Latest Offenders

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Survivors say questions remain as to how youth coach sexually abused 24 players over 25 years Victims of the football coach Bob Higgins, who is beginning a 24-year jail term for abusing schoolboy players, have said there are still many questions to be answered about why he was able to evade justice for three decades. Survivors called on high-profile players and managers who worked with Higgins at Southampton FC to explain what they knew of his offending and claimed that by remaining quiet they continued to protect him. They said Peterborough FC, where Higgins was also employed, and the Football Association also needed to come clean about why he had been able to coach and abuse youth players for seven years after concerns were raised about him. Higgins, 66, from Southampton, showed no emotion as Judge Peter Crabtree jailed him at Winchester crown court for the abuse of 24 schoolboys over a 25-year period from 1971 to 1996. The judge said Higgins was a cunning and manipulative predator who abused his position of trust as a respected coach and caused real, enduring harm to his victims. Higgins had not shown a jot of remorse, he said. 'Jon', pictured with Bob Higgins in the 1990s. Bob Higgins victim: 'I looked him in the eyes and took back the power' Many of his victims, now middle-aged men, sat in the public gallery as Higgins was sentenced. They had testified to suffering decades of mental health problems because of his crimes, and expressed anger, shame and guilt at what had happened to them. Some told the court they had tried to kill themselves, and many said they had struggled over the years with flashbacks, panic attacks, depression, anxiety, lack of trust and problems with personal relationships. A number went on to have good careers in football, but some said they had lost their chance of fulfilling their potential because of Higgins. After the sentencing, Hampshire police said more people had come forward to make allegations against Higgins since his conviction and that the possibility of further prosecutions had not been ruled out. On the steps of the court, survivors made it clear their fight for justice was not over. The former Southampton youth player Dean Radford described how he and other boys came forward in 1989 to reveal that Higgins had abused him but were not believed. "We hope those Southampton club directors, high-profile players and management who spent time with Higgins will stand up and tell the truth," he said. "We believe many people must have known what was going on. By not speaking out these people were and still are protecting a predatory paedophile." Radford paid tribute to the former Southampton junior star and Higgins victim Billy Seymour, who died in a car crash earlier this year. He said: "Billy will be looking down on us smiling knowing Bob Higgins cannot harm any other child ever again. He will never be forgotten. We did it Billy, just like you said we would. You can now rest in peace our dear friend." Police interview Bob Higgins, who has been found guilty of 45 charges of indecent assault against 23 teenage boys. 'The FA didn't stop him': The long road to justice for Bob Higgins' abuse victims Higgins worked with youngsters at Southampton between 1975 and 1990 and at Peterborough between 1994 and 1996. When the Guardian broke the story of abuse within football in 2016, Higgins was still working in the game, though not as a coach of junior players. Dion Raitt, who was abused by Higgins as a junior player at Peterborough, said Higgins used the boys' hunger to succeed to exploit them. He said: "Football was our lives, football was our dreams. We would have done anything to make it as a professional footballer. "There remain many questions that we deserve answers to. How was Bob Higgins able to slip through the net for so long? How was he ever put into a position of power at a professional football club like Peterborough United?" Raitt said it was "especially shocking" that in 1989 the Football League, then the game's governing body, had issued a warning to all clubs about Higgins. "Sadly because of potential failings we were subjected to horrific abuse at the hands of Higgins," he said. During the sentencing hearing, another victim, who cannot be named, criticised the FA and Southampton over their handling of Higgins. He asked the court: "Where were Southampton? Where were the FA? Where was their due diligence and safeguarding policies? They had a duty of care, a responsibility." Two other former Southampton youth players, Anthony Connolly and Lee Smith, waived their right to anonymity. Connolly had told the court he first met Higgins when he was 12 and said the coach groomed his parents as well as him. Addressing Higgins directly, he said: "You took away my childhood." He said the abuse created a "void inside of me" filled with "fear, anxiety and torment". He said he had turned to drink to try to drive the fear away and suffered mental health issues. "I hope Southampton FC and the English FA have learned from their mistakes," he said in court. "I hope the proper safeguarding is in place." Smith described Higgins as a monster who ruined the dreams of his victims for his own "sick perverted satisfaction" and said: "The football community is now a much safer place." Southampton and Peterborough have apologised to the victims. After Higgins's conviction the FA said it recognised their distress. "We continue to signpost victims and survivors to speak to Clive Sheldon QC whose team is conducting the independent inquiry into allegations of non-recent child sexual abuse in football," it said Both football clubs declined to comment on Wednesday on the former players' calls for more answers. An FA spokesperson said: "The FA has commissioned an independent QC to conduct a review into, what, if anything, the FA and clubs knew about the allegations of child sexual abuse at the relevant time, and what action was taken or should have taken place. "It is therefore inappropriate for the FA to comment on these questions whilst that review is ongoing."

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2019

A MAN has been sent to prison for 15 months after being found guilty of stalking a girl aged under 18 following a jury trial at Lerwick Sheriff Court. John Harding, whose address was given as Grampian Prison, was also given a seven-year non-harassment order after the jury reached their decision on Wednesday following a two-day trial. The 46-year-old was found guilty of engaging in a course of conduct on or between 22 April and 16 August at various locations in Shetland which caused the female fear or alarm. Harding was found guilty of repeatedly attempting to contact her, establishing her place of residence and attend there uninvited, repeatedly presenting her with unwanted gifts and repeatedly sending her social media messages. He also hugged her and repeatedly kissed her on the head, and repeatedly sent her letters. Hardings prison sentence was backdated to 3 May when he was first remanded in custody on the matter.

2004

John Harding, 30, drilled holes in the walls of the girls home to watch her undress and also while she showered. The High Court in Aberdeen heard Hardings obsession culminated in him luring the girl, now aged 17, from her work with the promise of a driving lesson. He took the terrified teenager to a remote caravan on Shetland where he told her he wanted to "set her free" and that it was his dream to "do things with her". The girl, who cannot be named, eventually escaped and found refuge in a nearby house. Harding had spied on her since she was nine. Yesterday he admitted a charge of breach of the peace between January 1996 and September 2003 and detaining the girl against her will also in September last year. Lord Abernethy deferred sentence on Harding, whose address was given as St Fitticks House, Crombie Road, Aberdeen, for background reports. Advocate-depute Mark Stewart, prosecuting, told the court that on the evening of September 21, Harding collected the girl from work for her lesson, taking her to an industrial estate because of her lack of confidence behind the wheel. He ignored her pleas to take her home, telling her they needed to go somewhere quiet. Mr Stewart said: "The complainer was becoming unsettled and scared, telling the accused that she wished to go. The accused ignored these wishes. "He started to tell the complainer that he had been thinking thoughts about her which he ought not to be thinking." The girl became frightened and got out of the car to run away, but Harding persuaded her to get back in with a lie that he would take her home. When he began the 30-mile drive out to a dilapidated caravan on an area of remote croft land, he threw her mobile phone out of the car when she used it to try and call for help. Mr Stewart said: "The complainer became so terrified by that, that she attempted to open the door of the moving car and get out. But she was seized by the accused who took hold of her arm and held on to her shouting at her that she should go to sleep." Despite the girl begging to be taken home, Harding, who formerly worked for a taxi company, took her inside the caravan where he began to cuddle and kiss her on the forehead. Mr Stewart told the court: "He continued by making statements to her such as he would set her free and that he would show her love. "He explained that it was his dream that he would do things with her." Mr Stewart said the girl became convinced Harding wished to have sex with her and that she experienced a feeling of "abject terror". When he unfastened his trousers, she ran from the caravan, making a desperate dash over the rough terrain. Mr Stewart said she reached a house where a resident described her as "shaking uncontrollably, obviously terrified and pleading for help". When Harding was later arrested, he admitted he had "developed an obsession" for her when she had lived in two houses in Lerwick and that he had "derived sexual gratification" from seeing her in the bathroom, Mr Stewart said. Harding, who was released on bail, is to be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on July 27.

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A judge ruled that Stephen Midgley, 27, is a 'dangerous offender' and gave him an extended 10 year sentence A "dangerous" paedophile was caught with hundreds of child abuse images - some showing 'distressed' tots as young as two. A judge ruled that repeat offender Stephen Midgley, 27, poses a high risk of re-offending, with a "fixation on pre-pubescent girls", and gave him an extended 10 year prison sentence. Teesside Crown Court heard the collection of images showed sexual abuse of kids, some mere toddlers, with many of the horrific details too graphic to publish. Prosecutor Harry Hadfield said two mobile phones belonging to the defendant had been found to contain child abuse images, including two-and-a-half hours of video in the most serious category. It was also discovered he was using an email address to send "depraved" images to another pervert. Images on the second seized mobile phone included pictures of boys and girls being abused, ranging from ages two to 11. Midgley appeared to be sentenced for 12 offences in total - three counts of making indecent images of children, three counts of distributing indecent images of children, one of failing to comply with a notification requirement, two breaches of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and three of possessing indecent photographs. He pleaded guilty to the offences. Midgley was previously locked up for three years and four months in 2015 after being caught downloading and sending pictures and videos of child abuse for the second time in 18 months. Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said a psychological report had found his client had an IQ of just 71, "had it been one less he would have been somebody who came within a category of learning disabled", he said. He said: "This defendant's main mitigation is his guilty plea in respect of each count." He added: "Having been caught he has assisted. "On each occasion he has told police there are images on the phone. "He hasn't sought to hide anything, beside hiding the initial phones." He asked the court not to class him as a dangerous offender and say this is the "last chance saloon". But pointing to the psychological report and Midgley's previous offences, judge Stephen Ashurst said he was a "dangerous offender" and would be getting an extended prison term. He said: "The images are of a particularly depraved nature. "They include the rape and abuse of very young children indeed by adult offenders." Midgley, of Leybourn Terrace, Stockton, was ordered to serve six years in custody, plus fours years on licence for distributing indecent images. He was also given a two year concurrent sentence for the other offences. A new SHPO was made indefinitely.

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A man has been jailed for 21 years after being convicted of historical sex attacks on children. Martin Clifford, 45, targeted four separate victims between 1988 and 1997 in Slough, Berkshire, and Horley in Surrey. Police said his victims had endured "sustained traumatic experiences". Clifford of Chatfield, Slough, was convicted of two counts of rape of a child under 16 and five counts of indecent assault on a male under 16. He was also found guilty at Reading Crown Court of two counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16, and five counts of indecency with a child under 14. Det Sgt Emma Skinner said: "The victims in this case had to endure sustained traumatic experiences at the hands of Clifford during their childhoods, which has had a profound impact on them throughout their lives. "The strength they have displayed during the investigation and the trial has been incredible and I commend them all."

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A retired teacher has been jailed for indecently assaulting a Hull schoolboy more than 25 years ago.

Kevin Shaw, 55, spanked the victim with a sand shoe on his bare buttocks in a locked store room at Bransholme High School which became Winifred Holtby secondary in the 1990s.

The perverted geography teacher claimed he was disciplining the teenager for bad behaviour.

But jailing Shaw for 15 months at Hull Crown Court on Friday, Judge John Thackray QC said the abuse "had nothing to do with discipline".

He told Shaw: "It was entirely sexually motivated. That was the clear conclusion of the jury who have heard the evidence, and that is the basis upon which you are to be sentenced.

"I say that, firstly so there is no mistake in the community as to what this case has involved, and secondly because of your comments to the author of a pre-sentence report that it was about discipline.

"The truth is you used the cloak of discipline to hide your sexual interest in the victim, to enable you to see his genitals, and to smack his bare bottom."

Shaw, of Perth Street West, west Hull, denied any wrongdoing but was convicted by a jury last month following a trial at the same court.

In a statement read by prosecutor Nigel Clive, the victim said coping with the emotional and psychological effect of the abuse had been "challenging".

But he thanked police and the Crown Prosecution Service, and spoke of his "gratitude" to the person who took his initial call at the NSPCC.

"They instilled in me a belief I could speak up and speak out," he said.

The man said he had suffered years of flashbacks and his education suffered as a result.

Reporting the abuse was difficult, he said, as he felt "ashamed and embarrassed for letting it happen".

He said: "That damage was not something I could repair. I was in an environment that was poisonous for me."

Shaw had given the boy three options after he was caught "misbehaving" - placing him on report, informing his parents, or striking him ten times on his clothed buttocks.

The boy chose the third option because he was scared of his parents finding out. He was taken into an adjoining store room and was made to "bend over at the waist". But after two strikes he began and cry and was hit so forcefully he fell over.

He then agreed to remove his clothing as he was told he would only be hit five times if he did so.

After another two strikes, the boy fell to the ground in pain, begged Shaw to stop and he did.

Judge Thackray said he had "deliberately" hit the boy hard the first time so he would remove his pants to receive fewer blows.

Other ex-pupils complained

The jury heard from two other former pupils of Shaw's, one of whom was allegedly similarly beaten on a school trip, and another who claimed to have been propositioned by the teacher.

The judge said no charges followed those allegations because one was outside the court's jurisdiction, and because another allegedly occurred before a change in the law would allow such a prosecution.

The married Shaw showed no emotion as he was handcuffed and led to the cells, but silently mouthed "love you" to a woman in the public gallery.

Humberside Police statement

Humberside Police Detective Constable Shaun Chambers said: Kevin Shaw abused his position of authority and trust when he committed this indecent assault.

I have a huge amount of admiration for the bravery of the victim in this case. He and the other two witnesses have had to relive their childhood experiences which must have been very difficult for them.

The victim now wants to confine to history these memories and move on with his life knowing the offender has been brought to book for the offence.

This type of investigation is always challenging as the time that has passed since the offence makes it more complex to gather evidence, but it also makes it very rewarding when we get a good result like this.

I want to extend an opportunity to anyone who has experienced this type of historical offence that they can have the confidence in us to come and report their cases to us and we will consider their report sensitively and support them throughout any investigation.

People can have complete confidence that their report will be taken seriously and acted upon.

Kevin Shaw will now have time to consider his actions and this should also serve as a reminder to all those who have committed similar offences in the past that time is now barrier to justice.

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Youth group volunteer Aaron Davies said he wanted to show the 13-year-old girl how babies are made A 19-year-old steward sent hundreds of explicit sexual messages and intimate photographs to what he thought was a young girl. Aaron Davies contacted what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl on Facebook and after weeks of grooming her they arranged to meet. But when he got to the bus station expecting to meet his online contact he was challenged and detained by a group of so-called paedophile hunters. Swansea Crown Court heard a group called Justice 4 Kids established a profile purporting to be that of a 13-year-old girl, complete with an age-appropriate photograph, online. Claire Pickthall, prosecuting, said the profile lay dormant until in February this year when Davies sent a friend request. This was the start of almost two months of communications between the parties. The barrister said Davies' messages soon became sexual in nature with the defendant asking intimate questions of the decoy, encouraging her to perform sex acts, and asking her to send pictrues. Davies, from Swansea , also sent the decoy two pictures of his genitals. The court heard Davies told the "girl" she should watch pornography so she could learn what to do sexually, told her he loved her, and said he wanted to go to Disneyland Paris with her. He also said he wanted to kiss and touch her and show her how babies are made. The prosecutor said in many of the replies by the decoy it was made clear the profile was that of a 13-year-old. In total the defendant sent more than 200 messages. Miss Pickthall described Davies' conduct as "classic grooming behaviour". The court heard the pair made arrangements to go to the cinema in Swansea on April 18 and at that point Justice 4 Kids contacted local paedophile hunters and handed them the information. When the defendant arrived at the city's main bus station expecting to meet the girl he was met by activists who called the police and took him outside. In his subsequent interview he said he was used to being around children because he was a steward at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea and also volunteered with a youth group. He said his aim had been to "educate and guide" the girl about what was coming as she grew up. Davies, of Heol Eifion Wyn, Llansamlet , had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a girl after sexual communication and attempting to incite a girl to engage in sexual activity when he appeared in the dock for sentencing on Friday. He has no previous convictions. Stephen Thomas, for Davies, said his client was very sorry for what he had done. Giving Davies a one-third discount for his guilty pleas judge Keith Thomas sentenced the defendant to a total of 12 months detention in a young offenders institution. He will serve half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. Davies was also made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order to control his contact with children and his access to the internet and he will be a registered sex offender for the same length of time.

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A "manipulative" art teacher has been convicted of a string of indecent and sexual assaults against female pupils. A court heard James Skelton Smith, 57, would regularly drop his pencil in order to crawl under desks in class. After a three-day trial Smith, of Dundee, was found guilty of indecent assault, sexual assault, and breach of the peace. The offences took place against current and former pupils over an 11-year period between 2008 and 2019. Sheriff John Rafferty deferred sentence until next month for background reports. He told Smith: "I found the Crown witnesses to be credible and reliable, in the main exceedingly impressive witnesses, and in some instances courageous witnesses. "The case against you is compelling." Creepy Smith showed no emotion as the verdict was announced. The court heard he had been suspended from the school, where he had worked as a part-time teacher for expressive art, for nine months and would now lose his job. During the trial, three young schoolgirls said "creepy" Smith would repeatedly drop his pencil and crawl under their tables on his hands and knees, staring at their legs. One woman said she left school early in her sixth year in 2009 because she "started getting the feeling that he was nudging our relationship somewhere I didn't want to go". Another former female pupil said she had "played dead" after Smith, who taught at the school for 25 years, touched her inappropriately when she went back to his house after meeting him in Dundee. Smith denied all the charges and described the account of a 17-year-old pupil he kissed as "Alice Through The Looking Glass". But prosecutor Laura Bruce said: "He treated her in a way that made her feel grown up and feel special - and then he pounced."

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'Wholly unrepentant' abuser Brian Andrew Rhys has been handed a 30-year sentence A man with a lust for young boys raped two youngsters after grooming them and showering them with gifts. Brian Andrew Rhys was convicted by a jury of 11 counts of indecency with a child, five counts of indecent assault of a male, five counts of a serious sexual assault, 12 counts of rape of a child under 13, a count of a sexual assault of a child under 13, and one count of witness intimidation. The offending involved two young boys dating between 1982 and 2018. Swansea Crown Court heard how manipulative and arrogant Rhys, 53, had groomed them and showered them with gifts before raping them. One victim impact statement read: I have had to carry this deep dark secret since being abused during childhood for more than 30 years. It is a heavy burden to bear and has affected my life and my mental health. Despite all that I know when he is convicted it brings a new chapter in my life. I will now look forward instead of back. The secret is a secret no more. A statement from his other victim read: When I was told by my mother the defendant had been convicted I felt very happy and slept well that night. It was the best I had slept since I can remember. "What he did affected my confidence and my schooling and caused stress and anxiety. I feel absolutely terrible about the things he did to me. Sentencing Rhys, Judge Paul Thomas QC said: "Over a period of around 30 years you systematically and calculatedly sexually violated two young boys. "In each case you used the trust placed in you to look after them to allow you to your wicked ends using grooming behaviour and showering them with gifts. You took steps to get each of them on their own and raped them over a long period of time. "It is clear from watching you give evidence you are wholly unrepentant. You will maintain your innocence for the purposes of your family. You're manipulative and arrogant and believed in your ability to pull the wool over people's eyes. "Your sexual tastes are deep-rooted. You clearly have a lust for young boys." Rhys, of of Banwell Street in Morriston, Swansea, was given a 30-year extended sentence comprising 24 years in prison and further a six years on extended licence. A sexual harm prevention order was made and he must sign the sex offenders register. Following the sentencing detective constable Joanne Pudner, who was praised by the judge for her role in the investigation at the conclusion of the case, said: We would like to praise the bravery of the victims for coming forward. Investigating sexual violence is a priority for South Wales Police and we are committed to investigating all reports of sexual abuse, regardless of when they occurred, in order to ensure that those who exploit the most vulnerable members of society are brought to justice.

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A retired teacher who directed a production at a Horley theatre after being convicted of possessing indecent images of children has been jailed for committing further offences.

David Gallichan, 63, directed a production of 'Amadeus' at The Archway Theatre that ran between September 27 and October 8, 2016. At the time he was subject to a suspended sentence and Sexual Harm Prevention Order for making and possessing indecent images of children.

The play did not involve any children and a theatre spokesman said "control measures" were in place to protect any children using the theatre.

Gallichan, of Haywards Heath Road, Balcombe, has now been jailed for 18 months for committing further offences. He attempted to communicate with a young girl online, and failed to tell police he had a computer which he used without monitoring software.

The Archway Theatre spokesman said: "We take the safety and security of adults, children and vulnerable adults as the utmost priority and remain fully committed to continue to work with both internal and external partners and safeguarding authorities, to ensure that our policies and practices are up to date.

"At the time David Gallichan was given a suspended sentence, the Archway Theatre Council of Management worked closely with the police and Surrey safeguarding team to put control measures in place.

"He was not permitted to attend the theatre when any children's activities were taking place and was not allowed unsupervised access. David is no longer a member of the Archway Theatre."

Gallichan was jailed on September 10 at Hove Crown Court for attempting to make contact with the girl. He also discussed his fantasies with other adults online, and spoke to teenagers online using the secret laptop.

PC Louise Giles, from Sussex Police, said: "Gallichan still attempted to speak with teenagers online even after his previous conviction. He kept a laptop without telling us, which did not have the necessary monitoring software installed.

"He expressed his fantasies about nudist camps with teenage boys, setting up profiles and characters for several years to engage with adults and young people in sexual conversations online.

"He imagined being a daughter or stepdaughter and would pretend to be people to get them to talk with him sexually.

"When we found out about this, as a result of proactive police checks, we got a warrant and searched Gallichan's home. He then admitted that he had hidden a laptop in an outdoor shed."

PC Giles said there was no evidence to suggest Gallichan had engaged in sexual activity with others, directly or online, but said the former school teacher was a "menace" who sought to manipulate others.

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A paedophile who systematically abused and raped his young victim over a period of three years has been jailed for 19 years.

Muhammed Irfan, 35, from Sparkhill, in Birmingham, was convicted of raping a child under the age of 13 after a five-day trial.

He was found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court on August 9 after his brave victim spoke to police.

Irfan had threatened the schoolgirl’s family and told them to make sure she didn’t speak about the abuse.

The jury was read a statement from the victim who talked about how the abuse had affected her childhood.

She said: “Throughout my childhood and in school, I was what I would describe as a naughty child.

“I would fight boys, be disruptive, answer teachers back and just not go to lessons. It is only now I am old enough to realise why I was like this.”

She added “I am so glad other people have believed what happened to me and the regular abuse I suffered. Although I am happy knowing he is going to prison, I still don’t know if I will ever be able to move on from what has happened to me.”

Detective Constable Tom Parkes, from the Public Protection Unit, said: “This young girl should have been enjoying her school years and preparing for adulthood. The abuse she suffered has clearly had a long-term traumatic effect and I hope this sentence helps to put her on the road to recovery.

“We work with specialist agencies who can offer support from the moment a crime is reported, through the investigation and trial process, and beyond. I commend her bravery in speaking out and wish her well for the future.”

Irfan was told he would serve 19 years with an extended licence period of one year when he was sentenced on September 18.

He will not be eligible to apply for parole for at least ten years and will remain on the Sex Offender Register for life.

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A Royal Navy lieutenant who over a number of years assembled a sickening child abuse collection of children as young as two being abused has been told by a judge that hes part of the monster.

James Smith, 35, was caught with thousands of horrific pictures on his device, his crimes coming to light after Devon and Cornwall Police received a tip off from their colleagues in Western Australia.

Smartly dressed Smith, from Perranwell Station near Truro , appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence after previously admitting three charges of making indecent images of children, offences that spanned categories A, B and C.

Prosecuting the case, Sally Daulton said: The offences were detected by police working on an international investigation in Western Australia. The defendant engaged in chat on a channel hosted by two individuals arrested on suspicion of child sex offences.

It became apparent the defendant was engaged in conversations under the name Little Kiddy Slut and Devon and Cornwall Police officers attended his home on July 17 2018. When they arrived the defendant told them yes I know what youre here for and Im quite relieved actually.

Smith's iPhone was seized and he told officers theyd find indecent images on a laptop in his officers mess.

In total police found 36 Category A images and four videos, 48 Category B images and 3,125 Category C images, a collection formed over the best part of a decade.

His laptop showed history of access to websites containing indecent images of children and internet searches indicative of such an interest.

Smith answered no comment in his first police interview but in a second grilling his solicitor read a prepared statement in which he admitted to having the material and an interest in predominantly Class C images.

Smith added that he was relieved when police attended so hed receive the help he needed and that he posed no threat of contact offending.

Representing Smith, Nicholas Wragg described how his client had been candid from the beginning and that a lot of the images were downloaded in a compressed file and that he would then go through and delete anything showing actual sexual contact.

He suggested that Smith had no interest in physical contact with children, a suggestion Judge Simon Carr described as absurd.

Mr Wragg said: Hes been through a difficult time and his family (Smith has two children) have also suffered.

He is a lieutenant in the Royal Navy and his career is now in serious jeopardy. He is a high performer, extremely diligent and has addressed his behaviour with one to one sessions he has funded privately.

He has an incredibly supportive family and is an honourable and disciplined man. There is no doubt he would abide by any order.

Sentencing Smith, Judge Carr said: Its clear you have an entrenched sexual interest in children and I doubt it will disappear in your life.

I accept you have sought treatment and showed remorse but you need to be under no illusions that as we sit here tens of hundreds of children are being raped for the entertainment of people like you.

Children as young as two are being raped and will probably be raped throughout their childhood. This wouldnt happen if it wasnt for the interest of people like you. A significant number of children are raped for internet material and you are part of this monster.

On the other hand you have had a successful career in the Royal Navy and the fact you have tried to address your problem allows me to suspend what would otherwise by an immediate custodial sentence.

Smith was given an eight month suspended sentence and must complete a 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also made subject of a five year sexual harm prevention order.

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A JEHOVAH'S Witness who sexually abused his two daughters would have faced a lengthy jail sentence had he not been suffering with Alzheimer's Disease. Judge Jason Taylor QC described Dennis Cottee's crimes as evil, saying the octogenarian's campaign of abuse had had a devastating and debilitating effect on the two women. The Broad Town 85-year-old, who was convicted alongside son Jacques Cottee, can now be identified after his two victim's asked to partially waive their right to anonymity to ensure their dad and brother were named publicly. The Adver has agreed not to name the two women. Earlier this month, 57-year-old Jacques was jailed for three years and 10 months after a Swindon jury found him guilty of incest, molesting the elder of his two sisters as they returned from watching a film at The Savoy cinema in the early 1980s. Dad Dennis was ruled unfit to plead, after a court heard he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and was receiving palliative care. The jury found proven 12 charges against him, including raping his elder daughter and repeatedly abusing the younger girl. Judge Taylor sentenced Cottee to a two-year supervision order, with the defendant placed under the eye of the probation service. He must sign onto the sex offender's register for five years. He said the impact of Cottee's actions on his two girls had had lifelong consequences: "It's clear to me that these actions have had a devastating and debilitating effect on their lives and will continue to do so as they move forward. "They are emotionally and psychologically scarred and they always will be." The Swindon court heard that had Cottee been ruled fit to stand trial he would likely have received a significant custodial sentence and may well have died in jail. "It was with a heavy heart that I could not pass a far more punitive sentence on Mr Cottee for what is obviously incalculable pain and harm he has caused his daughters," Judge Taylor added. The court heard Dennis Cottee had begun abusing his older daughter after she started at secondary school. The dad had got her to perform sex acts on him as he drove back to their farm, had simulated sex and finally when she was in her mid-teens had raped her. The abuse of the younger daughter began when she was just four-years-old, with Cottee getting the youngster to perform a sex act on him as they were parked in his car outside shops in Cricklade. He had simulated sex with her in the animal sheds on the family farm, north west of Swindon. On one occasion, he had molested the girl on an upstairs landing in the farmhouse. In a nearby room, a friend of the girl's mother lay dying of cancer. She said: "While he was doing this I had to listen to her dying. She was gargling. She was rattling."

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A MAN has been jailed for 13 years for savagely raping an 11-year-old girl who leapt in terror out of a first-floor window to escape him. Haji Kaloga forced his way into the childs bedroom, seized her by the throat and pushed her to the floor while she cried and begged him to stop. Kaloga, 31, took off her trousers while she struggled, bit his hand and kicked him, Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday. He pulled her hair and banged her on the ground before raping her in a prolonged sexual attack at a house in Bradford. He made her promise not to tell anyone and if she did, he would kill her, prosecutor Christine Egerton said. The girl jumped out of a first-floor window after the attack and called the police. She was at first too afraid to get into the patrol vehicle but when she arrived at the police station, she told officers what Kaloga had done to her. She had been injured in the violent assault and Kalogas DNA linked him to the rape. He was arrested and interviewed and denied it. On the day of his trial, he pleaded guilty to rape of a child under 13 and assault by penetration on March 11. The girl read out her victim personal statement in court. Addressing Kaloga, who sat in the dock with his head in his hands, she said: I want you to know that what you have done to me, or ever said to me, is something I wont ever forget until the day I die. I want you to know this because you sexually abused me. Even though I wont ever forget what you did, I wont let it change my future, or change who or what I want to be. Sooner or later, one day, you will hear that I have become something that you can never imagine. I hope that I never ever meet a man like you again. Kalogas barrister, Kitty Colley, said the girls statement had been read to him and he fully accepted the effect of his offending on her and he expressed his deep sorrow and remorse. He was a hard-working man with no previous convictions and he was likely to be deported to his native Gambia after serving his sentence. Recorder Andrew Haslam QC said the girl was frightened and alone when she rang the police from a Bradford street. Kaloga had put his hands round her neck and said: Whos the man? before dragging her into a room and raping her. He had subjected her to a prolonged sexual violation, threatening to kill her if she told anyone. One is struck by her strength of character after her terrible ordeal. She is a truly remarkable young girl, Recorder Haslam said. He told Kaloga: This was a quite horrifying sexual assault. As an offender of particular concern, he would not be released until the Parole Board deemed it safe to do so. After the case, an NSPCC spokesperson said: It can take years to recover from the trauma inflicted by child sexual abuse, so it is vital that Kalogas victim receives all the support she needs to help her come to terms with what has happened. Survivors of abuse should know that they will be listened to if they speak out, no matter how long ago it may have happened.

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A man has been jailed after sexually abusing two boys in the changing rooms of a football club in Wiltshire.

Stefon Francis Winter was found guilty of two counts of indecency and two counts of gross indecency on September 10 after abusing the two brothers in Warminster 40 years ago.

The cold case was re-opened in 2016 after advancements in DNA technology meant crucial evidence could be re-examined.

This included DNA found on one the brother's items of clothing, which was later linked to the defendant.

Det Ins Tom Straker, from Wiltshire Police, said: "This was a horrible, traumatic assault which understandably had a long-lasting impact on the two victims.

"Not only did they have to re-live the incident when the cold case was reopened, but they had to hear it all again in court due to Winter refusing to admit what he had done.

"I hope this conviction shows that no unsolved case of this nature is completely closed and that we will continue to fight to get justice for victims."

The court heart Winter had led the boys away before he attacked them.

Although the incident was reported at the time and clothing was seized, no suspect was identified.

He was arrested at his home in Goatacre, Calne, and pleaded not guilty in court but was convicted of all four charges.

He was sentenced in line with guidelines for the offences as they were back in 1980.

'A dangerous offender'

Detective Constable Chris McLoughlin, who worked on the case, added: "I want to pay tribute to the two victims in this case and thank them for the bravery they have shown in supporting the police throughout this investigation.

"Furthermore, to the scientists and archivists nationally who have so professionally made this possible.

"Winter is a dangerous offender, who has escaped justice for more than 40 years and I welcome this conviction which will see him put behind bars and ensure he no longer poses any risk to the public.

"Regardless of the passage of time, we will work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice. Let this be a warning to anyone else out there who has committed offences and has, so far, evaded the law."

Wiltshire Police has urged others victims of sexual offences to report them by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency.

Victims can also seek support and counselling from the Swindon and Wiltshire Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) - they can be contacted on the helpline 01793 781916.

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Keir Hazlehurst, 33, used both his phone and a spy camera positioned in a way that his unwitting victims were unable to tell they were being filmed.

The videos of his victims came to light after he showed a photo of a woman on a toilet to a friend who later reported him. In total police found 43 still images taken from videos, which had been deleted, of three women with the youngest being 16 years old. They also found two images of a fourth woman which had been taken at the Celtic Manor hotel in Newport.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday heard father-of-two Hazlehurst, who managed a fish and chip shop, carried out the offences in 2018.

Prosecutor David Pugh said: “The defendant showed [a friend] a video and told him it was humorous. “The video showed [a woman] on the toilet with her trousers down and showed part of her thigh. It was clear that she did not know she was being filmed. “[The friend] stopped watching the video and felt uncomfortable about it.”

Police later attended the defendant’s home address in Llanishen, Cardiff, and seized electrical equipment including his mobile phone. When the phone was seized police found images of three women who were pictured on the toilet, topless, and in a state of undress.

They also seized a Fuji camera which contained two images of a woman at the Celtic Manor hotel in a state of undress. On a laptop they found search terms relating to indecent images of children but no images were found on the device. Hazlehurst remained silent during his police interview but later pleaded guilty to two counts of voyeurism.

In a victim impact statement read out to the court one of the defendant’s victims said her life had been “changed forever”. She said: “My social life has been affected and I feel unable to leave the house and feel uncomfortable going out. I don’t want to speak to people as they might have found out about what had happened and might be talking about me.

“It makes attending the gym or any other sporting activity impossible and even at home I have to pull the blinds and shut the curtain to bathe. “This has changed my life and I no longer have the confidence to go anywhere. I want to get back to how I was before and not feel any of this pain.” Defence barrister David Pinell said his client had shown genuine remorse for his behaviour and was “visibly upset” when he heard about the impact his actions had had on his victims. He said Hazlehurst was willing to take part in rehabilitation courses and to try and understand the underlying cause of his offending.

Sentencing, the Recorder of Cardiff Judge Eleri Rees said the defendant’s actions were driven by his own sexual gratification. She added: “You can see from the victim impact statements the effect it has had on these women to discover their privacy had been violated in this gross manner. “All of them feel humiliated by the way you behaved and have the fear those images will be shared. “But I am persuaded there is real evidence of remorse, motivation, and engagement with rehabilitation in your case.”

Hazlehurst, of Fishguard Road, was sentenced to 36 weeks imprisonment suspended for two years.

 He was ordered to carry out 80 hours of the Horizon programme, made subject to 10 days’ rehabilitation activity requirement, and ordered to complete 80 hours unpaid work as well as paying £810 in court costs. The defendant was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and will remain on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.