Latest Offenders

Description

A predatory pensioner took vile sexual photographs of a vulnerable schoolgirl.

Roy Rogers' behaviour came to light after one of his victims, a girl who has learning difficulties, told a teacher he had taken naked pictures of her.

Jonathan Rogers, prosecuting, said: "She was concerned and upset and she also disclosed text messages between her and Rogers.

Mr Rogers told Liverpool Crown Court the girl begged Roy Rogers to return the indecent images he had taken of her in a text exchange.

Rogers, 71, of Croyde Road, Speke, refused saying they are special to me and said she had the best t**s in all of Liverpool".

He told his victim that he was "her boyfriend" and went on to say he loved her.

When interviewed the victim said Rogers took a photograph of her when she was naked and while she was wearing a bikini.

Rogers was arrested and various images were found on his mobile phone including a picture of the girls breasts with his hand pulling up the front of her top to expose them.

The sick predator also used Samsung Galaxy Wearable software to turn some of the images into watch faces to be used on a Samsung smart watch.

When interviewed he claimed he had banter with the girl, who he knew had learning difficulties.

In a later interview he said he became infatuated with her and he accepted it was a sexual infatuation".

The girls mum told in an impact statement how her daughter had become very quiet following the offences and the family have trust issues.

Jailing Rogers for three years the judge, Recorder Ian Harris, described him as a predator.

The defendant had pleaded guilty to 12 offences involving engaging in sexual communication, making indecent images, sexual activity, taking indecent images and possessing such images.

Paul Becker, defending, said Rogers has no previous convictions and has health problems. He said it was a serious case but pointed out the physical contact was "minimal".

He said Rogers had pleaded guilty and urged the judge not to jail him so he could take advantage of probation courses which would help protect the public in future.

Recorder Harris ordered the pensioner to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order, both indefinite.

Description

A pervert sexually assaulted a vulnerable woman.

Nicholas Gillinder appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today for sentencing after pleading guilty to three offences which involved sexual activity with a vulnerable woman.

The court heard that Gillinder, 51, exchanged a series of sexually explicit messages with the victim, who was in her twenties but who had a mental age of just 13 because of her autism and learning difficulties.

He also touched her inappropriately on a number of occasions.

Gillinder, of Hart Street, Southport, worked in the care sector.

Jonathan Rogers, prosecuting, said: "The victim in this case is classed as a vulnerable adult, who doesn't leave home unless accompanied by an appropriate adult, and has little or no comprehension of sexual matters.

"He [Gillinder] would send her messages saying how much he liked her and asking if she would go to bed with him.

"At the time his marriage wasn't good, which made the victim feel sorry for him.

"He would kiss and cuddle her and in the messages would say things like 'you've got nice boobs' and 'can I feel your bum'."

Mr Rogers said Gillinder reportedly said he "just foolishly fell for her" while he was in the police van after his arrest.

The victim was assessed as having suffered "substantial psychological harm" as a result of Gillinder's actions. This included gaining a significant amount of weight and having "vivid nightmares" about the defendant.

Mr Rogers added: "The victim felt betrayed by what the defendant had done. His offences compounded the complexity of her day to day life."

Arthur Gibson, defending, said: "At the time these offences were committed, his marriage was dying, if not dead.

"He did get too close to this young lady, was not thinking straight and formed an attraction to her, and the rest is history.

"She did not appreciate the underlying significance of flirtatious banter. He thought irrationally that she was responding to his overtures in the same way he was making them."

Judge David Potter told Gillinder: "You well knew she functioned at a much younger age cognitively.

"You ignored your common sense and became infatuated. You began texting her and sending her Snapchat messages which were sexual in nature.

"Her responses were not well-informed but you took them, childish as they were, as encouragement.

"It was not right for a man of your age to engage with a female of limited capacity. You were a trusted person and you abused the trust that she had in you."

Judge Potter sentenced Gillinder to 21 months in jail, of which he will serve half before being released on licence. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years, and given a restraining order for the same amount of time.

Description

A child rapist is 'likely to die in jail' after his victim found justice 35-years after he raped and abused her.

Barry Lake, 70, from Newton-le-Willows was charged with 10 counts of rape of a child and two charges of gross indecency with a child last month.

The charges related to the historical abuse of his victim over a four year period in the 1980s.

Originally from Pembroke Dock in Wales, Lake had denied all 12 charges relating to the offences between January 1986 and January 1989.

Lake was first questioned by Dyfed-Powys Police in April 2020 in what would become an intensive and complex investigation.

Investigating officer DC Claire Lewis said: Lake denied all charges, putting his victim through the ordeal of a trial.

As they have done throughout the investigation, they [the victim] showed great courage and dignity in the face of adversity to help us convict their abuser.

This was a long and intensive investigation with a lot of work to achieve this outcome today.

This sentence shows that it doesnt matter how long ago a victim has suffered sexual abuse, we as police are here to listen and take seriously any person who has suffered any form of sexual abuse albeit a day or 35 years after.

Please do not be scared to come forward, we are here to listen to you.

Once again, I would like to commend the victim for their bravery for coming forward and achieving this outcome today.

The pensioner, who after being found guilty of all 12 charges, appeared at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, October 22.

He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for historical rape and abuse of a child and will also serve another year on licence upon his release.

He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register indefinitely and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Description

Paedophile Simon David Tovey, who was again caught with illegal images of children on his mobile phone.

The 45-year-old was arrested in July after his offender manager carried out a spot check on his Samsung handset.

Tovey admitted two counts of downloading indecent images of children at Leicester Crown Court.

He also pleaded guilty to five counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) by deleting text messages and images as well as hiding his internet history by installing an application which enabled private viewing, in July this year.

Tovey, formerly of the Dawn Centre, Conduit Street, Highfields, Leicester, was given a community order in 2014, for 10 offences of possessing indecent images of children and was placed on a five year SHPO, so his computer and phone use could be monitored by the authorities.

He was back in court in 2019 and jailed for two-and-a-half years, for three counts of possessing indecent images of children, one offence of possessing extreme pornography and three counts of breaching the SHPO - which was extended to run indefinitely.

Description

A court has heard how the wife of a man who was caught sending sexual messages to two 13-year-old girls is now in charge of the password to their family laptop. Philip Horsburgh, of Kenton Road, Wokingham, was spared jail despite also sending a picture of his penis to the girls. The 72-year-old made online contact with the underage girls -- who were not real and whose personas were created by undercover police officers -- in the summer of 2019. He was made aware of the girls ages but continued to message them and told one of them to touch herself sexually, a court heard. Horsburgh also sent a picture of himself touching himself to one of the girls. However, the Wokingham man did not attempt to meet the girls and the contact ceased. His defence counsel Mr Walker said that since the incidents, his wife has changed the password on their family laptop and he is only allowed to use it under her supervision. The court heard how Horsburgh has been taking part in rehabilitative courses since the summer 2019 incidents. His barrister said: He wants to show everyone else he will not behave like this again. Sentencing, Her Honour Judge Real said: This was a massive shock to your family but they have put in place measures so you do not go down this route again. With this in mind, Judge Real handed Horsburgh a 20-month prison sentence suspended for two years. The 72-year-old will also have to take part in 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days and will be on the sex offenders register for ten years. He was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Monday, October 25 for two counts of attempting to incite a girl aged 13-15 in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child, and two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Description

A man whose "appalling" crimes included raping a 14-year-old girl has been jailed. Jay Louis Benjamin Connor, 20, of Kingswood Road, Tadworth, was sentenced to nine years imprisonment with a further five years on extended licence after being found guilty of multiple sexual offences, including six counts of rape, following a six-week trial at Guildford Crown Court. Connor was arrested on October 30 2019 in Epsom Downs car park after officers found him in his car with a young girl and noticed that he was behaving suspiciously. The girl, who was under the age of 16, subsequently told officers that she had been raped by Connor and he was arrested and taken into custody. Further enquiries revealed that Connor was already known to Surrey Police, who led the investigation, and was currently under investigation in relation to other allegations of sexual offences, the earliest of which dated back to 2018. What police described as a "complex" investigation involving seven complainants coming forward to make allegations against Connor took place over a three-year period. "Even after being arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault, Connor continued to meet further victims. With almost all the victims, Connor would make up lies about his past and his health in order to manipulate them into engaging in sexual activity with him," a police statement after his sentencing described. Throughout the trial, Connor reportedly claimed that all victims were lying. He was eventually found guilty of six counts of rape of a female 14 years of age or over, two counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of sexual assault by penetration. In addition to his sentence, the Tadworth man was given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life. One of his victims, who was just 15 at the time, spoke out after he was sentenced. "I cant trust boys/men and I cant see how I will be able to have a normal relationship as I cant bear to be physically touched and I dont know when it is okay to believe nice things that someone may say to me. I dont want to be attractive or to even look the same or similar as I did at that time. I dont ever want any man to look at me in the same way that he felt he could use me, without any respect for me as a human being," they said. "I cant cope if I get catcalled. I crumble and have a panic attack. I just cant lead a normal life like every other teenager. I am not sure how to make you fully understand the devastating effect he has had on my life. I did survive the ordeal but the scars that remain are very deep and I need to feel safe again," they added. Another victim, who was 14 when Connor raped her in Priory Park in Reigate, said she wanted to use her experience to help others. "I did not expect anything like this to ever happen to me," she said, adding: "I have never felt so small and lonely, not knowing what to think or feel. The whole range of emotions I have gone through have been confusing, upsetting, unnerving and very difficult to cope with. I can now see that Jay had a plan and knew exactly what he was doing. Everyone should know that saying no, means NO. I will always have this experience with me, however I refuse to be a forever victim. I want to speak up and do whats right for myself and others."

Description

Age at conviction could not be found. A paedophile sandwich maker has been locked up for having sex with a teen schoolgirl and later chatting up her friend on Instagram. Predatory Ryan Peet had been working at a Subway shop in 2018 when he met his first victim and added her to Snapchat. Sheffield Crown Court heard pervert Peet must have known her age having seen her wearing her school uniform on a number of occasions - but that did nothing to deter him. Prosecutor Ian West told the court that Peet treated the underage girl to a McDonalds in Rotherham and later had sex with her in his Doncaster flat. On one occasion he took her to the zoo the following day. The court heard they had sex on 10 occasions including when he would meet her at a petrol station and take her to a secluded area near a driving range. Peets offending came to light when his victims family became aware of the relationship between the pair and a formal complaint was made to the police. Mr West also told the court that he and his first victim stopped meeting and communicating when he turned his attention to her friend and began messaging her on Instagram. She refused to send explicit pictures despite Peet asking her to do so. Peet was also arrested in January 2021 when police raided his home and seized a mobile phone and a laptop. During a forensic search of the phone detectives found 441 indecent images of children. Peet, of Rosedale Close, Sheffield, admitted sexual activity with a child, sexual communication with a child and three counts of making indecent images. Enter your postcode to see crimes reported in your area The Recorder Jonathan Sandiford told Peet that he had acted in a predatory fashion and preyed on young girls because it made him feel powerful and in control. He said: In my judgment there are similarities in the way in which you groomed your first victim. There are similarities with that behaviour or at least the purpose of that behaviour. The common feature that occurs is they were all children, they were all under the age of 16 and some of them were under 13 years of age. You targeted them for your own sexual gratification. Peet was handed a nine-year extended sentence - made up of a six-year custodial sentence and a three-year licence period.

Description

A man raped a woman in a Liverpool bar while she was out enjoying herself with a friend.

Bruno Nunes Da Silva, 27, wept in court as Judge Louise Brandon told him women had a "right to go out and enjoy themselves" without being harassed and subjected to such behaviour.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the young chef, had come over from his home in Dublin to watch Liverpool FC play at Anfield and later embarked on a night out in the city.

During the evening of September 16 this year he ended up in the Black Rabbit bar, on Fleet Street and made eye contact with a young woman who was dancing there with friends.

Robert Wyn Jones, prosecuting, said Silva ended up dancing with the woman and he kissed her briefly and she did not mind and kissed him back.

But she decided she was not interested in him and moved away to sit with her friend on a bench at the side of the club.

CCTV showed that the defendant walked over to her, unzipped his trousers and pushed the tip of his penis into her mouth, which was at his waist height.

The shocked young woman pushed him away by his hips and she grabbed her drink and moved away.

The victim ran outside where she collapsed to the ground crying and vomiting and was joined by her friends who comforted her, said Mr Wyn Jones.

One of her male friends saw Da Silva outside the club and he detained him and then handed him over to door staff who passed him onto the police when they arrived.

Da Silva, of Frederick North Lane, Dublin, pleaded guilty to rape and was jailed for three years and ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Judge Brandon accepted that he was genuinely remorseful, but told the defendant she had a duty to protect young women.

She said that they had the right to go out and enjoy themselves without being harassed and subjected to such behaviour.

The CCTV footage also showed that her friend was also visibly shocked, raising her hand to her mouth.

The victim ran outside where she collapsed to the ground crying and vomiting and was joined by her friends who comforted her, said Mr Wyn Jones.

One of her male friends saw Da Silva outside the club and he detained him and then handed him over to door staff who passed him onto the police when they arrived.

Da Silva, of Frederick North Lane, Dublin, pleaded guilty to rape and was jailed for three years and ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Judge Brandon accepted that he was genuinely remorseful, but told the defendant she had a duty to protect young women.

She said that they had the right to go out and enjoy themselves without being harassed and subjected to such behaviour.

Louise McCloskey, defending, said that it had been a stupid drunken act.

She said that the defendant has no convictions either here, Ireland or his homeland of Brazil.

He had moved from South America to Ireland where he learnt English and began working as a chef.

He came over to the city to watch Liverpool FC play and during his night out had a lot to drink.

She said it was clear from his demeanour he is genuinely remorseful and had not been thinking about the consequences of his actions.

"It was a momentary lack in his consequential thinking.

Description

A woman who was raped and strangled in a Liverpool park feared she would never see her kids again.

Tadas Trakselis strangled the sex worker unconscious then raped her and stole the money he paid her.

The victim feared she was going to die and never see her children again before she passed out.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the 25-year-old had punched and beat her after he couldn't get an erection.

Then when she came to and saw him walking off, he mockingly said: "There's dangerous people out there."

The victim was working on Sheil Road, near Newsham Park in Anfield, late on August 22 last year.

Martine Snowdon, prosecuting, said: "She was approached by the defendant, who asked her how much it would be for oral sex. They agreed a price, he gave her 30 and they made their way to some bushes in Newsham Park."

Ms Snowdon said the woman, in her 40s, provided a condom for Trakselis but "he was unable to get an erection".

The victim described drunken Trakselis as being "a bit off", which made her feel uncomfortable, which she told him.

Ms Snowdon said: "It was at that point he grabbed hold of her by the throat and he pushed her to the ground.

"She described how she fought back, though she knew that she shouldn't fight back.

"She then described passing out and waking up, coming to, with the defendant throttling her."

The court heard he told her to "hush" and kept strangling her.

Ms Snowdon said: "At that point she thought she was going to die and she passed out again."

When the victim came around, she found her lower clothing had been pulled down and the money taken from her pocket.

She then saw Trakselis walking off, who said: "There's dangerous people out there."

Ms Snowdon said the victim called a male friend and told him she "had the s*** kicked out of her".

He came to the scene, called the emergency services and took photos of her injuries, which included multiple grazes and bruising to her neck, chest, mouth, jaw, back, shoulders, hips, pelvis and genital area.

A doctor said the injuries to her neck were consistent with strangulation and DNA evidence on her identified Trakselis, whose phone was found nearby by the woman's friend.

Trakselis, of Townsend Lane, Tuebrook, gave a no comment interview but later admitted rape, assault causing actual bodily harm and theft.

He has one conviction in the UK for theft from a car in 2018 and was previously jailed for six years for assault in Lithuania.

The woman said she had suffered violence from men in the past but what happened that night was "something else".

Ms Snowdon said: "In her words she thought she was going to die, she was thinking about her children in that moment and thinking she wouldn't see them again and thinking who could tell them the reason and how they would take it."

The woman who felt "numb and violated", is now reluctant to go out at night and has suffered nightmares.

Ms Snowdon said: "She indicates she will survive as she always has done, but doesn't wish for any other woman to go through what she went through."

Jeremy Hawthorne, defending, said Trakselis' guilty pleas, giving him 25% credit off his sentence, were "pretty much his sole mitigation".

He said: "He's been in the UK for about five years. He's a Lithuanian as the court knows by origin. While he's been here he's been involved in factory and building work, done a little bit of charity work.

"He's someone who had made what, up until now, was a constructive use of the right to come and work in Britain."

Mr Hawthorne said friends of Trakselis sitting in the public gallery had provided a letter in which they said the attack was inconsistent with the man they knew.

However, he said: "It does not disguise the fact this was a terrible offence."

Judge David Aubrey, QC, told Trakselis: "You became agitated and subsequently extremely violent firstly in consequence of the fact that you were unable to obtain an erection.

"What you then subsequently did was grab her by the throat and push her violently to the ground.

"It's quite apparent you began to throttle her and continued to strangle her after you had told her to be quiet.

"When she was endeavouring to fight back, she lost consciousness."

He said a doctor found the woman's injuries were consistent with her being "beaten, punched and strangled".

Judge Aubrey said: "It was during the period of unconsciousness that she was raped."

He referred to the victim being "particularly vulnerable", the "extreme nature" of the attack and the "attitude to sex workers" displayed by Trakselis in a pre-sentence report as he concluded the rapist was "dangerous", as defined in law.

The judge told him that after the rape, "you further humiliated her by stealing some money from her".

He said: "It's to the victim's credit that she had the courage to come forward in order to make the complaint that she has."

Judge Aubrey jailed Trakselis for nine years, with an extended three years on licence.

This type of sentence means Trakselis must serve at least two thirds of the custodial term - six years - behind bars.

He will only be released before the end of the nine years if the Parole Board no longer considers him to be a risk.

Judge Aubrey told Trakselis to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Lisa Milligan from Merseyside Police's Unity team, the specialist rape and serious assault unit, said: "This was an utterly despicable attack and we welcome that Trakselis is now behind bars.

"While no sentence can repair the pain and suffering Trakselis has caused to his victim, I hope that he will reflect on his disgraceful actions while serving this significant jail time.

"I would like to commend the victim for the incredible bravery and courage she has shown in coming forward to report the crime, and for her strength throughout the investigation.

"I hope that this sentence today will reassure anyone who has suffered a sexual offence that, if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us, we will deal with you sensitively and make sure that your report is properly and thoroughly investigated.

"Specialist police officers from our Unity team work side-by-side with a number of partners including Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) and the Red Umbrella Project. These organisations work with victims from the moment the police make the referral through to the court case and beyond."

Description

A former police sergeant has been described as having a high risk of "causing serious harm to children" after he was caught in an undercover sting. Paul Bucknall chatted sexually online to two undercover police officers posing as parents. Bucknall's messages included asking one of the officers if she would like to "share" a 10-year-old girl. The 52-year-old pled guilty to two charges under the Communications Act. Glasgow Sheriff Court heard the offences took place between September and December 2019 at a police station in the city and Bucknall's then home in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire.

'Psychologically detached condition'

He was ordered to do 225 hours of unpaid work and put under supervision, as well as being placed on the sex offenders register for two years. The first offender has also been restricted access to children under the age of 16. The charge states that Bucknall's messages were "grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character". Sheriff Allan McKay said: "I don't need to tell you these offences are serious. They are repeated and committed over a period of time. The location in which they were committed is also a concern to me. "Your background report indicates that you lacked insight into the effect of the offending and that you have adopted a psychologically detached condition. "The report says this condition presents as a high risk of causing serious harm to children and you have to address that." Bucknall will continue to be allowed access to computer equipment which must be available to access upon request. The hearing was earlier told he had joined the Chat Avenue website with the username "Purdeman50UK".

Undercover officer

He began communicating with an undercover officer named "Gemma" who stated she was the mother of a 10-year-old girl. Prosecutor Jennifer Sillars said: "Bucknall believed he was contacting the mother of the 10-year-old girl. "He expressed highly graphical sexual comments including he had no age limits and asking Gemma if she would like to share her in reference to the 10-year-old girl." Bucknall referred to himself as Paul and passed his own mobile number to the officer. The offences led to his home being raided after a warrant was granted. He was arrested and gave a "no comment" interview. Pamela Rodgers, defending, told the court Bucknall had lost his wife, two children and his granddaughter and had to resign from Police Scotland. Det Ch Insp Richard Banks, of the National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: "We acknowledge the sentence of Paul Bucknall following his abhorrent offending. "He believed the internet would provide anonymity and allow him to undertake his offending undetected. This was not the case."

Description

A teacher has been jailed for grooming and having sex with a 14-year-old pupil she became "infatuated" with at the school where she worked.

Fatinah Hossain, 25, claimed she was pregnant after the schoolboy tried to end the relationship that had lasted several months.

She even offered to pay the boy to get him to drop the charges, police said.

After being released on bail last June, Hossain launched a campaign of harassment against the boy and his family in a bid to stop the police probe.

Using fake social media accounts, Hossain tried to manipulate other children with threats made against at least one other youngster to warn them off speaking to officers.

She also threatened the boy and his family using fake names and added she would pay him to 'drop the charges', according to Sussex Police.

After being charged and appearing before magistrates in October 2020, Hossain tried to set up a member of the victim's family by pretending to an underage teenager online.

She set up a string of fake social media accounts using different names - including one pretending to be a 14-year-old girl.

Hossain then sent messages to an adult member of the boy's family in a bid to try and get him sacked from his job and even made false reports to police to try and get him arrested.

This campaign continued until March this year when police were shown evidence the allegations were false.

Hossain was then charged with perverting the course of justice along with one count of sexual activity with the boy while in a position of trust.

She had been working as a teaching assistant and cover teacher at the school in Horsham, West Sussex.

At Brighton Crown Court this week Hossain was sent to prison for five years and four months and will be a registered sex offender indefinitely.

Judge Jeremy Gold told Hossain as he jailed her that she "embarked on quite a remarkable campaign of harassment" that was "relentless, wide-ranging and malicious" following the "persistent nature of penetrative [sexual] activity over time".

She has also been issued with a restraining order to last indefinitely, banning her from any contact with the teenage boy and several others, as well as stopping her from entering certain areas of Horsham.

Hossain, who lives in Horsham, will be on a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years after she is released from prison.

Detective Constable Leigh Rankin of Sussex Police said today (Fri) after the sentencing that Hossain spun a "web of lies and manipulation".

The detective added: "This was a prolonged and distressing campaign and we are glad that justice has now been done for the boy and the several other people who became entrapped in Hossain's web of lies and manipulation.

"Hossain was first arrested in June 2020 following a report that she had groomed and had sex with a 14-year-old boy from a school in Horsham where she was working as a study supervisor and cover teacher.

"A sexual relationship continued for several months during which she continued to manipulate the boy's emotions, including claiming that she was pregnant after he had tried to end the relationship.

"Hossain was initially released on bail for further investigation. Following this the victim, his family and friends suffered a prolonged and complex campaign of behaviour against them in an attempt to derail the investigation and avoid justice."

DC Rankin said Hossain tried to manipulate other children and threatened at least one not to speak to police.

The officer said: "Using fake social media accounts Hossain attempted to manipulate other children, with threats being made against at least one other child should they speak to the police.

"Through fake names she made significant threats of harm to the boy and his family and said she'd pay him to 'drop the charges'.

"Hossain was charged with offences in October 2020 and was bailed by magistrates. She then created a number of fake social media accounts using different names including that of a 14-year-old girl.

"Using this particular account, she fabricated messages between her and an adult family member of the boy.

"She then used these fake accounts in an attempt to have the family member lose his job. She then went on to make multiple false reports to the police from further false accounts in an attempt to get the adult family member arrested.

"Hossain continued to attempt to make false reports to police until March 2021, when evidence was received to show that all the allegations against the family were falsified by her. This led to her being further charged and remanded until she was convicted."

Description

Simon Biss has been locked up twice before for grooming girls over the internet and then meeting them in person.

The 41-year-old has now been jailed for a third time.

He sent sexual messages via Snapchat to a girl called Emily who he believed was 12-years-old.

The convicted sex offender was actually speaking to a police-operated fake profile.

Prosecution barrister, Tim Moores, said that Biss told her she looked "gorgeous" and asked if she would "date much older men".

Biss even asked: "Can I see pictures of your body?"

Emily responded to his messages and said she was based in Scarborough.

Further messages from Biss, of North Ripley, Bransgore, said "I don't care that you're young," and "I could come to you".

Mr Moores added: "Police officers made enquiries and were able to determine that the profile being used [to speak with Emily] was linked to Mr Biss.

"They knew a fair amount about him and officers attended his address and arrested him."

During an interview, he made no comment when asked about his conversations with Emily.

Appearing before Southampton Crown Court, he was charged with attempting to cause or incite a female child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual communication with a child, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

He pleaded guilty to the offences which happened between September and October 2020.

Biss has two previous matters relating to sexual grooming.

He was jailed for 18 months in 2006 and then again in 2010 for 32 months.

Mitigating, Chris Gaiger said "there is still the prospect of rehabilitation in the community".

He added: "He did stop the conversation and I do stress that is an important factor."

Biss was said to be terrified of going to prison.

Judge Christopher Parker QC said: "You do pose a significant risk of serious harm to young children."

He jailed him for 32 months.

Biss will become eligible for release after serving two-thirds of his sentence.

He will then spend eight years on an extended licence.

Furthermore, he has been made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order until further notice and must register as a sex offender indefinitely.

Description

AN Ellesmere Port man who tried to engage a child in sexual activity also had indecent images of children.

Michael Taylor, 25, of Victoria Road, pleaded guilty at his plea and trial preparation hearing at Chester Crown Court to all charges on Friday, October 22.

He was sentenced to a total of 13 months in prison.

The court heard Taylor had tried to engage in a sex act with a 14-year-old boy.

He was also found to have had 180 indecent photographs of children in his possession upon his arrest on January 16, 2021.

Of the 180 photos, 55 were assessed as 'category A' – the most serious category, with 54 category B images and 71 category C images.

Honorary Recorder of Chester Judge Steven Everett sentenced Taylor to eight months in prison for attempting to engage a child in sexual activity, plus five months in prison for possession of the indecent images.

Taylor was also made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), preventing him from purposefully having any contact with anyone he knows or believes to be under the age of 18, directly or indirectly in any way, other than with the supervision of an adult approved in advance by social services, who has knowledge of the convictions.

The SHPO also prevents Taylor from using any device capable of accessing the internet without pre-approved safeguards, and he must make that device available for police inspection, and is not permitted to disguise or delete his internet history.

He must also sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.

He must also pay a £156 surcharge.

Description

A young woman has told of the devastating effect on her life of being sexually abused by a predator as a vulnerable 14-year-old.

James Betts, 23, targeted the victim and had sex with her when he was 18 and she was just 14. He also filmed part of the ordeal and showed it boastfully to his friends.

Betts, formerly of Bude but whose address was recently given as Pool, had been on trial this week and was eventually convicted by a majority jury of two counts of penetrative sex with a girl under 16, taking an indecent photo of a child and showing an indecent photo of a child.

Betts returned to Truro Crown Court on Friday (October 22) when a victim impact statement was read to the court.

The victim in the case described how she suffers extreme anxiety and has in the past self-harmed and tried to take her own life.

She said: The trauma never ends. Hes lived his life as I plod through each day as a young girl who cant live my best life.

Representing Betts, Piers Norsworthy said: He is a different man to the one who committed these offences. He hit rock bottom, was homeless and taking illegal drugs. Since then he has built himself back up and combatted his addiction and gained employment.

Mr Norsworthy added that the sex act video was never found and was not widely distributed.

Sentencing Betts, Judge Simon Carr said: The victim was just 14 when you met her and the offences occurred. She was obviously vulnerable and in the care system. She had to find new friends and was introduced to you and others.

She was keen to be accepted and you knew she was 14 because she told you. Yet you pursued her knowing you were four years older and sex was illegal.

You bought her gifts and tobacco and took her to the cinema. Texts show you flirting with her.

Knowing her age and vulnerability you pursued her for sexual purposes and had full intercourse with her. You also had her perform oral sex and filmed the act on your phone.

You did it to relive the moment and boast and showed the footage to people known to her.

Judge Carr also noted how indecent images of children were found on Betts phone.

He was jailed for four and a half years and must sign the sex offenders register for life.

Description

A children's basketball coach talked about sexually abusing a baby and using it as his "f*** toy" during "depraved" online chats.

Stuart McNeil used to coach Cheshire Junior Jets as well as Warrington Collegiate and University of Chester basketball teams.

The 39-year-old, who was born with the spinal defect spina bifida, also carried the Paralympic Torch in 2012.

But he has now been outed as a paedophile who shared "horrific" child rape videos among the worst ever seen by one officer.

Liverpool Crown Court heard McNeil, of Baker Drive, Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port, used the messaging app Kik Messenger.

David Polglase, prosecuting, said: "Kik is a platform often favoured by those with an interest in the sexual abuse of children."

An undercover officer posed on Kik as a man living with his girlfriend, who was soon expecting their first child, in July 2019.

The officer joined a group on Kik called 'Babys', with 23 members, and ended up in a private conversation with McNeil.

Mr Polglase said: "The conversation quickly turned towards fantasies about sexually abusing the child of the couple when it was born."

McNeil asked the officer if he was going "to start early" with his child and said if he had a newborn baby, he would abuse them.

He sent a Category B indecent photo of a nine-month-old girl and asked the officer to send a photo of his baby when it was born.

On July 9, McNeil sent him a Category A film, involving a boy, aged seven, performing a sex act on another boy.

Mr Polglase said McNeil discussed how the officer "should start abusing the baby when it was born" and described the baby as a "f*** toy".

On July 22, McNeil shared a Category A video of a two-year-old child being raped in the 'Babys' group, then sent it directly to the officer.

The officer sent a photo of his supposed baby girl to McNeil, who asked whether he had abused her yet.

Mr Polglase said: "There was then discussion about meeting up so the baby could be abused together."

In a chat on July 24, McNeill said they could meet in a hotel near Liverpool or Chester and he would pay.

He later said he wouldn't be able to rape the baby because of his medical issues, but would sexually abuse her another way.

Mr Polglase said McNeil talked about getting into the hotel without raising suspicion and "hoping the child wouldn't cry".

He discussed other intentions too graphic to publish and twice encouraged the officer to abuse his baby.

McNeil also sent other images of children, aged between 12 months and 11-years-old, being raped.

Police raided his home on August 8, 2019 and seized his electronic devices.

Mr Polglase said: "Police were informed he was in Stockport with the England U15 basketball team. The police attended at the location and arrested him."

His sick collection featured 368 Category A images, including 56 videos; 329 Category B images, including 15 videos, and 604 Category C images, including 13 videos.

McNeil also had two extreme porn files and seven prohibited images of children.

Officers discovered he had been talking to others on Kik about abusing children and was in multiple groups.

Mr Polglase said in one conversation he spoke to a different undercover officer, posing as a 14-year-old girl.

McNeil asked for naked photos and images of this supposed girl rubbing herself.

He distributed videos involving the rape of babies "clearly in distress" and on 219 occasions shared other indecent photos.

Mr Polglase said: "The officer who examined these images described them as some of the worst he has seen in 18 years of this type of work."

McNeil, of previous good character, was twice interviewed by police, but remained silent.

He admitted three counts of downloading, one count of possessing and three counts of distributing indecent images, plus possessing prohibited images of children and extreme pornography.

McNeil also admitted two counts of intentionally encouraging an offence and two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Rick Holland, defending, accepted the material was "very disturbing".

He said McNeil lived an "isolated existence" and sought a "skewed solace in his communication and conversation with others".

Mr Holland said: "The defendant has really had no circle of friends to speak of, no associations, no hobbies really, nothing."

Judge Garrett Byrne said: "He must surely have known what he was doing was wrong. Those images are absolutely disgusting."

Mr Holland said: "They are outrageous, appalling and they are deeply sickening. He can recognise that now."

The lawyer quoted McNeil as saying he wanted "to apologise to everyone, my family, my friends, for everything I have put them through and the victims in the images I downloaded".

He said his client added: "Some people will never forgive me, but I am genuinely sorry."

Mr Holland suggested it was an "exceptional case" and urged the judge to spare McNeil jail.

He said McNeil had no feeling from the waist down since birth, the kidney condition hydronephrosis, bowel problems and bladder stones.

The lawyer said: "He is physically and emotionally vulnerable."

Judge Byrne said the offences took place over eight years, but most were from 2018 onwards.

He told McNeil: "You began to fantasise about sexually abusing the purported child when it was born and you sent explicit messages expressing your depraved desires."

The judge said of "great concern" was his apparent "complete inability to empathise" with a child he described as a "f*** toy".

He said "more sinister" was McNeil discussing meeting to abuse the child, however, no actual arrangement was made and he didn't have a fixed intention to do it.

Judge Byrne said in a letter McNeil's sister and brother-in-law made the point "you had worked in a school for 10 years and in basketball for 20 years, all without any complaint being made against you".

However, Judge Byrne said the videos were "horrific" and referring to one clip said: "I'm not even going to describe it."

He said his case was not exceptional and while prison would be difficult for him, every image was a victim of sexual abuse and he fuelled the market for it.

Judge Byrne said: "What was done to them is deeply appalling."

He said McNeil was "an offender of particular concern" and jailed him for two and a half years, with an extended year on licence.

McNeil must serve at least half of the term behind bars, before he can apply to the Parole Board.

He must comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for six years and sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.