Latest Offenders

Description

A man who continues to pose a danger to young females by his “deviant” behaviour has been sentenced to a third prison sentence for sexual activity with an underage girl.

Aaron Whitwell is already serving a seven-year extended sentence for previous similar activity, but his latest seven-year sentence will only begin on conclusion of that and a further two-year prison term for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

It means the earliest he is likely to be released from prison is in the mid-to-late 2030s.

The now 28-year-old defendant, formerly of West Cornforth, appeared for his latest sentencing hearing at Durham Crown Court by video link from HMP Moorland, in South Yorkshire, where he is serving his previous jail term.

Deborah Smithies, prosecuting, said at the time of the latest offences Whitwell was on licence from a 33-month sentence for offences involving another teenage girl, for which he was subject to an indefinite SHPO.

It included a prohibition from communication with any child under the age of 16.

Upon his release from that sentence, he was interviewed about further allegations of similar activity with a teenage girl, for which he received a seven-year extended sentence in September 2023.

Outlining details of his latest offence, Miss Smithies said Whitwell responded to the posting of an image of the underage girl with a friend, on Snapchat.

He soon asked how old she was and, having been told, he responded, saying he was 17 and gave the name ‘Aaron Hardy’.

Following ten days of exchanging messages he turned the chat to sexual matters and intimate pictures were exchanged, before Whitwell suggested that they met.

Both went accompanied with a friend, and on the first meeting the defendant kissed the girl, but during subsequent meetings sexual activity took place, one time in bushes.

The girl told police they met another five or six times when sexual activity took place, while in the simultaneous messaging the defendant told her he loved her.

Following suspicions raised by the sister of a friend of the complainant, after she heard them talking about 'Aaron', his true background emerged.

The victim said she would not have met him had she known his true age.

She said it made her feel “sick” knowing how much older he really was, and that she thought he really loved her and it made her feel for him.

But she said he had “messed up” her head and she now realised how vulnerable she had been.

Whitwell was interviewed and denied seeking out the girl on social media or contacting her, which meant she had to attend a video identity procedure when she positively identified the defendant.

In a subsequent victim statement the girl said she struggled to sleep and when she did, she suffered nightmares thinking about the events, while she has since struggled with self-confidence.

She said it caused a falling out with her family and she turned to drink and drugs to seek comfort, and would leave home for lengths of time, leading to arguments, “with everyone around me”.

The girl said the situation reached breaking point and she had to receive assistance from a mental health crisis team as her behaviour and anger were out of control, leading to self-harm.

She said it had also affected her schoolwork and her trust in other people, adding that, overall, she feels like the defendant has “ruined her life”.

Whitwell admitted six counts of sexual activity with a child, one each of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and breaching a SHPO.

Chris Morrison, in mitigation, said the defendant was now “remorseful” and had acknowledged his guilt early in court proceedings.

Mr Morrison said it could not be denied that the defendant’s offending, “forms a pattern” for which he is receiving “condign punishment”, with his earliest release date on his previous sentence being in September 2030.

Mr Morrison said the defendant has a low IQ and suffers with social isolation plus an inadequacy dealing with people, in general, and women, in particular, of his own age.

“He acknowledges that improving himself will take some time, but he knows he will have to reintegrate into society at some stage.

“But he can’t do that until he reaches a level of maturity, insight and self-awareness.

“As far as the outside world is concerned, he has no contact with the outside world.”

But Mr Morrison said the defendant has rid himself of any form of substance misuse while in custody.

Judge Richard Bennett told Whitwell: “You are a man with deviant sexual preferences, including an interest in young girls and I have concluded you are a dangerous offender.

“You are 28 and this will be your third child sex offence, committed while on licence following a 33-month sentence for similar activity and, also, at the time, while on bail for other offences.

“You were also subject to a SHPO, prohibiting contact with any child under 16.

“But if didn’t deter you from offending.”

Judge Bennett said it had a “profound effect” on the victim, with his deception, “shattering her confidence and self-belief”.

He said the defendant was “untamed” by previous court orders, with no sign when his pattern of offending might diminish.

The judge imposed a two-year determinate sentence for the breach of the SHPO to be followed by a consecutive seven-year sentence for the new offences, to be followed by a five-year extended licence period upon release.

Whitwell must serve at least two-thirds of the seven-year custodial element of the sentence before being eligible for consideration for release.

He was also made the subject of an indefinite restraining order relating to his latest victim, plus a new SHPO, which will also run indefinitely.

Description

A known pervert who sexually assaulted a teenage boy repeatedly at his home has been jailed after a trial.

Defiant Robert Cross continues to deny wrongdoing, but a jury at Leeds Crown Court convicted him of seven counts of sexual activity with a child dated between 2008 and 2011.

The trial, which lasted a week in early February, heard that Cross was around 19 himself when the abuse started, and the boy was about 13.

Cross is already a registered as a sex offender having been found guilty of child-sex offences in 2019 including sexual assault on a female child.

The male victim came forward to report the abuse in 2021 which led to Cross being arrested later that year.

He had confessed to the youngster at the time that he was bi-sexual and asked if he could touch him, despite the boy not being old enough to give consent. He also grabbed the boy’s hand and made him touch Cross in return.

Judge Howard Crowson told Cross: “He was far too young to involved in any sexual relationship, but you were old enough to know.”

They exchanged messages and arranged for the boy to visit him.

The court heard that Cross masturbated the boy and vice versa on more than five occasions and and they engaged in other sex acts.

As part of the investigation, officers were able to trace an old Facebook message from 2016 in which Cross admitted the offending and made efforts to distance himself from his offending and the victim.

Despite his denials, his barrister Jessica Strange said that he accepted he faced a “lengthy custodial sentence”.

Cross, of Queens Drive, Wrenthorpe, appeared for sentencing this week from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.

Judge Crowson jailed him for nine years and told him he must serve at least two-thirds of the sentence before being considered for release, rather than the usual half-way stage.

He was also put on the sex offender register for life and given a lifelong sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Leading the investigation, Detective Sergeant Will Denton, of Wakefield District Child Safeguarding, said: “Firstly, and most importantly, I want to thank the victim in this case for his immense bravery in coming forward to report the abuse he suffered, as well as his strength and dignity throughout the criminal justice process.

“Cross preyed upon and exploited him knowing that he was a vulnerable child, and I hope the sentence handed down today serves as a clear reminder that this abhorrent behaviour will not be tolerated.

"I am in no doubt that Cross, is a danger to children. Twice, he has been found guilty of exploiting vulnerable children. The streets of Wakefield and West Yorkshire are safer with him behind bars.

“I hope that this case helps encourage anybody who has suffered similar offences, recent or not, to come forward and report them to us.”

Description

An “experienced and fully-fledged” sex offender with an interest in children coerced a boy and a girl to send him intimate pictures of themselves.

In return, Andrew Weir, who had amassed a “nauseating collection” of child abuse images over a period between 2016 and 2021, made them watch him perform sex acts online.

Teesside Crown Court heard he used online threats to persuade the 14-year-old boy, believed to be from Thailand, to perform a sex act on himself, and applied “persistent pressure” to illicit images of the 13-year-old girl exposing her breasts and of her genital area.

The 30-year-old defendant, from Darlington, admitted charges arising from the online exchanges with the boy and the collection of images, but was convicted at trial, earlier this year, of the offences involving the girl, which took place in 2022.

Weir was aged 22 when he contacted the boy who is now untraceable, but thought to be from Thailand, via Skype, between May and August 2016.

Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, said the defendant, purporting to be aged 15, soon turned the chat to sexual matters and, in trying to illicit intimate images of the boy, threatened to "hack" his phone if he did not follow his request.

Mr Newcombe said over the following five years Weir amassed dozens of indecent images and videos of children, many in the most serious category.

It was in May 2022 when he befriended a 13-year-old girl online and began pressuring her to send him pictures of herself.

Following his "persistent and increasingly intimidating" demands, she responded by sending two images of her private parts.

But Weir was arrested after her parents discovered the messages.

He was convicted at trial in January of causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and causing a child to watch an image of sexual activity, having claimed he was unaware the girl was only aged 13.

Weir, of Brignall Moor Crescent, admitted attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, ten counts of making indecent photos of a child and one of possession of extreme pornography, at the court in September last year.

Tony Davis, for Weir, said the defendant led an "isolated" existence with his life revolving around making relationships online.

Mr Davis said this would be the defendant’s first prison sentence, having spent two months in custody since his conviction at trial.

Judge Tom Mitchell told Weir he was a younger man at the time of the initial offences, but by the time of the 2022 allegations involving the 13-year-old girl he was, “an experienced and fully-fledged sex offender”, having acquired his, “nauseating collection” of indecent images over a five-year period.

The judge said Weir used “grooming behaviour”, “exploitation” and “persistent pressure” to obtain the images he demanded from his victims, causing, “real harm” in the process.

He imposed a total prison sentence of 78 months (six-and-a-half years) on the defendant, of which he must serve two-thirds behind bars, and made him subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Its terms include restricting his future online activities, and forbid him from ever communicating via the Internet with anyone aged under 18.

He was also made subject to lifetime registration and notification as a sex offender and placed on the barring list to prevent him working with children or vulnerable people in future.

A restraining order was put in place to prohibit him from contacting or approaching the girl who was subject to the 2022 offences, “until further order”.

The judge told Weir his time in prison, with the monitoring and support of professionals, could change him for the better.

But he warned the defendant that if he returned to his previous online activities, the sentence he is likely to receive would be measured, “in decades”.

Description

A sex offender who distributed graphic images of child abuse online has been jailed for six years.

Lee Maidens, from Doncaster, was communicating online with an adult and discussed committing offences against their 10-year-old child, South Yorkshire Police said.

Maidens, 44, of Brabbs Avenue, sent explicit images to the profile between 3 September 2024 and 3 October 2024.

At Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday, he was jailed after admitting offences including arranging or facilitating the commission of a sexual offence against a child under 13.

'Vile offences'

Maidens sent a number of indecent videos to the profile, showing victims as young as 11 months old being abused, police said.

Officers searched his home in October last year after receiving information he had been involved in online child sex offences.

Maidens also admitted attempting to cause a child to look at an image of sexual activity and two counts of distributing indecent images of children.

At sentencing, Judge Rachael Harrison noted Maidens' offending only stopped after he was arrested, tell him: "You are, by any view, dangerous."

Sam Musgrove, lead investigating officer, described Maidens' offences as "vile" and noted he refused to give any comment in his police interview.

"We will act on intelligence to bring offenders to justice and protect children online," she said.

Maidens was jailed for six years with an extended licence period of four years.

Description

A man has been jailed for 16 years for grooming and raping a child – after investigators from the Metropolitan Police Service tracked him down using only phone data and CCTV footage.

Richard Bosworth, 41 (13.07.1983), from Coalville in Leicestershire, was sentenced on Tuesday, 4 March, at Kingston Crown Court. He previously pleaded guilty on Wednesday, 23 October, 2024 to two counts of rape as well as seven other sexual offences, including sexual assault on a child under 13, engaging in sexual communication with a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act, two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, meeting a child following sexual grooming, and assault by digital penetration.

Detective Inspector Kieran Curry, who led the investigation, said:

“I commend the young survivor in this case for her courage. She found the strength to confide in officers, and her account of this appalling assault proved crucial in securing Bosworth’s conviction. Her and her family’s cooperation has put this dangerous predator behind bars.

“Bosworth travelled from Leicestershire to abuse his victim in Twickenham. He is a devious offender, who ensured he left very little evidence for police to pursue.

“It is a testament to our investigative teams that they succeeded in identifying Bosworth, combing over large amounts of CCTV evidence and phone data in order to apprehend him and secure a conviction.”

On Monday, 23 September, 2024, police were contacted by the victim's mother. She said her 12-year-old daughter had spoken to friends at school about being abused by a man who had reached out to her on the BeFriend social media platform, presenting himself as a young teenager.

Investigators spoke to the girl, who said the man picked her up in his car in the early hours of Thursday, 19 September, 2024. He used a fake profile when communicating with the victim, grooming her for a month prior to the meeting. He left little evidence of his true identity.

Officers in the case reached out to the Met’s Operation Atlas team, which specialises in digital manhunts. Having obtained the number associated with the fake BeFriend profile, investigators were able to trace the movement of a phone through London to the victim’s home, as it citied off various telecom masts. They then paired this with CCTV footage from the areas in question.

Through these enquiries, investigators were able to single out a car. This was found to belong to Bosworth. On Tuesday, 1 October, officers arrested him at his home in Coalville. On the same day, he was charged with 10 counts of rape, all relating to the same incident on Thursday, 19 September.

As well as serving 16 years in prison, Bosworth will be made to register for life as a sex offender.

Description

Kyle Clifford has today (Thursday 6 March) been convicted of rape in connection with the murder of three women in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Unemployed Clifford, aged 26, formerly of Rendlesham Road, Enfield, was found guilty of the rape of Louise Hunt on 9 July 2024 following a trial at Cambridge Crown Court. It was a unanimous verdict.

At an earlier hearing on Wednesday 22 January he pleaded guilty to:

• The murders of Carol Hunt (aged 61), Louise Hunt (aged 25) and Hannah Hunt (aged 28) in their family home on 9 July 2024.
• One count of false imprisonment of Louise Hunt on 9 July 2024.
• Two counts of possession of an offensive weapon.

Clifford refused to appear at court to face the charges and the case was heard in his absence.

He will be sentenced on Tuesday (11 March).

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Gardner from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: “Clifford has been convicted today following a trial. There was overwhelming evidence that he had raped Louise Hunt as well as murdering her, her mother Carol and sister Hannah. This was an appalling attack on a family. 

“Clifford has remained a coward up until the end by refusing to appear at court and face up to his actions. Great lengths were made to ensure he could attend court including the location chosen for the trial, but Clifford chose to stay away. 

“In stark contrast the Hunt family have shown extreme strength and dignity throughout. Our thoughts remain with them at this time.”

Description

A 35-year-old man has been sentenced for violent and serious sexual offences committed in Orkney. 

Stuart Harding was today, Wednesday, 5 March, 2025, sentenced to 15 years at the High Court in Edinburgh. He was also put on the Sex Offenders Register and made subject to a 20-year non-harassment order.

He was found guilty of multiple sexual offences, including rape, against three women and two female youths between June 2012 and April 2021. The verdict was delivered at the same court on Wednesday, 5 February, 2025. 

Description

Police are appealing for more than 50 more victims to come forward after one of the country's most prolific sex offenders was found guilty of drugging and raping 10 women.

Chinese PhD student Zhenhao Zou, 28, filmed nine of the attacks as "souvenirs", and kept a trophy box of women's belongings, Inner London Crown Court was told.

Warning: This article contains details of sexual offences

Jurors found him guilty of 11 counts of rape against 10 women, three in London and seven in China, between 2019 and 2023. Two of the victims have been identified and another eight have yet to be traced.

The Metropolitan Police believe Zou could be the "most substantial and prolific offender we've come across in recent times", responsible for many more crimes.

Police believe more than 50 other women may have fallen prey to the engineering student, which would make him one of the worst sex offenders the UK has seen.

Officers have video material showing women who have not been identified and believe around 25 of those victims were raped in the UK and around 25 in China.

All of them are of Chinese heritage and an appeal is being launched for those women to come forward from that community.

The mechanical engineering student was also convicted of three counts of voyeurism, 10 of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one of false imprisonment and three of possession of a controlled drug with intent to commit a sexual offence, namely butanediol.

He was cleared of two further counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image and one of possession of MDMA with intent to commit a sexual offence, and four counts of possession of drugs with intent to commit a sexual offence.

Zou - who first moved to Belfast in 2017 to study mechanical engineering at Queen's University before moving to London in 2019 - showed no visible reaction as the verdicts were read out in court.

Catherine Farrelly KC, prosecuting, told jurors Zou "presents as a smart and charming young man" but is "also a persistent sexual predator; a voyeur and a rapist".

Zou, who also used the name Pakho online, befriended fellow Chinese students on WeChat and dating apps, before inviting them for drinks and drugging them at his flats in London or an unknown location in China, the court heard.

The jury heard how he would secretly film his attacks using a mobile device and hidden cameras, and was shown evidence found on SD cards at his accommodation of him raping unconscious women in London and in China.

Senior Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor Saira Pike thanked the "incredibly strong and brave" women who came forward to report his "heinous" crimes.

"Zou is a serial rapist and a danger to women," she said.

"In some instances, we have not been able to identify Zou's victims. Without knowing who these women are, we have not been able to support them through a deeply distressing period of time.

"We have always been determined to seek justice for both the unidentified and identified victims in this case."

Description

A 39-year-old man has been jailed after pleading guilty to a total of 12 sex offences, including bestiality.

Graham Marshall coerced his partner Paige Reaney, 33, into acting out his "perverted" sexual fantasies, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

Marshall, of no fixed abode, was jailed on Monday for five and a half years, with an extended licence period of four years.

At the same hearing, Reaney, formerly of Bowman Drive, Sheffield, was given a nine-month sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting bestiality and animal cruelty offences.

Marshall was also placed on the sexual offenders register for life, while Reaney was told to carry out 30 requirement activity days and placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Meanwhile, Marshall and Reaney were both banned from keeping animals.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC told the court the offending first came to light in August 2021 when police had seized devices from the couple's home after receiving information about the possession of illegal images of children.

The devices contained bestiality content which had been carried out by both defendants over a three-year period and involved their pet dog.

Marshall's devices also contained voyeuristic material and indecent images of children and he had also taken an indecent image of a child, the court was told.

When Reaney was arrested in January 2023, she told officers she had been forced to sexually abuse their dog as part of Marshall's "fantasy", and in a later interview, she told officers he had previously sent her sexual images of dogs.

Reaney denied knowledge of Marshall's other offences.

Judge Richardson accepted Reaney had been "under a level of coercion", but said she "went along with what happened" and had "played your role to the full".

'Worst example'

The judge told Marshall he had "wallowed in a swamp of sexual depravity" and would likely reoffend.

"You were the author and director of this appalling sexual depravity," he said.

"You have deeply ingrained harmful sexual perversions within your character which embrace serious criminal conduct."

Marshall had previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting, counselling or procuring intercourse with an animal, three counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image and seven counts of making indecent photographs of children.

He had also pleaded guilty to one count of taking an indecent photograph of a child and one count of voyeurism relating to a camera installed in a toilet.

The court heard in mitigation that Marshall had been sexually and physically abused as a child and exposed to bestiality.

Since the couple's abuse of their dog had come to light, he had been ostracized by his family and was living in a tent in the woods.

Judge Richardson told the defendants their offending was "perhaps the worst example of a case of its kind that I've ever come across" in 45 years.

Description

A former Harrogate man has been given a life sentence for a series of rapes and sexual assaults.

James Richard Arthur Dowson, 35, currently of no fixed address, but remanded in prison, was found guilty of two counts of rape against a girl under 16 and five counts of indecent assault against a girl under 14.

Dowson denied the offences but was found guilty by jury in November 2024 and remanded in custody until he was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court on 3 March 2025.

He was also jailed at the same time for crimes committed in the West Yorkshire area after being found guilty of 10 offences including rape and sexual assault.

The judge sentence him to life imprisonment to serve a minimum of 12 years and 247 days before he can apply for parole. He was also issued with indefinite restraining orders against the two victims and issued with a sexual harm prevention order. 

The sentences include a total of two years for the offences in North Yorkshire and the remainder for the offences committed in West Yorkshire.

Dowson targeted a girl in North Yorkshire who was aged just eight years old when the abuse began and carried on for five years.

The victim, now an adult, provided a very powerful and poignant victim personal statement that was read out in court. Here are some extracts:

“When the abuse was happening when I was a young child, I remember I felt confused. I lost respect for myself. During the abuse at its worst when I was 13, I felt helpless. I knew it wasn’t right, but I didn’t know what to do.  It was an out of body experience.  I didn’t actually process what had happened and the severity of it until I was 15 or 16 years of age.

“I became angry. I struggled to sleep at night. Certain smells and certain mannerisms from others would cause flash backs. 

“There were times where I felt so low I thought it would be easier if I wasn’t here. I felt worthless and developed self-sabotaging behaviour. 

“The abuse I suffered has also really affected my relationships with others. When I reached low points with my mental health my close family and friends were pushed away.

“When I did finally report the incident to the police, I had the unwavering support of my husband and I think this was what gave me the strength to persevere with the investigation. 

“The court process was extremely hard, however I really felt that my voice was heard, and I felt it was the final hurdle to closing this chapter of my life and starting a new chapter.

“I get to live my life now and watch my babies grow up and be present in the moment. I can wake up every day knowing that I have done the right thing.

“Throughout this process I have learnt that I am loved, I am cared about and that I do matter. This abuse had been in my head for 20 years. After I found out he’d been found guilty on 6 November I felt a wave of calm come over me and I have never felt like that before.”

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Abigail Garford, of North Yorkshire Police’s Safeguarding Investigation Team, said: “It was incredibly difficult for the victim to report this to the police. But she bravely detailed the horrific abuse that Dowson inflicted on her that has now led to his conviction. I know that she now feels a weight has been lifted of her shoulders since he was found guilty.

“Despite her ordeal, her main motivation throughout was to ensure he was locked away so that he couldn’t do the same to other women. This is truly commendable.

“I sincerely hope that the outcome encourages other victims of abuse to come forward and report what has happened to them. You will be listened to and we will do everything we can to bring justice for you.”

Judge Ahmed Nadim praised the victims for helping to make society a safer place, he said: “Without them giving evidence, a very dangerous offender would not have met justice and by taking the brave decision that they have and by giving evidence in the manner that they have, they have contributed to our society being a safer place.

“They are for that reason deserving of an enormous gratitude from this court on behalf of the society as a whole.”

Description

A paedophile caught with almost 12,000 videos and images of children being sexually abused used group chats to share the sick material.

Police raided Shaun Deuchars’ former home in Arbroath and uncovered a secret folder on his mobile phone.

Description

A sheriff has told a sex offender to comply with court orders or go to jail after he was snared by an undercover police officer.

Neil Ross found the profile of what he thought was a 14-year-old girl and asked ‘her’ to send a picture “under her pyjamas”.

Description

A sex offender from Snodland looking for a ‘secret boyfriend’ has been jailed after officers recognised the bedroom wallpaper in images he sent to his victim.

On 20 November 2023, Jack Hickey, 28, of Woodlands Avenue, created a profile for Chat Avenue, an online chatroom service, before proactively targeting a user he believed to be a teenage boy.

After convincing his victim to communicate via Snapchat, a messaging platform used for privacy features such as disappearing messages, Hickey began sending them pictures and sexually explicit messages, including an indecent image of himself.

Arrested

An investigation by digital forensic analysts identified Hickey as the offender and attended his address on 30 November, where they were able to match the wallpaper and missing coving in one of the images to that in his bedroom.

Hickey was arrested at the scene and subsequently made subject to sex offenders notification requirements while he awaited sentencing.

Between 15 and 19 November 2024, he created and used another Snapchat account to communicate with what he believed to be another teenage boy, in a breach of his conditions.

Once more Hickey bombarded his target with lewd messages, repeatedly asking them to take part in video calls and take explicit photographs while wearing a school uniform. Hickey eventually arranged to meet his victim in Canterbury after dark.

When Hickey arrived at the agreed meeting point, officers were waiting to arrest him and remand him to custody.

Sentenced

Hickey was sentenced to four years and 10 months’ imprisonment at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday 19 February 2025, after pleading guilty to:

• Attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child;
• Causing a child to look at an image of a person engaging in sexual activity;
• Making indecent photographs;
• Arranging a child sex offence;
• Attempting to meet a child;
• Breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Steph Kirkin, said:

‘Hickey is a predator who targeted victims he believed to be young and vulnerable. He repeatedly sent his victims a barrage of lewd messages in a bid to coerce them into sharing content for his own gratification. ‘Despite being captured and registered as a sex offender, Hickey shamelessly continued his abhorrent behaviour, resulting in a swift remand and custodial sentence.’

Description

The man pictured below is 64-year-old Derek Hardman and he is a sex offender.

You won’t see him on the streets of East Lancashire for a while because he was today jailed for 11 years and nine months.

On 28th September 2022 we were made aware that he had engaged in sexual activity with a vulnerable 16-year-old girl.

Hardman was arrested and denied any wrongdoing in police interview.

However, a comprehensive investigation uncovered a multitude of evidence that disproved Hardman’s assertions of innocence. This included an array of concerning text messages Hardman had sent to his victim.

All the offences took place in Burnley.

Hardman, now of no fixed address, was convicted of five counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child at Burnley Crown Court in November.

He returned to the same court today (3rd March) where he was also made subject of a 20-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and told to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

In a statement to the court, the victim wrote: “I am not working at the moment and I think that some of it is due to the effect that the crimes have had on me. It has really affected my mental health. I don't like going out on my own and I don't go out at night. I'm too scared.”

She continued: “I have had nightmares about what Derek did to me. The doctor prescribed me sleeping tablets for this. I still have sleepless nights and nightmares about what happened. I was diagnosed with PTSD in February 2023 as a result of the crimes committed against me. This is something that I need to work through.”

Description

A convicted paedophile who downloaded almost 400 indecent images of children has been jailed.

Robert Bilsborough, 35, of Kingsfold Drive, Penwortham, was arrested after officers carried out a routine check of his electronic devices following a previous conviction of making indecent images of children and possession of prohibited images of children.

During the forensic examination of his devices, which took place in November last year, officers found 13 images classed as category A, the very worst type, as well as 23 category B, and 361 category C. In total, 397 indecent images of children were found on his devices.

He plead guilty to the offences and appeared at Preston Crown Court on Friday 28th February to be sentenced for 3 counts of making indecent images of children.

In total he was sentenced to 58 weeks in prison.

He was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.