Latest Offenders

Description

A man who sexually assaulted a 13-year-old boy in his own home on Christmas Day has been jailed for four years.

Kieran Seery , 31, of Dowry Street, Accrington, was sentenced today (June 8) at Burnley Crown Court. He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which lasts 15 years.

It follows a trial last month which found Seery guilty of sexual assault.

The incident occurred in the early hours of December 25 2019, after Seery had attended a Christmas Eve gathering at the victims address and was later told he could stay the night.

The boy was asleep when he was woken by Seery, who attacked him before fleeing the address at around 8am.

He was arrested two days later in the Greater Manchester area following a public appeal for help locating him.

Det Sgt Helen Mercer, of Blackburn Police, said: Seery carried out a horrific and predatory attack on a young boy, and he deserves nothing less than the sentence he has received today.

Since the incident he has shown a complete lack of remorse and has consistently denied his guilt, forcing the victim to go through the further ordeal of a trial.

I cannot overstate the impact this incident has had on the young victim. He went to bed excited about Christmas Day and was woken in the early hours of the morning being subjected to a horrendous sexual attack. No child should feel unsafe in their own home, and no doubt the boy will carry the mental scars from this for a very long time.

He must be commended for his bravery in reporting what happened to him and I hope todays verdict gives him a sense of closure and enables him to start moving forward with his life.

We also hope todays verdict shows that at Lancashire Police we take all reports of sexual offences extremely seriously. Anybody who has been victim of this type of crime is urged to report it to us as soon as possible, safe in the knowledge they will be treated sensitively and professionally.

Description

Thomas Hancock sexually assaulted one girl and told the other he dreamed of having sex with her at school.

"A lot of people call him a monster. I have no words to describe what he is."

These are the words of a schoolgirl who fell prey to a teacher who admitted sexually assaulting a pupil at his school and propositioning another.

Thomas Hancock nurtured friendly relationships with the complainants, aged 17 and 16, Bristol Crown Court heard.

But the trusted teacher revealed he had feelings for both before he groped one and sent the other lewd footage of himself.

Hancock, 29, of Beyon Close in Cam, Gloucestershire, pleaded guilty to sexual assault and sexual assault (on multiple occasions), in a position of trust, on the 17-year-old.

He pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a child to look at sexual activity, and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, in a position of trust, on the 16-year-old.

Judge Michael Cullum jailed him for 16 months.

He told Hancock: "Both young women have been deeply affected and have altered the course of their lives.

"Teachers are supposed to do that in a positive way, not a negative way."

The judge handed Hancock a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to stop him re-offending.

Stephen Dent, prosecuting via video link, said that at the time Hancock had taught at the school for six years.

He had retained contact with the 17-year-old and became flirtatious with her, the court heard.

Mr Dent said: "He grabbed her bottom without consent and she was shocked.

"He said to her they needed to talk, but not in school."

Mr Dent said they arranged to meet and did so.

He told the court: "She went to his car. He said he had feelings for her but nothing could happen.

"She was confused and upset."

The court heard on another meeting the teacher grabbed her and kissed her - and though she knew it was wrong she felt trapped.

Mr Dent said: "She felt the defendant had control over her.

"He became obsessed with her.

"He asked her to wear skirts and clothes he liked."

Hancock kissed the girl and grabbed her bottom several times, Mr Dent said, telling her he would "like to bend her over a table".

On one occasion he put her hand inside his trousers and touch him between his legs on his pants.

When she told Hancock contact had to stop it did so, the court heard, but she made no formal complaint until she became aware of a second victim.

That second complainant, aged 16, told police she exchanged messages with Hancock which became flirtatious and extremely sexual.

She took a photo of if Snapchat message, the court heard.

She described how Hancock sent her a photo of his private parts and videos of him committing a sex act on himself.

He would also contact her in the early hours, tell her his fiance was asleep, and would talk of dreams about her and how he wanted to have sex with her at school.

In one loaded question he asked her: "How would you convince me to give you the grades you need?"

The older girl stated that her ability to concentrate on school work suffered as a result, and though she managed to get into university her work there "fell apart".

She said: "Before Mr Hancock I was never like this."

The younger girl said Hancock knew she was vulnerable and she suffered panic attacks as a result of his actions.

She said: "A lot of people call him a monster.

"I have no words to describe what he is.

"I blame myself for letting him message me.

"I feel heartbroken for his fiance, his family and my family.

"It left me with even less confidence than before."

Matthew Comer, defending said his client had lost his career, relationship and home as a result of his actions and had suffered with his mental health.

Mr Comer said: "He fully appreciates the enormity of what he has done.

"He fully appreciates the seriousness of the situation he has put himself in.

"He fully appreciates he grossly breached the trust people ought to have in their teacher."

DC Nina Wilson said: "Thomas Hancock was a teacher who abused his position and the trust the children in his care had in him.

"The victims have displayed enormous courage in reporting this matter to the police and their strength in speaking out about what they have been through has meant that other potential victims will not have to suffer the same ordeal.

"Hancock's depraved behaviour has caused a significant amount of emotional harm to them both and we're continuing to offer support to them.

"However I hope that today's result will encourage other victims to come forward and report sexual offences to the police."

Description

Steven Thomas Scott had more than 5,000 indecent images of youngsters on various hard drives, a court heard.

These ranged from category A - the most serious type - to category C images at the lower end of the spectrum.

The 39-year-old of Chiltern Green also had almost 300 prohibited images of children - a mix of photos and videos.

Scott was identified by police during an investigation into users of a file-sharing network, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Appearing before Southampton Crown Court, he was charged with three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, a single count of distributing indecent photographs and possessing a prohibited image of a child.

He previously pleaded guilty to the offences which happened between April and December 2019.

Defending, Ed Warren, argued that his client had mental health issues.

At sentencing, Judge Peter Henry described the images as both disturbing and revolting.

However, he said there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

Scott was jailed for nine months, suspended for two years.

He must complete 43 sessions on an accredited sexual offender group work programme and 60 rehabilitation activity days.

Scott was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.

Description

A Forres man has escaped a jail sentence for trying to lure young girls into sending him indecent photographs of themselves.

Kevin Johnston (48) was snared by a paedophile hunting group which had posed as under-age teenagers on the internet.

Johnston sent them videos of himself carrying out a sex act both while he was in work and at home.

At Inverness Sheriff Court today Johnston was sentence to 225 hours of unpaid work.

Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald also placed him on the sex offender's register and put him under the supervision of social workers for the next three years.

She told him: "I could send you to jail which this merits, but you will not get any help.

"Your intention was clear, you wanted sexual relations with young girls.

"Had they been children, the consequences would have been devastating and lifelong."

The Sheriff criticised Johnston for continuing to minimise and deny his attraction to pre-pubescent girls.

Sheriff Macdonald added: "I have heard you have lost everything, your job and your family. But you only have yourself to blame."

Defence solicitor Grant Daglish told the court that his client has been assessed as being at a low risk of offending again.

The solicitor added that Johnston had now got a new job in Inverness.

Sheriff Macdonald asked Mr Daglish if Johnston had offered any explanation for his behaviour.

Mr Daglish replied: "He is at a loss as to why he did it.

"He advises me that ages did not occur to him.

"Perhaps it was boredom and low mental health."

At a previous hearing, Inverness Sheriff Court was told that the targeted under-age teenagers were actually decoys from the "Hunting Online Predators Everyday", known as 'HOPE.'

The court heard that police raided his former home in Califer Road and seized phones and a computer.

It was then discovered that Johnston had also contacted other targeted.

These might have been real teenagers. However, they could not be traced.

Johnston, who has since moved away from Forres, admitted communicating sexually with children or people he believed to be children between March 25, 2020 and July 4, 2020.

Fiscal depute Robert Weir said that the decoys made it clear on chat and dating websites how old they were pretending to be and did not initiate sexual communications.

Mr Weir said Johnston tried to persuade the girls to send him 'naughty pictures'.

One of his user names was 'hornyhighlander', but he also used 'cantsleepmale.'

In one instance with an unidentified girl, Mr Weir said: "he continued to send sexual messages for three months trying to get a response."

Description

A "cynical and highly manipulative" former Hampshire teacher has been jailed after committing a number of sexual offences against two teenage boys. Julius Edwards, formerly of Queens Road, Farnborough, "exploited" the vulnerability of his victims, one of whom described him as a "puppet master". Edwards, 49, "sought out teenage boys online, looking for the vulnerable", encouraging them to exchange explicit sexual messages and images with him. He then persuaded the victims, aged 13 and 14 at the time, to meet him in person and engage in sexual acts, leaving them "devastated by the trauma". Edwards was a science teacher, but these victims were not his students. He taught at the Dove House School in Basingstoke at the time of his arrest. The "predatory paedophile" committed the sexual offences against the boys between March and April in 2020, and was convicted of 18 offences in April this year. These included: - three counts of sexual activity with a boy under 16; - nine counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a boy under 16; - one count of sexual assault by penetration; - three counts of attempting to engage in penetrative sexual activity with a boy under 16; and - two counts of failure to comply with a notice to provide a key. Edwards pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sexual communication with a child at an earlier hearing, bringing the total number of offences to 19. A sentencing hearing at Kingston Crown Court on Friday (June 4) heard how Edwards presented himself as "a caring adult", but then groomed and sexually abused the victims. Judge Peter Lodder said Edwards "exploited" the second victim's vulnerabilities. He encouraged him to talk about sex, exchange intimate images, and persuaded the boy to meet him. Addressing Edwards, Judge Lodder added: "On 8th or 9th April, you picked him up in your car, took him to a wooded area north of Guildford, and there pressed him into intimacy."

'I cry more now than ever before', the first victim said

Edwards "boasted" that he had "done these things with other lads", including the first victim. Sexual messages and pictures were exchanged between Edwards and the first victim, before he picked him up and drove him to a remote location for sexual activity. A statement from the first victim read aloud in court said: "I was a really happy child until he took that from me. I have felt a sadness ever since. I cry more now than ever before. "Since it happened, every time I go outside I feel nervous and anxious. I can't trust anyone. I can't trust teachers at my school because I know he [Edwards] is a teacher." The statement added: "He made me talk about my sex life as a 13-year-old to so many different people and my parents. This has been ultra embarrassing and upsetting." The court heard how Edwards "bragged" about a third boy, called 'Liam', who was in fact an undercover police officer pretending to be an underage child, aged 13. Edwards approached 'Liam' using the name 'don't be shy' online, and continued "in exactly the same way" as with the other two victims and "repeatedly" asked to meet. On June 15, 2020, after his arrest, Edwards was asked to provide PIN codes to allow police to access his mobile devices, however he refused to do so. He additionally submitted an application to change his name by deed poll while in prison awaiting trial, in an attempt to "try to conceal his true identity", the judge said. He then made an application to change his passport with that new name. However, the Passport Office was "suspicious" and it came to the attention of the officer involved in the case. Addressing Edwards, Judge Lodder added: "Clearly this was an attempt to avoid the consequences of restrictions that would be imposed as a result of your offending. "It is activity which is entirely consistent with the picture you present of a cynical and highly manipulative offender." Edwards' defence counsel said he has commenced counselling and psychiatric engagement within prison, adding: "He has been using his education to assist those prisoners who are unable to read or write". Judge Lodder sentenced Edwards to 14 years in prison, with an extended license term of four years, and granted a restraining order in relation to the two victims. He was also given a Sexual Harm Protection Order (SHPO) and ordered to pay a victim surcharge. Detective Constable Mike Stanley, who investigated the case, said: "I hope that the sentence handed out today demonstrates our commitment to carrying out a full and thorough investigation to ensure that offenders are brought to justice. "The tireless work of the team involved in this investigation, including the Guildford Safeguarding Investigation Unit and the Digital Forensics Team, has ensured that Edwards is behind bars where he belongs."

Description

A DETERMINED paedophile who embarked on the relentless pursuit of vile and disgusting indecent images of children has been jailed for four years and four months.

Alexander Allport possessed and distributed hundreds of images at category A, B and C, including movies of babies being raped, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Allport, 37, of Canterbury Crescent, Halifax, shared the “disgusting and horrific” pictures with like-minded perverts on internet chat sites.

He was told by Judge Jonathan Rose: “Your behaviour is incomprehensible to any decent member of society.”

Allport was first arrested in May, 2017, when police officers acting on information went to his home and seized a memory stick and computers, prosecutor Ayesha Smart said.

Investigators found 114 category A movies and 300 category A images; 130 category B movies and 295 category B images; and 8 category C movies and 1,035 category C images.

They featured children aged between one and 14, the court was told.

Allport was distributing the images in a chatroom with 43 members. He shared 21 of them, some at category A, among 18 people, Miss Smart said.

He told the police he began downloading the images in 2016. He was then released under investigation.

On February 3 this year, the police returned to his home and seized three phones and a computer hard drive containing 10 category B images, 83 category C images and 752 prohibited images of children, comprising cartoons and 3D images.

Allport told the police that following his first arrest he had paid an American company for therapy to tackle his sexual attraction to children.

He was again released and he appeared in court in April.

On May 5, he was caught with 39 category A indecent images; 33 at category B and 60 at category C.

He was using a website to chat to boys and girls and taking to other paedophiles.

Allport was then remanded in custody and sentenced on a video link to Leeds Prison.

He pleaded guilty to making and distributing indecent images of children in 2017 and two further sets of offences of making indecent images of children.

Allport’s barrister, Charles Blatchford, said he had been frank with the police from the outset.

The group therapy sessions had stopped him offending for 18 months but then he ran out of money to pay for them.

Mr Blatchford conceded that immediate custody was inevitable and pointed to Allport’s lack of any offending until 2016.

Judge Rose said that Allport “embarked on the relentless pursuit of paedophilic images of children being debased and violated.”

He was a determined paedophile who engaged with like-minded perverts to share “disgusting and horrific images.”

Allport was jailed for a total of four years and four months. He must register as a sex offender indefinitely and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was made, also for an indefinite period.

Description

A man sent vile sexual messages to a 13-year-old girl and then accused her of lying when she reported him.

Barry Warner, 51, started chatting to the girl but when it became clear the messages were becoming inappropriate, the teenager drew him in just enough to ensure he incriminated herself.

Warner, of Bedford Road, Birkdale, then began to panic - first accusing the girl of lying, then saying it was just a bit of fun, and then pleading with her to delete the messages.

The girl showed the messages to her mum, who reported Warner to police.

At first Warner tried to deny everything to officers, claiming it was "bulls***" and that he thought he was chatting to the girl's mum.

But his excuses soon collapsed when it was clear from the messages he knew exactly how old the girl was.

Warner, a self-employed heating engineer, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child and appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today (Friday) to be sentenced.

Prosecutor Tom Watson said: "The messages were manipulated by the defendant to become sexual in nature, such as asking to exchange pictures.

"However the girl was astute enough to suspect he was a paedophile and gave him an opportunity to provide further evidence of this.

"She definitely had a level of awareness he was trying to draw her into sexual communications.

"She was one step ahead of him."

The court heard the incident had had a "significant impact" on the victim, leaving her anxious and causing her to lose weight and become withdrawn.

Jeremy Rawson, defending, said Warner now accepted responsibility for his actions and regretted them.

Mr Rawson said: "His mother is in long-term care at a nursing home with dementia. He is a decent man who has worked hard and assists his neighbours."

The judge, Recorder Ian Unsworth QC, told Warner: "From the outset you claimed you thought you were communicating with the girl's mother. This flies in the face of the evidence.

"You deliberately targeted a young girl - it was pre-planned, predatory sexual behaviour.

"You asked her for pictures, and offered pictures of yourself.

"She was a vulnerable, fragile child. Your motives were purely sexual and the messages were of a vile nature.

"When the game was up, you suggested she was lying, pretended it was a joke, and then pretended you didn't know the age of the victim when you knew you were dealing with a girl of 13."

Warner was jailed for 12 months, of which he must serve half and the rest on licence. He was also put on the sex offenders' register and given a restraining order, both lasting 10 years.

Description

A twisted sexual predator took a teenage woman's knickers as a trophy after trying to rape her.

Shakur Valentino put his hand over the mouth of the 18-year-old victim "to silence her protests" as she screamed for help only for a friend to intervene.

But after he was arrested, he was released by police and just weeks later raped a gran near London's Piccadilly Circus.

Valentino was previously jailed for 12 years, with an extended five years on licence, for raping that woman, who was in her 60s.

Today he was hit with a further five and a half years in jail, with an extended two years, for the attempted rape of his first victim.

Judge Louise Brandon said "a disturbing feature" of both cases was that he "took trophies in the form of items as a reminder of your offending".

Valentino, 23, from St Helens, denied raping the teenager, but on the day she was due to give pre-recorded evidence for a trial, admitted attempted rape.

Philip Astbury, prosecuting, said: "It's an attempted rape that comes as close to the full offence as the prosecution say could be imagined."

Liverpool Crown Court heard the victim and two friends met Valentino, then 21, on a night out in St Helens in the early hours of December 9, 2018.

Mr Astbury said the woman and Valentino "were attracted to one another" and the group got a taxi back to the victim's dad's house.

At around 5.30am, the victim and Valentino went into a bedroom and had sex, but they stopped, she put on a dressing gown and left the room.

She told her friends she was "tired" and keen to get some sleep before getting up for work, but when she returned to bed, Valentino "wanted more sex".

Mr Astbury said: "She told him no as she was tired... the defendant refused to take no for an answer."

He said Valentino forced her onto her back and she "protested and told him no, she wanted to go to sleep", but he climbed on top of her.

She tried to fight him off but he was "simply too strong" and when she cried out "he placed his hand over her mouth" to "silence her protests".

Mr Astbury said she believed he raped her, but the prosecution after consulting with the victim took the "pragmatic decision" to accept he didn't.

He said a friend heard her cries and entered the room to find Valentino on top of her.

Valentino "jumped up" and the victim escaped, so frightened that she "ran from the house wearing only her dressing gown and hid behind a parked van in the street".

Her friend confronted Valentino, who accused the victim of being "mental" and left before police arrived.

Officers arrested him nearby, but he claimed any sex was consensual and the victim was "off her head" on alcohol, cocaine and ketamine.

Mr Astbury said a toxicology report refuted these claims.

He said: "Officers found the complainant's knickers hidden in his boxer shorts."

The prosecutor added: "He did accept he had deliberately taken her knickers when getting dressed, but was unable to explain why he had done that."

Mr Astbury said the woman was now receiving counselling and revealed how the attack affected "how she sees others and how it affects her in public places".

Valentino was previously convicted of assault causing actual bodily harm in 2017.

In June 2019 he admitted two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, kidnapping and assault causing actual bodily harm, relating to an attack at around 3.30am on February 4, 2019.

Mr Astbury said Valentino pursued a cleaner walking to work through the west end of London and shouted at her.

He said Valentino grabbed her by the hair, dragged her into an alley and raped her, then threatened a homeless man who tried to intervene.

The rapist carried on but the witness raised the alarm and police arrested Valentino as he fled.

Valentino claimed that victim was a prostitute and any sex was consensual, but Mr Astbury said it was all captured on CCTV.

The footage showed him "hanging around" Piccadilly Circus for around an hour and approaching three other women.

Mr Astbury said this attack was around eight weeks after the first and it appeared Valentino had been released under investigation by police.

Judge Brandon raised Valentino taking clothing in both incidents, to which Cheryl Mottram, defending, confirmed he took the gran's leggings.

Ms Mottram suggested when police arrived the leggings were "taken more out of haste to escape than as a trophy or a trinket".

She said a psychiatric report made clear Valentino "suffered significant traumatic experiences" as a young child that impacted on his thinking.

Ms Mottram said: "There is of course the significant incident in relation to his grandmother, which caused the upheaval of the family being relocated. He had to change his name and he was initially in protective custody."

She said Valentino, who displayed "inappropriate behaviour" in school, was also "abused" by people meant to be looking after him and this was a case of "the abused becomes the abuser".

Ms Mottram said her client now accepted in the bedroom "it was almost like he had switched off to what she was saying to him".

She said he expressed "genuine remorse", his mum and siblings remain supportive, and he hoped to tackle his issues.

Judge Brandon told Valentino he made derogatory remarks about both victims after his attacks, which "disclosed your deep seated and disgraceful attitude to women and you thinking you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, when dealing with women".

The judge said having read the psychological report, she struggled to accept he was genuinely remorseful.

She said it was clear he had been affected by childhood traumas, adding: "You are a very damaged young man."

However, she said he was also "a very dangerous young man".

Judge Brandon said his behaviour was "impulsive and unpredictable", adding: "There remains a complete denial on your part that your actions on either occasion were wrong."

She said more than two years later, his first victim still struggled to sleep because of the "terrifying" attack and no longer stays over at her dad's home.

Judge Brandon said: "It is always on her mind and it continues to impact her ability to live in the way she should be able to do so."

The judge made the sentence consecutive to his existing term, meaning Valentino will have to serve almost 12 years at least behind bars, before he can apply for parole.

Description

MAN was caught with thousands of cartoon and animated pornographic images of children.

Daniel Paul Cordory had 7,148 pornographic images of youngsters stored on his desktop computer, a court heard.

Prosecution barrister, Christopher Amis, told how police had raided the 35-year-old's home in Twyford Road, Eastleigh and a preliminary analysis of his machine revealed files of cartoon and animated-style children.

During a police interview, Cordory claimed "pop-up images of children had appeared" when he was surfing adult sites.

He later told officers he had taken steps to stop the pop-ups.

The court heard how Cordory spent time playing a computer game that showed children being abused.

Mr Amis said how the defendant was in control of some of these characters, described as clearly child-like.

However, he added: "There is in fact no victim because the images are cartoon."

Appearing before Southampton Crown Court, Cordory was charged with a single count of possessing prohibited images of a child - he pleaded guilty to the offence having been arrested in July last year.

His stash of images was described in court documents as grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise of an obscene character.

Cordory has no previous convictions and Chris Gaiger, defending, argued that there was the prospect of rehabilitation.

Judge Nicholas Rowland gave him a 24-month community order to include 40 rehabilitation days and 150 hours of unpaid work.

He was made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order.

Description

The 39-year-old thought he was talking with the girl's mother and planning a meeting - but he was actually chatting with an undercover police officer An ex-serviceman tried to arrange a meetup so he could have sex with an 11-year-old girl - but didn't realise he was talking to an undercover policewoman. Neil Bennett, of Mills Lane, Towcester, spent two weeks messaging a 'mother' online with a plan to sexually assault her supposed young daughter. And, in a kind of vetting process, the 39-year-old even sent the woman indecent images of children to show he was serious - before asking her to provide such images of her child. But the former member of the armed forces didn't realise was he was actually chatting online with an undercover police officer. Northampton Crown Court heard yesterday (June 1) how Bennett cancelled the 'appointment' on the day it was due to take place. "On the day, you had second thoughts and realised what you were doing was wrong, improper, or simply something you couldn't go through with," said recorder Mr Stuart Sprawson in sentencing. "But it's right that, in summary, you over a period of two weeks expressed a seriousness to go through with it." The chat logs were used as evidence to arrest Bennett. When detained, police also found 108 images of indecent images on his devices. 50 of them were classed as "category A", the most severe category in UK law. The court heard Bennett had shown "genuine remorse" since he had been caught. But the judge ruled he could not spare him with a community order or a suspended sentence. "I feel I would not be doing my duty if I did not deal with this with an immediate custodial sentence," said Mr Sprawson. Bennett was handed an 18-month prison sentence and handed a sexual harm prevention order that restricts how he can use the internet or electronic devices.

Description

A RETAIL manager from who groped a 14-year-old boy on a camping trip - after grooming him with alcohol and cannabis - has been jailed for 39 months. Christopher Spencer, 41, befriended the Bury boy's family and bought him computer games, Minshull Street Crown Court was told. The teen had become withdrawn after a family bereavement, the court heard, and Spencer allowed him to use his bank card to play video games. Prosecutor Geoff Whelan said this led to the defendant, then 38, taking the boy on a camping trip. He hired a glamping pod and while the youngster was in bed one night he groped him under his clothing. The court heard the boy continued going on trips with Spencer but was always accompanied by a friend, who was also given cannabis by the defendant. Spencer, of Shakespeare Avenue, Radcliffe, was convicted after a trial of sexual activity with a child. He had admitted to two offences of supplying cannabis to the boys. The victim later said the sexual offence had affected his schooling and caused him to suffer from anxiety. Isobel Thomas, defending, said her client accepted he had given alcohol and cannabis to the sexual activity victim but disputed that this was to "facilitate the offence". She told the court how Spencer, who worked as a store manager in the Trafford Centre, lived with his mother and brother and it was his income which paid for the mortgage on the family home. "There are some real concerns if he was sent to custody and was unable to provide that income the family would be rendered homeless," Miss Thomas added. Judge John Potter said Spencer had effectively groomed the first boy over a period of time, treating him and taking him on trips. "In my judgement you used this opportunity to groom him with a view to sexually abusing him," he added. Judge Potter imposed a restraining order, prohibiting any contact between the defendant and the two boys. Spencer must also sign the sex offenders register for life.

Description

A man who became obsessed with a 13-year-old girl 'threw his life away' to have sex with her, a court has heard.

David Beeseley knew the age of his victim from the outset when he started sharing sexually explicit messages and pictures with the girl on SnapChat.

He then picked her up from her school in Leicestershire one day in November 2019 and drove her to the car park at Groby Pool where they engaged in sexual activity. The next morning he turned up at her home after her parents had left for work and had sex with her.

The girl, who had been a virgin, believed Beesley was a 19-year-old graphic design student at Warwick University, but really he was more than twice her age as a 29-year-old Starbucks cashier at Corley Services on the M6 near Coventry. He also lied about his surname.

They had sex again on another occasion a few weeks later, and the girl told her mum she had sex with a man as she was worried she was pregnant. Her mum called the police.

At Leicester Crown Court on Friday, Beesley, now 30, of Proffit Avenue, Coventry, was jailed after admitting nine separate sexual offences against a child.

Judge Timothy Spencer told him: "I think you were overcome by some sort of madness. You had a decent job, a steady relationship and your partner was expecting your first baby.

"You had so much positive going on in your life it's really difficult to decide why you threw it all away.

"Right from the start you knew she was 13, but you decided to live out your sexual obsession with her."

The court heard that Beesley had first contacted the girl in September or October 2019, when he was 29 and she was 13.

Prosecutor Michael Cramner Brown said he met her after school on November 4.

He said: "He picked her up and took her to the car park at Groby Pool. She thought they were just going to meet to talk and maybe a kiss or two.

"She was in her school uniform and had some holes in her tights and he was touching the holes, and then they kissed and he pulled her onto his lap."

The following morning they had sex in her bed, and after that he "went off the radar", Mr Cramner Brown said.

A few days later she received a text message from Beesley's partner, who told the girl she was eight months pregnant with Beesley's child and asked the girl not to contact him again. Beesley later told the girl he did not have a partner and that the message was really from his sister, who was being overprotective.

Beesley convinced his partner, meanwhile, that he was not going to see the girl again, and denied knowing she was just 13.

Mr Cramner Brown said: "He managed to wriggle his way out of it with his girlfriend. The girl bought it all, too."

Beesley went back to see the girl on December 4, and they had sex again, including unprotected sex that led to the girl confiding in her mother.

As soon as Beesley found out the police were involved, he sold his phone. But because he was on a contract, phone records made it easy to find out who he was.

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At the High Court in Aberdeen today, Lord Burns sentenced Michael Dixon to 4 years imprisonment after the offender was convicted of charges of sexual abuse.

On sentencing, Lord Burns made the following statement in Court: You were convicted on 12 March 2021 of charges of sexual abuse in the late 1980s. It comprised of the most serious forms of abuse including vaginal rape and anal penetration. This occurred on many occasions. Your victim was 11-12 years of age. You were 14-15. She was and remains deeply traumatised by these crimes, as was obvious from the way she gave her evidence. You continue to deny that you abused her and appear unable or unwilling to accept responsibility.

You also abused another child when she was 9 years old. You were then 17 to 18. You continue to deny these offences also.

You have convictions for sexual offending some of which occurred in June and September 1990. It too was perpetrated against 3 young girls of 7 and 9. After that in 2001 you abused another 9 year old girl on one occasion.

Your offending behaviour thus spanned a period from 1987 to 2001 but the majority of it occurred between 1987 and 1991 when you were 14 to 18 years of age.

I must have regard to the fact that you have remained out of trouble since 2001 and that there is no suggestion that you now present a material risk of further offending. The current assessment is of low risk. That is in contrast to any assessment which had been made at the time of the offences.

I can also take account of the views in the Social Work report that your offending was at least in part a result of adolescent problems which you were experiencing. You appear to have managed to overcome those difficulties. Despite your denial of the current offences, you appear to recognise the harm you caused to your other victims and have made positive efforts to desist from further offending.

You are now 47 and have a stable relationship. You have made a new life for yourself and you have a good employment record. It is to your credit that you have also taken an initiative in supporting people with mental health in your last employment.

The offences of which you have recently been convicted are very serious ones which must be dealt with by a significant custodial sentence. I have full regard to your age when you committed them. I recognise that public protection does not require to form a material element in this sentence.

In all the circumstances, I can limit that to one of 4 years. That is a cumulo sentence on all the charges. I will backdate that to 12 March 2021.

You will remain on the Sex Offenders register indefinitely."

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An obsessed man who was in a sexual relationship with a schoolgirl threatened to throw acid in her face and stab her.

Michael Collins, 35, had only recently been released from prison when he started talking to the 15-year-old via Facebook last summer while she was trying to track down her biological mum.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today how Collins, of no fixed address, threatened to throw acid in the girl's face and threatened to stab her outside her school after becoming possessive over her.

A judge told 35-year-old Collins, that it was accepted by the prosecution that it was a loving and caring relationship in which you showed genuine affection for her.

The threats he made to the girl, who is from Newton-le-Willows, were hollow but his victim took them seriously, said Judge Neil Flewitt, QC.

Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said the couple began communicating a month after he was released from Hindley prison in August last year after being recalled to finish a previous sentence.

Their contact via FaceTime and their meetings, which included having sex while the girl was in her school uniform, came to light in November after she confided in a teaching mentor that she had slept with a much older man who was now behaving in an aggressive way.

The police were called and when interviewed she said they had argued earlier that day during the course of it he threatened to throw acid in her face.

Although she was concerned about threats he had made she remained in contact with him as they both wanted the relationship to continue.

She said things became difficult when he was off his head on drugs.

The girl told school staff they would drink vodka and take cocaine together and said she performed a sex act on him.

After daily contact by FaceTime, the girl said they first met at Hunts Cross station where a group of lads said she should not be with him because of her age but she claimed he was her uncle.

They had sex and the dad-of-three did not take any precautions saying he wanted her to have his baby.

Miss Daley said: That was a mutual wish.

He made threats about throwing acid and stabbing her after becoming jealous about other boys or after they had been drinking, smoking cannabis and taking cocaine.

After their relationship came to light the girl left the area, but on December 31 Collins turned up in a stolen car to see her at her new address.

When he realised a police helicopter was overhead he got out and said he would be back in a couple of minutes but did not return.

He was arrested the next day at his grandads home in Kirkby.

Miss Daley said: She is extremely torn and drawn to the defendant and in many ways wishes for the relationship to be allowed to continue.

It appears he had genuine affection for her.

Stuart Mills, defending, said that the girl had not been scared of Collins, who had maintained a loving relationship with her. It was a loving caring relationship in which both sides were happy to engage.

He has done wrong because of the age difference and he will be punished for that.

Their contact initially began after he was released from prison and was feeling lonely and isolated, said Mr Mills. He intends to move away from Merseyside when freed and make a fresh start elsewhere.

Collins had pleaded guilty to six offences involving sexual activity with a child, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He was jailed for five years and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

The judge also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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A paedophile is back behind bars after he was convicted of sick sex attacks on a seven-year-old girl.

Glen Dickinson had already served a prison sentence for abusing another young girl when she was aged under 10.

Now he has been jailed for 11 years after the second victim bravely came forward to tell police what he had done to her.

As he was locked up at Newcastle Crown Court, a victim impact statement from the girl was read out.

She said she had been left with anxiety and depression and had to move as she felt like people knew what had happened.

She added: "I'm scared to go out by myself and I can't face going anywhere near the area where this happened.

"I have flashbacks and nightmares about what happened and I struggle to get to sleep.

"Even though he was put in jail it doesn't take away what he did to me.

"I'm left with this my whole life and it doesn't go away. It doesn't give me peace that he's in jail, no sentence ever would.

"The abuse has had a catastrophic effect. I'm also serving a sentence, except mine is for life."

Dickinson, 37, of Kearsley Close, Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, was found guilty by a jury of two serious sexual assaults on the child.

It was in 2014 that he was convicted of the earlier sex offences on the first victim. The new offending happened before that but only came to light more recently.

Judge Tim Gittins said Dickinson had an "abhorrent paedophilic interest" in young girls.

Referring to the victim, he added: "She had a bear a dreadful secret and has been deeply affected by your actions towards her and continues to be so."

The judge said the abuse had left the girl "hurt and distressed".

He added: "What you have done to her will endure, no doubt, for some time."

Judge Gittins said Dickinson poses a substantial risk to girls of cause serious harm and concluded he is a dangerous offender."

He was jailed for 11 years with an extended licence period of a further year.

Sex offender registration and a sexual offences prevention order imposed in 2014 continue to be in force.