Latest Offenders

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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.

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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.

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A 36 year old man who pleaded guilty to 43 offences of possessing and distributing indecent images of young boys from all around the UK, was jailed for ten years when he appeared for sentence before Winchester Crown Court today, (Friday, June 5).

James Utting of St Michael's Road, Aldershot, admitted 43 offences relating to dates between June 7, 2016 and July 24, 2018.

He further admitted 116 offences to be taken into consideration.

As well as a ten year jail sentence, Utting will also have to go on an extended licence for five years on release.

The court heard that Utting posed as a 15 year old girl to induce the boys to send him images and video footage over social media.

On some occasions, he asked the victims to send more. If they refused, he threatened to share the images with their friends and family. In some cases, he carried out these threats, despite tearful pleas from the victims.

The victims were all boys aged between eight and 16 from locations around the UK including Humberside, Grimsby, Sussex, Leeds, Bradford, Southampton, Wakefield, Barnsley and Sheffield.

The charges relate to 11 victims but police found images of 401 boys, many of them still unidentified.

Victim impact statements from some of the victims and their families were read to the court demonstrating the 'appalling' consequences.

The threats to share the images and the public sharing of them in some cases, devastated some victims' self esteem and caused panic, anxiety, depression, threats and humiliation. In one case, a victim threatened to end his own life as a result.

Sentencing Utting, Her Honour Judge Jane Miller QC said: "It's right to say the impact statements showed the very real damage your actions caused the victims in this case.

"Actions that could affect their whole lives. It is only hoped the boys will be able to pick themselves up and move forwards after this. I hope they understand that it wasn't their fault.

"The damage done was considerable. No court can risk that happening again. The public needs protection from you."

Judge Miller also commended the Hampshire Constabulary officers involved in the complex and long running investigation.

The offences were:

* Causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity

* Causing a child to watch or look at an image of sexual activity

* Distributing an indecent image of a child

* Possessing an indecent image of a child

* Engaging in sexual communication with a child

Following the sentencing, Acting Detective Sergeant Wendy Harrison said: "Utting's offences were so prolific and caused so much trauma and distress to so many young people right across the country. He targeted and exploited young and vulnerable boys by hiding his true identity behind a fake and digital persona.

"I just hope this sentence can now allow those young people and their families to move ahead with their lives.

"We cannot praise the victims enough for their courage and determination in coming forward and reporting what happened. Because of them, this person is now in custody for a significant period of time.

"I also hope this sentence will alert others to the dangers of the digital world and also encourage others who have suffered this type of abuse, no matter when it happened, to come forward and speak to us. We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously and work hard to bring offenders to justice."

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A public school rowing coach who posed as a 16-year-old girl to sexually manipulate 32 teenage boys was jailed for six years today.

Andrew Cook, 30, was convicted of 37 sexual offences involving dozens of boys aged between 13 and 17 at south west London's £20,000-per-year Hampton School.

Cook, of Newbury, Berkshire, tricked the boys into getting naked on camera making 'pic for pic' requests while posing as a 16-year-old girl, under the name Anne Jones.

The teacher targeted a string of adolescent boys over the course of nine years.

Victims recalled feeling 'embarrassed', 'awful' and 'physically sick' when they discovered Anne Jones was in fact their rowing coach, who they trusted and regarded as a friend.

Cook was sentenced at Guilford Crown Court today where he came face to face with one of his victims, while others attended virtually. 

The ex-rowing coach was also banned from working with children and will be placed on the sexual offenders register.

Judge Alexia Durran said: 'You were in a position of trust to many of the teenage victims.

'They said you were someone they trusted, someone who helped them when they were bullied, someone who had betrayed their trust. Some feel it has impacted their academic studies.' 

Surrey Police's Paedophile Online Investigation Team launched their probe in April 2018 after being alerted by the school and found Cook had been offending since June 2011. 

During his nine-year period of abuse, Cook invited victims to a game of truth and dare online and asked them to trade 'pic for pic'.

On one occasion, he pretended to be his female cousin while talking to a boy online who he sent photos of a topless female and asked for nude pictures in return. 

The ex rowing coach pleaded guilty to 37 counts of grooming the boys to pose naked for him and to possessing 53 indecent images of children.

He denied charges related to three further boys which were not tried and will remain on file. 

The rowing coach was sacked from the 450-year-old independent school two years ago after an internal disciplinary inquiry prompted by student complaints. 

Hampton School expressed its 'deep regret' after the shamed former rowing coach was jailed.

A spokesperson said: 'We have been deeply saddened by this matter, which runs completely counter to the values of our School.

'The welfare of our pupils is always our highest priority. As soon as we became aware of concerns in spring term 2018, we immediately informed all relevant authorities.

'Mr Cook was suspended from the School and subsequently dismissed with immediate effect following an internal disciplinary investigation.

'Since then we have worked closely with Surrey Police and partner agencies to assist with their ongoing inquiries and provide all possible support, both to them and to the victims.

'We are grateful to all those who have helped bring this matter to justice, not least of course those whose courage in coming forward provided invaluable assistance to the investigation.

'We express our deep regret to those affected and offer our continued support.'

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A man has been jailed for 3 years after being found in possession of indecent images of children.

Thomas Powell, aged 24, of Broomy Close, Dibden was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court yesterday, (19 May) to 3 years imprisonment, put on the Sex Offenders Register for life and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

Powell pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to one count of possession of extreme pornographic images, two counts of possessing a prohibited image of a child and six counts of making indecent photographs of a child.

Officers executed a warrant at Powell's home on 14 May 2019 after intelligence suggested he had been downloading indecent images of children.

Officers from Hampshire Constabulary's Internet Child Abuse Team (ICAT) seized Powell's phone, two computers and a tablet which were analysed by a forensic computer examiner within the force. Between these devices, officers discovered over four million images and videos of abuse involving children had been downloaded and included category A images – the most serious.

PC James Giles said "Behind every indecent image of a child is a vulnerable victim and these crimes are among the most appalling that we investigate.

"Powell is a habitual collector of indecent images that include category A, the most serious kind, for his own sexual gratification.

"Tackling online viewing of indecent images is a priority for police and we will do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice."

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Stephen Lea, 53, of Logan Close, Southampton was found guilty of one count of rape and 13 counts of indecent assault on a child, following a trial at Southampton Crown Court.

The court heard that Lea began abusing his young victim in 1994 and continued until 1999.

Lea's offences were reported to the police after the victim disclosed what had happened to a relative.

Lea was sentenced to 17 years, with an extended licence period of one year. He was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and ordered to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Detective Constable Marie Leather from Hampshire Constabulary's Amberstone team said "Lea's offending took place over a prolonged period of time.

"I cannot praise the victim enough for the bravery and courage she has shown in reporting what happened. Lea's actions have had a significant impact on her and it has been something she has been trying to come to terms with throughout her life.

"I hope this sentence goes some way in helping her move forward.

"I also hope this sentence will encourage others who have suffered this type of abuse, no matter when it happened, to come forward and speak to us. We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously and work hard to bring offenders to justice."

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A CARER has been locked up for 12 years after sexually abusing a vulnerable man he was caring for.

Vile Mohammed Bari carried out a sustained campaign of abuse while he was working as a carer for his victim in south Essex.

The 22-year-old secured the job in 2016 to care for a 65-year-old man who was suffering from depression and dementia.

On at least two occasions Bari forced the vulnerable man to perform degrading sex acts on him.

Bari, of Lewes Road, Southend, consistently abused the man in his own home.

His victim eventually told another carer about what was happening in July 2017, and Bari was suspended, and later charged with sexual activity with a person suffering from a mental disorder.

Following a trial at Basildon Crown Court earlier this year, a jury convicted Bari by majority verdict of two counts, and acquitted him of one other.

His victim has since died.

Bari appeared by video link at Chelmsford Crown court today where he was lambasted by Judge Samantha Cohen.

She said: You stayed overnight in his home. You had authority over him as a parent would over a child.

Your employment placed you in a position of trust. You abused that trust in the most grotesque fashion.

You said what you were doing would help him relax.

You made him promise not to tell anyone about it. Fortunately, he did tell someone, another carer.

He made a tape recording of him explaining what it was you had done. His stress and fear are manifested in that recording.

Having heard it and seen his victim statement I am satisfied you sexually assaulted him on many occasions. The jury convicted you on two occasions, but I am satisfied it was many more than that.

Your victim was relieved that you were not going to come back. He died in May 2019. You were not responsible for his death, but you were responsible for the despair and fear which occurred in the immediate aftermath of your offending.

Your offending is hard to comprehend. You did not, and do not suffer from any mental illness.

Judge Cohen said that Bari had denied performing sex acts on himself while his victim was in the same room during the trial, but has now admitted to that.

Despite the conviction, the court heard that Bari does not accept the verdicts of the jury.

Judge Cohen added: It is very hard to say that you are remorseful when you keep changing your story. You have refused to accept what you have done despite the overwhelming evidence.

It makes it quite impossible to understand why you did this. Perhaps you were sexually attracted to him, or attracted to having total power over him in such invasive fashion. They are repeated offences that took place over many months.

Bari was given 12 years detention and will serve at least two years on licence following his release.

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Former taxi driver Khan, nick-named Billy, betrayed his wife when he started a relationship with the school-age girl just a few weeks after his wife had delivered their first child.

He got his victim, who thought he was her boyfriend, pregnant when she had just turned 13 and also trafficked a second girl, 15, to other abusers, using violence when she complained.

Khan, of Oswald Street in Rochdale, was jailed for eight years in 2012 but was released in 2016. A jury convicted him of trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child.

He was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

Although he was released from prison in 2016, he remained out on licence but that sentence has now elapsed.

However, he and two other members of the gang - the only members of the gang to have dual UK-Pakistani citizenship - were told they would be deported after their British citizenship was revoked.

Khan lost an appeal against the Home Office ruling in 2018 but, despite that, they remain in the UK.

Khan is still in Rochdale. Khan was charged over a catalogue of serious sex offences against five vulnerable victims in Rochdale and Heywood where young white girls were plied with drink, abused and then shared with other abusers at parties held across the north of England.

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A man from Southampton has received a prison sentence for a series of thefts as well as sexually assaulting a female hairdresser. Rashpal Sanghera, aged 36, of Southampton, has been jailed for 30 months after he sexually assaulted a female hairdresser. He was also responsible for a spate of thefts. Southampton Crown Court heard he had been having his beard trimmed when he sexually assaulted the female hairdresser. Sanghera chased the victim around the barbershop. When he forced himself on her, she used a rolled-up magazine to fend him off. He stopped the assault, however, Sanghera issued a threat, telling the victim: Watch out what happens to you. Robert Welling, prosecuting, said the woman was alone at the time and was left scared and distressed by the ordeal. In September 2019, Sanghera was arrested and released under investigation. On October 18, 2019, he had been driving his BMW on The Avenue when he was pulled over. A test found traces of cocaine and benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine, in his system. Sanghera, who has 29 existing convictions, went on to steal a charity tin from Sams Chicken Takeaway in Shirley High Street on January 17, 2020. On January 27, he stole another charity tin from Moby Dick fish and chip shop in Church Street, Shirley. Sanghera was later found in possession of a bank card which had been stolen from a student. He used it to pay off 770.21 of drug debts across Southampton, Eastleigh and Winchester. On February 1, Sanghera had been at the McColls store in Bedford Place when he lunged over the counter and stole four scratch cards. Just days later on February 7, he and a friend stole four bottles of alcohol worth 115 from Sainsburys in Leigh Road, Eastleigh. Sanghera then failed to appear at court for the sexual assault offence but was found guilty in his absence on March 16. He was finally arrested on March 24, 2020. On March 25, he pleaded guilty to three counts of theft, one fraud, one burglary and one count of driving under the influence of drugs. Chris Gager, defending, stated that Sanghera planned to change but was stuck in a vicious circle of drug abuse. Sanghera was jailed for 30 months, of which he will serve half. As he was sentenced, he repeatedly abused Judge Christopher Parker. Sanghera was also disqualified from driving for two years which will begin upon his release. In 2015, he had been accused of robbing a sex worker in her own home. The victim had been at her home when three men burst in and one of them held a knife to her throat before making off with 100 and identity documents. Sanghera was arrested and interviewed by police. He admitted going to her flat, saying he wanted to have sex with Miss Pasare, but told detectives he had a panic attack and denied being involved in any robbery, the court heard. After listening to evidence given by defence witnesses the jury found him not guilty.

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A paedophile posed as a girl on social media to trick a boy into sending naked photos and sexual videos before blackmailing him.

Corey Hycz, who admitted he was sexually attracted to children, told the victim he would send the explicit photos to his friends if he did not send him further images.

In a statement read out at Mold Crown Court the victim said: I could never have imagined someone would do this to me.

Ffion Tomos, prosecuting, said the victim who cannot be named for legal reasons was in year seven when he first received a message from a profile called Molly.

The court heard it was the defendant pretending to be a girl from another school. She told the victim he was attractive and asked him if he had reached puberty.

Prosecutors said the boy replied he was not sure and Molly asked him to send naked photos so she could give him advice.

The boy sent 20 pictures of his genitals and three explicit videos of himself. Ms Tomos said: The defendant continued to look for further material from [him]. When he did not comply with those requests he blackmailed him.

Hycz told the victim if he failed to send him any more images Molly would show his friends the images he had already sent.

The boy was left feeling nervous and worried and he tried to block the account but the defendant created another fake profile called Sammy and used that to contact him again. He told the victim he would share the images with everyone if he did not unblock Molly.

Initially the boy did not tell anyone but eventually confided in a close friend and later a family member.

Describing the moment he was first contacted he said: I thought they just wanted to be friends. When they asked for photos I was confused I felt pressured.

He added: When the person became threatening I was much more stressed and frightened. I was worried what might happen if it got out in school.

I was worried people would make fun of me and my friends would stop speaking to me. I began to isolate myself.

He said he felt stressed at school and could not concentrate on his work. He felt worried when he thought he might have to give evidence at court.

Hycz was arrested at home in Ruthin on June 4 last year and replied to the caution: I havent done anything.

His phone and laptop were seized and found to contain 39 of the most serious Category A indecent images of children, 20 at Category B, and 31 at Category C.

Prosecutors said there was also one Category C film and his search terms included school uniform porn. He had also searched for local schools.

The defendant had two police interviews and denied committing any offences. The court heard he had no previous convictions, cautions, reprimands, or warnings.

Hycz, 21, from Min Yr Afon, Ruthin, admitted two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity as well as blackmail and making indecent images of children.

Simon Killeen, defending, said his client was under 18 when the offending started and described him as naive. He told the court he was socially isolated and diagnosed with autism, dyslexia, and dyspraxia.

Judge Niclas Parry noted a pre-sentence report found him to present a high risk of sexual re-offending and told him: By your own admissions you are sexually attracted to children.

Hycz was jailed for 27 months. A 10-year sexual harm prevention order was imposed and he must register as a sex offender for that time.

Detective Constable Natalie Horgan-Jones, of North Wales Police, said: This sentence reflects the serious nature of his offending and hopefully it will provide reassurance to both the victim and community of how the criminal justice system will deal with this type of offender.

This investigation was only possible with the courage and resolve of the victim in reporting these crimes. Hopefully it will bring closure to a prolonged period of stress and anxiety the victim has suffered at the hands of the defendant and I hope it provides some level of comfort to the whole family."

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A man who was convicted of the murder of a Sawtry schoolgirl has today been jailed for horrific crimes which took place in the 1980s.

Martin Cooper, 61, admitted charges of rape, false imprisonment and assault and was jailed for seven years when he appeared at Peterborough Crown Court.

The case involved an incident that took place in March, 1987, but thanks to painstaking work by Cambridgeshire police, detectives were able to bring a prosecution more than three decades later.

Cooper convinced his victim to get into his car before locking the doors and driving her to a wooded area near Leighton Bromswold, near Huntingdon.

Cooper, who was known as Colin Hill at the time, ignored pleas from the victim to turn the car around towards the arranged location, and instead began to kiss and grope her without consent.

After making several threats of violence, Cooper raped her.

Afterwards he grabbed the victim and told her he would, keep her for a few days, and, he didnt know what he was going to do with her.

In a bid to escape, the victim told Cooper she needed to use the toilet and he stopped the car at a nearby pub.

She ran through the pub and hid under the landlords car until Cooper eventually left. The landlord found her under the car and arranged for her to be collected by her family.

Several weeks after the incident, Cooper raped and murdered Leanne Scott, a schoolgirl from Sawtry, and was initially jailed for 18 years. After the murder, the victim spoke to officers and informed them of the rape.

Cooper, of Russell Street, Luton, was released in 2018, but jailed again shortly afterwards due to concerns about his behaviour and licence breaches.

DC Elaine Penniket said: I would like to applaud the phenomenal bravery shown by the survivor in this case, who has had to live with the devastating impact of Coopers horrific actions.

This case highlights the significance of reporting serious sexual offences to police. Tackling rape is a force priority and if you or someone you loved has suffered at the hands of a rapist, I would urge you to come forward to report it to police.

Anyone who is concerned someone may have been convicted of a sex offence, and could be posing a risk to someone, can apply for disclosure information through Clares Law and Sarahs Law.

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Manzoor Akhtar, 31, has been jailed for four years and six months after being found guilty of raping a young girl between 2005 and 2006.

Akhtar, from the Crosland Moor area of the town, is the latest person to be convicted in the ongoing Operation Tendersea investigation over the historic sexual abuse of young girls.

Girls were abused by multiple men in the town between 1995 and 2011 and 35 men have so far been jailed for a total of 380 years over the crimes.

Leeds Crown Court heard how Akhtar sexually assaulted his victim when she was aged between 13 and 14 years of age.

He was sentenced at the court on Wednesday last week.

Another man, from Dewsbury, has also been jailed for 12 months as part of the sexual abuse probe.

Shaqeel Hussain, 36, of Spen Valley Road, Dewsbury, pleaded guilty to an indecent assault committed in Huddersfield between 2004 and 2005 on a 16-year-old girl.

Hussain is already serving an eight-year sentence for the rape of a 14-year-old girl as part of the Tendersea investigation, in a trial from February of this year. He was told he must serve the 12 months consecutively with his current sentence.

Commenting on the conviction of Manzoor Akhtar, Detective Chief Inspector Richard McNamara of the Kirklees District CID, said: “Akhtar richly deserves the prison sentence he has been given after being found guilty and convicted for the dreadful sexual abuse of this young victim.

“He thought nothing of this girl’s obvious very young age as he raped her and treated her in a fashion which can only be described as callous in the extreme.”

DCI McNamara said he was also pleased that the force was now able to name Shaqeel Hussain.

He said: “Hussain was convicted for rape in an Operation Tendersea trial in February 2020 but at the time we were not able to release his identity. He has now been sentenced after pleading guilty to an indecent assault on a 16 year old victim, and can be named as reporting restrictions have been lifted.

“He will face a total of nine years in prison in total for both of these depraved offences in which he showed no regard whatsoever for his victims.

He added: “A repeated feature of these cases has been the stunning bravery of the now young women who have come forward to tell us about the abuse they suffered and then doing everything they can to support the police and CPS in taking action against those who abused them.

“The courage of victims is helping us take dangerous predators such as Manzoor Akhtar and Shaqeel Hussain off our streets, show them for what they are, and put them behind bars where they belong.”

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On April 22 Shaqeel Hussain of Spen Valley Road was jailed for 12 months in a separate criminal case, also investigated as part of the wider Operation Tendersea enquiry.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to an indecent assault committed in Huddersfield between 2004 and 2005 on a 16-year-old girl.

In a previous Operation Tendersea trial in February 2020, relating to the sexual abuse of two girls in the Huddersfield area between 1995 and 2011, Hussain was jailed for eight years for the rape of a 14 year old girl. He was told he must serve the 12 months consecutive to the eight year term he is currently serving.

Manzoor Akhtar (31) from Crosland Moor in Huddersfield was sentenced to four years, six months at Leeds Crown Court on April 22 after being found guilty of raping a young girl between 2005-2006.

Akhtar became the latest man to be convicted as part of West Yorkshire Police’s multi part Operation Tendersea investigation into the sexual abuse of young girls in Huddersfield between 1995 and 2011.

During proceedings, the court heard he subjected his victim to sexual assault when she was between 13-14 years old.

Commenting on the conviction of Manzoor Akhtar, Detective Chief Inspector Richard McNamara of the Kirklees District CID, said: “Akhtar richly deserves the prison sentence he has been given after being found guilty and convicted for the dreadful sexual abuse of this young victim.

“He thought nothing of this girl’s obvious very young age as he raped her and treated her in a fashion which can only be described as callous in the extreme.”

DCI McNamara said he was also pleased that the force was now able to name Shaqeel Hussain.

He said: “Hussain was convicted for rape in an Operation Tendersea trial in February 2020 but at the time we were not able to release his identity. He has now been sentenced after pleading guilty to an indecent assault on a 16 year old victim, and can be named as reporting restrictions have been lifted.

“He will face a total of nine years in prison in total for both of these depraved offences in which he showed no regard whatsoever for his victims.

He added: “A repeated feature of these cases has been the stunning bravery of the now young women who have come forward to tell us about the abuse they suffered and then doing everything they can to support the police and CPS in taking action against those who abused them.

“The courage of victims is helping us take dangerous predators such as Manzoor Akhtar and Shaqeel Hussain off our streets, show them for what they are, and put them behind bars where they belong.”