Latest Offenders

Description

A man has been sentenced to 10 years in a young offenders institution for a string of offences including sexual activity with an underage girl.

Tom Baker, 20, of Tamworth, admitted two counts of sexual activity with a girl under 16 and two counts of taking a child without authority.

He also admitted possessing indecent images and a bladed article.

He was sentenced earlier this month at Birmingham Crown Court where he was handed a sexual harm prevention order.

In addition, he was told to hand over a mobile telephone and kitchen knife and will pay a victim surcharge of 170.

Baker faced a total of ten charges at the court case which concluded at a sentencing hearing on 8 February.

He changed some of his pleas from not guilty to guilty during the court case.

Description

A paedophile former teacher once jailed for secretly filming children undressing has walked free from court after downloading and distributing indecent images.

Simon Whitfield, 58, had just been released from prison when a tip-off from Canadian authorities led police to his home in Highgate, Beverley, on October 19, 2017, Hull Crown Court heard.

Phillip Evans, prosecuting, said Whitfield was the only one living in the house, which was searched by police and resulted in the seizure of his Acer laptop.

Analysis showed he had downloaded six indecent photographs between September 17 and October 1, 2015, and had also used Skype to distribute two category C images on the latter date.

Child abuse 'chats'

Mr Evans said the offences were committed against "a background of conversations on what are called chat logs of a highly prurient nature involving the abuse of nine-year-old children".

He had appeared under the name Simon Knowles when he was jailed for four and a half years at York Crown Court on April 25, 2013 for similar offences, as well as 11 counts of voyeurism.

The voyeurism related to him filming children getting changed for PE at a school in West Yorkshire - using tiny spy cameras hidden in a pen and a shirt button. He accidentally caught his own face on camera.

He was on licence, and subject to a sexual offences prevention order indefinitely, at the time he committed his latest offences.

Charity support

Whitfield was supported at court by a member of the Christian Jacob's Well charity, who had written one of his references, his barrister Nigel Clive said. Whitfield worked four hours a week as a volunteer for the charity.

"This defendant is ashamed he is once again before the court," Mr Clive said.

"This defendant says he took a lot from the sexual offenders work he undertook in prison, but when he was released he found adjusting to being back in society with a label such as he did, difficult. He found himself in a dark place."

Since being caught, Whitfield had installed a programme on his computer which alerts The Lucy Faithfull Foundation of "suspicious" internet activity and the charity then alerts police, Mr Clive said.

Judge explains sentence

Sentencing Whitfield, Judge Simon Jack told him his latest crimes were "committed not long after you were released from serving a substantial prison sentence for similar offences.

"If you had been caught and dealt with at that point you could certainly have expected an immediate prison sentence.

"But I have to look at the overall picture, and the overall picture is that after going off the rails to some extent after your release from prison, you must have seen the error of your ways, and despite downloading indecent images, and in a couple of cases distributing them, you took steps to ensure you would not do it again, and there's no evidence to say you have done it again since the end of 2015.

"And for that reason it seems to me that I can avoid doing what would otherwise be inevitable in sending you straight back to prison."

Whitfield was sentenced to a two-year community order, which includes attendance on the Horizon programme and 20 days rehabilitation.

He was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely, replacing the previous order, and must already register as a sex offender for life.

Whitfield, who "has a pension", the court heard, was also ordered to pay the 500 costs of the prosecution. He offered to pay this immediately but was given 28 days.

The judge told him: "I hope this is the last time you are in court. You should be aware if there is any lapse on your part you will be back and the likelihood is you will go back to prison again."

Description

A man has been jailed for nine years for sexual offences against a child in Buckinghamshire in the 1970s.

Denis Mauger, 75, of Chapel Lane, Chilton, subjected his victim to a number of indecent assaults between 1971 and 1980 when his victim was aged between six and 15 years.

He was convicted on January 22 by unanimous verdict of six counts of indecent assault against a female child and sentenced today (Friday) at Aylesbury Crown Court.

The offences were reported to Thames Valley Police in 2017 and Mauger was charged in July 2018.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Collette Parker, of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit based at Aylesbury, said: I would like to thank the victim for her courage, bravery and determination throughout the investigation, through to the trial.

It has been an extremely traumatic time for her and I hope that the unanimous guilty verdicts and the sentence given, brings her some closure.

I would also like to thank prosecuting counsel Kim Preston for her work in securing this conviction.

This sentence reflects the hard work that is carried out by the Child Abuse Investigation Unit in bringing these offenders to justice and I would encourage anybody who has been a victim of childhood sexual abuse to report it to the police.

Description

An Ardrossan man is facing jail for grooming what he thought was a 12-year-old girl after being stung by an online group targeting paedophiles.

Garry Allmark, 46, was brought to justice with the help of a group known as the Scotland Anti Predator Alliance (SAPA).

Operatives from the group snared Allmark online while he was living at a flat in Glasgow Street with his wife and eight-year-old son.

They then arranged to meet him and confronted him over the vile messages he had sent to one of their decoys during a meeting at Harvie's.

As well as sending a picture of a male penis, Allmark sent what he thought was a youngster pictures of women performing sex acts on themselves.

He sent the 'child' so many messages SAPA operatives gave police 410 pages of print outs showing his texts.

The details emerged this week when Allmark, who now lives in Burns Street, Irvine, appeared in the dock at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court for a pre-trial hearing.

He struck a deal with prosecutors which saw him pleading guilty to one charge in exchange for another being dropped.

He admitted a charge under Section 23 and 24(1) of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 by attempting to have sexual communication with a young child, and sending sexual pictures and videos to what he thought was an underage girl.

The charge that was dropped stated he had tried to meet what he thought was an underage girl with the intention of having a sexual encounter with her.

Procurator Fiscal Depute Jo Cunningham explained: "Between March 30, 2018, and May 5, 2018, the accused had been in communication with a person whom he assumed was a child under the age of 13.

"The communication he had was, in fact, with the Scottish Anti Predator Alliance.

"Following their contact with the accused, the Alliance contacted police and they provided them with hard copies of messages which had been exchanged between the accused and the 'child'.

"Police, on receipt of the evidence, arrested the accused."

Allmark was taken to Saltcoats Police Office where he was interviewed, confirming to police officers that "he had been in conversation with a female whom he believed to be 12 years of age."

Miss Cunningham explained: "The majority were not all of a sexual nature however, when taken together, appear to be an attempt by the accused to groom the 12-year-old, and there were items of a sexual nature within them.

"In addition to sending personal images to the 'child', he also sent her a photo of a male penis and images of a nude female masturbating.

"When he engaged with the child it appears he also sent a number of images of himself to her."

Allmark, who was assisted in court by a sign language interpreter, nodded during his police interview to confirm he'd had sexual conversations with the 'child' and that he knew it was illegal, but insisted he was "not a paedophile."

Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane placed Allmark on the Sex Offenders' Register, called for background reports to be prepared ahead of sentencing and adjourned the case until next month for that to be done.

Description

A sex offender found guilty of raping and abusing children has been jailed for 23 years.

David Hayes went on the run for more than two years before being arrested in Spain where he was working as an English teacher.

The former press officer at Bangor City Football Club had denied 12 charges including child rape, sexually assaulting children aged 10 or under, and inciting them to engage in sexual acts.

But Hayes, who tried to evade justice by fleeing abroad, was found guilty by a jury in February

Hayes, of Bridge Street in Llanrwst , carried out the abuse over a three-year period.

Judge Rhys Rowlands said he remains a "high risk to children".

At Mold Crown Court on Tuesday, he sentenced Hayes to three concurrent extended sentences of 15 years for two rapes and an oral rape.

He was given a consecutive extended term of eight years for another serious sexual assault. He is also given an extended licence of two years in total meaning he will serve 23 years in jail, plus two years on licence.

The extended element of the sentence, given because of his danger to children, means he must serve at least two-thirds of the term before being eligible for parole, although Judge Rowlands says it may well be he serves his entire sentence of 23 years before he is released.

Normally a convict would be eligible for parole on licence after serving half their sentence.

Judge Rowlands described Hayes as "a pretty inadequate individual with a distorted view of life", saying the offences against two young children were of the "most appalling depravity".

Hayes was once one of Europol's most wanted people and North Wales Police issued a number of appeals for sightings of him, including an item on Crimewatch.

An NSPCC Cymru/Wales spokesperson said: Hayes tried to evade justice for the appalling crimes he committed against children and the long jail term imposed reflects the danger he poses.

He forced his young victims to relive in court the abuse they suffered at his hands and they must be commended for their bravery at speaking out and helping to put Hayes behind bars where he cannot hurt others.

While justice has finally caught up with Hayes, it is important that the survivors of his abuse receive the support they need to help rebuild their lives.

Description

A taxi driver who raped a female passenger who he believed had fallen asleep has been jailed.

Ferham Khan, aged 29, from Derby Road, Southampton was sentenced to 12 years in prison at Southampton Crown Court after being found guilty of raping a woman in September 2017.

Khans victim had been enjoying a night out with her friends and at the end of the evening called for a taxi so she could get home.

The court heard how Khan had picked up the woman from Broadway in Winchester at around 1am on Saturday, September 30 2017.

On the journey home, Khan preyed on the woman, believing she had fallen asleep he pulled over in an unknown location and proceeded to sexually assault her and orally rape her.

The woman was so scared that she froze, and when Khan thought she had passed out through having too much to drink, he had the audacity to call the police and complain that he had an unconscious woman in his car and that he wanted her removed.

As soon as police and paramedics turned up, the woman was able to disclose her ordeal. Khan was immediately arrested and his taxi seized for forensic examination.

When questioned by officers, Khan said it was an accident, saying that the woman had fallen on him whilst he had his trousers unbuttoned.

Later he admitted that was a lie, saying he was concerned his wife would find out he had had a sexual encounter with another woman.

He went on to say the whole situation was consensual, claiming the victim had started touching him first and even suggesting that she did it for a cheaper fayre.

The jury found Khan guilty by unanimous verdict.

The judge sentenced him to 12 years imprisonment.

In a quote, the victim explained the impact the events of that night has had on her life: On that night, I did as any young woman would.

I went out with friends and I took a taxi home. What happened in the taxi destroyed me.

That man shattered my world into tiny pieces. The pain and suffering I have endured because of what he did to me has left me broken.

I dont know who I am anymore. This man had stripped me of my identity.

At the moment I am simply surviving, I take each day as it comes and pray that one day I will feel like me again and be able to start living.

Police Staff Investigator Joanne Parr-Daniels said: The bravery and strength we have seen in this woman is commendable.

Khan turned her life upside down that night 17 months ago. We are so impressed with her courage.

No matter how traumatic this has been for her and continues to be, she has supported this protracted and a complex investigation of rape.

Without her would not have been able to get Khan to face justice for what he did.

I hope now this sentence means she will be able to move forward with her life.

Description

Reportedly living in Blackpool

A pervert unwittingly sent footage of himself performing a sex act to an undercover police officer, wrongly thinking he was talking to a 13-year-old girl.

Jack Burton, 24, from Rochdale, chatted on Kik messenger and Skype asking the 'teenager' what she does at sleepovers and if she sleeps naked, a court heard.

He later sent a video of himself performing a sex act.

Burton believed he was in conversation with a young teenager, but it was in fact an undercover police officer.

Burton, of Hanover Street, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child to look at images of sexual activity.

The prosecution argued that the case exhibited grooming behaviour. Burton's defence team said he has since been on a rehabilitation course and no longer uses Kik or Skype.

Manchester Magistrates' Court heard on Tuesday how the defendant contacted the 'girl' in January last year and asked if she had 'ever been drunk, what she does at sleepovers and if she sleeps naked'.

This then spiralled and he sent a video of himself performing a sex act on February 2.

Burton's defence lawyer, Andrew Davidson, in mitigation argued that the defendant has no previous convictions. 

He said: "He has been on a rehabilitation course to analyse the issues which led to this event. He has completed that successfully. He hasn't accessed these messaging services subsequently."

Mr Davidson added: "It is important to emphasise that those (guideline) sentences are for an actual victim. There was no actual victim."

The probation team were granted a week's adjournment to prepare a full pre-sentence report. 

Burton, who was released on unconditional bail, will appear again before magistrates on Tuesday, February 19.

Description

A dangerous paedophile has admitted he would have raped an eight-year-old girl if he had not been interrupted by a school caretaker.

John Baker, 41, who has 13 aliases and wore a wig for his appearance at Hull Crown Court on Thursday, was jailed for five years in 1998 for indecently assaulting the girl after taking her off a school premises in Bradford.

The self-employed removals firm boss was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely, which included a prohibition on him using the internet at home. But after Bakers lodger reported him for accessing the internet at home, he admitted doing so in the early hours while his partner was asleep.

Police found 363 images at category A - the most serious - 235 at category B, and 342 at category C. There were also 16 prohibited images, although no detail was given of what these were.

Baker told the probation service one image was of an eight-month old baby, but it was not clear if this related to earlier offences.

Claire Holmes, prosecuting, said Baker had used a website which "showed images from all over the world of people of all ages having sex. He saw adults but also saw a number of child sites where he saw young children performing sexual acts."

Baker admitted "getting excited" but denied getting sexual gratification from the images. He continued viewing them because they continued to excite him, he said.

Baker claimed he had been doing this for three to four months, but Miss Holmes said evidence suggested it had gone on longer. Baker also admitted using computer programmes to conceal his internet usage.

List of aliases

Other names used by Baker included "Sam Turner". On January 14 last year, Baker, accompanied by his partner, gave his name as Sam Turner when visiting another sex offender in Hull Prison.

He also failed to give details of his other names when attending Osborne Street police station in November 17, 2017, to complete the sex offender registration form.

Baker, of De Grey Street, west Hull, admitted three offences of making indecent photographs, possessing a prohibited image, breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), and failing to comply with his notification requirements as a sex offender. He said he kept changing his name to protect his removals business, which was launched eight years ago.

His 62 previous offences included the indecent assault, possessing indecent photographs and pseudo photographs, and failing to comply with notification requirements.

Caretaker 'saved girl'

Describing the circumstances of the assault on the eight-year-old, Judge Mark Bury said: "You had entered a school premises and you led her away. You were to admit to the probation service that had you not been interrupted by the caretaker you would have raped her."

Referring to a pre-sentence report, the judge told Baker's barrister, Stephen Robinson: "He's regarded as a high risk of serious harm to children and a very high risk of further offending."

Description

WILTSHIRE'S most prolific paedophile received six life sentences today for more than 100 vile crimes against children as young as two.

Peter Daniels, aged 70, glared and shrugged from the dock of Salisbury Crown Court as he received the life-long jail term.

Judge Richard Parkes described the pervert as "an expert in grooming".

Daniels, previously of Eyres Drive in Alderbury but now of HMP Isle of Wight, was sentenced for 78 offences of child sexual abuse against 22 young victims aged between just two and 15-years-old, after admitting the charges in December.

The children were abused by the 70-year-old over a 10-year period.

Despite receiving six life sentences and numerous other lengthy jail terms Daniels will only be required to serve a minimum of nine years behind bars before his case can go before a parole board.

The court heard that Daniels gained access to his victims, who are all from Salisbury, by befriending their families (who were often vulnerable) and grooming not only the children involved, but their parents.

Victim statements from parents of Daniels' young victims said they felt blame for "failing to protect" their children.

But Judge Parkes told the 12 families who attended today's hearing: "It is a warm and human impulse to like and to trust others.

"[Daniels] was widely known and liked. He seemed a very kind, helpful and decent person.

"They [the victims' parents] have no reason whatsoever to blame themselves for failing to realise he has a very dark side."

He was previously jailed for 12 years in October 2017, after admitting 12 offences, including rape, against the first two young victims to come forward.

Detective Sergeant Eirin Martin of Salisbury CID told the Journal that after Daniels' first two victims came forward, hard drives were uncovered at his home containing hundreds of thousands of indecent images of children - 4,000 of which he had created himself, documenting his abuse over the past 10 years, and a further 600,000 internet downloads.

The images, a combination of still photographs and videos, were crucial evidence in bringing the scale of Daniels' offending to light.

The abuse took place in Daniels' home in Alderbury, where he lived alone, and a representative of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Claire Booth said in the footage "a small number of the victims were asleep, but for the most part they were awake and fully aware of what was happening".

Ms Booth described Daniels as being like an uncle to his victims.

"[He was like] a loving, caring uncle, who looked after them, treated them with kindness and love, treated them to days out and gifts, and made them feel special," she said ahead of today's sentencing.

But she said he had two different personas, and this was in part what made his attempts at grooming and manipulation so successful.

"The Mr Daniels in the police interview appeared to be a calculating, cold man," she added. "He seemed to have very little appreciation for how his offending could have in any way impacted on these children, and on their emotional and physical wellbeing."

DS Martin said: "This investigation is the biggest child sexual exploitation investigation that Wiltshire Police has ever undertaken and involved more than 25 specialist officers from across our county.

"The investigation involved interviewing of over 30 children, witness statements and examination of a large amount of digital media and exhibits."

And she praised the victims involved for their bravery, and for preventing further children from falling prey to the paedophile.

"Daniels is a predatory offender who was actively offending at the time of his arrest, and who I have no doubt would have gone on to offend if it had not been for the bravery of the victims coming forward and telling us what has happened to them," she said.

Description

A prowling paedophile who groomed and groped a vulnerable child has been jailed for five years.

David Joll befriended the vulnerable 12-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, before touching his bottom over his trousers twice.

The 58-year-old pervert, who is in a relationship with another sex offender currently serving time in jail, was branded a ‘true paedophile’ by a judge who refused to show him leniency.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard how Joll, of Northern Parade, Hilsea, has a string of convictions for assaults on boys and having child abuse pictures.

His most recent convictions, including just last year, were for indecent images – with his lawyer claiming viewing these stopped him from going out abusing boys.

Judge Roger Hetherington rejected the last-ditch bid for freedom from his defence – pointing out Joll had meant to be completing a sex offender treatment when he was preying on the boy who was playing truant from school.

Joll had taken the boy to his home a day after the abuse and even given him his mobile number, having already groomed him by giving him cash and non-alcoholic drinks.

Probation assessed him and found he has a problem with alcohol and said he poses a very high risk of further sexual offending, the court heard.

Addressing Joll, judge Roger Hetherington said: ‘Turning to your previous convictions, these show that you are a true paedophile in the worst sense of that word who has committed a number of serious contact offences against young boys – true it is that the last of those was in 2004, 2003 but there were a number of them and they were plainly very significant offences.

‘Who is to know that if things hadn’t been brought to a halt in relation to this boy, something far worse than what you had in fact been convicted of doing to him might not have occurred.’

He added: ‘Your have a partner that you wish to resume a life with who is himself a convicted sexual offender serving a custodial sentence for historic sex offences and you are assessed as posting a very high risk of sexual offending posing a high risk of harm to children.

‘It’s my judgment that you do fulfil the criteria of dangerousness.’

The judge found Joll is dangerous, finding that could – but did not – lead to him receiving an extended term on licence.

In a statement read by prosecutor Matthew Lawson the boy said: ‘I feel sick about all of this, I feel better he is in prison as he can’t get out of prison – I want him in prison.’

Joll, who had been held on remand, had denied touching the boy but was found guilty by a jury.

Judge Hetherington increased the sentence due to Joll’s previous convictions and said there was no mitigation for his actions.

A sexual harm prevention order was imposed for 10 years restricting Joll’s contact with children. He must sign the sex offenders’ register for the same period.

Description

A boastful sex offender who masturbated in front of a 12-year-old girl and filmed her as she wore a body stocking has been jailed today.

Carl Hodgson, 28, spent the night with the victim, whom he thought was 19, after they met on a dating app, but the pair did not have sex.

A court heard he shared indecent photos of her on social media and bragged to friends he "nailed" her.

In other sick messages, Hodgson also described the girl as "filth".

The former office worker was today sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, distributing an indecent photograph of a child and making indecent photographs of a child.

Sentencing the sex offender today, Judge David Stockdale QC, the Recorder of Manchester, told him: "(The victim) was by reason of her age highly vulnerable to exploitation and she was no doubt impressed by you.

"This is most serious offending as you now fully appreciate. The effects on a child of such a young age of offending of this sort are really well too known and well too documented. These effects, in many cases, last for the rest of the child's life.

"I take into account that while (the victim) was 12 years of age at the time of these offences you did not believe that to be the case. You thought, and on reasonable grounds, that she was over 16."

Manchester Crown Court heard the victim used a different name on her dating app profile and falsely stated she was 19.

Hodgson made one moving image of the girl and also captured three still images of her on his phone while at his flat in Castlefield, Manchester.

He also messaged a friend, saying "Mine was decent. Nailed that bird, unreal bod" and also described her as "filth".

But the prosecution offered no evidence of rape and Judge Stockdale ordered a formal not guilty verdict be returned.

No evidence was also offered against single counts of grooming and child abduction.

Alexander Leach, defending, said Hodgson's comments were "simply male bravado and bragging" and he had not had sexual intercourse with the girl.

"Effectively Carl Hodgson was not aware he was engaging in any sexual activity with a child. He did not intend to engage in sexual activity with a child and could not have appreciated the particular vulnerability of the child, nor the disparity in age to its criminal extent.

"He must have known she was significantly younger than him but he believed her to be older than 16 years old," he added.

"He is genuinely ashamed and remorseful for the circumstances he finds himself in but does not seek to minimise his behaviour.

"The defendant is regarded by those who know him as honest, trustworthy, industrious, loyal and charitable. Those who know him better say these proceedings have had a profound effect on him. He has lost his employment, his home and has suffered the inevitable stigma brought with offending of this sort."

The victim has been seen by a consultant psychologist and a social worker and was shown to be in a "withdrawn state" and unable or unwilling to communicate.

He added though there were no significant signs she had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder, serious anxiety or depression but it was "inevitable she will suffer in the long term as a consequence of the offending".

Hodgson was also banned from contacting the victim and ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for life.

Description

An Angus pervert set up a hidden camera to film a teenage girl naked in her bedroom then was caught when she visited his house and borrowed his laptop as an adult.

William Geddes, 59, was caught when the woman discovered a folder on the computer marked with her name.

When she opened it she found more than 30 videos inside of her dressing and undressing.

The stunned woman, who cannot be named, fled the house in Carnoustie with the laptop.

Geddes later tracked her to a supermarket cafe in Arbroath and tried to run off with the computer but was stopped by the womans partner.

He faces a prison term after he admitted three sex charges.

Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan told Dundee Sheriff Court: She attended the house and was using the laptop when she noticed a folder that contained a number of video files that were marked with her name.

She opened one, dated from 2012, and saw it was of him walking into the room holding a recording device and putting it on a shelf before exiting.

She saw herself entering from the bathroom wearing just a towel then taking it off leaving herself naked.

He then re-entered after she left the room and took it off the shelf.

She left the house and went home with the laptop and she and her partner found a number of videos.

All appeared to have been filmed in her bedroom. She had never been aware of it happening.

She arranged to meet family members at Morrisons and five minutes after leaving the accused attended her address and was told by her partner she had left with the laptop.

She was waiting at Morrisons for others when he arrived and asked what she had found.

He said he would delete it and then grabbed her backpack and went to leave the store.

As he left he was approached by her partner and a struggle ensured with the result that the partner took possession of the laptop and police were contacted.

In total 31 videos with a total run time of 21 hours 19 minutes were found.

Geddes, 59, of Braehead Drive, Carnoustie, pleaded guilty on indictment to charges under the Sexual Offences Scotland Act and to possessing indecent images of children.

The offences were committed between December 2010 and May 2014.

Defence solicitor Angela McLardy said she would give her plea in mitigation of the charges at a later sentencing date.

Sheriff Tom Hughes deferred sentence until next month for social work background reports and released him on bail meantime.

Geddes was placed on the sex offenders register meantime.

Description

A MAN who downloaded a 'paedophile manual' containing detailed instructions on how to sexually abuse children, including babies, has been jailed.

Jamie Downing, 27, of Oak Vale, Oakfield, Ryde, admitted downloading the manual as well as thousands of indecent images of children and extreme pornography involving sex with animals and was sentenced at Isle of Wight Crown Court this morning (Tuesday).

Sentencing, Judge Roger Hetherington said: "The worst offence of these, which takes this case to levels of depravity that this court seldom sees, is that of the manual, which gives detailed advice on the abuse of very young children, including babies.

"It is hard to express in words how the public would feel about that kind of material being possessed by someone like you."

After police raided Downing's address and seized computer equipment, examiners found 583 category A images, 1,087 category B and 1,862 category C. They also found 65 extreme pornography images and 1,789 prohibited images of children, which are non-photographic cartoons or computer animated images.

The paedophile manual was also found, which was a slideshow presentation with instructions on how to abuse children and how to avoid being caught.

Prosecuting, Tom Horder said the officers who examined the manual described the material as "graphic and particularly shocking".

Mr Horder said that Downing was highly IT literate and had customised his computer and organised the illegal files across six different hard drives.

Downing admitted to police viewing similar material since he was the age of 16 and only now realised that what he was doing was wrong and had not equated the people on his screen as real children.

For Downing, Helen Easterbrook said that the moment police knocked on her client's door, he pointed to where the material could be found and did not try to shy away from what he had done.

"In a strange way, he is glad this has come to light. He was putting his head in the sand and only saw them as people on his screen," Ms Easterbrook said.

"He is disgusted with himself. He has started to understand the impact on the wider community and where these images have come from."

Ms Easterbrook asked the judge not to imprison Downing so that he could be treated through rehabilitation activities to minimise the risk of him reoffending.

Judge Hetherington said: "I would be failing in my public duty if this case was not met with an immediate custodial sentence."

Downing was jailed for a total of 12 months.

Description

Christopher Halloran, 67, formerly of Eastleigh, was jailed for over 20 years at York Crown Court for the “systematic” sexual abuse of his helpless victims – some as young as three and four – who were sworn to secrecy by the sexual predator.

Halloran plied some of the victims with cigarettes and alcohol as part of the grooming process, said prosecutor Paul Abrahams.

He abused children at properties in Hampshire and Selby, North Yorkshire.

Mr Abrahams said the “three decades of abuse” lasted from September 1986 to 2018, during which Halloran urged some of the victims – both girls and boys – to join him in “games of dare” before exposing himself and assaulting them.

Halloran was in his mid-30s when he began abusing one girl in Hampshire.

On another occasion, Halloran took a victim out in his car and sexually assaulted her in woods. Another attack happened at a bird hide in North Yorkshire.

“He clearly groomed (the victim), buying her cigarettes and alcohol,” said Mr Abrahams. “This made (the girl) feel confused and trapped.”

The victim said she felt “sick and dirty” afterwards.

One boy was abused on “multiple” occasions. Like many of the victims, he said he felt “trapped” by Halloran’s “sick little games”.

Father-of-three Halloran, of Sherburn, near Selby, North Yorkshire, was arrested in 2018 and

admitted 26 charges including two counts of rape, indecency with a child, sexual assault of children under 13 and assault by penetration. Eight other charges were left on file.

He appeared for sentence when some of the victims were sitting in the public gallery.

All the victims – none of whom can be named for legal reasons – said they were still suffering the effects of Halloran’s abuse. Some of them had lost their jobs or had to take time off work due to the toll on their health. For others it had led to the collapse of their marriages.

Others said they had suffered from severe mental-health issues which had led to depression, eating disorders, self-harm, nervous breakdowns, panic attacks, nightmares and flashbacks.

Defending Abbie Whelan said an expert’s report concluded that her client was a danger to children and he accepted that he “will almost inevitably die in prison”.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC told Halloran: “You are dangerous (to children) and you will be sentenced as such.”

Halloran was given a 19-year jail term. If and when he is ever released, he will have to serve an extended eight-year period on prison licence. He was ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life and made subject to a sexual-harm prevention order, which is also for life.

Description

Hewad Shivzad - who falsely claimed to be 19 - forced himself on the very young girl, described by a judge as a blameless, innocent child

A vile sexual abuser who raped and molested a very young girl has been caged for 15 years.

Hewad Shivzad isolated the primary school-age girl and lured her away to subject her to a sexual attack lasting 30 to 40 minutes.

He ignored her pleas for him to stop, sexually assaulted her and forced himself on her, Teesside Crown Court heard.

A judge said the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was a blameless, charming, innocent and "innately kind" girl.

Prosecutor Aisha Wadoodi said: "The child is particularly vulnerable."

She read out a moving statement from the girl's mother, who said: "I'm worried that this will have ruined her life."

The mum said the rape massively affected her daughter, leading to anger, violent behaviour and harming herself.

"We are really struggling as a family," she added.

"She talks about what happened all the time. I think that she's depressed. I really need some help for her."

'I feel that this has ruined our lives'

She added: "I'm also suffering depression. I feel distraught about what has happened to (my daughter) and our family.

"I feel that this has ruined our lives. We need help and justice.

"I want to move somewhere else but I can't do this."

Shivzad - who claimed to be 19, to the disbelief of his sentencing judge - denied the rape and sexual assault from August last year.

'She was particularly vulnerable'

He was convicted by a jury after a trial this week, and appeared for sentence via video link to Durham Prison.

Victoria Lamballe, defending, said: "There is really nothing that I can say on this defendant's behalf.

"There are no mitigating features that I can draw to your Honour's attention."

Judge Howard Crowson told Shivzad, of Suffolk Street, Oxbridge , Stockton : "She was particularly vulnerable to your attack being so very young.

"Despite her asking you to stop, you continued your effort to have full sexual intercourse with her.

"Mercifully she was not left with lasting physical injuries.

Charming, innocent and blameless

"She was left scared and confused by an act which she did not understand, and it continues to affect her.

"She is a charming, innocent little girl."

He said Shivzad showed no concern for the girl: "You cared nothing for the possible effect on her future.

"One day she will be old enough to realise the nature of the acts you committed upon her.

"We should all hope she will find comfort in the knowledge that her parents and everyone who heard her know she was telling the truth and was blameless."

Claim to be 19 rejected by judge

He jailed Shivzad for 15 years, plus a year's additional supervision.

The Parole Board will decide whether it is safe to release him after he has served half of his sentence.

Turning to the issue of Shivzad's age, the judge said: "He claims to be 19. I don't believe him.

"If he were 19 he should be in a young offenders' institution. My view is he should be in prison.

"He's obviously older than 21. But the Prison Service will have to judge where to keep him."

He told Shivzad: "You maintain that you are a 19-year-old man. I've seen no documents to support that claim and to my eyes you appear substantially older.

"It's my view that your claim to be so young is a lie told when you entered the UK in March 2017 to claim asylum."

'Preyed on a young girl'

Shivzad was given a sexual harm prevention order banning unsupervised contact with under-16s and a restraining order banning contact with the victim or two other named people, or speaking of them on social media - both indefinitely.

He will be on the sex offenders' register for life, and could face deportation to Afghanistan.

Inspector Mark Haworth from Cleveland Police said: Firstly I would like to thank the victim and her family for their courage in coming forward to police and their bravery throughout these court proceedings.

"Shivzad preyed on a young girl and he was tirelessly hunted down so that he could be brought to justice for his despicable actions.

This case is another example of great work by Cleveland Police child abuse investigation unit, whereby the team were able to track down Shivzad despite his attempts to avoid police and put him before the courts, where he has been handed a lengthy jail sentence and he will now have to live with the consequences of his actions.

"Other vulnerable victims will now be protected from him for a considerable length of time.