Latest Offenders

Description

A CHILD rapist who once threatened to blow up former Prime Minister Theresa May was jailed for making more hoax bomb threats against prison staff, including the governor. It was four years ago this month that we reported on the case of paedophile Marcia Walker, a transgender prisoner previously known as Mark Walker, who made three hoax bomb threats while in custody at HMP Long Lartin, a high security prison in South Littleton, near Evesham. The 43-year-old had previously been jailed for six months for claiming there was a bomb at former Prime Minister Theresa May's home in November 2012 when she was Home Secretary, telling her in a letter that she was 'a dead woman'. Walker appeared before his honour Judge Robert Juckes QC to be sentenced for three further hoaxes at Worcester Crown Court in February 2017. She had already admitted making a hoax call to Crimestoppers on December 4, 2015 and two written bomb threats to senior prison officer Bernard Thompson and Tom Wheatley, the prison governor, both on January 28, 2016. There was some uncertainty at the time about when Walker was due to be released from her existing sentence although a date in 2020 was suggested. Judge Juckes said he must extend Walkers sentence to deter Walker from making further disruptive threats. Judge Juckes said: You have spent much of this century in custody for the most serious kind of offences against children. "Whilst in custody, in order to draw attention to yourself and for other reasons outlined by the probation service and a psychologist, you have taken to making threats that bombs will be planted and will explode. He said Walker's grudge arose because she wanted transgender surgery, the possibility of which was still being investigated. The judge said: There is apparently no other way of controlling your behaviour other than by making it clear to you that each time choose and it is your choice to behave in this way, you face a longer sentence. "The only person that can end this cycle is you." Charles Hamer, prosecuting, said Mr Thompson, a senior prison officer with 24 years experience, had been handed a piece of paper by another officer from Walker which said a bomb was due to explode at his home that night. Mr Hamer said: He was concerned for the risk to his wife. An hour later a second piece of paper from Walker was brought to the attention of the wing officer which made reference to a threat to the governor, Tom Wheatley. The letter said an incendiary device had been sent to the governors home and Walker said she looked forward to watching what happened on television. Mr Wheatley said the public were unlikely to be directly aware of the operational impact of such threats but that the prison contained convicted terrorists and Walkers threats must be considered against that background. Walker has five convictions for 38 previous convictions and was sentenced to 13 years at Canterbury Crown Court on January 17, 2003. The prison sentence was imposed for two rapes against girls under the age of 16, one aged just four as well as 10 counts of making indecent photographs of children, seven of taking indecent photographs of children and two of distributing indecent photographs of children. Walker also made bomb threats while serving at HMP Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight, calling Crimestoppers to claim there was a nail bomb in the prison car park and a bomb at the governor's home address for which he was sentenced to four years on July 6, 2015. She also previously left answering phone messages saying there was a bomb at a probation hostel in Windsor for which she was jailed for six years at Oxford Crown Court on June 17, 2013. Simon Worlock, defending, said: "This is a disturbed individual who has been classically institutionalised." He also stressed that nothing had actually been sent to anyone's address and that 'all he did was make foolish claims'. Mr Worlock said Walker had been assessed as having Asperger's syndrome with rigid thinking, a lack of insight and a fixation on blaming the prison service. He said the offences were 'a nuisance' but 'not top end' in terms of sentencing and noted that at the time of the arrest police did not believe he had the means to arrange for the threats to be carried out. Mr Worlock added: "He doesn't know where the governor lives." The judge sentence her to an extra five years in prison once she has served her existing sentence.

Description

A man placed on the Sex Offenders Register for exposure was jailed after failing to comply with the requirements of the order.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that David Moriarty, 69, had repeatedly breached the terms of the register.

The most recent was in October of last year, when he failed to notify police he was of no fixed abode after being released from prison for another offence.

The court heard Moriarty was a "hard working and intelligent man" whose life spiralled out of control after he became addicted to drink and drugs.

Michael Stephenson, prosecuting, said Moriarty was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years in October 2015 after being jailed for exposure.

One of the terms of the order was that Moriarty should notify police of any change of address within three days.

Mr Stephenson said: "Mr Moriarty was arrested and sentenced to eight weeks' imprisonment last October for possession of a controlled drug.

"On his release, he should have attended a police station within three days to notify them that he was of no fixed abode.

"He did not do so. Instead he voluntarily attended St Anne Street police station some six days later to say he'd forgotten because he'd got out of the habit, whereupon he was arrested for the offence.

"He should have been aware of his obligations and it was a deliberate breach."

Paul Becker, defending, admitted Moriarty had "an appalling record of compliance with the order", having failed to comply eight times. This was among his 44 previous convictions for 81 offences.

Mr Becker said Moriarty had eight O-levels, and his previous jobs had been with British Rail, the ambulance service, and Royal Mail.

He added: "He fell on hard times, became addicted to drink and drugs, and spiralled into trouble."

Mr Becker said Moriarty was suffering from ill-health, including an unspecified neurological condition.

He had been held in custody since November 4 for the breach, to which he had pleaded guilty.

Judge Louise Brandon told Moriarty, who appeared via video link from HMP Altcourse: "You have been a hard-working and intelligent man in your life, but since your lapse your life has been chaotic."

He was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison.

Description

Two Luton men who brutally raped and beat a woman in an 'appalling' joint attack will spend fifteen years in jail for their crimes.

On March 3 2020, police found the distressed woman on Hockwell Ring, Luton, after a member of the public alerted them to her screams.

She had been raped, sexually assaulted and beaten with an object by the two men, a police statement said.

Detective Sergeant Clare Gilbert, who led the team of investigators at Bedfordshire Police said: "The level of violence and fear, in this case, is one of the worst I have ever known in my time as a police officer."

On Wednesday (February 17), a jury at Luton Crown Court found Alyas Hussain, 41, and Slamet Nazir, 38, guilty of raping and assaulting the woman.

Her Honour Judge Herbert said: "This was an appalling, brutal joint attack. Hussain had an arrogant belief, evident from the way he spoke to police, that she was expendable.

"He was less directly involved in the sexual assaults, but his violence facilitated them.

"The disrespect and contempt they had for this victim was clear."

Hussain was sentenced to serve 15 years' imprisonment for rape, assault by penetration and wounding with intent.

Nazir was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment for rape, assault by penetration and wounding with intent, and he was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

Detective Sergeant Clare Gilbert said: "If it wasn't for the intervention by the members of the public, I am in no doubt the outcome would have been much worse.

"I would like to thank the people that came to this woman's aid, firstly by reporting the incident to us, but also by providing such strong and compelling evidence that the jury saw through Hussain and Nazir's lies.

"We will always seek to prosecute anyone who commits rape or sexual offences, and the length of the sentences handed down here reflects the depraved level of their offending."

Detective Inspector Michelle Lack added: "If something has happened to you, please report it. We will believe you, and we will do all that we can to investigate so that perpetrators are brought to justice and you receive appropriate support.

Description

A CHILD psychiatrist has been struck off after he was caught with more than 2,000 indecent images of children which he claimed he viewed to help him ease stress.

Doctor Adrian Marsden's child porn collection was built over 10 years until he was found out when an amateur dramatics coach helped him download a smartphone app to learn his lines.

The NHS children's mental health specialist, who collected images of kids as young as eight, admitted he had a fetish and claimed he looked at his stash "in times of trauma".

In June last year Marsden, of Brownsea Road, Poole, avoided jail following criminal proceedings into the possession of the indecent images but now he has been struck off the GMC's medical register following a tribunal.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal ruled Marsden who had worked at Pebble Lodge NHS treatment centre in Westbourne, "breached a fundamental tenet of the profession".

Tribunal chair Margaret Obi, sitting in Manchester, said: "Dr Marsden's conduct fell far below the standard expected of a registered medical practitioner.

"The Tribunal was satisfied that the nature and seriousness of Dr Marsden's conviction is fundamentally incompatible with continued registration.

"Downloading and viewing child sex abuse materials seriously undermines patients' and the public's trust and confidence in the medical profession."

Marsden, a married father-of-two, was caught with 1,982 Category C images and 42 more serious prohibited images showing 'corporal punishment' of children on his computer which were stockpiled between May 2010 and January 2020.

The 60-year-old admitted making indecent photos of children and possessing prohibited images of children at Poole Magistrates' Court and was fined £2,500, given a community order with rehabilitation activity and placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years.

Lawyer David Hurley, mitigating Marsden at the time, said: "He deleted some of the images as he knew what he was doing was wrong but like a smoker who is trying to quit smoking who keeps some cigarettes he kept some.

"These, he looked at in times of trauma, such as when he was suffering depression in late 2017 and 2018 after being criticised at an inquest of a young person took her own life.

"Dr Marsden separated his professional and private life and never acted upon it (his urges) through contact with children."

Marsden, who qualified in 1984, tried to have his latest tribunal hearing held in private, moaning that reports of his offences from his court case last year "elicited a hostile response from the public which included direct threats of harm".

However, his application was refused, with the tribunal ruling "Marsden's concerns were insufficient to outweigh the public interest in conducting the hearing in public".

Description

A paedophile blackmailed a 14-year-old girl he met on Snapchat in a bid to force her to make pornographic videos and send them to him.

Married Alexander Griffiths posed as a boy and befriended the Leicester girl on the social media site, groomed her with compliments and told her to send him some pictures of her partially naked.

Won over by his attention, she did what he asked, YorkshireLive reports.

But then he demanded she make a pornographic video and send that to him, or he would post the images she had already sent him on Instagram.

Terrified of anyone finding out, but unwilling to make the videos he demanded, the teenager descended into a severe depression, self-harming almost every day.

Griffiths, from Denby Dale, Yorkshire, tried to sextort the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, for nearly a month in March 2019. She continued to refuse to do what he wanted, and he posted the pictures of her on Instagram, leading to a police investigation and his arrest.

Pervert sent girl pictures of his genitals

Griffiths was aged 35 at the time he befriended the girl on Snapchat, but pretended he was 16, Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday.

Prosecutor Michael Collins said Griffiths sent the child photographs of his genitals, and she sent him photos of herself both fully clothed and partially naked.

He began annoying her by 'bombarding' her with messages, so she blocked him on the site.

Griffiths then tracked the girl down on Instagram, and sent her a message threatening to post online one of the photos she had sent him if she did not make hardcore pornographic videos of herself, but she refused.

He then gave her three options a three-minute video of her having sex with her boyfriend, a picture of her performing a sex act on her boyfriend or a 20-minute live webcam chat in which she and her boyfriend would have to do anything he asked them to.

The victim pleaded with Griffiths, telling him she had been crying in school, that she had mock exams in a few weeks and that she was too young to have sex.

But Griffiths, who now has a baby daughter himself, started a countdown until he would post the photos online.

He started following her friends on Instagram, hoping they would follow him back so they would see the pictures when he posted them.

When the deadline expired, he followed through with his threat by posting two of the photos she had sent him on his public Instagram account.

In November 2019, the police went to his house, in Wakefield Road, Denby Dale, where he lives with his wife, and arrested him.

They seized his phone, and while he confirmed what he had done, he initially denied knowing the girls age.

But he later pleaded guilty to inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and distributing indecent images of a child.

Girl would cry herself to sleep every night

The court heard from Griffiths's victim via a statement read to the judge.

In the statement, the girl described feeling 'trapped' and said she self-harmed 'nearly every day' throughout Griffiths's sextortion, a form of blackmail in which a person is threatened with having information about their sexual activities revealed publicly if they do not comply with demands.

The girl would cry herself to sleep, leave classes to cry and would also scrub herself in the shower until her body hurt.

She said: "I was constantly stressed, upset and angry. I became a horrible person."

She was sent to chat with her school counsellor but was afraid to say anything about Griffiths, the court heard.

Griffiths was jailed for three years and four months.

Charlotte Rimmer, representing Griffiths, told the court her client had since had a baby with his wife, and that she was now a year old.

She said social services became involved with the family due to the case, and he was now only allowed contact with his daughter under the supervision of his wife.

Griffiths was also made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, banning him from having unsupervised contact with any underage girls.

Description

A paedophile repeatedly raped a girl after grooming her over WhatsApp.

Benjamin Goodrum, 22, used his vulnerable victim to satisfy his twisted desires then threatened her to stay quiet.

But the "horrendous" abuse of the child came to light when her parents found sick messages from him on her phone.

Ian Harris, prosecuting, said these messages included a request from Goodrum to see a picture of the child's bra.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the victim's mum later confronted Goodrum, who claimed he had twice touched her daughter inappropriately.

Police were contacted and arrested Goodrum, who also told an NHS worker that he had touched the girl "once or twice".

However, when police interviewed the victim, Mr Harris said she revealed Goodrum had groomed her by text for what was "a campaign of sexual abuse".

Goodrum, of Seacombe, text the girl asking her to exchange pictures, but when she said no, replied saying that if she didn't, he would "do stuff" to her.

The girl told police "it was as if he was blackmailing her" and she thought he wanted sex, having once previously touched her inappropriately.

Goodrum asked for naked pictures before sending the child a photo of his penis and a video of him performing a sex act on himself, which made her feel "sick".

She agreed to send him a photo of herself in her bra, but then tried to ignore his messages, only for Goodrum to continue to pester her, until he molested and raped her on multiple occasions.

At one stage Goodrum took the girl's phone and deleted his texts, but police still recovered many of the messages.

Mr Harris said he would arrange to meet her alone and his messages were "demanding in nature and persistent".

He said Goodrum "used her as a sexual toy" and warned that if she told anyone there would be consequences.

Mr Harris said the girl regularly told him to stop, but he continued even when told his abuse hurt, and called her a "slag".

Goodrum remained silent when interviewed by police, but later indicated on a court form that the abuse "didn't happen".

The pervert, who has no previous convictions, admitted three counts of rape, three counts of attempted rape, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of sexual assault of a child, four counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual activity with a child.

Mr Harris said a psychiatric report didn't find any evidence of him having an psychiatric illness or medical disorder, but some evidence of ADHD and a social disorder.

The girl's mum said her daughter had since changed and now suffered from flashbacks and nightmares.

Bernice Campbell, defending, said: "General mitigation is difficult because there's very little mitigation one can say in regard to these horrendous offences."

Ms Campbell said: "His parents split up when he was very young. He didn't have anything to do with his father for some time and there was domestic violence from his father towards his mother.

"His father was only intermittently present during his formative years."

Ms Campbell said Goodrum later moved in with his dad, who described him as "immature", which was also raised in the psychiatric report.

She said: "The defendant accepts what happened was very wrong and he is in my respectful submission remorseful."

The lawyer said Goodrum was described as "having no friends" and "an unhappy childhood", his longest relationship was online with a female in America, and he claimed he was only interested in girls of his own age.

Ms Campbell said: "He wishes he never did it and he's disgusted about it."

She said Goodrum felt depressed and suicidal but never told anyone, self-harmed and suffered with stress and anxiety, and between 14 and 16 had an "imaginary friend", which showed his "childlike" immaturity.

The report said Goodrum mentioned possible autism, but this hadn't been diagnosed.

Ms Campbell said he was referred to mental health services in 2005 and his mum said Goodrum soiled himself several times and was bullied at school and college.

She said when released from jail he wanted to move back to his mum's home in Margate, Kent, having now been "disowned" by his dad.

Judge Andrew Menary, QC, said Goodrum's request for indecent images and the photo and video he sent the girl "was very upsetting" for her.

He said Goodrum messaged her "time and time again", trying to persuade her to take part in his sexual abuse.

The judge said: "You used her to satisfy your need for sexual gratification."

Judge Menary said her mum's statement set out the "understandable impact that this outrageous behaviour has had on her".

He said: "It's likely that your corruption of this young girl will profoundly affect her for years to come, if not for the rest of her life."

The judge said the harm was "severe", there was significant planning and grooming, and Goodrum threatened her not to report him.

Description

Vile sex offender Gary Neal is beginning a 16-year prison sentence after raping girls and abusing five victims over a period of 18 years in Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

At Grimsby Crown Court, Judge Ahmed Nadim said Neal, 54, was a danger to the public and added a further four years to the sentence which will be served on licence.

He also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and Neal will be on the Sex Offender Register for life.

It followed a trial in which Neal denied 14 sex offences against girls.

Neal, married and living at Mill Lane, Kirton Lindsey, was found guilty of the offences against five girls.

Neal was convicted of four counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14, gross indecency with a child under the age of 14, two counts of rape of a female child under the age of 16, sexual assault of a girl under the age of 13, three counts of inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity, and three counts of sexual assault of a girl under the age of 13.

Judge Nadim said the trial had not spared the victims reliving "the most unpleasant experiences of their lives".

He added the 46 incidents of sex against young girls, some just four years old at the time, were committed while he was aged between 31 and 49 years old.

He said the victims, some who sat in court in tears, had been left "emotionally scarred and confidence damaged and unable to form trusting relationships".

"They have been unable to realise the full potential of their lives. They may never fully recover from the damage you have caused. No sentence can give them back their childhood," the judge said.

He accepted the defendant had a mild learning difficulty but said he had listened carefully to the evidence he gave at trial which he described as "calculated with mendacity".

The judge said Neal had a lack of appreciation for the damage caused to his victims. He said the parole board would only consider if he was fit for release on licence after serving two thirds of the sentence. A further four years will be served on licence.

Prosecuting, Michael Greenhalgh told of how one of the girls had confided in a school teacher. Police began an investigation in 2017 when Neal was arrested. At the same time, another victim came forward to give her account of how Neal raped her.

He read statements detailing the shocking impact the rape and sex assaults had taken on the girls.

One told of how it had ruined the relationships she had with men including those in her own family. Seeing men who look like Neal sets her into a panic, he recounted.

One said: "My life has been hell. I now want to take my life back. He ruined my life but I am not letting him ruin my life anymore."

For Neal, Rodney Ferm said his client had "limited mental function" and was "akin to a child" with a mental age of nine years old. He has an IQ of between 54 and 62, which placed him in the category of a learning disability.

His client had claimed he was sexually abused as a child himself.

Mr Ferm said: "Although he had adult drives, he had the function of a nine-year-old and those are the people he associated with. He has no adult acquaintances, except members of his family who deal with bills and the more complex matters of daily life."

He added : "He is a very isolated man and had more company in prison, on remand, than at any stage of his life for many years. His learning difficulties have been taken on board."

After sentencing Neal, Judge Nadim recognised the courage of the complainants.

He said: "It is the hope of this court that with the closure of these proceedings they will be better able to move on with their lives. They each leave with the gratitude of the court. They have made an important contribution to the court system. I thank each and every one of them."

Description

A former maths teacher at a Swadlincote high school has been jailed for more than two years after admitting sexually touching underage girls.

Steven Bould had been employed at The Pingle Academy for five months in 2018 and 2019, when he was suspended following concerns over his conduct.

Before this, he spent six years at Nether Stowe School, in Lichfield.

Now the 36-year old has been convicted of nine charges of intentionally sexually touching underage girls.

He was due to be sentenced for his crimes before for October, last year, but this was delayed due to the covid pandemic . Now he was finally jailed for 33 months following a hearing at Stafford Crown Court.

Viv Sharples, principal at The Pingle Academy, said after the case: "Following sentencing we wish to thank the professional bodies involved in this case for supporting the students and the academy."

A spokesperson for Nether Stowe School, also speaking after the court hearing, said: This is a very serious matter and the school worked closely with the authorities throughout their investigation to ensure that all appropriate action was taken.

The school takes its safeguarding responsibilities seriously and the safety, wellbeing and protection of students is of paramount importance to us.

Steve Bould was a maths teacher from 2010 to 2016.

Seven of the offences took place while he worked at Pingle Academy, two offences while he worked at Nether Stowe School, where Bould had worked before joining Pingle school.

Bould, of Heath Hayes, Cannock, had been convicted of intentionally touching a girl under the age of 13 when the touching was sexual.

In a second charge, he was convicted of on no less than three occasions he intentionally touched a girl under the age of 13 when the touching was sexual.

And a third charge saw him convicted of intentionally touched a girl aged under 16 when the touching was sexual when she did not consent and he did not reasonably believe that she was consenting.

In the fourth charge he was guilty of on no less than three occasions intentionally touching a girl under 16 and that touching was sexual when she did not consent and he did not reasonably believe that she was consenting.

The fifth and sixth charges saw him plead guilty to intentionally touching a girl under 16 when the touching was sexual when she did not consent and he did not reasonably believe that she was consenting.

In the seventh and eighth charges, both of which he pleaded guilty to, it was said that on no less than five occasions he intentionally touched a girl under 16 by touching her leg and that the touching was sexual when she did not consent and he did not reasonably believe that she was consenting.

In the ninth charge he admitted that on no less than three occasions he intentionally touched a girl under the age of 13 and the touching was sexual.

The offences of touching amounted to at least 20 times in total in relation to the nine charges.

Bould was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

Description

Police tracked down the ringleader of an online child abuse gang after arresting a known Northampton paedophile.

Simon Peach, 36, was jailed for seven years in June 2021 after detectives found a laptop with 128 recordings on his laptop of live streams of girls under 16 performing sexual acts.

But officers from Northamptonshire Police Paedophile On Line Investigation Team (POLIT) then discovered messages between Peach and Matthew Mather-Franks, who was later identified as playing a leading role in the group and arrested.

The gang said to include between six and ten men even kept a Google spreadsheet containing details of young girls, mainly from Russia, taking part in live sex streams.

Crown Court Judge, His Honour Judge David Herbert QC, jailed Mather-Franks, 37, for eight years at a hearing on Friday (February 11).

Both Peach and Mather Franks were already on the sex offenders register.

Peach, previously of Clarke Road, had more than 1,000 indecent images of children on his phone and laptop, breaching a sexual harm prevention order when he was arrested in early 2020.

Four out of five devices belonging to Mather-Franks seized were not registered with the police, breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

He had been using the devices to commit online sexual offences relating to young girls, mainly aged between nine and 12, although some involved infants. Some of the children involved appeared drugged or intoxicated.

Judge Herbert told Mather-Franks: "The facts show that the work you did as part of that order failed."

Police also found evidence of images being shared on an encrypted Telegram group.

Mather-Franks, previously of Redding Road, Rushden, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, one of paying for the sexual services of a child, one of distributing category A live streams of child abuse, one of breaching a sexual harm prevention order and one or encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence

Judge Herbert told him: "You have an entrenched sexual interest in very young girls and you represent a serious danger to them."

Mather-Franks will serve at least five years, four months behind bars before he can be considered for parole. Once released, he will serve the remainder of his sentence plus and extra four years on licence.

Following Friday's sentencing, DC Andy Shears from the Police POLIT team said: I am really pleased to see the lengthy sentences handed out to both of these men who preyed on young children for their own depraved satisfaction.

Both men used sophisticated methods to try and evade detection which makes their behaviour even more deplorable.

"However, there is nothing we cant and wont do to uncover child abuse and bring the offenders to justice.

The protection of children is something that is hugely important to me and to Northamptonshire Police and I hope this case shows that if you are a predator like Peach or Mather-Franks, that we will catch up with you and put you where you belong behind bars.

Description

A young girl was repeatedly raped after her family pressured her to drop earlier allegations against her abuser.

When the vulnerable child finally plucked up the courage to report that she had been abused by Craig Wight, it seemed her nightmare would be over.

But in an "appalling" development, members of her family persuaded her it would be best if she withdrew the complaint.

The youngster did as she was asked but months later Wight subjected her to a series of even more serious sex attacks, including multiple painful rapes.

Now the 43-year-old paedophile, who groomed the victim by telling her he loved her, has been jailed for 15 years at Newcastle Crown Court.

Sentencing Wight, Judge Stephen Earl said it was "appalling" that the victim had been pressured into dropping the earlier allegations, which were of a less serious type than what went on to happen.

The judge outlined a series of despicable acts which he labelled "abhorrent abuse".

Judge Earl said: "He repeatedly told her he loved her and he spoke about how the relationship could develop more when she got to 16.

"He took advantage of her vulnerability.

"This is not love, this is a form of control.

"You don't love someone when you are 40-odd and they are (a child) and you are ... raping them."

The judge paid tribute to the victim for reporting what had happened to her.

He said: "It's an amazing testament that she's got the courage to report these matters.

"She has been failed by the adults in her life.

"She has felt isolated, out of place, vulnerable, emotional, a child unable to cope.

"These are phrases that burn themselves into your consciousness when you read them."

Wight, of Hadrian Court, Killingworth, North Tyneside, admitted 18 sex offences including three of rape, although he raped her "at least four or five times", the court heard.

Judge Earl told Wight he would have to serve two-thirds of the 15 year sentence and will be on the sex offenders register for life and subject to a sexual harm prevention order

The judge told him: "You had a clear warning when she made and retracted, through pressure, her first complaint.

"I can only express horror for the way you have callously acted towards her."

Judge Earl said there was "very little mitigation" in Wight's favour.

Description

A sick badminton coach who abused more than a dozen teenage boys in unusually vile acts has been jailed for 20 years.

Timothy Mawer was a master of manipulation who groomed the teens with kindness and fancy cars before systematically abusing them.

The 52-year-old from Cleethorpes carried out more than 60 attacks on 13 separate boys, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Mawer often met his victims through badminton coaching at schools and youth clubs, and mutual interests in trainspotting.

His attacks destroyed the lives of many of his victims, with some considering committing suicide, while others suffered mental health problems, and drink or drug addictions.

One man said in a victim impact statement: He befriended me and my family. He portrayed himself as a near perfect character.

The court heard how Mawer befriended his victims and invited them to his home. They were then persuaded to play cards with him, with sexual forfeits for the loser.

Sam Skinner, prosecuting, told the court: The defendants offending was systematic, persistent, planned and gradually increased in severity and degradation.

This was a campaign of offending that corrupted the lives of more than a dozen boys.

Some of the acts he carried out were unusually vile.

In total there are 62 incidents. The period of offending is approximately 18 years. It began in 1985-1986 and ended in April 2003.

Some were as young as 13. The rest were about 14 years old when this defendant offended against them.

This defendant was working as a self-employed sports coach teaching badminton. He taught adults and children. When he was working with children, he was in a position of trust. He was a successful coach who was well-known locally and abroad.

He coached in schools and youth clubs. He made friends with lots of boys aged between 12 and 16. He also visited Lincoln Railway Station where he befriended boys who were trainspotting.

He selected those whom he could influence and groom. This grooming took weeks and months depending on the boy. He gave these boys his time, his attention and his money. They were impressed by his fast cars and his clothes.

The police investigation began in January 2016 after one of the victims came forward, and other victims were later identified.

Mawer was originally due to be sentenced in 2019, but a further six victims came forward as a result of media reports around the trial.

He was scheduled to stand trial for the additional charges this week, but changed to his pleas to guilty.

Michael Cranmer-Brown, defending Mawer, said he was of previous good character and is remorseful and ashamed for what he did.

He said: This offending started when he was himself young. The most recent offending took place 18 years ago.

In that time Mr Mawer has been a badminton coach of some considerable repute and success. He has taught many thousands of pupils both here and abroad.

Mawer, formerly of Long Beach, Haventhorpe Park Holiday Centre in Cleethorpes, admitted a total of 27 charges of indecent assault on a male person between 1985 and 2003.

He was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and banned for life from working with children and vulnerable people. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence, told him: You were a successful coach who was well-known. Over a period of 18 years, you misused that position and the ostentatious lifestyle you had to abuse 13 children between the ages of 13 and 15 in a sexual manner.

It is plain that in their different ways, all of the complainants have been profoundly affected by your abuse of them. You caused each and every one of them real and lasting damage.

You caused harm to each of them for no other reason than to gain sexual gratification for yourself. A striking aspect of what you did involved the humiliation of some of these boys.

You won them over through kindness, apparent generosity and flash cars. You persistently and systematically abused young boys over a period of almost two decades.

Detective Inspector David McKean from Lincolnshire Polices Protecting Vulnerable People unit, said after the sentencing: This man used and abhorrently abused the trust that young people, their parents and the community including schools and youth clubs placed in him as a badminton coach.

He coerced young boys into shockingly depraved sexual acts which they have had to live with. The victims have shown incredible bravery to come forward and support our investigation and I hope this sentence provides them with some closure.

We have officers who are specifically trained to help and support victims of sexual offences. We treat every report sensitively and respectfully, so please do contact us if you have been keeping something to yourself."

Description

An IT boffin at GCHQ in Cheltenham has been jailed for 18 months for a series of historical sex

Robert Orton, 65, of Longlevens, had denied eight sex offences but a jury at Gloucester Crown Court in December found him guilty of five of them.

Four of the convictions, all of which took place between 1997 and 2003, were for indecent assault against boys aged 12 and 13 with a fifth for the same charge against a male

He was acquitted of one charge on the judge's direction and the jury could not reach verdicts on two others.

The offences were uncovered after Orton was arrested for allegedly molesting a 12-year-old boy on a bus at the start of the 2016/7 academic year.

At the start of the nine-day trial, prosecutor Christopher Smyth told the jury Orton had a "sexual interest in grooming boys aged 12 upwards".

At the sentencing, Matthew Harbinson, defending, told the judge: "Orton has lived an isolated existence since the 1970s as a gay man who wasn't overly camp. The passage of time has seen society's attitudes change.

"Yes Orton is an unusual character, being socially awkward with a pronounced stutter. Since the verdict was returned by the jury, he has reflected on his inappropriate behaviour and has shown empathy towards his victims."

In sentencing Orton to a prison term of 18 months, Recorder Christopher Quinlan QC said only an immediate custodial sentence could be justified.

He said: "You continue to deny your offending to this day, therefore there is no possibility of rehabilitation which means I am unable to suspend any sentence.

"I have to protect the general public from your sexual prowess and limit your use of the internet and ban you from working with children by the imposition of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order."

After the sentencing, Det Con Gavin Davis of Gloucestershire Police said Orton's actions have had a significant and lasting effect on his victims.

He said: "He took advantage of young people, giving them gifts, a place to stay and taking interest in their likes to ingratiate him into their social circles with a view to sexually assaulting them.

"The victims of this man's offending have shown great strength and bravery in disclosing what has happened to them and I am grateful for their courage and that of the other witnesses who gave evidence in this case, a number of which showed maturity above their years."

He continued: "My hope, and the hope of the victims in this case, is that it empowers others to report incidents of this nature and have the confidence to seek justice even if it is years after the abuse.

"Gloucestershire police take allegations of this nature incredibly seriously and also work in conjunction with other organisations to offer support, if you are suffering or have suffered abuse, please contact Gloucestershire police."

Description

A Liverpool University archaeologist tried to arrange sex with a 13-year-old girl while her mum watched.

Jason Hall discussed how he wanted to molest the girl - and the 50-year-old even took a train to Chester to fulfil his twisted sexual fantasy.

But neither the woman nor her daughter were real and he was instead met by police waiting outside the station.

Officers searched his rucksack and found a pack of condoms and an Easter egg he bought for his intended victim.

And when they searched his home, they discovered a sick stash of more than 2,000 indecent images of children.

Hall, of Greenbank Road, Mossley Hill, was a senior archaeology technician at the university's School of Histories, Languages and Cultures for more than a decade.

Liverpool Crown Court heard undercover officers set up a decoy profile of a woman calling herself Poppy on an adult website.

Neil Bisarya, prosecuting, said she was contacted on the site by Hall, who said he noticed she was based in Chester and that he was in Liverpool and worked at the university, on March 26, 2018.

Poppy told Hall she was a mum-of-two with an eight-year-old son and a daughter aged 13, before two days later telling him she was interested in young teens.

Hall replied "lovely, about your girl's age?" and she agreed and told him her daughter was called Natalie, before Hall said he would like to have sex with her and Poppy said she would like to be present.

Their conversations continued on Skype and an encrypted chat service called qTox and on April 16 that year they discussed him coming to Chester.

Poppy sent Hall two photos, supposedly of her and Natalie, and he sent one of himself in return, before on April 26 they talked about arrangements.

She then set up chats between Hall and Natalie on Skype from May 1, when he called her a "cutie", then on May 8 discussed having sex with her.

Mr Bisarya said Hall sent her of a photo of his erect penis when he was in the bath and said he wanted to have sex with her while her mum watched.

On May 10 he asked for a photo of her bottom and after confirming the arrangement with mother and daughter and promising to bring some chocolate, on the morning of May 11 set off to Chester but was arrested at 11.48am.

Mr Bisarya said his mobile phone was seized along with his rucksack, containing "a packet of condoms with a receipt that had been recently purchased and a Twirl Easter egg".

Officers went to his home and seized 17 items - laptops, computers, hard drives and mobile phones - and found next to his bed a transcript describing sex with a 12-year-old.

Hall, who had no previous convictions, made no comment in a police interview, but later confessed after his devices were analysed.

They revealed 102 Category A images - the worst category showing child rape - plus 271 Category B and 1796 Category C images.

In total he had downloaded 2,169 child sex abuse images between September 2005 and May 2018, plus 13 animal porn files.

He admitted arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child look at an image of sexual activity, three counts of downloading indecent images of children, and possessing extreme porn.

Rebecca Smith, defending, said Hall knew he would receive a "lengthy" jail sentence and made admissions to police in a second interview.

She said despite the contents of his rucksack, no sexual activity was ever going to take place because Natalie was a "fictional character".

Ms Smith said Hall was "co-operative" and "candid" and had shown a willingness to "explore and understand his criminal behaviour".

She said he completed work with child sex abuse prevention charity The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, plus other courses and counselling.

The lawyer said Hall had references from his parents and sister, who talked of his "introverted and isolated adulthood" and now he had received assistance and been "honest and truthful" with them, they hope to provide him with the support he needs when he leaves prison.

Ms Smith added her client had been "held in high regard" at the university faculty, won awards, and they had been "proud" of his achievements.

Judge Anil Murray noted the "high disparity of age" between Hall and his intended victim, along with his "grooming behaviour".

He said: "The absence of a real victim does not reduce culpability."

However, the judge said he had to make a downward adjustment to recognise the absence of actual harm, as the child didn't exist.

Judge Murray said the pre-sentence report concluded that Hall demonstrated "entrenched sexual interests in children" and assessed him as a "high risk of sexual recidivism and a high risk of causing serious harm to children".

He said: "I agree completely with those assessments."

The judge also noted that Hall's mum said he was "usually a caring son" and his sister said he had expressed remorse to her.

He jailed Hall for two years and eight months, of which he will serve half behind bars.

Judge Murray ordered him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register and to comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

Description

A monstrous abuser took advantage of two teenage boys while he worked at a children's home in the 1970s.

Robert Murray 'breached the trust' of his victims while he was employed at the home, abusing the boys on a number of occasions.

The 76-year-old was found guilty of 12 counts of of indecent assault at Liverpool Crown Court after putting his victims through the ordeal of a trial.

Murray, of Harrismith Road in Fazakerley, was jailed for a total of 11 years for the sex offences against the boys.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Merseyside Police described Murray as "disgraceful and cowardly".

The force said: "Merseyside Police has today, Friday, 12 February, welcomed the sentencing of a Liverpool man to 11 years in prison for sexual offences against two teenage boys.

"76-year-old Robert Murray of Harrismith Road, Fazakerley, was jailed after being found guilty of 12 counts of of indecent assault following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

"The offences relate to two male victims, both teenagers at the time, and date back to the 1970s, when Murray worked at a Liverpool residential home for boys."

Speaking after the sentencing, a Merseyside Police spokesperson said: Murray is a disgraceful and cowardly individual who seriously breached the trust of the two victims, and its pleasing to see him jailed for a significant amount of time today.

He continued to deny his crimes right throughout the investigation, putting the victims through the stress of a trial, but was found guilty by unanimous verdict on all charges against him.

I want to commend the victims for the courage they have shown, not only in coming forward to report Murray, but throughout the investigation and court process too.

"Murrays actions have no doubt significantly affected their lives, but I hope today brings a sense of closure on the traumatic experiences they have both been through, and allows them to continue moving forward knowing Murray wont be released for a significant amount of time.

I would also like to take this opportunity to reach out to victims of sexual abuse, and to let them know that time should never be a barrier to obtaining justice.

"We have specially trained officers ready to listen to you and treat you with respect and compassion. If you are suffering in silence, there is help and support available, both from Merseyside Police, and from reliable and trusted support groups who will stand with you.

Description

A paramedic who was found guilty of multiple counts of rape and sexual assault against three victims has been jailed for 21 years.

Andrew Wheeler, 46, of Mill Green, Warboys, was convicted of six sexual offences between 2009 and 2018 following a trial which began early in December.

Today at Peterborough Crown Court, Judge Matthew Lowe said that Wheeler had shown an "arrogance and a belief that he was untouchable and protected, as he saw it, by his paramedic's uniform"

Wheeler had shown "not a shred of remorse", he said, adding: "He's demonstrated that he's a manipulative sexual predator, willing to exploit for his own gratification the vulnerabilities of three separate (victims)."

Judge Lowe also praised a "painstaking" police investigation which brought Wheeler to court and commended DC Amie Meston.

He also praised the courage of the victims for coming forward.

The trial had heard Wheeler's offending came to light after he raped and sexually assaulted a woman in September 2018.

He had responded as a single-crew paramedic to an emergency call to help the woman and reassured two other paramedics, who arrived as a dual-crew, that he had things under control.

He then took the intoxicated woman from a friend's home back to her home before carrying out the attack. The woman told a friend, the incident was reported to police and Wheeler was arrested later that day.

For this rape he received a 13-year sentence and for the sexual assault he received 10 years, to run concurrently to each other but consecutive to the others.

Another victim then came forward who Wheeler had raped in 2009 and sexually assaulted in the back of an ambulance in April 2010.

For this rape he was sentenced to six years and for the sexual assault he was sentenced to 30 months, to run concurrently to each other but consecutive to the others.

Wheeler was also convicted of two counts of sexual assault on a girl under 13, not connected to his work, between December 2013 and May 2014.

He was sentenced to 15 months and two years for these offences, to run concurrently to each other but consecutive to the others.

DCI Sherrie Nash, from the force's Protecting Vulnerable People department, said due to the length of time Wheeler had been offending it was possible further victims had not yet come forward.

Detective Chief Superintendent Martin Brunning said: "Andrew Wheeler is a predatory individual whose offending has spanned nearly a decade.

"We believe his decision to become a paramedic was influenced by the access it would give him to potentially vulnerable members of the public and this breach of trust makes his appalling offences all the more deplorable.

"He has caused a huge amount of suffering and trauma for his victims and I would like to pay tribute to their bravery in coming forwards and the patience and dignity they have shown throughout a lengthy legal process.

"I can't imagine what they have gone through but I hope today's sentencing allows them to continue rebuilding their lives knowing that justice has been done."

One example of his offending came from the trial when the court heard that the defendant was on duty as a single crew paramedic in a rapid response car when he was called to help a collapsed woman in Cambridgeshire in 2018.

When he arrived at the incident it became apparent that the woman, who was at her friend's house, was drunk, Peterborough Crown Court heard.

Wheeler sent away two other paramedics who arrived together in an ambulance, assuring them he had things under control, then drove the woman to her own house where he raped and sexually assaulted her.

Noel Casey, prosecuting, said the woman was "extremely intoxicated" and was "unable to properly respond or even resist what he did to her, and he did these things while she was alone in her own home, the defendant having taken her there".

"There was a gross breach of trust," he said.

The woman said, in a victim impact statement read to the court: "I have no faith in the NHS and I've avoided seeing a paramedic and attending the hospital just because of what happened."

She said she has flashbacks, adding: "I couldn't handle dealing with life. I became a recluse."

Jennifer Dempster QC, mitigating, said Wheeler had no previous convictions and was someone who has done a "great deal of positive work in his life".