Latest Offenders

Description

A Somerset man has been jailed for 23 months after pleading guilty to making indecent photographs of a child.

Edward Brooks, 52, from Minehead, appeared at Taunton Crown Court on Monday (April 1).

He was sentenced to just under two years in prison after admitting to two counts of making indecent photographs of a child - four months for each count to run consecutively and concurrently, and a further 19 months for breaching a suspended sentence order.

He was also told he would be added to the sex offenders register for a minimum of 10 years, handed a victim surcharge of 140 and told that all the images in his possession would be destroyed.

He was found not guilty of possessing indecent or pseudo-photographs of a child.

Commenting on the verdict, children's charity NSPCC said more needed to be done to tackle the sharing of child abuse images.

A spokesman said: Behind Edward Brookss sickening collection of images and videos are countless children that will have suffered harrowing, traumatic and life changing abuse.

"He has rightly been sent to prison from where he must be made to undertake an intensive programme of rehabilitation.

The scale of Brooks offending also highlights how big this twisted industry has become and the necessity for the authorities and the tech companies to work in unison to disrupt and ultimately destroy the networks that make and share this terrible content.

Description

A sex offender, who previously abused a young girl, has been jailed for six-and-a-half years after failing to surrender electronic devices containing over 22,000 indecent images of children to Police.

Martin Frederic Daly (47) this morning appeared for sentencing before the Superior Number - a panel that only assembles for the most serious cases.

He was charged with four counts of breaching restraining orders, which were imposed after he sexually assaulted a nine-year-old girl, and four counts of downloading indecent images of children.

Under the Royal Court-imposed orders, Daly had to give the police any computer or device in his possession "which may access the internet" or any device which can store images electronically" so they could be examined. He was also banned from using any device which didn't have the capacity to retain internet browsing history.

The Court heard that, between January and September 2018, police officers visited Daly's home on four occasions and each time, Daly failed to produce some of the devices he owned and only presented his mobile phones.

On the last visit, police officers saw Daly use a laptop but, when asked if he had any device other than his mobile phone, Daly said 'no'. He eventually gave the laptop to the officers who then found adult pornography and a sexualised story relating to pre-teen female children on it.

Daly explained his failure to give the laptop to officers had been "inadvertent" the first time, and caused by heavy drinking the second time. He said he had panicked because the thought he would be in trouble for not handing the laptop over the first time around.

Members of the High-Tech Crime Unit carried out a forensic examination of the laptop and discovered there might be outstanding devices that had been connected to it but not seized by officers. In total, 13 other devices were found in Daly's possession, including seven storage devices or memory cards.

Daly said he had not provided those because he either thought they were not covered by the wording of his restraining order or had forgotten about them. He admitted that some of the storage devices might contain illegal material or child pornography.

A total of 22,042 indecent images and movies were recovered, which Crown Advocate Richard Pedley described as "a high volume". "Any number at three figures is considered a large amount," he commented.

The majority of the images were at the lowest level of the 'Copine Scale' - a rating system created to categorise the severity of images of child sex abuse - but 1,032 were at the most serious level.

The Crown Advocate said that Daly had collected images over an 11-month period, meaning that he would have downloaded an average of 50 images or movies each day.

He also quoted a number of reports which described Daly as a "clever man, capable of deception", with one noting he was at a high risk of committing further sexual offences.

He moved for a total sentence of six-and-a-half years - two years for the breach of the restraining orders and four-and-a-half years for downloading indecent images, and asked the Court to order the destruction of the devices.

Daly's lawyer, Advocate Lee Ingram, explained that Daly had initially reserved his plea as he wanted to make sure "duplicates" had been removed from the total count of images. He said that Daly should still be allowed a full discount for his guilty plea, as is customary in Court.

Advocate Ingram said that Daly had described a "downward spiral" following the breakdown of his marriage and that he had been drinking more and more alcohol as a coping mechanism.

He said Daly accepted his punishment and did not view it as unjust, adding that his client knew he needed "to undertake some work during his sentence to address the issues surrounding his offending".

Concluding his address to the Court, the advocate said that Daly fully accepted "his wrongdoing and the inevitable custodial sentence that would follow" and deeply regret his offending.

"He apologises for his failure to surrender the devices at the first opportunity," Advocate Ingram said. "He also apologises to his family for the obvious disappointment and anguish his offending has caused."

Returning the Court's sentence, Royal Court Commissioner Julian Clyde-Smith, who was sitting with Jurats Kim Avery, Elizabeth Dulake, Collette Crill, Anthony Olsen and Jerry Ramsden, said the Crown's conclusions were correct and sentenced Daly to six-and-a-half years in prison.

He also imposed new restraining orders for a period of 10 years. Daly will appear on the Sex Offenders' Register until at least 2027.

Description

A PAEDOPHILE from Worcester who sexually abused a boy and had hundreds of indecent images of children is now behind bars.

Michael Beckley of Warndon, Worcester, carried out sexual assaults against the boy, aged just six, in a bedroom and then told him 'it's our secret'.

The 35-year-old admitted two counts of assaulting the same boy under the age of 13 years by touching, two counts of making indecent images of children and one of possessing prohibited images of children.

One of the assaults happened between December 24, 2017 and January 7 last year and the second on January 22 last year. Because of the assaults officers seized Beckley's phone and laptop which revealed he had been viewing illegal images of children for four years.

On those devices, which the court ordered to be destroyed, police found indecent images of children - 18 at category B, 181 at category C and 352 prohibited images of children.

Beckley made these indecent images between July 1, 2014 and November 27, 2017.

Beckley was jailed for 16 months at Worcester Crown Court.

Mr Beckley will be on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years which will involve him being closely monitored upon his release from prison.

Description

A prolific sex offender who tried to rape an 11-year-old girl was only prosecuted because he reported himself to police. Matthew Aldurs, 30, walked into a police station on September 13, 2017, and confessed to a series of child sex offences through "feelings of guilt and shame", Hull Crown Court heard. When the four victims were informed, a woman who was aged ten at the time, was "upset" but could not remember the incident; a male victim did not want to co-operate with police; while the girl he tried to rape said she felt "s***" but was "relieved he'd admitted what he'd done". Richard Thompson, prosecuting, said in 2006 - after those offences, and before his police station confessions - Aldurs admitted three rapes and assault occasioning actual bodily harm against another victim, a teenage girl. The assault included him trying to strangle her and causing a chipped tooth. Aldurs was sentenced to five years detention in a young offenders institution for those offences at the same court in 2006. His criminal record began in 2003 and features offences of dishonesty, vehicle crime, and breaching court orders - including multiple breaches of his notification requirements as a sex offender. Aldurs had also been jailed in October last year for a "dissimilar matter", and had been removed from a sex offender treatment programme for "inappropriate behaviour". Aldurs, of Anlaby Road, west Hull, pleaded guilty to attempted rape, three sexual offences, and indecent assault. Defence barrister Dale Brook said Aldurs had lived a "vagrant lifestyle" and did not appear to have worked. Mr Brook told Judge Mark Bury: "These are unusual circumstances by any reading or definition. "Serious offences, no doubt. I'm not instructed to put forward personal mitigation, and your honour will perhaps not be surprised by that given the approach taken with the author of the pre-sentence report." 'Erratic' Judge Bury said the pre-sentence report made "depressing reading". It found Aldurs suffers from anxiety and depression, was "highly emotional", and described his behaviour and thinking as "erratic". Jailing Aldurs for three years and four months, the judge told him: "It would never have been brought to court but for your admissions, and you have pleaded guilty at an early stage. Since these offences have been committed you have been sentenced for another sexual offence and given a significant sentence. "You wouldn't be before the court but for your feelings of guilt and shame." The judge warned Aldurs if he committed any further sexual offences he would be classed as a dangerous offender.

Description

A SHOP worker attempted to groom 'girls' as young as 13 on a controversial teen dating website, once dubbed a "playground for paedophiles".

Simon Barker used MyLOL.com, said to be the number one teen dating site in the UK, to send explicit messages and pictures to what he thought were underage girls.

The 18-year-old was actually speaking to police officers, who had set up fake profiles in order to snare lurking sex offenders.

Barker was eventually arrested by police after engaging in sexual conversations with three fake profiles, all of which depicted 13-year-old girls.

But Barker continued his sordid actions once released under investigation by officers.

Last week, Baker was sentenced to 20 months in a young offenders institute, following an appearance at Southampton Crown Court.

The court heard how police came across Barker on MyLOL.com, a dating website aimed at youngsters between 13 and 18.

The website is is said to be visited by more than 300,000 users a month.

It has faced criticism in the past, including by children's charity the NSPCC, which has previously dubbed it a "playground for paedophiles".

Prosecutor Dawn Hyland said police used their fake profiles to connect with Barker.

In each of the conversations, he turned the conversation to sex, sent one profile an explicit image of himself and attempted to make arrangements to meet all three.

Speaking about one of the conversations, Ms Hyland said: "He asked her to come round to his flat.

"He said that when she came to pretend that she was his cousin to his flat mates, because he said it was 'illegal and weird'."

Police later arrested Barker and searched his computer, but found no indecent images.

After he was released under investigation, Barker began messaging a real 15-year-old, who he first contacted through Facebook.

Barker later began bombarding the girl with a mixture of friendly and explicit messages.

The pair then met at Barker's flat after he agreed to lend her £20.

Ms Hyland said at the end of the hour-long exchange, Barker unexpectedly lunged at her and kissed her.

In mitigation, John Dyer said Barker had trouble communicating with people in a social situation and had been assessed by doctors as likely to have an autistic spectrum condition.

He said Barker, a former Eastleigh College student who previously worked in a retail job at Westquay, had trouble empathising with people.

Mr Dyer said: "His use of vulgar language in the messages at times was child-like.

He added: "He didn't understand the seriousness of what he was doing.

"He wants to apologise to his victim for what he did."

Barker, of Millbrook Road West, pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to engage in sexual conversation with a child, one of engaging in sexual communication with a child and one of meeting a child after grooming.

Sentencing Barker to 20 months in a young offenders institute, Judge Peter Henry said: "I hope while you are in custody you take advantage of the courses there and you come out understanding the affect these sort of offences can have."

Barker was also made the subject of a ten-year sexual harm prevention order.

Description

A serial sex offender has been jailed after he spoke to an 11-year-old boy in a caf and attempted to video call him on Facebook.

Christopher Jones, 46, of William Booth House, Hull city centre, breached a sexual harm prevention order when he spoke to the young boy at a caf in Hulls city centre on numerous occasions.

The boy was enjoying a day with his mum at the caf in November 2018 and took a seat next to Jones and a woman where several conversations took place.

A hearing at Hull Crown Court heard after attending a Christmas party at the centre in December, the boys mum realised a Facebook account under Jones name had requested her son to join an online game of Cluedo, waved at him, and attempted to video call him.

Jones Sexual Harm Prevention Order was issued in 2009 and extended in August 2012 indefinitely after he was caught waiting in a public toilet for young boys.

The order prevents him from having any contact in the community by any means what so ever with any person, a child under the age of 16 except in exceptional circumstances.

Following the Facebook activity, the mum of the young boy grew concerned and at another trip to the caf, noticed that from another table Jones was looking at her son almost constantly.

Her friend also noted the man staring at the young boy and reported it to a member of staff, who told her Jones was a resident at William Booth House.

The mother then informed police, who were able to see where Jones was at the dates and times of their meetings through a buddy tag he had to wear as part of his probation.

After being questioned following his arrest in February this year, Jones said he had been in contact with the 11-year-old six times and said that the pair had chatted about things including Star Wars, Hull KR, and what the boy was getting for Christmas.

Prosecuting, Stephen Welch said: He claimed he hadnt breached the order as he thought he was able to contact a child as long as the child was supervised but he was told he was not allowed to do that.

During the interview he denied being the person behind the Facebook account but the prosecution dont accept that as it seems too much of a coincidence. The police say they havent been able to track the account.

Mr Welch said Jones had a substantial history of committing sexual offences.

He said: These started in 1999, when he was 26 years old, for two counts of indecent assault on two young males, one under 16 and one under 14. All offences on his record are related to sexual offences.

The last conviction on his record is from October 2009, which he was sentenced for five years and three months imprisonment. It was made up of two offences of inciting a male child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Mitigating, Miss Charlotte Baines said Jones acknowledged he had a problem and an interest in young boys, but would benefit from an assessment and rehabilitation and appealed for a suspended sentence with an assessment and rehabilitation.

She said: He admits he is still struggling and battling with these thoughts and feelings and has spent time in prison and has accessed programmes to assist with this type of offender.

"He has had a buddy tag and there have been no sexual offences of this type on his record since his release.

Recorder Taryn Hunter described Jones history and current breach of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order as more than troubling as she sentenced him to two years in jail.

A pre-sentence report written by the probation service said Jones was at very high risk of reoffending.

It also stated at a risk management system assessment in July last year Jones had never had a relationship with an adult and could not see himself having one as he still had a sexual interest in children.

Recorder Hunter said: There was a number of contact with this young boy from November of last year. You have a very long history of sexual offending involving young boys and this case is a great concern.

"Your order prevents you having any contact with children under 16, except in special circumstances, which did not apply to the contact you had with this young boy in December, January and February.

There was a persistent breach. There are alarming comments on the pre-sentence report which cause extreme disquiet.

She said she hoped he would be able to start work on rehabilitation and added: Such that when you are released you can hopefully move forward and not present the risk you currently possess to young boys or anyone in your sexual prohibits.

Description

A PAEDOPHILE raped a vulnerable 12-year-old boy in Rugby after grooming him over a period of months.

Adam Craig Pike, 30, of Jersey Way, Barwell, Leicestershire, was sentenced to nine years in prison at Coventry Crown Court on Thursday (March 28), after being found guilty of raping a child under 13 and causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard how Pike befriended his victim in Rugby in 2015 when the boy was just 12.

Pike developed the relationship over a number of months before he started to abuse the boy, promising him gifts in return for performing sexual acts.

The offences occurred some time between 2015 and 2016.

Pike was arrested in July 2016 after the victim’s mother reported the offences to police in Coventry.

Det Con Scott Loughran from Rugby CID said: “Pike specifically targeted a vulnerable boy and exploited him for his own sexual gratification.

“He is clearly a danger to children having gained his victim’s trust, promising him gifts, in order to satisfy his disturbing impulses. This is a type of behaviour typically associate with people who exploit children.

“The victim and his family have shown immense courage in supporting this investigation and trial. I hope this sentencing gives them some form of closure as they attempt to move on with their lives.

“Warwickshire Police is committed to investigating all reports of sexual abuse against children and I hope this outcome gives others the confidence to come forward.”

Pike was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register and made subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

He was found not guilty of two counts of rape and one count of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Description

Disgraced former police inspector Bryan Calam has been jailed for five years after being convicted by a jury of repeatedly sexually abusing a "particularly vulnerable" schoolgirl more than 15 years ago. Calam - who later worked for Hull City and Hull FC, and was chairman of Hessle Golf Club - had denied any wrongdoing and dismissed the victim's account as "absolute rubbish". But a jury of seven women and five men took just an hour and 40 minutes to find him guilty of all charges he faced - five offences of indecent assault and three of indecency with a child - after a five-day trial at Hull Crown Court. Calam, now 71, also had sex with the victim 20 to 30 times over the two-year period of the abuse, but was not charged over that activity for legal reasons. Sentencing Calam after the verdicts were delivered on Friday, trial judge Recorder Christopher Knox told him: "It has to be a substantial sentence of imprisonment. You know that and I know that. 'You will suffer in jail' "You will suffer very considerably at your age and with your antecedents [police background] in prison." Calam, of Wood View, Swanland, spent most of the time standing in the dock with his head bowed and his eyes closed during sentencing. After being told he will now be on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life, he was placed in handcuffs and led from the dock There had been a slight shake of his head when the guilty verdicts were being announced, but as sobs broke out in the packed public gallery he put his hands over his face, then held them together as if praying. But whatever his thoughts were, they were not for the victim - whom he called "vindictive" when giving evidence in the trial. The judge told him: "The only mitigating feature is you didn't make her pregnant, although she was fearful of that at some stage. You have shown no sign of having any regret about this at all. 'You made up evidence' "You in fact half-confessed this [when confronted by the victim] in 2017, but you then tried to brazen it out. You declined to answer questions to the police and you forced your way through this trial - in my view making up parts of your evidence as you went along." Calam had "planned" his grooming of the victim, the judge said. He told the grandfather and father-of-two: "I'm satisfied that you were charismatic ... you were influential, and you used all your powers of persuasion and patronage to impose yourself on this little girl, who was at the time particularly vulnerable. "And you used the position you had to exploit her, during which time you had the effects which we have heard in that extremely moving and devastating victim impact statement." The court had sat in silence as Claire Holmes, prosecuting, read the victim's statement to the court before sentencing. 'He makes me feel sick' The victim said: "I remember the first time he had sex with me quite clearly, and now it makes me physically sick. This was a man [in his 50s] wanting to have sex with a child. I knew this experience wasn't normal as none of my friends were talking about similar experiences." She said Calam had warned her not to tell anyone about the abuse as it "would kill his wife and he worshipped the ground she walked on". She said: "He took away the chance of me experiencing the normal way of growing up and losing my virginity [with someone her age]." The victim said she has had 33 counselling sessions to try to cope with the abuse, which at first she did with "no support because I was ashamed of telling people". She also revealed she had been diagnosed with an illness triggered by stress, which she believed was a direct result of Calam's abuse. 'He ruined my life' She said: "It has ruined my life and I don't see why he should be able to continue with a normal life and not pay for what he's done to me mentally and physically. "I would panic every day I would see him. I have lived in fear since reporting this that he is going to come after me and I'm always looking over my shoulder. "It makes me feel sick to think about it - that a grown man would want to do this to a child. I hope this case will give me closure by justice being brought." The court heard during the trial that when the victim told Calam to stop the abuse, he "begged for one more time and said he might have to go to a prostitute". As well as sexually touching the girl over and under her clothing, Calam had her perform a sex act on him while he was driving on a motorway in his Jaguar, performed sex acts on her, and had sex with her in a garden, in a caravan, and before he played golf.

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Paul Burchill jailed after admitting vile abuse of children as well as raping a woman A chicken coop cleaner confronted with historical allegations of child abuse told police 'I was an animal, I'm guilty as hell'. Paul Burchill admitted subjecting two youngsters to a catalogue of vile sexual assaults, as well as raping a young woman. The 65-year-old, of Tickenham Road in Clevedon pleaded guilty to four indecent assaults and attempted rape of one girl aged under 15. He also admitted five indecent assault charges relating to a second child under 13 and raping a woman. Judge James Patrick jailed him for 13 years. He told Burchill: "You are 65 and have not been in trouble before. "This will be your first prison sentence. "Your remorse is said to be genuine." Burchill was barred from working from children and vulnerable adults. He was told to register as a sex offender for life. 'It felt horrible and disgusting' Mark Worsley, prosecuting, told Bristol Crown Court Burchill abused the first complainant and, when she complained, called her a "miserable s**g". The court heard the victim had since suffered night terrors and is unable to trust anyone. Burchill abused the second girl and made her perform sex acts on him, the court heard. She made an impact statement in which she said: "It felt horrible and disgusting." Mr Maunder said an earlier attempt to prosecute Burchill for raping the young woman was not proceeded with. When the allegations were later reported Burchill told police: "I was an animal, I'm guilty as hell." He admitted abusing his victims and, regarding the rape, said he was half-drunk and: "The animal inside me came out." David Maunder, defending, told the court: "He has always accepted his guilt in principle. "He has been at pains to avoid a trial, genuinely for the victims. "He is anxious that he did not want them to go through the process. "He said 'they have been put through enough already'. "He understands he has seriously damaged their lives, irrepairably." Mr Maunder said his client was at a complete loss to explain why he was capable of committing the offences. He said: "He doesn't recognise himself in them."

Description

A PERVERT jailed for preying on young boys while he was a teacher in the Kidderminster area has been sentenced for further offences. Jonathan O'Brien, 61, spent more than a decade grooming young boys while he taught at Winterfold House School as well as schools in West Sussex and Oxfordshire during the 1980s and 1990s. Twisted O'Brien was already serving time for sexual offences against young boys when he was convicted for the second time last month. It took the victim more than 20 years to report the traumatic events which happened while he was a teenage student and O'Brien was a teacher at Seaford College, Petworth in West Sussex in 1992. It was revealed just a handful of years earlier O'Brien indecently assaulted male students up to 170 miles away in Worcestershire and Oxfordshire. In 2014, O'Brien was found guilty of sexually abusing pupils in his care during the 1980s - including five charges of gross indecency and 15 counts of indecent assault, all of which he had denied and he was cleared of two further indecent assaults. Twelve of the offences were committed against seven boys at Winterfold House School - where he taught subjects including sports and photography - between 1980 and 1985 and the others were committed against three pupils at The Oratory School, near Reading, between 1985 and 1989. Police Constable Yvonne Daddow said the former teacher pretended to have an interest in computers to groom the young boy, who kept the distressing experiences to himself. She said: "This offending came to light when the victim contacted us for the first time in 2017. "Having courageously come forward he supported our investigation and was ready to give evidence in court if necessary. "It became clear that O'Brien had used an allegedly mutual interest in computers to in effect gradually 'groom' the boy into sexual activity, in O'Brien's study at the school and his home in Oxfordshire. "The boy kept the distressing experiences to himself for more than 20 years until an chance family discussion to some media coverage on the general subject of sexual offending triggered him into coming forward. "This case is another example of the way in which we will always take such reports seriously, no matter how long ago they relate to, and will seek to help achieve justice for victims wherever possible." It was added that Seaford College has cooperated with the investigation by West Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit and the indecent assaults are unconnected with current or recent management of the school and it's pupils. O'Brien pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault when he appeared at Guildford Crown Court on May 24. The former teacher, from Bosham, West Sussex, denied two further counts of indecent assault on the same boy, which will lay on the court file. He was handed two and-a-half years to run concurrently to a previous sentence relating to sexual assaults against boys in Kidderminster and Oxfordshire. He was sentenced to 13 years at Chichester Crown Court in 2014 for the vile attacks which happened between 1980 and 1989. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and handed a Sexual Offence Prevention Order (SOPO) which severely restricts his contact with any children.

Description

A "FOOLISH" Southampton sex offender lied to police about his real address, because he was afraid of losing his home and job.

Andrew Portelli was given a suspended sentence just last month after attempting to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old girl at a supermarket car-park in Southampton.

The 49-year-old was told to register his address with police, as part of the requirements of his sexual harm prevention order.

But he gave police the wrong address, because he was living and working as a night porter at The Elizabeth House Hotel, on The Avenue, in Southampton.

Portelli believed he would lose both if his job and accommodation if his employers found out.

But police later informed them of Portelli's sentencing, which was reported in the Daily Echo, and he was sacked.

Appearing at Southampton Crown Court, Portelli was given a six week prison sentence by Judge Gary Burrell QC, who described his actions as "astonishingly stupid".

The court heard how Portelli had breached the order just days after his sentencing, on February 8 this year.

During that sentencing, it was revealed how Portelli had sent inappropriate messages to a member of a paedophile hunter group, posing online as a 14-year-old girl.

He sent messages inviting the girl to shower with him before arranging a meeting at an Aldi car park in Portswood, where he was confronted by the paedophile hunters.

He was given a six-month suspended sentence after admitting to engaging in sexual communications with a child.

Just days later, he was found to have lied about his address.

In mitigation, Gemma White said Portelli had been "foolish".

She said: "He was concerned for his employment at the hotel if he made them aware of these matters and he would lose that accommodation, which was source of stability for him."

Judge Gary Burrell QC also described Portelli's actions as "astonishingly stupid".

He said: "You must have realised that not giving police the right information would have caused a breach of your order."

Portelli, who had been in custody for a month since his arrest, was jailed for six weeks as punishment, meaning he was eligible for immediate release.

He was also ordered to complete an extra 50 hours of unpaid work, which will be added to his previous punishment of 100 hours.

His six month suspended sentence remains in place.

Description

A sex offender who tried to claim a ‘child sex doll‘ was for an art project has been jailed.

Donald Styles, 61, said he purchased the 3ft doll, which had realistic sex organs, for a university application after it was intercepted at customs.

Police raided his home in Newton Abbot, Devon, and found 149 films and images of child abuse including rape, the BBC reports.

A judge said his story was “ridiculous” and jailed him for 18 months.

Exeter Crown Court heard Styles, a former Plymouth University art student, had told police he wanted the doll for a project he needed to submit as part of an application for a masters degree course at the university.

Judge David Evans told Styles: “If you needed a doll, there were plenty you could have bought legally. There was no reason whatsoever it had to be a child sex doll.

“Your explanation is utterly ridiculous and I reject it completely. This offence is so serious that only immediate imprisonment is justified.”

Jason Beal, prosecuting, said an investigation was launched by the National Crime Agency when Styles tried to import the doll from China in 2016.

His home was raided in February 2018 and the images were found on CD ROMs which were made in the early 2000s.

In reality 149 films and images were recovered of which 72 fell in the worst category, depicting child rape.

There was also a video he had made of a naked five-year-old child.

Inquiries with Plymouth University also showed he had not made any recent application for any courses.

Paul Dentith, defending, said the offences had taken place a long time ago and there was no evidence of any direct physical offending against children.

Styles, of Oak Place, Newton Abbot, admitted one count of producing and three counts of possessing indecent images of children.

He was jailed for 18 months, put on the sex offenders register for 10 years, restricted from contacting children and will have his internet activity monitored.

Description

A "pathetic and isolated" Scout leader has been jailed for attempting to meet a "14-year-old boy" for sex.

Matthew Thomson, 36, of Littleham Close, Bransholme, pleaded guilty to searching for indecent images of young boys on the internet, as well as grooming what he thought was a 14-year-old named David on homosexual dating app Grindr.

However, "David" was actually a fake profile created by a paedophile hunting group Keeping Our Kids Safe.

A hearing at Hull Crown Court heard that after "David" told Thomson he was just 14, the conversation continued and Thomson attempted to set up a meet for sex.

However, he then realised the profile of "David" was actually fake and so contacted Keeping Our Kids Safe, who then issued an ultimatum.

Judge Roger Thomas QC, sentencing said: "At some point he got wind of the fact this this wasn't what he thought it was and it was a set up to try to discover people like him.

"He tried to get out of the hole he was in and contacted the group."

The vigilante group eventually gave Thomson an ultimatum and told him that if he did not hand himself over to police, they would release his personal details on their Facebook page.

Thomson - a Beaver Master in charge of young Scouts between the ages of six and eight - met the paedophile hunting group in May last year and they filmed him outside Clough Road Police Station before he handed himself in.

In the video, Thomson admits saying to "David", after finding out that he was 14, that they could start with "kissing and touching" before going onto a sexual act.

Defending, Mr Harold Bloomfield, said: "There was nothing to suggest that David was a child, Grindr is for over 18's and contact was made. The defendant accepts that the pictures showed someone who appeared as being 14, and first contact wasn't as a 14-year-old, as no 14-year-old should be on Grindr."

He went on to add that Thomson is of good character and has been in the same job since leaving school, although this has since ended after the video went on Facebook.

Mr Bloomfield also added there has "never been any concerns expressed by those he had charge of, or their parents, that they were any any risk of him."

After a police interview, Thomson's personal computer was recovered and was found to have seven indecent images of Category B, and 16 images in Category C.

However, Thomson told the probation service that he had "no sexual interest in children".

Prosecuting, Mr Philip Evans told the court the images featured black rectangles, covering the private parts of the children used in the photos which "could be an attempt to confuse the software" used by the IPS and authorities to detect indecent images.

The sentencing hearing also heard that during forensic examination of Thomson's computer, it was found he had searched terms of indecent images including those of "young gay boys," "very, very, very young boys", and worryingly, "Scouts".

Judge Thomas described Thomson as a "lonely, pathetic individual" who lives with his mother and his brother.

He said: "His use of the internet and what he is interested in, and the fact he was able to get involved with the scouts is disturbing.

"As well as having a job you have been involved with the Scout movement and have been involved with the most junior, the Beavers, who are very young boys, who will move in later years to the Cubs and Scouts.

"When you joined them, maybe it was because you were wishing to give them good service to a good organisation.

"The suspicion may be though that you had some sort of interest in them young boys that was unhealthy, however it cannot be said that you acted anyway untoward.

"The three charges do show an unhealthy interest in sexual activity with a child. You said you had no sexual interest in children, that can't be right. What brought the police to your door was that you attempted to meet a 14-year-old boy for sex."

Sentencing to 12 months in jail, as well as to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, Judge Thomas said: "This is a serious case. This sentence seeks not just to punish you but to send a message that people who access material are at risk of going to prison, and people who commit sexual offences with boys as young as 14 will go to prison."

Thompson must also sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.

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Both men were found guilty by a jury of two counts each of raping the 13-year-old A pair of depraved paedophiles have been found guilty of raping a boy aged 13. Sick duo John Cox and Jamie Cross twice raped the teenager in 2005 before being arrested years later. The victim went through years of torment and eventually found evidence to convict the pair, one of whom admitted to the sexual activity in a Facebook message, LeicestershireLive reports . Both men were found guilty by a jury of two counts each of raping the 13-year-old. In a personal impact statement, the victim admitted: "I felt angry at what they'd done to me and my body." He described the abuse as affecting his education and sending him off the rails for several years, and said he suffered recurring nightmares with the defendants' "faces coming out of the walls and shouting at me." When messaging them on Facebook, years later, he said he felt "fear and disgust." Although both defendants denied the rapes, Cross had referred to sexual activity having taken place when the victim later engaged him in text conversations - which was evidence used in court. Sentencing the pair to substantial terms in jail, Judge Robert Brown said: "You were both in your mid-20's at the time and the complainant was 13. "The circumstances in which you abused him were a gross breach of trust by you." Judge Brown told Cox, 38, and Cross, 37, both of Simons Close, Wigston Harcourt, near Leicester: "You took advantage of him and you raped him twice." Cox raped the boy during two incidents - including when Cross also took turns and twice raped the victim. Judge Brown said: "I can't and don't attempt to begin to describe the pain and suffering he's gone through ... the pain is real, it's lasting and will never leave him." The judge said the victim was accused of lying during the trial and added: "For him it was like going through it all again. "You're both still in denial and still maintain you didn't abuse him. "The jury by their verdicts have found you guilty - and guilty you are in the way described. "It was a clear abuse of trust, you planned these encounters and took advantage of this young boy." The court heard both defendants had previous convictions relating to child pornography and were given suspended sentences in 2017. Judge Brown told the defendants: "There's no remorse, there's no previous good character, there's no mitigation apart from what I've already referred to in your character references." He said both defendants would receive "sex offenders' treatment" whilst in custody. During the trial, Richard Thatcher, prosecuting, said the boy had got to know them when they were running a first aid service, providing medical care at public events. Mr Thatcher said that when the victim became an adult: "He entrapped Cross in a conversation on Facebook. "He wanted to get them to admit what they'd done." Giving evidence in the trial caused the victim's fear and pain to resurface that he described afterwards "felt like a tornado." The complainant said the court process had proved successful and added: "I hope if anything similar happened to anyone else, I suggest they come forward." James Varley, mitigating for Cross said: "For the most part he's lived a hard working and respectable life." He said: "It was one incident. "There was a break and then a resumption; not an ongoing course of conduct as the two offences were within the same episode." He said the offences happened 14 years ago and added: "He knows he's going to spend a period of time in custody. Paul Fleming, for Cox, said that references spoke well of the defendant regarding many positive aspects of his life. He added: "The references speak of how he has been well regarded by others who know him." Cox and Cross were each jailed for 12 years. They were placed on life-time sexual harm prevention orders and will have to record all future addresses on the police sexual offenders' register. Both were "automatically barred" from ever working with children, the judge said. The defendants were also on trial accused of less serious sexual assaults upon the same victim, during the same period, but both Cox and Cross were acquitted by the jury on those counts.

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Crimes include the rape of a teenage girl A Staffordshire driving instructor has been convicted for raping a child and "abusing his position to sexually assault female pupils". Martyn James Rees, 37 has today, Friday, March 22, been convicted at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. He was found guilty of numerous sexual offences, including rape, two counts of sexual activity with a child, sexual assault, two counts of attempted sexual assault, six counts of making indecent photographs of a child and possession of an extreme pornographic image. Rees pleaded guilty to assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault, four counts of making indecent photographs of a child and two counts of cannabis possession at an earlier hearing. His eight victims were aged between 14 and 25 at the time of the offences, which took place between 2015 and 2018. Rees, of West Avenue in Stoke, was arrested on Friday, March 8, following reports that a 14-year-old had been raped. An examination of his mobile phone found indecent images of children and led to the identification of further victims, leading to him being rearrested. He has not been able to operate as a driving instructor since March 2018. Speaking about the case, Detective Inspector Simon Caton from Staffordshire Police's Child Protection and Exploitation Team said: "Rees has spent years abusing his position as a trusted driving instructor to commit sexual offences against his pupils. "He also sexually assaulted a vulnerable 14-year-old girl, following a chance encounter with her. "I would urge anyone who has been a victim of such crimes to come forward and report this to us, we will listen and you and your families will be supported by specially-trained detectives and social workers. "If you are or have been a victim or you are worried about something, and you don't feel ready to talk to the police, please speak to someone you trust." Rees has been remanded and will be sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court at a later date, which is yet to be decided.