Latest Offenders

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Mark Bridger was told he would die behind bars after being jailed for life for the murder of April Jones.

Bridger was given the sentence in May, 2013, after a jury at Mold Crown Court found him guilty of abducting and murdering five-year-old April before disposing of her remains.

Handing Bridger a whole life tariff, Mr Justice Griffith Williams branded him a "pathological liar" and a "paedophile".

The judge said: There is no doubt in my mind that you are a paedophile, who has for some time harboured sexual and morbid fantasies about young girls.

He added that Bridger had stored on his laptop "not only images of pre-pubescent and pubescent girls but foul pornography of the gross sexual abuse of young children.

Bridger became just the 32nd person in UK history to be handed a whole life tariff after being found guilty of murder.

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A school teaching assistant who had sex with teenage pupils after grooming them on Facebook and sending them indecent text messages has been jailed.

Emma Webb, 42, also performed sex acts on four boys, sometimes in a room at the Berkshire school where she worked.

She admitted 30 offences between 2009 to 2012 involving five boys who were aged between 15 and 17 at the time.

The married mother of two, from Kingfisher Drive, Woodley, was jailed for two years and eight months.

Reading Crown Court heard that Webb worked as a study supervisor at the school, which cannot be named for legal reasons.

On one occasion she performed a sex act on a boy in a room at the school, stopping only when the school bell sounded.

'Befriended victims'

She also invited one of the boys to her home to walk her dog but instead had sex with him on the stairs of her family home.

The court heard that Webb befriended her victims before sending them suggestive texts and indecent mobile phone photos of herself using sex toys.

She had been warned to stop contacting the boys via Facebook by a friend who discovered it but continued, the court was told.

Her conduct was also the subject of jokes by some of her victims to their friends with several of the boys knowing about each other's relationships with her.

Judge John Reddihough said she had risked leaving the boys with a "distorted attitude to females and sex".

"It is also likely to have had an adverse effect on them with feelings of guilt, shame and embarrassment on their part," he said.

He added: "You put your thrill-seeking before their interests."

Webb admitted 16 counts of sexual activity with a child whilst being in a position of trust, six counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity whilst being in a position of trust and four counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

She also pleaded guilty to three charges of causing a child to watch sexual activity whilst being in a position of trust and one count of sexual activity with a child.

She was banned for life from working with children and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register.

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Darren Mackrell was caught when one of the mothers called police.

A man who drugged and raped three schoolchildren after meeting them at a Hampshire park playground has been given an indeterminate jail sentence.

Darren Mackrell, 45, raped two boys aged eight and 10 and a girl, nine, at his Southampton flat on 21 April.

He had admitted 18 charges of rape, sexual assault, forcing the viewing and engagement in sexual acts and drugging.

The court heard he forced the children to sexually abuse each other while he watched during the six-hour ordeal.

Winchester Crown Court was told that the unemployed drug addict, of Wilton Avenue, gave the children cannabis, amphetamines and Viagra.

He also threatened to hurt them if they tried to leave - showing one boy a large hunting knife.

Judge Gary Burrell QC told Mackrell he would spend at least 10 years in jail and may never be released if he continued to pose a danger to children.

'Depths of depravity'

Sentencing Mackrell, he said: "As a parent, when a child goes missing, you fear the worst, you fear something bad has happened to them.

"Something bad did happen to these three young children on that day.

"Your behaviour towards them plumbed the depths of human depravity.

"There is no room for mercy, Darren Mackrell, in a case as horrific as this. What you did to these children was truly dreadful."

The court heard Mackrell's victims had been traumatised by their ordeal with one boy harming himself and writing suicide notes and the girl unable to speak about it.

Mackrell was caught after one of the children's mothers became concerned about their whereabouts and went to the park to look for them.

She found out that the children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were at Mackrell's home and called the police when nobody answered.

An officer tried to break the door down after looking through the letterbox and seeing a pornographic video playing on the television.

Mackrell, who pleaded guilty to all the charges on the eve of his trial, was placed on the sex offenders register for life.

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A sex abuse victim has been praised for her "extraordinary fortitude" as her attacker was jailed for 12 years.

The teenager won the admiration of a judge for the way she gave evidence against former bus driver Gordon Burgess.

The 43-year-old, of Thorn Hill Road, Warden, Sheerness, denied two offences of rape and three of sexual activity with a child - but was convicted by a jury of 10 women and one man, the 12th juror having been discharged.

The girl told by TV link from a witness room at Maidstone Crown Court how she tried to blank out what was happening to her.

"I tried not to think about it," she said.

Burgess raped her twice without using any protection.

"He never said not to tell anybody about it," she said. "He never threatened me or gave me any rewards for keeping quiet."

She agreed she could have told somebody or gone to the police. She eventually called Childline and reported the abuse.

"I felt trapped because it was partly my fault for not doing anything," she added.

The girl denied a suggestion by defence lawyer Andrew Baughan that she made up the allegations.

Mr Baughan said after the verdicts that Burgess had been a good citizen up to the point he started offending.

"i felt trapped because it was partly my fault for not doing anything" gordon burgess's victim

"It appears to be confined to a relatively short period," he said. "It coincided with his ill-health. He has lost his good character and reputation."

Judge David Griffith-Jones QC, told Burgess: "The seriousness of the offences is self-evident. You know nothing less than a significant period of imprisonment will follow.

"An aggravating feature is that you used no form of protection. The criminality must fall at the top end of the range."

The mitigation was limited, he said. Burgess was a family man in poor health.

"I draw attention to the traumatic effect your offending is bound to have on your unfortunate victim," added the judge.

"It has to be said she withstood the ordeal to which you subjected her to give evidence with extraordinary fortitude."

An indefinite sexual offences prevention order was imposed. Burgess will be banned from working with children and his name will appear on the sex offenders' register for life.

After sentence, DC Emily Hooper, from Kent Police, said: "Burgess denied all the allegations that were made, but the victim's strength in bravely giving evidence in court has helped us secure a substantial prison sentence.

"It will be a long time before Burgess is released from prison and I hope that will allow the victim to move on in life."

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A man has been jailed for sexually abusing two young girls in Wythenshawe.

William Furbey, 24 was ordered to serve five years in prison and will be on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

In 2005 Furbey sexually abused two young girls aged 9 and 12 at an address in Wythenshawe. Six years later one of the girls told her teacher which led to his arrest and conviction.

Furbey pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a girl under 13 and sexual assault as well as aggravated vehicle taking, assault of a police officer, using a vehicle without insurance and driving without a license.

Detective Constable Grace Hulse from GMP’s Public Protection Division, said: "The victim who told her teacher showed great strength and maturity.

Both girls have been incredibly brave by helping us put Furbey before the courts and have justice done for them.

We take all reports of sexual abuse seriously no matter how old you are or how long ago the crime happened and I hope this case will give others the confidence to come forward."

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Gavin Smith was jailed in 2001 for his part in an international paedophile ring.

A convicted paedophile who discussed torturing and sexually abusing children over the internet has been given a three month suspended jail sentence.

Gavin Smith, 41, of Boleyn Way in Swanscombe, Kent, pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to nine offences of publishing obscene material.

Kent Police said he was charged over the internet chat in 2010, with the case going to court in November 2011.

The case collapsed but police and prosecutors successfully appealed.

Smith was brought back to court in July, leading to his guilty plea.

Det Insp David Shipley, from the public protection unit at Kent Police, said as a result of the case the Obscene Publications Act of 1959 can now be used for online offences where people engage in fantasy chat about the sexual abuse of children.

Smith was jailed for his part in the international "Wonderland" paedophile ring in 2001.

The computer engineer was then called Gavin Seagers, but changed his name.

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Police have issued a plea to find a beer-bellied convicted child sex offender who they say may befriend a family so he can offend has gone missing.

Registered sex offender John Archer Barnett, 62, was jailed for four years after being convicted in 2003 for indecently assaulting an eight-year-old boy.

Kent Police said Barnett, also known as John Owen, was last seen by his landlord on April 14 in Dover and he is now believed to be travelling around the UK.

He left the area after social services intervened following concerns from officers involved in his management that he was becoming too close to a family with children.

A police spokesman said: ''He has failed to notify police of his new address and is now wanted for breach of the notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.''

Barnett has visited areas including London, Blackpool, Brighton, Scarborough, Dartford and Bournemouth and police in Hampshire believe he may be spotted travelling through the county.

The police spokesman added: ''Barnett is considered to pose a risk to children and may befriend a family in order to offend.''

Barnett may have shaved his head and his beard off to disguise his appearance. He is described as white, about 5ft 8in tall, with a beer belly and grey, receding hair and a beard.

He has eagle tattoos on both arms and may be wearing a hearing aid. He is a smoker and drinks whiskey. He also has an eczema-type skin condition which is visible on both forearms and hands.

Police also said he suffered a stroke and one side of his face droops slightly.

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A pensioner who repeatedly sexually abused a young girl - telling her it was a "special secret" - has been jailed for six years.

Roy Humphreys, 69, corrupted his victim so badly she thought it was her fault, a court heard.

Humphreys, of Broadway, Gillingham, shook his head in the dock as he was handed six years' jail and an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order at Maidstone Crown Court.

He was also placed on the sex offenders' register for life, banning him from ever working with children.

Humphreys, who previously worked as a steward at Gillingham FC on match days, denied the abuse throughout a trial.

But he was convicted by a 10-2 majority on three charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one of sexual assault. He was acquitted of three other charges.

Judge Philip Statman praised the young victim's bravery in giving harrowing evidence in which she was able to describe Humphreys' private parts.

She said the pensioner would climb on top of her, kiss her and touch her private parts.

"you have not shown one shred of remorse…"

– judge philip statman

The judge told Humphreys the abuse had "a profound effect on her", adding: "Nothing will ever be the same again."

"As you stand before this court today you have not shown one shred of remorse," he added.

"She was a very young girl, not aware of the illegality of your acts towards her.

"Then there was the issue of the 'special secret' you and she had, which she eventually divulged."

Nina Ellin, prosecuting, previously told the trial the victim's behaviour had become sexualised as a result of grooming.

Miss Ellin told the jury: "She said she should have stopped him.

"She said everything was her fault, adding: 'I was supposed to say no.'"

Humphreys followed the hearing closely from the dock, at one point asking the judge to speak louder.

Roy Humprheys has been jailed for six years at Maidstone Crown Court.

Danny Moore, defending, said it would be hard for Humphreys in the three years he is due to remain in prison.

He said: "It is a fact that it's much more difficult for a man of that age in custody."

But he added: "It's not easy to identify mitigation. It was a vulnerable victim and the damage was obvious."

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Two brothers from Telford have been found guilty of a string of sexual offences against young girls.

Ahdel Ali, 24, and Mubarek Ali, 29, both of Regent Street, Wellington, were also convicted of controlling child prostitution and trafficking girls.

Between them, the pair were convicted of 25 out of 26 charges and are due to be sentenced at a later date.

Stafford Crown Court heard the offences took place in the Telford area between March 2008 and December 2009.

The jury heard the brothers had sexually abused, trafficked, prostituted or tried to prostitute four Telford teenagers.

Ahdel Ali was also found guilty of raping a girl as young as 13.

One teenager was sold as a prostitute by Mubarek Ali when she was four months pregnant.

'Systematically groomed'
The court was told one of the other victims was regularly sold for sex to workers at two Telford restaurants and a Wellington fish and chip shop, as well as to associates of the two brothers.

Giving evidence, the 19-year-old said that from age 16 she had been taken to have sex with men up to four times a week.

Det Ch Insp Neil Jamieson, of West Mercia Police, said: "Ahdel Ali and Mubarek Ali targeted these girls because of the vulnerability and then systematically groomed them in such a way that eventually they could exploit them sexually for their own gain and gratification."

Harry Ireland, chief prosecutor with the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, thanked the victims for their "courage" in giving evidence during the trial.

"I hope the verdicts provide some comfort for them and their families, and help them rebuild their lives," he added.

Ahdel Ali was found guilty of one charge of rape, 11 charges of sexual activity with a child, three charges of controlling child prostitution, one of inciting child prostitution, an allegation of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and meeting a child after grooming.

He was cleared on one charge of inciting child prostitution.

Mubarek Ali was convicted of four charges of controlling child prostitution, two of trafficking in the UK for sexual exploitation and a charge of causing child prostitution.

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A WIRRAL mum whose teenage daughter was raped has spoken of the nightmare her family are still living through. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told of the heart-wrenching moment she was told her little girl had been sexually assaulted by middle-aged David Cookson. Cookson, 48, from Liscard Road, Wallasey, was jailed for 12 years at Liverpool Crown Court on June 26. He had pleaded guilty to five rape offences and 11 of making indecent photographs involving 170 images and videos. The court also heard how Cookson had videoed himself having sex with the young girl who was 12 years old at the time. The offences came to light in March when she confided to a member of staff at her school. The girls mother says she still cannot believe what has happened. She said: I remember social services turning up on my doorstep to tell me and it just felt like a fist going right through my chest and ripping my heart out it didnt seem real. I couldnt get it off my mind and kept asking why? I couldnt understand how someone could do this to a little girl and hurt her in such a way. "I know I am not the victim but as her mother I feel her pain and anger. When interviewed by police, Cookson admitted having sexual intercourse with the girl on eight occasions. The court heard he has previous convictions but not for similar offences. Paul Wood, defending, said Cookson accepted the activity should never have occurred and takes responsibility for it. "He has good victim empathy," he added. But the girls mum said she now fears for her daughters future and worries about how she will come to terms with her ordeal. She said: I do worry all the time about how this is going to affect her later in life and how she will form a loving relationship and be able to trust anyone? "She wont sleep with the bedroom light off and neither will I its like were still living this horrible nightmare. Now the woman is hoping to look into setting up a support group for other parents of sexually abused children. She added: There is nothing out there where parents can go and share their stories and get advice from others in a similar situation. I need to be strong for my daughter but it is very hard. I am so proud of her for having the courage to come forward and tell someone what had happened she has effectively saved other children from going through the same thing. Other relatives outside the court last Tuesday expressed disappointment with Cooksons sentence calling it "totally inadequate".

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HE WAS given a community award for his work with young people but now disgraced former youth club leader John Wiltshire is facing a prison sentence after he admitted a series of sex crimes against a young girl.

Last week, 64-year-old Wiltshire was warned he faces a substantial custodial sentence after he pleaded guilty to 10 offences, including sexual activity with a child under 16-years-old The sexual activity took place over a two-and-a-half year period. Wiltshire has also admitted making more than 6,000 indecent images of children.

Appearing at Winchester Crown Court on June 25, Wiltshire admitted five charges of sexual activity with a child, one count of taking indecent photographs of children, and four counts of making indecent images of children.

Wiltshire confessed to making more than 6,000 indecent images of children, which were found on a computer, laptop and USB memory stick.

Wiltshire was a founder member of the Whitchurch Youth Project, set up in September 2005 for young people in the town.

In 2008, he was given a community award for his work with the youth initiative and the Chill 2 This club that he ran, which is for 10 to 14-year-olds.

In the past, the club has had around 60 to 100 members attending each week.

Wiltshire, of Evingar Road, Whitchurch, was presented with his community award by the then Mayor of Whitchurch, Councillor Steve Robbins.

Wiltshire resigned from his position of leading the youth club on April 5 this year, and since then a new leader has been appointed.

In April, Keith Watts, Whitchurch borough councillor and chairman of the Whitchurch Youth Project, told The Gazette that parents of children at Chill 2 This had been sent a letter informing them of Wiltshires resignation and telling them the club would still function as normal under new leadership.

In court, Wiltshire also denied one charge of sexual assault and two counts of sexual activity with a child pleas that were accepted by the prosecution.

Wiltshires sentencing has been adjourned until Friday, July 13, while pre-sentence reports are prepared.

He has been remanded in custody until his next appearance.

Referring to what would happen to Wiltshire, Judge Jane Miller told the court: Clearly, it is going to be a substantial custodial sentence. The question is how long.

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A HAMPSHIRE paedophile who abused homeless boys in a Mumbai orphanage is back in the UK.

Allan Waters, 63, a retired Naval officer from Portchester, was deported after serving a six-year jail term in India.

He was met a Heathrow by police from Scotland Yard and made to sign the sex offenders register.

Waters, a highly respected Lieutenant Commander formerly of Cador Drive, was found guilty in 2006 of carrying out child abuse at the Anchorage shelter in Mumbai.

He was freed in 2008 by judges at the Indian High Court, who cited lack of evidence provided by the prosecution.

But that decision was quashed by the countrys Supreme Court, which ordered Waters to serve the rest of his six-year jail term and pay damages and fines imposed.

Waters was arrested at New Yorks John F Kennedy International Airport in 2003 on the basis of an Interpol arrest warrant and was extradited to face charges in India following a complaint from a 15-year-old boy about repeated sexual and physical abuse.

Four other boys also made similar complaints.

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“WE just sat there, sitting and cuddling each other because we were really scared”.

That was how children described the horror of hearing their mother being attacked and subsequently raped in the bedroom next to theirs.

Daniel Wardrop subjected the young woman to a harrowing ordeal that lasted more than two hours, threatening to harm the children if she did not do as he asked.

Southampton Crown Court heard how the attack began when Wardrop, who was 19 at the time, came to the Southampton home in the early hours of March 17.

He began making advances and then became violent when his victim did not respond and tried to call police.

It also emerged in court that Hampshire police are now being investigated for how they handled that call.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission – the watchdog for police forces – will look at how the call was dealt with and the decision not to deploy officers.

Prosecutor Robert Pawson said Wardrop snatched the phone from her while he put his other hand around her throat so she could not speak to the operator.

When the police rang back Wardrop told his victim to say everything was fine, or else he would kill her.

The court heard how he followed her around the flat, not letting her out of his sight before eventually raping her, telling her: “I am going to make your kids suffer if you don’t”.

She later told police officers she was physically shaking with fear at what was going to happen to her.

Mr Pawson also read from statements given by her children.

One described seeing parts of the attack while another spoke of being in tears and hearing her mother cry. “She shouted: ‘Don’t,” the youngster said.

Wardrop eventually left after making her promise she would not tell anyone, but the woman broke down and phoned her dad. He described her as “hysterical”.

as she told him what had happened and he called the police.

Wardrop was subsequently arrested and statements taken from friends described how he had bragged about the attack in the hours afterwards.

Wardrop, now aged 20, of no fixed abode, admitted one count of rape.

In a victim impact statement the woman said she had been unable to go upstairs since the attack and had been sleeping with her children in the lounge as a result. She had also taken the handle off the door to the bedroom where she was raped so no one could go in.

In sentencing Wardrop to eight years in prison and classifying him as a dangerous offender with an extended four-year licence, Judge Gary Burrell QC said: “This was a deplorable rape of a young woman in her own home with her children present. There is no room in my judgement for mercy in your case."

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A CATHOLIC priest with “an unhealthy interest in adolescent boys” was locked up for five years.

Father Peter Hooper, the parish priest at St Luke's the Physician, in Bebington, was caught performing a sex act on an underage boy in the diocesan house where he lived.

The 55-year-old pleaded guilty to 10  counts of sexual activity with a child. At yesterday’s sentencing hearing he was  supported at Liverpool Crown Court by more than a dozen parishioners  and two priests.

Robert Jansen, prosecuting, told the court a social gathering at the diocesan house, in Church Road, Bebington, was winding down when Hooper was caught out.

He said: "There was a gentleman called Matthew Howard, who at the time was living at this defendant's address, and had been for some years.

"As the social gathering was coming to an end...Mr Howard had cause to walk past the kitchen window and look inside.”

The lawyer said Mr Howard saw the boy and the priest perform a sex act on  each other.

He added:  "Whilst looking through the window it seems the defendant saw Mr Howard who simply shook his head in disbelief at what he had seen going on. It seems afterwards Mr Howard asked the defendant what he was playing at.

"The defendant replied to Mr Howard ‘I don't know what to do. I've been seduced by a 15-year-old boy’."

Mr Jansen said Hooper was arrested and admitted carrying out sex acts on the boy though he said they did not have full sex – this was accepted.

He told detectives the boy made sexual advances, wanted to explore sexually from an early age and was 'manipulative'.

He said he felt “mentally raped” by the teenager.

The boy, who cannot be named, was interviewed and said he met Hooper through a band he was in  made up entirely of priests.

The pair grew close after he told Hooper, a trained counsellor, about  problems he was facing  in his life.

He said at one stage he went to hug the priest who then kissed him on the cheek and then moved to kiss him on the mouth.

The sexual contact followed in the boy's family home and then later at the diocese house.

He described Hooper as a “father figure” adding: “I don’t hate Father Hooper. Part of me wants to forgive him.”

Gerald Pachter defending, said his client accepted “100% responsibility” for what happened adding: “He feels great shame at the damage he has caused the church.”

He said: “Through me he wishes to express his full sincere and profound apologies for his criminal behaviour.

“He admits he is homosexual. Since his twenties he has tried to repress it because of his faith but he has failed.”

Mr Pachter added: “He is very well thought of. That is clear from the turn out today and the many references from clergymen, parishioners and friends.”

He said Hooper was now the subject of daily verbal abuse by fellow prisoners and had been attacked in the prison chapel.

But Judge David Aubrey QC said: "You have betrayed your religion, you have betrayed your church, you have betrayed your parishioners.

"More significantly you have betrayed your victim who was just 14 and 15 years of age and vulnerable and in truth he was in your care while in your home and you were in his.

"You have also betrayed his mother. They are both devout Roman Catholics who are now in consequence of that which you have done challenging the church.

"In my judgement you have an unhealthy interest in adolescent boys as this case has demonstrated.

"You have failed in your responsibilities and duties as a Catholic priest. You have abused and failed everybody who has placed their trust in you.

"You knew when you crossed the boundary. You wished to cross the boundary. Your actions were a gross breach of trust.

"You have fallen from grace and lost your ministry. The offences are so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence is justified for them."

He jailed Hooper for five years – of which he must serve half less 37 days spent on remand.

Judge Aubrey ordered him to sign on the sex offenders register, made a sexual offences prevention order and banned him from working with children.

Bespectacled Hooper, wearing a red polo shirt and grey jumper, signalled to supporters as he was taken to jail.

After the sentencing The Rt Rev. Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, said: “I wish to express today both the sorrow and the horror felt within the Catholic community at these offences and the betrayal of trust involved.

“There can be no place in the priesthood for those who harm the young.”

Hooper was appointed priest at St Luke’s in 2006 after leaving St Werburgh’s, in Chester. 

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A teacher has been jailed for 18 months after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl.

Nicholas Esteve was a teacher at East Sussex County Council-run Hailsham Community College when he assaulted the girl, who was not a pupil at the school.

The 36-year-old, of Rotunda Road, Eastbourne, was caught after the mother of his victim contacted police because she was concerned about Esteves behaviour.

He was questioned by specialist child protection officers before being charged with sexual assault and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.

Esteve appeared at Lewes Crown Court where he was convicted of both charges and jailed.

The crimes happened in Eastbourne in April last year.

Esteve was also ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years on his release and was served with an indefinite Sex Offender Prevention Order (SOPO).

Ban from working with children

The court order bans him from contacting the victim or any person under 16 without the agreement of a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult, who has been informed of his offending history, except for inadvertent unavoidable passing contact in public.

Esteve is also banned from trying to work with any organisation that might have under 16s involved.

Detective Constable Amy Green said:

We always encourage parents, and children, to come to us with concerns about inappropriate behaviour, and we are glad that this mother did so.

Her daughter also showed great courage in facing up to the ordeal of giving evidence in court.

A spokesman for East Sussex County Council said Esteve was suspended when the victim contacted police and was sacked after an investigation.

He said:

As soon as these allegations came to light both the college and the county council acted swiftly.

It should be made clear that the charges he faced were not in any way connected with his work at Hailsham Community College or any pupils from the college.