Latest Offenders

Description

A convicted paedophile who was found with more than 8,000 indecent photos and videos of children on his phone, including videos of babies being raped, has been jailed.

Peter Barber, 71, from Norburn in Bretton, Peterborough, was handed a 13-year sentence at Peterborough Crown Court on Tuesday (September 17).

Barber had already been convicted of indecent exposure, as well as making, distributing and possessing indecent images of children. Police officers attended his home after receiving information that an indecent image of a child had been uploaded to the internet.

They found a phone with what was described by Judge Grey while sentencing on Tuesday as an “extensive library of indecent images of children”. This included over 3,700 ‘category A’ images and videos, the worst category; nearly 1,900 files in category B and just under 2,700 in category C.

The footage had been categorised under names including “10yo and fat man” and “rape”. Barber also admitted to buying and accessing indecent images online on another phone, which he had thrown away.

Judge Grey described the most serious individual offence as arranging or facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child under 13. He continued: “You communicated with a woman online who told you she had a 12-year-old daughter.

"You asked the woman to take indecent images and videos of her daughter. She sent you the material you had asked for.”

Barber also informed police that he had been having sexual conversations with three 12-year-old children via Telegram, and receiving indecent images and videos from all of them. He sent indecent images of children and of himself back to the 12-year-olds.

The paedophile also suggested to one of them that he might meet her in person, in what the judge described as “ghastly examples of an adult setting out to corrupt young children online for his own sexual gratification”.

Judge Grey summed up Barber’s character: “You make claims of a profound Christian faith, which normally works to prevent you from offending. But you say that, when a switch goes in your mind for some reason, lust takes over and you are, in effect, unable to control yourself.

“That is simplistic, self-serving nonsense. It might suffice as an excuse for a short-lived or isolated lapse, but what the court is dealing with here is many months during which your overwhelming focus was to obtain sexual gratification by watching young children being raped and otherwise abused in the most degrading and despicable ways.

“Your relationship with Jesus is, in my judgement, nothing but a show for others when you try to persuade them you will not offend again. You are, in my judgement, an irredeemable paedophilic sexual offender.”

Barber admitted three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child; two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child; three counts of distributing an indecent photograph of a child; and one count each of: possessing extreme pornographic images, possessing a prohibited image of a child and arranging the sexual exploitation of a child under 13.

His sentence also included a further six counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order and failing to comply with Sex Offenders Register notification requirements. The sentence comprises a nine-year custodial period and four years on licence.

PC Emily Heriot, from the specialist management of sexual or violent offenders unit (MOSOVO), said: “Barber went to great efforts to conceal his continued sexual offending, with complete disregard for his sexual harm prevention order and notification requirements, which are in place to safeguard the public. These new convictions reflect the serious risk he poses to children.”

Description

A Chester sex offender has been jailed after trying to meet an underage girl for the purposes of sexual activity.

Ivan Jones, 35, of Osprey Court, previously pleaded guilty to all charges.

Appearing at Chester Crown Court on Monday, September 16, Jones was jailed for a total of four years.

The court heard that Jones, who already had a Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed in January 2022 for previous offences, tried to get a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity in March this year.

Jones also tried to breach his SHPO by arranging to have unsupervised contact with an underage girl in Chester.

The defendant also attempted to send messages to an underage girl requesting images and videos of that girl's breasts, and sent an image of his private parts while trying to request images of another girl's breasts.

Judge Michael Leeming sentenced Jones to a total of four years and extended his SHPO so it was now indefinite.

Jones is now on the sex offenders register indefinitely and, as part of the SHPO, is not allowed to have unsupervised contact with any child under 16, and has restrictions imposed on his internet usage.

Description

A MAN from South Gloucestershire has been jailed after sexually abusing three girls.

Robert Ponter, of Longwell Green, pleaded guilty at Bristol Crown Court to three counts of rape of a girl aged under 16.

His victims were aged between 11 and 15 at the time of the offences.

He also admitted three indecent assault charges – two related to one 14-year-old girl and one to another girl of the same age.

The assaults took place in the Bristol area between 1998 and 2007.

In addition to his custodial sentence, Ponter was issued with an indefinite restraining order banning him from ever contacting his victims again.

He was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order and will be registered as a sex offender indefinitely.

Avon and Somerset Police received reports about Ponter in 2007 and 2008.

Investigations were carried out but at the time there was 'insufficient evidence' to charge him with any offences, police say. 

Detectives received a third report in 2021 and subsequently reapproached victims who’d previously reported Ponter’s abuse.

In July 2024, following the conclusion of this investigation, he was charged with sexually abusing all three victims.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Lucy Heaps said: “Robert Ponter took advantage of three girls over many years, exploiting their young age to carry out his vile crimes.

“All three of his victims have demonstrated great courage by reporting what happened to them and by providing evidence which resulted in Ponter pleading guilty to all the offences during his first appearance at court.

“They continue to have access to specialist support services and I hope the fact he has been jailed for 14 years gives them a sense of closure.”

She added: “No investigation is ever closed and if new information or supporting evidence comes to light, such as in this case when we received the most recent report, we will revisit inquiries and do everything we can to get justice for victims.

“If you have been affected by this inquiry please do contact us, we can provide access to support and look into any reports you want to make.”

Description

A man has been jailed for sending sexually explicit messages to someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl.

Kevin Rowland, from Sunderland, sent messages and images of himself to a police officer posing as a teenager.

He was arrested at his home on Eastmoor Road, Pallion, in May and later pleaded guilty to multiple offences.

Rowland, 44, was sentenced to three years and three months in prison at Newcastle Crown Court.

Rowland had pleaded guilty to attempting to arrange or facilitate child sex offences, sexual communication with a child, breach of a sexual harm prevention order, and breach of sex offender notification requirements.

Det Con Lee Robertson said Rowland's sentencing had been achieved following a "long and thorough investigation" by the North East Regional Organised Crime Unite (NEROCU).

"This result has meant a predator is now back behind bars and shows our commitment to pursuing anyone posing a threat to children," he said.

"We would always encourage anyone with information about this type of offending, or anyone who thinks they have been a victim to come forward and talk to police."

Description

A 'predatory' Birmingham school worker sexually abused a pupil in his office, upskirted girls and secretly recorded women.

Steven Hanna was the pastoral lead with responsibility for safeguarding children but committed the 'grossest breach of trust' over a four-year period until his arrest in 2023.

The 41-year-old groomed students with chocolates and filmed them under the table with his phone. He also covertly filmed one girl whose bra was visible after her shirt became wet.

After being arrested police recovered disturbing images on his phone which showed children as young as seven being abused. Hanna, of Glascote Grove, Shard End, admitted a string of offences and was sentenced to seven years at Birmingham Crown Court this morning, Wednesday, September 18.

A 'predatory' Birmingham school worker sexually abused a pupil in his office, upskirted girls and secretly recorded women. Steven Hanna was the pastoral lead with responsibility for safeguarding children but committed the 'grossest breach of trust' over a four-year period until his arrest in 2023.

The 41-year-old groomed students with chocolates and filmed them under the table with his phone. He also covertly filmed one girl whose bra was visible after her shirt became wet.

After being arrested police recovered disturbing images on his phone which showed children as young as seven being abused. Hanna, of Glascote Grove, Shard End, admitted a string of offences and was sentenced to seven years at Birmingham Crown Court this morning, Wednesday, September 18.

Appearing on a video link from HMP Birmingham he sat with his head in his hands as his punishment was delivered. After the case was opened earlier this week he told the court: "I just want to apologise. I'm very remorseful. I can't put into great words..."

In a statement the headteacher of the academy, which cannot be identified for legal reasons, said the whole school community would be reeling from the impact of Hanna's betrayal for a long time to come. The most serious incident occurred when Hanna invited a 12-year-old girl into his office on the pretext of signing her leavers shirt.

He pressed his penis up against her back causing the girl to demand he unlock the door otherwise she would scream. Hanna let her go but later told her not to tell anyone about the incident.

The victim reported the attack to the police and Hanna was suspended but a decision was taken that there was 'no reasonable prospect of conviction' at the time, and he was allowed to return to work. Meanwhile the girl was accused of being a liar and bullied by fellow pupils.

In a statement she said she felt 'scared, alone' and 'angry'. She added: "People liked Mr Hanna and didn't want to believe me. Before it happened I liked him.

"There was no result from reporting to the police. I felt they had all been proved right. It was easier for everyone to think I lied."

But the case was re-visited when a further accusation was made against Hanna in 2023. At that stage his phone was seized and found to contain upskirting videos as well as further indecent images of children.

Prosecutor Antonie Muller said: "It was children in school uniforms. He was filming them under the table in their skirt. The defendant was the pastoral manager.

"This meant having regular meetings with children. One part of his role, deeply ironically, was safeguarding those children."

Some of the upskirting victims recalled that Hanna offered them chocolates in his office. One victim said it was 'weird' that he would speak to her 'all day' while other teachers encouraged her to return to class.

She also described an incident where Hanna made a sexual remark about a McDonald's milkshake she was drinking. There were also three adult victims of his perverted actions.

One woman had shown him nude photos of herself on her phone, not realising Hanna was recording her at the time. Another woman, who had previously turned his advances down, was filmed under the table while a third female admitted exposing her breasts to Hanna but did not know he was recording on his phone.

She said: "I feel violated that he recorded me. It's an outrageous betrayal of trust. It has completely blown me away he has been so predatory and been convicted of such serious offences given how he presented and engaged with people."

The school headteacher stated the impact of Hanna's actions 'can't be overstated' and that the 'sense of betrayal in the school was palpable'. He revealed that it had a knock-on effect on pupil attendance and some struggled to gain qualifications while many required counselling.

The head also described how students became suspicious of other male staff and that numerous meetings and assemblies had to be held over the allegations surrounding Hanna. He stated the school's reputation had been 'severely damaged' and rebuilding it was an 'exhausting process'.

The headteacher added: "The ripples of betrayal and distrust have been far-reaching, influencing not only the school but families connected to it. The harm caused has reverberated through the lives of countless people leaving a lasting impact that will continue to be felt for years to come."

Hanna pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges relating to voyeurism, attempted voyeurism, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, possession of indecent images and possession of extreme pornography.

Jas Mann, defending, said: "This case is extremely sad. He worked hard to achieve his status and led a thoroughly decent and positive life until he started to engage in this criminality. It is truly a fall from grace as far as he is concerned."

He stated Hanna's time in custody on remand had been 'painful'. Mr Mann continued: "He's genuinely remorseful. He is truthful (in the pre-sentence report) when he described the guilt and embarrassment of being in prison and feeling like a failure. He has been reflective and introspective."

The barrister concluded that Hanna was 'thoroughly ashamed', adding that his best mitigation was that he had the 'courage and good sense' to plead guilty. The defendant was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, restraining order and sex offender notification requirements.

Judge Heidi Kubik KC told him: "The particular factors that give rise for concern are of course the grossest breach of trust. There was evidence of some grooming and manipulation of some of the children. The sheer number of separate victims, both children and adults and the period over which your offending had clearly become an established pattern of behaviour."

Description

A serial sex offender is back behind bars after breaching a court order by deleting his call history – to hide his use of legal adult chat lines.

Matthew Taylor started using phone sex lines after growing tired of AI (artificial intelligence) apps to gain sexual gratification.

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Paedophile set up live link with mums in Philippines to 'virtually abuse' children.

A paedophile who virtually abused children on the other side of the world over webcam from his bedroom has been jailed.

Jonathan Kumar used child sexual abuse websites to communicate with mothers in the Philippines from his home in Bolton, engaging in warped exchanges which resulted in their daughters being abused. The 38-year-old simulated intercourse as his young victims were forced to take part, telling one mum, "why is she angry baby? I'm going to rape her".

His sick abuse came to light when detectives investigated the sites, finding an IP address linking back to Kumar. Police seized his devices, finding the harrowing recording of his rape threat where he then carried out a sex act. Other images showed a girl exposed where she was made to carry out sex acts.

Some 20 images and videos were discovered on his devices, half of which had been recorded by him. Kumar, the son of a GP, later told detectives when pressed, "yes I've been stupid", claiming he'd been "lonely" during the coronavirus lockdown. His victims were aged between eight and 13, Bolton Crown Court heard, but tragically efforts to identify them were unsuccessful.

Miss Tara Riley prosecuting said: "A number of devices were seized from his home including two Samsung phones and a Dell laptop and they were all examined after the defendant provided the PIN numbers. One phone showed indecent images and movies of children which were taken by the handset's owner.

"There were social media chats in which the handset's owner was in communication with the children and parents of the children."

The court heard detectives narrowed down the time of the abuse to September 2022 to August 2023. The child victims were "likely" subjected to "commercial exploitation", Miss Riley said, although defence for Kumar said no money was exchanged.

Kumar who had a previous conviction for drink driving from 2009 faced up to 10 years jail under sentencing guidelines. Rachel White, mitigating, said Kumar was a "much loved" family member who had lost his father in 2012. "He fully accepts the disgusting nature of thee offences which are shocking and extremely harmful," she said.

She added the pandemic "caused a complication" in his personal circumstances and that he "became increasingly lonely" and began to seek out women online "for sexual purposes". "That behaviour escalated as he candidly admits when he became somewhat removed or disassociated with what he was doing because these were people in a foreign land appearing via a screen. He now fully appreciates these were very real children and that his behaviour will have impacted significantly upon them when he made the unspeakable requests that he did."

Sentencing Kumar to six and a half years, Judge Abigail Hudson told him: "The reality is these are children being defiled for your own sexual gratification. Their care givers are likely to be desperate or abusive people who are unwilling or unable to protect those children. They are therefore extremely vulnerable and the damage you have caused them is immeasurable.

"You are from a relatively wealthy background and had all the opportunities you could have wished for in life including a devoted and supportive family. But you put yourself in the position you are in today because you did not seek help and engaged in this behaviour. You knew it was wrong but did not seek help.

"You are extremely fortunate that your family see the other side of you and they continue to love and support you." Kumar was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for life and will have to abide by the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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A convicted sex offender landed himself in trouble with the police when checks revealed that he was not complying with the strict monitoring restrictions that had been placed on him over registering his details.

Craig Bronzo was repeatedly late in complying with his annual sex offender registration obligations despite a court order. During a routine monitoring visit by the police, he was asked to provide the PIN code for his mobile phone so that his internet activity could be analysed but he did not do so, Hull Crown Court heard.

Bronzo, 28, of Calvert Road, off County Road North, Hull, admitted failing to comply with his annual registration requirements as a sex offender within the required time frame on November 26, 2022 and again on October 2 last year.

He also admitted failing to provide the PIN for a mobile phone at Clough Road police station, Hull, on January 16 last year. The phone had been seized on October 2, 2020.

Jazmine Lee, prosecuting, said that Bronzo had previously been given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order because of his earlier convictions as a youth and he had to register as a sex offender.

The previous convictions included, in 2012, offences of raping a girl under 13, inciting a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity and assaulting a girl under 13 by penetration. Bronzo had been given a youth rehabilitation order for two-and-a-half years.

He also had a conviction in 2014 for assaulting a boy under 13 by penetration. He had also been given a youth rehabilitation order for two-and-a-half years.

Under the terms of the sexual harm prevention order, Bronzo had to comply with registration conditions as a sex offender, including the annual notification of his details to the police, but he repeatedly did not do this and he was later arrested. He did eventually comply with the requirements.

In January last year, officers responsible for sex offender management called at his home to check his devices for internet use to ensure that there were no breaches of the conditions relating to what he was not allowed to do. He failed to provide the personal identification number for his mobile phone and he was arrested.

Oliver Shipley, mitigating, said that the breaches were technical in their nature but Bronzo accepted that he needed to take the notification requirements that had been placed on him through the court order more seriously.

He was late for his annual registration of his details and he did not provide the PIN for a phone. He had pleaded guilty to the offences and he would comply with the orders of the sex offenders' register in future.

Bronzo was given a nine-month suspended prison sentence and 20 days' rehabilitation. The indefinite sexual harm prevention order will continue.

Bronzo was warned that he needed to take the sex offender registration requirements more seriously or he would face being jailed.

The court heard that Bronzo was originally accused of two offences of possessing indecent images or videos of girls on October 2, 2020 but these charges were dropped by the prosecution. No evidence was offered.

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Disgraced BBC News presenter Huw Edwards has been given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after he admitted charges of making indecent images of children.

The court heard that among a number of WhatsApp exchanges with a man later convicted of sex offences, Edwards was offered “naughty” images of somebody described as "yng (sic)", to which he replied "go on".

He will be placed on the sex offenders' register for seven years.

In July, the former newsreader admitted having 41 images, which were sent to him on WhatsApp – including some showing a victim aged between seven and nine.

During his sentencing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court he was also told to attend a sex offender treatment programme.

Edwards was sent images by a 25-year-old convicted sex offender called Alex Williams.

The court heard that in another exchange with Williams, Edwards replied "yes" followed by three 'X's when asked whether he wanted sexual images of a person whose "age could be discerned as being between 14 and 16".

He responded to Williams with: "Amazing". The court heard he was also sent a link with more images, then discussed buying Williams a Christmas present.

Two months later, after yet another exchange, Edwards told Williams: "Don't send anything underage", however this was not the last contact Edwards had with Williams.

The judge sentencing him remarked that the former broadcaster's "long-earned reputation" was "in tatters".

A BBC spokesperson said the corporation was "appalled" by Edwards' crimes.

"He has betrayed not just the BBC, but audiences who put their trust in him.”

Edwards pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. Under the law, images can mean photos or clips.

The chief magistrate, District Judge Paul Goldspring, accepted Edwards’ submission that he did not make or create the images in the conventional sense, and instead met the legal definition of doing so by opening them on WhatsApp.

The court previously heard that Edwards sent hundreds of pounds to Williams after he sent him pornographic images.

While most of the images were of adult men, a significant proportion of the images were of children.

Of the 377 images, 41 were indecent images, which means they were underage.

The court heard that the Category A images Edwards was in possession of were mostly children aged 13-15.

One child was aged between seven and nine.

The offences were committed between December 2020 and August 2021.

Williams first contacted Edwards in 2018 via Instagram, and has since been convicted and sentenced for distribution and possession of indecent images of children – and it was during that investigation that Edwards’ involvement was revealed, the court heard.

Throughout the hearing, Edwards sat leaning forward, his hands clasped in front of his mouth, elbows propped on his thighs.

Summing up the case, the judge said there was no evidence that Edwards did anything further with the images he received from Williams.

The court heard Edwards had not directly paid for the images, but that there was a clear inference that Williams would request gifts and presents after sending them, and that Edwards had sent money, described by the prosecution as amounting to around £1,000 to £1,500.

Edwards had told Williams not to send images of people who were underage, but only at a later stage, the judge said, adding “this is not a case where, despite protestation not to, nonetheless the images were still sent”.

But the judge found Edwards’ remorse was genuine, and he said the former broadcaster’s decision-making at the time of the offences may have been impaired by his mental health difficulties.

He said Edwards did not pose a risk to the public or children, and an immediate custodial sentence was not necessary because the evidence showed he could be rehabilitated.

The appropriate sentence would be 12 months for the most severe abuse images, the judge said, but, taking into account the mitigation and early guilty plea, he said the sentence would be six months suspended for two years.

It means Edwards will not go to jail unless he commits another offence within the sentence period.

The magistrate also read from a pre-sentence report to highlight the impact such offences have on the victims.

It described how distributing child abuse images “perpetuates a cycle of abuse” and can lead to ongoing traumatisation of victims, impacting them throughout their lives and potentially making them vulnerable to further sexual abuse.

Edwards was found to have seven category A images - the most serious classification.

He also had 12 category B pictures, and 22 photographs in category C, the least serious classification.

The category B and C pictures showed children aged between 12 to 15.

Reacting to the sentencing, the prime minister said he was "shocked and appalled" by the case.

Until last year, Edwards was one of the main presenters on BBC One's News at Ten and often fronted coverage of major national events.

He was the BBC's highest-paid journalist, receiving between £475,000 and £479,999 between April 2023 and April 2024.

The BBC has asked him to return the £200,000 he earned between his arrest last November and his resignation this April.

The BBC's director general said last week that "discussions are under way" about the possibility of clawing back the money.

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A sex abuser who's campaign went on for more than half a century has finally faced justice.

Atherton man Peter James Wilson, 67, began his series of crimes in 1972 and would go on to abuse seven victims over the next 51 years.

Bolton Crown Court heard how his crimes had ranged from incident assault, rape and others.

Judge Abigail Hudson said: “The reality of your offending is that damage you have caused will go on forever.”

Starting in 1972 Wilson began a horrifying pattern of abusive behaviour towards young people that went on for decades.

He subjected multiple victims to deeply traumatising experiences, ranging from inappropriate advances to devastating acts of coercion and rape.

Wilson’s crimes continued over the years as he manipulated and took advantage of his victims, shattering their innocence and trust.

But 2023 marked a turning point, as Wilson was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault involving a child following an incredibly brave disclosure from one of his victims.

This led to a police search of his home where police found two mobile phone devices, a disc enclosed within an envelope, and a small camera containing an SD card and a hidden camera.

Analysis of the camera and mobile phones unearthed videos showing the exploitation of a female child.

These videos fell under the category of first-generation, type A indecent images of children, capturing deeply distressing and sadistic acts.

Upon gathering this information, people were interviewed, and evidence was taken.

This led to the discovery of further victims of Wilson's horrific abuse and Operation Bunker was initiated to manage all 28 counts of Wilsons abuse and his crimes.

Brought before the courts Wilson, of Bowling Green Row, Atherton, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 by touching.

He also admitted to sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 by penetration, and creating an indecent image of a child.

But after a trial he was also found guilty by a jury of 23 further sexual offences relating to child and adults including indecent assault and rape.

Judge Hudson commended the courage of Wilson’s victims and jailed him for 27 years with an extended licence period of five years.

He will also be on the sex offenders' register for life and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Description

A depraved pensioner who groomed a vulnerable teenager he met online by paying him hundreds of pounds in cash has been jailed.

David Smith knew from the outset of speaking to the boy in a Kik chatroom that he was underage and, as soon as the communication switched to WhatsApp, it turned sexual, Maidstone Crown Court heard.

The 68-year-old, described as "dangerous and manipulative", asked the youngster for explicit photographs and to perform sex acts on camera.

He pestered him even when he was at school and into the early hours when his parents were asleep.

The Rainham sex offender also preyed on the boy's emotions, describing how he was lonely, depressed and suffering from cancer.

The victim later told police how he had been profoundly affected by the online abuse and cruelly bullied by his peers after they heard about his ordeal.

Prosecutor Allister Walker told the court that Smith transferred a total of 845 to the teenager over the four months that they were talking.

At the time of his warped communications, which were also conducted over the Telegram app, Smith was on bail having been caught out in a police sting for similar behaviour.

Unbeknown to the pervert, the 12-year-old boy he was grooming over a month-long period was an undercover officer.

Again, they had met through Kik, in a chatroom called Schoolboys, with Smith calling himself Peter Fowler and with the username hugsandcuddles67.

They then exchanged messages and images via SnapChat.

It is clear that the officer told the defendant his age - that he was 12, referred to being at school and his profile was one of a child in school uniform, said Mr Walker.

They talked about him (the undercover officer) being in a changing room getting ready for PE.

The defendant asked if there were any boys there that he fancied, what they might be wearing and if he could see their 'bulges'.

The boy (officer) talked about going to the cinema but the defendant would turn the conversation sexual.

The nature of it clearly demonstrates grooming, telling him he was sexy, asking for pictures, and saying he would love to be the guy who teaches you things.

The defendant said he was aroused and if they met they could have sexy fun.

The court heard Smith also suggested on several occasions about meeting up but later messaged to say he was disappointed it could not go ahead as he was due to have a knee operation.

A week later he was arrested at his home in Childscroft Road. He told police he talked to a lot of people online and if he had known the age he would have stopped.

But, having been bailed, he continued to groom the other boy, even telling him about his arrest, and to send him money.

Smith, who has two previous convictions for possessing indecent images in 2002 and 2006, was re-arrested in February this year and gave a 'No comment' interview.

The court heard he later pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child and arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence in respect of the undercover officer.

But it was not until the first day of trial when the teenager had attended court that offences of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual communication with a child were admitted.

In a victim impact statement, the boy told police of the many difficulties he had faced as a consequence of the abuse and for which he had had to undergo therapy.

It's scary there are people online who would take advantage of children, he said. I really hope this doesn't happen to any other children and David gets the punishment he deserves.

Toby Long, defending, said his client had acknowledged he was sexually attracted to children, had expressed shame and remorse, and was motivated to address his behaviour.

The trigger, he added, was a prolonged grief disorder following the death of his mum in 2018, together with social isolation and his prostate cancer diagnosis.

He went down a rabbit hole of constant online chatrooms, mostly talking to adults and lapsing on two occasions, said Mr Long.

He tells me he is extremely remorseful and deeply ashamed and wants to apologise for the trauma and distress caused.

Jailing Smith on Friday (September 13) for a total of nine years, of which he will have to serve at least two-thirds before he can apply for parole, Judge Philip Statman said he posed a significant risk of harm to children.

"Despite your low mood, you have persisted in seeking sexual gratification and you are someone capable of grooming and manipulating your victims," he told the pensioner.

"In my judgment, having looked at everything I know about you, including your background, your employment in the past, your attitude towards your late mother and your previous relevant convictions which are an aggravating feature despite their age and the period of time that has elapsed between them and this offence, all of those matters support the view that I have that you are dangerous.

Smith was also told that once released, any licence period will be extended by two years.

He will also be subject to lifelong sex offender notification requirements and an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Description

A Bedford man who groomed a 13-year-old boy on Snapchat and drove to Worthing to rape him has been jailed.

Thomas Crabtree, 35, of Sundew Close in Bedford, was sentenced to serve ten years in prison, followed by six years on licence, when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court on 12 September.

He will also be placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Detective Chief Inspector Carrie Williams said: “Thomas Crabtree is a predator who, thanks to the bravery of this young boy, is now safely behind bars.

“He manipulated and took advantage of the boy, who suffered an unimaginable ordeal over several  hours. The boy was incredibly courageous in helping bring his attacker to justice and ensure he poses no further risk to anyone.

“I would like to thank him and his family for their determination.”

Crabtree contacted the boy on Snapchat, using the name Will, and repeatedly sent him sexually explicit images.

He arranged to meet his victim in Worthing on 3 April, 2024. He picked him up in his car, drove him to a remote area near Goring Gap in Worthing and raped him.

Crabtree then drove the boy around in his car in silence, before dropping him off in Worthing and returning to Bedford.

The victim was subjected to an ordeal lasting several hours.

Snapchat data showed Crabtree blocked the victim and deleted all the messages between them, before attempting to make contact again the following month.

The victim reported to police and he and his family were given specialist support that continued throughout the court process.

Crabtree was identified through the Snapchat account and arrested.

He was subsequently charged with two charges of rape; assault by penetration; causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity; sexual communication with a child; causing a child to watch a sexual act; meeting a child following sexual grooming; and abducting a child.

He pleaded guilty to all counts and was remanded in custody when he appeared at Hove Crown Court on Wednesday 10 July.

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A man who sexually abused two young girls has been sentenced.

Jack Nepean sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl left in his care in Crawley on New Year’s Eve.

An investigation in Devon also revealed how he had also abused a five-year-old girl there.

The victims have been praised for their “extraordinary bravery” for reporting their experience to police.

Nepean, aged 30, was jailed for a total of 12 years when he appeared for sentencing at Hove Crown Court on September 11.

He was told he would have to serve a minimum of two thirds of the sentence before he can be considered for parole.

The court also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order to restrict his future access to children and devices.

Sussex Police investigated Nepean, who admitted sexual assault be penetration of a girl under 13 In Crawley, sexual assault by touching of a girl under the age of 13 in Crawley, making indecent images of a child in Sussex.

This took place when the girl was in Nepean's care on New Year's Eve from December 31, 2022, into January 1, 2023.

The offences were disclosed to police in early January 2023. Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police identified further offences linked on Nepean’s mobile phone and investigated further sexual offences committed by Nepean.

He admitted sexual assault committed on a five-year-old girl, making indecent images of the child, three counts of voyeurism, and three counts of possessing indecent images of children in category A, B and C.

Nepean, formerly of an address in Devon, has now started his prison sentence.

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A convicted sex offender who accessed Facebook under a false name after being released from prison was today (Friday) jailed for two years.

Jamie Barton, of Spring Street, Spalding, was caught after the authorities were notified by monitoring software which was installed on his mobile phone.

Barton, 29, was convicted of offences including sexual communication with a child and engaging in sexual activity with a child aged under-16 at Norwich Crown Court in December 2022.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Barton was released from prison in May this year under the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which prevented him from accessing social media.

Barton was also ordered to report any alias names used by him to the police.

Following his release from jail it was discovered Barton had been using Facebook under the name 'Tom Green' and also accessing Facebook Messenger and SnapChat.

Numerous chats were exchanged with women but none were children, the court heard.

When the authorities were alerted by monitoring software on his mobile phone Barton admitted clicking on Facebook in a "moment of stupidity."

Barton said he had been using the Tom Green name before his prison sentence and reactivated it when he was released.

Rebecca Freitas, mitigating, said Barton had no friends and was seeking company. She stressed none of the new contacts were under-18.

Barton admitted two charges of breaching the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order and failing to notify a change in the use of his name.

The court heard Barton is currently back in custody after being recalled to complete his original jail sentence.

Passing sentence Recorder Simon King told Barton he would now have to serve a two year jail sentence alongside those matters.

"You need to understand that courts need to take very seriously breaches of your order," Recorder King said.

"It is clear to me you represent a very real potential risk if you breach these orders."

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A “devious” sex offender who admitted downloading thousands of indecent images of children dumped his mobile phone into a lough in disgust at what he had done, the High Court heard on Wednesday.

William Mullan told police his addiction then drove him to access and store more photographs of babies and other youngsters on a second device.

The 42-year-old, of Old Rossorry Park in Enniskillen, used an alias to set up social media accounts in order to obtain the material online.

Details emerged as he was refused bail on charges of breaching a Sexual Offenders Prevention Order (SOPO) and possessing indecent images.

Prosecutors said police were alerted earlier this month that he had used Snapchat to post a Category A video of a child online in October last year.

Mullan had used an alias to register an account on the messaging platform.

A phone seized from the defendant was examined and found to contain 2,500 images of children ranging from babies to teenagers, the court heard.

By that stage, a 10-year SOPO had been imposed on him following a previous conviction for having indecent photos.

Crown counsel said Mullan freely admitted during interviews that he had purchased two mobiles without permission, with the intention to go online and feed his addiction to child pornography.

“He created an alias username to set up a Snapchat account and then engaged with children he believed to be aged between 15 and 17,” the barrister disclosed.

Referring to the undiscovered device, she added: “He said he threw that phone in the lough as he was disgusted with what was on it, [but] admitted it contained a lot of bad things, namely indecent images of children.”

Mullan then purchased the second mobile and used it to access the Telegram messaging app, again intent on accessing similar illegal material.

“He said he downloaded up to 2,000 images onto the app and then, after a period of time, he would delete them due to his disgust with himself,” the prosecutor submitted.

“He has done this at least five times.”

The court also heard Mullan changed the SIM card twice after being banned from the app for being involved with indecent images.

Opposing bail, she argued that he is a Category One registered sex offender who poses a high risk.

“He is saying that he has an active addiction,” counsel stressed.

Mullan’s barrister suggested he could be safely managed and should be released from custody due to anticipated delays in the case.

However, Lord Justice Horner refused bail, based on concerns about potential re-offending.

He told the defendant’s legal representatives: “He’s quite obviously devious and prepared to take steps to access images he should not be accessing.”