Latest Offenders

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A Derby doctor has been jailed for his attempts to have sex with underage teen girls.

Branded "arrogant" and "hypocritical" by a judge, Dr Jamil Rehman lied repeatedly about a four-hour journey he took with the intention of meeting an underage girl for sex.

The married father-of-two will be in prison for the birth of his third child and is likely to be deported to Pakistan on his release.

The trainee GP was found guilty in August of two counts of attempted sexual grooming of underage girls after travelling from Derby to west Wales to meet a 15-year-old girl called Kayla in 2019.

When he arrived he was met by self-styled paedophile hunters, with red roses and pills designed to delay orgasm found in the boot of his car.

Police also found further messages between the 35-year-old and a 13-year-old girl named Sienna, who was also a decoy.

Rehman, of Gilling Close, Littleover, Derby, claimed that he had no desire to engage in sexual activity and wanted "Kayla" to be his tour guide on his first visit to Wales.

But his defence was labelled as "frankly laughable" and "ludicrous" by Judge Paul Thomas QC at Swansea Crown Court, after Rehman tried to tell the jury that he had mistaken the words "hotel" and "restaurant", despite booking a room with a double bed.

The judge said: "You came to west Wales from the Derby area where you were practicing as a doctor.

"You came down here which, on my calculation, is a four-hour journey for one purpose and that purpose was to have full sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl.

"Your intentions were to have sexual intercourse with her.

"You claimed in the course of the trial to be concerned for the welfare of vulnerable girls. You did believe them to be vulnerable, which is why you targeted and attempted to groom them.

"As a man who was training to be a general practitioner, you would have known full well the potential impact of what you attempted to do.

"You were a married man, you simply wanted to use these underage girls for sexual purposes. You did lie about your age online and you did so deliberately."

Rehman was sentenced to 20 months in prison and placed on the Sex Offender's Register for 10 years, with the details of a sexual harm prevention order to be set.

He met who he thought were the underage girls in a chatroom called Meet4U, before having private conversations on WhatsApp.

He then travelled from Derby to Carmarthen, a journey of around 220 miles.

Eugene Egan, defending, told the court that Rehman, who is expecting a third child in December, was in the UK on a work visa and thus will likely have to return to his native Pakistan upon his release.

However he acknowledged that his client had fabricated much of his defence in his trial.

He said: "What he told the jury was concocted and a pack of lies.

"Perhaps for the first time now, on the day of sentencing, there is a genuine acknowledgement of what he has done.

"He has thrown away his career. The consequences for him will be harsh and substantial. He has thrown all that away through gross stupidity on his behalf."

Tracy Harrison, chief executive of Safe and Sound, a Derbyshire charity which supports young people who are victims of child exploitation including online grooming as well as their families, had previously voiced concern over the case.

She said: "This is a deeply disturbing case and highlights the increased dangers facing young people of online grooming.

"This particular case thankfully did not put a young person in danger but, for every instance that a perpetrator is trapped in a sting operation, there are countless others who fall victim to online predators.

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AN aspiring actor has been ordered to stay away from dogs after starring in a home movie featuring him having sex with his pet. Cops found a video appearing to show depraved Ewan Cole, 20, in a compromising position with a German Shepherd. Perth Sheriff Court earlier heard a stash of vile child abuse images was also found on his iPhone. Cole has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register and ordered to stay away from dogs and any children under the age of 16. Unemployed Cole admitted having an "unnatural connection with a dog" at his then home in Manse Crescent, Stanley, in December 2019. He also possessing "extreme pornographic images depicting in an explicit and realistic way" a man having sex with a dog and performing a sex act with a dog. In addition, he pled guilty to having indecent photos of children between 12 December 2019 and 3 March 2020. Defence solicitor Steve Lafferty said: "He has consulted with his doctor and he realises he has a problem. "He thinks there may be some kind of psychiatric disorder." He was bailed pending sentencing but put on the sex offenders register and banned from going near kids or dogs. Sheriff Wood told Cole: "The court is very concerned about the nature of these charges."

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A 60-year-old grandad from Luton who raped a young girl at a party has been jailed for eight years.

The court heard that Trevor Smith plied the teen, who had been drinking white wine and lemonade, with more alcohol before subjecting her to a "sordid and degrading" sexual act.

Smith is the second sex offender to be jailed in recent weeks, after a man from Shefford was jailed for sexually assaulting a young girl and downloading thousands of child sex abuse images.

At Luton Crown Court, prosecutor David Povall said the girl went to a bedroom because she was feeling drunk, but Smith appeared and encouraged her to return to the party.

Mr Povall said: "He pressed against her and rubbed her leg. She felt very uncomfortable. His hand moved up her leg. His behaviour was flirtatious."

She returned to the party where Smith poured her another vodka, which she exchanged for water before she went back to the bedroom.

The court heard that Smith reappeared in the room and pretended to express concern before trying to coax her back to the party.

Mr Povall said: "He became predatory and violent. He told her to stand up and face him."

He raped the victim from behind before subjecting her to a sordid and degrading sexual act. The teenager used social media to tell friends she had been raped before reporting it to a member of her family.

Smith, a carpenter and kitchen fitter, appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to the rape and sexual assault of the girl last year.

Defending, Kevin Molloy said: "He is a 60-year-old man of positive good character with 14 grandchildren. He is a devoted family man. There is no excuse for something that was wholly uncharacteristic.

"The defendant made an immediate admission to his son and the police heard that. He is totally to blame and she is blameless. He has a real sense of shame and embarrassment and is genuinely remorseful."

Recorder Patrick Fields told the defendant: "This event has had a devastating effect on the victim. Her life has been derailed by your violations of her."

Smith must abide by the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and register as a sex offender for life. He must serve two-thirds of the eight-year sentence before he can be considered for parole.

The judge told the victim, who was in court for the hearing, that he hoped she would now be able to move on in her life.

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A Brighton man has been given a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence after being convicted of sexual assault on a girl then aged under 13, more than six years ago.

Jason Lineker, 34, of Mouslecoomb Way, Brighton, had been found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict at Lewes Crown Court on 27 August after a five-day trial which included evidence from witnesses and the girl herself.

On Friday 3 September he was sentenced to four and a half years plus one year on additional prison licence.

He will be a registered sex offender for life, and was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) to last until further court order, severely restricting his access to children.

This was a re-trial after a previous jury had failed to agree on a verdict in November last year.

Detective Constable Angela Harvey of the Brighton Safeguarding Investigations Unit said: "The victim, a young child, was very brave, having to give evidence in two trials as a result of the hung jury outcome in November 2020"

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A paedophile who repeatedly tried to rape a girl was arrested after she wrote "I want to die" on a school computer.

Gregory Witham molested his young victim on multiple occasions leaving her with "severe psychological harm".

Liverpool Crown Court today heard she started self-harming as a result of the abuse, which was spotted by teachers.

But the predator denied any wrongdoing and forced the child to endure a trial, when he blamed her for what happened.

The ex-Navy serviceman, 39, formerly of Walton, shook his head when he was today jailed for 16 years.

Judge David Swinnerton said Witham's attempts to blame his vulnerable victim showed "a complete lack of remorse".

He said: "Of course she is not to blame in the slightest. It's appalling that you seek to suggest that she was."

Witham was found guilty of two counts of attempted rape, which the court heard reflected "repeated attempts" to rape his victim.

He was convicted of eight counts sexual activity with a child, which included four counts involving repeatedly touching the girl's genitalia under her clothing, and one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, which was an attempt to get her to perform a sex act on him.

Gareth Roberts, prosecuting, said the abuse came to light after an incident at the girl's school.

He said: "It was suggested she had written 'I want to die' on a school computer."

Mr Roberts told the jury teachers were concerned and spoke to the victim, who initially denied writing the words, but said she was unhappy and harming herself, and the reason was because she was being sexually abused by Witham.

The prosecutor today said: "The defendant asserted during the trial and has repeated in his pre-sentence report that she was sexualised and had essentially attempted to come on to him if I can use that phrase, which the Crown would say is a deliberate attempt to impugn her character."

Mr Roberts said there was also "a degree of degradation", because Witham would become angry with his victim and tell her she was "useless".

Six members of the girl's devastated family attended the sentencing hearing this morning.

The court heard a victim statement written by the girl's mum, who said her daughter had tried to write it herself, but became "very distressed and broke down in tears".

The mum said: "She said to me she thinks about what happened every single day."

She told the court she believed her daughter would benefit from counselling, but the girl didn't want it because she doesn't like to talk about the abuse, which brings it all back to her.

The mum said: "She is putting on a brave face, but I know as her mother deep down she is hurting."

Witham, now of Manor Road, Blackpool, who has no previous convictions, was supported by three people sitting in the public gallery.

Jimmy Vakil, defending, said: "I cannot mitigate on the facts and I would not seek to minimise the seriousness your honour of these offences."

He added: "It's always sad when someone of good character, indeed someone who has represented their country, falls in this way.

"On his behalf I ask for an element of mercy in the sentencing process. There is a genuine wish on his behalf to become a better person."

Mr Vakil said his client wanted to undertake any courses available in prison "to make himself that better person".

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A paedophile caught with child rape videos and extreme porn involving a dead dog also shared twisted files online.

Jamie Martin collected 129 indecent images of young sex abuse victims, which he amassed over a six-year period.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the 34-year-old lost his job as a result of the ECHO reporting his sickening convictions.

Martin had pleaded guilty to three counts of downloading and one count of possessing indecent images of children.

He also admitted one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child and one count of possessing extreme pornography.

According to the latter charge, the extreme porn portrayed a person "performing an act of intercourse with a dead animal, namely a dog", which was "grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise of an obscene character".

Martin, of Eastbank Street, Southport, wasn't charged with distributing indecent images of children.

But at a previous hearing, the court was told Martin was "active" in a "network" of sex offenders and "candidly admits to having shared images".

At his sentencing hearing last week, prosecutors said Martin readily admitted he was a paedophile and that he had exchanged files online.

Nardeen Nemat, prosecuting, said the indecent images of children included 22 Category A images - the most serious category, involving child rape - of which nine were videos.

She said there were 13 Category B images, of which four were videos, and 90 Category C files, of which nine were videos.

Ms Nemat said aggravating features of his case included that the Category A collection included videos and the long period of time over which they were possessed, with Martin having downloaded the files between January 14, 2014 and May 12, 2020.

Martin's case was twice adjourned because he was unrepresented, to give him the opportunity to obtain legal representation, after he told the court he couldn't "afford" a solicitor or barrister.

When he appeared in the dock for sentencing he was represented by Stella Hayden, who highlighted his lack of previous convictions and the prospect of him being rehabilitated in the community.

Judge Brian Cummings, QC, said because of the "extensive" aggravating features in the case, sentencing guidelines indicated a starting point of two and a half years in prison.

Giving him full one third credit for his early guilty pleas, he then reduced the sentence to 20 months in prison.

Judge Cummings said he had considered whether Martin's sentence could be suspended, following guidelines on whether offenders can be spared jail.

However, he concluded that despite the prospect of rehabilitation, because of the risk Martin posed to the public, only an immediate prison sentence was appropriate.

The judge ordered Martin to sign on the Sex Offenders Register and to comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.

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The NSPCC has slammed the "sickening online trade" in images of child abuse.

It comes after a Southampton man was jailed after being caught with 7,363 indecent images.

Jason George Street, of Flamborough Close, was sent down for 30-months at Southampton Crown Court earlier this week.

The 51-year-old had searched the internet for terms such as 'seven-year-old children'.

During a police interview, he blamed his offending on the stress of caring for his ill father.

However, the 51-year-old has previous convictions dating from 2012 when offices found 11,200 images on his computer.

Commenting on the case, an NSPCC spokesperson said: "Street's repeated engagement with indecent images of children shows a complete disregard for the harrowing ordeals they have faced and has helped to fuel a sickening online trade in this content.

"The fact that offenders like Street can use the internet as a tool to indulge in their repugnant desires proves the need for stronger legislation and regulation of online sites.

"The NSPCC will continue to lobby the Government to ensure the proposed Online Safety Bill is not only robust and effective but has the safety of children at its heart."

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A vicar who sexually abused a three-year-old has been jailed for the "extremely wicked series of acts".

Gordon Newton, 40, who worked in Batley, West Yorkshire, abused the girl on a number of occasions.

Leeds Crown Court heard he had confessed to having a sexual interest in children for a number of years.

A judge branded Newton a "hypocrite" and said he had committed "a gross abuse of trust" as he sentenced him to nine years and seven months.

Prosecutor Julian Jones told the court Newton's wife, Julie, had handed her husband's old mobile phone to police, who found 276 indecent images of children.

Of those, 70 discovered on the device were deemed to be in the most serious category of abuse images.

A further trawl of Newton's browsing history revealed at least one search which "suggested a search for images for children aged under three", Mr Jones said.

'Ruined lives'

In a statement read in court, Newton's wife said she had been left unable to work full-time and suffers depression as a result of his crimes.

Previously a dedicated churchgoer, she said her husband's arrest and the subsequent charges had shattered her faith, which was now "non-existent".

Judge Tom Bayliss said Newton, of Cross Church Street, Huddersfield, had ruined the child's life, as well as his own and his wife's.

"You held yourself out as a man of God but you're nothing. You're a hypocrite," he said.

"For a man in your position, what you've done amounts not only to an extremely wicked series of acts, but to a gross abuse of a position of trust.

"You abused the trust of so many others in so many ways. You abused the trust of your parishioners and of the Church of England authorities."

Newton pleaded guilty to 12 offences, including six counts of sexually assaulting a girl under 13.

He will be placed on the sex offenders'' register for life and a sexual prevention order was also made.

Kitty Colley, defending, said Newton knew his crimes were "disgusting and vile" and had "genuine remorse" for his actions.

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Leeds said Newton's "deeply shocking" actions were "a matter of deep shame and regret".

They said he would be "subject to the disciplinary processes of the church, which will remove him from his office as vicar and prohibit him from exercising his holy orders".

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A FORMER youth football child protection officer who downloaded child abuse images has been given more unpaid work in the community. Ryan Cullen, of Greenwood Quadrant in Linnvale, was spared a prison sentence in 2019 after he admitted two charges relating to the creation and possession of indecent images of children between June 2015 and November 2018. He was put on a three-year community payback order (CPO) with supervision by social workers, and 250 hours of unpaid work in the community. He was put on the sex offenders register for three years the same length of time he was accessing abusive pictures and videos. But on August 27, Dumbarton Sheriff Court was told that 27-year-old Cullen had breached the conditions of his community-based sentence when he took on work without informing his supervising officers. Defence solicitor Brian McGuire said his client was the last person I would have expected to come back with a breach. But the court heard Cullens mother had asked her son to assist with some work as a favour. He was paid, but gave the cash back. He has been a worker all his days, so the opportunity to assist was quite welcome, said Mr McGuire. He didnt think he was doing anything untoward. The anxiety as a result of this has been apparent to me. His mother lost her employment as a result of this, no doubt as a result of the adverse publicity. The solicitor urged Sheriff William Gallacher not to revoke the existing CPO and to spare Cullen a jail sentence. Sheriff Gallacher said: I accept what I hear. It ought not to have happened. The notion anyone subject to any order can never contribute to the community is wrong, and all orders by the court are to return people to the community where that can be safely done. He allowed the CPO to continue, but added 75 more hours of unpaid work, to be completed within six months. Before undertaking any voluntary or paid work, Cullen must discuss it with his supervising officer. The sheriff added: I dont expect to see you again. In 2019, the Post reported that the Scottish Youth Football Association (SYFA) was looking into the case because of Cullens past role with the Dunbartonshire Youth Football Development League (DYFDL).

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A paedophile nurse who downloaded baby rape images was spared jail after a court heard he had "lost everything".

Married dad-of-four Christopher Ewan, 45, used to work at the A&E department at Aintree hospital in Fazakerley.

During lockdown he downloaded more than 100 child rape files, plus extreme porn images showing bestiality.

Liverpool Crown Court today heard that after his sick crimes came to light, his family's home in Netherton was targeted by vigilantes, forcing his innocent wife and children to flee.

Ewan's lawyer explained how "in every sense the defendant has suffered significantly - but it's all down to him".

Police were informed of "suspicious activity" relating to a Sky broadband account and messaging app Kik Messenger last summer.

Officers raided Ewan's former home in Musker Drive, Netherton on June 26, 2020 and seized his Samsung mobile phone.

When he was interviewed by the police, Ewan denied any knowledge of any indecent material.

But the device was found to contain 137 Category A files - the most serious category involving child rape - consisting of 127 photos and 10 videos.

There were 217 Category B images, 130 Category C files, one prohibited "cartoon" image and 21 extreme porn images, downloaded between March 3 and June 23 last year.

Christopher Hopkins, prosecuting, said: "A lot of them were thumbnail images but they did find evidence of saving these images on the device. There was a secure folder, which had suspicious activity on it."

He said it was to be "noted" that one Category A image showed a female baby aged six to 12 months and one Category A video, around 24 minutes long, featured children aged eight, seven and four.

Mr Hopkins added: "So of their type, they are particularly serious images in the Crown's submission."

Ewan admitted three counts of downloading and one count of possessing indecent images of children, plus possessing a prohibited image of a child and extreme porn.

In a pre-sentence report, Ewan claimed he didn't intentionally download the images or do it for sexual gratification, but he has since confessed that isn't true.

Desmond Lennon, defending, said: "He unreservedly accepts deliberately downloading this material. He also accepts at the time there was a sexual interest in children and the notes indicate, being pressed, accepts it remains."

Mr Lennon said Ewan was married for 19 years with four children, but developed an interest in adult porn, which the dad described as "thrill seeking".

He said his client had been off work due to "stress" and his interest in adult porn progressed to viewing child sex abuse images.

Mr Lennon said if Ewan was spared jail, he could receive "the assistance he perhaps now belatedly recognises that he needs".

The lawyer said: "He understands how it's not only affected him, but people who are very important to him, his wife and children.

"His wife has left him, the marriage is over and his four children have been taken away from him."

Mr Lennon said when Ewan's crimes first became public knowledge, it had a "catastrophic effect" on the family, who then lived in Netherton.

He said: "The home was vandalised, bricks were thrown through the window, paint was thrown at the front door and people congregated outside, behaving in an intimidating way. The effect on his children in particular has been devastating."

Mr Lennon said his children had now moved, Ewan hadn't seen them since July and he only spoke to them "intermittently".

A letter from The Walton Centre said Ewan had muscular degenerative issues and was currently deemed incapable of working by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Mr Lennon said Ewan was an engineer before retraining as a nurse at the age of 30 and had worked in A&E "conscientiously" since 2010.

He said: "His fall in terms of his professional life he described to me this morning as catastrophic. His nursing career is over."

The barrister said Ewan wouldn't be allowed to practise as a nurse again and would "inevitably" be struck off.

He said: "It's all down to him. He has lost everything in real terms."

Mr Lennon suggested his client, who felt "shame, regret and disgust", could be rehabilitated in the community.

Judge Anil Murray told Ewan: "You were of previous good character. More than that, more than just having no previous convictions, you were of positive good character and worked as a professional person.

"By this offending you have thrown all that away."

He added: "Your offending has had a terrible effect on your family."

The judge said sentencing guidelines indicated a starting point of 12 months in prison, but he had to increase this because of the "particularly serious" Category A images, before giving Ewan a discount of one third off his sentence, for his early guilty pleas.

Judge Murray said by law he had to consider guidelines on whether this sentence should be served immediately, and because Ewan had no history of poor compliance with court orders, was thought to have a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, and jailing him would have "some significant impact" on his family, he was "able, but only just, to suspend the sentence in this case".

He handed Ewan 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, with a 40-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

The judge said he wouldn't make a "punitive element" to the order as Ewan wasn't suitable for unpaid work, adding: "There is no point in ordering a curfew when your interest is sitting inside looking at a computer."

Ewan must sign the Sex Offenders Register and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

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A 74-year-old man from Netley Abbey was found guilty of non-recent sexual offences against children by a jury at Winchester Crown Court on Monday 26 July.

Alan Kenneth Jerrim of Wykeham Road, Netley Abbey was found guilty of four counts of indecent assault of a girl under 13 and one count of assault by penetration of a girl under 13.

Jerrim committed his crimes against two different children between 1981 and 1983 in Hamble.

He will be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on Monday 2 September.

Police Constable Nicole Houghton, the Officer in Case, from Hampshire Constabulary's Amberstone Unit said "We would like to commend the women who have shown incredible bravery and courage in coming forward. These are extremely difficult times for these women and it would not have been easy, both emotionally and physically, for either of them to have to re-live their ordeals from when they were younger.

"We know how hard it is to come forward and report these offences, but it is vital to bring those responsible for these offences to justice.

"We are committed to getting justice for victims and have specially trained officers to support them through the process.

"We would encourage anyone who has been a victim of child sexual abuse to contact police on 101 where you can speak with our specialist detectives in confidence."

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Kevin Manson, 36, of Sandveien, previously pleaded guilty to possessing the images at an address on the towns Robertson Crescent between 11 June and 30 October 2020. Lerwick Sheriff Court previously heard that examination of a mobile phone and a memory card had uncovered four category C images, at the lower end of the classification scale. The images related to children aged between eight and 13. Defence agent Martin Morrow told Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday that a social work report prepared for sentencing was very favourable and that Manson was regarded as low risk. The solicitor said his client was keen to put something back into the community. Sheriff Ian Cruickshank gave Manson 100 hours of unpaid work to complete alongside six months of supervision, as an alternative to custody. He was placed on the sex offenders register for six months, while Sheriff Cruickshank granted a crown request to forfeit Mansons phone.

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A Gateshead paedophile downloaded and distributed vile images and videos of children as young as one.

Pervert Cameron Sammakieh amassed a sickening collection of more than 1,600 photos and movies and shared some of them with others over the internet.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that the 24-year-old's disgusting stash was discovered when police searched his home in Whickham and seized three electronic devices.

As well as the images and videos, it was also found that Sammakieh had used depraved search terms in order to find them.

In interview, Sammakieh claimed he didn't have a sexual interest in children but knew there was a demand for child abuse photos and wanted to please others by sourcing and sending them.

However, he did later admit he was sexually attracted to teenage girls.

Now, Sammakieh, of Cornmoor Road, in Whickham, has avoided an immediate stint behind bars after he pleaded guilty to one count of distributing indecent images of children and three of making them. 
Prosecutor, Neil Pallister, said Sammakieh started downloading the vile material in November 2017 and stopped in October 2019 - a year before his house was searched.

Mr Pallister continued:

"The defendant was present and a number of devices were seized from a bedroom and later examined and found to contain indecent images.

"One of those was the defendant's iPhone. Also seized was a gaming system and an 8GB USB stick."

The court heard that, during interview, Sammakieh admitted he downloaded the material but denied he had a sexual interest in children.

Instead, he claimed he wanted to please others so had shared them over the internet.

Mr Pallister added: "When asked why he shared them, he said it was a desire to be liked."

The court was told that in total, 200 images and 57 videos of category A, 171 category and 13 videos of category B and 1,216 images and 15 videos of category C were found.

Some of the photos of movies involved penetrative sexual activity with very young children and showed the youngsters "clearly in distress".

Paul Cross, defending, said Sammakieh had no past convictions, had pleaded guilty and was a lonely individual with a desire to be liked.

He added:

"He's had a very difficult early life - he was bullied at school. He was very tall and well-built. He was bullied for being big.

"He's actually a gentle giant."

But Recorder Margia Mostafa disagreed, saying: "A gentle giant is inconsistent with what he likes to view, basically children being abused."

Giving Sammakieh a 24-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, Miss Recorder Mostafa added:

"These images are extremely serious."In order to feed your addiction, some child somewhere has been abused and that is something you must, at the time when you downloaded these images, have known."

Sammakieh was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years and was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same period.

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A sexual predator who raped his sleeping victim has been jailed.

Joshua Robson raped his victim in October 2018 while she slept and when she woke up in pain he pretended to be asleep.

But the 20 year-old victim bravely reported the incident to police straight away and an investigation was launched by Northumbria Police's Safeguarding unit.

Robson, 23, was arrested and denied the allegation but a jury at Newcastle Crown Court saw through his lies and was found guilty of one count of rape on Friday, July 31.

On Friday, August 27, he was sentenced to five and a half years at Teesside Crown Court.

Detective Constable Catherine Burns, who led the investigation, praised the bravery of the victim and hopes it will give other victims the courage to report.

Det Con Burns said: "I really commend the bravery of the victim as she has been so strong throughout this investigation.

"Robson took advantage of a situation for his own sexual gratification and has shown no remorse for what he has done. Now he faces the consequences of his actions.

"I hope this sends a strong message that any sexual contact that is not consensual is a crime. No one should be subjected to something they do not consent to and if you have been a victim of such an attack, I would urge you to come forward to police.

"I know this conviction will give the victim a sense of justice and hope she can begin to heal after suffering significantly as a result of this attack."

Robson of Esher Place, Cramlington will now also have to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

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Martin Edward Manns sent naked photos of himself to a girl while she was on her school break.

The 59-year-old of Twyford Road, Eastleigh, was in fact speaking to a decoy profile set up by a group of paedophile hunters.

However, at the time he had been under investigation for another child sex offence.

Prosecution barrister, John Upton, told how earlier this year, Manns had set up an online profile with the name 'Up for it'.

He then sent messages to a 13-year-old girl called Mabel H via the website Chatiw.

But again, Manns was actually speaking to a fake profile - on that occasion controlled by a police officer.

He had even arranged to meet the fictional teenager at the Lidl store in Coles Close, Eastleigh.

Manns was seen in the car park using his phone and then followed back to his house by officers.

Appearing before Southampton Crown Court, he was charged with intentionally attempting to communicate with a child under the age of 16 for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification and attempting to meet a girl under the age of 16 with the intention of sexual activity.

He pleaded guilty to the offences which happened between September last year and June this year

Defending, Gaylene Coles said that her client was "extremely remorseful and ashamed for his behaviour".

She added that Manns felt "very unable to verbalise his thoughts and actions and why these matters came about".

However, she said he had been impacted by the loss of his mother, mother-in-law and what his daughter had experienced in childbirth.

Judge Christopher Parker QC said that Manns posed a significant risk of serious harm to young girls.

Furthermore, he decided that he represented a risk to the public.

He was jailed for five years and will be subject to a two-year licence upon his release.

Manns will have to register as a sex offender indefinitely and will be the subject of a sexual harm prevention order until further order.