Latest Offenders

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Serial rapist Joseph McCann was free to attack his victims when he was mistakenly released from prison due to "major failings" by "unstable" and inexperienced probation staff, a review has found. Officials were warned McCann had the hallmarks of a sex offender as early as 2011, but probation officers missed eight chances to keep him behind bars, according to an independent case review. The 34-year-old dealt with 10 staff over the 11 years he was known to authorities and had three different probation officers in the months before he was wrongly released from prison in February 2019, the report added. He went on to rape, abduct and assault 11 women and children between the ages of 11 and 71 in a terrifying 15-day rampage two months later. A review of the case ordered by Justice Secretary Robert Buckland and carried out by Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell laid bare repeated errors in failing to recall McCann to prison despite him posing a major risk. Weeks before he carried out the attacks in Watford, London and the North West of England, he was automatically released from jail due to a probation service mistake, the review found. But had he been recalled to prison, he would have been kept behind bars until a parole board decided he was safe to release, it said.

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Brian Hemborough 'systematically' searched for the abuse images, claiming he used them as a perverted 'safety net' to stop himself abusing children.

Hemborough was already being monitored by police - following convictions in 1989, 2004, 2013 and 2016 - when his devices were seized and checked.

So many images and videos were uncovered that police just took a sample of 15,000 from the 55-year-old's devices.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard some children were in 'discernible pain' in the images, and were as young as two.

Prosecutor Stuart Ellacott said the defendant twice lied to police claiming he had no internet-enabled devices, telling officers in December 2018 'he was hoping he would get something' like that for Christmas.

The socially-distanced public gallery containing two people erupted as judge Roger Hetherington jailed Hemborough with cries of 'he's ruined people's lives'.

One man shouted '12 months?' as judge Hethering jailed the defendant for 32 months.

Hemborough admitted eight charges of making indecent images, two breaches of a sexual offences prevention order and three charges of possession of indecent images.

He was secretly viewing the images between December 2015 and January this year.

Jailing him, the judge said: 'When the police attended your premises earlier this year it was found that you had a number of devices which on analysis were found to contain a very large quantity of indecent images at all levels and including moving images - on the basis of the sample taken, a little under 15,000.'

The judge said Hemborough had a 'very significant record of previous convictions including various contact offences' in 1989 when he was jailed for 10 years.

Detailing probation's findings, the judge added: 'You at times sought to justify what you did, to minimise the reality that you plainly harbour supportive beliefs in the area of child abuse and you have a high degree of preoccupation (in children) - all those are very troubling matters.'

He added: 'You told the police that you have used indecent images as what was termed by you as a safety net to prevent yourself committing contact offences.'

Hemborough must sign the sex offenders' register for life, and is subject to a lifetime sexual harm prevention order.

Philip Allman, mitigating, said his client was 'willing to address his issues' and added: 'He has gone to great efforts to learn about his desires and how to combat them.'

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One of Scotlands most dangerous sex attackers has been granted a parole hearing just five years into a life sentence. Patrick Chinskie was described as a clear danger to women when he was sentenced in 2015 after being convicted of raping five women over 23 years. The sadistic serial attacker was made the subject of an Order For Lifelong Restriction with an initial punishment term of seven years. But now Chinskies victims have been contacted by the Scottish Prison Service to be told the rapist will be able to ask to be released on licence at a parole hearing later this summer. It is understood that time served on remand means the original seven-year term has been reduced to just over five. Yesterday, Chinskies first victim said the justice system had betrayed her and the other women he attacked.Now 58 and a grandmother, the woman, who was forced to leave the West Lothian village she had grown up in to get away from Chinskie, said: If he is freed, there is no justice in the world. Chinskie, 55, originally from Strathspey, attacked women in Paisley, Nairn, Inverness, Bathgate and Glasgow, He used makeshift weapons and knives to permanently disfigure some of his victims. His first victim was raped on various occasions between 1990 and 1993 in Glasgow and West Lothian. Chinskie once jumped on the bonnet of her car as she tried to escape him, smashing his way through her windscreen. He used a set of metal pliers on another victim and demanded she have an abortion, pulling her out of a car and raping her in a field. He later burnt her with cigarettes. His first victim said: When police knocked on my front door five years ago, I was forced to relive the horror of every single beating, punch and kick. I still have flashbacks today of the awful things he inflicted on me. It took all my strength to testify in court against him because I was determined to stop him destroying other women, and when he was sentenced to life I at least thought he would be kept in jail for a long time. When I received a letter from the parole board last Wednesday telling me that he is applying for early release, I was physically sick. How anyone could believe that it is safe to release Chinskie after just five years is beyond me. The victim added: If Id known that hed be able to apply for parole after so little time, I would have seriously questioned whether it was worth putting myself through the pain of giving evidence in court and reliving everything he did to me. This isnt justice for me, for any of us. Ive been unable to trust anyone since. Even now, a loud noise or anyone shouting takes me right back to being a victim so theres been no escape for me. Sandy Brindley of Rape Crisis Scotland said: There is something very wrong with a system which puts these women through the agony of having to confront the prospect of his release after only five years into a life sentence. Time and time again we hear from survivors about how the justice system is intimidating and re-traumatising. More broadly, Scotlands response to sexual crimes is just not acceptable. The Parole Board of Scotland said it did not comment on individual cases but added: Order for Lifelong Restriction prisoners are considered, at the end of the punishment part, set by the trial judge, of their sentence, for possible release on licence by the Board. Under the Victim Notification Scheme, the Scottish Prison Service will write to registered victims under the terms of the scheme nearer the time the prisoner is due to be considered by the Parole Board. The Board will not direct release until it is satisfied that the prisoner can be safely managed in the community.

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A sex pest who has "repeatedly proven he is a danger to women" has been jailed again.

Richard Enderby Hall-Trafford, 24, was jailed for 34 weeks last year after he admitted sexually assaulting two women, flashing at a jogger and performing a sex act in public in Corby.

He was deemed so dangerous magistrates banned him from approaching, touching or attempting to engage with any unknown female for five years through a sexual harm prevention order.

But on May 23, just months after he was released from prison, he sexually assaulted another woman in Spencer Street, Burton Latimer.

He admitted sexual assault and breaching the order by touching his victim and he has now been jailed for 18 weeks.

A further two weeks in prison was added to his sentence because he failed to meet supervision requirements after he was released earlier this year, meaning his risk was "unmanageable", making his total sentence 20 weeks behind bars.

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: We are pleased to see Richard Hall-Trafford given time behind bars as he has repeatedly proven that he is a danger to women.

Everyone in this world deserves the right to go about their business without fear of being approached inappropriately and Hall-Trafford has continuously threatened that right.

Northamptonshire Police is committed to taking action against sex offenders and we hope that Hall Traffords conviction demonstrates that commitment.

As part of his sentence Hall-Trafford, of Dumble Close in Corby, will also be on the register for sex offenders for seven and must not contact his most recent victim because of a restraining order.

The pervert must also pay his victim 200 in compensation, court costs of 145 and a surcharge to fund victim services of 128.

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A man found unanimously guilty of violently beating and raping a woman in Charlton has today been sentenced to 16 years in prison. Detectives desrcibed it as "one of the most shocking cases we've ever dealt with" due to the violence used by Osman Suleyman, of no address. The 31-year-old has been found guilty of raping a 23-year-old female, who was known to the offender, after she returned with friends to a flat in Charlton after a night out on October 4, 2019. Suleyman demanded the victim perform sexual acts on him as payment for drugs and alcohol, then turned violent, repeatedly striking her face using a knuckle duster and the sheath of a knife. He then forced the victim to perform a sex act on him and raped her. Suleyman told the woman that if she told police, he would kill her. A friend called police shortly after the incident, and police forced entry into the flat, finding blood smeared on the walls and kitchen door and arrested Suleyman at the scene. On March 17, at Woolwich Crown Court, Suleyman had been unanimously found guilty of two counts of rape, assault (ABH), threats to kill and false imprisonment. Suleyman was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on 26 June to 16 years in prison and an extended five years on licence. As a result of the horrific ordeal, the victim suffered extensive injuries, including cuts and bruises to her face and body. Detective Constable Ben Harrington of the South East Command Unit said: "This was a horrible crime and the victim was subjected to a dreadful ordeal. "Thankfully she has been able to recover from her injuries, but the impact of such a crime goes beyond the physical injury. The Met recognises the traumatic nature of such crimes and that is why victims are supported by specialist officers. I hope that seeing the man responsible brought to justice will help her recovery. Suleyman is a violent man and the jury found him unanimously guilty on all charges. This is certainly one of the most shocking cases I have ever had to deal with. The violence used was appalling. Suleyman now faces a long term in prison for his crime; it is thoroughly deserved. During the court case, it was heard that on October 4, Suleyman and a number of others were out in Woolwich Town Cetre, including a 23-year-old woman known to him. The group returned in the early hours of Saturday, October 5, to a flat in Charlton which was the home of one of Suleyman's friends, and he was temporarily staying there. Police said that up until this point, the evening had been good-natured, but Suleyman's mood began to change and he demanded that the victim perform sexual acts on him as payment for drugs and alcohol he bought. When the woman refused, Suleyman became violent and repeatedly struck her in the face with several objects, including a knuckle duster, kicked her, then raped her. Almost immediately, after leaving the address, the victim saw a friend who could see she was in distress and the friend called the police. Police attended and spoke to the victim, who was taken to hospital. Officers located the address where the offence happened and forced entry, Suleyman was present at the location and arrested. At the scene there were clear signs of disturbance with blood smeared on the walls and on a kitchen door. There was also clothing and bedding items in a washing machine which appeared to be bloodstained. In interview Suleyman simply said he had not raped or assaulted anyone and answered no comment to all further questions put to him. HORRIBLE CRIME DREADFUL ORDEAL VIIOLENT MAN, UNANIOUSLY GUILTY, one of the most shocking cases ive ever had to deal wityh, the violence used was appalling. thoughtylu deserved

Description

A PAEDOPHILE who searched the internet for "pre-teen boys" and "very, very young porn" has been given a ten-year sexual harm prevention order.

Christopher Wagstaff appeared before Southampton Crown Court facing charges of creating indecent images of children.

He initially pleaded not guilty at Southampton Magistrate's Court however changed this to guilty at a Crown Court plea and trial preparation hearing.

The court heard how police raided the 50-year-old's home in Foldsgate Close, Lyndhurst based on "intelligence".

They seized a tower computer and a Toshiba laptop on October 17, 2017.

During his first police interview Wagstaff did not comment.

But when officers went on to scan his PC they found three Category B indecent images of children.

Meanwhile, his laptop had four category C images.

Further police investigations found how Wagstaff had searched the internet for terms including "pre-teen boys" and "very, very young porn".

He was interviewed again and did not comment.

Defence barrister, Jonathan Underhill told the court how no moving images were found on Wagstaff's computers. He argued there were a small amount images on the devices when compared to other cases.

And, that Wagstaff was the subject of some degree of abuse as a child.

The court heard that Wagstaff has mild learning difficulties.

Based on a doctors report, 99 per cent of people the same age as him have a higher IQ.

Judge Henry gave Wagstaff a ten-year sexual harm prevention order and a 30-month community order.

He will have to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, rehab of up to 15 days and a 90 day scheme for men convicted of sexual offences.

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A SOUTHAMPTON paedophile has been jailed for 13-months.

Adam Piggott appeared at Southampton Crown Court on Friday faced with charges of attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child and attempting to meet a child for sexual activity.

Using social media, the 31-year-old messaged a 13-year-old-girl called Molly between October 28 and November 7, 2019.

He started the conversation by sending her a message from a profile with the name of Martin – his middle name.

Piggot, of Mansfield Park Street, asked what she was "into" and what she looked like, the court heard.

Molly sent a photo – which he deemed "cute" – and then sent an image of himself back.

His messages eventually turned more explicit and more sexual.

Little did he know, Molly was not a real girl.

An online police unit tasked with catching paedophiles had created a fictional profile.

Prosecutor, Dawn Hyland told how Piggott asked if "Molly" had been with an older man.

He offered to meet her and they made arrangements for when his girlfriend was at work.

Piggott asked Molly not to tell anybody.

They agreed to meet at McDonald's in Shirley High Street on November 7.

Piggott drove in and out of the restaurant's car park searching for Molly in vain.

After pulling up in a cul-de-sac opposite he was snared by officers.

During a police interview, he admitted he knew she was 13-years-old and he wanted to meet for sex.

He said it had dawned on him she was not real and he could not give a specific reason why he sent messages.

Transcripts of their exchanges totalled 81 pages.

Defence barrister, Jamie Gammon said: "He [Piggott] is a man of good character and has no previous convictions."

And, that he had taken steps to address his offending behaviour – including hypnotherapy.

Gammon argued that Piggott is "clearly a man with mental health problems" and furthermore he had pleaded guilty.

For his "serious crimes", Judge Henry sentenced him to 13-months in prison and gave him a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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A FORMER New Forest man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for the brutal rape of a woman as she walked through a park.

Luke West (29) was found guilty by a jury at Winchester Crown Court following an 11-day trial in which he was also convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent on his victim, a cleaner in her 40s.

She had been walking through Lower Gardens in Bournemouth on her way to work early one morning last November when West from behind grabbed her around the neck and then raped her.

The attack was so violent the court was told she thought she was going to die. The victim was found a short time later, naked and badly injured.

She was treated in hospital for a fracture to her eye socket, and significant bruising to her face, neck, chest and arms.

A major investigation was launched by Dorset Police, which included an extensive trawl of CCTV footage, and a man seen running away from the area was identified as a suspect.

The following evening officers stopped a man matching the description of the suspect. He gave a false name but was arrested and confirmed to be West, who was living at an address in Durley Chine Road in the town. Detectives also obtained DNA evidence linking West to the offence.

West denied both allegations of rape and causing grievous bodily harm but the jury took just three hours to convict him on both counts.

In 2015 West, who was then living in Dinham Road, Ashley, had been jailed for four years for holding his girlfriend at knifepoint and threatening to kill her. He punched and bit her because he believed she had been sleeping with other men.

West, who had previously lived in Cadnam, had earlier convictions for assault and robbery.

After the verdict and sentencing at Winchester, Det. Insp. Wayne Seymour, of Dorset Polices major crime investigation team, said: This was a despicable offence, which saw Luke West subject his victim not only to a terrifying sexual attack but also a brutal physical assault.

While it can be of little consolation to the victim in this case, thankfully incidents of this nature are extremely rare in this area and I am grateful to all the officers and police staff who worked tirelessly on this investigation so that we were able to swiftly identify West as the suspect and apprehend him.

He added: Finally, I would like to praise the victim for the incredible bravery she has shown in supporting the investigation.

She has been through a truly horrific ordeal and for her to have shown the courage to give evidence at trial, and help bring this dangerous offender to justice, I hope will inspire others who have been subjected to such terrible offences and help give them the strength to come forward.

Description

A man has been jailed for two-and-a-half years over indecent images of children.

Graham Robert Mead, from Coulsdon, was yesterday (Thursday, June 18) sentenced to a total of 30 months at Guildford Crown Court for a number of offences, including making and taking indecent images of children.

Mead, 46, of Portnalls Road, had admitted arranging or commissioning a child sex offence, making an indecent photograph of a child, and three offences of taking indecent images of a child at earlier hearings.

A Surrey Police investigation was launched in February last year after a tip-off about Meads online activity.

Their investigation showed he had been using the messaging app Kik to look for individuals who had children or access to them. Detectives also identified a vulnerable teenage victim, who Mead had taken advantage of.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Steve Branch said: We welcome the sentence the court has imposed. It sends a clear message to anyone targeting or abusing children that you cannot hide online or behind a username.

"We will find you and investigate your activity thoroughly to bring you to justice.

Our inquiries showed Mead had 2,500 chat logs on his mobile device from Kik. He would seek others who had access to children in order to facilitate sexual abuse and sought indecent images. It became clear Mead was extremely manipulative and this sentence demonstrates just how seriously the courts took our concerns for the safety of those that he may have come into contact with."

The sentencing has led to officers reminding parents and carers to help children understand the dangers of using the internet.

They are urged to talk to their children and allow them to feel comfortable about raising any issues or concerns they have and ensure the youngsters are aware that people arent always who they say they are online.

Parents and teenagers are urged to know the signs of grooming, whether online or in person, and are encouraged to report any suspicions to police.

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A former Burton gym instructor has been jailed after raping a woman three times.

Braden Rae admitted three counts of rape in Burton when he appeared before Wolverhampton Crown Court on Thursday, June 11.

The court heard the 44-year-old, a former gym instructor in Burton now living in Derbyshire, raped his victim twice in 2014, then again 2015.

The woman later confided in a friend before making a report to police officers.

Rae, now of Lace Maker's Close, Borrowash, Derbyshire, has been jailed for eight years after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing at the court.

Detective Constable Amy Gathergood, of Staffordshire Police, said: "The bravery of the witness in coming forward to the police has led to Braden Rae's jail term.

"We will always do whatever it takes to bring offenders to justice, while ensuring victims and their families are offered the support they need."

Description

A dangerous sex offender has been sent back to prison after he was caught trying to chat up teenage girls within months of his release.

Mark Phillips was freed after serving six years of a ten year sentence for having sex with a 14-year-old girl who he threatened with a hunting knife.

Police applied for a Sexual Harm Prevention Order after learning that he was contacting schoolgirls on chatrooms and social media.

He has been jailed after he was caught going shopping in Exeter with a 16-year-old girl, who he also plied with alcohol.

He was declared to be a dangerous offender when he was jailed at Truro Crown Court in 2013 for three offences of penetrative sexual activity with a child.

Those offences involved him starting a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl in his home town of Callington when he was 23.

He took her virginity on Valentines Day but became controlling, manipulative and abusive and ended up putting a knife to her throat.

He was released from Dartmoor Prison in April last year and was living in a post-release hostel in Exeter when the police discovered he was trying to contact under-aged girls again.

Officers obtained a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which banned any contact with anyone under 18 either in person or online.

He broke the order five weeks later by messaging the 16-year-old, taking her shopping in John Lewis in Exeter, and buying her a can of alcohol.

Phillips, now aged 30 and of Howell Road, Exeter, admitted two breaches of the SHPO and was jailed for two years by Judge Timothy Rose at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him: You knew exactly what you were doing. You had just been told a few weeks earlier in court not to have any contact with anyone under 18.

You are a dangerous person who has breached this order within a month or so of it being imposed. Your contact with this girl was deliberate and quite manipulative.

Samuel Castlehouse, prosecuting, said the SHPO was imposed on December 5, 2019, because of concerns by Phillipss offender manager about his online activity.

He said: He was found to be accessing porn sites on a daily basis and had contacts on social media and in chatrooms with females whose profiles and messages suggested they were still at school.

He was accessing sites and contacting females on various platforms for the sole purpose of meeting his sexual needs.

His offender manager learned he had been in John Lewis in Exeter with a 16-year-old girl and another sex offender. He bought her a can of alcohol on the same day and exchanged Snapchat messages which he later deleted.

William Parkhill, defending, said Phillips had started a sex offenders treatment programme after his release but it had not had time to affect his attitudes or behaviour.

He said similar work will be needed before he is released again, which may not be until the expiry of his original sentence in 2023.

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A sick pensioner who sexually abused three boys has been jailed for nearly 20 years.

One of Robert Brady's victims repeatedly tried to take his own life after years of abuse including rape.

The determined pervert groomed two other victims with cash and even molested one of them after being released on police bail.

The 79-year-old, of Springfield Avenue, Batley, was jailed for 19-and-a-half years on Monday after admitting 11 charges in relation to historic and recent child sex abuse.

Jailing Brady, Judge Robin Mairs told him "You have nothing but callous disregard for the pain, both physical and mental, that you inflict on your victims."

Prosecutor Matthew Bean said the abuse of the first victim became penetrative and more violent over time. Speaking about one incident, the judge said: "This was degrading, violent and systemic abuse of a young child."

The victim began physically defending himself as he got older and stronger. On the final occasion, the victim bit Brady's penis. Brady reacted by assaulting him but did not sexually abuse him again. Leeds Crown Court heard the victim tried to take his own life a number of times. 

The judge said: "Those I am quite satisfied were real suicide attempts. That is the catastrophic effect of child abuse."

After the first time Brady sexually abused the second victim, he gave him £5 and told him that if he did not tell anyone he would get more money.

The next time Brady saw the boy he tried to rape him and gave him £20. The victim told him: "Get off. It burns." Brady replied: "That's what you get."

On another occasion, Brady got the second victim and another teenager alone together and told them they had 'the best two bums in Batley'. He abused them in front of each other and gave them £80.

The second victim's mother noticed that her son had topped up his Xbox Live account with £80 and asked where the money came from. The boys were honest about the abuse.

She confronted the defendant and he admitted what he had done. 

Police were called and an investigation began. Brady made no comment in his police interview.

He was released on police bail but just two-and-a-half months later he got one of the boys alone and sexually assaulted him again. Brady gave the boy £150 this time and told him that he would hurt him if he told anyone.

Again, the victim spent the money on Xbox credit, his mother noticed and she confronted the defendant. The defendant admitted that he had seen the boy but denied sexually abusing him on this occasion. She told him she was contacting police again and he said: "F**k off."

He made no comment in his second police interview.

The first victim went to police after learning that the abuse of the other victims had been reported to the police. He told police that not being believed by the adult who he had told about the abuse left him feeling defeated.

In relation to the first victim, Brady pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault, two counts of rape and one count of gross indecency.

In relation to the second and third victim, he pleaded guilty to three counts of assault by penetration, one count of attempted rape and one count of attempted assault by penetration. He has no previous convictions.

Kate Batty, mitigating, said the defendant is aware of the 'very real likelihood' that he will never be released from custody. She asked the judge to reduce her client's sentence to reflect his guilty pleas.

Brady, who appeared in court via video link from Leeds prison, was also made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Police statement
PC Alexis Stansfield, of Kirklees District Child Safeguarding Unit, who led the investigation, said:  "Robert Brady committed appalling acts against young and vulnerable victims who were in no position to defend themselves and we are pleased to see him receive a substantial sentence in court for his crimes.

"He has clearly still posed a huge danger to children will into his later 70s and is without doubt a significantly predatory offender.

"This was a harrowing investigation and I wish to pay tribute to the victims who had the courage to support our enquiries and help put this very dangerous man behind bars.

"I'm pleased his guilty plea spared them seeing the case taken to trial and hope they may gain some comfort from seeing Brady brought to justice, knowing he has received such a significant prison sentence at such a late stage in his life."

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This is the moment a man jailed for inciting children to have sex is confronted by paedophile hunters.

John Derek Sandham was snared in Denbighshire by The Hunted, a vigilante group.

Sandham, 37, tried to incite two young "girls" to send intimate photos of themselves over the internet.

The bricklayer, of Carmel, near Holywell thought he was talking to an 11-year-old girl called Sarah and a 13-year-old girl called Elle in April and May last year.

But they were adults posing as youngsters.

Calling himself David and claiming to be from Rhyl, Sandham sent intimate photographs and pornographic videos and asked the "girls" to send him images of themselves.

After collecting the evidence from online chat logs the group traced Sandham through a swingers' website and arranged to meet him last June.

They filmed their 30 minute confrontation with Sandham who was found to be wearing female underwear.

Clearly shaken Sandham he lay on the ground covering his face throughout the 30-minute video.

The police had been alerted and the video ends with officers arriving and arresting Sandham.

When interviewed Sandham insisted he believed the people he was communicating with were adults pretending to be children.

But his mobile phone was seized and forensically examined and evidence was found that Sandham had been downloading indecent images of children and distributing some of them to others.

At Mold Crown Court earlier this week he admitted charges of attempting to incite children to engage in sexual activity and sexual communication, distributing indecent images of children, possessing indecent images of children and extreme pornographic images.

He was jailed for 42 months and his details will remain on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Judge Niclas Parry said the offences were serious because he had targeted two young girls and had been persistent in communicating with them.

Mercifully no children were harmed because there were no children, he added.

Prosecutors used evidence provided by paedophile hunters in more than 250 cases against suspected abusers in 2018

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A man has been jailed for a series of sickening sex attacks he carried out on a boy in the 1980s.

Neil Thomas was himself just a teenager when he subjected a victim half his age to repeated abuse after grooming him with pornographic magazines and the offer of playing computer games.

Swansea Crown Court heard the 45-year-old has had "zero consensual sexual experiences" in his life, a situation which had led him to become addicted to ever more extreme pornography.

John Hipkin QC, prosecuting, said the offending took place in the late 1980s.

He said Thomas, who was around 15 at the time, showed his young victim pornographic magazines, and offered him the chance to play computer games before going on perform a series of sex acts on the boy, as well as getting the boy to perform sex acts on him.

The barrister said as the victim - who was half Thomas' age - grew up, he came to realise what had happened to him but it wasn't until 2017 that he confided in his partner.

The police were subsequently told, and in 2018 officers executed a search warrant at the defendant's home - in his bedroom they uncovered "a large amount of pornographic material" while on a computer they found more than 130 indecent images and movies featuring children, as well as images showing women "being physically assaulted for the purposes of sex".

The court heard police also found the computer had been used to search online for indecent images of youngsters using terms such as "toddler incest".

Mr Hipkin read details of an impact statement from Thomas' victim in which he said his life had "gone off the rails" after the abuse, and he had been left battling the "demons". He said he felt Thomas had stolen his childhood, and the abuse had impacted every aspect of his life.

Thomas, of Greenfield Avenue, Taibach, Port Talbot, had previously pleaded guilty to six counts of indecent assault and gross indecency with a child, and to five counts of possessing indecent images and extreme pornography when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

James Hartson, for Thomas, said there was only limited mitigation he could put forward on the defendant's behalf but that his guilty pleas - albeit ones entered on the first day of his trial - had spared his victim from being publicly cross-examined.

He said there had been an "element of opportunism as well as grooming" in the offending, and Thomas was deeply ashamed of what he had done.

The barrister said though not an excuse for his behaviour, as a teenager the defendant had "left out" while his school friends had been talking about sexual experiences as he is "a man with zero consensual sexual experiences - and that applies to this day as a 45-year-old".

He said Thomas had been "somewhat depressed and repressed" through his life, and had developed a "compulsive addiction" to pornography, something which had led him to seek out ever-more extreme material.

Judge Keith Thomas said it was not an easy case to sentence because of the age of the defendant at the material time, and also different charges and sentences which were in place in the 1980s.

For the assault charges the defendant as sentenced to four-and-a-half years prison, and for the indecent images charges to eight months - the sentences will run consecutively making an overall sentence of five years and two months. Thomas will serve up to a half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

The defendant was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order to control his internet use and contact with children, and will be a registered sex offender for the same length of time.

Description

A Poole woman who took indecent photographs of a child to stop her sick lover exposing their affair has today been jailed for nine years.

Married Katie Weeks, 36, was persuaded by Gareth Southcombe, 42, to send him vile abuse images of a young child.

After sending the pictures the 'depraved' pair then chatted about them online and 'revelled' in their content.

Officers from the National Crime Agency were already on to Southcombe as he had a history of downloading child pornography and began investigating Weeks, an illustrator and designer who produced gift cards.

Her unsuspecting husband Martyn knew nothing about his wife's sickening double life until police arrived at their luxury home on the edge of Poole Harbour to arrest her in May 2018.

A victim impact statement was read out at Bournemouth Crown Court by Mr Weeks' father in which he said his son had been 'destroyed' by the matter.

In a police interview Weeks blamed Southcombe for what she had done.

She said she felt coerced and was worried that he would confront her husband if she stopped sending the images.

Weeks denied charges of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, taking indecent photographs of a child and distributing those indecent photographs but was found guilty following a trial.

Southcombe, who owns his own boating building company at Poole Marina, admitted possessing indecent photos of a child and possessing 43 indecent images of a child relating to pictures found on his desktop computer.

Today Weeks wept as she was jailed for nine years while Southcombe was jailed for two.

Judge Stephen Climie said: "This is a case which involves offences of the utmost gravity, which have had a devastating impact on others.

"It is difficult to understand how and why such depraved ideas would be repeated by anyone.

"The messages demonstrated you both revelled in the exchanges."

Afterwards Hazel Stewart, the NCA operations manager, said: "These were awful crimes.

"It doesn't matter what walk of life an offender is from, we will do everything in our power to catch them."

The court heard Weeks sent the pictures to Southcombe between August and October 2017.

James Horder, prosecuting, said: "Katie Weeks was having an affair with Gareth Southcombe, a man who did nothing to disguise he had a sexual interest in children.

"Not only did they discuss sexual behaviour, she sent him images which are subject to this indictment.

"He didn't disguise any delight in receiving these images.

"In May 2018 the National Crime Agency were investigating Southcombe and arrested him at his work at Poole Marina.

"The images they discovered led them to arrest Weeks at her home. Her unsuspecting husband opened the door and she was arrested.

"Police found a message from her to Southcombe asking him to delete the images."

In a victim impact statement read out in court, Mr Weeks' father Ken said: "This has caused so many sleepless nights and tears. It is heartbreaking to watch how this has destroyed my son."

Audrey Archer, defending, said Weeks had never shown an inappropriate interest in children before and accepted she deserved to go to jail.

She said: "She regrets putting everyone through a trial and accepts her wrongdoing in sending what she did to Mr Southcombe.

"She is deeply ashamed of what she has done and deeply sorry for the pain, hurt and devastation her offending has caused.

"She fully accepts that lives of others have been greatly shaken by her actions.

"The real sorrow she feels is visible in her appearance today."

Peter Cowley, defending Southcombe, said: It is plain that they fed off each other. I dont accept that he manipulated Katie Weeks.

Gareth Southcombe is a man of good character who has not offended since and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Twenty years of his life has gone into his business and if he is given an immediate custodial sentence it will fail.

Both Weeks and Southcombe were given indefinite sexual harm prevention orders.