Latest Offenders

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A BARGOED man has been jailed for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl - and his victim has been commended for her bravery in reporting the crime to the police. Daniel Bateman, 33, admitted two counts of sexual assault dating back to April last year. The hearing at Cardiff Crown Court today was told Bateman's assault had a "considerable impact" on his victim's life. She had been prescribed medication following the incident and had considered taking her own life, the court heard. Ieuan Bennett, prosecuting, said Bateman had told the police officers who arrested him he had been "smashed" at the time of the incident. James Evans, defending, said Bateman's position was that he had "no recollection" of what happened but this was disputed by the judge, citing one of Bateman's own written statements earlier denying the charges against him. Bateman later pleaded guilty to the offences, the court was told. Judge Richard Williams told Bateman: "You continue to play down what you did [and] there does not appear to be a reasonable prospect for rehabilitation." He added: "When an adult subjects a girl to this... inevitably a custodial sentence must be passed." He jailed Bateman for 19 months and made him the subject of a sexual harm prevention order, covering 10 years, and a restraining order, also covering 10 years. Following the hearing, Gwent Police detective inspector Jamie Cooper said: I would like to commend the bravery of the victim who came forward to report Bateman to police. It is because of her courage to speak out that Bateman is now behind bars. I hope that this sentence imposed will help her and her family to move on and bring closure to this awful chapter in their lives. I hope that this result sends a message to anyone else who has suffered, or is currently suffering abuse, that they can come forward and any allegations will be taken seriously. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to come forward to report such appalling crimes but I want to reassure anyone considering doing so that there is a whole range of support out there, not only from the police but from partner agencies who can help you through the entire process. Gwent Police will continue to work tirelessly to protect children and bring perpetrators of child abuse to justice.

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He throttled her unconscious then molested her as a child slept in the room A man sneaked into a young mum's home and strangled her until she passed out - then sexually assaulted her. Daniel Delooze entered his sleeping victim's house through an unlocked door in the early hours of the morning. The woman woke to find the 30-year-old standing by the side of her bed, before he inflicted a "disturbing" attack. She could hear him "rambling" while he throttled her, but could only make out a handful of words, including "kill". Thankfully her children were asleep but one was even in the same room as the mum during the "terrifying" assault. After the woman fell unconscious, Delooze molested her - although the exact nature of this attack remains unclear. The victim woke at around 6am in her Warrington home to find she had more than 20 separate injuries across her body. These included injuries to her neck, jaw, chest, arms and legs, yet she had no idea who it was that had attacked her. However, Delooze had left DNA evidence on the mum's pyjama bottoms, duvet, and a child's top in an open divan drawer. He denied inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and sexual assault in a trial at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this month. Simon Parry, prosecuting, said after the attack the bewildered woman contacted police and went to a sexual assault referral centre. She was seen by a doctor, who confirmed that her injuries were consistent with non-fatal strangulation and "a high level of violence". Prosecutors said Delooze travelled from his home in Wigan to the area of the woman's house, before sneaking inside, at around 2am. Detectives examined CCTV footage and were able to show a hooded man walking past the woman's house, smoking and drinking, and carrying a rucksack. He stood outside smoking a cigarette before walking towards the house and out of view, and wasn't seen on camera again until around half an hour later. Using various video clips, police were able to track his escape route and estimate his height - 5ft 9in - but the "key evidence" was the DNA later recovered. When arrested and interviewed by police, Delooze insisted he had been at home in Hindley with his partner and their child on the night of the attack. Delooze, of Hindley Green, Wigan, then offered an explanation for the DNA evidence, which cannot be reported for legal reasons. He was cleared of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, but convicted of the lesser offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm, and sexual assault. The woman told the court her experience was "horrendous" and she no longer felt safe in her own home. In a victim impact statement she said: "What really took place that night might remain unclear for the rest of my life. "I can't help but think that I could easily have died as a result of this incident. It's difficult to comprehend. "I'm not sure how I will manage on my own in the house with the children. I will be terrified - especially during the evenings. "I want to wake up from it all, I want it all to be a nightmare. "This was an unprovoked, violent attack - it was truly horrendous." Delooze, who has previous convictions including assault causing actual bodily harm in 2010, still maintains his innocence. Lloyd Morgan, defending, said there was another side to his client, who was described by others as "trustworthy and honest". Judge Brian Cummings, QC, told Delooze: "It barely needs stating that strangling another person is a highly dangerous attack. "It was entirely foreseeable that this could have resulted in death or catastrophic injuries. "You strangled her unconscious and abandoned her alone in that state in the middle of the night, and it is a matter of pure fortune that her injuries are not more serious than they already are. "The presence of children in the house is a serious aggravating factor. "I can offer the victim no closure on precisely what happened to her when she was unconscious." The judge ruled that Delooze was a dangerous offender, as defined in law, and would receive an extended sentence. He said: "I'm satisfied that you present a significant risk of committing further offences and that such offences carry a high risk of serious harm to members of the public. I've been struck by the very serious and disturbing nature of this case, and how readily you were prepared to act in this way." Judge Cummings jailed Delooze for eight years, with an extended two years on licence, and told him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life. This means Delooze will spend at least two thirds of the sentence - five years and four months - behind bars, before he is eligible for parole. He will only be released before the end of the eight-year term if he is no longer considered to be a risk to the public. Judge Cummings also imposed an indefinite restraining order to protect the victim.

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The victim of a serial sex offender says when she learned he had offended again she felt "sick to her stomach". Peter Kis was jailed for two years at Swindon Crown Court on Friday after being caught performing a sex act in front of two young girls. It was the latest in a string of offences involving young children, dating back to the 1960s. One woman he abused when she was a girl says she and other victims had been let down by the legal system. Swindon Crown Court heard Kis's latest offence happened on 2 May when he indecently exposed himself to an eight-year-old girl and her six-year-old sister who were playing near his home in Barnum Court, Swindon. Kis was arrested the same day and pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. His previous convictions include an eight-year sentence for indecently assaulting two girls in 1967, a suspended sentence in 1971 for gross indecency with a child and a three-and-a-half-year jail sentence for sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl in 2018 'Career as a sexual abuser' Speaking after Friday's sentence, one victim - now in her 30s - said she was shocked to hear he was still offending. "I definitely didn't consider that he would still be out there doing this to other girls like me," she said. "I feel let down because I reported this when I was eight and I just feel that perhaps if I had been taken more seriously and Peter had been monitored a bit more then he wouldn't be out there still doing this. "The legal system has effectively allowed this man to comfortably continue what is a 50-year career as a sexual abuser." She said that Kis had changed her life, but not destroyed it, and that "short sentences were not enough". "I really hope the justice system has a serious think about how they sentence dangerous individuals like him. It needs to be done more efficiently and effectively," she added. A Probation Service spokesman said: "While sentencing is a matter for independent judges, the offender was robustly monitored while on licence by diligent probation staff." The Crown Prosecution Service said its regional Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) team worked closely with police "to ensure justice was delivered swiftly."

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A paedophile has been jailed for more than nine years for multiple child sex offences. James Thompson, from Reigate Road in Dorking, was jailed for nine years and nine months at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday (July 23). The 53-year-old had pleaded guilty in March to 20 charges of sexual offences against children, as well as numerous indecent image offences. Investigating officer Detective Constable Daniel Chan said: Thompsons young victims have shown such bravery throughout this process. This case could not have been successful without their courage in giving evidence. "Thanks to the support that the victims and their parents have given, this investigation has resulted in putting a dangerous sexual predator, who targeted young children, behind bars. This was a lengthy and complex investigation which involved use of digital forensic techniques on a large number of devices found in Thompsons possession. I would like to thank colleagues from all involved departments for their hard work in ensuring he has been brought to justice for his heinous crimes. He added: Surrey Police is committed to fully investigating all offences of this nature and I hope that this case will encourage anyone else who has been abused in this way to come forward in the knowledge that they will be believed. A police statement, released on Friday (July 24), says his offending was uncovered when the father of one of the victims reported to police that his daughter had been sexually assaulted by Thompson in July 2018. An investigation was launched and a further two victims were identified. During the course of the investigation, police say they seized more than 30 devices, including mobile phones, tablets and laptops from Thompson. Further examination of the devices revealed that he had downloaded more than 670 indecent images of children. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children released a statement following Thompson's sentencing. It says: The charges brought against Thompson are extremely disturbing and it is now vital that the survivors of his abuse receive support to help them move forward with their lives. We want anyone who has experienced sexual abuse to be able to speak out and seek support." The charges against Thompson include: - Two counts of assault a girl under 13 by touching; - Three counts of cause or incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity (non-penetrative); - Five counts of cause or incite a female child under 13 to engage in sexual activity (penetrative); - Two counts of cause a child under 13 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity; - One count of engage in sexual communication with a child; - One count of making indecent photographs of a child (Category A, 125 images); - One count of making indecent photographs of a child (Category B, 163 images); - One count of making indecent photographs of a child (Category C, 168 images); - One count of possessing a prohibited image of a child (150 images); - One count of possessing extreme pornographic images portraying an act of intercourse or oral sex with a dead or alive animal (2 images); - One count of distributing an indecent photograph of a child (Category A, 5 images); - One count of distributing an indecent photograph of a child (Category C, 4 images)

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Larry White, 55, now of Canal Walk, Portsmouth, was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court on Monday for numerous sexual assaults including rapes on the girl who was then aged between 14 and 16.

The victim revealed she 'could not have asked for a better outcome' after White was jailed.

Det Con Leigh Rankin of the West Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit said: 'White came to know this young girl and took advantage of her vulnerability to sexually abuse her for his own gratification for two years.

'Eventually she felt strong enough to confront him and to tell us. We immediately took action, arresting White and carrying out a thorough investigation which established the full and appalling nature of his offending.

'His victim has given full support to the investigation and bravely gave her evidence in court.

'This case shows once again that we will resolutely investigate all such reports, support the victims and seek justice for them wherever possible.'

The victim said: 'I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. It took a long time to achieve this result but I'd do it all again without a second thought. This man was well practised in what he did and there is no doubt in my mind that there were victims before me.

'I hope upon reading this article, said victims can muster up the courage to tell their story or at least take comfort in the fact that Larry White is in prison paying for his crimes.'

White will be a registered sex offender indefinitely and was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order severely restricting his contact with children, to last until further court order.

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A man has been placed on the sex offenders register for filming a child on a concealed mobile phone.

David Martin Grogan, of Ladies Drive, Lerwick, admitted four sexual offences charges at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

The 48-year-old had been charged with voyeurism, including recording the child without their knowledge on the concealed mobile in June 2019, and taking indecent photographs in June and November 2019.

Grogan was also charged with using a concealed mobile to record the child on 5th September 2019 and on 20th November 2019.

Grogan was placed on the sexual offenders register. He had his case adjourned until the 12th August for the preparation of reports and a restriction of liberty assessment.

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A PAEDOPHILE who secretly used his Xbox to search for "teenage porn" has been jailed.

Registered sex offender Steven Canning had been at home when police arrived "unannounced".

The 37-year-old of Grayson Court in Chandler's Ford had previously been found in possession of indecent images of children and extreme pornography.

He was made the subject of a decade-long sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

During the visit on June 20 this year, officers "noticed a white phone charger" which he claimed was his partner's

When they inspected the kitchen they noticed an EE mobile phone booklet, the court heard

They gave Canning the option to produce any unregistered devices but he denied owning any.

Prosecuting, Leigh Hart told how officers then called the number on the booklet and a phone started ringing from inside a cupboard.

Canning's SHPO means he must tell police about any device he owns with internet access and he must present these to officers when requested.

Appearing before Southampton Crown Court on Monday, he faced charges of breaching his SHPO and also breaching a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 24-months.

Canning pleaded guilty to all charges on June 22 this year.

During another "unannounced home visit" on November 27 last year, officers asked Canning if he owned any internet-enabled devices.

He admitted owning an Xbox but claimed it was not connected to the internet.

However, Canning had lied.

Officers found the games console did have an internet connection and further investigations revealed it had been used to search for "teenage pornography".

Defending, Keely Harvey said how Canning is still at a loss and unable to provide any answers.

She said how he had just lost his father to lung cancer and that "at that point, he was down".

Furthermore, Canning "is willing and ready to do" a programme for men who been convicted of a sexual offence.

During sentencing, Judge Christopher Parker QC said: "You need help. You will I hope get help in custody."

He jailed Canning for 27 months.

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Roger Vye, 55, of Odesy, Hertfordshire was sentenced on Friday (June 19) at Woolwich Crown Court after confessing to crimes which included the sexual assault of a child under 13, and making indecent photographs of children.

Vye was arrested on October 22, 2019 in London after arranging to sexually abuse a young child, before a search carried out at his home found a large presence of indecent images of children.

The images confirmed that Vye had a long standing interest in the sexual abuse of children, and Vye had distributed images to other offenders online.

There was also evidence recovered that linked Vye to the historic sexual abuse of a child who had been subjected to a period of abuse in Kent in 2009 and 2010.

At an earlier hearing on Wednesday, January 8 at Inner London Crown Court, Vye pleaded guilty to:

• The attempted rape of a child under the age of 13
• Two counts of assault of child under 13 by penetration
• Sexual assault of a child under 13
• Arranging or facilitating the commission of child sex offence
• Distributing indecent photographs of child/children
• Making indecent photographs of children
• Possessing extreme pornographic images
• Possessing prohibited images of children

In addition to 16 years' imprisonment, there is a further five years on extended licence. Vye will also be issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which includes preventing him with associating with any child under the age of 18, and he will be subject to Sex Offender Registration for life.

Detective Constable Jonathan Booty, of the Met’s Online Child Abuse and Exploitation team, said:  "Firstly I would like to thank the victim for speaking with us, and their bravery and fortitude shown throughout. Roger Vye is a dangerous and repugnant individual who will now face a significant period away from the general public. 

“Vye used social media to enable him to obtain thrills, discussing with other people around the world the horrific abuse of children. He was also partaking in the abuse and was clearly an active offender. The Met will continue to relentlessly pursue online offenders. 

"Vye may have more victims, and I would urge any other potential victims to come forward and contact police as soon as possible.’’

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A care worker was caught abusing a vulnerable patient after colleagues set up a hidden camera.

Former Merthyr Tydfil FC footballer Peter Jones alerted suspicion among work pals after locking himself in the elderly woman's room on a number of occasions.

So, one of the staff members hid a GoPro camera in a vase before the Jones came on shift.

Care staff were then horrified when they watched back the footage and saw him groping the woman.

South Wales Police said 63-year-old Jones carried out "the most sickening of acts".

Detective Constable Bethan Porter, who lead the investigation, said: "I am in no doubt that he chose his victim because of her vulnerability, knowing that she would not be able to speak out and report him.

"His actions have devastated and traumatised the victim’s family and also those who work at the care home who now have to deal with the effects of his crime."

Jones was arrested in June and suspended from his job while the allegations were investigated.

He later appeared at Merthyr Crown Court on Tuesday, October 13. Court officials confirmed that he pleaded guilty to four counts of committing sexual offences against a vulnerable woman.

Jones, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison. He will also have to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

The ex-semi professional footballer used to play as a full back for Merthyr Tydfil in the 1980s. He played in the non league club's biggest game - their shock 2-1 win over Italian Serie A side Atlanta in 1987.

He later became an official ambassador for Merthyr Town FC - the phoenix club formed after Merthyr Tydfil FC was liquidated.

Police said Jones previously good reputation was now in tatters.

DC Porter added: "We welcome (the court's) sentence which reflects the severity and nature of the offence and hope that it brings some closure for all those affected by Peter Jones’ actions.”

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Jordan Bibby, 19, thought he was chatting to under-age girls but was actually talking to adults who go online posing as children in a bid to catch offenders.

Yesterday he was sent to a Young Offender Institution for what a judge at Southampton Crown Court described as the defendant's "revolting" behaviour.

Dawn Hyland, prosecuting, said Bibby was arrested after viewing fake profiles created by the Child Online Safety Team and a similar group called Innocent Voices.

Thinking he was chatting to an 11-year-old girl he said: "I want you babe. I want to be your boyfriend."

Miss Hyland said Bibby also sent "the profile" explicit photographs of himself as well as asking for sex.

The defendant was charged and bailed but committed more offences after going online again and chatting to someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl.

During one of several video calls he performed a sexual act, the court was told.

Bibby pleaded guilty to attempting to sexually communicate with a child, attempting to cause a child to watch a sex act and attempting to meet a child after grooming her.

His address was given as the McMullen Barracks at Marchwood.

But Robin Griffiths, defending, said Bibby had lost his career in the army as a result of committing the offences in the first few months of last year.

Mr Griffiths said the "terrible misfortunes" the defendant suffered during his childhood had resulted in him leading a "very isolated form of existence".

He added: "After being recruited into the army he found what felt like a family life for the first time".

Judge Peter Henry told Bibby: "Having been arrested you went on to commit a number of other offences.

"Had it not been for your immaturity and your learning difficulties, you would have gone to prison for rather longer."

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A former Isle of Wight paramedic has been struck off the medical register after being convicted of making indecent photographs of children and possessing an extreme pornographic image.

The Health & Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) this week took the decision to strike Timothy J Ross, known as Tim, off the medical register as they deemed his fitness to practise is impaired by his conviction on the grounds of public protection.

Tim served with the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service from 1997 before becoming a flying paramedic with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance for 4 years. He then went on to work for South Central Ambulance Service. The paramedic also spent time in Queensland, Australia.

Tim was well known for his work with the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service as he was an avid fundraiser. He also had connections with a local sailing training company and a local lifeboat station. He also worked at Solent Middle School, Cowes.

In August last year, at Bournemouth Crown Court, the paramedic was convicted of 3 counts of making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child and 1 count of possessing extreme pornographic images – act of intercourse/oral sex with a dead/alive animal. He was sentenced in September to a 2-year community order with 25 days rehabilitation activity and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for a period of 5 years and required to sign as a sex offender for 5 years.

The tribunal hearing, which was held virtually via video conference on Tuesday this week, heard how Police had received information that the paramedic was showing a keen interest in young boys. As a result, his home address was visited and computer equipment seized. Mr Ross gave a no comment interview to Police after indecent images were found on his devices but stated he did not know where the images – of boys aged 6 to 10 – had come from and that he had not seen them before.

On 14th February 2019, the day after his interview, a referral was made to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) by Hampshire Constabulary to alert them to the situation. On 25th April, the HCPC was told by Mr Ross that he was to retire on 7th May with no intention of working as a paramedic again. It was on 14th June 2019 that he was charged with the offences and later appeared in court, on 8th August, where he pleaded guilty.

The HCPTS Panel concluded that Tim Ross' fitness to practise as a paramedic was at the time, and remains, impaired on public protection grounds. The Panel found that this case is characterised by a gross abuse of trust involving the exploitation of children and took the decision to strike Timothy J Ross off the medical register.

On 7th December 2019, Tim was barred from the Children's List and the Adult's List by the Disclosure and Barring Service.

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Joseph Lennard, who lives in sheltered accommodation in Low Fell, was snared by paedophile hunters Dark Justice engaging in 'disgusting' chats.

Perverted pensioner Joseph Lennard sent "stomach churning" messages to what he thought was a 13-year-old girl - including claiming he had abused a six-year-old.

Lennard, 82, set up a profile online initially purporting to be a female called "Wendy13F" and made contact with a profile he believed was that of a child called Amy.

In fact, paedophile hunters Dark Justice were behind the decoy profile, a court heard.

But Lennard, who eventually revealed himself to be a man but lied about his age, believed he was talking to a girl who was 13 or had just turned 14 and sent hundreds of messages over a three week period.

While many were innocuous, he spoke to her about sex acts and sent a picture of male genitals.

Newcastle Crown Court heard he also claimed that when he worked as a lorry driver, he had been responsible for importing illegal immigrants and had been "responsible for a child sex offence with a child as young as six in India" and implied he had engaged in sexual activity with other children in the past.

Lennard, of Low Fell, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and possessing extreme pornography involving bestiality.

Judge Julie Clemitson said the Wendy13F profile created by Lennard suggested it was that of a 13-year-old girl, although the biography was that of an adult female aged 31.

The judge told Lennard: "Quite why you chose to present yourself in that way is unclear. It suggests you were interested in meeting other young girls and hiding your true identity."

The chat moved from Meet4u to WhatsApp and there were many pages of messages.

Judge Clemitson said while a lot of the conversation was innocuous: "There were some fairly stomach-churning passages.

"You tried to impress her with tales of exploiting children abroad.

"You described having a sexual experience with a six-year-old girl. Whether it's true or not, the fact you fantasised about it and discussed it with what you thought was a child is disgusting.

"You also discussed fantasies about nurses touching you up in hospital."

The judge said the bestiality video found on his computer was "depraved to say the least" and said he had "disturbing appetites".

Lennard was sentenced to a three year community order and must sign the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for five years.

The court heard the shame of the conviction is such that Lennard feels he may have to move from the sheltered accommodation he lives in.

Vic Laffey, defending, said: "He acknowledges he has acted foolishly and completely inappropriately and he acknowledges also the court will be rightly concerned about the way he has acted.

"He lives an isolated existence, has no contact with his children, his estranged wife died last year and this children did not even let him know this happened.

"His isolation has led to him exploring social media and the situation deteriorated to the point this offence took place.

"He is ashamed he has lost his good character at 82. He has been very foolish.

"He has significant health problems."

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A pervert who performed sex acts on himself in his car close to a school 'targeted schoolgirls in uniform' a court heard.

Nadeem Mohamed, 38, 'quite deliberately' parked in the vicinity of the school in Greater Manchester before performing the lewd acts so schoolgirls could see him, a court heard.

The 'nauseating and repulsive' offences all took place at the end of the school day across three days in early 2018, Manchester Crown Court heard.

On February 5 that year, a teenage girl saw Mohamed parked in his Audi with his window down, at around 3pm when pupils were leaving for the day, and saw him performing a sex act on himself.

She took a photo of the car and went back into school, which cannot be named for legal reasons, to tell teachers, David Lees, prosecuting said.

The following day Mohamed was witnessed performing another sex act by another schoolgirl who said she felt 'disgusted' by what she saw.

The next day another girl witnessed his 'disgusting' behaviour, calling him a 'paedo' before walking off.

He was arrested on February 8, 2018, and an analysis of his phone found internet searches which prosecutors said indicated he had an "interest in teen and pre-teen girls" the court heard.

All five of his victims were under the age of 16.

A judge said he had 'targeted' the area around the school where girls wearing uniform would be passing and 'clearly wanted them to see you.'

One girl said she has 'flashbacks', and doesn't walk home anymore, and uses the bus instead

Another said it has affected her behaviour in school, and said she has become "more aggressive" as a result.

Two other girls said they were left feeling anxious following the incident.

Mohamed, of Cheetham Hill, pleaded guilty to five counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child at an earlier hearing.

Michael Johnson, defending, said Mohamed was genuinely remorseful and fearful of going to prison.

"He has pleaded guilty," he said.

"He doesn't seek to minimise his behaviour. He has thought about why he did it and his victim empathy is clear.

"He has had experiences himself which have impacted on his life.

"And he accepts his behaviour could have the same effect on the teenage girls who were the victims of this disgusting behaviour.

"He's a man with no previous convictions. He is remorseful.

"He accepts he will have been very fortunate to escape with his liberty and will wholeheartedly engage with any order the court passes."

He was handed a two year jail sentence, suspended for two years on Monday.

He must complete 55 rehabilitation activity requirement days including a specialist sex offenders programme.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

Passing sentence Judge Hilary Manley said: "You targeted areas outside a school.

"And you targeted teenage school girls who were wearing school uniform.

"You clearly wanted them to see you.

"It is disgusting and unacceptable that they were targeted on their way home from the school, where they are going to themselves an education, and then subjected to the nauseating and repulsive sight of you doing what you were doing.

"You have personal difficulties which I have read about.

"There has been an unconscionable in bringing this case to court which I must take into account, and you have not offended since.

"I am satisfied you are genuinely remorseful and that there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

"However you must work with the probation service to make sure you not offend again."

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A pervert turned up hoping to meet a 14-year-old girl he had been grooming online but was instead greeted by paedophile hunters and police.

Tony Watson had engaged in sexual chat with the profile of what he thought was a schoolgirl called Amy but was in fact Dark Justice.

After switching the conversation from a website to WhatsApp, he suggested they go on a camping trip, asked if she slept naked, asked if she would like to lose her virginity soon and asked about her genitals.

Watson then arranged to meet her at Newcastle Central Station but when he turned up he was arrested.

Now the 52-year-old has been given a suspended prison sentence at Newcastle Crown Court after he admitted attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

Alec Burns, prosecuting, said Watson first contacted the Amy profile in September 2018 on the Fast Flirting website.

She told him she was 14 and discussed going to school.

Mr Burns told the court: "He asked if she had met anyone from dating sites and asked what was doing that Thursday or Friday and if she fancied meeting."

When they moved the chat to WhatsApp, he made suggestions about buying her clothes and they exchanged photographs - his face and her in a vest and a dress, which he said he liked.

Mr Burns said: "The grooming continued for the next few days and he offered to take her for a drive to the park, suggested camping out, asked if she sleeps naked and asked if she wanted to remain a virgin much longer and asked if she would like to lose her virginity soon."

He also asked about her genitals and discussed having sex and they then arranged to meet

Watson, of Kingsway, Blackwater, Hampshire, was sentenced to 12 months suspended for two years with supervision. He must also do a sex offenders programme and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Judge Sarah Mallett said he had given a dishonest account of the offence when he spoke to probation and was talking "self-pity and nonsense".

But she said the long delay in the case being concluded was punishment in itself and that she would suspend the sentence in order to give him time to complete the work needed to address his offending behaviour.

Deborah Smithies, defending, said: "He has lost his good name. He is 52 and has never been before a court before."

She added that he has been anxious and frightened about the outcome of the case and that the proceedings have "left their mark" on him.

Miss Smithies said there had been a "certain amount of denial" on Watson's part when talking to probation and that he "demonstrates a lack of insight".

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Primary School caretaker, caught in possession of two phones and up to 400 images of under age girls getting sexually abused. 

Carl Short, who ran chat groups where he shared some images, initially claimed he had been acting as a paedophile hunter – something a judge described as “absurd”.

Dad-of-three Short, 36, was arrested in the grounds of Pennard Primary School in Swansea by officers from the South Wales Police online investigation team last July. They visited him after finding an indecent image of a child had been uploaded to a social networking website which linked back to his mobile phone number.

Swansea Crown Court heard when he was arrested Short told officers: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He was asked to hand over his mobile phone to officers and he gave them a Samsung model with a yellow case.

He then asked officers to allow him to lock up an interior office within the school but was told he would need to be escorted to do so. The court heard he did not volunteer a second mobile phone to officers – a black Samsung model which he had kept in his pocket.

On the way to Swansea Central police station Short was asked if he understood why he was being arrested and replied: “I have tried entrapping people.”

He also told officers: “I don’t understand what is happening here.”

The mobile phone which Short did not initially hand over was found to have a significant number of indecent images of children on it.

There was a total of 15 Category A images – the most serious type – along with 36 in Category B and 342 in Category C.

Further investigations found how 19 of the images had been distributed through messaging app Kik between May and June last year. Within the app he had created chat groups under the aliases Taz and The Real Duff Man. The groups had named such as ‘Candid teen’, ‘Schoolgirls’, and ‘Teen share’, each which had between 40 and 50 members.

In addition to evidence of distributing material there were several conversations with other members where by they would discuss age preference.

Cleaning software was also installed on Short’s mobile phone.

During his police interview Short, of Stepney Street in Cwmbwrla, Swansea, accepted he was admin of the groups and maintained that he had set them up with a view of trapping others.

He admitted three counts of possessing indecent images of children and three counts of distributing indecent images of children.

Mitigating, Vince Williams said: “Mr Short does now accept that he has a sexual interest in young girls. He became deeply immersed and that progressed into setting up Kik accounts and having conversations and image-sharing with others.

“There is a certain amount of naivete in accepting how serious these matters are and in particular to the distribution of these images.

“He set up chat accounts to feed his appetite. I have explained to him these are serious matters and now there is a realisation that this is a serious matter.

Sentencing Short, Recorder John Philpotts said: “On July 4 last year police officers arrested you at your workplace, which I’m concerned to know was a primary school.

“They did so because they were informed that an indecent image had been uploaded to Instagram and linked to you. You handed over one phone to police and you said it was your personal phone. You wanted to telephone your wife and needed to extract her number from what you said was your work phone and then it became clear it was really your personal phone.

“They found indecent images on this phone and there was a data cleaning programme. You were not naive – that’s why you had that on your phone.

“You told officers you were trying to entrap people. You have now sensibly abandoned what some would call an absurd account.”

Short was jailed for two years and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order. He has been disqualified from working with children indefinitely.