Latest Offenders

Description

After noticing a woman he believed looked 'vulnerable', Matthew Jowitt, 18, began to follow her as she walked through Woodseats at just after 9.15am on May 14 this year.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how when the woman reached Smithy Wood Road - which is located less than 50 metres from Jowitt's home in Cartmell Road - he forced his hands down her trousers and sexually assaulted her.

"You followed her, touched her and sexually assaulted her, laughing at her when she asked you to stop," Judge Rachael Harrison told Jowitt.

Jowitt continued to follow the woman, who is autistic and suffers from learning difficulties, as she attempted to walk away.

Richard Thyne, prosecuting, said: "When she reached Ulverston Road, he pushed her down a bank and dragged her into some woods."

Jowitt subsequently raped the woman twice, before fleeing the scene.

CCTV obtained from the area showed Jowitt following, and sexually assaulting, the woman; but there was no CCTV of the area he raped her in.

Jowitt's DNA was also found on the woman's knickers, the court heard.

He was arrested at Morrisons, his workplace, two days later and responded to the arrest by saying: "I don't f****** need this, I'm on a final warning."

In a gut-wrenching statement, Jowitt's victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said the attack had affected 'every aspect' of her life.

"[After this happened] I spent many days in bed. I didn't want to get up or do anything. And now, months later, I'm tearful most days, and my mum has to force me to get up, have a shower, and accompany me out of the house," said the woman, adding that she is now afraid to be outside on her own, even in her own garden.

Jowitt pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration at an earlier hearing.

During an interview for his pre-sentence report, Jowitt said he had also thought about committing sexual offences a week before this incident.

Mr Thyne said Jowitt was hauled before Sheffield Crown Court just five months before carrying out this shocking set of crimes for an incident in which he attacked a lone woman, while exposing himself, and jumped on top of her and attempted to pull her leggings down.

She fought back, at which point Jowitt ran off, but he was stopped by members of the public who witnessed the incident, which was committed on October 22 last year.

Jowitt pleaded guilty to an offence of assault with intent to commit a sexual offence in connection with this incident.

He was 17-years-old at the time of conviction, and was sentenced to a 12-month referral order.

James Gould, defending, said: "He has personal difficulties...that he has had from a very young age...difficulties that include ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)."

Mr Gould said: "The defendant has expressed in the pre-sentence report, set against his personal and pyschological problems, what I would submit is genuine remorse."

Judge Harrison jailed Jowitt for eight years, and also imposed an extended license period of an additional four years due to the 'significant risk of danger' he poses to members of the public.

She told Jowitt: "You admit that you noticed your victim and thought she was vulnerable. Thinking that, you specifically targetted her."

"You have shown inappropriate sexual behaviour towards others since the age of five. Despite the work that was done with you with the referral order, you threw away that opportunity to address your problems," added Judge Harrison.

The extended license period Jowitt has been sentenced to means he must serve two-thirds of his sentence, instead of the normal one-half, before he can be considered for release by the parole board.

Description

A paedophile who groomed a 14-year-old girl told police 'I love being a sex offender', a court heard.

Damien Read, 21, from Didsbury, was already known to the courts after being convicted of trying to meet up with a girl after grooming her last year.

Police visited his home to check whether he was complying with a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) previously imposed.

Read, who has learning disabilities, denied having a phone when police asked during the visit in January.

But while they were in the house, officers heard a vibrating sound coming from a cupboard, prosecutor Andrea Lock told Manchester Crown Court.

They found a Nokia phone, which was later found not to be able to connect to the internet.

As part of the SHPO, Read was banned from having any device which could access the internet, unless it could retain its browsing history.

Officers also found a small red box which contained a telephone number.

They called it and a 14-year-old girl answered, who said she was Read's girlfriend.

Police found Read had been having sexualised chats with the girl, and that she had performed a sexual act on herself after he had asked her to.

The girl, who was said to be 'vulnerable', had received a friend request from Read on Facebook. She told Read her true age, while he lied and said he was also 14.

She sent him a picture of herself, which he described as 'really hot and sexy'.

The girl told Read that 'she wanted children with him', the court heard.

When he was arrested, Read said 'I love being above the law', 'I love being a sex offender' and 'I love speaking to schoolgirls'.

Officers found that Read had a card for Withington Library.

Read had visited the library almost daily before being arrested in January, and officers investigating CCTV footage found him performing a sex act upon himself while using a computer.

He could have been charged with an offence of indecent exposure, Ms Lock said, but there were no other members of the public in the area of the library at the time.

Read has previous convictions for sexual offences, including in 2015 for sexual activity with a boy, and he also previously breached a court order.

But he was spared jail for his latest offences, after a judge said there was 'exceptional circumstances' and that Read had 'strong personal mitigation'.

Defending, Andrew Evans said that due to his learning disabilities, Read has a habit of saying 'inappropriate' things, as well as having an 'inbuilt propensity to lie'.

'He lies about innocuous things for no good reason,' Mr Evans added.

But while in prison on remand, where he has spent the last seven months, Read made 'full disclosures' to other prisoners about why he was in custody, the court heard.

As a result he was 'repeatedly assaulted', the court heard.

Reports submitted to the court described Read as 'immature bordering on childlike', while another said he 'struggles to learn lessons and apply what he has been told.

Apparently referring to the terms of his SHPO, Read told a probation officer: 'I am sick of being told what I can and can't do.'

Sentencing, Judge David Stockdale QC told Read: 'You were well aware of the terms of the sexual harm prevention order.

Apparently referring to the terms of his sexual harm prevention order, Read told a probation officer: 'I am sick of being told what I can and can't do.'

'You were able to recite the terms of it, so familiar were you with those terms.

'You have demonstrated a defiance for court orders and court process.

'You were to tell the police on your arrest 'I love being a sex offender' and 'I love being above the law'.'

'In other words you think that you are above the law, and when the law steps in to prevent you from committing sexual offences, as soon as you physically can do so, you re-offend.

'You are well aware of the criminal nature of your offences. You know what you are doing is wrong.'

But judge said Read's offences were 'significantly mitigated' by his learning difficulties.

He said there was 'exceptional circumstances' in the case, which would allow him to pass a suspended sentence.

The judge said there was strong personal mitigation and the chance of rehabilitation, after being told that Read would receive one to one support in secure accommodation.

Read admitted offences of communicating with a child under 16 for the purpose of sexual gratification, breaching a sexual harm prevention order and intentionally causing or inciting a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity.

He received a 20 month jail term, suspended for two years.

As part of a new sexual harm prevention order which will run indefinitely, Read cannot enter a public library unless he gives prior notice and the visit is approved by the authorities.

Description

POLICE hunting a convicted rapist who was on the run after escaping from prison have made an arrest.

Sex offender Daniel Thompson, from Warrington, absconded from an open prison in south Gloucester.

The 34-year-old was last seen at HMP Leyhill at 11.45am yesterday, Friday, where he was serving a sentence for raping a woman in Warrington in 2009.

However police say he was found and arrested near to Leyhill in South Gloucester by Avon and Somerset Police earlier today, Saturday.

Thompson, of Wilderspool Causeway, raped his victim twice after he forced his way into her flat in April 2009 as she returned from volunteering at her church.

He was given an indeterminate sentence by the courts after the hearing - in one of the worst attacks of recent times.

The jury, which consisted of five women and seven men, heard during the six-day trial there was a one in a billion chance that blood found on defendant Daniel Thompsons sweatshirt belonged to anyone other than the victim or one of her relations.

Judge Stephen Clarke said: These were horrific offences. In the scale of rape they were in the most serious bracket.

The evidence was extremely strong, if not overwhelming.

When she (the victim) was giving evidence on a number of occasions she was actually physically sick.

A police statement said: "If you see Daniel Thompson, who may be using the name Gavin Barry, in Warrington or elsewhere in Cheshire do not approach him.

"Instead call us on 999, quoting IML 484890.

"Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

We also want to hear from anyone who has any information regarding his whereabouts."

Description

A couple who sexually abused a young child have been jailed for a combined total of 24 years.

James Hedges, 36, and Lauren O'Hanlon, 28, assaulted the boy on a number of occasions at an address in Ash, Surrey, in November 2017.

Their offending came to light when police found images of the abuse on a phone belonging to Hedges.

Detective Constable Dan Lucas, investigating the case, said: "Hedges, who already had a Sexual Harm Prevention Order in place following previous convictions, was arrested on 6 March 2018 for possessing an iPhone. He is prohibited from having a phone with internet access as part of his order.

"On examination of his phone we found evidence of the appalling abuse that both Hedges and O'Hanlon had inflicted on this child.

"The phone also contained more than a thousand other indecent images of children.

"Hedges in particular is a prolific offender, having been convicted four times previously for making and distributing indecent images of children.

"Following the horrific discovery, Hedges was charged with five counts of sexual assault, as well as 10 counts relating to making and distributing indecent images. He was also charged with breaching his SHPO.

"O'Hanlon was charged with 5 counts of sexual assault as well as 6 counts relating to making and distributing indecent images."

Both offenders denied the offences, but were found guilty by a jury following a two week trial at Winchester Crown Court in June this year.

The sentencing hearing took place at the same court on Friday 16 August.

Hedges, of Cumberland Avenue in Basingstoke, was sentenced to 16 years.

O'Hanlon, of no fixed address, was sentenced to eight years.

DC Lucas added: "This was a truly shocking case, and we would encourage anyone who has any information about a child being abused to contact police."

Description

A 69-year-old man who forced his hand down a teenager's trousers and forced her to perform a sex act on him has been jailed, more than a decade after the attack.

Henry Spark was on his way to work as a delivery driver in April 2008 when he spotted a lone female walking in the dark at around 3am.

He pulled over to offer her a lift and within minutes of her entering the car was grabbing her hand and pulling it towards his groin.

After driving for a few minutes Spark pulled over and forced the then 17-year-old to perform a sex act on him.

The teenager reported the incident to police the following day but DNA taken from the victim's clothes did not match any on record.

However when Spark was convicted of another sex offence in 2018, his DNA matched this historic unsolved case.

After initially denying ever having a girl in his car, he accepted that he did pick the teenager up but argued that she consented to the sexual activity.

He was convicted of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, assault by penetration and sexual assault at Durham Crown Court after a two-day trial.

In a statement read out to the court the victim said: "I want to articulate as best as I can how I have felt over the last ten years. Since it happened I know I am not the same person.

"I had a naive and childish belief in people. I thought trustworthy people were outwardly visible, I was not sceptical of everybody as I am now.

"I feel emotionally down, and want to stop thinking about how genuinely terrified I was for my life. I want to go to sleep without reliving that night.

"I have done my very best to spend time alone in public so I can prove to myself that being outside the house is not scary enough to warrant palm sweats and heart palpitations. I have to tell myself that eventually I will get used to being outside how I used to be but I have had no improvements.

"I hope one day I can look back at what happened and not feel so raw about it and move on with my day to day life."

Richard Bennett, prosecuting, said Spark was convicted for possessing and making indecent images of children in January last year when he was given an eight month custodial sentence, suspended for two years. He also has a historic conviction of exposing himself in 1973.

HHJ Jonathan Carroll said: "I am satisfied that by the time she [the victim] got into the car you were determined to have a sexual encounter with or without her consent."

Spark, of Victor Street, Chester-Le-Street, was jailed for three years for all counts.

Description

A serial sex attacker who forced himself on a 13-year-old girl 16 years ago has faced justice after she saw his photograph in a news report.

William Pope, 58, punched the girl and indecently assaulted her while she was walking near Truro in 2003.

The victim told Truro Crown Court the attack ruined her life and was "one of the worst things any child can go through".

Pope, who admitted indecent assault, was jailed for six and a half years.

Heather Hope, prosecuting, said Pope came up behind the girl and punched her in the face, knocked her to the ground and pinned her down before sexually assaulting her.

"She was absolutely petrified," Ms Hope said.

'I wished he had killed me'

The court heard the police were called but despite extensive inquiries, no suspect was found.

In 2017 Pope was convicted of a series of sexual offences and his picture was published on local news site, Cornwall Live.

The woman saw the report and recognised the former scaffolder.

In a victim impact statement she said Pope hit her so hard she struggled to eat for a week but the "real damage" was caused to her mind.

"I thought this man was going to kill me and for a long time I wished he had," she said.

Pope has previous convictions for sexual assault on a number of women and children dating back to the 1980s.

Sentencing him, Judge Simon Carr said: "You destroyed the life of a child for your own sexual gratification."

Det Con Joel Brown said the woman had shown "extreme bravery and strength".

Description

A FORMER Andover athletics coach who manipulated, abused and violated schoolgirls, one as young as 11 years old, has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

Philip Banning, 68, pursued a horrific reign of abuse in Andover during the 1970s and 1980s.

Today he mouthed "sorry" to his victims after pleading guilty to 18 counts of indecent assault relating to four girls who were under the age of 16 at the time of the offences.

Prosecutor Tim Moores told Winchester Crown Court that Banning, who now lives in Penhow, Wales, had been an Olympic hopeful in his younger years.

He ran at an international level for Team GB before returning to Andover Athletics Club as a qualified coach where he met the four girls.

It is in this context that he came into contact with the four complainants, and in due course began to sexually abuse them to a greater or lesser degree, Mr Moores said.

Under the guise of acting as coach and mentor, he was pursuing a regime of abuse against certain members of the club.

The court heard that Banning would assault the girls during car rides home after training, as well as during sports massages.

One of the girls was aged just 11 years-old when she was assaulted in Bannings car, before he asked her, is this something youve done before?

Two of the girls were assaulted in a room under Bannings stairs at his home address, during a party where the children were allowed to drink alcohol, the court heard.

One of the girls bumped into Banning in Andover town centre, before he led her to a school field and abused her.

Three of the survivors in this case, now adult women, defiantly hit back at their abuser when reading their victim personal statements to the court.

You were my coach, and you were my teacher, and you held a position of trust, one of the women told the defendant as he sat in the dock.

You were meant to nurture a childs development, you were trained to safeguard children, but instead you chose to slowly manipulate, violate and sexually abuse me. I was left abused, violated and confused, still too young to understand the significance of this. I did not have the understanding of how sinister and insidious your motives were.

You took my childhood, my trust, my voice, my worth, and nearly my life.

The woman told the court that Banning had also given her a Valentines card when she was just 12 years old.

She continued: You said to me that this was your way of showing me your special love. But this was like a septic wound that was never allowed to heal. Even if it did scab over briefly, it was picked open by my own self-hatred.

Another survivor told the court that her first kiss as a child which was brutal and forceful was with Banning, which left her feeling shattered.

Banning mouthed sorry to the women in court as he was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for the offences. He must also sign on the sex offenders register for life.

Sentencing Banning, Judge Keith Cutler CBE said: You are responsible for what everyone agrees was a grave abuse of trust.

What you were doing was grooming [the girls], abusing your position, and seeking them as your sexual relief, not caring really how that was to affect them, as clearly you can see it has.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Toby Elcock, said of the case: After initially denying the offences, Banning has now taken responsibility for his horrific reign of abuse, which has spared the victims having to go through a difficult trial process.

For these girls, this should have been an important time in their young lives. They were schoolchildren exploring their passion for sport, and this was ruined by Bannings appalling sexual appetite.

I hope they can now rest assured that justice has been served and Banning will not be able to harm another child.

Description

A "depraved sexual predator" already serving a life sentence for raping a two-year-old girl has been sentenced to a further life term after he was found guilty of sexually abusing a teenager.

Daniel Kilbee, 38, formerly of Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire, was jailed in 2016 for dozens of sexual offences against six victims.

He has now been given another life term, to serve a minimum of five years.

He was convicted in June of four rapes and two assaults against the girl.

He was previously given a life sentence with a minimum of 10 years for 30 offences, including rape and making indecent images of children, between 1997 and 2015.

Judge Peter Ross, at Oxford Crown Court, ordered that the second should run consecutively, while Kilbee will be on licence for the rest of his life.

Description

A GIRL of 14 in a care home was sexually abused by a 30-year-old man she knew as Spike after they had met on Facebook, a judge was told on Monday.

Michael David Jones, now 32, had picked up the vulnerable girl from the home and drove her to Caernarfon, where he performed a sex act on her in the back of his car.

Yesterday, Jones was jailed for three years and four months after pleading guilty to sexual activity with a child.

Judge Huw Rees told him at Caernarfon crown court: "You were the adult - she was the child."

Giving an impact statement from behind a screen the girl, now 16, claimed it had ruined her life and led to self-harming.

She said shed been led to believe he loved her and they would get together.

"The sex was horrific," she told the court. "My life has been destroyed and I ask myself almost every day if I will ever be myself or be happy again.

She was on "re-programming therapy."

The court heard it happened in November, 2017 and when the girl's Iphone was examined it was shown she had a conversation with Jones and that it was made clear she was 14.

She had absconded after exchanging texts and putting on make up. Care staff were not allowed to use physical restraint and after she got into a Seat car they set off in pursuit but lost her, however the registration number was noted.

Police were told and Jones was arrested at his Gaerwen home just after 11pm that night. Police had seized the girl's telephone.

She knew the defendant as Spike and she'd said he'd spoken about fathering a child with her.

"She said she went with him because it was the only way she could get transport to Caernarfon," according to John Philpotts, prosecuting.

The sex act happened near the police station and Jones had dropped her off close to the justice centre.

The girl said he'd told her not to tell anyone and to delete messages on her phone and smash it into pieces.

Judge Rees criticised "the inexcusable delay" in the case caused by the police, Jones having been arrested and interviewed in November 2017 but not charged until May this year.

The case involved grooming and exchange of sexual images.

Defence barrister Elen Owen said Jones, a hard-working plant operator with a young son, had lost his own relationship and home because of what had happened.

The girl had significant difficulties and the best defence was his guilty plea.

Judge Rees told Jones: "There was a significant degree of planning over nine days, grooming and targeting of a vulnerable individual."

Indefinite sexual harm and sex offenders' orders were imposed.

Description

A convicted sex offender in the Midlands was caught babysitting two children while their mother was at a court hearing.

Wayne Sandford was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order in 2012 which prohibited him engaging with a child.

But Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the 35-year-old started a relationship with a mum-of-two last December.

And on May 17 the defendant attended Stoke-on-Trent Family Court where the woman was involved in a hearing, reports StokeonTrentLive .

CCTV caught the defendant with the womans children.

Prosecutor Robert Price said: Essentially he was babysitting the children.

Sandford, of Marsh Street North, Hanley, admitted breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Jason Holt, mitigating, said: He indicates he was not aware the children were coming to court.

He is trying his best to deal with life under the order and is trying to stay out of trouble.

Sandford was handed a 12-month conditional discharge after he admitted communicating with a child.

Judge Paul Glenn said: You were aware of the terms of the order but you continued to breach the requirements.

"The order is to protect children and the prosecution are quite right to bring this matter to court.

"But it seems to me this is very much at the lower end.

The offence occurred in this building. You formed a relationship with a woman who had two children.

"You attended the family court and you interacted with her two children.

Your role seems to have been babysitter.

It is not suggested you were alone with the children or you behaved in a way that was inappropriate.

"There is no suggestion of any harm or distress being caused.

Description

A paedophile who fantasised about raping children blamed his sick perversion on the death of his pet dog.

Mathew Tharme, 48, downloaded sickening photos of child sex abuse victims including newborn babies.

The married dad-of-two even shared images from his vile collection with other deviants in online chat rooms.

But the computer sales worker walked free from court today after explaining how he had been "in a really bad place".

Police received intelligence that an IP address had shared an indecent image of a child, via chat service Kik Messenger, last October.

Liverpool Crown Court heard they traced it to Tharme's home in Kilburn Avenue, Eastham, Wirral, which they raided on December 15.

Tharme was present and said he was aware of the incident, before he was arrested and his Apple iPhone and Asus laptop were seized.

Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, said police found 20 Category A - the most serious category - images of girls aged three to five being raped.

There were 35 Category B images, including a newborn baby being sexually abused, and 63 Category C pictures, showing girls aged two to three.

An extreme porn image was discovered and officers identified he had used Kik Messenger on his phone to distribute two Category C pictures.

Mr Blasbery said when interviewed later that day, Tharme admitted using online chat rooms "to engage in fantasy chat, as he called it".

He said he may have sent indecent images to other users during these chats and revealed he had searched online for Category C images.

Mr Blasbery said: "He said he would talk about the rape and sexual assault of children, but denied having any intention of carrying this out and denied having any sexual interest in children.

"He went on to explain his offending was a way of releasing his frustration at his current situation and stated he was in a really bad place personally having lost his job and having lots of time on his hands, his brother had a serious illness and also because of the loss of his pet dog."

Tharme, now of Marline Avenue, Bromborough, Wirral, admitted three counts of downloading and one of possessing indecent images of children.

The dad, who has no previous convictions, also pleaded guilty to distributing indecent photos of children and possessing extreme pornography.

Christopher McMaster, defending, said his client had been "exceptionally frank" about what led to his crimes in a pre-sentence report.

He agreed that distributing the photos was "the worrying aspect of this case" and an aggravating feature.

Mr McMaster said there were not any videos, nor a high volume of pictures, and Tharme had shown "real insight" and remorse.

He said Tharme worked with a therapeutic counsellor from December to July, then due to financial reasons started a course with The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a charity dedicated to preventing child sexual abuse.

Mr McMaster said Tharme was still working full time in computer sales but not allowed to live with his family and could only see his 16-year-old son under supervision.

He said his client had moved in with his mum, adding: "There will be a long and hard road for him ahead, whatever the conclusion of this court."

Mr McMaster said Tharme contributed greatly to his family's income and his wife would suffer significantly if he lost his job.

Judge Andrew Menary, QC, said though 118 images was a lower amount than in many cases, the photos were of an "extreme nature".

He said if the photos Tharme had shared had been Category A pictures, then he would have faced prison.

The judge said: "The distinction between the sort of offences that might enable the court to pull back from immediate custody and those where there are bound to be a prison sentence will often be the difference between simple possession and distribution.

"It's a terribly serious aggravating feature."

However, he said because those shared were Category C, plus the limited number of photos and the steps Tharme had taken since, he would spare him jail.

Judge Menary handed him 10 months in jail, suspended for two years, a 25-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and 100 hours of unpaid work.

He said Tharme must sign on the Sex Offenders Register and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

An NSPCC spokesperson said: “Each one of Tharme’s sickening collection of indecent images and videos represent an horrific attack on an innocent child.

“By downloading, sharing and engaging in the trade of this repulsive content he is creating a demand, and encouraging others to force vulnerable children into situations which will scar them mentally, emotionally and physically for life.”

Description

The women, whose families did not know about their sex work, were terrified the recordings would be shared online A successful finance worker who was earning 65,000 a year secretly filmed himself having sex with prostitutes, a court heard. Project manager Tony Richards, 39, from Cardiff, was caught after he downloaded child abuse images and the police seized his phone, laptop and hard drive. Cardiff Crown Court heard the indecent images and voyeuristic videos were found in a folder called entertainment. Jason Howells, prosecuting, said officers searched his home on Heritage Drive in Caerau on October 16 last year and seized several electronic devices. They were analysed and found to contain 10 of the most serious Category A images, two at Category B and four at Category C. Prosecutors said the images were all videos and the Category A films showed children as young as one. The officers also found voyeuristic videos of two women who seemed to be unaware they were being recorded. Mr Howells said the police traced the women who cannot be named for legal reasons and they both confirmed they had not consented to being filmed. Richards was arrested and replied to the caution: Whats voyeurism? The court heard he denied the offences, claiming both women had given him permission to film them for an extra fee. He said they appeared to be unaware because it was role play. In a victim personal statement read out in court, one of the complainants said Richards recorded her in her own home and she did not feel safe there any more. She said she no longer works in the sex industry and is now struggling to pay her rent and bills with income from her bar job. The woman said she was shocked when she was contacted by the police, as her family did not know she was a sex worker and she was terrified they would find out. She added she used to be independent, outgoing and sociable, but now feels like a different person, who no longer enjoys life. The second complainant told the police she was devastated to find out about the offending, fearing the recording would be shared online. She said she had never let anyone, not even a close partner, record her during a private act. Prosecutors said Richards had one previous conviction for assault, plus cautions for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and shoplifting. Richards, from Heritage Drive, admitted three counts of possessing indecent images of children. He denied two counts of voyeurism, but was found guilty by a jury after trial. James Evans, defending, said: His childhood was far from easy. He did not have the benefit of a good education. He left school at the age of 16 and since then has done everything he possibly could to make a decent life for himself. He is an exceptionally hard-working man. Mr Evans said his client had worked his way up to become a project manager in finance, who was earning 65,000 a year before he was arrested. The court heard his relationship ended and he will have to sell his house to pay off debts. Mr Evans said his client had not been diagnosed with depression, but was showing symptoms. Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke jailed him for 15 months and made a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He must register as a sex offender for the same period. The devices will be destroyed.

Description

A 32-year-old man from Redhill has been jailed for downloading more than 11,000 indecent images of children in a four-year period.

Andrew Sandrasagra gave his address to the court as Hartley Downs in Purley, but Surrey Police says he lived in Redhill at the time of the offences.

He tried to claim he could not have downloaded the images and changed information on his digital devices to try and deceive police.

However, he was convicted on June 18 of downloading 11,046 images after a trial at Guildford Crown Court ; 108 of the images were in category A, the most serious, while the majority - 10,892 - were in category C.

Sandrasagra was also convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice in connection with his efforts to cover-up his crimes. Judge Rufus Taylor jailed him for 15 months on Monday (August 5).

Detective Inspector Martin Goodwin said: "This case sends a clear message that you cannot hide your illegal online activity. Sandrasagra claimed that he could not have downloaded the images and attempted to pervert the course of justice by changing information on his personal devices to back up his claims.

"Due to a thorough investigation by both the Paedophile Online Investigation Team and the Digital Forensic Team he was unable to dupe the court and claim his innocence.

"The forensic expertise of the teams working collaboratively has prevented further offending and protected vulnerable children from further harm.

"I hope that this sentence means that whilst in prison Sandrasagra now takes responsibility for his actions to access support and changes his behaviour to avoid future offending."

In addition to his prison sentence, Sandrasagra is subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders register for the next 10 years.

Description

A pervert Musselburgh music teacher who fondled young girls during classes is facing jail.

Trumpet tutor Simon Reeves, who is from Leith, has been caught abusing children for the second time.

He rubbed the legs of four schoolgirls aged between nine and ten while teaching at a primary school in East Lothian.

The 46-year-old also rubbed their backs and thighs as well as playing with their hair while he taught them.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told on Tuesday that the four victims all attended the same primary school between 2015 and 2017.

They all believed Reeves' behaviour was "normal at the time" and that he was "just being friendly" by caressing them on the legs and back.

But after one girl found out he had been prosecuted last year for a similar offence, and was on the sex offenders register, they decided to report him.

Reeves was placed on the sex offenders register for two years after he admitted engaging in sexual activity with a young girl between December 15, 2014 and June 1, 2017 when he appeared in court last August.

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Sexual abuse suffered by a young girl ruined her entire life, a court has heard.

David Nicholas Johns subjected his victim to years of serious sexual assaults starting when she was just five. Police have praised the courage of the woman in coming forward and reporting the abuse which happened during the 1990s.

Johns was convicted of 12 counts of a serious sexual assault, indecency with a child, indecent assault and sexual assault following a trial at Swansea Crown Court.

Ian Wright, prosecuting, read details of a statement from the victim in which she described the impact of what Johns had done to her.

In it she said before the abuse she was a "normal, happy, carefree little girl" but now, as an adult, was suffering with extreme anxiety, panic attacks, and "vivid nightmares".

She said: "He completely ruined my childhood, ruined my adolescence, and ruined my future."

She added she was "paranoid" her own children would be taken off her because of what had happened in her past.

Andrew Davies, for 48-year-old Johns, said there was little he could say on the defendant's behalf given the verdicts the jury had come to.

He said the defendant, of Maes yr Haf, Llansamlet, Swansea, had worked prior to becoming a carer for his seriously ill parents and was now concerned he would not be around when they needed him most because of the inevitable prison sentence he was facing.

Judge Keith Thomas told Johns he was guilty of a catalogue of offences over a period of seven or eight years. He said: "She has been unable to live her life without the cloud of her abuse hanging over her."

Johns was sentenced to a total of 21 years in prison with an extended two years on licence on his release. The judge told him he can apply for parole at the halfway point of that sentence.

Johns was made the subject of sexual harm prevention order to limit his contact with girls under 16 and will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.