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Guilty of raping a 14-year-old who he stalked and assaulted as she waited for a lift home.

Billy Rutter was caught with an improvised weapon after arguing with strangers outside Revolution bar.

A rapist who decapitated and cooked his son's rabbit has been jailed again after he armed himself with a broken glass bottle during a fight on a night out. Billy Rutter was previously jailed for a violent sexual assault on a schoolgirl and more recently locked up after killing the pet, throwing its severed head at his ex-girlfriend and cooking it in the oven.

He is now behind bars after police saw him arming himself during a fight outside a Revolution bar in Liverpool city centre, according to Liverpool Echo. 

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday afternoon, the police on patrol on Victoria Street at around 1.15am on December 11 last year heard glass smashing then saw the drunken defendant holding a shattered bottle.

Matthew Conway, prosecuting, described how Rutter hid the item behind his back then walked towards Temple Court, approaching a group of strangers outside Revolution.

An argument ensued, with the improvised weapon still concealed behind the 35-year-old's back.

The court was told that he was involved in another argument with them moments beforehand.

The officers then ran up behind Rutter and tackled him. He "immediately" dropped the improvised weapon to the ground.

The sex offender has a total of 18 previous convictions for 36 offences including for possession of an offensive weapon in a public place in 1999, assault with intent to rob in 2012 and being jailed for six months for possession of a bladed article in a public place in August 2020.

In 2005, Rutter was found guilty of raping a 14-year-old who he stalked and assaulted as she waited for a lift home from her mum.

Then aged 17, Rutter targeted the girl as she waited at a bus stop on Eastern Avenue in Speke - grabbing the youngster and dragging her to nearby waste ground. She screamed in terror, but he placed his hand over her mouth and raped her.

When convicted, Rutter pointed to the jury and said "I know all your faces" - which reduced one female juror to tears. His brother shouted from the public gallery and was thrown out of court before the teen was handed nine years behind bars.

In February 2021, he was then imprisoned for 15 months after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, assault and breaching a restraining order.

It came after his former partner was forced to flee her home with their children after she discovered Rutter cooking their rabbit in her oven, having decapitated the pet and thrown its head at her while she lay in bed - landing on her pillow.

The mum called police from a payphone as her son repeated "I miss my bunny". The abuser had nailed the rabbit above the kitchen door in a scene one police officer described as "one of the most distressing sights he had ever seen".

Rutter told PCs "rabbits and chicks get slaughtered everyday" then added: "Bubble and squeak, have you ever tried rabbit? It's lovely."

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A WOMAN woke up to a man raping her in his home.

The victim was left "hugely impacted" after Philip Lush assaulted her while she slept.

The court was told that the woman had been out with the 28-year-old that evening before returning to his to watch a film.

She fell asleep and was was woken up by Lush raping her.

Lush, of Whiteley Lane, Titchfield, denied the offence but following a seven-day trial, he was found guilty by a jury on November 22 last year.

Appearing at Portsmouth Crown Court yesterday, Lush was jailed for five years and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Police staff investigator Lynn Levett said: “The woman was asleep when Lush raped her for his own self-gratification.

"His actions showed a total disregard for the woman and this incident has understandably had a huge impact on her.

“I would like to commend the woman for her bravery in telling us what happened and for the strength she showed throughout the investigation and the trial to bring Lush to justice.

“We take all reports of sexual assault seriously and do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice.

“We know it’s difficult to report incidents of this nature but we encourage anyone who has or thinks they have been a victim of sexual abuse to contact us on 101. "We have specially trained officers who you can speak to in complete confidence and they will support you throughout the criminal justice process.

“Alternatively, we know not everyone feels comfortable talking to the police so we want you to know that there are a number of independent support agencies out there who will provide you with the help you need.”

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A teenage rapist has been jailed for seven and a half years for forcing himself on a girl in York.

Police have praised the girl for her “incredible courage” in coming forward and giving evidence against Brandon Hewlett.

York Crown Court heard the crimes happened some years ago when Hewlett was a teenager.

Hewlett, now aged 21, of Edinburgh Street, Goole, East Yorkshire, denied four charges of rape and an online sex offence. The jury convicted him of three of the rapes and the online offence.

They were unable to agree on the fourth rape charge and he was formally acquitted of it after the CPS decided not to retry him on it.

Recorder Tahir Khan read a personal statement from the girl in which she described the effect of Hewlett’s crimes on her.

He told Hewlett: “I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that there was psychological harm done to her as a result of what you did.”

He jailed Hewlett for seven and a half years.

Hewlett will be on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life.

Had Hewlett been older at the time of the rapes, he would have been jailed for 10 years, said the judge.

DS Mike Hewitt, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “The victim in this case showed incredible courage to stand up to Hewlett, and with the support of her family and friends she was able to provide evidence against him.

“Her strength and bravery saw him convicted of the horrendous crimes he committed against her – and will also prevent others becoming victims of Hewlett’s depraved behaviour.”

Hewlett had no convictions before he was convicted at the end of his trial in November. He was then remanded in custody.

Julian Goode, for Hewlett, said he had found life behind bars hard and had been assaulted on two separate occasions.

“He is the author of his own demise,” said the defence barrister.

He handed in a document as part of his mitigation, the contents of which he did not make public and which was read by the judge.

The defence barrister said that since Hewlett had been remanded, the defendant’s partner had had problems.

She had health difficulties and Hewlett had been her help and looked after her.

Since November, she had found life looking after herself increasingly hard.

North Yorkshire Police said anyone who believed they had been raped or sexually assaulted could contact them online, by phone or in person.

If the person felt unable to talk to police, the force’s website has details of organisations to whom they could speak in confidence and get support, advice and medical help.

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Jordan Hill "groomed" a young girl on Facebook and sent her highly sexualised messages and videos later claimed his account had been hacked, a court has heard.

Jordan Hill was caught after a family member of the victim found concerning messages on a phone she had been using, and alerted the child's mother. The defendant's barrister said his client was ashamed of what he had done.

Helen Randall, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that Hill communicated with his victim - who was aged 13 at the time of the offending - via Facebook. The defendant complimented the girl and told her she was beautiful, and asked her if she wanted to tease him by "talking dirty".

The court heard that during a series of conversations Hill talked about anal and oral sex with the child, asked if she had a friend who could join a threesome, sent explicit videos of himself, and requested she masturbate. There was also evidence the girl had sent Hill videos or pictures of herself but these have not been recovered and their content is not known.

The prosecutor said the offending came to light when the girl stayed with a family member and asked to borrow a phone so she could check social media as she had left her mobile at home. At the end of the stay the family member noticed the guest had not logged out of her accounts on the phone, and when the device was checked some of the messages and videos the defendant had been sending were discovered. The quick-thinking family member took screenshots of the offending material before alerting the girl's mother.

Hill was identified and arrested, and during his interview he denied sending the messages and said his Facebook page must have been hacked. An expert report was subsequently commissioned to see if there was any evidence that Hill's account had been accessed by third parties or whether any viruses or malware could have been responsible for sending the messages - the report found no evidence to support his claims.

Jordan Hill, aged 22, of Tyle Teg, Clydach, Swansea Valley, had previously pleaded guilty to sexual communication with a child and to inciting a child to engage in sexual acts when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has no previous convictions.

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A WORKINGTON man who badgered a person he believed was a 12-year-old girl for naked photos has been put on the Sex Offender Register.

Thirty-four-year-old Marc Moore was communicating with the “girl” online and completely unaware that he was actually sending messages to an under-cover police officer, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

He admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Prosecutor Brendan Burke said the offending happened  over three weeks in April last year after the under cover officer, posing as a child online, received a friend request from Moore, and this led to a series of messages between the two.

“The main theme was that he was trying to harass her into sending him naked pictures of herself,” said Mr Burke. “He tried to encourage her by sending what he pretended was a picture of himself, fully clothed on the street.

“It was certainly not [a picture] of the defendant. It was a much younger looking man.”

Mr Burke said Moore “persistently” asked the girl for naked pictures and he also asked her for Snapchat contacts for her friends so that he could communicate with them also. He repeatedly “solicited” the girl for images.

Judith McCullough, for Moore, said he had been a hard-working family man, living in his one home and enjoying a varied and active life.

“But he has through his own actions brought that world crashing down; these proceedings have been a salutary lesson. But these offences are out of character, and he has pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.”

Miss McCullough said the offending happened over a “relatively short period.” She said Moore had not actively sought out a child’s profile and there was no indication in his internet browsing history that caused concern.

Moore, of Cavendish Court, Workington, lost his job as a result of his arrest but his old employer had indicated that his employment would be open to him once the case was concluded.

The prosecution had also placed his marriage under considerable strain.  Miss McCullough added: “He is deeply ashamed of his actions and very sorry for the hurt and upset that he has caused.”

Judge Nicholas Barker said he had read the messages and the under cover officer, in the messages sent to Moore, had made it plain she was a 12-year-old girl. “You knew that to be the case,” said the judge. “You said you were 32; she said she was 12. You said: “Really?” She said: “Yes. Why?

“The communication continued and it’s right when the prosecution say that you were persistent in the way in which you engaged with her, asking for ‘cheeky picture;’ asking her to send pictures to you with no clothes on.”

The judge accepted that Moore had shown remorse but said he suspected it was for having found himself in this position before the court. But Judge Barker said he was satisfied there is a prospect of rehabilitation.

He imposed a three year community order, which will include a sex offender treatment programme  and 15 rehabilitation activity days and 150 hours of unpaid work. Moore will be on the Sex Offender Register for five years and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.

The prosecution offered no evidence on two further allegation that Moore downloaded six Category C indecent child images and a charge that he possessed four extreme pornographic images. He was declared not guilty of those two offences.

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A sick predator who 'manipulated and groomed a 'young and innocent child' he repeatedly sexually abused was caught after the brave victim managed to covertly film one of his attacks.

Shaun Broomhead has been jailed for more than six years after sexually abusing the child under 14 on multiple occasions over a two-year period. The 41-year-old, of Lostock, pleaded guilty to eight separate offences in relation to the same victim.

A court heard how the girl said that the abuse had 'messed her up' and that it has made her 'angry all the time'. She recalled one instance where she was getting changed for a school PE lesson and felt like she could 'feel' Broomhead's touch even though he was not there, adding: "It was just the worst thing ever”.

The girl also said that she has ‘fallen back’ at school after the incidents as she ‘can’t get her head down’. She continued that she is no longer at ease with boys and finds it difficult to trust them, the M.E.N reports.

Prosecuting, Andrew Mackintosh told Bolton Crown Court that Broomhead denied the offences when questioned by police. Once shown the video that the girl had recorded, the court heard that he responded: “I don’t know what to say”.

In November 2022, Broomhead pleaded guilty to four counts of assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity. Defence barrister Martin Pizzey told the court that Broomhead used to be a respected member of the local community and was known for having a “strong work ethic”.

He added: “He is ashamed and upset, and regrets what took place… he knows this is his entire responsibility and is going to be punished.”

Jailing Broomhead for six years and three months, Recorder Nicholas Clarke KC said: “You manipulated and groomed [your victim]... she was of course a young and innocent child.”

Broomhead will serve two thirds of his sentence in prison before he is eligible for parole and he will serve an extra 12 months on extended licence upon the completion of his sentence. He was made subject to a life-long sexual harm prevention order and will have to sign the sex offender register for life.

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A registered sex offender travelled from London to Barnsley with the intention of sexually abusing a child he had groomed on the internet.

Hegoda Makalanda travelled from the capital to Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on October 27 last year, where he believed he would be meeting the child.

But instead he was arrested by detectives as part of a joint operation involving South Yorkshire Police and the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit. Makalanda had been engaging with police officers as part of a covert investigation.

Appearing before Sheffield Crown Court for sentencing, the 45-year-old, of Drapers Road, Enfield, North London, was jailed for nine years and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely. He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Makalanda pleaded guilty to four offences, including meeting a child following grooming, sexual communication with a child, arranging the sexual exploitation of a child, and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, at a hearing in November last year.

The court heard he was already the subject of a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order after being convicted of making and possessing indecent images of children dating back to 2010.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Howard of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: “Makalanda was already a Registered Sex Offender and his actions in grooming and arranging to meet a child in order to carry out abuse show how much of a danger he is to children.

“I’m pleased that the sentence he has received reflects this.”

“The Yorkshire and Humber ROCU will not stop in its efforts to bring the predators like him to justice.”

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A Slough man who attempted to arrange and pay for sexual services with a child has been jailed for three years following an operation by police.

Sohaib Aslam, 50, of Ditton Park Road was sentenced at Brighton Crown Court on Friday (January 13) after being found guilty by a unanimous verdict.

On November 4, 2021, Aslam searched an adult services website in order to locate an escort for sexual services, where he found an advert which offered a child for sexual exploitation.

Aslam replied to the message and arranged to meet the child at a location in Windsor, agreeing a price of £100 for sex with the child.

However, the child did not exist.

On his way to the meeting, he was intercepted by South East Regional Organised Crime Unit officers and arrested, and was found in possession of the £100 which he was planning to use to pay for sex.

Police added that no child was ever at risk during the operation, and have released screenshots showing Aslam’s interactions with a person he thought was arranging the meeting with the child.

After a guilty verdict was reached after a two-day trial, Aslam was sentenced to three years imprisonment’ given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Colin Haynes, of SEROCU, said: “This should serve as a warning to anyone looking to arrange this sort of meeting. You can never be sure of who you are actually messaging.

“If you engage in this sort of conversation online, and look to arrange meetings of this nature, you could be arrested and face time in prison, which will have a destructive impact on your life and career, as well as having a huge effect on your family.

“We will not tolerate those who look to exploit children for sexual purposes and will do everything we can to disrupt them.”

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Pc David Carrick’s 17-year campaign of sexual abuse and violence is ‘unprecedented’ within policing, the Metropolitan Police has said today.

However, the force has conceded he is not the only officer to be charged with serious sexual offences ‘in the recent past’ – as it reels from yet another blow to its already battered reputation.

Carrick, nicknamed ‘Bastard Dave’, is now believed to be one of the worst sex offenders in modern history after he was unmasked as a serial rapist who attacked 12 women 24 times.

He is facing decades behind bars after admitting a total of 49 offences between 2003 and 2020.  

Carrick, 48, used his position as a police officer to gain his victims’ trust and convinced them they would not be believed if they reported him.

The armed officer in the specialist Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command preyed on dating sites including Tinder and Badoo in a bid to find vulnerable women before arranging to meet them at bars.

He flashed his warrant card and boasted of meeting high-profile figures, including former PM Boris Johnson, as part of his work.  

Carrick would present himself as ‘fun-loving, charming and charismatic’ but was ‘very manipulative’ and ‘very self-confident, almost to the point of cocky’, prosecutors said.

‘Relentless manipulation’

Senior Crown Prosecutor Shilpa Shah said Carrick acted as if he was having ‘a chat’ during police interviews, when he claimed his victims had consented to his actions.

‘He was very self-confident and quite charming, as if he was talking to his friends,’ Ms Shah said.

‘This is a harrowing case where some victims were relentlessly manipulated – financially cut off and isolated from their friends and family and repeatedly humiliated.

‘Carrick took so much from them both physically and mentally.

‘Carrick was persuasive but also incredibly manipulative.

‘He told the victims from the start that he was a police officer and suggested to them that it would be their word against his, a concern that a lot of victims have.’

Carrick, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, verbally abused his victims, calling them ‘disgusting’, ‘fat’ and ‘lazy’.

He ordered some women to stay in bed all day so they could have sex all night.

Others were locked in an under-stairs cupboard likened to a dog crate for hours without food and water, or made to clean the house naked.

Carrick also urinated over his victims and referred to them as his ‘slave’.

‘Missed opportunities’ to stop serial sex offender

Carrick, who served in the British Army between 1996 and 1997, joined the Met in August 2001 and was deployed as a response officer based in Merton, southwest London.

He was given the job despite being a suspect in two offences reported to the force involving allegations of malicious communications and burglary against a former partner, after he is said to have refused to accept their relationship was over.

He was not arrested and no further action was taken.

During his two-year probation period, he was accused of harassment and assault against an ex-partner but again, no action was taken.

Police watchdog, the IOPC, said two unnamed Met officers who dealt with the incident could have committed misconduct – but had since retired and could not be sanctioned.  

Carrick should have been vetted in 2011 after 10 years of service but this did not happen until 2017.  

It has now emerged Carrick was reported over nine incidents including rape between 2001 and 2021.  

A number of reported incidents were not referred to senior officers or the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards.

In 2019, Hertfordshire Police received a report of assault and criminal damage involving an argument between Carrick and a woman, when he is said to have grabbed her by the neck.

But neither party were supportive of police involvement and no further action was taken.

On this occasion the incident was referred to the Directorate of Professional Standards and Carrick was given ‘words of advice’ regarding informing his chain of command about off-duty incidents.

It was determined he had no case to answer in relation to misconduct.

Carrick was arrested by Hertfordshire Police in July 2021 when a woman alleged he raped her.

But no further action was taken after the woman withdrew her complaint.

The Directorate of Professional Standards placed him on restricted duties – but it was ruled he had no case to answer regarding misconduct.

The restriction was lifted but he never returned to full duties.

An investigation was only launched in October 2021 when a 50-year-old woman reported being raped by Carrick, leading to his arrest, charge and suspension from the Met.

He was remanded in custody after appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on October 4, 2021, with the publicity from his court appearance prompting 12 more women to come forward.  

His pay was finally stopped on December 16, 2022, when he pleaded guilty to 43 offences at the Old Bailey – just one month before he appeared at Southwark Crown Court to plead guilty to a further six offences today.

Now London Mayor Sadiq Khan has demanded an explanation over why Carrick was able to evade prosecution for almost two decades, as the Met was forced to issue yet another a grovelling apology for serious failings.

‘We are truly sorry’

The Met said delays in re-vetting officers were previously identified as an area requiring improvement and its approach is now ‘far more robust’.  

Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray said in a statement that Carrick had a ‘devastating impact on the trust and confidence of women and girls that we are working so hard to earn.

‘We should have spotted his pattern of abusive behaviour and because we didn’t, we missed opportunities to remove him from the organisation.

‘We are truly sorry that Carrick was able to continue to use his role as a police officer to prolong the suffering of his victims.’

A misconduct hearing will be held in Carrick’s absence tomorrow, ahead of his sentence on February 6.

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Paul Harrison, from Biddulph, is on the Sex Offenders' Register and isn't allowed to be on his own with any child

Sex offender Paul Harrison has broken a court order - after being caught alone with a child. The 30-year-old is subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) after previously being jailed for 45 months for sexual activity with a child.

But he breached the SHPO by being unsupervised with a child. Now Harrison has been sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

The court heard that Harrison had earlier contacted a police risk assessor to say that he was now in a relationship with a woman who has two children under the age of 16.

Prosecutor Mark Brookes said: "The defendant, his partner and two children attended a holiday home in North Wales between September 2 and 4. His partner had to leave with one of the children, leaving the defendant in control of the other. There was a two-day period where he was unsupervised. A complaint was made and the defendant was arrested. One of the children was ill. His partner took her back. The defendant should have left with her."

Harrison, of Chaffinch Drive, Biddulph, pleaded guilty to three charges of breaching the SHPO.

Martin Bloor, mitigating, said: "She was aware of the SHPO. Mr Harrison had discussed that with her before they formed the relationship. He fully complied with the order. This is his first breach. There is no suggestion of any substantive offences, no contact offences."

The suspended sentence includes a 32-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 100 hours unpaid work.

Recorder Julian Taylor told Harrison: "You had permission to be where you were. Had your partner been there you would not have been in breach. You should have left when she did."

Harrison must also pay £460 costs. The SHPO is in place until April 5, 2027 and the defendant remains on the Sex Offenders' Register.

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A sex offender from Folkestone has been jailed for 14 months after assaulting a man in Canterbury City centre.

On Sunday 19 June 2022, Sasha Mazouz followed the victim into a public toilet on Canterbury Lane and – as the victim exited the cubicle – pushed him back inside and attempted to assault him. The victim escaped before the situation escalated any further and notified the police.

Officers located and arrested Mazouz, 45, of Charlotte Street, Folkestone at the scene. During the arrest, the offender made repeated attempts to engage in inappropriate language with an attending male officer.

He was charged with committing an offence with intent to committing a sexual offence and assault. He pleaded guilty to both counts.

On 12 January 2023, Mazouz appeared at Canterbury Crown Court, where the judge sentenced him to a total of 14 months imprisonment. Some of his sentence has already been served as this accounts for time Mazouz has already spent on remand.

He will also be subject to notification requirements for a period of ten years.

Leading the investigation, Detective Constable Ella Russell of the Canterbury Vulnerability Investigation Team said:

‘I would like to thank the victim for his bravery in reporting these offences and supporting the prosecution. As a result of this, we were able to make a swift arrest and ensured that Mazouz faced the consequences of his actions.

‘Kent Police takes all allegations of assault seriously and I hope that yesterday’s sentencing brings comfort to the victim involved.’

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A JUDGE had demanded a written explanation after a legal slip-up prevented him from putting a Carlisle paedophile on the Sex Offender Register for life.

In December of 2021, 50-year-old Frederick O'Brien was given a 28-month jail term for using a secret mobile phone to communicate with a person he has mistakenly believed was a 14-year-old girl.

His offence came to light when he was snared by a volunteer paedophile hunter group. He committed the offence just months after being prosecuted for downloading indecent images of children.

But when O’Brien was sentenced, Carlisle Crown Court was unaware that he had committed a further breach of his sexual harm prevention order in May, 2021, several months before he given the 28 months jail term.

It involved him having a Samsung Galaxy phone which he kept secret from the police and deleting his internet browsing history.

O’Brien, from Glendale Rise, Morton, admitted that  he had been using the undisclosed phone to communicate with other paedophiles.

During a hearing before Judge Nicholas Barker this week, it was confirmed that in December 2021 the judge was legally unable to put the defendant on the Sex Offender Register for life.

That power is available to the court only when the jail term is 30 months or more. Thus the judge was allowed to put him on the Register for only a decade.

If the additional breach of the sexual harm prevention order had been dealt with a the same time, O’Brien’s sentence may well have exceeded 30 months, thus allowing the judge to put him on the Register for life.

“This matter should have been included in that sentencing exercise [in December],” said Judge Barker. “It was available to the police and the prosecution. It was a simple matter and [the defendant] made plain admissions.

“For some reason, this wasn’t included; and I have not been provided with a proper reason… It is hard to understand what proper reason there could have been.” The judge pointed out that such failures have “real consequences.”

O’Brien had been due for imminent release from his 28-month sentence, but the judge said this would now be delayed as Judge Barker jailed him for an additional eight months.

“I will need an explanation in writing,” said the judge, pointing out that the issue should be tackled at a level that ensures such an error is not repeated.

He said he needed to know whether the error was systemic, or a failure that was the fault of an individual. As the case concluded, O'Brien began weeping and said: “I’m so sorry for what I have done.”

At the hearing in December 2021, the court heard that O’Brien realised his mistake only after the vigilante group confronted him at a local hotel. The group – The Fleetwood Enforcers - then handed him and a dossier of evidence to the police.

The defendant went to admit three offences: attempting to cause or incite a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity; attempting to sexually communicate with a child; and breach of a previously imposed sexual harm prevention order, failing to register with police his ownership of a mobile phone.

As he passed sentence, the judge in December described the defendant as a “determined paedophile.”

This defendant's name has been spelt in official records as both Obrien and O'Brien.

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A creep from St Andrews who sent sex messages to a girl he thought was 13 has been jailed.

Paul Wilson, 51, believed he was engaging in a bit of “harmless fun”, telling “Summer” he had been having “sexy dreams” about her and said he could not believe her age.

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A HEREFORD sex offender has been jailed for seven years for sexually assaulting a "defenceless young woman over a sustained period of time".

Roy Millist, who is 71 years old and from Hereford, was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court to seven years in prison following his conviction for three counts of sexual assault by means of penetration.

Millist was found guilty in October of offences he committed between 2018 and 2021. His conviction followed a lengthy and thorough investigation by a team of detectives based in Hereford.

As well as the seven years in prison, Millist has been handed a lifetime restraining order in relation to the victim.

Detective Constable Emma O’Hare said: “Millist committed these terrible crimes against a defenceless young woman over a sustained period of time.

“While I welcome the verdict, I must pay true tribute is paid to the victim and her family who have shown immense courage and bravery in telling the police about his crimes and allowing us to bring him to justice.

"My hope is that the conviction and this substantial prison sentence will bring some measure of comfort to those whose lives are irrevocably damaged by his predatory and sickening actions.

“This sentence should serve as a strong that abuse will be forgotten or ignored over time. Survivors are strong, determined and have our full support and our investigations will uncover the truth and give them the justice they deserve."

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A man jailed for amassing almost 60,000 indecent images of children in 2015 is back behind bars following the discovery of further illicit photos.

Mark Flack appeared at Durham Crown Court by video link from the city’s nearby prison, where he is on remand, after his arrest following police visits to his home, in Horden, in October and, again, in December.

The 57-year-old defendant, of Fifth Street, admitted three counts of making (downloading) indecent images of a child, offences dating between November 7, 2016, and the day of the first police raid in October, last year.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said the latest charges relate to 260 indecent images, four in the most serious category, found on devices seized in that first police visit to his home.

The court heard the defendant has also already admitted six breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) put in place following his 2015 conviction, at Ipswich Crown Court, when he received a 21-month prison sentence.

That case involved a total of 58,493 indecent child images which were found on various electronic devices removed by police from Flack's former home, in Red Lodge, Suffolk, in October 2014.

But sentence in the latest case has been delayed as police returned to his address in Horden, in December, and recovered a computer hard drive, the contents of which are yet to be examined.

Mr Baker told the hearing: “Further work is being done by police in relation to that hard drive.

“The question will be as to the creation dates of any further images found on that seized hard drive.”

Robert Mochrie, for Flack, said: “It seems a device was missed in that inquiry (in October) and its been used again.

“He’s pleaded guilty to the latest charge. He has only one previous conviction for which he went straight to prison in 2015.”

Mr Mochrie said his client has, therefore, never had the benefit of any probation intervention to address his behaviour.