Latest Offenders

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Police have welcomed the prison sentence handed to a former prison officer who sexually abused two schoolgirls after he was finally brought to justice.

Pervert John Saunders indecently assaulted his first victim in the mid-1990s but was not prosecuted despite the young victim reporting his abuse.

However, he then preyed on another schoolgirl in 2018 and when she reported the abuse the following year the previous matter was re-opened.

Saunders, of Liverpool Road, Cross Heath, Newcastle, had denied two charges of indecent assault and one charge of assaulting a child under 13 by penetration but was convicted of all three offences by a jury in October.

The 68-year-old was locked up for 13 years with an extended two years licence at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court last week.

Welcoming the sentence, DC Gary Cliffe, of Staffordshire Police, said: I am delighted with the sentence handed to Saunders and we hope this sentence is a reminder that we will continue to do whatever it takes to bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice no matter how long ago these attacks took place."

Saunders must serve half of the custodial term - six-and-a-half years - before he can be considered for release by the parole board. After his release he will serve the rest of the total 15 year sentence on licence. He was placed on the sex offenders' register for life.

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Shaun Cushing used Snapchat with the username 'tbundy4910' as he sent sexually charged messages to a decoy 13-year-old A toe-sucking paedophile was caught out when he told a police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl about his bizarre kink. Former RAF employee Shaun Cushing gave himself the Snapchat username tbundy4910 as a nod to notorious serial killer Ted Bundy while also using the Kik screen name I love teen cream. Sheffield Crown Court heard the 37-year-old had already been convicted of child sex offences in 2018 and chatted with the decoy teen for seven days in March. Cushing was remanded in custody in April and when he was quizzed by detectives, he told them he didnt like children because they were noisey, prosecutor Andrew Semple said. Mr Semple added that Cushing, from Mexborough, lied about his age and location and told the police officer posing as the underage teen that he was 21 years old and from Manchester. Cushing sent multiple sexualised messages despite being told about her age and references to a school uniform being made. Mr Semple also told the court that Cushing dropped in a reference to liking to suck toes as a kink. When Cushing was arrested, he had a hard drive and computer seized and forensic investigators found 11 category A indecent images of a child, one of category B and one of category C. He admitted three counts of making indecent images, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and breaching a sexual harm prevention order. Cushing, who wore a white t-shirt and glass as he appeared via videolink from HMP Doncaster, had carried out these offences having been made subject of a three-year community order and five-year sexual harm prevention order at Winchester Crown Court in 2018. Judge Peter Kelson told Cushing, of Uttoxeter Avenue, he had clearly learnt nothing from the sex offenders treatment programme he had embarked on following his conviction three years ago. Cushing was sentenced to three years in prison and made the subject of a new sexual harm prevention order for 10 years. He will also be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

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Police have released a mugshot of a sex beast who was jailed for 10 years after being convicted of raping a woman.

Ryan Cartner carried out the horrific attack in the woman's own home after he asked her to give him alcohol and prescription drugs.

The 37-year-old victim - who is over 20 years his senior - begged him to stop as he raped her - only to be ignored.

And when he had finished he threatened to attack her family and kill her pets if she told anyone.

Cartner, of Derwent Place, Cross Heath, was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court after a jury rejected his claim that the sex had been consensual during the 2019 ordeal.

Her was handed a 10-year prison sentence for the rape, and eight years concurrent for a separate charge of another serious sexual offence during the same incident. He was also convicted of stealing alcohol and prescription medicine from his victim.

Welcoming the sentence, DC Sarah Clancy, of Staffordshire Police, said: This was undoubtedly a traumatic ordeal for the woman concerned and I cannot praise her enough for the courage and bravery she has shown in coming forward and reporting what happened to her.

I hope this conviction reassures our local community that sexual offences are taken seriously and that officers will work tirelessly to seek justice.

Cartner was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and was also given a restraining order for life.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Paul Glenn told Cartner: "You went to her house and asked if you could have some alcohol. You then repaid her for her generosity by pushing her onto the sofa and raping her. She told you to stop but you ignored her."

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A FORMER Team GB gymnast from Basingstoke who walked free from court after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a drunk woman has had his sentence referred to the Attorney General for review as 'unduly lenient'.

Alexander Hicken, of Loggon Road, in Cranbourne, was found guilty in August following a trial at Winchester Crown Court, where it was heard that he abused a vulnerable woman after bragging to friends "I'm going to **** her".

The 23-year-old, who used to be a coach at Basingstoke Gymnastic Club, preyed on his intoxicated victim after she was put to bed at a party because she was drunk.

Hicken, a tumbling coach, who had a girlfriend at the time, ignored the woman's demands to stop during the eight-hour ordeal and repeatedly sexually touched her.

He was handed a suspended sentence of 21 months in prison in October, meaning he walked free from court.

Now, the Attorney General has been asked to review his 'unduly lenient' sentence.

Members of the public can ask the Attorney General's office to examine sentences handed down by crown courts in England and Wales within 28 days of sentencing, under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme (ULS).

The Attorney General then has the power to refer sentences for certain offences which they believe to be unduly lenient to the Court of Appeal.

Information on the government website for the Attorney General's office states that they must "consider the case personally and decide whether a particular sentence is unduly lenient".

The Attorney General's office confirmed that it has received a referral for Hicken's sentence and that the law officers now have 28 days to consider the case.

Hicken, who represented the junior Team GB at Loule Gymnastic World Cup in Portugal in 2012, was aged 21 at the time of the assault and escaped an immediate prison sentence after the judge said his age was taken into consideration.

In court, the victim said Hicken "abused me, my body and my trust" and said the attack had led her to become depressed, suffer from anxiety and have suicidal thoughts.

In a statement read to the court, she said: "I can say with all certainty this assault has changed my life 100 per cent.

"I blame myself constantly for what happened... since this occasion I will never drink to excess, I don't like the idea of not being in control.

"Since this happened I have nightmares where I think Alex is sitting at the end of my bed. I often find myself looking around my room to check he isn't there."

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A serial rapist who subjected his victims to horrific violence has been given a life sentence after he admitted treating women like pieces of meat. Craig Gladwin, 32, from Selby, strangled one woman to the point of unconsciousness during a wicked campaign of rape, Hull Crown Court heard. Gladwin, described as manipulative and cocky, raped the three women in separate incidents at properties in Selby and Goole. Gladwin wrapped his belt around the neck of one victim, said prosecutor Mark Kellet. The victim was unwell at the time having gone through a personal tragedy. She initially kept quiet about the rape because she didnt want to relive the incident in the summer of 2018. In September that year, Gladwin raped a second woman who was strangled until she lost consciousness. When she came round, he told her: Youre not leaving this house alive. Attacked while on bail Gladwin, whose former marriage had collapsed, was arrested and released under investigation or on bail, but in January 2020 he raped another woman whom he met online. Before raping her, Gladwin grabbed hold of her as she tried to get away and told her: Well, to be honest with you, I may as well rape you: Im off to prison anyway. The victim described Gladwin as a wicked, scary man. She reported him to police and he was arrested again. In custody, he was quizzed about allegations made by all three victims but made vehement denials. One of the women none of whom can be named for legal reasons said she was now scared to go out and had stopped seeing her friends. She was still having nightmares about Gladwin and was now on medication. Another victim said she had deteriorated mentally since her ordeal and had to take three months off work due to her injuries. She had suffered such acute anxiety that she ended up moving house. She suffered nightmares and had three years of pain, anxiety and post-traumatic stress. Her social life was now just about non-existent. She said she was horrified to discover that Gladman was still living as a free man when he went on to rape a third woman. Severe impact on victims Gladman a father-of-two who has a previous conviction for assaulting a police officer and two cautions for ABH and battery ultimately admitted three counts of rape on the day his trial was due to be held in March, along with two counts of damaging property. He denied two other rape allegations one against another named woman and one of sexual assault. These allegations were allowed to lie on court file. Gladman, of Londesborough Street, appeared for sentence on Monday after being remanded in custody. Lewis Allan Kerr, mitigating, said Gladman had behaved abominably but had anger, alcohol and mental-health issues. A pre-sentence probation report noted that Gladman had had a perfect childhood, but he told officers that after his marriage ended, he wanted to have some fun and that he treated women as pieces of meat. Recorder Richard Woolfall said it was the worst case of its kind that he had dealt with during his 10 years on the bench. He noted Gladmans willingness to use violence to get what he wants and the severe psychological impact on the victims who had experienced terrifying, violent and prolonged ordeals. He said Gladwin had shown a total disregard for the (criminal) case, while his demeanour in the dock suggested he couldnt have cared less. You see (women) as sex things to meet your needs, as opposed to people with feelings, added Mr Woolfall. I consider your behaviour is so serious and manipulative and persistent that the risk you present will have to be managed for the rest of your life. Mr Woolfall imposed a determinate jail sentence of 17-and-a-half years but told Gladman he would have to serve at least two-thirds of that behind bars, adding that he could spend the rest of your life in prison. It would be down to the Parole Board to decide if and when Gladman was safe to be released after serving the minimum term and he would remain on prison licence for life, with strict conditions, should he ever be set free. Gladwin remained expressionless as he was led down to the cells by prison guards.

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A BUILDER who sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl on his way to pick up a toolkit from Screwfix has been sent to prison. Martin Collins, formerly of Lower Henley Road, Caversham, was locked up after being found guilty of two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 back in April. A court heard how the builder has been ostracized by his friends and his home has been graffitied following his convictions. And now he is facing three years behind bars after being sentenced for his offences at Reading Crown Court. The 66-year-old abused the seven-year-old girl on two occasions over the 2019/2020 Christmas period. In the first instance, Collins was found to have touched the girls genitals over her clothes while she was sitting on his lap. On the second occasion, the girl was sitting in the front passenger seat of Collins car when they were on their way to Screwfix to pick up a toolkit. It was here in the car that Collins again touched the girls genitals over her clothes. Reading a statement from the girls mother, prosecutor Simon Walters said the girls personality has changed since the incidents. He said: Her anger outbursts are extreme. She can become angry over the smallest of things. She will kick, shout and scream. She no longer trusts people and does not have normal interactions with people. She has nightmares and recently she said she didnt want to go back to the area where the [Screwfix] store is located. She is not the girl she was two years ago. These incidents will affect my daughter for a very long time to come. Defending, Lyall Thompson argued there was no evidence to suggest Collins manipulated the girl to engineer his being along with her. He claimed Collins has suffered since the court trial in April, losing all his friends and his house has been graffitied. Sentencing, his honour Judge Edward Burgess told Collins he was in a position of trust when he committed the offences. Collins was sentenced to three years imprisonment for two counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13. His name will be on the sex offenders register for ten years. Collins was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Monday, November 1.

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A dad-of-five arranged to meet an 11-year-old girl for sex after grooming her online.

However unknown to Peter Bancroft the girl did not actually exist and a fictitious profile had been set up for her by the paedophile hunting group, Stop UK.

65-year-old Bancroft - who was later found to have child sex abuse images on his mobile phone - began chatting to Sally Smith on Facebook on June 17 this year after describing her profile picture as "lovely".

Robert Wyn Jones, prosecuting said: "The decoy made it clear she was eleven years old and repeated this during conversations."

Bancroft quickly brought the conversations around to sexual matters and "asked if she wanted to know about sex. He described penetrative sex. He said he had had sex with three virgins".

Mr Wyn Jones said the granddad sent her a picture of himself and his car and asked her to send him a postcode so they could meet.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today (Monday, November 1) that he arranged to meet her at 11am on July 11 but when he arrived at the destination in Oldham members of Stop UK were waiting for him.

He told them: I have only been chatting with her."

They contacted the police who arrested him and in interview he said "his intention was to meet her and take her for a walk and claimed he did not intend to the sex.

"He said the messages were intended to warn her about sex with boys."

Bancroft, of Eccleston Avenue, Bromborough, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and arranging the commission of a child sex offence.

He also had seven offences involving possessing indecent images of children in all three categories of seriousness and extreme pornography.

Jailing him for three years and nine months Judge Andrew Menary, QC, the Recorder of Liverpool, said: "You asked her if she wanted to know about sex.

"You went on to describe sex acts, including penetrative sex, to what you believed was an 11-year-old girl."

Judge Menary told Bancroft that he drove to Oldham for the purpose of having sex with the child though he pretended he just wanted to go for a walk with her.

He added: "It is clear from the nature of the messages that your sole intention was to groom what you believed was a young girl and corrupt her into having sexual intercourse with you."

Judge Menary described the age difference as enormous and said that it was clear from the author of a pre-sentence report the defendant "was struggling to recognise the significance of what you had done".

Judge Menary said: "I hope as a consequence of work done with you in prison when you will realise the very serious nature of this intended activity.

"The seriousness of it cannot be overstated."

He ordered Bancroft, who was described by a probation officer as being "a high risk to children", to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

John Weate, defending, said: "His major mitigation is his guilty plea, although it was not entered at the first opportunity at the magistrates court."

He said that Bancroft, who has no similar convictions, recognises he will have to undertake work while in prison to address his offending behaviour.

Mr Weate also told the court that the defendant has health problems and added: "He has a large number of children and grandchildren but has no contact with them."

He said that after Bancrofts arrest "some people made it public knowledge and his property was ransacked and all his belongings have gone".

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Officers investigating a sexual assault on London Road on Thursday evening (28 October) have charged a man.

Christopher Michael Spybey, 43, of no fixed abode, has been charged with sexual assault on a female and two counts of possession of a knife.

The charge comes after it was reported to us that between 7.30pm and 8.30pm on Thursday 28 October a man had approached a woman on London Road and sexually assaulted her. He also had a knife in his possession.

Spybey has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates Court tomorrow (Monday 1 November.)

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A paedophile bragged to friends about targeting vulnerable underage girls despite being on bail for previous offences.

Ben Dawson spoke to three girls over two years, but two were decoy profiles operated by paedophile hunters who later confronted him.

The 34-year-old repeatedly asked the girls for nude images and videos while also sending them explicit pictures and encouraging them to watch pornography.

But despite being on bail for his earlier offending and being warned by a friend about his actions, Dawson, of West End, Alfreton, continued to prey on young girls and tried to meet them, telling them that he could not have sex with them until they were 18.

Sentencing Dawson to five years in prison at Derby Crown Court, sitting at the Mercure Hotel in Nottingham, on Friday, October 29, Recorder Adrian Reynolds said: "What makes this case particularly serious is, in a nutshell, the determination with which you have continued to offend.

"You had already ignored a specific warning that [one of the girls] was vulnerable and should be left alone. That made no impact..

"Even when you were arrested a second time you continued to offend again. It is of considerable concern to me that you appear to be completely in denial about your sexual attraction to underage girls and you rather see yourself as the victim of all this.

"I don't agree with the defence's submission about that you were insisting that you would not have had sexual intercourse with any of these girls until they are 18. I can't for the life of me think of what other reason you had to meet them other than to engage in sexual intercourse.

"I'm going to pass a fairly substantial prison sentence upon you."

David Outerside, prosecuting, told the court that Dawson's offending began when he started messaging a 15-year-old girl in January 2019, despite being told by a social worker that the girl was vulnerable and at risk of exploitation.

He asked for sexually explicit videos of her and even got his nephew to convince the girl to unblock him on social media when she tried to stop speaking to him.

Dawson, who has a previous conviction for indecent assault, also repeatedly invited her to his house, but she never accepted, before he was arrested in August 2019.

But while this was being investigated, he made contact with a fake profile named Ellie Stevens in February 2020, who was actually a self-styled paedophile hunter posing as a 13-year-old girl.

He messaged the decoy saying "I'm 32 and have my own place" and offered to buy her gaming credits, before starting to talk about sex and having a relationship with her.

He later called her while touching himself and said that she should too, saying that he hoped "you get horny".

The group then contacted police and he was arrested again in April 2020, before being bailed, only for Dawson to then contact a second decoy, posing as a 14-year-old girl called Danni, on March 17 2021..

Despite the fake profile again making her age clear from the start, Dawson bragged about being arrested and said that the investigation was based on fake evidence as his account was hacked.

He admitted that he could "get done" for meeting a girl under the age of 16, and at this point was warned by his friend about his behaviour, but neither stopped him from telling the fake profile that she was "stunning" and that he would have asked her on a date if she was 18.

He repeated his earlier behaviour by sending explicit photos and arranged to meet the girl at Alfreton bus station, sending her links to pornographic websites so that she could "get ideas" in the meantime.

When he went to meet who he thought was Danni, he was confronted by the group and arrested again.

Andrew Fitch-Holland, defending, admitted that the case was "difficult" to defend but said that he did not pose a serious risk.

He said: "It is clear that this defendant is at pains to point out that he has no intention of forcing himself upon anybody and the need of any sexual activity to be postponed until the victim is 18.

"The reality is that Mr Dawson himself is a man with a high degree of vulnerability. He has learning difficulties, he is dyslexic.

"He [Dawson] has a extreme degree of naivety. He seems prepared to disclose the nature of his offending to others in custody.

"The reality is this is a very immature man. His desire to stay at home, locked away playing video games, means he has not been able to engage properly with his offending behaviour."

Alongside his prison sentence, Recorder Reynolds also placed Dawson on the sex offender register for life and gave him an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child, attempting to meet a girl under the age of 16 years, attempting to cause or incite a girl 13-15 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13-15 to watch or look at pornographic images, attempting to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child and attempting to meet a girl under the age of 16 years following grooming.

He must also pay a victim surcharge.

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A teenager exploited the failures of a mum as he raped and sexually abused two of her vulnerable children.

Brandon Mullin preyed on the youngsters, siblings a judge said were victims of the worst neglect he had ever seen.

His terrible abuse only ended when the children were taken into care.

Mullin, now 19, was convicted of 10 sexual offences against two victims following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

His crimes included the rape of a boy and abuse of a girl.

Mullin was a child himself at the time of the offences, though Judge Garrett Byrne today declared: "I am satisfied you knew perfectly well what you were doing was wrong."

Passing sentence on Monday morning, Judge Byrne described Mullin as a "cold and calculated individual" who had no regard for the impact of his actions on his victims and had displayed no remorse for his "wicked deeds".

He added: "The harm you have caused these children is incalculable. You have caused them physical, emotional and developmental harm. The harm will last the rest of their lives."

Classing Mullin as a dangerous offender, Judge Byrne handed the teen 13 years' detention at a young offender institution with an extended licence of three years.

This means Mullin will be locked up for at least two thirds of his detention period before he can be considered for parole.

Once released, he will be subject to strict conditions for the rest of that 13 year sentence, plus a further three years.

He was also given a lifetime sexual harm prevention order.

Ian Whitehurst, defending, had told the court Mullin was found to have been a "vulnerable and immature individual" at the time of his crimes and that "there was no structure in his life whatsoever".

He said there had been a "marked improvement" in his client since he had been taken into custody and that he was now engaging with a number of rehabilitation services behind bars.

The court had previously heard of the backdrop that allowed Mullin to prey on his victims.

The children, and their other brothers and sisters, grew up in a chaotic and filthy environment without adequate food and clothing, basic hygiene, medical care, any toys or love.

Judge Byrne said their home had not been safe with many people - mostly "strangers" to them - coming and going.

Their mum, who cannot be named because that would identify her children, admitted five counts of neglect relating to each child "from birth until the date of their removal by social services".

Her pleas were made on the basis she did not know about the sexual abuse and was not involved in it.

This was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Sentencing her last month, Judge Byrne said while the mum didn't "participate" in the abuse, her neglect "led" to it.

He told her: "You were rarely there, choosing instead to prioritise your own needs over those of the children."

He added that her neglect meant Mullin " was afforded the opportunity of sexually abusing them ".

The judge said: "If your basis of plea is you had no responsibility for that, then I reject it.

"I accept you didn't know about the abuse. But if you exercised greater control... that abuse may not have occurred."

David Polglase, who prosecuted both the mum and Mullin, said agencies and professionals had tried to support her.

However, he said a family support worker noted she was "clever" in "giving out the right signals but then not complying", while the judge observed she would "pay lip service but fail to follow through with action".

The court heard a turning point came when one of her children, a little boy, was found " wandering the street, barefoot, with no coat, in cold weather, in wet clothes and with a wet nappy".

The mum, who also admitted possessing drugs with intent to supply in relation to a police swoop after her children had been removed from her care, was sentenced to 12 years in jail.

Speaking as he locked up Mullin, of Kensington Road, Kensington, Judge Byrne said the only positive to emerge from the case was that the children were now being looked after by loving, caring foster parents.

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A qualified masseur sexually assaulted three women after he had been arrested and questioned by police in relation to similar attacks on other women.

Christopher Barnes, 46, was jailed for four years during a hearing on Friday (October 29) at Liverpool Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting his clients.

One of the victims told Barnes that she hoped that he "rotted in hell" for the damage he had caused her.

Michael Scholes, prosecuting, told the court how Barnes touched the breasts and groins of six women who booked treatment at his Rose Lane clinic.

Barnes of Wellington Street, Garston, had previously groped two women in the space of two months in 2018 at his south Liverpool clinic, leaving them feeling disgusted, vulnerable and frightened.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault weeks before a trial and was handed 20 months in prison, suspended for two years, in June 2019.

But more women then contacted the police to say they too had been sexually abused by Barnes after reading about him in the ECHO.

In total Barnes molested eight women during massages when he abused a position of trust to take advantage of customers suffering from pain and stress.

On Friday Judge Neil Flewitt, QC described how Barnes committed three sexual assaults after being arrested and interviewed by police in April 2018 following claims by two other women.

Judge Flewitt said: "It is also an aggravating feature of this case that you sexually assaulted three women after you had been arrested and interviewed in relation to the allegations made by two other women.

"In addition, the fact that you committed offences against eight different women indicates that these offences were not the product of a momentary lapse of judgement but instead suggests a degree of planning in that you were, in my view, looking out for suitable victims."

Judge Flewitt also pointed out that Barnes used the veneer of his status as a qualified masseur to carry out a string of sexual assaults.

Judge Flewitt said: "I recognise that, when you committed these offences, you were a properly qualified masseur, not a charlatan pretending to have skills which were beyond you.

"However, that fact is of limited value because it means that you were well aware that what you were doing was inappropriate and of no therapeutic value."

Judge Flewitt also addressed the impact Barnes had on his victims when sentencing him.

One victim told the jury: "It felt like parts of it were more for his gratification that what Id agreed to which was a relaxation treatment.

Another victim said: I felt like I was being abused and taken advantage of Im a very proud woman and to be touched in those areas was mortifying for me.

A woman said: It just didnt feel like a massage, it didnt feel like Reiki, it felt like caressing

Sentencing Barnes on Friday Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, said: "You committed offences against eight different women.

"You continue to deny the offences and show little or no remorse.

"Your continued denials increase the risk of harm to lone females."

Judge Flewitt jailed Barnes for four years and told him he would be subject to a sexual offences prevention order when he was released on licence.

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A London man who travelled to Cambodia and engaged in sexual activity with a child has been jailed.

Gary Cosgrove, 59 (05.03.62) of Bethnal Green was sentenced on Friday, 29 October at the Old Bailey to two years and five months' imprisonment. He was also given a sexual harm prevention order for a period of ten years.

On Monday, 6 September, prior to a trial, he pleaded guilty to making indecent images of a child and inciting a child to commit a sexual act.

On Friday, 13 April 2018 the Met received intelligence reports from the National Crime Agency of a male sexually abusing, grooming and exploiting children in Cambodia.

Intelligence suggested the male had been travelling around the locality of an area called Sihanoukville, meeting with children and sexually assaulting them.

Detectives from the Met's Central Specialist Crime began investigating and detained Gary Cosgrove on Thursday, 31 May 2018 at Heathrow Airport. He was arrested on suspicion of sexual activity with a male child under 13-years-old.

During his interview he confirmed he was present in Cambodia, engaging with children, giving them gifts such as food, money, clothing and toys. He denied committing any offences of a sexual nature against these children.

Numerous items were seized from him, including data storage devices. Further electronic items were seized following a search at his address.

He was subsequently bailed with conditions.

A number of items seized were sent for analysis, one of which was found to contain video of a male sexually communicating with a child and also a large number of images of naked children.

A particular video, which was around 50 seconds in length, revealed an explicit conversation with a child where a male could be heard trying to persuade her to remove her underwear – she was around four-years-old. She appeared to be holding paper currency.

It was discovered that the video was made on an iPhone 6 Plus on 5 January 2018. The location of the footage showed to be in Cambodia, which was where Cosgrove was at the time.

Cosgrove was further interviewed about this matter on Tuesday, 26 June 2018 but denied he was the person recording or talking on the video. He was again bailed.

Voice analysis was later completed and a report from an expert in forensic speech and acoustics found the recording provided moderately strong support that Cosgrove was the speaker. Cosgrove continued to deny all questions put to him. In July 2019 he was charged with possession of indecent images of a child, engaging in sexual communication with a child and inciting a child to commit a sexual act.

Detective Constable Mike, Penn, from Central Specialist Crime said: "This sentence highlights the Met's and partner agencies determination to track down these offenders and tirelessly investigate offences to secure their convictions and safeguard vulnerable children no matter where they are in the world.

"If you have been a victim of sexual assault or rape or you have information about an offender, contact police on 101 or 999 in an emergency – there are specially trained officers who will listen and investigate where needed."

Peter Vernon from the NCA's International Liaison Network, said: "Gary Cosgrove targeted vulnerable children in Cambodia then groomed them, building their trust through the provision of gifts, before sexually abusing them.

"Transnational child sex offenders like Cosgrove think that by conducting their abuse in a remote part of the world, they won't get caught. However, as this case shows, borders are not a barrier.

"The NCA works closely with international partners to target British nationals who commit these offences overseas. We are then able to share information with our partners back in the UK to ensure they face justice for their crimes."

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Five women have been praised for their bravery and courage after their evidence helped convict the man who sexually abused them as young girls. The women said they are glad justice has been served after Timothy Fawlk, 54, of Park End Road, Gloucester, was jailed for 25 years. He was found guilty of a series of sex offences committed between 1988 and 2018. One of the women said she now felt she could put the ordeal behind her. The five women gave evidence at Cirencester Nightingale Court, where Fawlk had denied 23 counts of rape and sexual abuse.

'Amazing support'

They encouraged others who had been subjected to abuse to report it. One said: "Finally I can put behind me what I've been carrying around for many years. It's never too late to come forward. The support from the police and GRASAC (Gloucestershire's Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre) has been amazing." Another said she now felt she had "closure" on that part of her life. "I would encourage any victim of this sort of crime to never worry about telling police," she added.

'Great dignity'

Gloucestershire Police Det Con Peter Rowsell said the women had conducted themselves with great dignity, with Fawlk showing no remorse. "I would like to commend the bravery and the courage of the victims. They disclosed the most horrendous sexual abuse," he said. Fawlk was sentenced to 25 years in prison at Gloucester Crown Court on Thursday. Judge James Townsend told Fawlk that he was extending the sentence by giving him an additional five years on parole. He also imposed an indefinite restraining order banning Fawlk from any contact with his victims and placed him on the sex offenders' register for life.

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Alan Hawkins, of North Shields, has previous convictions for indecent assault and possessing and distributing indecent images A serial pervert is back behind bars after police found an indecent image of boys on his phone. Alan Hawkins has been jailed previously for indecent assault and possessing and distributing indecent images. When police went to the registered sex offender's home in September this year, they examined his phone and the first picture they found in his photo gallery was the indecent image. The court heard it was of the most serious type, category A. Now the 57-year-old, of Saville Street West, North Shields, who has 23 previous convictions, has been jailed at Newcastle Crown Court. The court heard he was jailed for 18 months for indecent assault in 1997, got five years for possessing and distributing indecent images in 2008, three years for possessing indecent images in 2018 and a suspended sentence last June for breaching his sexual harm prevention order. On September 30, police attended his home and the latest offence was discovered.

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A paedophile who posed as a young boy and was caught by an undercover police officer doing the same has avoided jail.

Richard Williams, 44, shared vile pictures with young girls online, met with them for lewd acts live on camera and possessed images of children as young as four, Truro Crown Court was told at his sentencing hearing today (Friday, October 29).

Williams pleaded guilty to eight paedophile offences over a period of seven years.

The offences included:

• Attempting to communicate with a person aged under 16 for his own sexual gratificatioin, namely an undercover police officer pretending to be a 13-year-old boy.
• Possessing hundreds and thousands of indecent images of children, in categories C (809), B (1,362) and A (1,096) respectively.
• Possessing 43 prohibited images of children.
• Distributing an indecent picture of a child, namely an image in category C.
• Engaging in a sexual activity, namely masturbation, in a place where you could be observed by a child under 16 knowing or believing that the child was. or intending that the child should be aware you were engaging in that activity.
• Intentionally causing or inciting a girl aged under 16, not reasonably believing she was aged 16 or over, to engage in sexual activity of a non-penetrative nature, namely masturbation.

Recorder Richard Smith, QC, said the first offence occurred in 2013.

He explained Williams, of Tresooth Place, Penryn, sent and received a number of pictures of children with whom he was in contact over various platforms and he distributed a Category C - the lowest of three - movie over Skype.

The court heard how between 2015 and 2016 Williams was in communication with a 14-year-old girl. He was pretending to be a 15-year-old boy.

Recorder Smith said: "You persuaded that 14-year-old girl to watch you masturbate and you sent her a number of pictures of your erect penis. Later and still concerning the same victim you sent a series of grooming messages encouraging her to masturbate.

"By 2019 you came into contact with an undercover officer who had joined a group of individuals of sexually like-minded people so he could no doubt monitor their activity."

He said Williams came to the officer's attention when he joined that group and posted explicit pictures of himself.

He explained Williams, of Tresooth Place, Penryn, sent and received a number of pictures of children with whom he was in contact over various platforms and he distributed a Category C - the lowest of three - movie over Skype.

The court heard how between 2015 and 2016 Williams was in communication with a 14-year-old girl. He was pretending to be a 15-year-old boy.

Recorder Smith said: "You persuaded that 14-year-old girl to watch you masturbate and you sent her a number of pictures of your erect penis. Later and still concerning the same victim you sent a series of grooming messages encouraging her to masturbate.

"By 2019 you came into contact with an undercover officer who had joined a group of individuals of sexually like-minded people so he could no doubt monitor their activity."

He said Williams came to the officer's attention when he joined that group and posted explicit pictures of himself.

Recorder Smith said it was that interaction that led to Williams' discovery, as the undercover officer was posing as a teenage boy. Following his arrest, Williams' devices were seized by police.

Recorder Smith said: "It unfolded on investigation that over a number of years you had been sending thousands of messages of sexual content over a variety of different platforms to young people."

Recorder Smith added Williams was in possession of "thousands not hundreds" of indecent pictures of children ranging from ages four to 16. Those pictures also ranged in category from C to A, in order of seriousness.

Recorder Smith said following his arrest Williams admitted to the offences and expressed he wanted help with the situation "he found himself in".

Earlier in the hearing, Robin Smith, representing Williams, explained to the court that it's often the case that alleged paedophiles with devices seized wait to hear what charges they face before admitting any wrongdoing. However, this wasn't Williams' approach, as he admitted his offences at an early date.

Recorder Smith said since his discovery Williams had "done a great deal" to address his own "serious failings". He accepts Williams is genuinely ashamed and remorseful for what he's done. His offending coincided with difficult times of his life, but this wasn't an excuse for what he's done.

He said: "You were clearly driven over a long period of time over a sexual desire that you could not resist."

He said there's been no suggestion of any repeat offending in the two years since he was discovered.

Recorder Smith said: "You've taken efforts to better inform yourself over that which has driven you in the past to offend. You've simply not waited to be helped, you've sought to help yourself."

He added that Williams has no previous convictions.

Recorder Smith said Williams' partner is standing by him, not through loyalty but understanding their part in supporting him in the future.

Recorder Smith said: "I've carefully considered whether an immediate custodial sentence is necessary in this case and I've balanced that against the opportunity that stands today for society to be served by you being assisted by this very helpful and specific programme.

"I've come to the conclusion that justice in this case is best met having regard to all your particular circumstances, passage of time and what you've done since, this is an opportunity that should not be lost.

"I take the view that the most appropriate way to pass a sentence is to make you the subject of a community order."

Williams was handed a three-year community order with 20 days of specific rehab activity to address his previous offending and 15 hours of unpaid work.

Recorder Smith said: "This is an opportunity that's being presented to you, it's not an act of leniency, it's an act of justice to make sure society gives itself the best opportunity to rid itself of the man you previously were. If you fail you will have only failed yourself and in those circumstances it would be inevitable that you will serve a custodial sentence."

Williams is the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and will be placed on the sex offenders register for the next five years. He will also be required to pay a victim surcharge.