Latest Offenders

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A sex attacker known as the 'rush hour prowler' has been jailed for six years after carrying out a string of "shocking" and "disturbing" assaults.

Married father-of-two Kevin Bond, a former nightclub owner and operations manager at South Bank University, targeted victims as young as eight across southeast London.

The 52-year-old man from Chislehurst, Bromley, usually attacked lone women or young girls in pairs before running off.

His targets would often be travelling to or from work and school.

Bond's offending was so prolific that police conducted a campaign with schools and parents across the boroughs of Southwark, Bexley, Lewisham and Bromley to make sure young girls travelled in groups or with an adult.

He first struck on 6 October 2016 but was not tracked down until November a year later when CCTV images were released in a public appeal.

Bond admitted 11 counts of sexual assault and three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 after his DNA was found on the crotch of a victim's jeans.

Multiple other victims picked him out of identity parades.

Ben Lloyd, prosecuting, told Woolwich Crown Court: "The defendant's typical offending involved following unsuspecting women and girls in public places, often on their way to and from work during typical commuting hours.

"Having followed them along the street or into buildings, he would surprise them, grab them on their private parts and then run off."

Bond attacked three people - a 13-year-old girl and two adults - in the space of less than an hour in Greenwich in last October, the court heard.

The eight-year-old was attacked on 13 November 2017 after she became separated from her friends on her journey to school.

Several of Bond's victims used personal statements to say how they were now afraid to venture out on their own and were nervous of lone men.

John Blanford, defending, said Mr Bond's life had started to fall apart after the suicide of his mother in 2016.

His marriage broke down and he started abusing cocaine, ecstasy and watching pornography before he began his campaign of assaults, the court heard.

Judge Nicholas Heathcote Williams QC said: "From October 2016 you started assaulting young girls and young women - waiting until they were alone or became detached from the group they were with.

"Or you attacked them when they were isolated - in parks, in stairwells and in a lift - then you sexually assaulted them by grabbing their crotch area or the breast area."

He continued: "What you did was deeply shocking, violating, frightening, distressing and disturbing for your victims."

Bond was also ordered to sign on to the sex offenders register for life and barred from living with, or having unsupervised contact with, girls under the age of 18 unless with the knowledge and consent of social services and the child's parent or guardian.

The defendant appeared in the dock in a white shirt and dark tie and did not react as his sentence was read out.

Description

A dangerous sex predator who raped two women has had his sentence slashed by top judges. Manipulative, deceitful and sex-obsessed Chiron Hutchinson got 20 years detention in a young offender institution at Maidstone Crown Court on October 25 last year. Branded a danger to the public, he was ordered to serve an extra eight years on licence after his release. The 20-year-old, of Mount Pleasant, Uckfield, East Sussex, admitted two counts of sexual activity with a child. He was convicted of three counts of rape but acquitted of other sex offences, Mr Justice Kerr told London's Appeal Court today. Hutchinson gave a 14-year-old girl five glasses of Champagne, which made her feel dizzy, before molesting her. He had sex with the teenager in a park when there was borderline consent, said the judge. A second victim had drunk a large quantity of alcohol when she met Hutchinson at a Tunbridge Wells nightclub. He drove the extremely intoxicated 17-year-old to a wooded area where he twice raped her. A 24-year-old woman had been drinking and smoking some cannabis and was walking home alone when she encountered Hutchinson. He gave her a lift in his car and, when she realised he was not taking her home, she asked where they were going. He gave no reply and stopped the car in a wooded area, opened the door and pushed her out. [An] opportunist who engineered situations to enable him to take advantage of young females... - Judge She tried to fend him off, but he told her he would punch her if she continued, before raping her. A probation officer's report described Hutchinson as highly manipulative and having a sense of entitlement. The judge who locked him up said he was an opportunist who engineered situations to enable him to take advantage of young females. He singled out victims who were vulnerable because of their age, trusting nature or being drunk. Hutchinson would then force himself upon them for his own sexual gratification. The Crown Court judge said Hutchinson was a manipulative, deceitful individual, obsessed with sex. He had prolifically viewed pornography and used the search term forced sex. A fantasist and a narcissist, his conduct was predatory and there were fundamental flaws in his character. Michael Haynes, for Hutchinson, argued his sentence was far too tough and that he had wrongly been labelled dangerous. It was more a case of an opportunistic young man with a lack of understanding of sexual boundaries than a dangerous sexual predator, he said. The barrister pointed to Hutchinson's relative youth, having no previous convictions and the short time span of his offending. Mr Justice Kerr, who was sitting with two other judges, said the Crown Court judge was entitled to make a finding of dangerousness and to impose an extended sentence. But he added: Grave though the offending was, we agree that the overall sentence was too high given his age, the lack of any previous convictions and the short duration of the offending. Allowing the appeal, the judge reduced the custodial term from 20 years to 16 years, and the extended licence period from eight years to four years.

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Danny Tiplady has been jailed for sharing the sexual images of children with people all over the world A Maidstone man has been jailed for sharing extreme videos of sexual abuse, violence and torture. Daniel Tiplady, 31, of Kent Avenue, admitted possessing more than 150 extreme images and sharing them with people all over the world through chat groups. Maidstone Crown Court heard Tiplady's behaviour was uncovered when he shared explicit images of a woman on Facebook. Police were called and later found 15 indecent images of videos of children and 145 videos of extreme pornography. Further storage devices found at his home contained more indecent images of children, along with numerous videos showing extreme violence. Many of these images were shared by Tiplady over a mobile messaging application which had recipients all over the world sharing the content. Tiplady pleaded guilty to six counts of making an indecent photograph of a child, three counts of possessing extreme pornographic images and one count of disclosing private sexual photographs with intent to cause distress. At Maidstone Crown Court yesterday (July 9), he was sentenced to 20 months behind bars. Police Constable Edward Stenzil, the investigating officer for this case, told Kent Live: "Tipladys electronic devices were filled with depraved videos and images of the most extreme kinds of violence, which included real life torture and sexual abuse. "He actively distributed these images and shared them with people around the world. "He has proven that he has a disturbed mind which presents a very real danger to the wider public and the sentence he has received is entirely justified." 'Awful material is not unique' An NSPCC spokesperson said: "Sadly the type of child abuse images possessed by Tiplady and the methods used to share this awful material to a wider audience are not unique. "That's why it's imperative that social media companies and the government continue to work together to rid the internet of these vile crimes against children."

Description

Chris Hatherley viewed live streams of the indecent material as he chatted to other users of an online application and requested videos of children crying due the sexual assaults they were subjected to.

In some instances, the child being abused was a baby and in others was aged between two and three-years-old, Southampton Crown Court heard.

Police searched the 35-year-old's home following online information, seizing his computers and mobile phone.

Although no indecent images were found, Jane Terry, prosecuting, told the court a disturbing set of communications with other users of apps such as 'Kick' were present.

In some of the conversations, Miss Terry said, Hatherley would comment on how much he enjoyed the material and also what acts he wanted to carry out on the abused himself.

He was subsequently arrested.

Miss Terry added: "In his interview Hatherley said he had a huge problem and was crying. He said at the time he was under the influence of drugs. He explained he did not know why it started."

Joanne Chester, mitigating, told the court at the time of his offending, which took place between January and March 2017, Hatherley was in the depths of drug addiction.

She said Hatherley was "ashamed by his clearly depraved behaviour" and had sought help to stop his drug addiction and his offending.

The moment Hatherley opted to turn his life around was when he woke up in London in a flat with people he did not know, Miss Chester said.

Judge Nicholas Rowland said: "These images represent dreadful abuse of babies and children. It's serious.

"And it's because of people like you that they are made because an audience wants to watch it."

Hatherley, of Arnheim Road, Bassett, pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting the commission of an either way offence.

He was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, which includes the requirement to complete at least 45 days rehabilitation activity requirements and 150 hours unpaid work.

A sexual harm prevention order was made, which banned Hatherley from using a chat room for 10 years.

Description

A "predator" who forced a 16-year-old to the ground and attacked her while she was walking home has been jailed.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been in a bar in Rayleigh on the night of January 5 when she got in to a conversation with 20 year-old Bradley Boyd.

During the evening Boyd had made advances towards the victim which she rebuffed.

She left the bar at around 3am with her friends, before leaving them and walking with Boyd along Eastwood Road at the junction of High Street where the victim told Boyd she would make the rest of the journey home on her own.

Shortly after they parted, she began walking down an alleyway near to M&S when a man approached her from behind, forced her to the ground, and assaulted her.

He ran off when her phone rang.

The victim identified her attacker as wearing the same distinctive black Adidas jacket that Boyd was wearing and had the same build.

Boyd, of Woodside Avenue, Benfleet, was arrested at 7.25am on Saturday, January 6, and charged with assault be penetration.

Following a six day trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, he was found not guilty of assault by penetration but guilty of actual bodily harm on Monday, July 9.

He has been sentenced to 40 months in prison.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Leon Pezzuolo said: “Bradley Boyd assault on the victim was sexually motivated and his advances had been rebuffed by her several times during the evening.

“He had been told to leave her alone several times but refused to, attacking her as she went home.

“His actions were totally unacceptable and he acted in a predatory fashion.

“This was a very serious case which was emphasised by the fact the judge went beyond the guidelines when considering Boyd’s sentence.”

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A DEVIOUS rapist has been jailed for six years after he tricked a woman into thinking they were old school friends. Noormal Nazari, 31, of Charlville Drive, Calcot, met his victim, a woman in her 30s, for the first time on August 19, 2016 in Reading. However, after striking up a conversation with her managed to convince her that they had met 17 years earlier. The 31-year-old was sentenced today (Friday, 6 July) at Winchester Crown Court following what the court heard was a deliberate act of deception. After saying they had met 17 years earlier, his victim said she thought she recognised him and believed the defendant to be someone she knew from school. Nazari played along and arranged to meet the woman for a catch up, despite knowing that he had not only never met her but had not even been in the UK when she was at school. The day following the pairs first meeting, Nazari picked the woman up and took her to Basingstoke where they spent the evening drinking in a pub. The court heard that the pair later moved on to a club, during which time the victim was bought so much alcohol that she began to feel unwell and asked Nazari to drive her home. In another act of dishonesty, Nazari claimed he too was too drunk to drive and took the victim to a Holiday Inn on Grove Road in the early hours of August 21, 2016 where he raped her. Nazari was found guilty of rape following a unanimous jury verdict, and was jailed the same day for six years. Following the court hearing, DC Clare Hughes, leading the investigation, said: Nazari is a devious sexual predator who thought he could get away with plying the victim with so much alcohol that she would become too vulnerable to protect herself from him. From the moment he saw the victim he began planning his despicable attack. She thought she was going out for a catch up with an old friend from school. She hadnt seen this person for so long that she did not realise the man in front of her was in fact not the person he was purporting to be. I am pleased with the outcome of todays hearing and that Nazari is now behind bars. I want to thank the victim for her unwavering bravery and courage, and the fact that in the face of adversity she has remained strong through what was no doubt a very difficult two year period. .

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A MAN from Lerwick who got into a bed naked with a sleeping woman has been placed under supervision for three years and given 300 hours of unpaid work to complete. Adam Wood, of Robertson Crescent, previously admitted a sexual assault charge which saw him get into the bed at an address in Lerwick without the womans knowledge or consent following a night out on 8 October last year. Lerwick Sheriff Court previously heard that the 22 year old had gone to a flat where the woman was staying the night, after she had earlier rebuffed his attempt to kiss her in a night club. Returning to the flat from the club shortly before 3am, the victim had left the door of the ground floor property open so that her female friend who lived there could get back in after she had been to a party. On wakening the next morning, she had been shocked to find Wood, who had taken his clothes off, sleeping beside her and contacted her friend who had still not returned home. After her friend returned and Wood was put out, the police were called. Wood continued to send remorseful messages to the complainer on social media. The court had heard that there was no suggestion of sexual contact other than the victim becoming aware of Woods body hair when she awoke beside him. At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday, defence agent Tommy Allan said that the elephant in the room was the contact between the pair in the club, but he said there was no evidence of intentional, deliberate touching in the bed. The solicitor added that alcohol and drugs had affected his clients memory of the incident. Allan said that Wood fully realised the distress he would have caused the woman and had accepted responsibility. Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood said that he was persuaded by the smallest scintilla against sending Wood to prison as he had to be sure custody was the only option. Instead, he gave the man a community payback order, with Wood also placed on the sex offenders register for three years. He was also made to take part in the Moving Forward Making Changes project, a behavioural programme designed to provide treatment for men who commit sexual offences.

Description

A 39-year-old father has been jailed for having sex with a schoolgirl who was less than half his age.

John Baines had an eight-month sexual relationship with the vulnerable 15-year-old girl.

He plied her with the alcopop WKD and other alcohol and took her for treats at McDonalds before the girl realised the relationship was wrong and ended it.

Baines’ infatuation with the teenager led to the break up of his own marriage and she started sneaking away from her home to spend time with him when he set up home on his own.

The victim later told police that meeting him secretly made her feel ‘weird and cringy’, Exeter Crown Court was told.

Car valeter Baines, of Churchill Road, Bideford, admitted four counts of sexual activity with a child and was jailed for three years and four months by Judge David Evans.

He told him: ”You took advantage of the trust which you had generated in her to engage in sexual acts with her. She knew and you knew that what was happening was wrong. It was not just immoral, but illegal.

“You told her you loved her, bought her trainers and took her to McDonalds, you were treating someone who was more than half your age as if you were in a proper adult relationship.

“You treated her in a way in which you should never treat a child, on occasions drinking alcohol with her. You knew she was at a rather vulnerable stage of her life and took advantage of that.”

Mr Richard Crabb, prosecuting, said the sexual activity started when the girl visited Baines’ home and stayed up late with him drinking.

She trusted him as a father figure but the physical contact, which started with kissing and cuddling, developed into sexual acts.

The relationship lasted for about nine months and in that time sexual activity took place at his family home when there was no one else around, and at his new home when his marriage broke up.

On one occasion it progressed as far as full intercourse. She ended the relationship but he carried on contacting her and trying to meet her.

Mr Nicolas Gerasimidis, defending, said Baines was less mature emotionally than his physical age and now regrets what he has done.

He said:”He has lost everything. He has lost his relationship with his wife. He is estranged from his family and particularly his daughter.

"He recognises the damage he has done because of a foolish decision which he now regrets.”

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GROOMED by her stepfather from the age of 13, Shannon felt forced into keeping the abuse he carried out as a dark secret known only to them.

Such was Alan Stanhope's perverted influence on Shannon, now 21, he insisted that she call him dad and legally change her surname to his.

For years she was too scared to speak out to anyone.

But today she is planning for the future after bravely telling her mum, police and ultimately facing her abuser in court at a trial.

Alan Stanhope, who had threatened her, was jailed for 10 years after being convicted of nine charges of sexual activity with a child.

Now with him behind bars Shannon is much happier – she has a boyfriend and is pregnant expecting a girl.

Speaking to The News after waiving her anonymity, she said: 'The reason I came forward and reported the crime, as well as protecting my family and myself, was that I had to fight for my life.

'The life I knew deep down I was supposed to have – happiness without judgement.

'And the feeling of "walking on eggshells" to go away as soon as I walk through the door. The future, of being married with children – that was never going to happen because Alan never accepted me moving on, or living. He wanted to run away with me.'

For years Shannon was bombarded with sexually explicit messages from her stepfather, who tried to find reasons to be alone with her and carry out the abuse.

He got together with Shannon's mum when Shannon was just 13 – and spent years ingratiating himself into the Portsmouth family.

'I felt I couldn't live life any more and I got really down,' Shannon said.

'I was screaming out for help but nobody could.

'It wasn't until November 2016 when my mum found out, she became suspicious.

'I just told her to look at his phone and see what he's been sending me and she saw everything, all of the messages saying that he loved me and he wanted to do stuff with me.'

Stanhope, 39, of Spenlow Close, Buckland, denied all the charges, claiming his phone sent messages by mistake, but was found guilty.

Shannon added: 'I want to get this out there, not to be malicious, but to raise awareness.

'Even though I am still embarrassed over what happened to me for during the seven years he was in my life,

'I do not want this to happen to another child.

'What I experienced was horrific, and it was against my will to keep it "our little secret" and make everything seem fine between us to family and friends.'

Predator talked his way into family life

SICK Alan Stanhope told young Shannon the abuse he carried out was just 'us time'.

The 39-year-old spent years taking advantage of the trust he had been given when he met Shannon's mum.

But while portraying himself as the 'perfect stepfather' he was secretly stealing his stepdaughter's childhood.

Shannon said: 'It became an evening thing, every now and again when my mum went up to the bath and that left us alone – he called it "us time".

'The first time it happened, it happened so quick I couldn't believe it. All he said was "did you enjoy it?" and I said "no".

'After that time it was on a weekly basis, up until I was 19, and more towards the end.

'He said that he was in love with me.'

The pervert would message Shannon while she was out with friends and tried stopping her from going out.

'He was pestering me to do sexual things – and he didn't like it when I said no, and there were times he would even when I said no,' she said.

'It got to the point where I felt I wasn't being left alone, I felt like I was just being harassed and I couldn't move forward with me life.'

But now Shannon has relief that Stanhope was jailed.

She faced her abuser in court, giving evidence to jurors who returned unanimous guilty verdicts.

She said: 'I do feel better now he's in jail – I feel much safer. I feel like I got justice although it was nerve-wracking, before I went to the stand I was having a panic attack.'

Gilian Finch, from charity CISters, said: 'Abusers are skilled manipulators which is how they stay undiscovered for so many years. They manipulate not only their child victims but also adults around the child too.'

She added: 'I would urge anyone (male or female) who lives in the Portsmouth area and has experienced sexual abuse to reach out for help.'

n Portsmouth Abuse and Rape Counselling Service on the women's helpline on (023) 9266 9511 or the men's helpline on (023) 9266 9516. Lines open Monday 1pm-3pm; Wednesday and Friday 7pm-10pm.

n Treetops Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Cosham 24 hours a day on 0300 123 6616.

n Women in Hampshire who are over 18 and were abused as children by immediate or extended family can call CISters on (023) 8033 8080 [email protected]

'There is plenty of support available for abuse victims'

NEVER feel unable to report sex abuse that took place years ago.

That is Shannon Stanhope's message to others who may be suffering in silence. She said: 'I waited too long to report this. I have missed out on my childhood. I would urge anyone who is in a situation like this, to disclose it. I have come out on the other side now. I am now 21 and I am with an amazing partner and we have a baby girl on the way. My life has completely turned around and it was worth it 100 per cent. There is plenty of support.'

Det Con Nicola Cupper said: 'These non-recent cases are really damaging to people. Even though it hasn't happened yesterday what they say is taken seriously, no matter how long ago something happened – it's never too late to report it.'

Description

A man who sexually assaulted a five-year-old girl and left her suffering from nightmares has been locked up for two years.

Roger Laughton, who smirked in his police mugshot after being arrested, sexually abused the youngster but then, after being charged, denied he had done anything wrong.

The 33-year-old of Chestnut Grove in Grantham left his victim shocked and confused, a court was told.

Despite pleading not guilty to a charge of sexual assault as a result of what happened in January 2017, he was found guilty by a jury following a trial in which the girl gave evidence against him at Lincoln Crown Court .

Laughton was also given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Judge Andrew Easteal, passing sentence, told Laughton: "It is plain she was shocked, confused and distressed at what you were doing to her.

"It is quite clear that this has had an enormous effect on her.

"There is no knowing how long and how deeply it will affect her but it was an awful thing that you did to her. It was deplorable.

"You continue to dispute the verdict in the face of overwhelming evidence. You have not expressed any remorse towards her."

Dawn Pritchard, prosecuting, said: "A statement from the victim's mother explains the effect she has seen on her daughter.

"Before this she was happy go lucky and confident. She would speak to anyone.

"That disappeared after the incident. She changed overnight and stopped talking to people.

"She has begun to fall behind on her school work and she has nightmares."

Michael Cranmer-Brown, for Laughton, said: "The jury found him guilty of what was alleged. He still denies that.

"There is very little more that I can say at the end of a trial when he has denied the matter and continues to do so."

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Sex offender Ashleigh Weller has been jailed for ignoring a court order - after asking children if he wanted to take a dog for a walk.

The 25-year-old, of Marsh Street, Hanley, was made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order after he was convicted of sexual activity with a child.

He pleaded guilty at North Staffordshire Justice Centre to breaching the order on June 9.

Prosecutor Maggie Meakin said Weller was at a friend's house when he started up conversation with a neighbour's children as they played in a garden.

She said: Ashleigh instigated conversation with the boys. He invited them into the garden and asked if they wanted to come to take the dog for a walk.

Its deliberate failure to comply with the requirements of the order.

The offence put Weller in breach of a suspended sentence order. Zoe Leese, mitigating, said Weller had difficulty with grasping the prohibitions of his sexual harm prevention order.

She said: "He is exceptionally vulnerable and therefore I would suggest it would be unjust to activate his suspended sentence."

However magistrates disagreed, and activated three weeks of Weller's suspended sentence. They also sentenced him to three weeks in prison - to run concurrently - for the new offence, making a total sentence of three weeks.

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Kenneth Mann, 43, a plasterer, now of Seafield Road, Portchester was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Monday for the offences which happened in Hastings.

He had been convicted at Hove Crown Court on March 23 of the rape and sexual assault of the girl, and of inciting her to commit an act of gross indecency.

He was acquitted of further alleged offences against the girl of indecency with a child, sexual assault, and indecent assault.

Mann will also be a registered sex offender for life and was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to last indefinitely, prohibiting him from any contact with the victim.

Detective Sergeant Steve Shimmons of the Hastings-based Safeguarding Investigations Unit said: 'The girl was aged between nine and 13 at the time of the offences.

'Mann came to know her locally in Hastings and cynically took advantage of her innocence and vulnerability for several years in the early to mid 2000s, for his own sexual gratification, until he moved away to Hampshire.

'She kept this distressing experience to herself until four years ago when she first contacted us.

'Even at that stage she was reluctant to support a prosecution, but then came back to us again, and over time we gained her confidence to enable the investigation to progress.

'She bravely gave evidence in court, and this was crucial in helping to secure the guilty verdicts.

'If you or anyone you know is being, or has been, subjected to this sort of predatory behaviour, do not suffer in silence.

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A man from Milton Keynes has been sentenced to seven years after being found guilty of a number of sex offences against children.

Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, Michael Lines, 41, formerly of Oxley Park, was found guilty by jury of two counts of sexual activity with a child under 16 and one count of sexual activity with a child while in a position of trust.

It happened between 2010 and 2015 against his victims who were aged between 14-18 years old.

Mr Lines was charged in December 2016 and convicted of the offences on 19 July 2017 and has now been sentenced at Blackfriars Crown Court (on Monday 25th June).

Mr Lines was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) indefinitely.

In a separate trial at Aylesbury Crown Court which concluded in April, MrLines was acquitted of two further offences of sexual activity with a child.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Tonya Livingston, of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit at Bletchley police station, said:

Lines, having wreaked emotional havoc on the children involved in these offences, continued to deny any wrongdoing on his part.

His selfishness caused one child witness to have to give evidence three times and another to wait nearly a year to see justice administered in the sentencing on Monday.

The sentence set by the judge reflects the severity of Lines offending and the callousness of his actions throughout his offending and trials.

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A school teacher who downloaded hundreds of "horrible" child sex abuse images has been spared jail after a judge decided there was "a realistic prospect of rehabilitation". Thomas Caudell, who also downloaded an "extreme" image of a woman having sex with an animal, was said to have an "addiction" that caused a spectacular fall from grace. The 46-year-old former technology teacher at a Tunbridge Wells school admitted three offences of making indecent photos of a child, one of possessing images and one of possessing extreme pornography. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered to complete 180 hours unpaid work. Maidstone Crown court heard police discovered Caudell, of Little Footway, Langton Green, had 59 images in the highest category of seriousness, 45 in the next highest and 686 in the least serious category. David Burgess, defending, said Caudell had family photos and school work projects he wanted to retrieve from his seized computer equipment. He has arrived at the age of 46 with an unblemished character hardworking, family man loved and respected by one and all, as seen from character references and now has a criminal record and, worse still, as a sex offender, said Mr Burgess. His fall from grace is from a very high order indeed. It has had a very profound effect on him and his wife, who sits in court, and other members of his family. Caudell, who now works as a machine operator, had sought help from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation child protection charity and completed courses. It goes a long way to say he sought to address the addiction for that is what it has become and ensure that with the help available this fall never happens again, said Mr Burgess. That is very much to his credit. The effect on him has been very severe indeed. There was a time when he contemplated taking his own life. He has pulled back from that brink. Passing sentence, Judge Philip Statman said: At the heart of this offending conduct are children, each of whom becomes a victim of the criminality you have performed. Anyone who has to read, as I do all too often, a description of the images concerned in cases such as this is appalled by the description given. In your case, young children - girls, pre-pubescent in a situation where they are performing under the direction of adults, and where the acts of which they are party to are gross and disgusting. You sat in the comfort of your home and you downloaded these images for your own sexual gratification. "Your conduct took place over a substantial period of time. No doubt, as you sat there in your home you never thought the time would come when there would be a knock on the door and you would be arrested for these crimes. But the judge said he had to take one step back and take a cool and measured look at what Caudell had done. Nonetheless, you will appreciate these offences well and truly pass the custody threshold, he continued. References showed he had always been decent and honourable. His wife of 20 years had written to the court on his behalf. If I may say so, no one could ask for a better wife than the one you have, said the judge. Your conduct has resulted in life-changing circumstances for the whole of your family. "No doubt, as you sat there in your home you never thought the time would come when there would be a knock on the door and you would be arrested" - judge Philip Statman" There would be those who would sink under the weight of what you have done. Not so your wife who has encouraged you to attend the Lucy Faithfull Foundation to complete a 10-session course with them. "You have been able to come to terms with the fact you have a very real psycho-sexual problem and need to address the issues arising there from. You are perfectly capable of restoring your life and, hopefully, return to a situation in the community where you can continue to contribute as a decent member of society. I also hope you wont ever again go back to downloading these horrible images of children. Judge Statman added: Sentences of imprisonment are appropriate, but I draw back from sending you to prison immediately. There is in my judgement a realistic prospect that exists for your rehabilitation. I am persuaded there is strong personalised and individualised mitigation. I am clear this is a case where I should take an exceptional course by suspending the sentence. Caudells name will appear on the sex offenders register for five years and a sexual harm prevention order was made for the same period to give the community extra protection from you. He will be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.

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Father jailed for having sex with school girl in New Forest car park

A HAMPSHIRE father has been jailed for having sex with a school girl after driving her to a secluded New Forest car park.

Stephen Nicholson had been a bus driver transporting students from a school in the Test Valley area ten years ago, when he began to build a rapport with a number of female students.

Southampton Crown Court heard how Nicholson then started to exchange messages with one pupil, that quickly then grew into flirting.

Then, on one afternoon in the summer of 2008, Nicholson, who was 27 at the time, picked up the student in his car and took her to a secluded car park in Minstead, where the two had consensual sex. He then took her to her usual address so that it seemed as though she had caught the bus as usual.

Nicholson denied the charges of three counts of sexual activity with a child, but was found guilty by a jury after a trial.

Nicholson, of Woodland Close, Southampton, had been a driver for the school, with his job listed as taking students home from the school back home across the county.

Prosecuting, Unyime Davies told the court how the girl, who can't be identified for legal reasons, "didn't know how to handle the attention from an older man".

She said: "Mr Nicholson, in a position of trust, began to build a rapport with a group of girls. This quickly turned to flirting with one student and a number of messages were sent. Some of these were recovered from an old SIM card of the victim.

"On one afternoon, Mr Nicholson then arranged to pick her up in his car and drove to a secluded car park in Minstead where the two engaged in sexual activities.

"There was also grooming against the victim before the offences. Significant planning was also needed to establish how much time the defendant would have before the bus reached the victim's home."

Mitigating for Nicholson, barrister Sarah Jones told the court that the now 37-year-old has built a family and a new life in the ten years since the offences took place.

She said: "The life of Mr Nicholson's wife and family is now going to come crumbling down. One of the hardest things for them is to not be able to tell their children, who are aged two, five and seven, when their father is going to be coming home."

Presiding, Judge Peter Henry said that had Nicholson pleaded guilty, he would have received a shorter time behind bars.

He said: "It's a great shame you did not plead guilty to these matters, particularly after the messages were recovered. I agree that there was planning involved in this, and for that I am sentencing you to four years and three months to be served concurrently."

A danger to women and highly manipulative individual. Prays on naivety and innocence.

Pretended to be an ex Royal Marine. Also worked in Poole Dorset for the RNLI with false paperwork.