Latest Offenders

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A WORLD-renowned conductor who abused a boy who saw him as a "surrogate father" is back behind bars. Joseph Cullen, 58, was the choirmaster and organist at St Andrews Cathedral in Glasgow and choirmaster at St Aloysius Church in Garnethill between 1976 and 1985. The father-of-three, who has worked at Westminster Cathedral and with the London Symphony Chorus where he won two Grammy awards, abused a nine year-old boy who joined a choir at St Andrews Cathedral. He called the child his "special friend" and told him not to tell anyone because it was their secret. Cullen, from Leeds, Yorkshire, pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to a charge of using lewd and libidinous conduct towards the schoolboy between January 1981 and December 1984. Yesterday Sheriff Martin Jones QC jailed Cullen for 10 months. He said: "The offence to which you have pled guilty involves the sexual abuse of a young boy between nine and 12 at the time, when he was particularly vulnerable. "You were in a position of trust. You took advantage of that position and you sexually abused him over three years." The sheriff added: "The crime which you committed all those years ago remains serious, that's not diluted by the passage of time." In July 2015, Cullen was jailed for 12 months at the High Court in Glasgow for two other charges of using lewd and libidinous conduct at both cathedrals against two other boys. The court earlier heard the child joined the choir at nine and was a keen singer. He experienced family problems which was a "memorable time in his life". Procurator fiscal depute Niall Macdonald said: "Cullen became more involved in the complainer's life, taking him out on trips, driving him home from choir practice and spending time with him. "He describes Cullen at this time as a 'surrogate father' despite him only being in his twenties." The court heard Cullen first attacked the boy in the organ room at the cathedral when he went for choir practice. On hearing other people walk upstairs towards them, Cullen left the room briefly, but returned and said "that was close". The court heard of "several other occasions" when Cullen abused the boy in the organ room. On one occasion Cullen drove the boy home and when nobody was in, asked to see his bedroom, where he carried out another sex attack. He then took the child to another relative's house but told him not to tell anyone because it was wrong, and their "special secret". In June 2015, the victim's mother saw information online about Cullen's earlier conviction relating to historical offences against children. She told her son to report what Cullen had done to him. Defence counsel Thomas Ross QC said Cullen had had a "very successful career as a freelance musician".

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'I don't usually have to deal with children, I deal with villains,' says judge A former soldier and his accomplice who raped an underage girl when they were teenagers have been jailed for four years each, in what the judge said was one of the most difficult cases of his career. Brandon Bowmaker, 21, and Callum Dowson, 22, attacked the girl on a railway line near Guisborough, Cleveland, in 2012 after threatening to leave her in the woods in the dark. The girl told police she had already had consensual sex with Bowmaker with Dowson nearby before they both demanded sex with her, which she refused. Aisha Wadoodi, prosecuting, said the girl was scared when they said they would abandon her, particularly as she was unfamiliar with the area, which by then was pitch black. She repeatedly asked them to stop as they raped her, with both youths repeatedly swapping over, Teesside Crown Court heard. Bowmaker, a former infantryman, was 15 at the time while Dowson was 16. Judge Sean Morris, sentencing, said the victim and Bowmaker were too young to have consensual sex before the rape. Children will be children and they will experiment and explore, he said. He added: This has probably been one of the most difficult cases I have dealt with. I dont usually have to deal with children, I deal with villains. Addressing the defendants in the dock, he said: You are men now, all three of you as the pre-sentence report describes, were children. Their victim read a statement from the witness box expressing how the ordeal had psychologically affected her and led her to self-destructive episodes. Although she said life was too short to hate the pair, she said: It is now time you paid for what you have done. They denied the offences but were convicted by a jury last month. Nigel Soppitt, defending Bowmaker, of Woodhouse Road, Guisborough, said the former soldier was good at his career, which he has now lost. He said: He is a thoroughly decent man these days, he had made a huge mistake in his early teens, he knows he has to be punished for that.

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A DJ has been jailed after sexually assaulting a young woman while she slept and videoing the act on his mobile phone.

Michael Brady, from Dallam, also gained access to his victim’s phone and emailed himself explicit pictures and videos of the woman.

Today, Thursday, the 41-year-old was jailed for four years at Liverpool Crown Court.

The court heard that Brady, of Hindle Avenue, may have sexually assaulted the woman up to '10 or 11 times' over the course of a number of months in the lead up to this attack in the early hours of a Friday morning in February 2017.

His victim was present as he was sentenced and tearfully read a statement out to the court.

She said: "What has happened to me has affected me more than I ever thought it would - I used to be a confident person, but now I feel lost and broken.

"I feel like the person I once was will never come back - I cry almost on an almost daily basis and I feel nervous about leaving the house.

"Even if there is a knock at the door I feel anxious - this is not the person I used to be.

"After what happened to me , I don't want to be here anymore - it would be easier if I wasn't.

"I feel lost and I have had to deal with what has happened while he lives as though he's done nothing wrong - I don’t understand why he has done this to me, I feel like he's broken me."

Brady, who deleted the videos he had recorded in a bid to cover up his actions, kept his head bowed as his victim addressed the court.

She added that she has suffered from depression, anxiety and sleeping problems since the incident and had even attempted to take her own life.

He had admitted charges sexual assault, voyeurism and securing unauthorised access to data during an earlier hearing at Warrington Magistrates Court last month.

Barrister James Coutts, representing Brady, told the court that his client was 'ashamed and bitterly regrets' his actions.

Sentencing, his honour judge Thomas Teague said: "You have shown no insight into your offending or lamented the effects on your victim.

"You attempted to dispose of evidence by deleting the videos, and you say you were under the influence of alcohol which makes things even worse.

"In my judgement, you have no genuine remorse.

"I'm told that you regret the effects your actions have had on your victim's life - I regard that as sheer humbug."

Brady, who has two previous convictions, was subjected to a restraining order preventing him from contacting his victim indefinitely.

He was also ordered to serve a lifelong notification requirement and to pay a victim surcharge.

PC Nicola Halliwell said: "The defendant has shown no remorse for his behaviour, with the only saving grace being that he chose to plead guilty so the victim did not have to face a trial.

"She has shown patience and dignity throughout the investigation.

"I am extremely proud of her and she should be extremely proud of herself.

"The courage and strength that she has shown throughout such a traumatic experience is nothing short of inspirational and I would hope that today’s result goes some way in assisting her to gain some form of closure so she may move on with her life."

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A former North Leamington teacher and youth club leader has walked free from court despite sexually assaulting four girls more than 25 years ago. Because repeated abuser David Wesley has been found to be suffering from dementia, a judge at Birmingham Crown Court had his hands tied over how to deal with him. With no other options available to him, Judge Patrick Thomas QC had to give Wesley an absolute discharge despite the fact that the offences would normally attract a prison sentence of many years. However, he will have to register as a sex offender for five years, and was made made subject to a sexual harm prevention order, also for five years. Wesley, 66, of Offchurch Road, Cubbington, Leamington, had denied a total of 21 charges including indecent assaults on girls under the age of 16 and on girls under the age of 14. He first appeared at Warwick Crown Court as long ago as December 2016 when it was said he had committed offences against the four girls on dates between 1977 and 1992. At that time Wesley was a teacher at North Leamington School, and was also involved as a youth club leader at Cubbington Methodist Church. Wesleys barrister Scott Coughtrie asked for Wesley not to be arraigned at a previous hearing because the papers in the case had only recently been served on the defence. Judge Stephen Eyre QC commented: He knows whether he has or has not committed these offences. Mr Coughtrie, who said it was a very complex historical case, indicated: This is going to be a trial. At a later hearing Wesley pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was to stand trial at the end of October last year. But two weeks before it had been due to start, the trial had to be adjourned after the court was told that Wesley was in hospital. He was subsequently found to be suffering from dementia and, on the evidence of two psychiatrists who had examined him, mentally unfit to stand trial in the normal way. Instead, a trial of fact took place at Birmingham Crown Court, where a jury was asked to decide whether he did the acts alleged, rather than whether he was guilty of them. In relation to 16 of the 21 allegations, they found that he did the acts - although in law that is not a conviction. And because of the finding that he was unfit to stand trial, there were only three possible disposals a hospital order detaining him in a psychiatric hospital under the Mental Health Act, supervision in the community or an absolute discharge. But a hospital order can only be imposed if the person is suffering from a condition which is treatable. After an adjournment for the options to be considered, Judge Thomas observed: A hospital order isnt appropriate because his health condition cannot be helped. And he said that, again because of Wesleys dementia, supervision was not an option, leaving an absolute discharge as the only option.

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A BEARDED paedophile has started a secret new life as a woman after transitioning while serving time in a Scottish jail. Christopher Noble, 32, transitioned to Christyl Knight while behind bars for keeping a stash of over 4,000 vile pictures and videos of kids as young as six months old. The con is desperate for a fresh start but child protection expert Claude Knights said: Allowing these individuals to hide a secret past is a dangerous practice. And an outraged mum whose son was murdered by a paedo has demanded a legal change over perv Christyl Knights new life as a female. Campaigner Margaret-Ann Cummings, 43, insisted sex offenders should be forced to keep the identities they are jailed for. Her son Mark, eight, was was killed by convicted sex offender Stuart Leggate, 42, in 2004. She said: Authorities shouldnt let paedophiles rewrite history. They should have to keep their identities intact while theyre still on the register. "Where does this end? Will sex offenders soon be getting treatment on the NHS to change the way they look? She added: Its not unusual for sex offenders to want a new identity but this is the most disturbing case Ive heard of. "When someone, so soon after getting out of jail, is trying to change not just their name but their sex and appearance too, it sounds like theyre trying to hide rather than reform. Echoing her calls, child protection expert Claude Knights said: Anyone whos fuelled the vile trade in indecent images of children and therefore contributed to their sexual abuse should not be allowed to change their name. The Scottish Sun traced Knight to a flat in Aberdeen where she moaned her life had been a misery in tough Grampian nick, Peterhead. And she insisted her transition is not a ploy to hide her vile past. She said: I cant help being transgender. Ive realised since I was about 13. "To start the process in jail was...you wouldnt believe the s*** I had to put up with. I was in a male hall behind my door 24/7 for four months. Do you honestly think someone would want to change sex just to hide a conviction? Its a long, hard process. Its understood she appears on the sex offender list as Christyl. She lives alone and claims she doesnt talk to anyone under strict rules of her early release. And she revealed the licence which forces her to sign in at a cop shop ends this week. She was nicked in the citys Torry in July 2015 after a tip-off from the National Online Child Abuse Agency. Cops found 4,224 indecent photos and 11 explicit videos of kids under 13 on a laptop, mobile and USB in the home. A computer showed a live web chat discussing the sharing of children. The then-bearded pervert admitted downloading and distributing 2,000 vile pics and was caged for 21 months in 2016. Christyl, who was recently made bankrupt over nearly 19,000 of debt, added: Ive lost everything. I regret it. Im moving on with my life. James Morton, of the Scottish Transgender Alliance, said: Our understanding is that transitioning does not erase your past if youre a sex offender. "You have to give your new name to police. Trans people usually encounter greater suspicion. I dont think it helps people blend in. The Scottish Prison Service does not comment on individual prisoners but said cons are dealt with according to their gender when theyre jailed.

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A builder pretended to be a 14-year-old girl called 'Tina' to discuss his perverted child sex abuse fantasies online, a court heard.

John Leigh, 55, used the pseudonym while downloading and sharing sick images from the internet.

He talked about his fantasies online with other perverts on forums and in chat rooms, sometimes dressing in female clothing himself.

Leigh, from Exmouth, downloaded 87 photos and movies of children being abused. Exeter Crown Court was told the abuse involved children as young as four.

The defendant admitted possessing and making indecent photos of children.

He was given a suspended sentence after the court was told he could be rehabilitated.

Prosecutor Ms Anita Noerr said the offences took place over a period of more than four years.

Police executed a warrant at the defendant's home in July 2017 after receiving information he had been distributing indecent images of children online.

After analysing his laptop and a memory stick they found 15 still and moving images in the most serious category.

He told police he had an addiction to pornography which had escalated to the point where he was sending and receiving child abuse images.

The prosecutor said he also sent 'pictures of himself in female items of clothing'.

The defendant is a man of previous good character. The judge read a number of references and letters of support, including from the defendant's family. A probation report said he was a 'realistic prospect of rehabilitation' and he was already working with a charity to change his behaviour. He also cooperated fully with police.

Judge David Evans expressed concern that CPS had not charged Leigh with distribution offences and the possessing and making charges 'may understate' his behaviour.

He told the defendant: "You admitted you were engaged in contact over a lengthy period of time with other like-minded individuals on the internet. You had adopted a pseudonym 'Tina' who you said to others was 14 years old and it seems you sought out contact to obtain sexual gratification and you shared with others pictures you had downloaded from the internet of girls of that age.

"It seems you all engaged in what I understand to be fantasy conversation about sexual contact. It seems your particular predilection amounted to dominating of you by other adults with an interest in pre-pubescent children."

The judge said it was the actions of Leigh, and people like him, which created demand for the filmed abuse of children.

But he said Leigh had 'sought help for his perverted thinking' and was seeing a counsellor.

The defendant, of Victoria Road, was jailed for 16 months, suspended for two years. He must do 30 days rehabilitation work with probation and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years. He must also pay £425 costs.

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A woman convicted of having sex with a schoolboy, aged just 13, on a kitchen floor, has avoided a jail term.

But Jordan Lightfoot, 21, was warned by Judge David Hale: “No teenage lads around for parties or anything like that.”

Lightfoot, of Edith Parc Rhyl, had denied three charges of - having sexual activity with the 13-year-old boy, and also sexual activity by touching with a boy of 15 and causing or inciting the elder boy to engage in sexual activity, but was found guilty earlier this month.

Lightfoot, who was 19 at the time of the offences, had sex with the younger boy - who was a virgin - at her home in the summer of 2016, a jury heard.

The offences came to light when the boy’s mother found text messages on his mobile phone.

After considering a pre-sentence report Judge Hale imposed an 18 month jail sentence, suspended for two years, with 50 days of rehabilitation activity.

A five-year sexual harm prevention order was made which bans Lightfoot from contact with boys aged between 11 and 16 unless inadvertent or with consent of parents who know about the conviction.

Lightfoot, who is the mother of a baby whose father is unconnected with the case, was placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and must pay £140 costs.

Jo Maxwell, prosecuting, said text messages between Lightfoot and the 13 -year-old “made it obvious she was in control of the relationship”.

Simon Killeen, defending, said the offences happened in a short period of time “when she was an immature teenager.”

Passing sentence Judge Hale said it happened during a troubled period of her life, living on her own. “You became involved with a group of lads, people who were prepared to befriend you, and you were prepared to befriend them. On these two occasions you engaged in a brief sexual relationship with both of them.”

The 15-year-old had become obsessed with her – “and that’s always the risk”.

“There is a disparity of age, they were vulnerable because they were even less equipped than you to deal with the emotional relationships involved. I accept you were immature.”

The sexual harm order was to avoid the risk of her “forming a relationship with a lad of 14 or 15”, the court heard.

Speaking after sentencing, an NSPCC Cymru spokesperson said: “Child sexual abuse can have devastating effects on victims and it’s important that the two boys in this case get the support they require.

“Letting the Future In is an NSPCC service, based in Prestatyn, which frequently helps young survivors of this crime to move forward with their lives.”

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A MAN has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years after being found guilty of raping and assaulting a sex worker in Southampton. Christian Hingarau attacked the 36-year-old woman in the early morning incident at an address in Empress Road, Bevois. The 30-year-old pleaded not guilty but was convicted by a jury during his trial at Southampton Crown Court. Hingarau had pleaded guilty to a second count but denied the rape, which happened on January 23. Hampshire Constabulary said there is often a reluctance for sex workers to come forward and the brave woman in this case initially felt the same. When asked following conviction if there is anything she would say to other working women, the victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "We can get justice, we deserve it, we are valued. "If you have been hurt - come forward, get help, you will be listened to." Hingarau was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison and placed on the sex offenders register for life. He was also given a sexual harm protection order for 15 years. Detective Sergeant Janine Bradley, Senior Investigating Officer, said the victim didnt want to report this crime at first as she thought she would not be believed. He added: "There is often a reluctance to come forward, but this case shows how seriously we take such crimes. "We want to encourage sex workers in the future to report these crimes. If you report it, you will be listened to." The investigation is part of Operation Hem, which is Hampshire Constabulary's long-term response to issues around street prostitution in the city. It sees the force work with other partner agencies to develop routes out of prostitution while safeguarding those street workers who are at significant risk of harm. It targets those people who abuse, exploit or are violent towards sex workers. If you have information about the exploitation or abuse of sex workers or if you have suffered abuse, violence or exploitation yourself, please report it to the police on 101 (or 999 in an emergency). If you are involved in sex work and would like support or advice to keep yourself safe, we can help direct you to the appropriate agency.

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A dangerous and manipulative man, who had already been convicted of rape on other women, has been jailed for raping another woman four times in the late 1990s. Richard Green, 48, of HMP Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight, has been sentenced to 13-and-a-half years in prison. In 2012, Greens victim reported how she has been abused by him at their home in Chingford between 1997 and 1999. During those years, when the woman was just 19, she was raped four times and subject to false imprisonment and ABH. The victim also suffered a miscarriage. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard how Green had already been convicted and imprisoned for rapes on two separate occasions against other women and was jailed for ten years in 2000 with a concurrent sentence of six years and three months in 2012 after being found guilty of rape again. Green was sentenced on Friday after pleading guilty to four counts of rapes and multiple incidents of false imprisonment and ABH. Detective Constable Chris Sains who led the investigation said: "This is an historic case stemming back 20 years, but despite the length of time since the incidents Green has been convicted of his crimes. "The victim has shown a great degree of courage, persistence and determination in securing the conviction, having persevered with the allegation and supporting the police investigation. "The victim has had to live with this trauma and the absolutely horrendous violence she endured for the years she was under the control of Green and will have to live with these memories of the abuse for the rest of her life. "Green is a dangerous, controlling and manipulative individual who has been convicted twice previously for rape. He will continue to spend a substantial period his life in prison where an individual of his heinous character should be. "Given Green's history of abusing women it cannot be discounted that there are other victims of his - I would urge anyone who has been a victim of Richard Green to contact police - specially trained officers are there to support you."

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A man from Wandsworth has been jailed for eight years for raping a 12-year-old girl four decades after the crime took place.

A jury at Croydon Crown Court unanimously found 64-year-old Colin Hudson of Geraldine Road guilty earlier this year. He received his sentence this Friday (27 July).

The court heard that in March 2015, the victim, who is now in her fifties, reported to Dorset Police that as a 12-year-old child she had been groomed and raped by Hudson when he lived in Croydon.

She described how he had ingratiated himself into her family and convinced her that he was her boyfriend in a secret relationship in 1978.

Before the day of the attack, Hudson pressured the victim to visit his home. Hudson then instructed his victim to get into his bed and undress, before he raped her.

She described feeling overwhelmed and in a state of shock following the attack and unable to tell anyone at the time what had happened. She felt unable to report the allegation to the authorities until after her father died in 2012 when she had greater confidence that her allegation would be believed by the authorities. Officers charged Hudson with rape on 22 June 2016.

During the trial, Hudson continued to deny any responsibility, however a jury found him guilty following a nine-day trial.

Detective Constable Gregg Nicol from the Mets Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Unit (CASO) said, This was a complex investigation into a 40-year historical allegation of rape in which Hudson probably thought he would escape justice after so many years. I praise the victim's bravery in reporting her allegation and her determination in seeking a conviction.

Detective Inspector Simon Dowling from the same team said, The victim has waited a long time to get the justice she deserves. I hope this result will mean other victims will have the confidence to come forward to report rape no matter when it happened in their lives.

The victim has had to live her life after suffering at the hands of Hudson 40 years ago and although this result will never give her back that time, I hope it will provide some closure and she can now put this behind her.

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A judge told control freak Kevin Adiar "You were, are and will remain a danger to any woman".

A rapist who inflicted a catalogue of hurt, misery and degradation on women has been jailed for nine years after treating victims like "a cat playing with a mouse".

Kevin Adair, 34, was found guilty of a catalogue of sexual and violent offences against five former partners last month.

At a sentencing hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh on Wednesday, a judge told Adair: "You were, are and will remain a danger to any woman with whom you have a relationship and perhaps women at large."

Michael O'Grady QC said: "I therefore require not only to punish you for the hurt, misery and degradation you have visited upon the complainers but also, so far as this court can, to afford some measure of protection to women who may encounter you in the future, albeit the distant future."

The judge imposed a further six year term on Adair when he will be under supervision and on licence.

He told Adair: "This in my view is necessary given the risk you represent."

Judge O'Grady said that a background report prepared on the rapist revealed that he accepted little responsibility for his crimes and showed "neither insight nor remorse".

Adair, formerly of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, assaulted five women and subjected two to sex attacks, including rape, between 2004 and 2014.

His first victim was flicked and punched on the face by him and molested on various occasion before being subjected to a serious indecent assault at a house in Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, a week before Christmas in 2007 during which he restrained her.

During an earlier trial when he denied a string of charges the court heard that Adair called her names and checked her intimately to make sure she was not cheating on him.

He was described as a "very controlling" man but one who could also be "very charming".

Another woman was headbutted and kicked on the body in an attack in Dumbarton in 2005.

The sex abuser hounded a third victim, bombarding her with texts checking on her whereabouts and attacked her at a flat in Helensburgh, in Argyll and Bute, in 2011. He pushed her on the body resulting in her falling down stairs.

A fourth victim was subjected to assaults by Adair at addresses in Greenock, Inverclyde. She was punched in the face while she held a baby and was grabbed by the throat and pinned against a wall and slapped and kicked.

Jurors heard that the scared woman lied to the police and a midwife to cover up her ordeal at the hands of Adair.

Adair subjected his last victim to a rape ordeal at a flat in Greenock days before Christmas in 2014 when he took off her clothing and carried out sex acts on her.

He told the woman that he would not delete naked photos of her from his mobile phone unless she had intercourse with him.

Prosecutor Duncan McPhie told jurors: "She understood that he had photographs of her - compromising photographs. She told you that she had sex with Adair only in return for him deleting them from his phone. You might think that he had a hold over her because of these photographs."

Judge O'Grady said: "In some aspects of his behaviour it was akin to watching a cat playing with a mouse."

Defence counsel Mark Stewart QC said Adair had never previously served a prison sentence and added: "He understands the court will impose a substantial custodial sentence."

Detectives have thanked Adair's victims for their bravery in testifying against him.

Detective Sergeant Iain Renfrew, from the Domestic Abuse Taskforce (West), said: "Kevin Adair is an extremely dangerous individual who poses a real threat to women.

"He subjected five former partners to horrific abuse and it is only as a result of their bravery that he is finally facing the consequences of his actions.

"I would like to thank the victims for coming forward and helping us unravel the true extent of Adair's crimes and helping us ensure he is not free to harm other women.

"Adair may have thought he was untouchable and that none of his victims would ever have the courage to speak out - but he was very wrong.

"With the support of our specialist officers in the Domestic Abuse Taskforce and other services, they stood up and testified against him in court and helped bring us to today's conclusion.

"I would urge anyone suffering domestic abuse, or who may have concerns about a friend or family member, to contact Police Scotland via 101 and we will do everything in our power to bring perpetrators to justice."

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A former primary school headteacher has been locked up for more than seven years after admitting to grooming and committing sexual offences with a teenage boy in Derbyshire. Robin Scott, 53, was in charge of Woodlesford Primary School in Leeds at the time of the offences when he preyed on the vulnerable youngster in Glossop. The offences were committed in the Glossop area against the youngster - who cannot be named for legal reasons - and do not relate to anyone at the school. Scott appeared before Derby Crown Court on Monday, July 23, where he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child and one of meeting a child following sexual grooming. After the case, Detective Sergeant Steve Bruce, who led the investigation said: Robin Scott groomed a young man and then engaged in sexual activity with him on a number of occasions. Im pleased we have been able to get this result in court and hope it shows just how seriously we treat offences like this. Scott was initially charged with ten counts of sexual activity with a child and one of sexual grooming, between February 2017 and June 2018, when he appeared before Chesterfield magistrates court in June. He later pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child and one of meeting a child following sexual grooming which was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service and he was dealt with for these charges alone. The 53-year-old, of Wycar, Bedale, North Yorkshire, was sentenced to seven years and four months of custody. Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop told a previous Chesterfield magistrates court hearing offences came to light when Scott was spotted with the 15-year-old victim and police were contacted. The defendant had been accused of initially being in contact with the youngster via social media from when the boy was 13-years-old, according to Mrs Allsop. Mrs Allsop added that when matters allegedly became more sexual the youngster was allegedly taken by Scott, who is a headteacher, to a Travelodge. Defence solicitor Julie Page had told the magistrates court hearing Scott had spoken to the youngster who had complained about family issues. Ms Page said Scott accepted he knew the complainant and that they met through a chatroom. Scott also claimed it had been a difficult time because his own mother has dementia and she has been living in a home and his father was struggling to cope, according to Ms Page. The magistrates court had heard Scott was also having to make redundancies at his school. Ms Page said Scotts initial contact with the teenager had not been sexually motivated. She said: He had met a young boy and put himself in a vulnerable position and he compromised his own position by providing guidance and support. Following the case, Det Sgt Bruce added: It doesnt matter how old a victim is, what the circumstances are, or how much time has passed. I would urge anyone who may be a victim of sexual abuse to contact the police, or one of our partner agencies. When we receive reports like this, we put all of our efforts into safeguarding vulnerable people and making sure people like Robin Scott face justice for their crimes.

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A sex attacker known as the 'rush hour prowler' has been jailed for six years after carrying out a string of "shocking" and "disturbing" assaults.

Married father-of-two Kevin Bond, a former nightclub owner and operations manager at South Bank University, targeted victims as young as eight across southeast London.

The 52-year-old man from Chislehurst, Bromley, usually attacked lone women or young girls in pairs before running off.

His targets would often be travelling to or from work and school.

Bond's offending was so prolific that police conducted a campaign with schools and parents across the boroughs of Southwark, Bexley, Lewisham and Bromley to make sure young girls travelled in groups or with an adult.

He first struck on 6 October 2016 but was not tracked down until November a year later when CCTV images were released in a public appeal.

Bond admitted 11 counts of sexual assault and three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 after his DNA was found on the crotch of a victim's jeans.

Multiple other victims picked him out of identity parades.

Ben Lloyd, prosecuting, told Woolwich Crown Court: "The defendant's typical offending involved following unsuspecting women and girls in public places, often on their way to and from work during typical commuting hours.

"Having followed them along the street or into buildings, he would surprise them, grab them on their private parts and then run off."

Bond attacked three people - a 13-year-old girl and two adults - in the space of less than an hour in Greenwich in last October, the court heard.

The eight-year-old was attacked on 13 November 2017 after she became separated from her friends on her journey to school.

Several of Bond's victims used personal statements to say how they were now afraid to venture out on their own and were nervous of lone men.

John Blanford, defending, said Mr Bond's life had started to fall apart after the suicide of his mother in 2016.

His marriage broke down and he started abusing cocaine, ecstasy and watching pornography before he began his campaign of assaults, the court heard.

Judge Nicholas Heathcote Williams QC said: "From October 2016 you started assaulting young girls and young women - waiting until they were alone or became detached from the group they were with.

"Or you attacked them when they were isolated - in parks, in stairwells and in a lift - then you sexually assaulted them by grabbing their crotch area or the breast area."

He continued: "What you did was deeply shocking, violating, frightening, distressing and disturbing for your victims."

Bond was also ordered to sign on to the sex offenders register for life and barred from living with, or having unsupervised contact with, girls under the age of 18 unless with the knowledge and consent of social services and the child's parent or guardian.

The defendant appeared in the dock in a white shirt and dark tie and did not react as his sentence was read out.

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A dangerous sex predator who raped two women has had his sentence slashed by top judges. Manipulative, deceitful and sex-obsessed Chiron Hutchinson got 20 years detention in a young offender institution at Maidstone Crown Court on October 25 last year. Branded a danger to the public, he was ordered to serve an extra eight years on licence after his release. The 20-year-old, of Mount Pleasant, Uckfield, East Sussex, admitted two counts of sexual activity with a child. He was convicted of three counts of rape but acquitted of other sex offences, Mr Justice Kerr told London's Appeal Court today. Hutchinson gave a 14-year-old girl five glasses of Champagne, which made her feel dizzy, before molesting her. He had sex with the teenager in a park when there was borderline consent, said the judge. A second victim had drunk a large quantity of alcohol when she met Hutchinson at a Tunbridge Wells nightclub. He drove the extremely intoxicated 17-year-old to a wooded area where he twice raped her. A 24-year-old woman had been drinking and smoking some cannabis and was walking home alone when she encountered Hutchinson. He gave her a lift in his car and, when she realised he was not taking her home, she asked where they were going. He gave no reply and stopped the car in a wooded area, opened the door and pushed her out. [An] opportunist who engineered situations to enable him to take advantage of young females... - Judge She tried to fend him off, but he told her he would punch her if she continued, before raping her. A probation officer's report described Hutchinson as highly manipulative and having a sense of entitlement. The judge who locked him up said he was an opportunist who engineered situations to enable him to take advantage of young females. He singled out victims who were vulnerable because of their age, trusting nature or being drunk. Hutchinson would then force himself upon them for his own sexual gratification. The Crown Court judge said Hutchinson was a manipulative, deceitful individual, obsessed with sex. He had prolifically viewed pornography and used the search term forced sex. A fantasist and a narcissist, his conduct was predatory and there were fundamental flaws in his character. Michael Haynes, for Hutchinson, argued his sentence was far too tough and that he had wrongly been labelled dangerous. It was more a case of an opportunistic young man with a lack of understanding of sexual boundaries than a dangerous sexual predator, he said. The barrister pointed to Hutchinson's relative youth, having no previous convictions and the short time span of his offending. Mr Justice Kerr, who was sitting with two other judges, said the Crown Court judge was entitled to make a finding of dangerousness and to impose an extended sentence. But he added: Grave though the offending was, we agree that the overall sentence was too high given his age, the lack of any previous convictions and the short duration of the offending. Allowing the appeal, the judge reduced the custodial term from 20 years to 16 years, and the extended licence period from eight years to four years.

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Danny Tiplady has been jailed for sharing the sexual images of children with people all over the world A Maidstone man has been jailed for sharing extreme videos of sexual abuse, violence and torture. Daniel Tiplady, 31, of Kent Avenue, admitted possessing more than 150 extreme images and sharing them with people all over the world through chat groups. Maidstone Crown Court heard Tiplady's behaviour was uncovered when he shared explicit images of a woman on Facebook. Police were called and later found 15 indecent images of videos of children and 145 videos of extreme pornography. Further storage devices found at his home contained more indecent images of children, along with numerous videos showing extreme violence. Many of these images were shared by Tiplady over a mobile messaging application which had recipients all over the world sharing the content. Tiplady pleaded guilty to six counts of making an indecent photograph of a child, three counts of possessing extreme pornographic images and one count of disclosing private sexual photographs with intent to cause distress. At Maidstone Crown Court yesterday (July 9), he was sentenced to 20 months behind bars. Police Constable Edward Stenzil, the investigating officer for this case, told Kent Live: "Tipladys electronic devices were filled with depraved videos and images of the most extreme kinds of violence, which included real life torture and sexual abuse. "He actively distributed these images and shared them with people around the world. "He has proven that he has a disturbed mind which presents a very real danger to the wider public and the sentence he has received is entirely justified." 'Awful material is not unique' An NSPCC spokesperson said: "Sadly the type of child abuse images possessed by Tiplady and the methods used to share this awful material to a wider audience are not unique. "That's why it's imperative that social media companies and the government continue to work together to rid the internet of these vile crimes against children."