Latest Offenders

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A FORMER teacher has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of child abuse.

Peter Toner, 61, was found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow of sexually abusing five children between 1979 and 1983 when he was a house master at the former St Columba’s College in Largs, Ayrshire.

Officers from Ayrshire’s Divisional Rape Investigation Unit have been conducting enquiries after receiving a complaint in October 2016.

As a result of ongoing enquiries, officers identified other victims.

Detective constable Colin Jones said: “Peter Toner took advantage of his position of authority and committed these despicable crimes.

“It takes considerable courage for people to come forward and speak to the police about such crimes and I would like to pay tribute to the victims for their bravery.

“This sentence may give them some sense of justice, but it won’t undo the harm they have experienced which has been profound and long lasting.

“I would encourage anyone who has been a victim of any sexual predator to come forward as it is never too late to report sexual abuse to us, no matter when it happened and no matter what the circumstances, they can be assured that they will receive every support from Police Scotland.”

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A convicted rapist who subjected his victim to an "incredulous and cruel" 90 minute sex attack in some bushes in Camberley has been jailed. Floris-Adrian Gherghelau, 25, of Park Road, Camberley was a stranger to his teenage victim, whom he had followed and then "grabbed" in a secluded area. He was handed a sentence of up to 16 years imprisonment by Miss Recorder June Venters QC at Guildford Crown Court on Friday (March 8), being described as a "dangerous sexual deviant". A jury found Gherghelau guilty of five charges - including two counts of rape and one of attempted rape - on January 14. The court heard how the victim, 18, had taken an overdose following the attack, described as "terrifying" by Recorder Venters. A victim impact statement read out in court said: "I didn't feel I was getting the support and became so low. "I then took an overdose of painkillers as a way to show that I didn't care for my life at that time and needed more support. Following this I was referred to a psychologist." Prosecutor Ryan Richter said that Gherghelau's victim could now not sleep without "taking a knife to bed" and "doesn't know if she will ever recover from the events". Surrey Police said in a statement that Gherghelau admitted the attack during a police interview, but later denied the charges in court. Recorder Venters said: "Your offence was both incredulous and cruel. As if this young woman had not been through enough, you continued to humiliate her before a jury by suggesting she was a willing participant." While giving evidence, the 25-year-old reportedly claimed that he had kissed his victim, who kissed him back before both walked into the bushes together to have sex. Both defence counsel Lyall Thompson and Recorder Venters agreed that Gherghelau showed "no remorse" for his actions, showing only sorrow for his own situation. However, Mr Thompson did pay reference in mitigation to the fact this was his client's first conviction, suggesting: "Could this be a one-off moment of madness?" The barrister also noted that Gherghelau was of "low intelligence". The 25-year-old's victim even offered to pay him to let her go. "She panicked and struggled, trying everything possible to break away from your grip of her, but which was to no avail," added Recorder Venters. "She was I have no doubt terrified. She had no idea who you were or what you intended on doing to her. "What happened next could only have been an absolutely terrifying, painful, humiliating experience which will live with her for the rest of her life." Gherghelau was handed a 14 year jail term, extended to 16 years with two on licence. The court heard how the 25-year-old, who is a Romanian national, is "almost certain" to be deported from the UK upon his release from prison. He has also been placed on the sex offenders register for life. The Surrey Police investigation Surrey Police has described the investigation that led to the arrest and conviction of Gherghelau for these offences. Following the attack, his victim sought help at a nearby petrol station - staff contacted police and a full description of the offender was given. The attacker's DNA was found on the victim, meaning that a successful match would positively identify. Local knowledge, coupled with the description of the offender, led officers to a local address where elimination samples were taken from all the male occupants. Gherghelau proved a positive DNA match and was subsequently arrested. Speaking outside Guildford Crown Court after the sentencing, Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Adam Ramiz commented on the "bravery" of the victim. He said: "The victim in relation to this matter demonstrated extreme bravery in relation to the incident itself - reporting it to police and then supporting the police throughout the investigation. "She has suffered extreme trauma in the matter, but thankfully she is being well supported now. "I really welcome the extended sentence today and I agree with the judge. I believe that Gherghelau is a very serious and dangerous offender."

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A DUDLEY cop who persuaded a teenage girl he met while investigating an incident at a college to send him naked photographs of herself has been jailed for nine months. Pc Paul Davies had earned considerable praise during his near 30 year service with the West Midlands Force for helping youngsters avoid crime and lead law abiding lives. But Davies who worked as a Young Persons Officer with Dudley Police took "leave of his senses" after he started to engage in sexual phone chats with the 17-year-old student. The 57-year-old officer got the girls details while probing reports of a suspicious male on the College campus and after their phone chats he got her to send him five photographs of her posing naked. Davies, a married man with two adult sons, was rumbled after the girl was spoken to by police and she provided them with details of what had gone on, said Alex Warren prosecuting. He told Wolverhampton Crown Court that Davies who was named West Midland Beat Officer of the year in 2009 was arrested and the photographs were recovered from his mobile. Judge James Burbidge QC told Davies it was serious offending because of the disparity in their ages adding, "It was not an abuse of trust but you were in a very trusting position." The judge said Davies who showed no reaction as he was lead away to begin his jail term had clearly worked hard in the past to help young people avoid crime and to lead structured lives. But he said it was clear he had encouraged the creation of the photographs - it was all at his instigation and he had "groomed" the teenager to a degree. Davies, he went on, had attended the college to investigate an incident having been in a position of safeguarding anyone on the premises and he had spoken to the girl and another 17-year old. "You well knew her age because you had taken her personal details," said the judge but he had then clearly decided to take things further. Davies, a former member of the Wrens Nest and Milking Bank Neighbourhood team admitted making the indecent images. between March 12 and April 15 last year. Mr Warren said it was not suggested Davies who left the police force after his arrest had used his position to put pressure on the teenage girl. He said a friend of the girl had also encouraged her to go along with it but she had engaged with Davies in his professional capacity. Simon Hunka, defending, said Davies, of Thoresby Croft, Upper Gornal, had initiated the sexual chat which it was accepted was "thoroughly inappropriate behaviour." He was ashamed of his actions having fallen from grace. "He was a local police officer for the area for many, many years and the uncomfortable reality is that people who looked up to him now find it difficult to meet his eye." Mr Hunka said Davies had quite literally lost everything. His standing in the community had gone and he was finding it difficult to find another job. He said Davies had run programmes at schools and colleges in the Dudley area for young people and he read out references from families where the former police officer had gone beyond the call of duty to assist their children.

Description

A teenager who followed a West Yorkshire schoolgirl for half a mile before sexually attacking her has been locked up for three years and two months.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was sexually assaulted by Callum Lawson in Scott Lane near Riddlesden, Keighley, in March 2019 and a judge heard today the attack had completely changed her life over the past two years.

In a victim impact statement, the teenager described how she had suffered panic attacks, flashbacks and paranoia and had also undergone specialist trauma therapy.

Bradford Crown Court heard the victim suspected she was being followed that tea-time and stopped to let Lawson go by, but as she set off walking again, the teenager came jogging towards her and put his hand up her skirt.

The complainant stumbled into a bush, but managed to shove Lawson away and he ran off towards a nearby tennis club.

Prosecutor Chloe Hudson said the police were alerted after the complainant arrived home in a distressed state and a potential suspect was identified from DNA on her tights.

Miss Hudson said an anonymous call to Crimestoppers giving Lawson’s name led to his arrest almost a year after the attack.

Lawson, 19, of Cartmel Road, Keighley, initially denied being responsible saying he was not that kind of guy and not a pervert.

Later in his interview however Lawson he said he vaguely remembered what he had done, but said he didn’t know why.

“If I were her dad I’d want to kick the **** out of me,” Lawson said.

The court heard that while he was on bail for the sex assault Lawson went on to assault two paramedics who attended at a house in Back Rupert Street, Keighley, in July last year.

Lawson, who was under the influence of drink or drugs, became aggressive and threatening towards the paramedics after they tried to help him when he was found unconscious in the living room of the house.

The paramedics had to leave the house until the police arrived and Lawson was put in leg restraints when he became aggressive and agitated again as he waited for a police van.

Today Lawson was locked up in a young offenders institution for a total of 38 months after he admitted the sexual assault and the two allegations of assaulting an emergency worker.

Barrister Samreen Akhtar, for Lawson, said her client had been 17 at the time of the sexual assault and he had pleaded guilty to that offence at the first opportunity.

She said Lawson had been turning to alcohol in his teenage years to deal with personal problems and at the time of the sexual assault he had been kicked out of his mother’s home.

Judge Andrew Hatton said the complainant in the sexual assault had set off walking because she didn’t have enough money for the bus.

He said he was satisfied that the girl had suffered “severe psychological harm” as a result of the attack and it had involved a significant degree of planning.

“You purposefully and with determination followed your victim, changed your route and ensured you were in the right place to attack her at what was for you the right time,” said Judge Hatton.

The judge said Lawson was undoubtedly under the influence of alcohol at the time and the attack had taken place in a secluded location.

Lawson was sentenced to 32 months detention in a young offenders institution for the sexual assault with an additional six months detention for the two assaults on emergency workers.

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The National Crime Agency (NCA) swooped on Fox after linking him to horrific footage of child sex abuse online. He was arrested on September 5, 2018 as NCA officers seized his laptop which contained a vast amount of abuse images and videos.

Some showed him raping and indecently assaulting a boy. Fox had posted the footage online for other paedophiles to view and other videos showed him abusing a girl.

The 26-year-old, from Ewell, denied posting the videos online but admitted attacking the children. He was jailed at Kingston Crown Court in March after admitting 19 offences, including seven counts of rape.

He also admitted possession of indecent images of children 4,743 category A images or videos (the most severe), 4,263 category B and 3,995 category C.

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A MAN who downloaded more than 8,000 images of child abuse images including of a baby girl being sexually assaulted begged a judge not to jail him.

Pervert Alexander Davies, 26, repeatedly downloaded images on three phones - and even continued after being arrested and released.

At Portsmouth Crown Court he asked a judge for mercy and 'one last chance to do good' while reading out a letter from prison over a videolink in court.

But a judge ruled the case was too serious and jailed him for 16 months after he admitted two charges of distributing child abuse images, 12 possession charges and one of having extreme pornography.

The court heard how police raided Davies's home and found two mobile phones containing indecent images and videos of children - with the defendant trying to hide one phone under his bed.

When arrested Davies, of Magennis Close, Gosport, denied wrongdoing and 'suggested that his father was due to be released from prison and that he was set up,' prosecutor Simon Foster said.

A third phone was handed back to him by police after his arrest as it was clean - but he downloaded more images.

'He took the phone that was returned to the family on the basis that it contained no images, and he continued precisely the same activity as before and distributed images,' Mr Foster said.

Messages uncovered on the third phone revealed Davies swapped messages with other perverts 'indicating a wilfulness to exchange images'.

Analysis revealed Davies had 507 category A images, 322 category B and 7,945 rated in the less serious category C.

Jailing Davies, Recorder Michael Bowes QC said one image showed 'an extremely graphic assault on a baby less than one year old' and added in others 'there's restraint and discernible pain or distress'.

Reading his letter before he was jailed, Davies said: 'I can see what I've done is wrong. I wish I could turn the clock back.'

He added: 'Jail has taught me that life is priceless and so is freedom. Where my freedom has been taken away and my life has been changes it's made me think

'Please your honour, can you give me one last chance to do good.'

All three phones must be destroyed. Davies, who has no previous convictions, must sign the sex offenders' register for a decade and an order restricts his internet use for the same period.

Daniel Reilly, mitigating, said: 'Whilst he is 26 years of age, he is a very young 26-year-old.

'He struggled significantly in both primary and secondary education and has severe learning difficulties.'

An educational psychologist's report found Davies was only 0.3 per cent above others of his age in literacy and numerical ability - and is in the bottom two per cent for his spelling, Mr Reilly said outlining the defendant's learning difficulties.

Recorder Bowes described the case as 'a serious and quite complex matter' and that the defendant displayed a 'lack of maturity'.

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A 31-year-old man from Hemel Hempstead has been jailed for seven years today (Friday, February 22) for sex offences involving two young boys.

Anthony Turner’s crimes came to light after he had taken a 15-year-old boy into his Hemel flat who was on the run from a children’s home in Lancashire.

Police discovered the youngster had been a regular visitor to Turner’s flat before he was placed in the care home.

As a result, Herts Police were able to locate the boy near the flat and Turner was arrested.

It was then discovered from an examination of Turner’s laptop that he had taken indecent images of the boy, plus more pictures of himself performing a sex offence on another 13-year-old boy.

At Luton Crown Court today (February 22) Turner, 31, from Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual activity with a child under 16, taking a child without lawful authority, taking indecent photos of a child, distributing indecent photos of a child, six offences of possessing indecent images and possessing cannabis.

Turner had met the 15-year-old boy when he had been one of the managers at the Toby Carvery in Hemel Hempstead.

The defendant had been at the rear of the building smoking during a break and gave the youngster and a friend a cigarette each.

Judge Andrew Bright QC, hearing the case, was told the boy had a troubled background and difficult family life which led to him eventually being placed in a residential children’s care home in the north of England.

Prosecutor Peter Shaw said it was on June 26, 2016 when the boy went missing from the home.

He had been in touch with the defendant, who had agreed to drive and collect the youngster to bring him back to his flat in Hemel Hempstead.

Police enquiries led them to the boy, and Turner was arrested.

The court heard that when officers examined the various devices belonging to Turner, they discovered he had taken indecent intimate photographs of the boy.

As they delved deeper, they discovered more photographs he had taken of himself performing a sexual offence on the boy.

Police also found a quantity of cannabis Turner had at the flat for his personal use plus indecent images he had downloaded.

The court was told Turner was remorseful for what he’d done and wants help to tackle the problems which led to him offending.

Judge Bright jailed him for a total of seven years and said he hoped that while in prison Turner would be given the help and support to deal with his underlying problems.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and told his name would go on the sex offenders’ register for life.

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A Convicted sex offender has been jailed after breaching a sexual harm prevention order

Kyle Michael bone, 26 of Basingstoke appeared at Winchester Crown Court where he was sentenced for:

- Breaching sexual harm prevention order

- Criminal damage to property

The court was told that Bone had served a previous prison sentence in 2014 for sexual activity with a female child.

Today, the judge sentenced Bone to 16 months imprisonment.

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A 'CREEPY' night club bottom pincher from Andover threatened door staff with a baseball bat after being identified and thrown out. Stuart Blackwell, aged 58, was more than twice the age of his victim, who he assaulted inside Caesar's Palace club in Bideford, Devon, after trying to pick her up with cheesy chat-up lines. She brushed off his attentions and was standing with friends when he walked past her and slapped and squeezed her bottom. The assault was caught on CCTV and showed her jumping away in shock. He continued pestering her until she alerted door staff who threw him out, only for him to come back half an hour later armed with the baseball bat. He was seen on CCTV in a crowded area just outside the club holding up the bat before being grabbed by four bouncers and held until police arrived. Blackwell moved to the centre of Bideford after being released from a 26-month sentence for sexually assaulting a teenaged girl in 2015 when he was living in Launcelot Close. His assault left the girl frightened to go out on her own. She made a victim statement which said:"He was a total stranger and the fact he was so much older than me makes it even creepier." Blackwell, now of St Lawrence Rd South, Towcester, admitted sexual assault and having an offensive weapon in a public place and was jailed for nine weeks, suspended for a year and sent on a sex offenders course by Judge Peter Johnson at Exeter Crown Court. He told him:"This was extremely upsetting to the victim and had a permanent effect on her. The contact was short lived but it was sexual contact nonetheless. "It is an aggravating feature that the offence with the baseball bat outside the club was in a crowd of people and created a substantial risk of serious disorder." Herc Ashworth, prosecuting, said the incident happened late at night in December and started when Blackwell approached the woman in the smoking area. He said:"The defendant told her 'I'd recognise an arse like that anywhere. You'd be welcome at my place any time'." The woman laughed it off but was talking with friends when he came pas and slapped and squeezed her bottom while smirking at her. She alerted door staff after he carried on pestering her and he was thrown out. He came back with the bat but was disarmed by four door staff and arrested by police. He later claimed he had planned to batter the doormen. Ian Graham, defending, said Blackwell did not understand why he had been thrown out and returned to challenge the door staff. He took the bat for his own protection. He said Blackwell has moved away from Devon to be closer to his family and is currently living on benefits while addressing mental health issues.

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A teacher ended his career in disgrace after being caught with 117 child porn videos and over 20,000 photos.

James Cullen's downfall was revealed in court where he admitted taking the material off the internet over three years at his home in Lewis Crescent, Annesley.

Using a hearing loop to help follow the case, he was sent to prison for ten months after admitting downloading indecent images. City magistrates imposed a five-year sexual harm prevention order to stop a repeat.

When he initially faced court, a deputy district judge said "although he was a teacher at the time, this was not committed as part of that employment".

Daniel Pietryka, prosecuting, told Nottingham Magistrates' Court the downloads were dated between January 2014 and December 2017.

Police officers seized electrical equipment and found 12 videos in Category B, the second level of seriousness .

They then discovered 95 videos from the third level and 20,182 still photographs.

Mr Pietryka told the court: "He initially denied the matters in question, blaming the internet.

"He said he made local searches for nudists and naturalists and these images would appear. He accepted downloading images for his sexual gratification."

Sean Conway, mitigating, urged the magistrates to follow a recommendation from a probation officer, which would have seen the 55-year-old attend a course to prevent further offences.

"The offences were caused by literally 12 links, clicking 12 times and accessing a large number. That is what happened.

"I am not for a second trying to minimise it but that is the truth. He accepts he has done wrong," said Mr Conway.

He resigned from his teaching job before action was taken against him. He also accepted the General Teaching Council would "strike him from the register".

Since then, Cullen has paid for training as an HGV driver and is now doing that job.

"There is a level of remorse and a willingness to get to the root cause and find why he finds himself before the court.

"There is a massive taboo to things like this and I don't seek to minimise that taboo," said Mr Conway who pointed out Cullen had never been in trouble before.

He is currently having hospital treatment and is due to have stitches removed after surgery.

Mr Conway urged the magistrates not to impose "the ultimate sanction" of prison so Cullen can keep working.

After being jailed, an appeal was launched against the sentence and this will be heard at the crown court by a judge and two magistrates. A bail application was made for Cullen while awaiting this hearing.

But it was rejected by magistrate Peter Dexter, who sat with a colleague.

"We have considered this carefully and bail will be refused due to the seriousness of the offending," said Mr Dexter. The case was initially adjourned to await a report from a probation officer.

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A WOMAN says she has been through the most 'horrendous experience of her life' – but feels relieved after historical charges against a predator who abused her when she was a child were found to be proved.

The lady, now in her 30s but who was aged between four and nine years old when the regular indecent assaults took place, told The News she was 'relieved' but 'numb' following the verdicts at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Hayling Island child-exploiter Raymond Hawker, of Castlemans Lane, was found to have committed the lewd acts by a unanimous jury following a trial in his absence.

He was deemed not fit to take the stand due to mental health issues after facing five charges of indecent assault on a female under the age of 10 years and one charge of inciting a girl under 14 years to commit an act of gross indecency.

Hawker, 78, will be sentenced on March 8 where he is set to avoid jail and instead faces the prospect of a supervision order, depending on medical assessments.

Speaking to The News after the case the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she doesn't 'care what happens to him now', before adding: 'Whatever punishment he receives will be minimal'.

After waiting more than two years for the case to be brought before the court due to postponements as assessments over Hawker took place, the victim said: 'I haven't been able to look past the trial so I'm now just getting my head around it all. Hopefully I can start living rather than hiding away.'

Speaking of the punishment Hawker is likely to receive, she continued: 'Part of me is gutted he won't go to prison because of all he put me through.

'Ideally he should be sent to jail but he's told so many lies about me and my family I just want people to know the truth and put an end to the rumours.

'He's never taken responsibility for what he did. He's made it so much worse for me by going down the mental health route resulting in the two previous court cases having to be postponed.

'I don't accept his mental health issues should have resulted in him being totally cleared of responsibility for what he did. He didn't have any issues at the start of the trial. But at the end of the day both he and his family know what he did and they will have to live with that for the rest of their lives.'

The woman, who has had counselling for depression and post traumatic stress disorder, revealed she was so angry about Hawker's horrific exploitation of her when she was a child that she confronted him in 2017.

'Ray admitted to me what he did,' she said. 'I went to his house and knocked on his door and he just said "sorry it was a long time ago". I had the conversation recorded but it couldn't be used in court.'

The woman, who kept the painful memories to herself for 30 years until she built up the courage to tell the police, revealed her torment when confessing to her family. 'I just wrote a letter, I couldn't say the words,' she said.

As a child she admitted she could not bring herself to tell anyone after Hawker had manipulated her into silence by insisting it was 'our little secret'.

She said going through the judicial system had been daunting – admitting she was 'not sure if it was worth it' before deciding she had to exorcise ghosts from the past and prevent Hawker from committing further offences. 'I didn't want to go to the police but felt guilt over his granddaughter and the children next door,' she revealed.

Finally taking the stand in court was a nerve-wracking experience – especially with the entire case resting on her evidence. Only Hawker's wife Barbara appeared for the defence.

Despite questions over whether she was making the whole thing up under cross-examination from defence barrister Sarah Jones, the woman presented a compelling case under fierce interrogation.

'It was the most horrendous thing in my life,' she admitted. 'To just be slated by the barrister and having someone say you made it up made me so angry. To have to listen to glowing references on Ray while I had nothing of a similar nature and was torn apart was tough to take.'

Despite her ordeal, a family member said the prosecuting barrister Mary Aspinall-Miles described the victim as 'one of the strongest ladies she has come across' and someone 'who stuck to her guns and gave as good as she got'.

With the court case over and the woman vindicated, she added: 'I hope it will give me some closure so I can move on with my life.'

Description

A man has been sentenced to 10 years in a young offenders institution for a string of offences including sexual activity with an underage girl. Tom Baker, 20, of Tamworth, admitted two counts of sexual activity with a girl under 16 and two counts of taking a child without authority. He also admitted possessing indecent images and a bladed article. He was sentenced earlier this month at Birmingham Crown Court where he was handed a sexual harm prevention order. In addition, he was told to hand over a mobile telephone and kitchen knife and will pay a victim surcharge of 170. Baker faced a total of ten charges at the court case which concluded at a sentencing hearing on 8 February. He changed some of his pleas from not guilty to guilty during the court case.

Description

A paedophile former teacher once jailed for secretly filming children undressing has walked free from court after downloading and distributing indecent images. Simon Whitfield, 58, had just been released from prison when a tip-off from Canadian authorities led police to his home in Highgate, Beverley, on October 19, 2017, Hull Crown Court heard. Phillip Evans, prosecuting, said Whitfield was the only one living in the house, which was searched by police and resulted in the seizure of his Acer laptop. Analysis showed he had downloaded six indecent photographs between September 17 and October 1, 2015, and had also used Skype to distribute two category C images on the latter date. Child abuse 'chats' Mr Evans said the offences were committed against "a background of conversations on what are called chat logs of a highly prurient nature involving the abuse of nine-year-old children". He had appeared under the name Simon Knowles when he was jailed for four and a half years at York Crown Court on April 25, 2013 for similar offences, as well as 11 counts of voyeurism. The voyeurism related to him filming children getting changed for PE at a school in West Yorkshire - using tiny spy cameras hidden in a pen and a shirt button. He accidentally caught his own face on camera. He was on licence, and subject to a sexual offences prevention order indefinitely, at the time he committed his latest offences. Charity support Whitfield was supported at court by a member of the Christian Jacob's Well charity, who had written one of his references, his barrister Nigel Clive said. Whitfield worked four hours a week as a volunteer for the charity. "This defendant is ashamed he is once again before the court," Mr Clive said. "This defendant says he took a lot from the sexual offenders work he undertook in prison, but when he was released he found adjusting to being back in society with a label such as he did, difficult. He found himself in a dark place." Since being caught, Whitfield had installed a programme on his computer which alerts The Lucy Faithfull Foundation of "suspicious" internet activity and the charity then alerts police, Mr Clive said. Judge explains sentence Sentencing Whitfield, Judge Simon Jack told him his latest crimes were "committed not long after you were released from serving a substantial prison sentence for similar offences. "If you had been caught and dealt with at that point you could certainly have expected an immediate prison sentence. "But I have to look at the overall picture, and the overall picture is that after going off the rails to some extent after your release from prison, you must have seen the error of your ways, and despite downloading indecent images, and in a couple of cases distributing them, you took steps to ensure you would not do it again, and there's no evidence to say you have done it again since the end of 2015. "And for that reason it seems to me that I can avoid doing what would otherwise be inevitable in sending you straight back to prison." Whitfield was sentenced to a two-year community order, which includes attendance on the Horizon programme and 20 days rehabilitation. He was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely, replacing the previous order, and must already register as a sex offender for life. Whitfield, who "has a pension", the court heard, was also ordered to pay the 500 costs of the prosecution. He offered to pay this immediately but was given 28 days. The judge told him: "I hope this is the last time you are in court. You should be aware if there is any lapse on your part you will be back and the likelihood is you will go back to prison again."

Description

A man has been jailed for nine years for sexual offences against a child in Buckinghamshire in the 1970s. Denis Mauger, 75, of Chapel Lane, Chilton, subjected his victim to a number of indecent assaults between 1971 and 1980 when his victim was aged between six and 15 years. He was convicted on January 22 by unanimous verdict of six counts of indecent assault against a female child and sentenced today (Friday) at Aylesbury Crown Court. The offences were reported to Thames Valley Police in 2017 and Mauger was charged in July 2018. Investigating officer Detective Constable Collette Parker, of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit based at Aylesbury, said: I would like to thank the victim for her courage, bravery and determination throughout the investigation, through to the trial. It has been an extremely traumatic time for her and I hope that the unanimous guilty verdicts and the sentence given, brings her some closure. I would also like to thank prosecuting counsel Kim Preston for her work in securing this conviction. This sentence reflects the hard work that is carried out by the Child Abuse Investigation Unit in bringing these offenders to justice and I would encourage anybody who has been a victim of childhood sexual abuse to report it to the police.

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An Ardrossan man is facing jail for grooming what he thought was a 12-year-old girl after being stung by an online group targeting paedophiles. Garry Allmark, 46, was brought to justice with the help of a group known as the Scotland Anti Predator Alliance (SAPA). Operatives from the group snared Allmark online while he was living at a flat in Glasgow Street with his wife and eight-year-old son. They then arranged to meet him and confronted him over the vile messages he had sent to one of their decoys during a meeting at Harvie's. As well as sending a picture of a male penis, Allmark sent what he thought was a youngster pictures of women performing sex acts on themselves. He sent the 'child' so many messages SAPA operatives gave police 410 pages of print outs showing his texts. The details emerged this week when Allmark, who now lives in Burns Street, Irvine, appeared in the dock at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court for a pre-trial hearing. He struck a deal with prosecutors which saw him pleading guilty to one charge in exchange for another being dropped. He admitted a charge under Section 23 and 24(1) of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 by attempting to have sexual communication with a young child, and sending sexual pictures and videos to what he thought was an underage girl. The charge that was dropped stated he had tried to meet what he thought was an underage girl with the intention of having a sexual encounter with her. Procurator Fiscal Depute Jo Cunningham explained: "Between March 30, 2018, and May 5, 2018, the accused had been in communication with a person whom he assumed was a child under the age of 13. "The communication he had was, in fact, with the Scottish Anti Predator Alliance. "Following their contact with the accused, the Alliance contacted police and they provided them with hard copies of messages which had been exchanged between the accused and the 'child'. "Police, on receipt of the evidence, arrested the accused." Allmark was taken to Saltcoats Police Office where he was interviewed, confirming to police officers that "he had been in conversation with a female whom he believed to be 12 years of age." Miss Cunningham explained: "The majority were not all of a sexual nature however, when taken together, appear to be an attempt by the accused to groom the 12-year-old, and there were items of a sexual nature within them. "In addition to sending personal images to the 'child', he also sent her a photo of a male penis and images of a nude female masturbating. "When he engaged with the child it appears he also sent a number of images of himself to her." Allmark, who was assisted in court by a sign language interpreter, nodded during his police interview to confirm he'd had sexual conversations with the 'child' and that he knew it was illegal, but insisted he was "not a paedophile." Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane placed Allmark on the Sex Offenders' Register, called for background reports to be prepared ahead of sentencing and adjourned the case until next month for that to be done.