Latest Offenders

Description

An army cadet instructor who raped a "blind drunk" woman then boasted about what he had done has been jailed.

Robert Wilkinson forced himself on the victim when she was so intoxicated she had thrown up.

A court heard she became aware of having had clothing removed and being abused by the 22-year-old.

Wilkinson, of Newcastle, denied rape and sexual assault but was found guilty by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court and has now been jailed for seven years.

Sentencing him, Judge Penny Moreland said: "(She) was extremely drunk, she was vomiting.

"She was blind drunk. That's the state of the girl you sexually assaulted and raped.

"She was particularly vulnerable.

"You then boasted of what you had done to her in a text to your friend on the way home."

When originally questioned by police, Wilkinson denied any sexual activity took place then when presented with scientific proof that it had, he changed his story and claimed it had been consensual, an account jurors rejected.

As well as the prison sentence, Wilkinson will be on the sex offenders register for life and will be barred from working with vulnerable adults or children.

Annelise Haugstad, defending, said he was of previous good character.

Description

A man who sexually assaulted a teenage girl was caught after she managed to call a family member who heard much of the attack.

Connor Helps attacked the girl at a flat in Warrington town centre after taking her there in September 2019.

Helps was the second man to attack the girl, despite her being just 17. Another man is currently serving a prison sentence for his crimes.

Arthur Gibson, prosecuting, said Helps had already known the girl but contact between them had stopped when he went to prison for separate offences.

After his release he got back in touch with her and invited her back to a flat in Warrington in mid-September.

Mr Gibson said that despite the girl's continued protests he tried to force his hands down her leggings and assaulted her.

He said: "What the defendant did not know was that at some point during this incident she had managed to call [a family member] and kept him on the phone.

"He had heard much of the incident."

A victim impact statement read out to the court from the girl said the attack continued to have significant effects on her.

Richard Orme, defending, said that despite a difficult upbringing Helps had showed little sign of criminality in his youth before "going off the rails" in his early 20s and committing a number of violent offences.

Mr Orme said: "On any view he has had a troubled childhood. His mother left the family when he was seven years old.

"He then went into foster care with a number of families.

"Such a background will have inevitably had a detrimental impact."

He continued: "I do not use that as an excuse. His behaviour in this case is inexcusable.

"I use it to lay out, perhaps, why at the age of 23 this defendant went off the rails."

Judge Stuart Driver, QC, said Helps' crime was particularly serious because of the trauma his victim had already been through, despite him accepting that Helps likely did not know about this.

Judge Driver said: "Your victim was vulnerable.

"She had already been the victim of a sexual offence, although you may not have known that and I sentence you on the basis that you did not know.

"She was only 17 years of age and her most recent statement shows that this crime had a significant impact on her."

Helps, of no fixed abode, was jailed for 38 months after pleading guilty to assault by penetration.

He will also have to sign on to the sex offenders register for life.

He was also sentenced to one month in prison after failing to turn up to a previous court hearing. That sentence will be served concurrently

Description

A sex offender has been locked up after attacking a woman on Teesside.

Richard Marsden carried out two sexual assaults on the female in the Middlesbrough area.

The 27-year-old, of Locksley Close, North Shields, North Tyneside, committed the crimes in July last year.

He made a first appearance at Teesside Magistrates' Court in Middlesbrough in August this year.

Due to the severity of the charges, the magistrates' transferred his case to Teesside Crown Court.

He was given unconditional bail until the crown court hearing on September 24.

When he returned to court, Marsden pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by penetration.

He was sentenced by Judge Tim Stead at the court in Middlesbrough on December 6.

Marsden was jailed for three years and ordered to sign the sex offender register for an indefinite period.

Description

A drug dealing rapist dragged a woman into bushes and raped her in a park before abducting another women in a similar attack months later.

Janath Gul Jardarkhail attacked two women almost six months apart in sexual assaults in Chavasse Park and Wood Street.

Today, a judge told the 21-year-old he believed he used his position as a low level drug dealer to search for vulnerable women to attack at night.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Jardarkhail stalked the streets of the city centre.

He attacked his first victim in Chavasse Park in July 2019, ambushing her and carrying her into bushes before raping her.

The second attack, in January of last year, saw him attack a woman on Wood Street on her way back from a night out.

Jardarkhail was caught after DNA swabs from his victims matched his own when he was arrested on suspicion of supplying cannabis.

In a statement provided to the court, the woman he attacked on Wood Street said she still struggled to comprehend what had happened to her almost two years ago.

Ben Jones, prosecuting, said her statement provided to the court outlined how her mental health had been affected by the trauma of the attack, with the woman saying she had at some points self-harmed because of it.

However, she said her own family had given her the strength to carry on despite the horrific sexual assault.

Her statement said: "He took away every bit of dignity that I have so I refuse to let him take me away from my kids."

Martine Snowdon, defending, said there was little she could say in his defence about the attacks themselves but did point to Jardarkhail's difficult upbringing as some mitigation.

While not going into the details of his childhood, she said he had been deprived of much of the guidance and support needed as a child and said a serious head injury sustained when he was younger had left him with problems with his cognitive function.

Ms Snowdon said: "He is an immature young man. He has had very little education, not just academically, but guidance in moral and social spheres.

"There was a lack of the guidance and support we should all wish a child to have."

In addition, a psychiatric report supplied to the court said Jardarkhail had been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Judge Stuart Driver, QC, said the 21-year-old had preyed on women who were unable to defend themselves.

Judge Driver said: "I am satisfied that you used your occupation of selling cannabis to walk the streets of Liverpool city centre at night, apparently and actually selling cannabis, but keeping your eyes wide open for vulnerable women for you to attack.

"There is an element of planning.

"You were a sexual predator."

He labelled Jardarkhail, of County Road, Walton, a dangerous offender and jailed him for 12 years, with a further five years to be served on licence.

That sentence covered the two rape charges as well as possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

He will also be placed on the sex offenders register for life and must pay a statutory surcharge.

Description

A man who raped a sleeping woman tried to deny the crime by saying he was also asleep when he sexually assaulted her.

Alan Tyson said he had sexsomnia, a type of sleep disorder and recognised medical condition, which causes people to engage in sexual activity while asleep.

Tyson argued in court earlier this year that this meant he could not have the intent required to commit rape but a jury found him guilty.

His victim did not know Tyson but was a friend of another resident of the house in Wirral where the attack took place in August 2019.

She had been invited there for drinks and, after a few hours of drinking, became unwell and went to sleep on a camp bed in the living room of the house.

She then told him to stop and went upstairs to one of the bedrooms to get away from him and tried to sleep in a bed with her friend.

Tyson then followed her and also tried to get in the bed next to her despite her protests. Hours later she awoke in the morning to find Tyson raping her.

Tyson denied having any sexual contact with the victim in interviews with police and it was only when DNA swabs linked him that he admitted he had sex with her.

John Wyn Williams, prosecuting, said Tyson then said he suffered from sexsomnia and pleaded not guilty to rape on that basis but a jury found him guilty earlier this year.

In a statement to the court yesterday morning, the victim said the attack continued to have a profound impact on her, derailing her career, causing her serious mental health problems and straining her relationships with her close family.

She also criticised Tyson for continuing to plead not guilty.

She said: "If he had just pleaded guilty originally then I wouldn't have had to go through all this for two years."

David Birrell, defending, said Tyson had no previous convictions and, despite a difficult upbringing, had previously been contributing to society and had shown no signs of this type of offending.

However, he acknowledged that the guilty verdict delivered by jurors earlier this year undermined Tyson's claim the assault was caused by sexsomnia.

Birrell said: "It may well be that your honour has doubts about whether he has the condition.

"The jury's verdict could be interpreted that he does not have that condition."

However, Mr Birrell said Tyson had taken numerous steps to address what he believed had been an assault caused by sexsomnia, including switching jobs so he didn't work at night and eliminating his alcohol intake.

Judge David Potter said Tyson's conviction meant the idea that he was asleep when he raped his victim had been roundly rejected.

The judge said: "That a condition called sexsomnia exists is well documented.

"Yet in convicting you a jury rejected the notion that you were asleep when you penetrated her."

He continued: "I conclude you were conscious of what you were doing at the time of the rape."

Tyson, of Ladyfield, Prenton, was jailed for seven years for rape and will have to serve at least two thirds of that before being released on licence.

He will be made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 15 years and an indefinite restraining order to stop him contacting the victim.

Description

A man from Malvern has been jailed for sexual offences involving children.

Richard Webb, 34, of Moat Crescent, was sentenced to nine years in prison at Worcester Crown Court yesterday (Thursday 2 December).

He will be placed on the sexual offenders register for life and will have a three-year extended licence period.

His offences took place in the Hereford area between 2006 and 2019 and involved incidents where the victims were between the ages of 8 and 14 at the time of the offences.

He also met with a child and committed sexual offences following a period of grooming and possessed extreme pornography.

Detective Constable Leah Lowe said: This investigation was highly emotional and Id like to recognise the courage of the victims who came forward.

This man groomed and abused his victims and this sentence is reflective of the suffering and misery he caused.

West Mercia Police take all complaints of sexual abuse very seriously and I hope this case gives the public confidence to come forward and report any incidents of concern whether recently or in the past.

Description

A WEST Sussex man has been given a seven-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl at an air show 18 years ago.

David Conrad, 57, of Pepper Lane, Ashurst, was sentenced at Brighton Crown Court on November 18, having been convicted of indecent assault on the child while they were spectators at the Shoreham Air Show in August 2003.

He will also serve a further year on extended prison released licence and will be a registered sex offender indefinitely.

Sussex police investigator Amber Evans said: 'The girl was at the show with her family and Conrad, who also knew her, were sitting with each other in the crowd when he attacked her, without anyone else being aware.

'She did not report the attack to anyone at the time and only 14 years later did she feel able to talk to the police about it.

'We were still able to investigate and seek justice, and to give her access to sources of specialist advice and support.

Description

A tech addict who hacked into teenage girls' Snapchat accounts and tried to bribe them into sending him naked pictures of themselves has been jailed.

Robert Parsons, 22, "toyed" and "teased" with his victims, who were aged between 14 and 19, and on one occasion posed as a 14-year-old boy.

His actions left the girls with severe trauma, Bradford Crown Court heard.

He was given a five-year custodial term to be followed by a closely-monitored four-year licence period.

At an earlier hearing Parsons, who carried out his offending while subject to previous sexual prevention orders, admitted 24 offences related to illegally accessing the Snapchat accounts of his victims.

The court was told how he had left the girls feeling frightened and embarrassed after accessing their private photos and, in one case, posted an intimate picture on a public platform.

The mother of one of the victims, a 15-year-old girl, said her daughter had suffered an horrific ordeal during which she was blackmailed by Parsons.

Prosecutor David McGonigal said Parsons was addicted to using internet devices and had persisted in offending with disregard for his existing court orders.

Sentencing him, Judge Andrew Hatton said Parsons had caused severe psychological trauma to the the girls and he was satisfied he met the criteria for an extended sentence as a dangerous offender.

His list of offences included attempting to cause a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, disclosing private sexual photos without consent, breach of a sexual harm prevention order, breach of the sex offender notification requirements and possession of indecent images of children.

His previous convictions included making indecent photos of children dating from when he was aged 15 and 16.

Parsons' barrister Abdul Shakoor said he was addicted to pornography and that had led him down a path of social isolation, with lockdown having made matters worse.

Fortunately, none of the complainants sent the images Parsons demanded so no sexual activity without consent ultimately took place, Mr Shakoor said.

Parsons, formerly of Wavertree Park Gardens, Bradford, but held in custody at HMP Leeds, was also given a nine-year sexual harm prevention order and must remain on the Sexual Offenders' Register for life.

Det Insp Lee Speight said Parsons posed a threat to young women and praised the bravery of victims and their families for giving evidence.

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This is the face of a paedophile who raped three children and walked free for years afterwards.

David Lee Davies was finally sentenced to more than a decade in prison yesterday after being found guilty of raping children as young as six.

The 43-year-old sexually abused two young boys over a number of years between 1994 and 1997 before abusing a little girl between 1997 and 1998.

Davies himself was only 15 when he started his campaign of abuse, while two of his victims were six when the attacks started and the third was nine.

He continued to deny the assaults throughout his trial and cried through much of yesterday's hearing as Judge Neil Flewitt judged him a dangerous offender due to his inability to accept that he had committed the horrific crimes.

The parents of one of his victims went to the police shortly after being told by their child that Davies had attacked them but he was never charged with a crime.

It was only when one of his other two victims approached police two years ago that a subsequent investigation led to him being charged for a slew of sex offences against children.

A number of statements read out at court detailed the significant impact on Davies' victims.

One had faced significant problems with drugs and alcohol from shortly after the abuse occurred.

All said they had significant problems forming friendships and romantic relationships and said they suffered with episodes of anxiety and depression linked to the abuse.

Davies' defence counsel admitted there was little that could be said to mitigate his horrific crimes but said Davies had had a very difficult childhood and also pointed to the fact that he had not reoffended.

Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, sentenced him to ten years and nine months and labelled him a dangerous offender, meaning he will serve a further five years on licence.

He will be eligible for release after he has served two thirds of his jail term, subject to the approval of a parole board.

He must also go on the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the rest of his life.

Description

Convicted Exeter sex attacker Luke Prato - who drag a terrified woman into a park while telling her he intended to have sex with her - has been found dead in his prison cell.

The 25-year-old, who had a history of random acts of violence against strangers, was jailed for four years in March 2020, with a two year extended licence and was classified as a dangerous offender.

Mr Prato, of Grendon Road, had been transferred from Exeter Prison to HMP Isle of Wight, where he died on November 27.

It is believed he was awaiting a transfer to Broadmoor Secure Hospital due to his mental health. An inquest will be held into his death at a later date.

A prison service spokesperson said: "HMP Isle of Wight prisoner Luke Prato died on November 27. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has been informed."

Mr Prato was described as 'every young woman's worst nightmare' at Exeter Crown Court last year. He was convicted of sexual assault on the woman and causing actual bodily harm to her male friend at a trial in January 2020.

He had tried to 'chat up' the 21-year-old victim on the dance floor of Exeter's Angel pub earlier in the evening but she told him to leave her alone.

He saw her walking home with a friend a couple of hours later and shadowed them through the streets of the city before attacking them both at the entrance to Belmont Park at 3am.

He set on the man first and once he had backed off he launched a sexual attack. He told the terrified victim, 'I want you right now', and said he was going to have sex with her in the park as he thrust his hand up her skirt and groped her.

He grabbed her around the throat and tried to drag her into the park and fought off her friend when he tried to stop him, knocking him to the ground so violently he suffered a gash to his head.

The woman managed to escape and run across the road to try to seek refuge in a house but in the time it took for her to wake the owner, Prato followed her and attacked her again.

He was trying to drag her back towards the park with his hands around her throat when the householder opened her door and rushed out to rescue her.

He fled the scene before police arrived but they tracked him down to his bedsit nearby. Forensic evidence and CCTV from the Angel showed he was the attacker. More footage showed him shadowing the victim from Sidwell Street to the park.

Mr Prato told police initially he was not the attacker but changed his story in court and said he was attacked by the two victims.

The court heard Mr Prato refused all psychiatric help despite being diagnosed with an anti-social personality disorder.

Joss Ticehurst, defending, said Mr Prato had been cleared of the more serious counts of attempted rape and assault with intent to commit a sexual offence.

He added Mr Prato had issues with his mental health arising from a traumatic childhood that included finding his mother hanging inside the family home when she committed suicide. He described him as highly intelligent but unbalanced.

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A judge has fired a warning to paedophiles whose crimes have gone undetected for years saying they should never not be worried about a knock on the door.

Judge Robert Linford delivered the no-nonsense statement when sentencing perverted Frederick Williams, 84, for offences committed four decades ago.

Williams, of St Clement near Truro, appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence having been convicted of 15 indecent assaults, indecency with a child and attempted rape.

Williams’ abuse was carried out on two victims and consisted of sexual touching and penetration, oral sex, forced touching of his penis, putting his penis in one of their mouths and on one occasion, attempted rape.

During the sentencing hearing prosecution barrister Nigel Wraith victim impact statements from both victims.

The first victim described how she is still haunted by the abuse and that it has a profound effect on her life. She, at one point, drove to a cliff to end her life and can’t look at herself in the mirror.

The second victim spoke of how the abuse “broke her” and that she went off the rails, leading to problems for her and her children. She did however say she was pleased to finally be believed, and see Williams get his comeuppance.

Representing Williams, Hollie Gilbery highlighted Williams’ age, health and lack of previous convictions.

Sentencing Williams, Judge Linford described the abuse as “repeated and systematic” and “a series of truly awful sexual offending that had an utterly devastating effect on the victims”.

He added: “People you behave in the way you did all those years ago are never safe from prosecution.

“People who sexually abuse young people should have sleepless nights wondering when the knock on the door will come.”

Williams was jailed for 13.5 years with a further year to be served on licence. He must also sign the sex offenders’ register.

Description

A convicted sex offender forced himself on two hotel guests after he was booked into a room under a Government scheme following his release from jail.

Jamie Smart, from Stoke-on-Trent, grabbed one of the women by her breasts and put his hand up the other's victim skirt after he was rehomed at a Mercure under a programme to help the homeless during Covid.

Both victims were unaware drifter Smart was on the Sex Offender Register due to a 15-year history of sexual offending.

One is now too scared to be cuddled by her own boyfriend and has gone teetotal for fear she might be taken advantage of.

Former warehouseman Smart, 31, had been booked into the three star Wigan Oak Hotel in Greater Manchester after completing a 10-month stretch for failing to comply with the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Bolton Crown Court heard he attacked the first victim in July as they were queuing up for a buffet dinner at the hotel.

Mark Kellet, prosecuting, said: ''He was stood behind her when he slapped and groped her bottom saying: 'you've got a peachy bum!' She said: ''If you do that again, I'll slap you in the mush' but he replied: ''Do it - I might like it.'

''He then continued to touch her bottom on several occasions. Mostly she would tell him to stop but on other occasions she said nothing simply so she could avoid a confrontation.

''One night she was intoxicated when the defendant moved to kiss her. She moved away but he kissed her anyway. He also said he had sex with her and that caused her some distress.

''Three to four days later she was in the garden of the hotel when the defendant approached her from behind wrapped his arms around her and grabbed her left breast.

''She didn't say anything because she felt defenceless as they were alone together. Thereafter he acted as if he had not done anything wrong. The incident exacerbated her anxiety.''

Smart also made inappropriate sexual comments to another guest at the hotel asking her to sit on his knee and bragging he would 'show her a real man.'

She dismissed the comments as banter but when she played a pool at a nearby pub, Smart came up behind her and twice put his hand between her legs and touched her genital area.

Mr Kellet added: ''She made it clear she did not want him to do that but back at the hotel he continued to make sexual comments towards her. She said she felt horrible about how Smart touched her and felt worse when she found out he was on the Sex Offender Register.

''This defendant showed a complete disregard for the views of each victim. Both women were particularly vulnerable.''

Police later attended at the hotel and found Smart had been flouting the terms of his Sex Offender notification requirements by not registering a bank card with police.

He had 23 offences in his record starting in 2006 for sexual activity with a child for which he was given a six month detention and training order.

In 2008 he was convicted again of sexual activity with a child and was given 12 months jail suspended for two years.

In 2011 he was given 54 months in jail for two charges of sexual activity with a child and in 2015 was convicted of failing to comply with court orders for which he was locked away for two months.

In 2018 he failed to comply with the restrictions again and was given a conditional discharge for two years.

In July 2020 he admitted failing to comply and was jailed for another 10 months. He was released early but recalled back to prison for flouting the restrictions before being freed again in May to take up residence at the Mercure

In a statement the first victim said: ''I still feel physically sick about what Jamie did to me. I think about what he did most days and it has made my depression and anxiety worse.

''I am also worried he has sexually assaulted other women. I hope I can move on but I will be speaking to psychologist soon to talk about what happened.''

The second woman said: ''I am now suffering on many ways. I never been so low in terms of confidence and I am constantly scared of being around men in case they do anything to me.

''Most of my friends are male but since the incident with Jamie I've not been able to spend time with them.

''I do not drink alcohol now - not even socially- as I am so scared I will be sexually assaulted or raped. I am terrified of consuming alcohol in case I get taken advantage of. These incidents with Jamie have been on my mind on a daily basis.

'I struggle to switch off or sleep as I keep thinking about them. I also have problems with my boyfriend as I no longer want to be affectionate and I don't like being cuddled. In fact I struggle to feel relaxed around anyone,. The way Jamie took advantage of me has had a major impact on me in many ways, I'll never be able to forget what he did. I never want to see Jamie ever again.''

Smart, who grew up in Stoke-on-Trent, was jailed for nine months after he was convicted of two charges of sexual assault and failing to comply with the Sex Offender Register following a trial. He denied the charges.

He will have to abide by a new five year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which bans him from being in the company of any lone woman except when it becomes unavoidable during ''normal daily life.''

He began a relationship with his cellmate's sister whilst being held on remand.

Sentencing the judge Miss Recorder Sarah Johnston told Smart: ''One of the women felt terribly conflicted between hating what you were doing to her and not wanting any confrontation. She told you many times not to do it.

''You made disgusting and leering comments towards the second victim in a place where she was entitled to feel safe. You were impervious to her wishes and thought it was funny.

''You have invaded these women's privacy their sense of security and their sense of self. No individual should be assaulted in the way you did out of a wholly misplaced senses of entitlement. Your behaviour erodes confidence and makes women feel unsafe.

''You have no insight at all into your behaviour, the risk you pose or the boundaries within which you must operate generally as far as women are concerned. You are currently unsafe to be managed in the community.''

Smart was also banned from contacting the two victims for five years under the terms of a restraining order and will remain on the Sex Offender Register for another 10 years.

The hotel a popular wedding venue first welcomed the homeless in May last year and accommodated 50 people under the scheme run by Wigan Council and a charity. Rough sleepers were given rooms with ensuite bathroom, flatscreen TV, and complimentary tea and coffee making facilities.

Description

A man who posed as a taxi driver before kidnapping a woman in central London has been jailed following an investigation by the Met.

Isaac Mabwa, 33 (13.06.88), of Melville Avenue, Ealing, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment at Wood Green Crown Court on Monday, 29 November. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life.

He was previously found guilty of kidnap, false imprisonment and committing an offence with intent to comment a sexual offence at Harrow Crown Court on Tuesday, 24 August.

In the early hours of 8 May 2017, Mabwa was driving a hire car through central London when he came across a woman who was walking on Euston Road. He stopped his car and offered the woman a lift home.

Believing he was driving a taxi or minicab, the 25-year-old victim got into the car, however she quickly realised something was wrong when Mabwa began driving in the opposite direction away from her home.

During the journey the victim tried to get out of the vehicle several times, but Mabwa stopped her from doing so. She was able to message her boyfriend and a friend and also sent them her location.

After approximately 90 minutes, Mabwa stopped at an unlit car park and the victim began to scream. These screams were heard by a member of the public and the victim was able to escape from the car.

Mabwa left the car park and was detained by officers a short time later. Following a complex and lengthy investigation, he was charged in April 2020.

Detective Constable Natalie Witt, who worked on the investigation, said: "This was a terrifying experience for the young woman involved who was targeted while walking home from a night out.

"Her bravery and support for the investigation means Isaac Mabwa is no longer a risk to other women, and while today is not a day to celebrate, I hope the sentence allows her some closure.

"I recognise that details of this awful crime will cause fear among the community, particularly women, and I would like to reassure you that the Met is doing everything it can to make the streets of London safer for everyone."

Description

A perverted ex-soldier was found with sickening sexual images of vulnerable girls aged as young as four and six.

Matthew Harrison had distributed sexual images to others over the internet and the offending took place over a five-year period.

He had found life difficult after returning to civilian life when he left the Army and turned to drink and drugs, Hull Crown Court heard.

Harrison, 32, of Station Road, Howden, admitted three offences of making indecent images of children, three of distributing indecent images and one of possessing an image of extreme pornography.

The court heard that police searched Harrison's house on January 9 and his phone was seized.

It was examined and 64 accessible files were found, including eight images and three videos in the most serious Category A.

There were ten images and nine videos in Category B and 28 images and two videos in Category C.

The dates of the images spanned from 2016 to this year.

Recorder Richard Thyne told Harrison: "The most serious Category A images included girls aged four to six years old being forced to have sex with an adult male.

"You didn't only search for and access those images, you shared those images with others online.

"Evidence was found of the distribution of three Category A images, including two videos."

Harrison initially denied the matters but later made admissions.

"Some of the children were very young and aged as young as four to six," said Recorder Thyne.

"There was offending over a long period of time. There were a large number of different children involved.

"It's simply too serious to suspend the sentence. The offence of distribution is too serious and only an immediate sentence of imprisonment can be justified."

Harrison had convictions for criminal damage in 2009 and driving with drugs in his system this year.

Charlotte Baines, mitigating, said the images were on only one device and Harrison had shown genuine shame and remorse and an insight into the fact that they were not victimless crimes.

The children shown in the images were young and vulnerable.

Harrison's drink and drug problem began five or six years ago when he left the Army.

"Having served Queen and country, it left him with a lot of uncertainty in his life," said Miss Baines.

"He lost the structure in his life. He found it very difficult to acclimatise to civilian life."

He had suffered problems in his marriage and had decided to stay away from his child so that he did not bring any issues into its life.

Harrison was jailed for two years and was given a ten-year sexual harm prevention order. He must register as a sex offender for ten years.

Description

A man raped a boy when he himself was still a child by making him take part in "rude games".

Elliot Troy, 24, sobbed when he appeared in court today to be sentenced over vile sexual offences in his past.

He had denied any wrongdoing, but was found guilty after a trial of three counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Judge David Aubrey, QC, said: "You have developed into a much more mature person, you have a good record and now have a girlfriend.

"But you have caused psychological scars to your victim that will remain with him for the rest of his life."

Liverpool Crown Court heard the victim "had the courage" in 2017 to tell his dad that he had been sexually abused by Troy as a child.

Troy, of Carr Lane East, Croxteth, but formerly of Crosby, was aged between 11 and 15 during the offences, while his victim was aged between nine and 12.

Judge Aubrey said: "However, the abuse had started many years before, when the victim estimated his age to be only three or four.

"You were then only six or seven, and thus of course below the age of criminal responsibility [10 in the UK]."

He emphasised Troy was not to be sentenced for "those activities", but said it was "against that background and the perception of normality instilled in your victim" that he sexually abused him and asked him to take part in "rude games".

The judge said while there may have been some "sexual experimentation" between the pair, there was "a significant age gap".

He said: "It escalated, that is the seriousness of the offences escalated, and there is no doubt your victim wanted none of it."

Judge Aubrey said at the age of 11, Troy rubbed his penis against the boy's bottom.

He said Troy later orally raped the boy, then afterwards "told him he had done really well".

The court heard Troy did this on at least three more occasions and there was evidence of grooming, including offering him "rewards" on an Xbox and showing him porn to encourage him.

Troy then raped the boy, when he was 15 and the victim was 12.

Phil Astbury, prosecuting, told the court the victim now "suffers chronic nightmares every night".

He said: "They feature both the abuse he suffered and images of his parents not believing him when he told them."

Mr Astbury added: "He has suicidal thoughts. He's attempted suicide on one occasion and self-harms."

The court heard the victim's education suffered, he was now on antidepressants and described feeling guilty and ashamed, even though he knew he shouldn't.

Mr Astbury said: "He feels frozen, stuck in the past, and unable to move on with his life."

He said the victim felt "closed off" emotionally and couldn't maintain a relationship as he felt unable to kiss and sexual contact was "out of the question".

Quoting the victim, he added: "He can't remember the last time he felt happy."

Judge Aubrey said the victim's account was "powerful" and "poignant".

He said it was "in many respects an unusual case, bearing in mind the extreme youth of both defendant and victim".

Arthur Gibson, defending, said his client, who is of previous good character, hadn't committed any offences since the age of 15.

Judge Aubrey said it was "as long ago" as September 2017 the victim was interviewed by police and Troy a month later.

But he said it wasn't until July 2020 that Troy first appeared before magistrates, which was "an unacceptable delay".

He said: "Lives have been put on hold and that must be reflected in the sentence that this court imposes."

Judge Aubrey said he had read a pre-sentence report, character references and a letter from Troy, who supported and cared for his mum, who was unwell.

He said: "You have been described as having remorse for past events, but that is not supported by your denials during the course of the trial, although I accept you did accept some activity had taken place."

Judge Aubrey accepted Troy was "saddened for the hurt" he caused and it had impacted on his mental health.

He said: "You yourself speak of the mistakes you made when you were younger and in your letter you state you're very apologetic and sorry for what you have done and the damage you have caused.

"It's unfortunate in my judgement that you did not have the courage to admit all that you had done prior to your trial. You had much time to reflect upon it."

The judge said he had to sentence Troy based on the age he was at the time and the first offences were when he was "just over the age of criminal responsibility".

However, he said: "I am satisfied there came a time when you must certainly have known what you were doing was wrong and that he did not want to do that which you wished."

The judge said had Troy carried out the attacks as an adult, he would have locked him up for "at least" 12 years.

Taking into account his age at the time, the delay in the case and prison conditions during the pandemic, he jailed him for four years and nine months.

Troy must comply with a restraining order and sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.