Latest Offenders

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A father has hit out at online paedophile hunters for being a pain in the bottom after his son pleaded guilty to a sex offence.

Robert Beedle, son of Great Dunmow town councillor David Beedle, was snared after chatting to who he thought was a 13-year-old girl.

However, he was actually messaging a "decoy" manned by members of the online paedophile hunter group Defending the Innocent.

This morning (Wednesday, December 19), Chelmsford Magistrates' Court heard how the 39-year-old sex offender had been messaging the decoy for over a year in a forum and then exchanged WhatsApp messages with her.

They discussed having sexual activity and they also talked about booking a hotel room so they could spend time together.

Beedle, of the Broadway, Dunmow, pleaded guilty to the charge of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

During the short hearing, it was revealed how Beedle's confrontation with the paedophile hunting group was posted online on April 26.

Having been told he will be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on January 16, Beedle left the building in the company of his father.

Following the hearing, Cllr Beedle criticised online paedophile hunting groups.

"The only thing to comment on is the fact that these so-called paedophile hunters are a pain in the bottom, he said.

Of course its an issue [posting the video online] because everybody is not aware of the facts.

Some of the things we will probably never know about.

He added that his son had also held his hands up and he hoped people would be kind in their reactions.

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A convicted sex offender who admitted possessing more than 3000 indecent images of children was warned by a judge that custody was on the cards for him.

Peter Hollamby, 32, of Louise Close, Great Yarmouth, admitted breaching his sexual harm prevention order and three charges of downloading indecent images of children when he appeared before Norwich Crown Court.

The court heard that the case involved more than 3000 images which had been downloaded on various devices including a mobile phone and computer tablet.

His case was adjourned for reports and Judge Stephen Holt warned him: 'Custody must be very much on the cards but it will be up to the sentencing judge.'

Chris Youell appeared for the prosecution and Danielle O'Donovan appeared for Hollamby.

Hollamby was given conditional bail and is due to be sentenced on February 4.

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He was found guilty of 37 charges and handed a long prison sentence at Truro Crown Court An opportunist sex offender who subjected a young girl to a campaign of rape and sexual abuse has been told he may never be released. Scott Glover, 43, from the Camborne area, has been jailed for more than 20 years after being found guilty of a total of 37 charges relating to a single victim, a girl under 16. The indictment levelled against Glover originally consisted of 10 sexual assaults, 12 counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, six rapes and nine instances of sexual activity with a child. Glover, who worked in a garage in Helston, denied all the charges, saying they were utterly false. Glovers trial underway at Truro Crown Court last week, and a jury returned its verdicts on Tuesday (December 13) after six and a half hours of deliberation. The jury convicted him of 37 of the 38 counts. He was found not guilty of one of the rape charges. Opening the case last week, Sean Brunton, QC, said the victim on occasions considered killing herself because of the secret she was keeping. The girl eventually confided in her friend and then went to her schools student liaison officer before the allegations were passed to the police. Mr Brunton added: She was confused, dazed and described what had happened to her as surreal. During sentencing, the court heard how the abuse against the victim was long-term and systematic. Glover made the child wear "sexy underwear" and use a vibrator for his own sexual gratification, as well as showing her adult pornography. This escalated to sexual assault and rape. During the rapes Glover would sometimes, but not always, wear a condom and the victim first took the contraceptive pill aged 13. In mitigation, Glover's barrister Heather Hope said his actions will also have severe consequences on his own family. There is very little I can say," she told the judge. "Mr Glover has been a man who has worked hard and in all other respects has been a family man and provided for his family. There are many victims in this case. He was the only person in his family earning money, his wife does not work, and there is not going to be money to pay for the mortgage or a car. The financial cushion the family had is gone. His family are to be financially vulnerable. That is not to take away the effect on her (the victim) and Mr Glover is aware of the contents of the victim impact statements. There are good qualities Mr Glover has, though that doesnt minimise what has happened. Prior to sentencing Mrs Hope pleaded with Judge Simon Carr to sentence Glover in the new year so he could spend "one last Christmas" with his family. But the request was denied. "He has shown not a shred of remorse," Judge Carr said. Sentencing Glover to 22 years in prison, plus an additional year on licence, Judge Carr said: You have been found guilty by a jury of long term and systematic abuse. She (the victim) described you as an opportunist paedophile and that is precisely what you are. As she got older she felt more able to speak out. Her interview was striking not just because of the detail but the length of it, in fact she spoke for almost two hours, to unburden herself of what you had done. Her life has been devastated, she will carry the effects of what you did for the rest of her life. You have shown not one iota of remorse for what you did, which was purely for your own gratification. Glover showed no emotion throughout sentencing. He must sign the sex offenders register for life and will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least two thirds of his sentence. But I find it difficult to ever envisage a time when it will be safe for you to be released," Judge Carr added. An NSPCC spokeswoman for the South West of England said: Glover brazenly pursued and groomed a young girl over many years to fulfil his own perverted sexual desires. As a survivor of sexual abuse this girl has courageously spoken out about what was happening, which has prevented her abuser from inflicting harm on other children. She has shown extreme bravery in doing so, and its important she is provided with the necessary support going forward.

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A former Morecambe High School English teacher jailed for viewing child abuse images was released from prison ' and then caught after viewing more online pictures. Brian Rafferty was jailed in 2015 after being caught with 2,000 indecent photos and extreme pornography. He was teaching English at Morecambe High at the time but was immediately suspended when the allegations came to light. Raffertys contract was later terminated when he was jailed for 16 months at Preston Crown Court. None of the offences related to children at the school he taught at. Authorities checked the grandfathers computer equipment following his release from prison, and his online search terms related to child abuse material. Though he had deleted his viewing history, police found nine such images. Rafferty, 58, originally of Market Street in Carnforth but now of St Georges Square in Bristol, pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children. He also admitted breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order by deleting his Internet history. Judge Martin Picton jailed Rafferty for 14 months at Bristol Crown Court. Rafferty, who is barred from working with children and vulnerable adults, was ordered to sign as a sex offender for 10 years. The court heard police found two images on Raffertys laptop computer which were deemed to be in the lowest level of concern, in category C. In his tablet device there was an image deemed to be in Category A and six images in Category B. In 2015 we reported how Rafferty admitted seven offences relating to indecent images of children and animals. Police found hundreds of images during a raid. Rafferty was jailed for 16 months at Preston Crown Court. Having taught for more than 20 years he was suspended from the school and then sacked.

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A DISGUSTED judge said a paedophile possessed the worst indecent image he had heard of in 30 years of sitting in court.

Judge Nicholas Rowland told family man Kelvin Brookes the child abuse image was "abhorrent and horrifying" and sentenced him to 18 months behind bars during the 40-year-old's hearing at Southampton Crown Court.

Weeping, Brookes was told it was the actions of abusers like him that led to youngsters across the world being tortured for paedophile's pleasures.

The court was told that Brookes had been caught distributing 84 category A images to six online users.

Edward Phillips, prosecuting, said Brookes, who admitted the charges, was also found in possession of more than 150 different category A, B and C moving images.

One of the images was described by Mr Phillips as "horrifying" and Brookes had received 200 requests for the image.

In mitigation, Mark Ashley said although Brookes had downloaded the images he was unaware he had shared them.

"He has lost his family, his job and his home," Mr Ashley said.

"He was abused when he was younger and he was in a dark place when he viewed this material."

In sentencing Brookes, Judge Rowland said: "The image was abhorrent. It means that as we sit here children around the world are being abused for the gratification of people like you.

"In all my 30 years of sitting in court, I have never heard of such a horrifying image.

"It amounts to the torture of a young child.

"It's bad enough having to read about the image let alone think about the abuse this child suffered.

"It's said on your behalf you were in a dark place but no doubt this child was in an even darker one.

"A custodial sentence is exactly what a civilised society demands in this case."

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Neal Harris abused his position of trust with two of his players.

Football coach Neal Harris jailed for four years for having sexual activity with two under-age girls.

A children's football coach has been jailed for sexually abusing two young girls in his care.

Neal Harris was a trainee primary school teacher when he coached youngsters at a football club based in South Gloucestershire.

Bristol Crown Court heard he groped one 14-year old before having sex with a 15-year-old one month before she turned 16.

Harris, 25, of Rectory Close in Yate, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child, in a position of trust, regarding both girls.

Judge James Patrick jailed him for four years.

He told Harris: "You were their coach.

"You were training to be a primary school teacher.

"You used your position to groom these two girls, both very significantly younger than you."

Harris was barred from working with children and vulnerable adults and was told to register as a sex offender for life.

James Tucker, prosecuting, said Harris was 21 when he abused a girl aged 14 by kissing and touching her sexually above her clothes.

Mr Tucker said: "She fell in love with him."

At one stage Harris messaged the child with a picture of himself in his stained pants, telling her: "Look what you do to me."

That made her feel uncomfortable, the court heard, but she initially felt unable to tell anyone.

Harris told her they should wait to have sex when she was 18, but cuddled her on a bed and kissed her stomach, Mr Tucker said.

Eventually Harris moved on to another girl he coached and, after exchanging messages on social media, they became intimate and had sex a month before her 16th birthday.

Mr Tucker told the court: "She was worried because it was her first time.

"She told him she wanted to.

"She describes him using condoms and they spoke about her having an implant.

"He bought her a ring and Christmas gifts."

The court heard they went on to have sex at his home and in his car.

When Harris was arrested he denied any wrongdoing with the first girl and denied sex with the second girl before she was 16.

Virginia Cornwall, defending, said her client was a reserved man lacking self-worth and self-confidence.

She said: "The abuse was as a football coach.

"He was training to be a primary school teacher. He will never be as such."

Miss Cornwall said he felt "valued and wanted" with the first girl but knew what he was doing was wrong.

 
She said he was flattered by attention from the second girl and they had consensual intercourse.

Investigating officer DS Geoff Smith said: “Neal Harris abused his position of trust in the worst way possible and took advantage of two teenage girls who he was in contact with through his football coaching.

“He groomed the victims who believed they were in a relationship with them and he used social media as one method of communicating with them. He told them they had to keep the “relationship” a secret.

“He met them in parks, woods, car-parks and in public places including behind a supermarket, which is where the sexual abuse would take place.

“The victims now understand they were groomed and the offending committed against them will have an impact on them for the rest of their lives.”

The Bridge provides medical care and emotional and practical support to anyone affected by rape and sexual assault. You can call The Bridge for help and decide about talking to the police later.

You can also visit thisisnotanexcuse.org for details of charities and organisations who are experts in supporting victims.

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A MAN caught by a vigilante group trying to make sexual online advances to what he thought was a 14-year-old boy has been spared prison.

Daniel Mark Cheeseman, 26, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court today (THURS) for two offences he committed during a five-week period last year.

Cheeseman had previously admitted attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity; and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child by sending an explicit image.

The court heard how Cheeseman was confronted at his place of work in Kendal by members of the vigilante group, who live-streamed the encounter on Facebook and contacted police. It emerged he had been in regular contact with what he thought was a 14-year-old boy but which was actually a decoy used by the group.

After reading a background report and references, Judge Peter Davies told Cheeseman he would not receive the professional help he needed in prison. A 12-month jail term was suspended for two years.

Cheeseman, formerly of Kendal, and now living near Harrogate, must complete an accredited sex offender treatment course, 100 hours unpaid work and rehabilitation. He must sign the sex offender register, and abide by the strict terms of a prevention order, both for 10 years. This has got to stop. This us your opportunity to stop, Judge Davies told him.

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A CONVICTED sex offender who worked as a webcam model is back behind bars after admitting further offences against a teenage girl. Connor Hayes, 25, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court after pleading guilty to two counts of causing or inciting a child aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity and causing a child aged to watch a sexual act. He was sentenced to 21 months in prison. He was also told he would be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years and the previous Sexual Harm Prevention Order he was already subject to was to be extended to 2028 and amended to exclude him contacting girls under 16. In December 2016 Hayes was jailed for two years after admitting to taking an indecent moving image of a child, possession of indecent images of a child and paying for the sexual services of a child. He befriended his victim in 2014 when the girl was aged over 16. Although she was over the age of consent she was aged under 18, making it illegal to make or possess indecent images of her. He and a second man got the girl to take part in a sex video claiming it was just for him, but subsequently uploaded it to the internet. It was during the course of this investigation that the offences relating to the most recent convictions were discovered. At the time of the offences Hayes was working as a webcam model, selling videos and live footage of himself engaging in sexual acts, said a police spokesman. "On Wednesday October 14 2015, Hayess computer was seized and examined. Messages were discovered between Hayes and the victim," said the spokesman. "They were sexual in nature and alluded to the victim being aged 15. Hayes spoke about loving the girl and getting a hotel. He also suggested that they could engage in sex for money when she was 16 or 17." On September 6 2015 Hayes sent a link to the victim directing her to a pornographic website and between August 2015 and October that year there were 53 Skype video calls between them. The victim told officers Hayes first contacted her in 2014 when she was 14 years old via Facebook, and then over Skype. During the Skype videos Hayes asked her to undress and perform sexual acts and exposed himself to her. He was arrested in June 2016 and subsequently charged. Detective Constable Mandy Brimicombe, of the Integrated Missing Persons & Child Sexual Exploitation Team (IMPACT), said: Connor Hayes targets vulnerable teenage girls for his own sexual gratification. He knew full well that his victim on this occasion was under age and that it was a serious criminal offence."

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Sheila Hamilton spat in the man's face and said "you are a f***ing bastard touching a 10-year-old and a 14-year-old A shocked pensioner from Prestonpans assaulted a convicted paedophile who she claims molested a young family member. Sheila Hamilton exploded in anger at Barry Sammon after bumping into the sex offender while out shopping in nearby Musselburgh. Hamilton, 65, shouted and swore at the man within the Home Bargains store in Musselburgh, East Lothian, branding him a paedophile and a dirty bastard. Sammon moved away from the situation but was soon confronted again by the irate OAP who then spat in the sex offender's face before being dragged away by a family member. Police were called in to deal with the disturbance and Hamilton, of [REMOVED], East Lothian, was subsequently arrested and charged following the incident in February this year. The pensioner appeared in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday (11 December) where she was handed a fine of 100. Sheriff John Cook said: Clearly you shouldnt have done what you did but matters such as this do evoke high emotions. You did cause a disturbance in the shop, but as you are 65 and have no previous convictions I propose to impose a financial penalty. Fiscal depute Jo Dunn said Hamilton was shopping with a family member at the store at around 5.40pm on February 11 this year when she and Sammon met. Ms Dunn said: The witness Sammon was within Home Bargains when he overheard the accused stating to a staff member Do you know that there is a paedophile in your shop? She said to him You are a paedophile - you are a dirty bastard. Mr Sammon moved away but was again approached by the accused who shouted You are a f***ing bastard touching a ten-year-old and a 14-year-old. She then spat on the right side of his face before being dragged away by her daughter. Solicitor Cameron Tait, defending, said his client was disabled and has no previous convictions. Mr Tait added the assault was completely out of character for Hamilton and that she said one of Sammons victims had been a family member of the woman. He added: She was out shopping that day and lost her temper. But if she was to see this man again she will walk the other way. Hamilton admitted to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, acting in aggressive manner and uttering abusive remarks at Home Bargains, Musselburgh, on February 11 this year. The pensioner also pleaded guilty to assaulting Barry Sammon by spitting on his head during the same incident. Barry Sammon was convicted of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl and an adult woman following a trial at Haddington Sheriff Court in March 2013. Sammon was placed on the sex offenders register for three years.

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Anthony Burnard, 79, admitted sexually assaulting the youngster at a property in Scarborough but there was a caveat to his plea which was not accepted by the prosecution.

Burnard, who was renowned for his charity works when he was landlord at The Trafalgar Hotel, appeared at York Crown Court on Friday for a Newton hearing, or trial of issue, where a judge heard fresh evidence about the offence to determine exactly what happened on the night in question.

The retired pub landlord, known as Tony, had pleaded guilty to one count of sexually assaulting a girl under 13 years of age at a previous hearing, but the case was adjourned for the trial of issue, the result of which would determine the severity of sentence faced by the pensioner.

Burnard, who has serious health problems, admitted he had sexually touched the child but above her clothes. The victim insisted he had touched her on an intimate part of her body after pulling her trousers down.

Burnard, of Trafalgar Street West, turned up to Friday’s hearing in a wheelchair flanked by friends and family. He was not able to sit in the dock because of his mobility problems and instead sat in his wheelchair beside a dock officer.

The court was shown video footage of the girl’s police interview following the incident in June this year.

The child told police that moments before the sexual assault, Burnard said to her: “I want to talk to you about something.”

She said Burnard urged her to get into bed with him and told her: “Come here and lie next to me.”

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she did as she was asked and then Burnard touched her on an intimate area.

“I said, ‘Don’t’,” she added. “He said, ‘Okay’, and just started watching TV again.”

Burnard claimed he had just patted the girl on her belly and must have accidentally touched her on an intimate area.

Asked if he had pulled the girls trousers down before sexually assaulting her, he said: “No, definitely not.”

He admitted that the child’s trousers were down when she got out of the bed but claimed he didn’t how this was so.

He added: “I’m sorry (for) whatever has happened. I’ve been misconstrued. In all sincerity, whatever I did, I didn’t mean to do it. It was taken out of context by (the police) and everybody else.”

He told the court he had been in the licensed trade for 52 years before his retirement. He said he had been recently plagued by chronic ill health after breaking his back twice and had undergone surgery after suffering an aortic aneurism.

Asked by prosecutor Matthew Collins whether he thought it was acceptable to be lying in bed with an under-age girl, Burnard replied: “Not really, no.”

When the barrister suggested that Burnard had been sexually aroused by having a young girl in his bed, the defendant replied: “No, that’s not right.”

Burnard’s barrister Rob Stephenson pointed out that his client had led a hitherto-blameless life. He claimed there were “issues” with the child’s evidence.

Judge Simon Hickey said it was noteworthy that Burnard, at 79 years of age, had never previously been convicted of any offences, but added that the evidence pointed incontrovertibly to the fact that Burnard must have pulled the girl’s trousers down before sexually assaulting her.

The judge said he had “no hesitation” in finding that this was the case and told Burnard he would be sentenced on that basis.

He adjourned sentence to January 7 and granted Burnard bail until then. The judge will sit at York on this date but Burnard will appear via video link from Doncaster Crown Court which has the requisite disabled facilities for his needs.

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Marcus Donald has been jailed for more than two years after pouncing on the 15-year-old near her home in East Kilbride.

A sex predator snared after his victim's father caught him attacking his daughter has been jailed for more than two years.

Marcus Donald pounced on the frightened 15-year-old after following her off a bus in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire.

Donald struck just a short distance from the schoolgirl's home.

A judge heard how her panic-stricken dad heard her screams and immediately raced out.

Donald was soon held and today appeared for sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow.

The 25 year-old first offender had earlier pled guilty to a charge of assault with intent to rape.

Lord Burns jailed him for two years and four months. He also ordered him to be monitored for a further two years on his release.

The judge said: You carried out a terrifying attack on a 15 year-old girl at night.

You resorted to violence to try and rape her. It was fortunate her parents were close by and could go to her assistance.

Donald, also of East Kilbride, will be on the sex offenders list indefinitely.

The attack happened after the girl had been out with friends on May 25.

Donald was on the same bus and went to ask the teenager: Can I get your number?

The girl felt uneasy and ignored the dad-of-one.

But, when she got off, Donald followed her.

The young victim tried to walk faster, but Donald grabbed her and shoved the girl to the ground

The teenager pleaded with her attacker as he tugged at her leggings.

Prosecutor Jim Keegan QC said: She shouted: 'please don't'. She started to scream for her parents. She happened to be only two minutes from her house.

Donald then punched the girl who continued to cry for help.

Mr Keegan added: Her parents heard and ran outside. Her father saw Donald standing over his daughter attempting to pull at her leggings.

He shouted at Donald, who then ran off.

The schoolgirl was described as extremely frightened following her ordeal Donald was later identified from CCTV where he was spotted near to the girl on the bus.

It also emerged he had called a taxi after the attack. The driver recalled him being breathless as he got in his cab.

Lord Burns said the sentence would have been three and a half years, but for the guilty plea.

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Eugene Tyrrell, 43, formerly of Hedge End, had been on the run for five years after being arrested for inciting sexual activity with a child.

Southampton Crown Court heard how, after a birthday party, Tyrrell, 43, met his 13-year-old victim and began talking to her online between December 2011 and 2012.

Prosecutor Fern Russell said: "It is clear the defendant was interested in sexual activity with teenage girls."

She told the court Tyrrell, 36 at the time, and his victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had begun talking about school, before he admitted he had feelings for her.

The court heard Tyrrell had also been in contact with a younger relative of the victim, although there are no charges relating to this.

Tyrrell admitted knowing the victim's age, but told police he only "asked her for sex to see her reaction" and didn't intend to meet her.

The court also heard a statement from the victim, who said she had self-harmed following the incident. It read: "I was young and vulnerable and Eugene Tyrrell preyed on this.

"It led me to become depressed... I have been taking medication for depression ever since.

"All these years he has been free to live in South Africa."

Ms Russell added that the cost of bringing Tyrrell to justice would have been nearly £10,000.

Mitigating, John Dyer said this was an isolated incident, adding that Tyrell, a funeral director, had been "very lonely at the time – intimate relationships were infrequent".

Mr Dyer said: "He went back to South Africa and clearly from the reference of his employer in South Africa he is a good worker and highly respected."

Sentencing Tyrrell to 21 months in prison for three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one of failing to appear in court, Judge Rowland said: "This offending has contributed to quite a significant condition [the victim] has been suffering with from an early age."

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A MAN who downloaded over 150 indecent images and videos of children including while he was on bail has been sent to prison for over two years.

Andrew Goodlad, whose address was given as Grampian Prison, previously pleaded guilty at Lerwick Sheriff Court to the charge which took place on or between 25 September 2017 and 12 July this year at an address in Lerwick while he was on bail.

The court previously heard that the initial offence came to light when police asked to see the 25-year-olds mobile phone to timestamp an unrelated incident which they were taking a statement for.

Around 90 indecent videos in total were found on devices owned by Goodlad, with 43 of them in the most serious A category.

A total of 73 indecent images were discovered, as well as 85 thumbnail previews of images.

Goodlad had also admitted breaching bail conditions on a number of occasions between April and July this year.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday that it was patently obvious that work needed to be done with Goodlad over how he came to commit the offence.

But he suggested Goodlad who appeared from custody did not have a full insight into the offence due to his development in early life.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told Goodlad: Im not sure that you quite appreciate how serious these offences are.

He added that in a social work report Goodlad said he accessed the content due to boredom and stupidity.

The sheriff also reiterated that the 25-year-old continued to download images after his first court appearance.

Sheriff Cruickshank gave Goodlad an extended sentence of 41 months for the indecent images charge, which consisted of 17 months in custody and a further 24 months on licence.

But he was given a further ten months in custody for his repeated bail breaches bringing his total prison sentence to 27 months, backdated to when he first entered custody in July.

Goodlad was also placed on the sex offenders register.

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AN 'OPPORTUNISTIC' pervert who inappropriately touched a woman without consent while she slept next to him on a bed, has been jailed.

Richard Major-Smith was sentenced at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to sexual assault.

The assault was witnessed by a male friend, who had also been asleep on the same bed.

The incident happened on the morning of August 3 and the court had heard that the night before, the victim, the defendant, the male witness and a female friend had been out drinking together.

They then returned to the victim's Blackburn home where they continued drinking and chatting on the bed.

When the victim fell asleep 28-year-old Major-Smith assaulted her by touching her private parts and lifting up her top before touching her breasts.

When the male witness later informed the victim as to what had happened, the court heard that she began to cry and felt violated.

Major-Smith, of Earl Street, Colne, had surrendered himself to the police before the offence had been reported to them and at a previous hearing, the court heard that the defendant was "deeply ashamed and remorseful and wanted to tell the truth about what had happened."

Defending, Philip Holden asked Judge Andrew Jefferies QC for leniency in light of his remorse, and to consider suspending any custodial sentence he may wish to pass.

Presiding over the case, Judge Jefferies said: "I have looked at the facts of this case and have considered whether to suspend the sentence.

"I have also looked at possibility of rehabilitation but believe that this is not something you would benefit from.

"My judgement with this case is that you took an opportunity to touch a vulnerable woman when she slept next to you and the only appropriate punishment is one of custody."

Major-Smith was jailed for eight months and was given a restraining order, meaning he cannot contact his victim for two years.

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A MAN from Lerwick who downloaded over 21,000 indecent photos and videos of children has been sent to prison for 20 months. Ross Robert Morrison, of Burgh Road, previously pleaded guilty at Lerwick Sheriff Court to taking or permitting to be taken the images at an address in the town on or between 3 December 2016 and 16 January 2018. The court previously heard that the images recovered from Morrisons laptop were both described as accessible and inaccessible, with the latter meaning they had been deleted. The images and videos covered the three classifications A, B and C, with A being the most serious. Most of the images and videos were category C, with over 21,000 inaccessible images found in that classification as well as nearly 300 inaccessible videos. There were no accessible images or videos in category A or B, but there were 15 inaccessible category A pictures and three videos. Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie previously told the court that all of the images and videos found contained girls, with some as young as five years old, adding that Morrison had frequented a Russian image website. At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday, defence agent Tommy Allan said his 46 year old client had struggled to cope with the fact that he had committed the offence. The solicitor added that Morrison could not explain how he got into the situation where he was viewing the images. While he said he did not want to detract from the seriousness of the crime, Allan noted that the majority of the images were classified as the lower category C. Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said he struggled to understand how someone could view that amount of images and videos without a purpose. He noted that guidelines meant that the classification of the images had to be taken into account when sentencing. The sheriff ruled there was no alternative to custody and he gave Morrison an extended sentence of 44 months. This comprised of a 20-month prison sentence followed by a 24-month period out on licence. Morrison was also placed on the sex offenders register.