn where he raped the woman. After the attack, she ran away and Austin drove from the scene.

The victim managed to flag down a passing motorist, called the police and Austin was arrested a couple of days later.

'Scared and intimidated'

The woman told Bristol Crown Court: "There have been times that I have to go to my mum because I am concerned what I might do to myself."

She said she had struggled to sleep or return to work because of the trauma caused.

"My friends struggle to understand what happened, they don't want to be around me because I am not my usually happy self. I am often difficult to be around," she said.

"My relationship and outlook on men in general has completely changed. I am so scared and intimidated of any man," she added.

The victim of the 2018 attack, now in her 20s, said she thought Austin was going to kill her.

She said: "I was in the middle of nowhere. Nowhere to go or anyone to turn to.

"I thought 'this is it' that night and have continued thinking that afterwards."

Austin pleaded guilty in January to five counts of rape - two relating to 2018 and three to 2022 - and one count of attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle with intent to commit rape.

Officer in the case DC Carl Spicer said: "Austin is sexual predator who targeted younger vulnerable and alone females, providing them with drink or drugs. He then ignored their wishes when they did not consent to sex."

"Both women have shown incredible levels of bravery and courage to report what happened to them and they should feel proud that by doing so has meant a dangerous man is behind bars."

Austin will need to serve five years on licence upon release.

Record details

A BRAVE woman has spoken out after her rapist was jailed, urging other victims to find the courage to come forward.

Gary Baxter of Husseys Lane, Kington, was jailed for a single count of rape at Worcester Crown Court. The 46-year-old was jailed for three years and 10 months and ordered to sign the sex offender register until further order.

His victim gave evidence at his trial until he changed his plea to guilty and he was jailed on January 26 this year.

The woman, who has lifelong anonymity, is urging more women and men who are attacked across Worcestershire and Herefordshire to come forward.

In an exclusive interview, she described how she was raped in October 2020, calling her attacker 'controlling and manipulative'.

She added: "He took my car keys so I couldn't escape. Later he managed to rape me. I'm a physically strong woman but I was no match for him. "I was in shock. But I knew I was raped. After this I really wasn't sure If I wanted to report him.

"Would I be believed? It's his word against mine. Some rapes are so violent the woman has physical injuries. I didn't. What evidence would there be to 'show' I was raped? Why didn't I fight more? These and many other questions were running through my mind. But I knew a crime had been committed against me.

"After the two days I went to the sexual assault referral clinic SARC to check me over and gather evidence while I was still deciding what to do. The nurses there are very supportive. They talked through all the options to help me make an informed decision. I agreed to an examination and samples. I was under no pressure to report to the police. It was here I felt the full magnitude of what had happened to me. I was so scared and traumatised but I decided I didn't want him to get away with it.

"So I decided to report to the police. The police were, for the most part, professional and sensitive while they interviewed me. I gave my evidence and was referred to many agencies to support me emotionally and to support me through the criminal justice system. One of the agencies I couldn't have done without was the Rape Crisis Centre or The Sexual Violence service. I was assigned an advocate who supported me all the way through the criminal justice system.

"Many survivors decide not to report their abuse for their own reasons. If this is you I do hope you reach out and get support.

"Whatever the outcome of reporting it is a very empowering process to speak out against your abuser. To stand up and fight. When all control is taken from you, this can help you take some control back. I'm speaking now because I wish you to know you are not to blame. They made the choice to rape you. It's not a loss of control on their part. There's nothing you said or did to deserve it. You are not weak. You are not a victim You are a survivor. You will be happy again."

The judge further ordered he may be placed on the barring list by the disclosure and barring service with restraining orders applied for until further notice. A victim surcharge of 190 was also imposed.