Latest Offenders

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Request: Current age and location SOBBING and humiliated, I watched as my GP scanned my body and told me: Well, you look healthy to me." I'd just spent the last ten minutes pouring my heart out, explaining how I'd been trapped in a hellish cycle of starving myself then binging and purging on repeat - all in the wake of sickening sex abuse. I was 16 years old and it had taken me months to pluck up the courage to seek help after spiralling into the depths of an eating disorder after my favourite teacher groped me in my classroom and tried to make me follow him into the stationary cupboard. Despite me reporting it to the school, they'd taken his side and the other kids had caught wind of it and began calling me names in the corridors. But my doctor told me I didn't tick the 'physical box criteria' - my BMI was normal, I wasn't skeletal and my periods hadn't stopped. Humiliated, I left the surgery and an already toxic pattern of thinking and behaving became even darker. Across the UK, around 1.6 million people are battling eating disorders, with anorexia having the highest mortality rate of all mental health disorders - and studies show those suffering with eating disorders are likely to be victims of sexual trauma. 'My world collapsed when I turned 12' I was always one of those children described as good eaters - I was never fussy throughout my childhood and was never over or underweight. I was a happy child - up until the age of 12 when my whole world collapsed after a teacher at my school sexually abused me. One day in year eight, I needed split pins so my teacher told me to go to a classroom down the hall to fetch them. I entered the empty room to find one of my favourite teachers sat behind his desk. Shay Pather, also known as Shayen, was the 'cool', young teacher at Kings Langley School- at just 27 years old, he was popular with the students. He always called me his A-star student and made a huge fuss over me - but despite enjoying his classes, I never had a 'teen crush' on him - to me he was just my teacher, an adult. After seeing me walk into the classroom, he rolled his chair away from his desk and beckoned me over, pretending to be interested in my work. As I stood in front of him, showing him my model, he suddenly reached out and yanked my tie - knotting it. This was a game the kids played at school - we called it 'peanutting' - the aim was to leave the person with the tightest knot. Confused by his strange behaviour, I let out a nervous laugh but as I turned away to sort my tie, he grasped my upper arms pulled me down onto his lap. Still in his grip, he pushed my hair to the side and pushed his lips hard onto the back of my neck. Paralysed with fear, my eyes fixed on the closed classroom door, I froze as he molested me. I couldn't understand why someone I had trusted, whose job was to keep me safe, was doing this. Confused, panicked and in a state of shock, I scrambled from his grip and bolted for the door. He edged around the desks, grabbing at my waist and trying to block my escape. As I frantically tried to get out of the classroom, he ordered me to go into the walk-in cupboard, where I would be able to find the split pins - but my gut told me not to. I pushed past him and ran down the hall with tears streaming down my face and my shirt untucked. He ordered me to go into the walk-in cupboard Hana Carter I ran as fast as I could to my head of year's office, and as I looked out the window I saw him scrambling up the stairs after me. Branded a 'slut' I told the head of year what had happened, then I went home - confused, violated and exhausted from crying. Mum took me back to the school that evening for an emergency meeting with my headteacher. As I sat in front of the headteacher it became immediately apparent that he didn't believe me. The head asked my mum why I wasn't 'more upset', to which she replied: "I've just spent the last hour calming her down so that she can be here to talk to you." Pather was arrested, and the days that followed were a blur of police interviews, sleepless nights and inconsolable counselling sessions. During the investigation he was suspended from school and his absence and whispers of the assault spread like wildfire through the hallways. But to my horror, as no one saw the incident and it was his word against mine - the police decided to let him go. Suddenly, my abuser was free to roam my school and return to teaching. He stayed at the school until I left in year 11 and was banned from teaching me or speaking to me. But as I walked to my tech lessons, he would often smirk at me or try to start a conversation, making little jokes as I blanked him. I was branded a liar, an attention seeker and worst of all a sl*t by the other kids. As every school year ended, I would be relieved that one wave of kids who knew my name and my story was leaving to be replaced by a fresh slate of more. I considered moving school but I didn't want to leave my friends and be the new girl elsewhere, so I stood my ground. But my private pain only worsened as time went on. 'I'd binge on junk then make myself sick' I felt like I'd lost myself - and we hit the early 2000s super-skinny became the new thing and Kate Moss was queen. I wanted to be like the happy women in the magazines, I thought that would make me feel confident again. My self-esteem had been shot to pieces and I'd convinced myself I was fat, despite only being a size 8. I began skipping meals and within a few months, I was completely controlled by obsessive thoughts around food and weight. I would starve myself for weeks on end before giving in to hunger and devouring everything in sight. During these frantic binges, I'd go to the shops and buy bags of crisps, packs of biscuits, ready-made sandwiches, pastries, sweets, chocolate - you name it. In the privacy of my bedroom, I'd eat it all in one sitting and wouldn't stop until I felt physically sick. Then I'd sneak to the bathroom, shove my fingers down my throat and make myself throw up until there was nothing left. This went on for months, and my parents soon realised there was something wrong when I made constant excuses to avoid mealtimes. The happy young girl I once was became withdrawn, angry and secretive and they couldn't understand why. All I thought about was food, the ways to avoid it and how many calories everything had in it. If anything got in the way of my strict plan, I became incredibly anxious and even aggressive. I'd sneak to the bathroom, shove my fingers down my throat and make myself throw up Hana Carter I came up with ways to hide or get rid of food without my parents realising... I would do anything I could to avoid eating. I single-handedly ruined one Christmas eve with my family by refusing to eat pizza. Id used every excuse in the book not to eat dinner with them that evening, but dad wasnt having any of it. He finally lost his patience when he caught me taking the cheese off my slices and hiding it in a piece of kitchen roll. I couldnt tell him that my heart was pounding and I wanted to burst into tears just looking at the food on my plate. I used to look in the mirror and just hold onto the 'fat' and squeeze myself so hard it would hurt - and I would only allow myself to eat the equivalent of a six-year-old's allowance. 'I was too scared to ask for help' This hell went on for most of my teenage years and even spilled into my twenties. I would try to pull myself out of it and eat normally, but then Id spiral back into my old ways, becoming extremely anxious by food and eating - it was a constant cycle. But I never asked for help, the experience with the GP when I was 16 made me feel that I didn't deserve it. I was physically harming myself by starving myself and was exercising control over food as a way to cope with trauma. But because I wasnt critically underweight I was pushed to the side, left to get worse. Eating disorders are more than someones size. They are a mental illness and should be treated as such. Catching it early could save lives - rather than turning people away because their BMI isnt deemed low enough. 'He's abused another underage girl' At 26, I would be lying if I said I had a completely normal relationship with food and that I loved my body, but Im working on it. In 2014, nearly a decade after I was violated by Pather, my biggest fear came true - he had done it again. It was as if someone had picked me up and planted me straight back in that classroom in 2006 - I felt sick to my stomach. Furious that history had been allowed to repeat itself, I wrote a letter to the school. I told them how had they have taken me seriously and treated me with the respect and care I deserved, the monster that ruined my school years wouldn't have been able to destroy another girls' life. To my surprise, I got a call from the police several days later to tell me that the school had forwarded my letter to them and asked me to provide a statement to help with the case. On October 20, 2014, Shayen Pather pleaded guilty at St Albans Crown Court to the charge of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust. He was sentenced to just nine months and was put on the sex offenders' register for 10 years - which will be up in four years. But despite never getting my own personal justice and it not being the longest jail sentence, when I heard the news that he had been put behind bars, I broke down in tears. After what happened to me, as I watched him arrogantly swan around the school, my biggest fear was that he would ruin more young girl's lives. The news that he would never set foot in a classroom again gave me a rush of relief - a sensation I'd been yearning after for nine years. After it got out that he had been jailed, the rumour mill sprung to life, but this time I was on the receiving end of kind messages from people Id gone to school with, apologising for not believing me. There are times where I wonder how different my teenage years would have been had that day in 2005 not happened - and maybe how different I'd be as a person now. But I refuse to live in the past and obsess over the 'what ifs'. What happened to me and the knock on effect was traumatic, but I'm so proud of my 12-year-old self and the strength that she mustered - it's something I still carry with me today.

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A MAN has received a sentence of 180 hours of unpaid work for attempting to groom a 15-year-old girl who was in care. Part of Ellis Birnies sentence was also for threatening a woman with a knife and possessing a knife or multitool in a public place. The 25-year-old, of Sandveien, was said to have a number of complex needs by defence agent Tommy Allan in Lerwick Sheriff Court yesterday. Birnie admitted making indecent video communications with the girl between 15 August and 4 September last year and with trying to arrange a meeting with her with a view to having sex. He also admitted brandishing a knife at a woman and threatening to stab her partner on 31 January, whilst having been bailed on 15 January. Sheriff Ian Cruickshank sentenced Birnie to two years supervision with 80 hours community payback for the grooming offence and 100 hours for threatening and abusive behaviour, as an alternative to custody. He was put on the sex offenders register at an earlier hearing.

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Christopher Elliott, 41, of Laburnum Road, Waterlooville, was handed a prison sentence in 2001 and told to sign the sex offenders register.

But Portsmouth Magistrates Court heard he moved home and should have registered with police by November 7 last year. He registered on November 9.

The court heard Elliott went to Havant station, which was closed. He then went to Waterlooville station, which was closed.

When he went back to Havant a sign said go to the Eastern Police Investigation Centre in Copnor.

But when he went there he was too embarrassed as the waiting area at reception was full, and returned another day which was too late.

District judge Gary Lucie ordered Elliott, who admitted breaching notification requirements, to pay 197 in costs and charges.

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A MAN is awaiting sentence after admitting downloading over 300 indecent pictures and 16 videos including child pornography. Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that the offences came to light when police acting on specific intelligence from the online child abuse prevention unit searched his home in the towns Westerloch Crescent. James Adam Tait, 49, whose address was given as Frankfield Road, Dalgety Bay, had the images and videos on various devices. Some were in folders that made finding the images harder for someone looking through the device, the court heard. Tait admitted having indecent photographs of children between 15 March 2014 and 17 June 2019 and other pornographic images between 24 April 2016 and 25 June 2019. Over half of the videos fell within the most serious category of child pornographic images, as did 21 of the stills images, the court heard. There were also 199 indicative images of children posing in swimwear or sportswear. Sheriff Ian Cruickshank adjourned the hearing until 8 April for a criminal justice social enquiry report and ordered Tait to be placed on the sex offenders register and released on bail.

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A ROOKLEY man in possession of almost 35,000 child abuse images has been spared jail at the Isle of Wight Crown Court. David Bradshaw, 63, of Dolcroft Road, appeared on Friday charged with three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possession of cannabis. Bradshaw had previously pleaded guilty to possessing the images, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court on February 14. It was detailed how Bradshaw was arrested after he took his laptop into a computer repair shop to be fixed, and staff discovered a hidden folder containing the images. Speaking at the earlier hearing, prosecutor Ann Smout said: "When they opened the folder, they saw thousands of thumbnail images they suspected showed children being abused. "They immediately called the police and handed the laptop over. "Police discovered the laptop contained 34,638 images and videos of children, ranging from category A the most serious kind to category C. "He said images of 12 to 14 year old girls had helped him deal with the break-up of a previous relationship." Barry Arnett, defending, said: "After these charges were leaked to the public, Mr Bradshaw was repeatedly threatened and forced to move from a previous address." "There will be quite severe implications for Mr Bradshaw. He is a man who has already lost quite a lot." Judge Roger Hetherington gave Bradshaw a 12 month custodial sentence, suspended for 24 months. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for ten years, placed under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years. He must undertake 25 rehabilitation days. He was also ordered to pay court costs of 425 and a victim surcharge of 90. An NSPCC spokesperson said: The sheer extent of Bradshaws collection is truly appalling. "Many of the images in it will be crime scenes showing abused children who will need a vast amount of support to recover from their ordeal. This case highlights the urgent need to address the online trade in such images. "Law enforcement cannot solve this problem alone. Big tech must also be made to use their expertise and resources to quickly remove this terrible content from their platforms and identify who put it there in the first place.

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A Bromley paedophile who sent explicit photos and videos of himself to young girls he met online has been jailed. Carl Spencer, 31, of Havelock Road, engaged in conversations with several girls, aged between 12 and 13, on a messaging app. On each occasion, the conversation became sexual in nature, leading to Spencer sending explicit images and videos of himself to the girls. After receiving information of his activities, Essex police arrested him at an address in Southend on April 14, 2018. Officers also found more than 200 indecent images and videos of children when they searched his phone and Dropbox account. On February 13, Spencer pleaded guilty to 23 child sex offences, including eight counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, nine counts of distributing indecent images of children and three counts of possessing indecent images of children. He was also charged with two counts of causing a child to watch or look at an image of sexual activity, and one count of attempting to cause or incident a girl to engage in sexual activity. At Basildon Crown Court he was jailed for a total of four years and eight months on March 5. Investigating officer PC Lewis Gordon, from the Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT), said: Carl Spencer is a prolific offender who repeatedly targeted young girls. When he established how young they were he deliberately ensure their conversations became sexual in nature and sent them explicit images of himself. He is a dangerous offender who, I have no doubt, would have continued to contact girls if he had not been arrested and convicted. POLIT works to protect children from the threat of online offending and targets offenders suspected of making, possessing, and distributing indecent images of children. Detective Inspector Jo Collins, who manages POLIT, said: This is another example of the fantastic work my team has done to keep people safe. The work my team does often takes place away from the public eye but is absolutely crucial to keeping children safe. Last year, we safeguarded more than 300 children. The online threat to children is growing and my teams work has never been more important. Its just another way were protecting Essex.

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This image shows a 64-year-old man who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl while dressed as a schoolboy.

Michael Wilson squeezed the girls bottom as he waked towards Headland School in Bridlington in January 2019.

He was later caught in an out of bounds area of the school premises.

An image of Wilson wearing a school uniform and a wig was shared among students.

The 64-year-old was arrested on January 9 where police found a number of different school uniforms in a secret room hidden by a bookcase, Hull Crown Court heard.

Officers also found a story written by Wilson titled My Life As A 13-year-old Schoolboy within the same room.

Wilson, of High Street, Bridlington, appeared in court on Friday where he was given a 12-month sentence suspended for two years.

Wearing a wig, a white shirt, a blazer and a Headlands School tie, Wilson was seen by two girls walking towards the school on the morning of January 8 last year.

Prosecuting barrister Richard Thompson said: The defendant approached and without asking anything he squeezed one of the girls bottoms before walking towards the school.

He was seen by a member of staff in an area close to the school building clearly marked as out of bounds.

"The staff member initially thought this was a student but when he approached closer he noticed he was not.

The defendant said he was looking for someone but immediately walked off down the driveway. The member of staff managed to take a picture of the defendant.

Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault and appeared at Hull Crown Court on Friday, March 6 where he was given a suspended sentence.

He must also adhere to a sexual harm prevention order for seven years that prevents him from purchasing school uniforms.

Wilson must also not go within 100m of the perimeter boundaries of any school or have any contact with children under 16 unrelated to him.

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Convicted sex offender, David Jones, caught a train as he planned to have sex with 12-year-old girl after sending her "filthy" messages A paedophile convicted for a string of sexual offences jumped on a train to meet a young girl for sex after sending her "filthy" sexual messages. David Jones, 55, thought he had lured a 12-year-old girl to meet him at Derby railway station where he would then take advantage of her, Derby Telegraph reports. The paedophile had started communicating with what he thought was a 12-year-old on a website that was unnamed in court, but specifically had the word "teen" in it. Their conversations then continued over Skype with the criminal believing he was speaking to "the 12-year-old of his dreams." It was only when David Jones arrived at Derby railway station and was accosted by police that it transpired that the girl was in fact an undercover police officer who had been posing as the girl all along. Jones appeared at Derby Crown Court via video link from HMP Nottingham. Tustian Lody, prosecuting, said: The officer was contacted by the defendant on that website and further communication between the two took place between November 13 and 18 last year. This was mainly over Skype. It was made plain to him that the person purported to be 12 years old and a female child. He asked her if she wanted to date him, and if she would have fun with older men. The conversations soon became sexual. I am not going to go into all of the filthy things that he said, but he discussed all sorts of sexually explicit things with her. He then made arrangements to meet with her in Derby but at Derby Midland Railway Station he met a number of police officers instead of the 12-year-old girl of his dreams. Jones pleaded guilty to arranging to meet with a child for sexual activity and also breaching his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO). Jones had previously tried to sexually abuse a 15-year-old and was given a 12-month prison sentence and an SHPO. David Morton, defending, said: Mr Jones is 55 years of age. He describes himself as being particularly lonely or having that sense within him. He has at the back end of last year in October qualified as a forklift truck driver. He has expressed his deep and serious regret for his behaviour in November last year.

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A manipulative and controlling paedophile maths teacher subjected two female pupils to a shocking catalogue of sexual abuse. Pervert Tobias Yates' vile offending saw him groom the teenagers and engage in sexual activity with them in the classroom at Chellaston Academy, where he worked for eight years. Both victims showed incredible bravery to stand up at Derby Crown Court, face their abuser and tell the hearing of the devastating effect his crimes have had on them. His actions left one of them feeling betrayed and broken while the other said I truly believed he loved me and it was okay, but it was not okay as I was a child and he was a paedophile. A catalogue of perversion The court heard that the 31-year-old father-of one, from Stenson Fields, had: - Filmed himself having sex with one of the victims. - Exchanged 250,000 messages with one of the teens. - Demanded they both send him explicit photographs to him, including one of them dressed in her school uniform. - Kept sex toys in his desk at the Swarkestone Road school. - Touched one of the girls sexually at the back of class while a trainee teacher taught the other pupils in the same room. - Collected one of the girls from her home and made her hide in the footwell of his car to make sure no-one saw them together before driving her to his home for sex. - Gave one victim with childrens underwear for much younger girls which had cartoon characters on them. - Made one of the girls call him Daddy and Sir to satisfy his warped fetish. Yates, of Merevale Way, Stenson Fields, stared intently forward during the hearing, refusing to glance at the victims or their family members who sat in the packed public gallery. When he arrived in the dock from custody into courtroom four, one of them even bravely moved seats to get a better view of her abuser. In her victim impact statement she said: I have lost my carefree childhood. It started in the classroom a place where I should have been safe. I truly believed he loved me and it was okay. But it was not okay because I was a child and he was a paedophile. Reading out her statement, the second girl said: I feel completely betrayed and broken. I lost two stone in weight and hours of sleep because of nightmares. I feel disgusted with myself and I have a fairly negative view of myself. It all happened during my GCSEs and I think about what my results would have been if I had the chance to focus instead of being consumed by him. 'Manipulative and depraved' Jailing Yates for 10 years and six months, Judge Robert Egbuna told him his behaviour was manipulative and depraved. He said: They had come to you to seek help at a vulnerable time in their lives and you robbed both children of their innocence. You portrayed yourself as a friend and companion but preyed on them time and time again. You are an astute man that had an armoury which you used to abuse and groom their frailties. And you made these girls feel they were to blame for your behaviour. You knew what you were doing was wrong, you knew they were vulnerable and you simply did not care. 'Protracted grooming' Jonathan Straw, prosecuting, said Yates worked as a maths teacher and form tutor at Chellaston Academy for eight years when the first allegations were made known to the police. He said the publicity from that saw the second victim come forward to describe what happened to her. Mr Straw said: This was the sexual abuse of two young, vulnerable girls, each of whom was the subject of protracted grooming, manipulation and extensive control. He preyed on the innocence of teenage vulnerability and, having gained their trust, he began to control each girl, infiltrating their everyday lives over time expressly for his own sexual gain. What did he admit? Yates pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to counts of engaging in sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15; sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 17 when he was abusing a position of trust; causing or inciting sexual activity with a girl aged 13-17; possessing extreme pornographic images, and making indecent images of a child. In August last year, he pleaded guilty to inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity while he was in a position of trust. He also admitted three counts of making indecent photographs of children. He had two of category A, the most serious type, two of category B and 83 of category C. James Varley, mitigating, said: He was an adult who abused the trust of two young girls and we have heard the impact that has on them today. In a letter, Mr Yates apologises for what he has done and he has come to realise the damage he has caused. As unpleasant and disturbing as case this is, he is not going to be in this kind of position again. The identities of both victims are protected by law. A statement from Chellaston Academy reads: One of our former members of staff, Toby Yates, contravened all professional teacher standards and has today been sentenced for his actions at Derby Crown Court. At Chellaston Academy our students safety and well-being is of paramount importance to us and we continue to work with appropriate agencies and the local authority to ensure our safeguarding protocols and procedures are robust. As well as prison, Yates was handed a sexual harm prevention order and was placed on the sex offenders register for life.

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A 'feared' evangelical pastor who used his trusted position to abuse children and adults over 20 years has been jailed for 34 years after his conviction for multiple rapes of members of his congregation.

Self-styled prophet Michael Oluronbi, originally from Nigeria and living in Birmingham, was found guilty of the offences against six women and a man in January, actions described by a judge as 'one of the worst cases of sexual abuse of multiple children to come before the courts'.

Some of his offences were carried out after he convinced victims, five of whom attended his church, to take part in 'spiritual bathing', which he claimed would 'cleanse' them of evil spirits.

During the trial at Birmingham Crown Court, a jury heard that some of his young female victims became pregnant multiple times but were taken to abortion clinics by qualified pharmacist Oluronbi, to cover up what was happening.

He was convicted of 15 counts of rape, seven counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault - as his sentencing hearing heard there were at least 88 separate occasions on which he raped his victims.

Judge Sarah Buckingham said the real purpose of the 'spiritual baths' was to 'fulfil your insatiable sexual appetite'.

The 60-year-old's wife Juliana was jailed for 11 years after being found guilty of three counts of aiding and abetting rape after helping arrange some of the terminations.

Both defendants will be required to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

Sentencing 'arrogant' Oluronbi on Friday, Judge Buckingham said: 'You claimed that God was instructing you to conduct holy baths.

'Its real purpose was to fulfil your insatiable sexual appetite.

'The children feared you and this enable you to continue your grip.

'Your offending has had an extreme and severe impact on all of your complainants.

'Any attempt to suggest otherwise would be without foundation.

'You abused your position of trust - they trusted you like God.'

The judge continued: 'You did this because you are an arrogant, selfish and vain man.

'In my judgment, your offending must be one of the worst cases of sexual abuse of multiple children to come before the courts.'

The religious leader was brought to justice after one of his victims, now an adult, came forward.

When eventually confronted about his offences, Oluronbi said 'the devil made me do it'.

In statements read to the court by the prosecution, one of the victims said the defendant's actions made her 'question if my life was worth living'.

During the trial, jurors heard Oluronbi was linked to a Christian church in Edgbaston, Birmingham, the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, whose roots were in Nigeria.

He set up on his own splinter group for about 40 adults and children, separate to the church and located at another address, where he began a practice of 'spiritual bathing'.

The offences took place in Birmingham and London.

Phil Bradley QC, prosecuting, told the jury: 'The Crown's case is that Mr Oluronbi used what he called 'spiritual work' as a subterfuge for that sexual abuse.

'The main tactic he employed was to claim that God had instructed him to administer 'holy baths' to some of his congregation in order to 'cleanse' them and protect them from evil influences.

'That activity began when his victims were children.

'There can be no doubt that its real purpose was to serve his sexual gratification.'

He added that for some of the female victims the offending 'progressed to repeated rapes, on many occasions leading to unwanted pregnancies and terminations'.

'You will learn that this man, who was revered and feared by his victims, kept a vice-like grip on many of them and continued to abuse them well into adulthood,' Mr Bradley said.

Oluronbi's victims described him as 'controlling' and 'almost like a king'.

The offending happened over a period of 20 years, at various locations, going back to the 1980s.

Oluronbi was arrested at Birmingham Airport in May last year, while trying to leave the country for Nigeria with some of his ceremonial belongings and a sum of cash.

Police are unable to say whether he was trying to flee justice, but pointed out he had recently been confronted about the abuse by one of his victims.

For his victims, the ordeal has taken a 'massive' physical and mental toll, detectives said.

Describing Oluronbi as 'intelligent', Detective Superintendent Nick Walton of West Midlands Police said the pastor 'laughed' in court on several occasions while giving evidence in his own defence.

Mr Walton said Oluronbi had been working as a pastor until his arrest in May 2018.

Police also believe there could be more victims and have urged anyone with information to get in touch.

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A repeat Lewisham sex offender who uploaded child pornography of an extreme nature online despite being under supervision has been jailed for three-and-a-half years. Police traced the upload to Aron Mortlock, 37, of Waters Road, a registered sex offender previously convicted of making indecent images of children in May 2018. Bromley Magistrates' Court heard that in September 2019, officers received intelligence that a Category A indecent video of a child had been uploaded to the internet. Research showed it had been uploaded by Mortlock, who was arrested at his home on suspicion of making and distributing indecent images of children. A number of items, including a phone and hard drive were seized from the property, and a large amount of indecent images of children found on these devices. Mortlock pleaded guilty to three charges of making an indecent image, distributing an indecent image and attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence on Wednesday February 12. He was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday, 4 March. He will remain on the sex offenders' register for life. Detective Constable Katie Slee, from South East Safeguarding, said: Mortlock is a repeat offender and despite being under supervision continued to download horrific images of children. He has never shown any remorse for his behaviour and did all he could to stop police gaining access to the items seized from his address. "We are pleased he is now behind bars and will have no access to any devices which allow him to facilitate any further crimes. An spokesperson for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said: Mortlock has committed a number of appalling offence that typify the horrific trade in child abuse images currently taking place online. Law enforcement cannot solve this problem alone. "Big tech must also be made to use their expertise and resources to quickly remove this terrible content from their platforms and identify who put it there in the first place.

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A FORMER police employee from York has been jailed for four years for possessing and distributing “depraved” indecent images of children.

Bradley Paul Smith, 36, who worked as a safety camera van operator with North Yorkshire Police, also admitted voyeurism.

Detectives found videos - which Smith had filmed - taken from inside the men’s changing room at a gym, a video of a teenager getting changed inside a bedroom and a child asleep on a bed.

Smith was arrested on February 6 last year and suspended from duty. He has since been sacked.

Detective Sergeant Lee Allenby, of the North Yorkshire Police online abuse & exploitation team, said it was “very concerning” that Smith, while still on police duties and on the same day he was arrested, had uploaded two serious Category A indecent images of children on his personal tablet.

He added: “This showed how deeply he was embroiled in this depraved and secretive world. However, there is no evidence or suggestion that offences were committed using police equipment.”

Smith was arrested after information was supplied police by the National Crime Agency.

North Yorkshire Police forensically examined numerous smart phones, tablets and laptops to secure evidence.

A large collection of indecent images of children, going back to 2011, were recovered including those classified in the most extreme Category A, as well as Category B and C offences.

The investigation team also recovered the videos taken by Smith.

Smith appeared at York Crown Court on February 10 where he pleaded guilty to making more than 3,000 indecent images of children, as well as distributing images, taking an indecent picture of a child and eight counts of voyeurism.

Smith was jailed for four years at York Crown Court yesterday.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders’ register.

DS Allenby added: “When the evidence of his offending was presented to him during the investigation, Bradley Smith initially claimed he was only interested in adult pornography and that the indecent images of children were downloaded accidentally.

“However, we were able to prove beyond doubt that he is a serious offender and it is pleasing that he admitted his guilt at court. He is now facing up to the consequences of his sickening actions.

“This case shows that North Yorkshire Police is determined and equipped to secure justice in such a complex investigation. Also that we operate without fear or favour even when the suspect works for the same police force.”

An NSPCC spokesperson said: “Smith has fuelled an industry where children suffer the most horrific abuse for the sexual gratification of sickening individuals like him, who can access these images and videos in just a few clicks.

“The NSPCC is calling on tech companies, law enforcement and government to work together to find ways to cut this vile material off at source.”

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A DEPRAVED pervert who sexually abused a friend's dog while looking after the animal has been caged.

Vile paedophile Andrew Flanagan, described as 'extremely sick' at court, was exposed after he photographed the animal abuse in which he forced a Rottweiller to engage in a sex act with him.

On investigating the 37-year-old of Field Avenue, Oxford, it was also revealed that he had in his possession a haul of banned images of child sex abuse, involving children as young as four, and had sent images to others.

Flanagan had already admitted six counts of making and distributing indecent images of children, as well as two counts of possessing extreme pornography and causing a serious sexual offence with an animal.

Oxford Crown Court heard at his sentencing hearing yesterday how the offences all took place in Oxford between October 2017 and September 2018.

Outlining the case, prosecutor Christopher Hewertson said that police raided Flanagan's Blackbird Leys home at about 6.30am on September 26, 2018.

Various electronic items were seized including smart phones and a Lenovo laptop and Flanagan told officers he 'knew immediately why they were there'.

A subsequent investigation of the equipment found a haul of indecent images of children and animals being sexually abused.

In a sinister and unusual discovery, four images were found depicting Flanagan himself engaging in a sex act with the dog that he had been looking after for a friend.

Prosecutors said at the sentencing hearing that Flanagan was caring for the dog while the owner was at work and there was no indication that they knew of the abuse being dealt to the animal.

Of the banned images of children that were also uncovered investigators found that he had a total of 287 images in category A - the most severe category, 103 in category B and 125 in category C.

It was also revealed that Flanagan had used file-sharing software such as eMule to distribute a number of the banned images to others.

He had sent to others six images of category A, two in category B and one in category C.

Search terms also revealed deliberate hunting for indecent images, which the judge called 'systematic searching for class A images' online, including terms such as 'pre-teen hardcore' and searches for five-year-old children.

Online chats also detailed Flanagan 'discussing and revelling in the sexual gratification that can be taken from sexual abuse of children'.

Officers also found that he had read Oxford Mail and Times articles about previous offenders being sentenced for having indecent images.

In mitigation yesterday his defence barrister James Reilley said his client suffered with 'extreme and severe depression and anxiety' and was taking medication for a diagnosis of HIV.

He said that Flanagan had had 'bouts of suicidal thoughts as a result' and called his client 'a good man' who had committed the 'out of character' offence at his 'lowest ebb'.

Mr Reilley added that Flanagan was 'clearly extremely sick' and was 'terrified' at the prospect of going to prison.

Sentencing, Judge Nigel Daly said: "The possession of indecent images of children, you know because you are not an unintelligent man, that before these images can exist there has to be a child.

"And that child has to be assaulted and that child very often is in extreme distress.

"These images will never go away and they will be there for as long as we have got the internet available."

As Judge Daly told him he had to impose an immediate jail term Flanagan broke down in tears and sobbed.

Flanagan was jailed for a total of 30 months for all the offences and he will sign the sex offenders register for life.

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A man has been jailed after engaging in sexualised online chats with a 13-year-old boy.

St Albans Crown Court heard how Jacob Taylor (Miles Esterson), of Mimms Lane, Shenley, started having innocuous chats with the boy before it became increasingly sexualised between October and November last year.

Taylor had suggested the pair meet up to engage in sexual activity.

Taylor, 37 arranged to meet what he believed was the young boy behind McDonalds at The Galleria in Hatfield on November 9, 2019 - but on arrival found police officers waiting for him.

He pleaded guilty to meeting a child following sexual communication and attempted sexual communication with a child.

Appearing at court yesterday (Thursday February 27) he was sentenced to two years in prison.

Detective Constable Georgina Fenge, from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Child Online Safeguarding Team, said: “Taylor is a dangerous individual who clearly has no inhibitions about engaging in illegal conversations with children.

"Even after learning the teenager’s age, he continued to send inappropriate messages and was keen to meet up in order to engage in sexual activity with a minor. It is a relief to know he is now in a place where he can no longer offend.

“Hertfordshire Constabulary takes this type of crime extremely seriously and we are doing, and will continue to do, everything in our power to protect the vulnerable in our society by rooting out those who prey on children.”

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A "TRULY disgusting" paedophile from Ellesmere Port who incited three children to engage in sexual activity has been jailed for a total of 23 years. David McMurtry, 49, of William Johnson Gardens, was found guilty after a trial of 10 charges of child sex offences against three young girls, the youngest of whom being just seven or eight years old at the time of the offences. McMurtry was also found guilty of possessing 26 indecent images of children. He had earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing 161 prohibited images of children. Sentencing at Chester Crown Court on Thursday, February 27, Recorder of Chester Judge Steven Everett said the evidence against McMurtry had been "overwhelming" and the jury had "rightly" found him guilty of all charges. Prosecuting, Nicholas Williams said the offences began more than 10 years ago and occurred over a number of years. In each case, McMurtry had incited the young girls to engage in sexual activity. Judge Everett agreed those three charges would be the most serious and, after taking into account the principle of totality, would impose consecutive sentences for those three counts. The three victims none of whom can be identified had each come to court to read out their victim impact statements. Each of them told of the "devastating impact" McMurtry had had on them, and how they would have nightmares and night terrors in the years following the sex attacks. Between the three of them, they had suffered depression, anxiety, panic attacks and insomnia and felt like their social lives had been compromised. All spoke how their childhood had been taken away from them because of McMurtry's actions. One said: "I hate him and I am upset for what he did to me." The same victim also told how, after she had given her statement to police before the trial, there was an occasion when McMurty sat next to her at Ellesmere Port Market, making her feel very uncomfortable. Another victim told how McMurty had seen her in the street about a year ago and he was laughing at her. "I can't put into words how much I hate him; he disgusts me," she told the court. Judge Everett said to the victims: "There is only one person to blame [for what has happened] and that is him. It's not you. There is nothing that any of the three of you did wrong." The court heard while McMurtry had no previous convictions, he had taken advantage of three girls who were "extremely vulnerable". Defending, Simon Mills said the length of the expected prison sentence, and the imposition of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, meant the likelihood of McMurtry committing offences of this nature again was "as close to nil as possible". He added McMurtry would find prison more difficult than if he was a young, fit and healthy man, and upon his eventual release would find himself in isolated, lonely circumstances. Mr Mills said of McMurtry's health: "He is sufficiently overweight for his life expectancy to be reduced. He has had major surgery in the past." Judge Everett, sentencing, told McMurtry his behaviour had been "truly disgusting". He added: "Your victims had to go through the truly awful process of coming forward and giving evidence in court. "They were courageous enough to give evidence against you. The one thing they should take from this is they were believed and everybody knows what you did to them when they were three young girls. "You knew, or believed, that nobody could touch you, because of their sheer vulnerability. "You showed you have no remorse or understanding of the damage you caused, sitting next to one of them at the market, laughing at another. It just showed you thought you were untouchable. "The jury rightly saw through that and rightly convicted you of these terrible offences. "I need to send out a message to you and to others that if they are ever tempted to do something like this, they will go to prison for the same length of time as you. "I sentence to punish you and to protect the public from the likes of you and to send the message out to the public. "You heard the victim statements and the devastating effect it has had. One can only hope they will be able to get some closure and get something of a decent life in the future." McMurtry was jailed for a total of 23 years and placed on the sex offenders register for life. Judge Everett told him: "In my judgment that is the least possible sentence. You will serve at least half that sentence, possibly more." McMurtry was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order prohibiting from making any sort of contact with the victims or unsupervised contact with any female under the age of 16 except with parental/guardian permission from someone aware of McMurtry's convictions. The order, among other requirements, prevents McMurtry from owning a device capable of storing images, data encryption software or having access to the internet, except in circumstances which allow police to monitor his usage. The devices he used to obtain the indecent and/or prohibited images were to be forfeited and destroyed. McMurtry showed no emotion as he was led to the cells. Afterwards, Judge Everett told the victims and their families: "Any sentence that I pass here today is not long enough as far as you are concerned. I hope it gives you some sense of closure. "There is only one person to blame here and that is the person who has gone through the door [to prison]."