Latest Offenders

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A courageous girl stood up in court to tell the depraved monster who sexually abused her about the heartbreaking impact of his actions.

She added that she wanted to see the 39-year-old, of Doncaster, ‘get what he deserves’.

During a May 10 sentencing hearing, Sheffield Crown Court heard how jurors found David Catherall guilty of a string of child sex offences including rape; attempted rape; sexual activity with a child; and making indecent photographs and videos of his two victims.

Catherall, of Urban Road, Hexthorpe, Doncaster, also pleaded guilty to additional offences of making indecent photographs prior to his trial, which took place last month.

The jury was unable to reach a verdict on seven counts involving sex offences including rape, and the Crown Prosecution Service has subsequently offered no evidence on those counts.

One of the girls Catherall sexually abused chose to read her victim impact statement to the court, forcing Catherall to hear exactly what she had to say in her own words.

She described how she has previously self-harmed, and still continues to; and told the court how her continued distress over the sickening abuse she suffered at Catherall’s hands has even led to her attempting to take her own life.

But the valiant victim added: “I have come to my senses, and have realised he does not deserve it… I want to be here to see him get what he deserves.”

The statement from Catherall’s second victim was read to the court on her behalf by prosecution barrister Matthew Allen Bean, and detailed the prolonged and destructive impact his abuse continues to have on her life.

The inspiring survivor described how she worries about how the psychological effects of Catherall’s abuse will affect her ‘future prospects’.

Judge David Dixon praised the bravery of both girls.

He told them: “The bravery to come forward and make allegations like this can never be under-estimated.”

“Coming into a room where people are wearing funny hats and there are 12 jurors judging you – and that’s what they are doing – takes a great deal of bravery.”

“No-one can take away what's happened, no matter what we would like to do – that simply isn’t possible,” added Judge Dixon.

Summarising the facts of the case, Judge Dixon described Catherall as someone with a ‘fascination for pre-pubescent girls’, who employed a range of manipulative tactics such as crying and even holding a knife to his own throat to ‘get what he wanted’ from the girls he sexually abused, neither of whom can be named for legal reasons.

“You are a horrible, horrible man who has ruined the start of life for two young women who deserved much, much better,” said Judge Dixon.

Judge Dixon said he also deemed Catherall to be ‘dangerous’ and said he believes Catherall will commit further serious sexual crimes against pre-pubescent girls, if given the opportunity.

Defending, Katy Rafter said Catherall has no previous convictions, and told her he has ‘nothing and no-one’ since his offending was uncovered.

She added that Catherall has mental health difficulties which will inevitably be exacerbated during his time in prison.
Judge Dixon jailed Catherall for 24 years, with an extended licence period of five years due to the danger he poses to the public, bringing his total sentence to 29 years.

Catherall will have to serve at least two-thirds of his custodial sentence, or 16 years, before he can be considered for release as a consequence of his extended licence.

Most offenders are usually only required to serve half.

He also made Catherall the subject of a life-long sexual harm prevention order.

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A LONGBRIDGE man has been jailed for 18 years at Birmingham Crown Court for a string of sexual offences.

Darren Hollier, aged 52, of Culmington Road, was convicted of indecency with a male person, five counts of indecent assault, one count of attempted rape and two counts of indecency with a child.

He was found not guilty on one count of attempted rape and not guilty of one count of rape.

The sentences for the offences will run concurrently meaning he will serve 18 years in total.

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A man who sexually abused two young boys at a scout group in Islington where he volunteered as a helper has been jailed.

Ian Barker, 61 (27.03.56) of Queen’s Head Street, N1, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment at Blackfriars Crown Court today, Thursday 16 November.

He pleaded guilty at the same court on the third day of his trial on Wednesday, 15 November to one count of indecent assault with penetration on a boy aged under 14, one count of indecent assault on a boy aged under 14, and four counts of indecency with children – after Victim 1 gave evidence.

Barker volunteered to assist a scout troupe as a venture scout in Islington in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Both victims attended this troupe.

In 2015, Victim 1 reported to the police that Barker had sexually assaulted him when he was a scout at the troupe between 1979 and 1981, up to the age of 13.

While the victim was a scout, Barker had paid ‘special attention’ to him and singled him out for attention on the pretence that he was coaching him for specialist scout skills. However, this usually resulted in the victim being sexually assaulted by Barker.

Barker was arrested in May 2015 and denied the allegations when he was interviewed.

Following a lengthy investigation, involving extensive historic records checks and engagement with witnesses, a second victim who attended the same scout troupe was identified.

 

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Levi Seriki-Walters, 35, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court today (May 10).

The court heard that police were called to the commercial car park near The Anchorage at around 1.40am on August 27, 2020 after witnesses described hearing a woman crying for help.

Officers attended and spoke to the woman, aged in her 20s, who was found by members of the public in a distressed state.

She told police that she had been physically assaulted and then raped by a man known to her.

Police subsequently arrested and charged Seriki-Walters with rape.

The court heard that Seriki-Walters had been seen on CCTV chasing the woman from the scene, and forensic enquiries supported that he had raped the woman.

Despite the evidence put to him, he denied the offence and the case went to trial in April this year.

On Tuesday, April 12, the jury found Seriki-Walters guilty after deliberating for approximately two and a half hours.

Det Con Jasmin Curson, from the Operation Amberstone team, said: I want to commend the bravery of this woman for telling officers what had happened to her, and for working with police throughout the investigation and trial period.

She experienced something terrible that no person should ever have to experience.

The man responsible has now rightly been brought to justice and put behind bars where he cant harm another person in this way.

We take allegations of sexual offences incredibly seriously, and do everything in our power to support victims and bring perpetrators to justice. We also work closely with a number of support agencies who provide specialist help to those who need it.

Anyone who has been affected by this type of crime is encouraged to contact police on 101 where you can speak to a specially trained officer in confidence. We understand not everyone is comfortable talking to police, but please know that there are other independent support agencies out there that can provide you with the help you need.

Details on how to report sexual assault and where to seek support can be found at hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault.

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Samuel Belstone, 29, of Copnor Road, was sentenced in Portsmouth Crown Court today (May 9), after being found guilty to two counts of rape following the incident last year.

The court heard that in the early hours of Saturday, October 9, following a night out in the city centre, the victim, now 23, had been raped by a man she didnt know in an outdoor area she was not familiar with.

This was reported to police at 8.30am on the same morning and an investigation was launched by specialist officers.

Following CCTV enquiries and forensic analysis, Belstone was arrested and charged with two counts of rape.

Detective Sergeant Claire Ratcliffe, of Hampshire Constabularys specialist rape unit operation amberstone, said: First and foremost, we would like to commend the bravery and courage of the victim in this case. We know how incredibly difficult it can be to report crimes of this nature and this has understandably been a traumatic time for the lady involved, who has been supported by specialist officers at every stage of the investigation.

I hope that todays sentence will give her some closure and help her to begin moving forward in her life.

Portsmouth Superintendent and District Commander Clare Jenkins added: We have been upping our patrols at key times around our bars and clubs, as well as working with licensed premises within the city around how they safeguard their customers, with all venues having been offered welfare and vulnerability training. This is so that staff are able to identify potentially vulnerable people and how to properly safeguard them.

The training encourages premises to adopt safe areas and encourage the use of welfare officers, as well as ensuring that people feel they can easily report an incident to staff.

If youve been a victim, please report rape or sexual assault as soon as possible. Even if youre not 100 per cent sure, wed sooner hear from you so that we can make sure youre safe.

You can find out more about the support available to victims of sexual offences here at hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault.

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Rachel Fenton, previously known as Richard Fenton, was jailed yesterday for 10 years after admitting 21 child sex offences and a drug offence, including seven counts of attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. A court heard a number of indecent images of children, including a large amount of child sexual abuse photos, were found on Fenton's devices.

The 45-year-old pervert was arrested but, even on police bail, Fenton continued to try and get indecent images from children.

They were snagged both times as the profiles alleging to be children were actually run either a vigilante group and a police operative respectively, whom Fenton tried to incite to meet and perform sexual activities.

After the first occasion, in November 2020, Fenton was arrested at an address in Wythenshawe, Manchester, on suspicion of arranging a child sexual offence, and suspicion of possession of a class A controlled drug and possession of cannabis.

Fenton was arrested for a second time in January 2021 on suspicion of a number of sex offences, reports Manchester Evening News.

Detective Constable Ceri Martin, of Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) Sexual Crime Unit, called Fentons crimes "deplorable and completely unacceptable".

He added: "Fenton is a paedophile who knowingly attempted to exploit children for his own sexual gratification.

"This behaviour is deplorable and completely unacceptable. The safety of our children is a top priority in Greater Manchester and I hope today's sentencing spreads the message to anyone thinking of engaging in this type of behaviour that it will not be tolerated.

"GMP will do their absolute utmost to thoroughly investigate all reports of this type of crime and bring the perpetrators to justice."

The defendant, of Wythenshawe, pleaded guilty to 21 child sex offences at Manchester Crown Court, including seven counts of attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, five counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, one count of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and two counts of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity.

Fenton also been issued with a sexual harm prevention order and been made to sign the sex offenders register for life.

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A flasher accused of exposing himself to a patient in a doctors surgery and of lewd behaviour in the street, was jailed on Monday. Salvador Ahmed-Younge, 39, of High Street, Llanberis, was sentenced to a year in custody after he admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order. But a six months suspended prison term was also activated, consecutively.

He must register as a sex offender for 10 years. District Judge Gwyn Jones told him at Llandudno court that a sexual harm prevention order had been made to control his lewd behaviour.

The judge said :Such a flagrant disregard of an order of the court can only mean one thing, an immediate period of custody.

The defendant admitted breaching the order, exposure, theft, having cannabis and outraging public decency on May 6. Defence solicitor Deborah Davies said Ahmed-Younge had spent four years in a medium secure hospital previously. Hed begun using drugs from a young age and had a traumatic childhood.

Judge Jones told the defendant he had exposed himself in a surgery in the Caernarfon area when there would have been vulnerable people there. Your record of offending does you no favours. Theres a long history of non-compliance with court orders, the judge added.

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A PAEDOPHILE has been locked up after being caught sharing disgusting sexual messages with someone who he believed was an 11-year-old girl in foster care. Ethan Birch arranged to meet up with the child, bringing with him pairs of girls knickers and crop tops after discussing his depraved fantasies with her. Unbeknown to him though that the girl was in fact a member of a paedophile hunter group, who had set up a fake profile to catch offenders preying on youngsters online. The defendant appeared to be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday after admitting five counts of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity and two of attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity. He also pleaded guilty to one offence of attempting to meet a child after grooming, one of attempted sexual communication with a child and one of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual communication. Derek Jones, prosecuting, explained how the offences occurred over a 10-day period between January 12 and 21 this year. The case involved a group set up with the purpose of flushing out people that they perceived were child sex offenders. A group member set up a profile on the Chat Avenue social media platform under the guise of an 11-year-old girl named Izzy, who was messaged by the defendant in a teen chatroom. The pair chatted and he asked her not to block him if he told her he was really 20, to which she replied she was aged 11. After learning her age, Birch asked her if she was looking for a boyfriend and about her home life, to which she told him she was a foster child. He made comments about her profile picture, telling her how gorgeous she was, and on the first day of speaking to her he asked her if she loved him. The defendant continued to message over the following days on WhatsApp after they exchanged phone numbers, with his real name and photo appearing on his profile. He told her that he cared about her and that he wanted to do something naughty together, asking to see her underwear. Birch asked a number of times for such photos, which she repeatedly refused to send, even after he sent her a photo of him in his boxershorts. Mr Jones explained how the defendant used manipulative language to try and get her to do what he wanted, such as asking her: Do you want to make me happy? Chats turned to Birch instructing her how to perform sex acts on herself and telling her that she had to show him her underwear as she was his girlfriend. He sent her a photo of his naked genitals and a video of himself performing a sex act, with discussions escalating further with more sexual requests of her, this time of a penetrative nature. As the vile messages continued, she said: Please dont ask, its scary to do that. In response, he said: Im not asking, Im telling my girlfriend. While he also helped her with her schoolwork and explained maths concepts to her, the defendant then began to talk about meeting up at McDonalds in Widnes, which was close to his then home in Warrington. From the couple of hundred pages of messages, the prosecution determined it was Birchs intention to meet up for sexual touching rather than penetrative activity. The night before the proposed meet-up, the defendants conscience seems to get the better of him, with him telling her how wrong his actions have been and that he should not be talking like this to anybody under 18. This change of heart was however relatively short lived, and conversations returned to type with more requests for her to perform sex acts on herself. The pair arranged to meet up outside the DCBL Stadium on Lower House Lane in Widnes on Friday, January 21. When the defendant arrived, he was greeted by members of the paedophile hunter group who detained him and called the police. After arriving at the scene, officers searched Birchs rucksack and found pairs of girls underwear aged 12-14 years, as well as crop tops and a clean pair of underwear for himself. In his clients defence, David Morton spoke of how the defendant was a man of previous and positive character, with no prior convictions. He said that this was the beginning of how he intends to live a law-abiding life in the future, as someone who has expressed remorse, regret and an utter sense of shame. Mr Morton commented that Birch is utterly determined never to return to a criminal court again, while references describe him as hard-working, academic, polite respectful, nave, industrious and shy. Having had a taste of custody, his life will never be the same again, but there is a glimmer of real rehabilitation and a possibility of drawing back from an immediate custodial sentence, he concluded. Before sentencing, judge Brian Cummings said: You were and still are 20 years old, and some of the most difficult sentencing issues for the courts arise when the defendant has not been in trouble before and where they are young, but where the offences are very serious that very much applies in this case. This course of offending was relatively short, over 12 days, but unfortunately it cannot be said that it came to an end because you voluntarily desisted. It ended when you arranged to meet up in person with the intention of having sexual contact with her. Birch, of Little Lowes Meadow in Lowton, but appearing before the court via video-link from prison, was sentenced to four years and eight months detention in a young offender institution. He must also comply with the terms of a sexual harm prevention order for an indefinite period, while signing the sex offender register for the same length of time.

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A mother-of-one and her rapist boyfriend have been jailed for a total of 26 years over sickening sexual abuse they inflicted upon two young girls.

Tiffany Eccles, 27, and John Mills, 38, forced their victims to watch them have sex 'as a demonstration' before Mills raped both girls on separate occasions telling one to keep it their 'little secret'.

The couple were arrested last November after one of the victims told her mother how she had been abused by the couple over the course of four years, starting when she was just eight.

Landscape gardener Mills, of Bury, Greater Manchester raped the first victim at least five times and made her watch him and Eccles have intercourse. The sick group sex sessions involved them playing a game of spin the bottle whilst naked.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Mills was jailed for 19 years and three months after he admitted rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Girlfriend Eccles, also from Bury, was jailed for seven years and two months after she admitted engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child under 13 and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard the first victim was targeted after Mills befriended her father. Prosecuting, Mr Jon Close said the first attack happened during a camping trip attended by the couple, the now-teenage victim and her father and other friends.

'She was just eight years old and stayed in the same tent as the defendants,' he told Minshull Street Crown Court.

'He began touching her and she tried to get out of the tent he pulled his hand over her face saying: "Shh! don't do that".

'She was shouting for her father but he didn't hear as he was asleep. He told her not to tell anyone saying it was their "little secret".

'She knew it was wrong but was too frightened to tell anyone as she was fearful she would get into trouble. Eccles was present at the time but was asleep.

'The offending escalated when he took her to a shop in his car and he bought condoms. As they were coming back, he turned down a country road and told her to lie down in the back of his car and he raped her.

'Another car containing teenage boys arrived on the lane but they thought she was older than she actually was and Mills drove away.'

In one incident, Mills raped the girl whilst Eccles was in another bedroom aware of what was happening. He also raped her on a sofa at his home.

'On one occasions she was told she had to stay with Eccles until Mills got back from work,' said Mr Close.

'She recalled him saying the could "have some fun". They were drinking alcohol and when he got back they went to a bedroom where they were all naked and they played Spin the Bottle.

'Eccles and the girl engaged in sex acts whilst he watched before joining in. The girl recalls how Mills made her watch him and Eccles have sex saying: "watch this". She felt disgusted. She said Mills was manipulative saying saying there would be lots of girls her age who liked these things.

'She said he was like two different people, one hand being friendly then on the other being totally different.'

As Eccles and Mills were locked up for a total of more than 26 years, relatives of the youngsters burst into applause in the public gallery and shouted: 'You filthy scumbags - hope you f**king rot.'

Police examined Mills' phone and also discovered he had filmed Eccles having sex with another man.

Another victim came forward to a teacher in school after she learned of the arrest. It emerged that their ordeals only came to an end when Covid-19 lockdown restrictions prevented them from meeting.

The court heard the second girl told police how Eccles stripped off at a house whilst Mills watched and then told the youngster to get undressed whilst they play a 'game.'

Eccles then had sex with Mills in front of the girl as a 'demonstration.'

During the hearing the mothers of both girls also gave emotion-charged statements detailing their heartbreak over the victim's ordeals.

In mitigation for Eccles, Anna Chestnutt said her client had started dating Mills when she was 18 and added: 'The offending was only ever instigated by Mills and she acted under his direction.

'She suffered a campaign of emotional abuse and manipulation at his hands. He demeaned her and left her trapped and in fear of him. He would threaten to leave her if she did not comply with his demands.'

In a letter to the court Mills said: 'I know I caused a great deal of trauma, hurt and pain to a great many people. I can't take back what I have done and make it right but I wish I could.

'I didn't think about my actions at the time but I realise I have torn lives apart and innocent people now suffer for what I have done. I hope they will eventually find peace.'

In a statement, the first victim, told officers: 'What happened has made me want to physically hurt myself in ways which are unimaginable, this has made me not want to walk this earth any longer.

'I have been suicidal for as long as I can remember and I have tried to take my life four times.

'What you did to me was sick and you both deserve everything coming your way. You've destroyed my life but I will not be silenced any longer.

'Before any of this happened and I was a bright and confident girl who walked around with a permanent smile on my face. I enjoyed life like any other child would and you ruined that.

'Now when I close my eyes at night all I remember is the repulsive things you did to me.

'You took advantage of me - a child and a minor - and you knew I couldn't fight back. Reporting you to police is my payback as I am strong enough to realise you will not ruin me any longer.

'I will never get back the body I had before the abuse but if I didn't speak up about this, I would never have been saved and this would have happened to other children.

'You brainwashed me into believing what you did was wrong and all you thought about was yourselves and your sick pleasures.

'I want you to sit there and listen to me as I had to do with you when you did all those horrible things. Hear my words - what you did will not define me.'

The second, now also in her teens, said in a statement: 'I was subjected to horrific things no child should ever be subjected to. They did what they wanted regardless of my feelings... They manipulated me.'

Mills held his head in his hands whilst Eccles wept as Judge Bernadette Baxter said: 'There was literally nowhere that was a sanctuary for these defenceless children when they were with you.

'This vile behaviour was committed over a number of years and the victim's statements make clear the dreadful and long-lasting impact your depravity has had on them.

'You have affected their confidence, their self esteem, their ability to form trusting relationships, their mental health and even their will to continue living. Your behaviour will live with them long after any sentence I pass expires.'

Eccles and Mills were also ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register and abide by an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Both were barred from contacting the girls under the terms of a restraining order.

Following Mills' release from jail he will be on licence until 2043 under the terms of an extended sentence.

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A PERVERT who secretly filmed teenagers having sex and took naked photos of young girls made the mum of one victim 'physically sick'. Daniel Barrett, also known as 'Bill', even climbed onto a flat roof to film a teenage couple having sex and also performed a sex act in front of a young girl in a tent. The 42-year-old of Bewdley Street, Evesham, showed no emotion as he was jailed for 33 months at Worcester Crown Court on Monday. One victim described 'suicidal thoughts' while the mother of a victim threw up when she learned the defendant had filmed her daughter having sex. He had previously admitted four counts of voyeurism which had three separate victims in total and one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child which he only accepted on what have been the first day of his trial. This 'plea at the door of the court', though entered late, did spare one victim having to give evidence. Jonathan Veasey-Pugh, prosecuting, said one of the children he filmed would have been either nine, 10, 11 or 12 at the the time of the offence and the other would have been 14, 15 or 16. The voyeurism offences took place between February 23, 2006 and February 22, 2009 and again between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2017. An iPhone and a computer were seized during the course of the investigation. Mr Veasey-Pugh described how one victim saw a light and found a camera hidden in a pile of clothes. The video on the camera even showed the defendant placing it there. Barrett also performed a sex act upon himself in a tent in front of a child. "He made eye contact with her. She made eye contact with him" said Mr Veasey-Pugh. The whole incident lasted five minutes. Photos of a girl naked from the top down were found on the defendant's computer as was a video of a girl having sex with her boyfriend when she was an adult. The defendant's brother ultimately brought the matters to the attention of the authorities in 2020. Barrett had filmed a teenage couple having sex by placing the phone on a window ledge, admitting that he had done this for his own gratification. In interview he accepted he was 'fascinated generally with teenage girls'. In a victim impact statement one of the complainants 'talks of anxiety, stress and suicidal thoughts', said the prosecutor. After discovering a video had been made of her daughter having sex, the mum of one victim said: "I was violently sick." "The defendant's mother also has some rather robust things to say about the defendant" said the prosecutor, although he did not disclose her words in open court. Judge Nicholas Cole spoke of the impact upon the victims and upon the mother who learned what had happened. "One can only imagine the horror and disgust that her mother experienced observing this video and to know that you had made it and stored it on your computer for your own sexual gratification." He made a restraining order to prohibit any contact with the victims until further order. A sexual harm prevention order will restrict his contact with children and his use of the internet and electronic devices for an indefinite period. Barrett must sign the sex offender register and is subject to notification requirements, again indefinitely. The forfeiture and destruction of the computer was ordered. Barrett was told he could expect to serve half his sentence in custody and half in the community on licence.

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A Royal Navy sailor caught with hundreds of vile images of children has avoided jail. Twisted father-of-two Barry Ferguson, aged 40, downloaded videos of infants being raped or having sex with animals for more than seven years, a court heard.

He spent seven years getting pleasure out of children as young as 18 months being abused, some on films about 20 minutes long. But Ferguson, who is due to leave the Navy soon, walked out of Plymouth Crown Court with a community order.

A judge said that he had no previous convictions, had admitted his guilt and already sought counselling for his problems. Judge WIlliam Mousley added that Ferguson was also a carer for his disabled wife.

A Royal Navy sailor caught with hundreds of vile images of children has avoided jail. Twisted father-of-two Barry Ferguson, aged 40, downloaded videos of infants being raped or having sex with animals for more than seven years, a court heard.

He spent seven years getting pleasure out of children as young as 18 months being abused, some on films about 20 minutes long. But Ferguson, who is due to leave the Navy soon, walked out of Plymouth Crown Court with a community order.

A judge said that he had no previous convictions, had admitted his guilt and already sought counselling for his problems. Judge WIlliam Mousley added that Ferguson was also a carer for his disabled wife.

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He said: "Images include moving images and feature particularly young children and also children suffering visible pain and distress.

"Factors reducing the sentence is that there are no previous convictions, you have cooperated with the police from the word go, even before the devices were properly examined. You have already made significant efforts to address your criminal behaviour.

"I consider you could be dealt with more constructively by a community order requiring that you attend an accredited programme."

The judge said that Ferguson had sought help from a charity which helps internet sex offenders tackle their habits.

Ferguson was handed a three-year community order with a sex offender treatment programme and probation's Rehabilitation Activity Requirement supervision course. He was also ordered to pay the prosecution costs of 1,200.

Barry John Michael Ferguson, of West Down Road, Beacon Park, pleaded guilty to three counts of making or downloading indecent images of children between October 2015 and May 2021.

He had 332 images, including more than 300 films, in the most severe Category A, showing children being sexually abused. He had 13 images in Category B and two in Category C.

Piers Norsworthy, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said police executed a search warrant at his home on June 2 last year after being told of indecent images linked to his IP address. He added that the images were discovered on his laptop and a computer hard drive.

Mr Norsworthy said that the defendant confessed to looking at indecent child images for seven or eight years, starting after the break-up of his first marriage. He read graphic descriptions of the content of some of the worst videos, including some 13, 18 and 25 minutes long.

They included children between 18 months and four years being sexually abused. The barrister said that Ferguson's search history showed that he had been searching for vile child images.

Will Willden, for Ferguson, said that he was due to leave the Royal Navy in June. Mr Willden said Ferguson had two children from his previous relationship.

He added: "He has been in the Armed Forces for some considerable time. He is on termination leave. The Royal Navy will look into this conviction and study Your Honour's comments. He will be discharged."

Judge Mousley ordered the forfeiture of the laptop and hard drive. Ferguson was handed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will allow police to monitor his internet use and will be on the Sex Offender Register for the same period.

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46-year-old Paul Elvins has been jailed for more than 4 years after pleading guilty to attempting to meet an underage boy for sex and sending sexual communications to 21 other children on social media platforms.

Elvins, formally of St Johns Road in Sandown, was sentenced on Friday after admitting to arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, 2 counts of sexual communication with a child, 17 counts of attempted sexual communication with a child, and attempting to pay 40 for the sexual services of a child.

The disgraced care worker, who worked with disabled adults, thought he was communicating with a 13-year-old boy and arranged to meet with him for sex, but it was actually an undercover police officer.

When Elvins was arrested at his place of work, the police checked his phone and found evidence of other communications he had sent to 21 different children all of whom were under 16 years of age.

Judge Barry McElduff sentenced Elvins to 4 years and 8 months behind bars and made him subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Emma Lile, CPS Wessex Senior Crown Prosecutor, said:

We worked with Hampshire police officers from a very early stage in the investigation of this case to ensure we had all the evidence we needed to prove Elvins was guilty.

As a result of this early engagement and our strong partnership working, Elvins admitted his guilt to all offences at the first opportunity.

Thankfully, Elvins was caught by an undercover officer rather than meeting with a real 13-year-old boy, but thats not to say that the other children Elvins contacted on social media will not have been deeply affected by his behaviour.

We are committed to keeping children safe from those who seek to prey on them using the internet and social media platforms. Perpetrators should know that we will prosecute you whenever our legal test is met.

With time on remand taken into account and an automatic early release, Paul Elvins could be back on the streets by June 2024.

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A SCHOOL sports coach who was jailed for having sex with a 14-year-old in a classroom has avoided being sent back to prison despite breaching a court order. Glyn Harrison, previously known as Glyn Thompson, had been working in a primary school in Burnley when the original offences took place back in 2011-2013. In September 2013 he was sentenced to eight years in prison for the offences and was also made the subject of a sexual offence prevention order and notification requirements. At the time Preston Crown Court heard how the then 30-year-old had groomed and had a sexual relationship with his victim over an 18-month period. His teenage victim even took a pregnancy test to ensure she wasnt carrying the Burnley teachers baby. It was heard how Thompson - who has since changed his surname to Harrison in an attempt to hide his past - had "groomed" the youngster over a series of weeks, initially swapping e-mails and then exchanging naked pictures of each other. But this eventually progressed to kissing, oral sex and then full intercourse with the girl. On Monday, Burnley Crown Court heard how Harrison had breached the SOPO by having unsupervised contact with a female child under 16 years of age, without the approval of social services and the childs parent was unaware of his convictions. He had also breached his sex offender notification requirements by not informing the relevant authorities where he was residing and staying for a period of seven days or more where a child under 18 resides. Harrison, 40, of Meadow Bank Mews, Nelson, pleaded guilty to the charges at an earlier hearing. He was jailed for two years, suspended for 24 months, with a seven-month curfew and 20 Rehabilitation Action Requirement Days. Katie Lord, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West said: Thompson changed his name to Harrison in an attempt to leave his past behind him. "He didnt disclose his past offending to the women he dated so they could make informed decisions and he failed to adhere to the SOPO and notification requirements put in place to protect children from him reoffending. "I hope this conviction and sentence will remind him and others of the consequences of breaching sexual offences prevention orders and notification requirements.

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A man who sexually abused three young girls - subjecting each to "utterly horrific ordeals" - has been jailed for 30 years. John Kelk, 68, from Barnsley, physically abused his victims, dragging one girl by her hair, beating her and making her drink weed killer. He was convicted of 22 offences, including rape and sexual assault, committed in the 1970s and 80s. Police described his crimes as "vile and "sickening". 'Courage and dignity' Speaking after the sentencing Det Con Nicola Milner, of South Yorkshire Police, described the crimes as "horrendous" and said each victim had been put through "utterly horrific ordeals." Allegations were first made against Kelk in 2018, when one of the victims reported what had happened to her as a child to her local police force. An investigation was launched and two further victims came forward, South Yorkshire Police said. Det Con Milner said: "Kelk's abuse began for one of the victims when she was just seven years old and continued into her teens. "The others were also just young teenagers when he committed these despicable acts." She added: "I am full of admiration and respect for the victims, who conducted themselves with remarkable courage and dignity throughout the investigation." Kelk, of Wingfield Road, Athersley South, Barnsley was sentenced on Friday following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

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A pupil at a top Kent boarding school was sexually assaulted by a senior member of staff, who later went on to teach elsewhere in the country. Even though the terrified child reported the incident to senior staff at the Maidstone school almost 30 years ago, police were never informed. Head of chemistry Dr Mohammed Afzal - who was referred to as "X" by his victim - was allowed to resign before going on to teach at other schools, a court has heard. She told the judge: "When X assaulted me, the school did nothing to support me, other than to dismiss him. I received no mental health support whatsoever. "I learned to suffer in silence. I was treated like I was a piece of dirt and rubbish to be discarded." His defiant victim told the judge that her voice was taken away when she was a child before adding: "X effectively imprisoned me and terrified me. My parents and the school did nothing to report X's behaviour to the police. "But I wanted to be brave for myself and others so that I could speak out. "My voice was taken away from me when I was a child but I am an adult now. I have carried this burden but it was not my shame. I will no longer suffer in silence for what X did." The former pupil, who watched proceedings by video-link from an adjoining room, added: "I was particularly vulnerable to X's predatory behaviour because I came from a poor background compared to the majority of pupils. "School taught me many things but it didn't teach me the warning signs that I was being groomed. "Signs such as emotional manipulation, coercive behaviour and gaslighting. "X taught me that words can become dangerous weapons in the mouths of predators." Afzal - who is now 66 years old - had planned the sex attack after buying alcohol before seducing the child. Prosecutor Tom Dunn told Maidstone Crown Court: "He was suspended following reports made by the victim who had claimed she had been indecently assaulted. "However, the school chose not to inform the police about the complaints, and instead they suspended him." It was only in 2019 when the victim told police that she was suffering from poor mental health caused by her ordeal that criminal investigations began. The prosecutor told how the pupil was lured to his home in the school on the pretext of babysitting duties. When the girl realised there were no children present he made excuses before making her telephone her parents claiming she was babysitting. He added: "Afzal came in to visit her, and seemed concerned about her welfare. He suggested that he would cook dinner for her. "She said that Afzal gave her wine, which made her feel unusually heavy, and then got into bed with her. The predator said: "Why don't you kiss me? You are a beautiful girl. "He then sexually assaulted her by forcing his tongue into her mouth, groping her breasts and touching her." Mr Dunn also revealed that the devious doctor also had inappropriate relationships with other pupils at the time. Afzal, now of Sheldon in Birmingham, was arrested at the city's airport before boarding a flight to Dubai. He was found guilty of sexual assault and has now been jailed for three years and ordered to pay his victim 1,000 compensation. The court heard how police officers were also able to find written details backing the child's complaint in the archives at Sutton Valence - and a tape recording of Afzal attempting to seduce another pupil. The judge, Recorder Patricia Hitchcock QC, told him his victim had found his behaviour "disgusting" adding: "Your actions have had a devastating effect on her life. "Kent Police takes all reports of sexual offences very seriously, no matter how much time has passed since the incident took place" "You are a highly educated man but you are still unable to grasp the seriousness of your crime." Investigating officer DC Dan Williams said: "Kent Police takes all reports of sexual offences very seriously, no matter how much time has passed since the incident took place. "Such offences are never forgotten by the victims, who always display tremendous courage in speaking up to ensure their attackers can be brought to justice. "The crime committed by Mohammad Afzal was dreadful and I hope his imprisonment sends a clear message to other victims that you can speak to us, we will believe you and we will carry out a full and thorough investigation to bring those responsible before the courts." A spokesman for the school said: We condemn the actions of this individual in the strongest possible terms, and we express our sympathy to the victims. "The school notified the Department for Education directly in 1993, following the staff members immediate suspension, and the authorities chose to take no further action. "The school was first approached by police in 2019 for information to support the recent criminal case, and we have provided our full support throughout. "In recent inspections, the school has been praised for its safeguarding procedures nothing is more important than the safety of members of our community.