Latest Offenders

Description

A former RAF intelligence officer has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after being convicted of 23 sexual offences on children. Eddie Graham, 63, carried out the assaults on boys, many of whom were aged under 13, while serving at the RAF Gatow base in Berlin during the 1980s. He was also a scout leader on the base and used RAF buildings and surrounding land to carry out his assaults. He was convicted by a court martial earlier in the month. 'Disgusting predator' The allegations first came to light in 2003 when one of the former scouts made a complaint to police. The man then approached a different police force with the same complaint in 2012. The matter was passed to the RAF Police because all of the offences were committed by a serving member of the RAF on an RAF base abroad. That is why Graham, who has retired from the RAF, was tried in a military court, not a civilian one. Graham was a senior member of the Scouts and met Prince Charles in 1985. All his victims were boys aged between five and 14 years old, and they were all children of serving military personnel. He was arrested in January 2013 and admitted assaulting nine of the boys but denied assaulting four others. Victims' statements Statements from 13 of the victims were read out in court, in which they told of the effects of Graham's abuse, here is a selection of what was said: - "I am not able to keep a serious relationship. I constantly felt scared of him, and vulnerable. For years I have had bad dreams, flashbacks." - "My whole life has been affected, I became a rebellious child, I was in trouble with police. I'm 42; I'm breaking down at night and thinking of all the things I've done wrong because of this." - "As a child I questioned my sexuality; as a result I tried to prove myself and had as many relationships as possible, to prove I was not gay. I saw professionals and was given many medications, and diagnosed as bipolar. What he did to me will never leave me. I wish to see him punished for what he did to me and others." - "I struggle daily with the pain of the abuse, the abuse has taken from me the ability to be confident and I cannot bring myself to have my own children as I feel I can not keep them safe. I am not able to keep a serious relationship. I am reminded every day of this disgusting predator." A number of the scouts, who are now middle-aged men, gave evidence during Graham's court martial at the Military Court Centre in Bulford, Wiltshire. The assaults would often happen during scouting weekends at the base. Some took place at a large, barrack-like building in an area called Wilson's Retreat, others in tents next to the building. Graham claimed that, with the passage of time, the victims who gave evidence in court had either mistaken him for someone else, or had made up their stories. The case has prompted calls for the military to be included in the inquiry into abuse, which has been set up by Home Secretary Theresa May. Before the judge passed sentence victim impact statements were read out in court. One victim described Graham as a "disgusting predator". BBC correspondent Duncan Kennedy said Graham's was the biggest historical child sex abuse case to come out of the UK's armed forces. Graham will remain on the sex offenders' register for life. After the sentencing the RAF released a statement urging anyone who had been the victim of a sexual offence, or had information about sex crimes, to come forward and contact the RAF Police in confidence by phoning 0239 2285 170.

Description

A sexual predator who subjected two young girls to a catalogue of sickening abuse was jailed for a total of 17 years.

Bryan Douglas, 31, was arrested when his victims, one of whom was less than ten years old at the time of the offences, reported his horrendous crimes to police.

But Douglas, from Rock Ferry, Wirral, tried to brazen it out and denied multiple charges of rape and sexual assault, forcing his victims to go through the stress of a trial.

The two child victims, one of whom is now an adult, gave evidence at Douglas’ trial last month where, although he admitted having sex with a teenage girl, he denied raping both of them and denied a further count of sexual assault.

On Monday he was jailed for 17 years by a judge who said he was a danger to children.

As well as the lengthy sentence he received an additional five year extended license meaning for the next 22 years, once he gets out of prison, he will be able to be locked up if he breaches any conditions of his release.

He will not be able to apply for parole for at least 12 years and is also subject to a sexual offences prevention order preventing him from associating with children.

He is also on the sex offenders register for life.

The case was investigated by specialist detectives from the Child Protection Unit within Wirral’s Family Crime Investigation Unit, one of whom told the ECHO: “Douglas subjected the victims to unimaginable sexual abuse when he was an adult and when they were children and at their most vulnerable.

“He maintained his innocence throughout the investigation, denying the allegations and again throughout the week-long trial, denying what he had done to the victims.

“The bravery of the victims has been outstanding and their evidence was absolutely crucial to the case. They found the courage to report what had happened to Merseyside Police and they were supported by us, and the Rape Specialist Unit within the CPS, during an extremely challenging time.

“Douglas has a very long time in prison to think about what he has done. We hope this case sends out a strong message to anyone who is, or has suffered sexual abuse, whether it is recent or historic, that we will take this type of crime extremely seriously.

“We hope this will encourage more people to find the courage needed to come forward. Merseyside Police is here for you and will support you through the process and take action against the perpetrators.

“Officers would also like to warn people who think they can get away it, that they can’t and won’t. If people speak out then we will do everything in our power to put the offenders before the courts.”

Description

A teenage sexual predator has been ordered to be detained indefinitely after carrying out a serious sex assault on a lone jogger at night in Worksop. The 17-year-old, who can now be named as Jonjo Elswaino, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to a serious sexual assault charge and causing grievous bodily harm with intent. On Wednesday 23rd October, Nottingham Crown Court heard how a woman at a house where Elswaino was staying described him as a sexual predator. There was stunned silence in the courtroom as it was also said that Elswaino would have killed his victim if he had not been disturbed. The 52-year-old female, who cannot be named, suffered a broken jaw, which meant she had to have metal plates fitted, a fracture to her right eye socket, a broken nose and excessive bruising to her neck where Elswaino had strangled her and she also lost some teeth. After the attack, which occurred at around 8.30pm in Eddison Park Avenue on 1st April 2014, she flagged down a passing car and said: Im alive, Im alive, thank god Im alive. Elswaino, whose mother was in court, sat in the dock with his head bowed for most of the proceedings, wearing a white shirt and black trousers. Prosecuting, Dawn Pritchard, said: The victim was out jogging that evening, she said that she did feel very well and went out to get some fresh air. She was wearing her jogging clothes, including jogging bottoms and trainers and she was out just doing her usual circuits. She heard fast footsteps behind her but didnt look behind her because she just thought it was another jogger. Two hands came from behind and locked around her and she said she knew something was wrong. She tried to scream for help but he punched her and dragged her down a grass verge into some trees by her ankles. She tried to look who it was. He kept punching and kicking her. He started to strangle her and she drifted in and out of consciousness. When she came back around, she thought it was a nightmare and he said if you start shouting I will kill you and continued to beat her up. When she regained consciousness again, she said she thought her trouser bottoms had been pulled up and he was gone. She then managed to scramble back up the grass bank and flag down a motorist who said she was shaking, had suffered serious facial injuries and could hardly speak. The court heard that the woman used a key to scratch his face during the attack and she spent a number of weeks in three different hospitals. The attack was so brutal that Elswainos laces and eyelets from his trainers were imprinted on her face. Judge Michael Pert QC said the blows to the face were like a footballers kick. The judge was also shown photos of the victim before and after the attack in which he said it was hard to believe it was the same person. In mitigation, Michael Auty QC, told the court that Elswaino had had a troubled upbringing and had the reading age of a 10-year-old. He also added it was important to take into account two factors when sentencing Elswaino - his guilty plea and his age. He is 17. But he is functioning at a level below that, Mr Auty said. It takes a real degree of courage to plead guilty at the first arraignment. There is nothing like this in his past where he has gone out and vented his frustrations. He does not have a mental illness but almost certainly has a personality disorder. On sentencing Elswaino, judge Pert said it was a truly horrific crime and said that it was premeditated and that he believed his version of events to be lies. Elswaino was given an indeterminate sentence meaning he will only be released when he is considered not to be a threat to the general public. He will not be eligible to be considered for parole until at least 2018. He will also be on the sex offenders register for life.

Description

A man, who groomed and sexually assaulted two young girls, has been jailed for 12 years, and given a four year extended licence for the protection of the public.

Benjamin Fish, 38, formerly from North Norfolk, was also placed on the sex offender's register for life and banned from ever working with children.

Fish, of no fixed address, admitted rape and sex assaults on one victim, which began when she was seven years old. He also admitted sex assaults on a second girl.

Andrew Shaw, prosecuting at Norwich Crown Court, said Fish told one of the victims he would kill her if she told anyone about the sex assaults. He said Fish groomed the victim by buying her a number of expensive items.

Mr Shaw said it was only when she was older that she found the courage to come forward and make a complaint about Fish.

In an impact statement, one of the victim's said she still has nightmares about what happened.

Judge Stephen Holt imposed a 16 year extended sentence on Fish jailing him for 12 years and ordering that he be on extended licence for four years on his release for the protection of the public.

He said that Fish had committed a number of serious sex assaults on the two girls and said: 'You groomed them by buying expensive presents such as bags and phones.'

Judge Holt said that one of the victim's, who suffered the most serious assaults, had turned the corner after she came forward to make a complaint: 'Once she had the courage to tell people about what had happened that seemed to help her turn the corner.'

Judge Holt gave Fish credit for his guilty pleas for sparing the victims coming to court.

Michael Clare, for Fish, said he never used any violence and deserved credit for his pleas.

'He has an insight into what he has done and the harm he has caused and is showing genuine remorse.'

He said Fish was showing a willingness to address his problems.

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A TAXI driver who raped a 14-year-old girl and sexually assaulted a 20-year-old woman has been found guilty of biting another inmates ear in prison. Terence Collins, 62, was sentenced to 16 years in prison last July after being found guilty of two charges of rape and one of sexual assault at Bournemouth Crown Court. He has now appeared at Dorchester Crown Court to face charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm over an incident in HMP Dorchester in August last year. Victim Stephen Jelly was bitten on the ear during an altercation at the county town jail and claimed he felt like he was being eaten alive. The attack left part of Mr Jellys ear cartilage exposed and it later required sewing up. Collins was found not guilty of the charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm but was convicted by the jury of a lesser alternative charge of unlawful wounding. However, Recorder Peter Fraser ordered that his sentence be served concurrently to the lengthy sentence he is already serving so Collins will not be spending any additional time in prison as a result of the attack. Collins, who is currently serving his sentence at HMP Isle of Wight, told jurors in the trial that the alleged victim Mr Jelly was the aggressor in the confrontation. He said that Mr Jelly had butted him and gone to punch him and when they were grappling together he had gone to butt him again. Collins said: I pre-empted it coming and I just bit his ear. I just thought I have got to stop the situation. When Collins was shown pictures revealing the extent of Mr Jellys injuries in police interview, he said: I didnt bite him to sort of lick his ear. I wasnt making love to him. The defendant added: I did what I felt I had to do at the time to protect myself. The court also heard from another inmate who witnessed the incident and described the defendant as a bully. Recorder Fraser said he accepted Collins had been subject to provocation but said it was clear his response had been excessive and he could not be said to be acting in lawful self defence. He said: It was without doubt excessive violence that you used but I accept you were resisting an attack and I accept it was not pre-meditated. Despite ordering that the sentence be served concurrently, Recorder Fraser warned the defendant: As a prisoner you must not believe that because you are serving such a long period already it gives you impunity to act as you want.

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David Cruickshank admitted one of the rapes.

An Aberdeen man who carried out three rapes and an indecent assault has been jailed for eight years and nine months.

David Cruickshank, 30, admitted one rape and was convicted of the other two.

He also admitted touching an 18-year-old sexually while she was having an epileptic fit.

Cruickshank was jailed at the High Court in Edinburgh, where Lord Uist said the seriousness of the crimes was "self-evident".

The crimes involved four different young victims.

The judge said: "You had an unsettled upbringing and suffered from an autistic spectrum disorder, but that did not effect your criminal responsibility for your actions, although it does explain your apparent lack of remorse for what you did."

Unemployed Cruickshank, formerly of Balnagask Wynd, Torry, raped his first victim, a 12-year-old, between 1999 and 2000.

Cruickshank was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely

Description

A paedophile who filmed himself sexually abusing a one-year-old girl was caught when he left a disc of his child porn at his former home.

Martin Hunt, 24, has been jailed for 12 years after admitting a string of offences including sexually assaulting a child and distributing child porn.

He was caught out when he moved house and the new owners found a disc of his vile crimes hidden under a kitchen unit, a court heard.

They tipped off police who discovered Hunt, of Frinton, Essex, had emailed his disgusting images and videos to another known paedophile.

Hunt pleaded guilty to 19 offences at Chelmsford Crown Court including sexual activity with a child and making indecent images of children.

The offences dated from January 2012 to February 2014, but were said to have occurred over three or four months from December 2012.

Judge Patricia Lynch QC passed an extended sentence for public protection.

She told Hunt he would have to serve two-thirds of the 12 years in custody before he would then be eligible for parole.

He will then be on licence - subject to recall to prison - and under supervision for eight years after he is released.

The judge told him : "From now on every time you look at your reflection in the mirror, every day you will know that you behaved in the most base, despicable and self-serving manner."

She added that Hunt had shown minimal remorse.

Description

A college welfare officer and young person's football coach who downloaded thousands of indecent images of children has been jailed.

Daniel Dawson, 36, of Darcy Lever, Bolton, had pleaded guilty to 19 offences of possessing and making indecent images of children.

At Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court, he was jailed for 12 months.

He was also given a sexual offences prevention order and made to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Police said Dawson was caught in April following an international investigation into the activities of an online retailer based in Canada selling films containing child pornography and indecent images of children.

1.5 million images

When warrants were executed at the Canadian premises, customers from around the world were identified and cases were passed to the relevant police forces.

Greater Manchester Police raided Dawson's home and seized a number of computers and media storage devices and a total of 1.5m images were recovered.

A computer specialist sampled more than 15,000 of these images and identified more than 6,500 indecent images of children aged six to 14 years old.

Due to the sheer volume of indecent images, the specialist could not examine all of the pictures.

Officers also recovered evidence that Dawson had repeatedly searched the internet for indecent images of children.

At the time, Dawson was working as a welfare officer at Glossopdale Community College in Derbyshire and coached at Middleton Lads and Girls FC.

He was suspended from both roles immediately following the initial police involvement.

Dawson previously held similar positions in other schools across the region.

There was no evidence to suggest Dawson committed any offences against the children he came into contact with in a professional capacity, police said.

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A childrens activity centre instructor has been jailed for nine months after pleading guilty to sexually abusing two young boys

Instructor Adam Craig Sills (35) pleaded guilty to sexual assaulting two schoolboys at the Govilon Activity Centre located at the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park

Prosecution told Northampton Crown court that the offences dated back to 2012. Sills finally admitted the offences in July of this year.

During the trial, the court heard that the 10-year-old boys were on a week long school trip to Wales when the abuse took place. Although Sills had pleaded guilty to abusing two boys, it was suspected he had molested others.

Sills was placed on a sexual offences prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register

He was also given an order to prevent him from working with children in the future.

Description

A family wept as the bus driver who sexually abused their teenage daughter was jailed at Bradford Crown Court today (Monday). Dale Codling, 26, of Kirk Lane, Hipperholme, who had previously pleaded guilty to two charges of grooming and engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a 13 year old girl on October 21, 2013 was jailed for 12 months. The offences took place while Codling was working as a First Bus driver on a school route in Calderdale. Judge Rose, sentencing Codling - a father of one - said: The grooming of a child is not something that happens as an error of judgement or a one-off mistake - you were 25 and she was 13. No man of your age has the right to act in such way with a child. Codling groomed her by lavishing her with compliments on Facebook and by phone, which the prosecution said made her feel good about herself. The court heard that when Codling took the girl for a drive on October 21, 2013, he kissed her. After she kissed him back, he then touched her inappropriately and the girl asked him to stop. Codling drove the girl home but continued to remain in contact with her. The girls mother later found out a month later and reported him to the police. Gerald Hendron, defending, said Codling felt ashamed of himself and asked the judge to consider his immediate admission following his arrest and subsequent guilty plea.

Description

A 21-YEAR-OLD pervert has been jailed after watching a woman try on a bikini under her changing room door and groping a woman in the same day.

Sean Taylor, of Layton Close, Birchwood, was out on licence from Appleton Thorn Youth Offenders Institution on July 1, 2012 when he committed both incidents and pleaded guilty to voyeurism and sexual assault.

Warrington Crown Court heard a 22-year-old woman was shopping in Peacocks when she saw the man’s head peering underneath the door and reported it to staff.

Later Taylor grabbed a 35-year-old woman from behind and shouted offensive remarks until she screamed.

Ian Criddle, prosecuting, said: “The changing room victim said she was almost in tears and felt shocked and upset.”

Michael Scholes, defending, said Taylor was ashamed and mortified and had covered his ears during parts of the hearing.

Judge David Hale sentenced him to 10 months imprisonment.

Description

A BIRCHWOOD man with a history of sex offending has been jailed after grabbing a woman and groping her. Sean Steven Taylor, aged 23, of Layton Close, attacked the 51-year-old woman during the afternoon of July 19, in Birchwood. Cheshire Police says Taylor grabbed her from behind, forcing his hands up her top and assaulting her. Taylor then threw the victim to the floor and ran off. Police officers identified the pervert from CCTV footage at the scene. He was arrested and charged with sexual assault of a female aged over 18. Taylor pleaded guilty at Chester Crown Court on Friday, and was jailed for 28 months. He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register. DC Richard Kirby said "Sexual offences are horrific crimes which cause great distress to the victims and their families. The use of CCTV in this case was essential to swiftly identifying the offender and bringing him to justice."

Description

A SOUTHAMPTON sex offender serving a suspended sentence from a court in America has been jailed in the UK after being caught with images of an underage girl.

Adam James Robinson was arrested by police in this country after officers received a tip-off about an "inappropriate online relationship" with a 14-year-old girl in America.

The 28-year-old was later released under investigation.

But when police revisited Robinson 10 months later, they found indecent images of the same girl – which he had accessed after his initial arrest.

Yesterday, at Southampton Crown Court, Robinson was jailed for two years.

The court heard Robinson, who was once convicted of having sex with an underage girl in America, was initially arrested in September 2016 after police received information he was talking to another 14-year-old girl in the US.

Prosecutor Nick Saunders said a number of items were seized from Robinson and he was informed that the girl was 14.

Officers then arrested Robinson again in July 2017 and seized a computer, a USB stick and a hard-drive.

Mr Saunders said that while police were inspecting the devices, they found indecent images of the same underage girl Robinson had earlier been talking to.

He said that among the 65 images were 21 Category A images – the most serious kind.

Mr Saunders said that by being in possession of the images, Robinson had breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order set up in 2014.

He added that Robinson had attempted to conceal the images by using a hard-drive which required a separate USB stick in order to work.

In mitigation, Damian Hayes said his client had not committed any offences, including sexual offences, since his arrest in 2017.

He said Robinson had initially stopped talking to the girl after his arrest.

But he said Robinson had later resumed their "inappropriate relationship" after she had sent him messages and handwritten notes in which she had expressed her upset at their break in communication and had threatened to kill herself.

Mr Hayes said Robinson also suffered from autism, depression and anxiety.

Sentencing Robinson, who pleaded guilty to one count of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and three counts of possessing indecent images of a child, judge Gary Burrell QC said: "You are not an unintelligent young man, in fact quite the reverse.

"This was a blatant breach and you must have known what you were doing.

"It is aggravated by your previous convictions and by the fact you tried to cover up what you were doing."

Robinson, of Shirley Road, Southampton was jailed for a total of two years.

As previously reported in the Daily Echo, Robinson's Sexual Harm Prevention Order was put in place in 2014 after he was convicted of an act of voyeurism.

On that occasion, Robinson rigged up a camera so he could record and view pictures of a semi-naked 13-year-old girl with whom he was infatuated.

He was sentenced to four months in prison.

Robinson is still currently under a suspended sentence, imposed in America, after admitting having sex with an underage girl in 2013.

Description

A paedophile who subjected a young girl to a decade-long campaign of sexual abuse was jailed.

Toxteth man Stephen Furmedge, 52, preyed on his victim, who was between the ages of three and 12, through the late 1970s and 1980s.

But she was not the first child who had her life destroyed by the sick pervert.

He had already been jailed in 1989 for raping a young girl and a young boy, and sexually abusing another girl when he was living in Kirkby and had also been convicted of having sex with a 14-year-old girl in the early 1970s.

Robert Wyn Jones, prosecuting, said that some of the girls earliest memories were of being abused by Furmedge including him kissing her on the lips when she was just three.

The abuse happened weekly over the years and at one point he even tried to rape her when another girl was sharing a double bed with her.

She said the last time he tried to make a pass at her she was 12 and better able to stop him.

The victim said she knew what was happening to the other children, crimes for which Furmedge served nine years after they reported it, but didnt tell police at the time.

Furmedge denied all the accusations but was found guilty by a jury of nine counts of sexual assault, nine of indecency with a child and five of attempted rape.

Judge Andrew Hatton, sentencing, said if Furmedge was being sentenced under todays laws he would have jailed him for life but because he had to be sentenced under the law of the day the maximum he could sentence him to was seven years in jail and he did so.

He added that if the judge sentencing Furmedge in the 1980s knew the full extent of his crimes then he probably would have sentenced him to life as well.

Description

A DRUG-FUELLED sadist has been jailed for 17 years for raping, beating and degrading a Bradford woman after repeatedly violating a previous girlfriend.

Ashley Barber, 26, attacked his victim in her Bradford home on July 22 last year after laughing at her and threatening to suffocate her with a pillow, Bradford Crown Court heard.

He forced her into a submissive "handcuff position", slapped her, spat on her and rubbed his sweat into her before raping her.

The court heard during Barber's two week trial that he turned to internet pornography and cannabis when he tired of his first girlfriend, who lives in Midlands.

Barber because obsessed with increasingly violent sexual experimentation. He bought sex toys and began to dominate the woman, who initially went along with his demands because she loved him.

Barber was found guilty by the jury of raping the woman three times as part of a course of conduct from January 2010 until December 2011.

On one occasion, she cried as he beat her with a paddle until her bottom bled.

Judge John Potter told Barber: "You used her as a sexual object on which you could violently carry out your sexual desires. It was violence for your sole gratification."

Barber was arrested for the repeated rapes after his victim found out that the Bradford woman had reported him to the police for raping her.

Like his first victim, she had at first gone along with his demands for sex with bondage because she loved him.

Barber, of Stockbrook Street, Derby, was convicted of one charge of raping the Bradford woman.

The case was adjourned until today for the preparation of a probation report with an assessment of dangerousness.

The court heard Barber had a previous conviction for battery on his first victim.

He was held in custody throughout the trial and stood impassively in a grey sweatshirt, hands clasped in front of him, as sentence was passed.

Judge Potter said: "Mr Barber, you have shown not a shred of remorse."

He must sign on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life and the judge made a Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from having any contact with his victims.

After the case, Detective Sergeant Suzanne Hall, of the Bradford District Safeguarding Unit, said: "Barber carried out repeated sex attacks and physical assaults against his victims, which must have been harrowing ordeals for them.

"We would like to thank them for their courage in coming forward and reporting his crimes, and we hope the lengthy sentence which has been passed down today will help to give them some comfort.

"We also hope it will encourage other victims to come forward and speak to our specially trained officers, who will investigate all reports of sexual abuse thoroughly and sensitively, with the intention of bringing the offenders to justice."